Just call them Giant killers. Against all odds, the 2007 New York Giants will go down as Super Bowl champions.

Following up an impressive three straight road wins over NFC higher seeds Tampa Bay, Dallas and Green Bay, Tom Coughlin’s determined Giants took it one GIANT-step further by upsetting the previously unbeaten New England Patriots 17-14 to win Super Bowl XLII in Tempe, Arizona- capping off one of the most improbable runs in NFL postseason history to win the franchise’s third Lombardi Trophy.

They did it with an aggressive pass rush which got to normally unflappable New England quarterback Tom Brady, sacking him five times including a forced fumble recovery and also hurrying the 2007 regular season MVP into several poor throws- resulting in 19 incompletions. The two-time Super Bowl MVP finished 29-of-48 for 266 yards and a touchdown.

For so much of the night, Brady had little time in the pocket to step up and throw due to the relentless pressure of Osi Umenyiora, Michael Strahan and Super Bowl defensive star Justin Tuck (two sacks, forced fumble, four tackles). The terrific trio which flourished so well under first-year defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo combined for three sacks, a forced fumble recovery and 10 tackles. Even when they weren’t on the stat sheet, they supplied a Giant edge up front whipping a Pats’ offensive line which dominated opponents all season en route to winning their first 18 games.

Getting the ball first, the Giant offense set the tone by controlling the ball for a Super Bowl record 9:59 setting up the game’s first points courtesy of a Lawrence Tynes 32-yard field goal. It was on that opening drive that Eli Manning and the offense converted the first four third downs. It was just the beginning of a history-making night.

Amazingly enough, the amount of time they took on that scoring drive resulted in the least amount of possessions (2) in a first quarter of any Super Bowl. Not surprisingly, the Patriots responded by methodically driving down the field needing 12 plays along with an Antonio Pierce pass interference before Laurence Maroney barreled in from a yard out to put them ahead 7-3 on the first play of the second quarter.

It looked like Big Blue would reply with another scoring drive. Thanks to a botched kickoff out of bounds, they got the ball at their own 40 and once again converted a third-and-long thanks to a brilliant Amani Toomer 38-yard reception keeping both feet in bounds after getting away with a push off. However, three plays later, a Manning pass went off rookie wideout Steve Smith’s hands right to New England corner Ellis Hobbs for an easy interception returning it to the Pats’ 33. It was the first turnover by Manning and the Giant offense during the postseason.

Instead of letting the miscue demoralize them, the D stepped up forcing a critical three-and-out to get the ball back- stuffing Maroney on second and third down after an eight-yard pickup on first down. If it felt like a victory, then what happened next must’ve felt like two. When rookie back Ahmad Bradshaw fumbled a clean Eli handoff at their own 30, it looked like they were doomed as a Pat seemed to have recovered it. Somehow, Bradshaw jumped on top of the Pat and essentially stole the ball saving the possession and a heck of a lot of momentum.

Editor’s note: I’m not going to lie but the SB party I went to at my buddy Matt’s in South River all erupted in laughter at how Bradshaw basically robbed that poor Pat of an easy fumble recovery. To be perfectly honest, it should’ve been Pats’ ball. I guess you can’t challenge that because the grumpy Bill Belichick in an uncharacteristic red hoodie never did. Bradshaw won a wrestling match. ;-)

The Giants went three-and-out but once again a determined defense silenced the vaunted Pats’ offense by sacking Brady twice including one by key middle linebacker Kawika Mitchell which could easily have been called an unsportsmanlike conduct for a hand to the New England QB’s helmet. The stripes missed calls on both sides. I’m just not going to be biased about that particular play because it usually is called.

The game got even crazier. A solid drive which started from their own 43 thanks to the combination of Bradshaw (19 total yds, first down) and Brandon Jacobs (13 rushing yds, first down) had Big Blue at the Pats’ 25 with third-and-four. With Manning flushed out, New England linebacker Adalius Thomas came unblocked from the far side sacking the Giant QB and forcing a fumble. Once again, it looked like the Pats would recover but at the last possible moment a spawling Bradshaw pushed the ball forward to Smith who appeared to have the first down yardage. Problem was it was an illegal push by Bradshaw resulting in a 10-yard penalty. The alternative could’ve been a lot worse.

Following a Jeff Feagles punt which put the Pats deep in their own territory at the 11, Brady found a rhythm finding three different receivers including the relatively quiet Randy Moss for first downs moving the ball all the way to the Giant 44 with little time to spare. With the Pats also getting it first in the second half, a score here could’ve been damaging to New York’s upset chances. Instead, Tuck came free forcing a Brady fumble which Umenyiora dove on top of and made sure no Pat stole it.

