As is so often required at this point in the season, the Giants are doing it with defense, allowing 20 points or less in each of the games during the drive to five that will have them in Indianapolis on Feb. 5.

With the talent they boast up front — Jason Pierre-Paul (16½ sacks during the regular season), Osi Umenyiora (nine) and Justin Tuck (five) — there is no need for the Giants to resort to gimmick defenses to exert pressure on opponents.

With the Giants, it's mano-a-mano, allowing them to drop seven defenders back in coverage.

At the same time, they're able to shut off running lanes, the body of their work reminiscent of their performance in Super Bowl XLII when they limited the Patriots to 45 yards rushing and sacked Tom Brady five times en route to their 17-14 win.

Offensively, Eli's coming.

The "other" Manning no more, he is enjoying a consistent stretch with his 8-to-1 touchdown pass-to-interception ratio during the postseason far better than Brady's 6-to-3. Even while throwing 58 times and taking a pounding (sacked six times) in the Giants' NFC title game victory over the 49ers, Manning was turnover-free.

Giants' special teams contributed two fumble recoveries, Devin Thomas picking up one that Kyle Williams deflected, the other that Williams put on the ground during a punt return, latter leading to Tynes' gamewinner.

Then there's this: The Giants know how to beat the Patriots.

Since dropping the 2007 regular-season finale to them, 38-35, the Giants have beaten the Patriots once with their last-minute drive at University of Phoenix Stadium on Feb. 3, 2008, then again at Gillette Stadium on Nov. 6, 2011 (24-20) when their most productive running back (Ahmad Bradshaw) and second wide receiver (Hakeem Nicks) were both out with injuries.