Well, what do you know?

When the Browns were 0-3, none of us could have possibly imagined this outcome tonight. And in fact, even when they were 1-3, with a win over the woeful Bengals, we all figured we were basically sacrificial lambs against the undefeated defending champion Giants tonight.

But the team that took the field tonight in the brown and orange was not the same team that took the field any of the previous four games. In fact, I can't swear it's even the same team that went 10-6 last year. This team tonight looked better than any Browns team has looked since ... well, the Modell era. I don't want to exaggerate, but that's how it feels right now. I just sat here and watched every play of this game, and I still can't believe what my own eyes beheld.

Derek Anderson is suddenly a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback again, thanks in part to great protection from the offensive line that previously looked so shabby. Jamal Lewis could get a first down any time he wanted. Braylon Edwards seemed like he was open by five yards at all times. And Eric Wright, for the second game in a row, made the play of the day. That 94-yard interception return not only featured a fantastic read on Eli Manning and an athletic move to step ahead of the receiver, but a tremendous return in which he eluded Manning's attempt to force him out of bounds and/or knock the ball loose. When Wright kick-stepped over the goal line, we all knew it was over.

Thirty-five to fourteen over the undefeated, seemingly invincible, Super Bowl champs. This was probably the most satisfying early-season Browns win of the expansion era. Savor it, ladies and gentlemen. I sure hope it's a sign of things to come.

Manning family returns to Disney World

That was one heck of an effort by the New York Giants. Holy smokes, what a game!

Super Bowl XLII was probably one of the five best Super Bowls I've ever seen. It doesn't top XXXIV, which ended with Rams linebacker Mike Jones tackling Titans receiver Kevin Dyson one yard shy of the end zone as time expired. But it's not far off.

The play of the game: The Giants have gotten to their own 43, with 1:15 to go. They're down 14-10. It's third-and-five. The Giants have already converted on one fourth-down play on this drive, and would certainly go for it again if it came to fourth down, but they'd obviously rather it didn't come to that. Eli Manning takes the shotgun snap. The Patriots rush four guys. The blocking breaks down quickly. Adalius Thomas, coming from the left side, gets a hand on Manning, but he evades him by stepping up in the pocket. But there are two Patriots waiting for him there. Richard Seymour is on his right, trying to shed a block. Jarvis Green manages to get through his blocker, and has Manning by the collar with one hand, and has grabbed onto the back of Manning's jersey with the other. Manning looks like he's got no chance to get a throw off. But somehow, Manning fights his way out of Green's tackle attempt, meanwhile slipping past Seymour, then runs backward, takes a quick peek down field and flings it from the 33. Wide receiver David Tyree is in single-coverage at the Patriots' 24, and the throw is a little bit high. Tyree leaps into the air and gets the fingertips of both hands on the ball, with Patriots cornerback Rodney Harrison all over him, thinking he's got a shot at a game-saving interception. Tyree has two hands on it, and Harrison has one. Tyree still doesn't quite have control of the ball, but he keeps both hands on it, holding it against his helmet while Harrison tries to wrestle it away from him. As the two of them fall to the turf together, Tyree somehow gets the ball down to his chest area. Harrison is still trying to get the ball away from him after they're both prone on the ground, but Tyree has established possession, and the play is over. Giants' ball, first down, 24 yards to go for a go-ahead touchdown.

A few plays later, Manning found Plaxico Burress, his favorite big-play target, in the end zone, with just 35 seconds to go. It was just Plaxico's second catch of the evening. Tom Brady has led some great comebacks in his time, but the way the Giants' defense was going, he didn't really have a shot. He took a sack on second down, then missed on two desperation heaves, both intended for Randy Moss, both into double-coverage. And the Patriots' perfect season was suddenly quite imperfect indeed.

And Don Shula, Bob Griese, Mercury Morris and the rest of the 1972 Miami Dolphins drank some champagne. They remain the only team to run the table for an entire NFL season, counting the post-season.

Archie Manning's quarterback sons are now both Super Bowl MVPs, something he never got within a mile of. And I'm sure he couldn't be prouder.

I don't believe I heard a single word about Spygate during the Super Bowl broadcast, though I did hear it mentioned in some of the talk earlier in the day on ESPN. I don't always know why I'm rooting for a particular team to win a particular game, but I can tell you that was the primary reason I was rooting for the Patriots to lose this game. I generally root for the underdog, so there was also that. But when I see Bill Belichick's face now, I no longer think "Failed former Browns coach." I think "Cheater."

I haven't felt this good about a sporting result not directly involving one of my teams since the Diamondbacks came from behind to beat the Yankees in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series.

It's the big day

This matchup reminds me, ironically, of the matchup six years ago, when the Patriots and Rams met in Super Bowl XXXVI. The Patriots were in the opposite position then. The Rams were clear favorites, having won it all two years before in one of the most thrilling Super Bowls ever, and they were 15-3 going into the game, to the Patriots' 13-5. But the Pats were playing awfully well going in, and won a game that was about as exciting as the one two years earlier. Of course, there's now some question about whether they pulled the same scam in that game that they pulled this year. If they did film the Rams, that calls into question every game Bill Belichick has ever won in his career, including his years with the Browns. If they didn't, Belichick has no one but himself to blame for the doubt cast upon him, as he has shown himself willing to cheat for a victory.

Anyway, the gap between records is bigger with these Patriots (18-0) and the Giants (13-6), but the parallels are there nonetheless. The Pats are 12-point favorites, and to hear the talking heads on ESPN, you'd think they'd won the game already. But don't underestimate these Giants. They're playing great, and the last game they lost was by just three points — to these Patriots. Any idiot can see that the Patriots are the better team, but in an individual game, I wouldn't be that surprised if the New Yorkers pull the upset.

Speaking of the betting line, you wouldn't believe what crazy crap you can bet on in this game. You can put money on not just whether the Patriots will win today, but whether they'll win the next THREE Super Bowls. They're giving 25-1 odds on that one. You can bet on whether the coin toss will be heads or tails — and you're a complete moron if you do that, because you have to bet $105 to win $100. You can even put down some action on what will be the higher number: the Patriots' and Giants' combined punts for the game, or the number of points Eric Dampier scores for the Mavericks against the Pistons this afternoon. I swear to God, I'm not making that up. Those bookies are pretty creative.

Apparently, you can't bet on how many marriage proposals Tom Brady will field from foreign reporters during the game. Oh, well.