A Giant Statement
By Jon Wagner-Sr. Writer at Large-Football Reporters Online
With their 2009 season teetering on the brink of finishing without playoff football, the New York Giants (8-6) couldn’t afford yet another slip-up.
They ensured that wouldn’t happen, and then some.
Not only did Big Blue come away with the road victory they so desperately needed to remain a factor in the NFC playoff race, but the Giants served notice that if other conference contenders allow New York to crash the NFC postseason party, the Giants might still be dangerous enough to make the most of such an opportunity.
The G-Men made that type of statement with a thorough 45-12 thrashing of the Washington Redskins (4-10) before a national television audience in the nation’s capital on Monday Night Football.
It was the type of effort that was a lot more reminiscent of the Giants’ 5-0 start to the season while making the Giants temporarily forget their subsequent 2-6 mark leading into Monday night’s contest.
A day after the Redskins’ stadium crew had to remove an estimated 25 million pounds of snow from the stadium and their parking lots just so the game could be played after a big northeast snowstorm, it was the Giants who took the Redskins by storm.
The Giants sent an early message that they would return to their former dominating selves right from the outset, as they took the opening drive 80 yards in 16 plays, consuming 9:13, to lead 7-0 on a three-yard touchdown run by running back Ahmad Bradshaw (9 carries, 61 yards, 2 TD).
And, there was no looking back from there.
“We felt we can play at that caliber that we were playing at the beginning of the year. We came out fired up,” Bradshaw said. “This was a must-win. I told everybody before we went out, I need the whole team to come with us. And that’s how we played… together.”
The Giants scored on their first four possessions, and on six of nine times overall, punting just twice and simply running out the clock the final time they had the ball.
Meanwhile, the Redskins couldn’t get anything going offensively in that half while the Giants continued to move the ball and put points on the board.
The one saving grace for Washington might have been its defense, but even the Redskins’ biggest strength failed them against a determined Giants team.
Coming into the game, New York ranked 26th in red zone offense and was going against the NFL's top red zone defense. Yet, the Giants scored on all four trips into the red zone, getting touchdowns on three occasions.
The Giants forced a three and out on Washington’s first possession, which included a third-down sack by defensive end Justin Tuck, the first of five different New York sacks which were recorded by five different Giants.
Big Blue then drove right down the field again, going 63 yards on 11 plays in 5 minutes, for 14-0 lead, as Bradshaw scored again, on a four-yard touchdown run 39 seconds into the second quarter.
The Giants then went 27 yards, settling for a 38-yard Lawrence Tynes field goal, and on their next possession, they struck quickly, going 56 yards on just four plays in 2:05, scoring on a six-yard touchdown pass from Eli Manning (19-26, 268 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT) to wide receiver Steve Smith, to take a commanding 24-0 lead with 4:36 left in the first half.
With 1:55 left in the half and each team having had for possessions, the Giants had run 40 plays to the Redskins’ 15, and New York had outgained Washington 226-6.
Though he certainly did his own part, Manning gave credit to the Giants’ defense for contributing to the Giants’ offensive success. “They came out ready, and played awesome,” he said. “They kept giving us the ball and we kept going down and scoring. We just set the mood for the night very early.”
Washington finally looked good at the start of the third quarter, taking the opening possession of the period 86 yards on eight plays, in 4:20, scoring on an 11-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jason Campbell (15-28, 192 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT) to tight end Fred Davis 4½ minutes into the quarter.
The extra point was missed however, the Redskins still trailed 24-6, and the Giants weren’t through lighting up the scoreboard themselves.
New York answered Washington’s first score of the game with a seven-play, 77-yard drive in 4:08, capped by a 23-yard touchdown pass from Eli Manning to wide receiver Derek Hagan, to lead 31-6, with 6:21 left in the third quarter.
Just fourteen seconds later, it started to get embarrassingly bad for the Redskins.
Cornerback Terrell Thomas intercepted Campbell and scored on a 14-yard return to make the score 38-6, and made Giants fans think back to the first five weeks of the season when Big Blue was considered a legitimate Super Bowl contender prior to its mid-season swoon.
Redskins’ running back Quentin Ganther scored on a one-yard touchdown run with nine seconds left in the third quarter to at least get Washington to double digits, but an ensuing two-point try failed, and the Giants maintained a healthy 38-12 lead heading into the final quarter.
