The New England Patriots took one final shot from an NFL foe, but in the end they finished the regular season perfect on Saturday night. While records fell at a feverish pace, it was the Patriots ability to go 16-0 that was most impressive.
come-from-behind victory over the New York Giants in East Rutherford, N.J.
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The Patriots become only the second team in the 88-year history of the NFL to finish the regular season undefeated. In 1972, the Miami Dolphins went 17-0 during their Super Bowl season, but played a 14-game regular season.
"Going undefeated during the regular season is a remarkable achievement," 1972 Dolphins coach Don Shula said. "I know first-hand how difficult it is to win every game, and just as we did in 1972, the Patriots have done a great job concentrating on each week's opponent and not letting any other distractions interrupt that focus.
"If they go on to complete an undefeated season, I will be the first to congratulate coach [Bill] Belichick and the Patriot organization."
With the Patriots trailing 28-23, Brady found Moss wide open streaking down the right side for a 65-yard touchdown 3:45 into the fourth quarter. Running back Laurence Maroney then ran in a two-point conversion for a 31-28 lead.
"I think it's a lot of hard work," Brady said. "I'm proud of the way this team responded. We're losing there in the second half and came out and played some of our better football."
On the touchdown, Brady broke Peyton Manning's record of 49 TD passes, while Moss passed Rice with his 23rd touchdown reception of the year.
The Patriots also broke the Minnesota Vikings's 1998 record (556) for most points in a regular season with 589, and with 75 touchdowns on the season, easily eclipsed the mark of 70 set by the 1984 Dolphins.
"The Giants came out with great intensity to start the game," Moss told reporters. "It took us a while to match their intensity."
Following an interception, Maroney finished off the Giants on a five-yard touchdown run with less than five minutes remaining to go up by 10.
Receiver Plaxico Burress's three-yard touchdown catch brought New York to within three points with more than a minute remaining, but the Giants failed to recover the onside kick.
The victory, New England's record-breaking 19th straight spanning the last two regular seasons, was anything but easy.
Trailing by five points to start the third quarter, the Patriots faced their biggest deficit of the season after Giants QB Eli Manning hit Burress with a 19-yard TD hookup, giving New York a 28-16 lead at 9:12.
But Maroney, who finished the game with 46 yards rushing and two scores, began New England on its comeback trail on a six-yard TD run less than five minutes later, setting the stage for Brady and Moss's heroics.
Moss actually dropped a long pass the previous play, but wouldn't be denied again.
Brady spotted Moss one-on-one with free safety James Butler, who was taking the place of injured cornerback Sam Madison, and fired a strike into the waiting hands of his go-to receiver.
"We're down 10 or 11 [actually 12] in the third quarter, the crowd was into it, and we found a way to win," Brady said. "That's the way it's going to be down the stretch ... just hope we can continue to play this kind of football."
Brady finished the night throwing for 356 yards and two touchdowns, while Moss grabbed six catches for 100 yards and a pair of TDs.
Brady and Moss first connected in the second quarter to tie their respective records and put the Patriots ahead 10-7.
Despite the loss, Manning had a strong game, throwing for 251 yards and four touchdowns.
"There is nothing but positives," Giants head coach Tom Coughlin said after the loss. "I told the players in playing this game everything would be positives, there would be no negatives and that is how I feel.
"I don't know any better way to be prepared for the playoffs than to go against a team that was 15-0."
With files from the Associated Press
