It was over when ...
Mark Clayton caught a desperation pass as time expired, but was tackled just 2 yards short of the end zone. The Patriots took the lead when Tom Brady connected with Jabar Gaffney on an 8-yard touchdown pass with 44 seconds left, following a couple of calls that went against Baltimore. The Ravens appeared to have stopped the Patriots on fourth-and-1 with 1:48 left in the game, but a timeout called by the Ravens coaching staff gave the Patriots new life. Baltimore appeared to have the Patriots stopped again on the next play, but a false-start penalty gave New England a fourth-and-6 that it converted.
Game ball
Ravens running back Willis McGahee rushed for 138 yards and a touchdown in a spirited performance. For the Patriots, safety James Sanders gets the honor for his key interception of Kyle Boller in the third quarter. The pick, which came on third down, snuffed out a potential Ravens field goal and proved pivotal in the final outcome.
Key stat
The Patriots converted both of their fourth-down attempts on their final drive.