The New York Giants will meet the New England Patriots at Super Bowl XLII after a thrilling 23-20 victory over the Green Bay Packers at a frozen Lambeau Field.

New England will feature in their fourth Super Bowl in seven seasons after beating San Diego 21-12 in the AFC Championship Game.

Scottish born Lawrence Tynes kicked a 47-yard field goal in overtime having missed two opportunities in normal time as the Giants upset the Packers in an enthralling contest that swung back and forth throughout.

New York won a record ninth successive road game in arctic conditions after running touchdowns from Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs.

Tynes, who was born in Greenock but moved to the US aged 10, scored 11 points in all, with two early field goals and two conversions as well as the late score.

"I just wanted to get out of the cold," he said afterwards, having raced off the field as field as the ball sailed though the uprights. "I was gone. I think I was inside before it went through."

Plaxico Burress caught 11 passes for 154 yards from Giants quarterback Eli Manning to help secure a trip to Arizona for Super Bowl XLII on February 3.

In temperatures with a wind chill of minus 31 C, Brett Favre, the Green Bay quarterback, was denied a third Super Bowl appearance, 10 years after he last played in the big game.

Favre threw touchdowns to Donald Driver, on a 90-yard catch-and-run, and Donald Lee but the Packers offence struggled to impose themselves on the ground, where they were held to a miserable 28 yards.

Meanwhile, unbeaten New England are on the brink of gridiron history after the win over San Diego 21-12, becoming the first team ever to win 18 straight games in one season.

The Patriots now have the opportunity to become only the second team in NFL history to make an unbeaten championship run, following the Miami Dolphins in 1972.

Tom Brady. the Patriots quarterback, threw for 209 yards and two touchdowns while Laurence Maroney ran for 122 yards and another touchdown in cold and windy conditions.

San Diego could not capitalise, with star rusher LaDainian Tomlinson having limped off with a knee injury and blocker Antonio Gates off early in the game with a dislocated toe. The visitors only managed four field goals from Nate Kaeding.

Wes Welker, a former Charger, Laurence Maroney - who ran for 106 second-half yards - and Jabar Gaffney all scored touchdowns for the home side.

With Tomlinson sidelined, New England twice intercepted Philip Rivers, the Chargers quarterback who was playing despite a torn ligament in his right knee.

And Junior Seau, the Chargers defensive captain when last time they played in a Super Bowl in 1994, came up with a key sack for the Patriots.