What seemed an inevitability for much of the season became a reality when the Patriots came back to beat the Giants, 38-35, in front of more than 70,000 fans at Giants Stadium and a huge national audience watching on three television networks.
They finished the regular season undefeated, the first team to do so since the NFL expanded to a 16-game schedule, and joined the 1972 Dolphins as the most successful teams of the last 40 years.
It wasn't easy. It wasn't neat. But it was effective.
"We've got another big game coming up, and we're going to have to turn the page," coach Bill Belichick said. "But for right now, now's a great time to feel good about today and the regular season."
And now, the Patriots move into a three-game, five-week season they hope will end with their fourth Super Bowl trophy this decade.
After what we have seen from them this season, there is no reason to think the Patriots will finish out any other way than by hoisting the Lombardi Trophy into the Arizona sky on the first Sunday in February.
In beating the Giants, who admirably didn't rest their starters last night despite having an immovable playoff seed and a forthcoming opponent that was planning to do just that today, the Patriots set several records. They became the highest-scoring team in NFL history. Quarterback Tom Brady surpassed Indianapolis' Peyton Manning with 50 touchdown passes this season, and wide receiver Randy Moss surpassed the great Jerry Rice with 23 touchdown receptions.
They are records that should stand for a while. Or at least until the Patriots play pass-and-catch next year.
