But Manning quickly quieted them. He led the Giants down to the New England 1 after a critical third-down pass-interference call on Patriots safety Sergio Brown. Three plays later, Ballard pulled in the biggest catch of his career near the left side of the end zone to set off the Giants' celebration.
It was an incongruous finish, as the first points of the game were not scored until nearly five minutes into the third quarter, when Lawrence Tynes kicked a 22-yard field goal that capped the Giants' best drive to that point. Brady gave the Giants their opening when he threw his second interception (Deon Grant picked it off at the Giants' 39) and Manning completed passes of 18 yards (to Victor Cruz) and 30 yards (to Ballard) that took the Giants to the New England 11.
At that point, a touchdown would have felt like a wide margin, but the Giants stalled, getting 7 yards on two running plays before Manning's quick pass to Cruz fell incomplete on third down to set up Tynes's kick.
It was an incongruous finish, as the first points of the game were not scored until nearly five minutes into the third quarter, when Lawrence Tynes kicked a 22-yard field goal that capped the Giants' best drive to that point. Brady gave the Giants their opening when he threw his second interception (Deon Grant picked it off at the Giants' 39) and Manning completed passes of 18 yards (to Victor Cruz) and 30 yards (to Ballard) that took the Giants to the New England 11.
At that point, a touchdown would have felt like a wide margin, but the Giants stalled, getting 7 yards on two running plays before Manning's quick pass to Cruz fell incomplete on third down to set up Tynes's kick.
