Just to make my bias clear, I'm rooting for the Patriots in next week's Super Bowl. But Lawrence Tynes' game last week for the Giants was a great example by Joel in this past weekend's sermon on "Reaching Your Highest Potential."

Here's the New York Times' version of the story ...

Giants punter Jeff Feagles, who is also the team's holder on field-goal and extra-point attempts, has been around a lot of kickers in his 20 N.F.L. seasons. He knows that in the uncompromising world of pro football, they are ultimately judged by their failures. And, how they respond to them.

"Because everyone misses," Feagles said Monday. "Then what?"

Talk to kickers, at least the ones that last in the N.F.L., and they will tell you that they do not get rattled by missed kicks, they get angry.

"I saw some resolve in Lawrence's eyes to make this better, to make the next kick," Feagles said Monday of his teammate Lawrence Tynes, who missed two fourth-quarter field goals but converted the game-winner in overtime of Sunday's N.F.C. championship game in Green Bay. "Earlier in the year, I didn't always see that. I think a miss bothered him."

Earlier in the season, Tynes had missed enough field goals and extra points that Giants Coach Tom Coughlin was trying out other kickers. Look in Coughlin's eyes back then, and there was a resolve to find somebody, anybody who could get the ball between the uprights.

But with the score tied Sunday night at Lambeau Field, Coughlin and Tynes found themselves gazing at each other, with Coughlin trying to figure out what to do on fourth down at the Green Bay 29-yard line. On Monday, he conceded that he was not sure of his decision at first, so he looked for Tynes.

To Coughlin's surprise, he found Tynes not on the sideline but standing on the field, preparing for a 47-yard field-goal attempt. Tynes had not waited for Coughlin, or anyone else, to send him into the game. He just ran onto the field. And when Coughlin saw that, he knew what to do.

"I looked right at him, and when I saw him out there, it made a very strong impression," Coughlin said. "I knew he was feeling very confident. I was looking for a sign, and that was it."

Newsday offers up a few more details on Tynes' adversity, this time preceding the game itself. If you prefer some video of the game itself, here's NFL Film's treatment of it.