Before taking the bench later in the fourth quarter, Manning led one more scoring drive, taking the Giants 64 yards on five plays, in 2:14, finding wide receiver Mario Manningham on a 25-yard touchdown pass to close out the scoring with 12:48 left in the game.
Most importantly, the win keeps New York one game behind Dallas and Green Bay -- who are each 9-5 overall -- in the race for the two NFC wild-card playoff spots, with two weeks remaining in the regular season. The Cowboys and Packers are each 7-3 in NFC games, while the Giants improved to 6-4 within the conference. However, based on their season sweep over Dallas, the Giants need only to tie (not pass) the Cowboys in a potential two-team tie involving New York and Dallas. The Giants and Packers have not met this season, and do not play each other over the final two weeks of the regular season.
Secondarily, should the Giants find their way into the playoffs, and do so by playing in the next two weeks they way they played in Washington, they may look back to their victory over the Redskins as another crucial turning point in their season, and something on which to build a successful playoff run the way the 2007 Giants rode a 10-6 regular season to a Super Bowl title.
Thus, as Giants head coach Tom Coughlin pointed out, a greater sense of urgency such as the one on display in D.C., will be needed henceforth from the Giants this season.
“We were the team that had more at stake, obviously, and [we] played that way,” Coughlin said. “We always talk about being the team that demonstrates greater purpose. And we did… we ascended tonight, and we have to continue to do that.”
Showing posts with label NFC East. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NFC East. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
COWBOYS VS. SAINTS: IN-DEPTH RECAP OF ONE OF THE BEST GAMES OF THE YEAR
COWBOYS VS. SAINTS: IN-DEPTH RECAP OF ONE OF THE BEST GAMES OF THE YEAR
By William Queen-Contributing Writer-Football Reporters Online
Jumping the gun, the Cowboys defense came out and were clearly faster than they had been in previous weeks. They stopped the Saints first drive and, in response, centered the ball around their main talent Marion Barber and Miles Austin, leading them to the end zone.
7-0 Cowboys
On the ensuing possession, Dallas held New Orleans yet again and, thanks to a nice punt return and phenomenal play-calling, the Cowboys took a little more demanding 14-0 lead.
14-0 Cowboys
New Orleans took over and, though Reggie Bush broke a 25-yard run, their drive ended in a questionable defensive play on a good ol fashioned Drew Brees bomb. Yet, the game continues.
Dallas picks up right back where they left off, as quarterback Tony Romo probably could have taken a nap in the pocket and still would’ve had time to throw a strike to Miles Austin. However, somebody forgot to tell Cowboys coach Wade Phillips that your expose to kick field goals on 4th down, as they attempted a 4-yard first down. He got lucky; the refs got flag happy on the saints secondary and the drive was extended. This did not turn out being a good thing for the Cowboys though; two of the next three snaps resulted in Tony Romo eating dirt. So, the Boys’ were forced to punt.
Following the defensive stand, the Saints drove down the field, ultimately resulting in a Garrett Hartley field goal.
14-3 Cowboys
Dallas was then plagued by penalties their next drive and the Saints took over at their own 9-yard line with just under four minutes left in the half. That’s when Drew Brees, well, showed why he’s being considered in the league’s MVP voting, driving the Saints all the way down near field; but that’s as far as they would get. Brees threw interception the following play, which completely erases the whole “being considered for the MVP” statement a few sentences ago.
But, thanks to the stupidity of Wade Phillips and the Dallas play-calling, they passed the ball two of the next three plays from scrimmage, as opposed to winding the clock down, which ultimately gave Brees and company another shot at scoring with a little more than 1:15 left.
Then, another twist was added to the game, as Drew Brees fumbled the ball and was recovered by the Cowboys with 45 seconds left. This time, the Cowboys took a shot at the field goal and went up 17-3 at the half.
17-3 Cowboys
Halftime Numbers Report:
The Cowboys are four for eight on third downs, as the Saints are maintaining a big fat 0 under third down conversions. Numbers remain close offensively, the only difference being two New Orleans turnovers; holding the Saints to a mere 3 points. New Orleans looks to be picking it up in the 2nd quarter offensively, out gaining their 1st quarter offensive yards total 35-101. For the Cowboys, almost the opposite; their 1st to 2nd quarter ratio being 101-28.
