NEW YORK—Fans of the Giants football team spilled joyously into Times Square after the final gun sealed their team’s come-from-behind 17-14 victory in the Super Bowl.
The dramatic victory scotched the New England Patriots’ bid to make history. The Patriots had beaten all comers in the regular season and playoffs, and carried an 18-0 record into the game, in which they were heavily favored.
The Patriots were also trying for a fourth Super Bowl victory in the decade, but they will have to wait until next year to attempt to tie the Pittsburgh Steelers (1970s) and San Francisco 49'ers (1980s) as winners of four championships in one decade.
In Times Square, horse-mounted police maintained order among the euphoric crowd in the streets. No violent or property-damaging behavior was seen in the immediate post-victory scene.
Giants fans were celebrating the team’s third Super Bowl victory in the 42-year history of the annual game, and the first since the 2001 contest in Tampa, Florida.
The victory gave New York’s fans latest bragging rights over Boston’s fans, in a traditional rivalry between the cities. The Boston Red Sox had won baseball’s professional championship in October, having defeated the New York Yankees in the playoffs along the way.
