Super Bowl XLII ... Patriots 14, Giants 10 .. 1:15 left ... giants face 3rd and 5 at their own 44 yard line. Star-Ledger photographer Andy Mills caught these images of the the play that will live forever for Giants fans ...

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- There was confetti stuck to their sweaty heads, blood on their tight-fitting undershirts and tears in their eyes. The dream season, which often resembled a nightmare, had ended in the most unlikely fashion -- a 17-14 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII last night.

Eli Manning received a hug and an "I love you" from his brother Peyton. His father Archie told him the team " is going to have a great party," while his mother Olivia, knowing her son's penchant for a little karaoke, asked him if he knew how to sing "New York, New York."

You certainly could say The Star-Ledger had Super Bowl XLII well covered, from the front cover
Download file to the Sports cover: Download file

The Star-Ledger's staff photographers captured the essence of the Giants' improbable victory in crisp color as it happened: Download file

Mike Garafolo wastes no time looking beyond the Giants' Super Bowl victory: Download file

Drew Van Esselstyn breaks down the play of the game in Super Bowl XLII: Download file

Here's a look at the key plays from Super Bowl XLII in each quarter: Download file

A look at how the Super Bowl XLII teams fared in their passing attacks: Download file

A look at how the Super Bowl XLII teams fared in their ground game: Download file

COMMENTARY

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- His message was short and to the point, and really, none of his teammates needed anything more from Eli Manning. The N.Y. Giants were 83 yards and one touchdown away from the most improbable victory in Super Bowl history, and the most confident player on the field was leading their huddle.

NOTEBOOK

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Plaxico Burress was absolutely wrong, Tom Brady!

You couldn't even get 17 points against the N.Y. Giants defense. You couldn't keep from getting sacked five times and hit nine more times while throwing.

Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora hounded and hit Brady from start to finish in limiting the NFL's all-time best offense to just two touchdowns in a stunning 17-14 victory that will go down as one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history.

COMMENTARY

There are strange queer sights in the high desert nights
When the moon works its magic on all
But the strangest of all was when Eli don't fall
and Tyree, he catches the ball

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- They were done ... cooked ... fricasseed and parboiled. What was left but to stick a fork in these N.Y. Giants? There are no moral victories in the big city. This ain't horseshoes. You win or you go home empty.

And the hopes of these Giants were leaking all over this strange stadium with the movable roof. Now Eli Manning was backtracking, moving in the wrong direction surrounded by a relentless, unforgiving storm.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- This was the N.Y. Giants' best shot all along, of course, the pass rush that, through the course of the season, had melded into the NFL's best.

The Giants knew, for as good as Patriots quarterback Tom Brady had been -- tap dancing on every defense he faced on his way to a league-record 50 touchdowns -- no quarterback can make throws with several hundred pounds of defensive lineman stuck in his facemask all night.

So, sure, the Giants pulled off one of the most shocking upsets in Super Bowl history yesterday, upending the Patriots, 17-14, in Super Bowl XLII.

PATRIOTS NOTEBOOK

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Randy Moss, held to five catches for 62 yards in Super Bowl XLII, scored his only touchdown because N.Y. Giants cornerback Corey Webster fell down at the goal line in man-to-man coverage late in the fourth quarter.

But the All-Pro wide receiver, who caught a record 23 touchdown passes during the regular season, wasn't impressed with the Giants secondary, despite the 17-14 upset last night at the University of Phoenix Stadium.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Allan Brown flew from San Francisco to San Diego to Phoenix to see his N.Y. Giants play in Super Bowl XLII.

It was the Super Bowl after all, and to see his favorite team play with a chance to win it all he would have done almost anything.

He pretty much did -- and then paid $900.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- As Corey Webster and Randy Moss tumbled to the ground, the N.Y. Giants cornerback looked up in just enough time to see what had happened to the ball that he tipped.

He saw it fall to the turf behind him.

Mission accomplished.

"I just try to stop the opposing team every time I'm thrown at," Webster said after making the key play in Super Bowl XLII last night. "The way that Randy Moss runs, I think we did a pretty good job on him. We knew they were a great offense and he's a great player, but we just made the plays."

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Some of the buzz each year during Super Bowl week centers on speculation about which on-the-rise assistant coach will be in line for a bigger and better job.

N.Y. Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has endured questions about whether he would be interested in talking to the Redskins. New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, the man Spagnuolo matched wits with last night, has declined to jump into the interview pool -- but will in the coming years.

Meantime, Mike Pope apparently is happy with the job he has had for nearly a quarter of a century: teaching and shaping Pro Bowl tight ends.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Twenty-nine seconds and 74 yards stood between Tom Brady and another notch on his Super Bowl belt.

But, as the next three plays unfolded, it became quite clear this was not the Brady of Super Bowls past. An incompletion to Jabar Gaffney. A sack. An incompletion to Randy Moss.

One last shot to put on the cape and fly into history.