New York Giants: 17 - New England Patriots: 14
((i just copied and pasted some of this from an internet article on the game's winners and losers)).

WINNER: The Giants' defensive front

Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, Fred Robbins, Jay Alford, et al. dominated this football game, pressuring Tom Brady like no other opponent all season. It wasn't just the five sacks. It wasn't just the rushes that threw off Brady's timing and derailed the usually high-octane Patriots offense. It was how Brady was edged even when he wasn't pressured, how he overthrew wide-open receivers and made too-quick decisions. It was the false starts by the overwhelmed Patriots line. It's unlikely even Tom Coughlin thought his team could win 17-14, more likely thinking his team needed to get at least 28 points. But the line did it. The Giants thoroughly outplayed the Patriots in this game, and this was where it started.


WINNER: Eli Manning

He long has been doubted and often has been hammered by fans and in the media. In truth, he often has deserved it. But he matured in this postseason, and his fourth-quarter drive will cement his legend in New York forever. The numbers – 19-of-34 passing, 255 yards – never will tell the story of a guy who kept the mistakes to the minimum and, when needed, played like an all-time great. "Eli Manning Super Bowl MVP" was a phrase that probably no one – not even Archie Manning (by the way, can we have some new sons?) – would have believed just a month ago. But here we are, Eli looking on that final drive like Brady did in his first Super Bowl triumph over the St. Louis Rams.

LOSER: Tom Brady

The guy was harassed all night and did deliver a late-game touchdown drive, but his body language and facial expressions throughout were anything but his old cool self. When the going got really tough in this game (aside from the aforementioned series), he couldn't find a way to make this offense move the football. For someone who always had been so great in the most tense of moments, this was an unexpected stumble.

LOSER: Bill Belichick

His third-quarter decision to go for it on fourth-and-13 rather than kick a 49-yard field goal will be analyzed forever. His kicker, Stephen Gostkowski, was at the end but certainly within his range. A successful kick would have made the game 10-3 and, eventually, 17-17. Even if he missed, the field position loss wasn't that bad (Giants' 31-yard line). Fourth-and-13 is about as low percentage as it gets, and for Belichick to make such a confused tactical decision seemed to help build confidence in the Giants.

WINNER: 1972 Dolphins

They remain the only perfect team in the NFL's Super Bowl era, their spot in history secure for, who knows, maybe another 35 years. If this Patriots team couldn't navigate the salary cap era's first 19-0 season, then who can?

WINNER: Plaxico Burress

Not so much for his winning TD catch – he was all alone and should have made it – but his prediction of 23-17. It was an overblown story, but it is worth noting Brady's reaction. "We're only going to score 17 points?" Brady said with a laugh. "OK. Is Plax playing defense?" Turns out New England wished it could have scored 17.

WINNER: Eli Manning to David Tyree

Perhaps no play epitomized the Giants' heart in this game more than their last hookup. First, Manning was all but sacked three different times, somehow fought it all off, scrambled free and made a desperation throw for an against-the-helmet, test of wills 32-yard catch by Tyree. That was the stuff of legend. All over Phoenix this week hung signs that read "Who Wants It More?" Turns out it was a former sixth-round pick.

LOSER: Bill Belichick fashion

Why mess with the championship karma of the gray hoodie and go with that strange new red hoodie? Was it a play to the team's old colors and Pat the Patriot logo? Or an effort to push more merchandise? There weren't any Patriots fans watching who didn't g

i just finished watching the first season of shakugan no shana. ^-^ homg, i loooooooove it! -squees- there's a movie, but i dunno if it's out yet. and the second season just started in japan. only 5 episodes have been released. anyways, teh first season is 24 episodes long. so go watch, goddamnit! <3

aaaaaand right now i'm almost literally bouncing off the walls cause i have waaaaaaaay too much sugar in my system. xD so yes! and dani is starting another naruto rp on AA, but this one is goooood. >3 so yayes! -squees-

....-cough- done now. ^-^ ....or am i? BWA HA HA! >3