The New York Giants stand between the New England Patriots

Giants stand between Patriots and the history books

The New York Giants stand between the New England Patriots and their date with destiny when the two teams square off in the Super Bowl on Sunday.

New England is unbeaten in 18 games this year and are bidding to become the first team since the 1972 Miami Dolphins to win the NFL championship without losing.

The Patriots had an easy day on the eve of the game, skipping a scheduled light practice at the University of Phoenix Stadium in favor of an hour of family time.

"We're as ready as we're going to be," New England coach Bill Belichick said Saturday. "It's time to go play."

The Patriots' Tom Brady, the engineer of the NFL's highest scoring team, appears to have recovered from an ankle injury as he tries to become the third quarterback to win four games in four Super Bowl appearances.

Standing in his way are the Giants, a 13-6 team that had an up-and-down season before finding their stride in the postseason as a wild card.

New York had a 50-minute walk-through session on Saturday.

"We're excited and we're ready to go," said Giants coach Tom Coughlin. "It's been a nice week in terms of working up to (the game) and we find ourselves right here, so we're looking forward to it."
Giants' wide receiver Plaxico Burress, unable to practice this week because of ankle and knee injuries, participated in the walk-through at the Arizona Cardinals' practice facility in Tempe.

"I think he's a little bit better today," said Coughlin. "He gets a little bit better each day, and hopefully we'll be able to have some further improvement sunday.

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Patriots' face Giants in final run for record books
The New England Patriots' pursuit of a perfect season reaches a climax on Sunday when they face the New York Giants in the Super Bowl.

After reeling off 18 straight victories, New England hopes to secure their fourth championship in the last seven years by beating the two-touchdown underdog Giants at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

Either the Patriots become arguably the greatest team in NFL history or they become a benchmark for squandered opportunities. No team has gone 19-0 in a season.

"I think it's the biggest game of all of our lives -- my life, the entire team, our coaches," double Super Bowl MVP quarterback Tom Brady told reporters. "We're going to be remembering this game for as long as we live, win or lose.

"We're going to have great memories of this experience or we're going to look at it truly as a missed opportunity.

"There's not too many teams in the history of the NFL -- none, in fact -- that have been 18-0 going into this game."

New England is the highest scoring team in NFL history and Brady's 50 touchdown passes also is a record. Toss in wide receiver Randy Moss's record 23 TD catches and you have what could be the NFL's all-time best offense.

But the Giants (13-6) and their up-and-down quarterback Eli Manning have played in the postseason like a team determined to prove it belongs among the NFL's elite
Coach Tom Coughlin is enjoying the role of David as he faces Goliath.

"We have been underdogs pretty much every time we've played," he said. "We've gone on the road and been underdogs, and been underdogs at home. So its kind of been a natural thing.

"The main theme that comes out of that for our team is having something to prove. We always have something to prove. And there's nothing wrong with that."

SQUANDERS LEAD

The two teams played in the regular-season finale with New York blowing a 12-point third-quarter lead and succumbing 38-35 before a rowdy sold-out crowd at Giants Stadium.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick, a Giants assistant for 12 years, cautioned about reading too much into the teams' prior meeting.

"I think each game takes on its own personality," he said. "There are some elements of that game that probably will carry a similar pattern. I think there will be other elements that will be different.

"I certainly hope that we can hold them to less than 35 points. I'm sure they're hoping to hold us to less than 38."

Injuries will not appear to play a major role in the outcome. Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress, who earlier in the week predicted a 23-17 Giants victory, is nursing a sore knee but should play.
New York wide receiver Amani Toomer believes the Giants will have plenty of support.

"The Patriots are trying to make history and we are trying to make history," he said. "I think we have more people on our side because no one wants to see an undefeated team.

"A lot of other teams are going to be behind us because we have the last shot at them. Hopefully, we will take advantage of it."