Miles Austin started off the half with a dropped pass. But, it seems that every time he drops one he’ll make up for it with a first down; he converted two plays later. Later in the drive, Marion Barber ran one in from three yards out to finish of Dallas’ stoic drive.
24-3 Cowboys
New Orleans responded with a heck of a kick return, bringing it all the way back to the 36-yard line. However, a dropped ball in the end zone and a Cowboys sack left the Saints offense to a self-destruct-like drive. Yet, a 10-yard holding penalty dug them out of their own hole, giving the Saints a fresh set of downs. But, nothing doing, as the Saints just ended up right back where they started; 4th and 18.
Leading 24-3 with just less than minutes left in the 3rd, Dallas looked to put the game out of reach early with another touchdown. They made it all the way down to the 50-yard line before the Saints decided they wanted to play defense and forced them to a punt.
The next drive, Brees looked like a brand new quarterback; the one we’ve been used to seeing the last 13 weeks. He started to relax more in the pocket and throw more accurate passes, thus resulting in their first touchdown of the game, ran in by Mike Bell from a yard out.
24-10 Cowboys
With the score 24-10 now, the Saints 12th man came back to life, helping the Saints defense hold Dallas to back-to-back punts; giving them another chance at the comeback.
They didn’t disappoint. Driving the ball all the way down the field Drew Brees style, the Saints scored on a seven-yard wide receiver screen pass and, more importantly, cutting the lead to seven and giving them a better shot at what has the potential to be the best comeback of the decade.
24-17 Cowboys
Though the Saints didn’t fare as well as before, as the Superdome watched in grief as Romo led the Cowboys down the field on a time-consuming drive that ultimately ended in a cowboys field goal attempt. Dallas looked to take a game-securing ten-point lead off a chip shot of a field goal from 24 yards out. But hold the phone! They missed it! Hitting off the right crossbar, the ball fell short in the endzone, adding even more drama to the Saints pursuit of an undefeated season.
The offense took the field and nothing went their way the first three plays. Nothing. Facing a 4th and 10 with just over a minute left, this was perhaps the most nerve-racking moment of the season thus far. Yet, the magic Carries on, as Drew Brees converted to Marques Colston. Flirting with the clock, Brees carefully tiptoed down the field, using every break he could find. It took nine plays to get 38 yards and suckin up two minutes and four seconds. Later in the drive, on first and ten from the Cowboys 42, Drew Brees was hit as he threw and was ruled an incomplete pass, bringing the clock down to a lonesome twelve seconds. Second and ten, Brees dropped back and was hit by Cowboys defender DeMarcus Ware and fumbled the ball, recovered by Dallas with six seconds left; sealing off the game and the hopes of New Orleans undefeated season.
Final Score: 24-17 Cowboys
What This Means:
For one of the first times ever, the real story is how this affects the losing team in the New Orleans Saints. Expectations aren’t very high for the Saints; they’ve only been to the playoffs three times in their 42-year history. But, maintaining a 13-0 undefeated record up to this point, it was all or nothing. Iff they win, the spirit lives on. And if the lose, it just brings back memories of their losing history. Though it shouldn’t be that way, that’s how it is.
Losing this game takes an enormous amount of pressure off the Saints as they advance into the postseason. I mean, just look at the Vikings, nobodys talked about them ever since ending their six-game streak to the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this season; they’re 11-2! But in the end, this shows us a lot about this thriving Saints team. Being able to overcome a 21-point deficit in the second half and rally all the way back to within seven points and have the game coming down to the final play; this is a tough football team. Their star tight end was even out. The defense turned their game around and the offense picked it up. And though they lost, this teams knows how to fight.
By William Queen-Contributing Writer-Football Reporters Online
Jumping the gun, the Cowboys defense came out and were clearly faster than they had been in previous weeks. They stopped the Saints first drive and, in response, centered the ball around their main talent Marion Barber and Miles Austin, leading them to the end zone.
7-0 Cowboys
On the ensuing possession, Dallas held New Orleans yet again and, thanks to a nice punt return and phenomenal play-calling, the Cowboys took a little more demanding 14-0 lead.
14-0 Cowboys
New Orleans took over and, though Reggie Bush broke a 25-yard run, their drive ended in a questionable defensive play on a good ol fashioned Drew Brees bomb. Yet, the game continues.
