Sports

FOXBOROUGH - The Patriots were so close to pulling off a come-from-behind win against the Giants yesterday, but a critical pass interference call against the defense on the Giants’ final possession led to New York leaving Gillette Stadium with a 24-20 victory. The loss was the second straight for the Patriots - something that hasn’t happened since Games 11 and 12 of the 2009 season, when New England lost back-to-back games in New Orleans and Miami, and was also the first regular-season home...

FOXBOROUGH - Spanish-American philosopher George Santayana famously wrote that those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. And it was New Jersey philosopher Yogi Berra who told us about “déjà vu, all over again.’’ Welcome to Super Bowl XLII, played at the Razor yesterday . . . yet another close win for the New York Giants over a heavily favored Patriots team. Four years ago it was Giants 17, Patriots 14. This time it was Giants 24, Patriots 20. A lot of the cast...

FOXBOROUGH - The answers will be revealed when they watch the film. There will be plenty of questions for the Patriots defense to ponder. Among them will be how the Giants, who were shut out in the first half, managed back-to-back drives of 80 yards in less than seven minutes in the fourth quarter. Or how a team that stopped the Giants on third down for much of the game (4 of 14), allowed a pair of third-down conversions on the winning drive. The result won’t change when the Patriots watch...

FOXBOROUGH - Talk about Sergio Brown’s boneheaded pass interference penalty all you want. And Tracy White looking like the special teams linebacker he is when Jake Ballard blew by him for the winning score with 15 seconds left, too. But yesterday’s 24-20 loss to the Giants at Gillette Stadium was not on the defense. Not this time. This one was on the offense. Sure, it made plays when it counted in the fourth quarter. Terrific. Thanks, Tom Brady and Co., for gracing the 68,756...