If anyone had money on Patriots - Giants to be the first game to go to halftime as a 0-0 tie, they deserve the rather significant payout they're about to receive.
While the levels of offensive incompetence for New England were not as high as they were in the first quarter, a tipped pass and a shanked field goal kept the team off the board in the second even as their defense stifled the Giants' offense for another 15 minutes.
The Patriots started off the quarter with a fair bit of momentum, having pushed their way into New York territory to end the first, but it took just one play to squander it. Trying to find Deion Branch, Tom Brady was off target with the pass, and instead found a defender's hand and then Mathias Kiwanuka's open arms for an interception.
A pair of big (and fairly obvious) holding calls kept the Giants from mounting an attack while a pair of perfect passes (including a near-miracle after a high snap) from Brady were dropped by Rob Gronkowski and Danny Woodhead to ruin a New England drive in-between.
It was the final drive of the half that would prove the most disappointing, however. Some big grabs by Wes Welker and the aforementioned pass droppers brought the Pats within 8 yards of pay dirt before the drive fizzled. Still, it seemed like the Patriots were set to take a 3-0 lead into halftime right up until Danny Woodhead pulled the short kick to the left of the uprights. A wasted opportunity if ever there was one.