They only trailed 7-3 at the half despite the Pats having opportunities to make plays. That trend continued in the third quarter. New England orchestrated a long drive which chewed up 8:17. Super Bowl leading receiver Wes Welker (SB tying 11 catches) and third down back Kevin Faulk (seven receptions) had them in position to tack onto their four-point lead all the way to the Giant 25. A huge third down sack by 36 year-old defensive anchor Strahan forced the game’s first gigantic decision.

With the ball at the NY 31, Belichick elected to pass on a 48 year-old field goal opting to go for it on fourth-and-13. The Pats had played this way all season. So I wasn’t too surprised by the decision. It sure has already been second guessed and will continue to especially up in Massachusetts. A Brady incompletion out of bounds which never stood a chance gave the Giants a big fourth down hold. You really have to wonder about that call, especially when you consider what transpired.

I’ll definitely admit that the offense’s inability to finish off drives during the first three quarters was frustrating. They again picked up a couple of first downs to get inside New England territory only to see a stubborn Pat D hold. You kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and for Brady and an NFL record setting offense to put some distance between themselves and our Giants. Thankfully, it never happened.

Despite Welker taking advantage of the middle of the field for all sorts of first down yardage, the Pats’ offense which had gotten scores whenever they needed it all year couldn’t break this Giant D.

After another hold, the offense finally broke the TD drought thanks to a gigantic 45-yard first down reception from rookie tight end Kevin Boss at the beginning of the final quarter. Three Bradshaw runs sandwiched around a Smith 17-yard catch down the middle for a first down setup Manning to another unlikely hero. Special teams player/receiver David Tyree hauled in Eli’s first Super Bowl TD pass from five yards out.

The whole place erupted when they went ahead. Ironically, that same combo would prove large down the wire. By now, I started to sense that something special was unfolding and got deja vu Super Bowl XXV flashbacks in a classic Giant win over another heavy favorite Buffalo.

Editor’s Note: Whoever predicted a Pats’ blowout had to realize by now that that wasn’t happening and this game was indeed going to come down to the final frantic minutes. I never really got why anyone thought our Giants would get blown out. They had played so well since losing to those same Pats by a field goal and had the kind of balanced attack and aggressive physical D which could pose problems. That’s why I felt fairly confident that they’d be right there. And when that happens, I don’t care who you are. You can be 18-0 like those Pats were. You’re going to feel the pressure and that’s when anything can happen. It did.

Believe it or not, the Giant D again stopped the Pats and gave the offense the ball again. It could’ve been much easier had a scrambling Eli managed to not just miss a wide open Plaxico Burress for an easy first down and a whole lot more. If you remember, it was the NFC Championship game hero who made all the headlines this past week with his “23-17” prediction. Maybe he knew something nobody else did.

Instead, they went three-and-out giving Brady and Co. another chance with under eight minutes to go. You just can’t keep doing that. Even with the New England QB looking mortal, he’s going to find a way to make plays.

Brady found his touch hitting open Pats down the middle of the field for first downs, going 8-of-11 for five first downs finishing off a 5:12 drive with a six-yard TD pass to an open Moss after Corey Webster fell down. It was maybe the only time the third-year corner out of LSU made a mistake.

What was done was done. Brady and the Belichick Pats were 2:42 away from a 19-0 perfect season leading 14-10. Could Eli lead the Giants when it mattered most? There was little doubt in my gut that he could. Say what you want about the fourth-year signal caller from Ole Miss. When it comes to being in the two-minute drill, Peyton Manning’s little brother excels. What he did on this drive will go down in Super Bowl history.

It began with an 11-yard hookup to Toomer at the Giant 28. Then it got tough as an attacking veteran Pats’ D forced two consecutive incompletions. Third-and-10 from his own 28 with 1:59 remaining. Manning then connects again with Toomer, who makes a great catch on a low throw and narrowly misses the marker setting up fourth and inches.

Here it was. One play to either go on or go home becoming just another Patriot victim. Jacobs leaned forward just enough to pick it up making everyone in the place nervous. If you didn’t feel the tension by now, then you’re not a sports fan.

Following a Manning five-yard keeper and an incompletion came the play everyone will remember for a very long time. If you’re a Giant fan, you’ll NEVER forget it for the rest of your lives.

Flushed out by a strong Pats’ rush, Eli appeared to be sacked yet somehow, he managed to slip out at the last split second and buy time running to his right. Then he threw a strong spiral which was a little high destined for Tyree. The second part was even more stunning/amazing. 

Tyree then leaped as high as he could go with New England safety Rodney Harrison draped on him looking for a clinching pick. If only Asante Samuel had converted his chance on the previous play, they wouldn’t be talking about Eli to Tyree up in Boston today. Instead, there was unlikely hero Tyree grabbing the ball near the back of his helmet and hanging on for dear life as he fell to the ground for a shocking 32-yard reception to put the ball on the Patriot 24 with 59 ticks left.

