02/03 — The Patriots, whose defense yielded the longest Super Bowl drive by time on the opening drive of the game, almost matched that record with their offense on the opening drive of the third quarter.

New England got help from the Giants' Chase Blackburn, who failed to get off the field on a punt in time. Coach Bill Belichick called for a red-flagged replay challenge for 12 men on the field and sure enough the Fox-TV cameras caught Blackburn still a step away from the sideline before the ball was snapped to punter Chris Hanson. Mike Carey ruled the Giants were guilty and the Pats' fourth-and-2 became first-and-10 at the Giants 39.

The march continued further when Tom Brady found Kevin Faulk out of the backfield on third-and-13. Faulk turned and put a move on Michael Johnson in getting 14 yards.

Finally, New England ran out of downs. Belichick declined sending Stephen Gostkowski out for a 49-yard field goal and instead Brady aired it out for Jabar Gaffney on fourth down. The ball missed everyone and the Giants took over on their 31.

The drive lasted 8:17, not quite equal to the Giants' Super Bowl-record 9:59 as reported by newyorkjets.com, but still the seventh-longest possession by time in SB history.

With no points scored in the third quarter, Super Bowl XLII became the second-lowest-scoring Super Bowl through three quarters. The lowest-scoring was the nine points scored by Pittsburgh and Minnesota in 1974 (SBIX). Now No. 3 is the Jets-Colts in SBIII and in No. 4 is the Dolphins — as we all know completing the only perfect season in NFL history — and the Redskins in SB VII.

Here are the lowest-scoring Super Bowls through three quarters: