Giants, Manning head to Super Bowl, 23-20 in OT
By ASSOCIATED PRESS

GREEN BAY, Wis. - Eli Manning has arrived, and just in time to take his New York Giants on an improbable trip to the Super Bowl.

A suddenly matured Manning guided the Giants to their 10th straight road win Sunday, a frostbitten 23-20 overtime victory over Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers for the NFC championship.

Now comes Mission Impossible: playing the unbeaten New England Patriots in two weeks for the NFLtitle.

Manning wasn't the only Giant who came through. Lawrence Tynes kicked the winning 47-yard field goal with 12:25 to go after two earlier misses. He missed a 36- yarder at the end of regulation following a bad snap, and also was wide left on a 43- yarder with 6:49 remaining.

But he got a reprieve in overtime after Corey Webster intercepted a struggling Favre. He nailed his kick, then sprinted directly to the locker room while the rest of his frozen teammates celebrated on the field.

''I screwed it up twice,'' Tynes said. ''Thank God we got another opportunity.''

The Giants grabbed their first NFC championship in seven years, capping a monthlong surge that reversed a trend of mediocrity built around Manning's inconsistency. He has been a revelation in the playoffs, however, and his calm leadership keyed New York's turnaround.

Manning shook off belowzero temperatures and a wind chill that would make a Siberian husky shiver. He repeatedly put the Giants (13-6) in position to win in the third-coldest championship game ever - and certainly the most frigid of his young career.

And then he saw Tynes make his first game-winning field goal of the season in the first OT title game in nine years.

''We haven't been given a shot, but we're here and I think we're deserving of it,'' Manning said. ''Right now I'm excited as I can be.''

Last year older brother Peyton finally won a Super Bowl, earning MVP honors to boot. He stayed away Sunday, but father Archie and mother Olivia were on hand for the biggest moment of their youngest son's career.

As for Favre, his emotions were clear.

''I was disappointed that the last pass I threw was intercepted.''

Just a month ago, Eli's moxie was being questioned as the Giants struggled to clinch a wild-card berth. He responded with the best work of his four-year career, including four touchdown passes in the season finale against the Patriots.

He and the Giants are getting another shot at New England, the first team to go 18-0. The Patriots will be after their fourth Super Bowl title in seven years on Feb. 3 at Glendale, Ariz., as well as the first completely perfect season since Miami went 17-0 in 1972.

But don't discount New York, which led the Patriots by 12 points in the third quarter before falling 38-35 on Dec. 29.

''We just came out here and played our hearts out,'' said Plaxico Burress, who had a career-high 11 catches.