“There’s something about this team,” the Super Bowl winning MVP quarterback later told the Associated Press along with big brother Peyton, brother Cooper and proud Dad Archie and Mom Olivia all supporting the better QB on this special night. Yep. Elisha Nelson Manning once again was more poised than a more accomplished QB on the grandest stage, completing 19-of-34 for 255 yards with two clutch TDs in the final 15 minutes.

“The way we win games, and performed in the playoffs in the stretch. We had total confidence in ourselves. The players believed in each other.“

By now, all the Big Blue supporters in Tempe were cheering loudly the same way they had that memorable day in Tampa. You knew that they would score once Eli to Tyree happened. A combination so unlikely that it dwarfs the Dumb and Dumber Clown Management 101 duo of Jim Dolan and Isiah Thomas. 

The drive wasn’t over yet as Eli then wisely held onto the balll taking a Thomas sack on first down before misfiring high for Burress to setup another one of those third-and-long sitations. He had been converting them all night and calmly did so by finding an open Smith near the right sideline directly at the marker as the USC product got out of bounds at the New England 13.

First down. 45 seconds left. One more big play to make. All night, Burress had been silenced to the tune of one catch for 14 yards. None of that mattered now. He hadn’t practiced the past couple of weeks due to a bad knee. First, it was the ankle. Now the knee. It didn’t seem to matter as the former Steeler who shed his loser label this season gaining the respect of players, coaches and fans alike.

One play to alter history and make a bunch of 1972 Miami Dolphins very happy. Eli called No.17 and with single coverage against Hobbs, never hesitated throwing a perfect 13-yard fade to Plax for the go-ahead score.

“It’s the greatest feeling in professional sports,” a teary Burress admitted without the fake bs of Terrell “T-Ho” Owens a few weeks prior.

“That’s a position you want to be in,” Manning noted after becoming the second straight Manning to take home the MVP along with the Lombardi Trophy. “You can’t write a better script. There were so many big plays on that drive.”

Giants 17  Patriots 14

35 seconds remaining

Could Belichick and Brady come up with one more miracle? They still had all three timeouts. But by now, his best pupil was not razor sharp. Banged around all night by a relentless Giant D which somehow limited the greatest offense we’ve ever seen to two touchdowns (three fewer pts than Burress’ prediction), Brady was missing his targets.

When rookie defensive tackle Jay Alford of one sack all season came free and got Brady for a 10-yard loss on second down putting the ball all the way back at their own 16.

3rd-and-20. 19 seconds left. Brady incomplete.

4th-and-20. One more play for a D which stood up to every opponent which were supposed to easily defeat them. Brady back to throw looking for Moss. Incomplete.

Pandemonium at Matt’s in South River. A great place which has hosted Super Bowl parties for years. I recalled the one seven years ago when our team didn’t fare as well against a great Ravens’ D. This was vindication. It was jubilation and a night we won’t soon forget. I’d like to personally thank Mr. Mokarry AKA Mr. Mo along with his wife for not only hosting it but getting some awesome good as well.

They had done the impossible!!!!!

“They played well,” a humbled Belichick admitted. “They made some plays. We made some plays. They just made a few more. We played as hard as we could. We just couldn’t make enough plays.”  

“We played them five weeks ago and it was a three-point game,” a philosophical Brady said. “And they made enough changes and really eliminated what we did offensively.”

“Every team is beatable, you never know,” a very deserving victorious Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. “The right moment, the right time, every team is beatable.”

Editor’s Note: Just watching the emotional coach’s classic reactions while on the sideline during that frantic final scoring drive was great. He came on the field twice to call timeouts. Everyone cracked up.

How could you not feel good for the guy who adjusted and opened up the communication lines making it easier for this T-E-A-M to come together. The players clearly bought into what Coughlin wanted and ultimately, delivered co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch the franchise’s third Lombardi Trophy.

“It’s the way we went about our work,” an extremely elated Coughlin added of his team’s remarkable 11 straight road wins- an NFL record to finish 11-1 in the process with their only loss way back in Week One to Dallas. That was a time when they gave up a franchise worst 80 points in the first two games and were trailing the Skins by 17 at halftime in Week Three before they turned their season around with a goalline stand as part of that big win and eventually would become only the third team in NFL history to start a season 0-2 and win the Super Bowl.

Coughlin then summed it up best about his collective unit of ultimate road warriors:

“The road signified the coming together of a team. We rode that emotion all the way through.“

It’s what we’ll remember most. That this team like I texted to my Dad just wouldn’t die.

Super Giants indeed.