On Sunday, the New England Patriots scored a flawless 21-12
semi-final victory over the San Diego Chargers, that sent them to the final
game of the National Football League (NFL) season.
The Patriots will meet the upstart New York Giants on
February 3 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
The New York Giants defeated the Green Bay Packers in overtime 23-20 on Sunday
to reach the Super Bowl.
The Giants gave the mighty Patriots perhaps their biggest
scare in the final game of the regular season. New England trailed by 12 points
but roared back to win 38-35, becoming the first undefeated team since the NFL
expanded to a 16-game season in 1978.
Since losing to New England
on December 29, the Giants, a wild- card entry that could not even win their
own NFC East division after starting the season 0-2, have stayed alive with
three playoff victories.
Quarterback Eli Manning, the son and brother of NFL
quarterbacks, was a pedigreed and highly sought after college player who was
increasingly criticized in New York
for inconsistent play in his fourth professional season. But his playoff
leadership has been a breakthrough.
A year after his brother Peyton led the Indianapolis Colts
to a Super Bowl victory, Eli Manning will have the chance to put a second
consecutive piece of championship hardware in the family trophy case.
The Super Bowl hype for the next two weeks is sure to focus
on the quarterbacks, with Manning facing comparisons with New
England quarterback Tom Brady, field general of the record-setting
Patriots offence.
Brady was not as sharp as usual Sunday against the San Diego defence, which
kept the Chargers in the game until the fourth quarter.
"Tom Brady can't throw for 400 yards for each and every
week,'' Patriots safety Rodney Harrison said, absolving New England's offense
of its less-than-overwhelming showing. "For our defense to get the red
zone finally corrected for once, it felt pretty good because that's a point of
emphasis that's so important."
The Chargers came into Sunday's game beset by injuries, with
their own quarterback Philip Rivers hobbled by a serious knee injury and his
top receiving target, tight end Antonio Gates, struggling with a dislocated big
toe. Most importantly, San Diego
got only two plays from injured running back LaDainian Tomlinson, NFL's most
dynamic offensive threat.
"I think there will be a time and a place to sit back
and reflect on it, but right now I'm just proud of our team for winning this
game and having a chance to go play for the NFL title," said Bill
Belichick, New England Patriots’ coach.
