Upset tag discounts Giants’ worthiness

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- History will write this as the greatest upset in Super Bowl history. It was one in record, in point spread, in what transpired over five months of the NFL season.

But for 60 minutes here Sunday, for the only stretch of time that really mattered while the Patriots and Giants were deciding who would win Super Bowl XLII, upset didn't apply for one snap.

The Giants beat New England in almost every way imaginable. Their 17-14 win before 71,101 at University of Phoenix Stadium and a worldwide television audience was a testament to what a team can achieve when it doesn't accept its perceived fate as the final notch on another's perfect belt.

"I think we shocked the world and, hell, in a lot of ways we shocked ourselves," Giants defensive end Michael Strahan said. "Even when my parents told me we were going to win, I'm not sure I believed them.

"But I believed in our guys. I believed we were confident. I believed we didn't want this to be about the Patriots and a dynasty story."

It was no upset in preparation ...

This is the most impressive part, because even the ever-growing Spygate controversy can't deny Patriots coach Bill Belichick with two weeks to devise a gameplan is usually more a sure thing than his hooded wardrobe.

But it was Giants coach Tom Coughlin and his defensive staff who discovered a way to pressure and confuse arguably the best offense in league history into just two scores. Tom Brady threw a single-season record 50 touchdowns because his offensive front allowed him enough time to rip secondaries apart while contemplating another date with his model girlfriend.

Sunday, the Patriots quarterback was sacked five times, hurried nine others and looked as bewildered as he has in years. He led just one scoring drive that didn't benefit from a penalty, and it resulted in New England taking a 14-10 lead with 2:42 remaining.

"They had a great pass rush, obviously a great pressure scheme," Brady said. "We scored the fewest points we have all year, and it got us beat."

It was no upset in execution ...

The talk will be about Eli Manning stepping out of his brother Peyton's immense shadow and leading the Giants to their third world championship, about his terrific direction of an 83-yard drive over 12 plays in the final minutes that included an amazing escape from pressure and subsequent 32-yard pass with a minute remaining. Manning was 9-for-14 for 152 yards and two scores in the fourth quarter, numbers that deservingly won him the Super Bowl MVP award.

But someone (David Tyree) had to make that acrobatic 32-yard catch while cradling the ball to his helmet as he hit the turf. Someone (Plaxico Burress) had to clutch the winning score from 13 yards with 39 seconds left. An offensive line had to limit New England to three sacks and a defensive front had to pressure Brady into appearing overly average. The hype before kickoff was of the best team (New England) meeting the hottest team (New York).

The Giants proved to be both.

"Where we rank (in history) is not worth talking about now," Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi said. "It's over. It didn't happen. We couldn't finish. We didn't get it done. When you come up short, you tip your hat. They are the world champions. There you have it."

Only one guarantee in sports history has mattered, and there's a pretty good chance Joe Namath, lounging around the pool with the ladies and some reporters, had several cocktails in him and didn't truly believe his Jets would beat the Colts in Super Bowl III. But he said it and they did and no guarantee since has come close for drama or impact.

Burress made one this week in saying the Giants would prevail 23-17. Most everyone laughed, maybe not entirely at the concept New York could win but that it would limit the Patriots to so few points.

But entering with 10 straight road wins obviously built the kind of resolve and faith the Giants required to accomplish something 18 previous New England opponents couldn't.

History will write this as the greatest upset in Super Bowl history, and it is for those peripheral factors like record and point spread and how New England crafted its 18-game unbeaten journey.

"Every team is beatable," Coughlin said. "The right moment. The right time."

The right preparation and execution.

It was no upset over those 60 minutes, no fluke when it counted most.

Ed Graney can be reached at 383-4618 or egraney@reviewjournal.com.