GLENDALE, Ariz. — Fans of the New York Giants affectionately refer to their team as the G-men.

Today, the Giants are closer to Gee-Whiz-men.

They're playing in their first Super Bowl since the 2000 season and 12-point underdogs to the mighty New England Patriots, who could become the first NFL team in 35 years to win every game. Whereas New England has 43 players who already have Super Bowl rings, the Giants have one, backup center Grey Ruegamer — and he won his playing for the Patriots.

Sound hopeless?

Longtime New England players, guys like quarterback Tom Brady and linebackers Mike Vrabel and Tedy Bruschi, understand. They were key players on New England's 2001 team that got off to an 0-2 start before getting their act together, marched through the postseason that included an overtime victory over the Oakland Raiders in blizzard conditions, then stunned the football world with a Super Bowl victory over heavily favored St. Louis.

That upset of the Rams — who, like this season's Patriots, led the league in scoring — was clinched with a 48-yard field goal by Adam Vinatieri as time expired.

Remembering that, Vrabel said these Patriots aren't putting any stock in the fact so many people are picking them to win.

"We understand that one play can make the difference in this game, just like one play made the difference in that game," he said.

Still, confidence abounds. The New York Post reported yesterday that the Patriots have already applied for trademarks on "19-0" and "19-0 The Perfect Season" — and those papers were filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office three days before New England played San Diego in the AFC Championship Game.

Upon learning this, the Post paid $375 to patent "18-1."

These Giants are the first team since New England to overcome an 0-2 start to reach the Super Bowl. The Giants' postseason, too, was marked by a dramatic overtime victory in the bitter cold, theirs coming in the NFC Championship Game at Green Bay. And now comes their chance to shock the world.

"We're very familiar with this role," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. "We've been the underdog for most of the season. That hasn't changed, and we've used the motivational tool of having something to prove pretty much all year long. New England is an exceptional football team, a historical team, a very talented and well-coached team. But, by the same token, we look at this as a tremendous challenge and our energy level is very high."

But the most experienced of the Giants are trying to keep those supercharged emotions in check, and have urged their teammates to do the same.

Defensive end Michael Strahan barely remembers playing in the 2000 Super Bowl, when the Giants lost to the Baltimore Ravens, 34-7.

"The game itself to me was a blur," Strahan said. "So it let me know that when you get here, you slow down, you enjoy it, and you take everything in. At the same time, you are here for business. You are here to win."

The Patriots have even more at stake. If they win, they will become the first team in NFL history to win 19 games in a season.

"Being 18-0, I'm incredibly proud of what we have accomplished thus far," said Brady. "We have talked as a team that for the rest of our lives we'll all remember this week, win or lose. We are all going to do our best to hopefully make that one of the weeks we all remember for all of the great reasons, and not a week we'd like to forget."