enlarge The Associated Press

Corey Webster, returning an interception in overtime Sunday against Green Bay, is one of the New York Giants’ recent draft picks who have come through in this season’s playoffs.

THE SUPER BOWL

WHO: Patriots (18-0) vs. New York Giants (13-6)
WHEN: 6 p.m. Feb. 3
WHERE: Glendale, Ariz.
TELEVISION: FOX

HOW PATRIOTS FARED IN THE SUPER BOWL
2005: Beat Philadelphia Eagles 24-21 at Jacksonville, Fla.
2004: Beat Carolina Panthers 32-29 at Houston
2002: Beat St. Louis Rams 20-17 at New Orleans
1997: Lost to Green Bay Packers 35-21 at New Orleans
1986: Lost to Chicago Bears 46-10 at New Orleans

Now it will happen again.

The Patriots had to defeat the Giants 38-35 on Dec. 30 to complete a perfect regular season. Now New York will be the opponent again in the Super Bowl on Feb. 3 in Glendale, Ariz.

Since Dec. 30 the Giants have won three road playoff games - at Tampa Bay, Dallas and Green Bay - to improve to 10-1 on the road this season.

"We had a great game with them last month. Looks like they've done nothing but get better," Patriots Coach Bill Belichick said. "Unfortunately it counts for a road game for them because we're the home team."

Having played recently, both coaching staffs have the benefit of having their game tapes organized already.

"It makes it go a lot faster. If it had been Green Bay, we would have spent a lot of time getting the material ready," Belichick said. "It's not an advantage. Both teams will be working with the same information."

One thing that might help the Patriots is their experience in the Super Bowl. New England has won three NFL titles since the 2001 season.

"Our organization's been in this game before," Belichick said, "so we have a little bit of history on what worked well and other things we don't want to do."

The Giants don't have that kind of recent Super Bowl history. They haven't been in the game since 2001, when they were blown out 34-7 by Baltimore, and haven't won a Super Bowl since beating Buffalo 20-19 in 1991.

And when this season started, few thought New York would be heading to the Super Bowl. Not after such a quiet offseason.

While the Patriots were picking up the likes of Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Adalius Thomas and Donte Stallworth, Giants General Manager Jerry Reese was sitting on his hands.

At least that's the impression he was giving to his team's fans and the loudest segment of the New York media as they groused about the lack of name signings - no one of importance except outside linebacker Kawika Mitchell.

Neither the media nor fans anticipated more than a .500 season, if that. Those feelings were compounded when New York started 0-2, allowing 80 points in losses to Dallas and Green Bay.

But the season has been marked by major contributions from draft choices.

All eight players drafted in 2007 remain on the roster and 18 players drafted since 2004 are integral parts of the team.

Credit Reese for most of that. He was the personnel director under Ernie Accorsi, who retired as GM after last season.

"I consider him my No. 1 draft pick," Accorsi said of Reese. "I can't say enough about how great he's doing the job."

Start with that 2004 draft, when Eli Manning told the Chargers he didn't want to play in San Diego. The Chargers took him anyway with the first pick, setting off negotiations with the Giants, who picked fourth.

A deal was struck and New York took Philip Rivers, then sent him with draft picks to the Chargers for Manning.

But they didn't accede to San Diego's request for second-year defensive end Osi Umenyiora. The Giants preferred to give up their top pick in 2005 and San Diego used that to take linebacker Shawne Merriman.

The Giants kept one of the NFL's best pass rushers for their 4-3 defense, and the Chargers drafted another who fit into their 3-4.

With the next three picks the Giants got guard Chris Snee, linebacker Reggie Torbor and safety Gibril Wilson, all of whom will start in the Super Bowl.

The deal left New York with only four picks in 2005 -- second, third, fourth and sixth -- but they ended up with about as good a parlay as anyone could get.

The second pick was used on cornerback Corey Webster, who has been a playoff standout.

No. 3 was defensive end Justin Tuck, who had 10 sacks this season and just signed a five-year $30 million contract extension as the eventual successor to Michael Strahan.

No. 4 was running back Brandon...