Tynes' third try nets Super results

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Lawrence Tynes could not have picked a better time to kick a game winning field goal, even if it came on his third try in the NFC Championship game.

Tynes completed the New York Giants' run to the Super Bowl, kicking a 47-yard field goal 2:35 into overtime for a 23-20 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

"What do they say? Three times is a charm," Tynes quipped outside the locker room about 30 minutes after the Giants (13-6) earned a rematch with the New England Patriots (18-0) for the NFL championship in two weeks.

Tynes, who had not attempted a game-winning kick all season, had three chances to send the Giants to Glendale, Ariz.

With the score tied at 20-20 midway through the fourth quarter, Tynes pulled a 43-yard field goal attempt wide left with 6:49 to play after misplaying a 15 mph wind.

"I learned from that," Tynes said.

Eli Manning hit rookie Steve Smith with passes of 15, 14 and 11 yards to give Tynes a chance from 36 yards with :04 left in regulation.

Holder Jeff Feagles handled rookie Jay Alford's very high snap on the play but it threw Tynes' timing off and his knuckleball of a kick was wide left.

"If I had made a bad kick on the second one I would have really been down," Tynes said. "The operation was off. The snap threw me off."

Tynes' redemption came after Corey Webster intercepted a Brett Favre pass on the second play from scrimmage in the overtime. It gave the Giants the ball at the Packers 34 and Tynes trotted out after 3 plays netted 5 yards.

I just ran on the field, I knew it was going to be close to 50, but I knew I could get it there," said Tynes, who was 8 of 8 on field goals over 40 yards during the season. "(Coach Tom Coughlin) had to make a decision when I was up there lining it up. I kind of made the decision for him."

All Tynes needed was a good snap this time and Alford delivered it right into Feagles hands.

"The second one was my fault," Alford said. "I just kept thinking make a good snap and we're going to go to the Super Bowl. I put all the pressure on myself and I made a bad snap. I did it to myself."

The snap on the game-winner was perfect.

"I saw Jeff get the ball with the laces out so I knew it was good," Alford said.

Tynes, who said the cold weather made it feel like he was kicking cardboard, never had a doubt on his last kick.

"As soon as it left my foot, I knew," said Tynes, who barely beat out free-agent Josh Huston in training camp for the place-kicking job.

Ironically, Tynes said his first thoughts were of his wife and children. He had twins born this summer and missed a lot of time training in the off-season because they were premature.

His next thoughts were then of Feagles, the 20-year veteran who is now going to his first Super Bowl.

"This is what it's all about," Tynes said. "My main thought when I went to kick that field goal was Jeff Feagles, he's holding it, he's played 20 years, get this guy to the Super Bowl."

There was never a thought of a third miss.

"I'm not thinking about that, I made the game winning kick to get us into the Super Bowl," said Tynes, who was acquired in the offseason in a trade with Kansas City after Jay Feely signed with Miami as a free agent. "Maybe one day I'll sit back and say 'Holy Cow what if I missed that one.' "

The kick was good, but Tynes didn't stay around too long to celebrate.

"I was gone, I left," he said. "I think I was inside before it was through. I knew it was good. I played it a little right to left, I knew it was a little right to left."