Super Bowl XLII: Patriots vs. Giants
Congratulations to Tom Coughlin, Eli Manning, and the Super Bowl-champion New York Giants. Plaxico Burress caught a 13-yard touchdown pass with just 35 seconds left in the game, as the Giants shocked the unbeaten Patriots 17-14 to win the third Super Bowl in franchise history. findingDulcinea has the game covered, with links to post-game reactions and analysis from New York, Boston, and everywhere else.
We've gathered the 10 best stories about the game from newspapers, online sports sites, and blogs. read more »
We've collected the best stories from the morning after the Giants shocked the Patriots. read more »
We've collected the initial reactions of the Giants' shocking win.
The New York Post's Paul Schwartz:
"What was supposed to be the coronation of the Patriots immaculate 19-0 season instead became one of the most unexpected defeats in this game's storied history. The Pats sought to copyright the 19-0 trademark; instead, they'd better get busy printing up those "18-1" shirts."
The Daily News' Ralph Vacchiano:
"And the finale was a 13-yard pass to Plaxico Burress, who had been the center of a firestorm all week long after he guaranteed the Giants' would win. He backed up his words by backing off Patriots cornerback Ellis Hobbs and catching the touchdown pass that finally put the Patriots' dynasty to rest."
The New York Times' Judy Battista:
"It was, fittingly, a brutal sack of Brady with 20 seconds remaining that seemed to end the Patriots' final chance of saving their unblemished record."
Big Blue View:
"
I know I am biased, but this will have to go down not only as one of the greatest Super Bowl upsets ever, but as one of the best of the 42 Super Bowls ever played."
The Boston Globe's Dan Shaughnessy:
"There'll be no Hub parade on Super Tuesday. No commemorative books about "Path to Perfection." In New England, the church bells all are broken."
The Patriot Act:
"Much analysis will be made over the coming weeks as to why exactly the Pats lost. Overconfidence? Jinx by the Globe's already produced book, a la "Dewey Defeats Truman"? My guess is they simply were outplayed. If anybody says it's the Giselle jinx, like the Jessica Simpson jinx, then they're dumb. We, as Patriots fans, should simply acknowledge that on this night, the New York Giants were the better team."
Patriots Daily:
" It may, perhaps, be the worst loss in profesional football history, this 18-0 powerhouse, favored by two touchdowns, losing to the lowest seed of the allegedly inferior NFC in the only game that really matters when real history is written."
Patsfans.com:
"It will go down as a game which will leave New Englanders dumbfounded for many years to come. If the Patriots ever come this close to a 19-0 season ever again, you'll always remember this game. For all of Patriot Nation, it was a night of angst, shame, disgust, and most of all, disappointment."
Sports Illustated's Don Banks:
"David Tyree? David Tyree? Name me one person in America who predicted that David Tyree would turn in the game's most important and amazing play? That 32-yard Eli Manning to Tyree completion -- which he secured one-handed, with the ball trapped against his own helmet -- will be replayed as long as there's sports in New York."
ESPN's Jeffri Chadiha:
"While all the talk leading up to Super Bowl XLII centered on perfection, on how the New England Patriots were one of the best teams ever, we forgot to acknowledge one simple fact: The New York Giants were playing better at this time of the year than their opponents."
The Chicago Tribune's Mike Downey
"Brady finally lost a Super Bowl. He lost to a 12-point underdog. He lost to Eli, the
other Manning brother. He lost a chance to tie Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw with a fourth Super Bowl ring."
The Sporting Blog's Will Leitch:
“In the span of 15 minutes, everything we knew about the world of the NFL was obliterated. Eli Manning is a heroic Greek figure. Bill Belichick is a blundering fool whose “screw it, I’m going for it” alpha male act finally came back and bit him. David Tyree is a circus acrobat. Tiki Barber was put on this earth to make omelets in front of millions of bored homemakers. Plaxico Burress is a soothsayer. Tom Coughlin possesses the ability to smile. Black is white, and white is black. Up is down. Dogs and cats, living together. Mass hysteria.”
Cold Hard Football Facts:
"Tip your cap today to Tom Coughlin, the architect of two of the biggest upsets of the last two decades. Back in 1993, his Boston College team beat No. 1 Notre Dame. College football's greatest dynasty has never recovered. Super Bowl XLII could prove to be the same dynasty-crushing defeat for New England."
Deadspin:
"OK, we could watch football for the next 20 years, and we're not sure we'd ever see a play as amazing and improbable and insane and ridiculous and surreal and let's-face-it-gang batshit crazy as watching Eli Manning escape that sack and David Tyree make that catch."
Dan Shanoff:
"I think we will look back—tomorrow, next week and years from now—and wonder if this is as great as a Super Bowl can ever get. I think that's quite possible."
Everyday for the next two weeks, we'll be gathering the 10 best stories about the game from ... read more »
Everyday for the next two weeks, we'll be gathering the 10 best stories about the game from ... read more »
Everyday for the next two weeks, we'll be gathering the 10 best stories about the game from ... read more »
Everyday for the next two weeks, we'll be gathering the 10 best stories about the game from ... read more »
Everyday for the next two weeks, we'll be gathering the 10 best stories about the game from ... read more »
Everyday for the next two weeks, we'll be gathering the 10 best stories about the game from ... read more »
Everyday for the next two weeks, we'll be gathering the 10 best stories about the game from ... read more »
Everyday for the next two weeks, we'll be gathering the 10 best stories about the game from ... read more »
Everyday for the next two weeks, we'll be gathering the ten best stories about the game from ... read more »
Everyday for the next two weeks, we'll be gathering the ten best stories about the game from ... read more »
Everyday for the next two weeks, we'll be gathering the ten best stories about the game from ... read more »
Since the Green Bay Packers beat the Kansas City Chiefs to win the first Super Bowl, the game has ... read more »
For the next two weeks, there will be an overwhelming amount of news and analysis on the Super ... read more »
With three Super Bowl wins and an undefeated regular season in the last seven years, it’s ... read more »
Boston is known for its fanatical coverage of local teams, and this extends to the Patriots. This ... read more »
The Giants have a long and storied history, with six NFL championships and 15 Hall of Famers. Now ... read more »
With the Jets season long over, the New York sports media has turned its attention to the Giants ... read more »
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