NFL

STRAHAN WASHES AWAY PAINFUL MEMORIES

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Even in the middle of the Arizona desert, Amani Toomer and Michael Strahan washed away a lot of painful memories last night.

When Tom Brady’s final pass fell incomplete, sealing the Giants’ monumental 17-14 upset of the seemingly invincible Patriots in Super Bowl XLII, the only holdovers from the Giants’ prior trip to the big game were redeemed.

The disappointment of that 34-7 thrashing at the hands of the Ravens in Tampa, Fla., seven years ago suddenly seemed like it had never happened.

“Nobody thought we could do it, but we did it,” said Toomer, a 12-year pro who made the most of his return to the NFL’s grandest stage by leading the Giants with six catches for 84 yards. “I’m stunned right now.”

Strahan, who had debated not coming back for his 15th season, also did his part last night to erase the sting of his only previous Super Bowl trip.

Showing exceptional quickness and determination off the edge, Strahan helped key a fierce pass rush that kept Brady off balance all night. Strahan finished with three tackles, a sack and two quarterback knockdowns.

“We knew we had to get to Tom Brady,” Strahan said. “If we didn’t do that, then we weren’t going to win the game.”

Strahan and his defensive teammates certainly had an admirer in Toomer.

“I can’t say enough about what our defense did,” he said. “They kept us in the game, then the offense came through in the end. My hat’s off to them.”

Strahan could say the same about his friend and longtime teammate. Toomer came up huge on the Giants’ game-winning drive, catching an 11-yard pass on first down and a 9-yarder on third-and-10 to set up Plaxico Burress’ decisive TD.

Several other Giants said winning a title for Strahan and Toomer was one of the driving factors in tonight’s win.

“I don’t have enough words to say how happy I am for Amani and Strahan,” linebacker Antonio Pierce said.

For Strahan, beating the previously unbeaten Patriots meant more than a win over the Ravens in 2001 would have.

“This is a whole different story,” Strahan said. “That [beating Baltimore] would have been great, but New England was 18-0 and talking about history. We had heard a lot this time about how we had no shot, but we shocked the world.”

In typical low-key Toomer style, he didn’t need nearly as many words as Strahan to describe what he just helped make happen.

“Look at the scoreboard,” he said. “That’s all I can say. Look at the scoreboard.”