By Larry Fine

Brady completed 22-of-36 passes for 239 yards, failed to deliver any touchdown passes, threw two interceptions against the bone-crunching Ravens defense and was outplayed in the passing game by Baltimore counterpart Joe Flacco.

Yet with the game on the line in the fourth quarter, the two-time Super Bowl MVP accepted the responsibility himself and transformed into a ball carrier to deliver what proved to be the game-wining touchdown.

The slender quarterback tried to stick the ball in the end zone on a third-and-goal from the one-yard line, sliding to his left in what was initially ruled a touchdown but later reversed by replay officials.

Rather than attempt a field goal to move within one point of the Ravens, the Patriots decided to go for a touchdown and Brady called his own number again.

"I thought it looked soft in there, so I tried to take advantage of us getting an easy touchdown," said Brady. "I don't do that very often."

This time, Brady dove over the surging Ravens defensive charge and extended the ball over the goal line for the score that gave New England their winning 23-20 margin.

"I'm glad we had a chance to score there on fourth down. That was important," said Brady, whose touchdown held up as Baltimore's field goal try to tie it from 32 yards out hooked left of the uprights in the last seconds.

"There's no quarterback I'd rather have than Tom Brady," said Patriots coach Bill Belichick, who will also be making his fifth trip to the Super Bowl in the last 11 years. "He's the best.

"He does so much for us in so many ways on so many different levels. I'm really fortunate that he's our quarterback and for what he's able to do for this team."

(Editing by Frank Pingue)