GIANTS WIN!

There was a palpable expectation of history here on chilly night in the Arizona desert. Super Bowl XLII delivered on that score, but history of a different sort was made Sunday. The Giants, 12-point underdogs, ruined the New England Patriots' quest for a perfect season. New York, which lost six of 16 games during the regular season, prevailed 17-14 at University of Phoenix Stadium. Quarterback Eli Manning, the game's MVP, lofted a regal, floating 25-yard pass to Plaxico Burress -- over Patriots cornerback Ellis Hobbs -- to put the Giants over the top with 35 seconds left. Wild, Wild BestThe Lombardi Trophy has landed in the hands of the Giants. Eli Manning and New York took the long playoff route, becoming the fifth wild-card team to win the Super Bowl. "The guys on this team and the run we've made, it's hard to believe -- it really is," Manning said. "The drive at the end there were so many clutch plays by so many guys. It is an unbelievable game and an unbelievable feeling." Said Burress: "This is the greatest feeling in professional sports. For us to come out and win a world championship tonight -- nobody gave us a shot." Somewhere, the 1972 Miami Dolphins (17-0) are popping their long-awaited champagne. The Giants are nothing if not resilient. Because they were technically the visiting team, they won their 11th consecutive game on the road, including all four playoff games. It was the second straight Super Bowl victory for a son of Archie and Olivia Manning, a tribute to good genes and diligent film study. The Colts' Peyton Manning won his first Super Bowl last season at the age of 30. Eli, who was also a No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft, is three years younger. Manning completed 19 of 34 passes for 255 yards and two touchdowns. This was especially sweet for defensive end Michael Strahan and wide receiver Amani Toomer, the only holdovers from the 34-7 strafing by the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV. In addition, it was the third Super Bowl victory for one of the league's most venerable franchises, to go with the Vince Lombardi trophies won at the end of the 1986 and 1990 seasons. "We shocked the world but not ourselves," Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce said.