Super Bowl XLII — 2007 Season
February 3, 2008 · Glendale, AZ (University of Phoenix Stadium)
Super Bowl XLII result: NYGNew York Giants def. NEPNew England Patriots, 17-14, February 3, 2008, at Glendale, AZ (University of Phoenix Stadium).
Result
| Team | Result | |
|---|---|---|
| Champion | NYGNew York Giants | 17-14 |
| Runner-up | NEPNew England Patriots |
Super Bowl MVP
Eli Manning, QB, New York Giants
Starting lineups
Starting offense
| New York Giants | New England Patriots |
|---|---|
| Eli Manning (QB) | Tom Brady (QB) |
| Brandon Jacobs (RB) | Laurence Maroney (RB) |
| Amani Toomer (WR) | Randy Moss (WR) |
| Plaxico Burress (WR) | Wes Welker (WR) |
| Steve Smith (WR) | Donte Stallworth (WR) |
| Kevin Boss (TE) | Benjamin Watson (TE) |
| David Diehl (LT) | Matt Light (LT) |
| Rich Seubert (LG) | Logan Mankins (LG) |
| Shaun O'Hara (C) | Dan Koppen (C) |
| Chris Snee (RG) | Stephen Neal (RG) |
| Kareem McKenzie (RT) | Nick Kaczur (RT) |
Starting defense
| New York Giants | New England Patriots |
|---|---|
| Michael Strahan (DE) | Ty Warren (DE) |
| Barry Cofield (DT) | Vince Wilfork (DT) |
| Fred Robbins (DT) | Richard Seymour (DE) |
| Osi Umenyiora (DE) | Mike Vrabel (LB) |
| Antonio Pierce (LB) | Adalius Thomas (LB) |
| Reggie Torbor (LB) | Tedy Bruschi (LB) |
| Kawika Mitchell (LB) | Asante Samuel (CB) |
| Aaron Ross (CB) | Ellis Hobbs (CB) |
| Corey Webster (CB) | Rodney Harrison (S) |
| James Butler (S) | James Sanders (S) |
| Gibril Wilson (S) |
Note: New England's linebacker trio (Vrabel/Thomas/Bruschi) is reported here as base personnel; the Patriots' defense that game rotated substantially and this is the best-sourced starting trio rather than a snap-count-verified base front.
Box score
Passing
| Team | Player | Comp/Att | Yds | TD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | Eli Manning | 19/34 | 255 | 2 | 1 |
| New England Patriots | Tom Brady | 29/48 | 266 | 1 | 0 |
Rushing
| Team | Player | Car | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | Ahmad Bradshaw | 9 | 45 | 0 |
| New York Giants | Brandon Jacobs | 14 | 42 | 0 |
| New England Patriots | Laurence Maroney | 14 | 36 | 1 |
Receiving
| Team | Player | Rec | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | Amani Toomer | 6 | 84 | 0 |
| New York Giants | Steve Smith | 5 | 50 | 0 |
| New York Giants | David Tyree | 3 | 43 | 1 |
| New York Giants | Plaxico Burress | 2 | 27 | 1 |
| New England Patriots | Wes Welker | 11 | 103 | 0 |
| New England Patriots | Randy Moss | 5 | 62 | 1 |
| New England Patriots | Donte Stallworth | 3 | 34 | 0 |
Game context
Super Bowl XLII carried enormous stakes before a snap was played: the New England Patriots arrived at 18-0, having completed the first perfect regular season since the 1972 Miami Dolphins and setting NFL scoring records along the way, and were favored by as much as 12 points to finish an undefeated season. The New York Giants, a wild-card team that had needed a late-season surge just to make the playoffs, were given little chance. What followed was a defensive slog and then one of the most dramatic finishes in Super Bowl history. New York opened the game with a 16-play, 9-plus-minute drive — still the longest in Super Bowl history — that produced only a field goal, and New England's Randy Moss-Tom Brady connection gave the Patriots a 7-3 halftime edge after a tense, low-scoring first half in which both defenses dominated. The fourth quarter turned the game into legend. David Tyree caught a short touchdown pass to put the Giants ahead 10-7, and Moss answered with a touchdown catch that put New England back in front, 14-10, with under three minutes left, seemingly setting the stage for the perfect season. But on New York's ensuing drive, facing third-and-5 from his own 44 with the Giants' season on the line, Eli Manning escaped a near-sack — multiple Patriots defenders had grabbed his jersey — and heaved a deep pass downfield. Tyree leapt between two defenders and pinned the ball against his helmet with one hand for a 32-yard gain, a play immediately dubbed "the Helmet Catch" and still regarded as among the greatest in Super Bowl history. Three plays later, Plaxico Burress caught the game-winning 13-yard touchdown with 35 seconds remaining, and New England's final desperation drive fell short. Eli Manning, who completed 19 of 34 passes for 255 yards and two touchdowns, was named Super Bowl MVP, delivering the Giants' third championship and denying his brother Peyton's Colts (Super Bowl XLI champions the year before) the distinction of being the only Manning-quarterbacked champion of that stretch, while simultaneously ending New England's bid for immortality. The Giants' pass rush, led by Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiro, harassed Brady throughout, a key factor largely overshadowed by the offensive fireworks. The loss remains the signature disappointment of the Patriots' dynasty era, and the Giants-Patriots rematch four years later in Super Bowl XLVI, with a nearly identical script, only deepened the rivalry's lore. Played before 71,101 fans at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, Super Bowl XLII is widely ranked among the greatest championship games in NFL history.
Sources
Data last verified: 11 August 2026.
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