Dallas picks up right back where they left off, as quarterback Tony Romo probably could have taken a nap in the pocket and still would’ve had time to throw a strike to Miles Austin. However, somebody forgot to tell Cowboys coach Wade Phillips that your expose to kick field goals on 4th down, as they attempted a 4-yard first down. He got lucky; the refs got flag happy on the saints secondary and the drive was extended. This did not turn out being a good thing for the Cowboys though; two of the next three snaps resulted in Tony Romo eating dirt. So, the Boys’ were forced to punt.
Following the defensive stand, the Saints drove down the field, ultimately resulting in a Garrett Hartley field goal.
14-3 Cowboys
Dallas was then plagued by penalties their next drive and the Saints took over at their own 9-yard line with just under four minutes left in the half. That’s when Drew Brees, well, showed why he’s being considered in the league’s MVP voting, driving the Saints all the way down near field; but that’s as far as they would get. Brees threw interception the following play, which completely erases the whole “being considered for the MVP” statement a few sentences ago.
But, thanks to the stupidity of Wade Phillips and the Dallas play-calling, they passed the ball two of the next three plays from scrimmage, as opposed to winding the clock down, which ultimately gave Brees and company another shot at scoring with a little more than 1:15 left.
Then, another twist was added to the game, as Drew Brees fumbled the ball and was recovered by the Cowboys with 45 seconds left. This time, the Cowboys took a shot at the field goal and went up 17-3 at the half.
17-3 Cowboys
Halftime Numbers Report:
The Cowboys are four for eight on third downs, as the Saints are maintaining a big fat 0 under third down conversions. Numbers remain close offensively, the only difference being two New Orleans turnovers; holding the Saints to a mere 3 points. New Orleans looks to be picking it up in the 2nd quarter offensively, out gaining their 1st quarter offensive yards total 35-101. For the Cowboys, almost the opposite; their 1st to 2nd quarter ratio being 101-28.
Miles Austin started off the half with a dropped pass. But, it seems that every time he drops one he’ll make up for it with a first down; he converted two plays later. Later in the drive, Marion Barber ran one in from three yards out to finish of Dallas’ stoic drive.
24-3 Cowboys
New Orleans responded with a heck of a kick return, bringing it all the way back to the 36-yard line. However, a dropped ball in the end zone and a Cowboys sack left the Saints offense to a self-destruct-like drive. Yet, a 10-yard holding penalty dug them out of their own hole, giving the Saints a fresh set of downs. But, nothing doing, as the Saints just ended up right back where they started; 4th and 18.
Leading 24-3 with just less than minutes left in the 3rd, Dallas looked to put the game out of reach early with another touchdown. They made it all the way down to the 50-yard line before the Saints decided they wanted to play defense and forced them to a punt.
The next drive, Brees looked like a brand new quarterback; the one we’ve been used to seeing the last 13 weeks. He started to relax more in the pocket and throw more accurate passes, thus resulting in their first touchdown of the game, ran in by Mike Bell from a yard out.
24-10 Cowboys
With the score 24-10 now, the Saints 12th man came back to life, helping the Saints defense hold Dallas to back-to-back punts; giving them another chance at the comeback.
They didn’t disappoint. Driving the ball all the way down the field Drew Brees style, the Saints scored on a seven-yard wide receiver screen pass and, more importantly, cutting the lead to seven and giving them a better shot at what has the potential to be the best comeback of the decade.
24-17 Cowboys
Though the Saints didn’t fare as well as before, as the Superdome watched in grief as Romo led the Cowboys down the field on a time-consuming drive that ultimately ended in a cowboys field goal attempt. Dallas looked to take a game-securing ten-point lead off a chip shot of a field goal from 24 yards out. But hold the phone! They missed it! Hitting off the right crossbar, the ball fell short in the endzone, adding even more drama to the Saints pursuit of an undefeated season.
The offense took the field and nothing went their way the first three plays. Nothing. Facing a 4th and 10 with just over a minute left, this was perhaps the most nerve-racking moment of the season thus far. Yet, the magic Carries on, as Drew Brees converted to Marques Colston. Flirting with the clock, Brees carefully tiptoed down the field, using every break he could find. It took nine plays to get 38 yards and suckin up two minutes and four seconds. Later in the drive, on first and ten from the Cowboys 42, Drew Brees was hit as he threw and was ruled an incomplete pass, bringing the clock down to a lonesome twelve seconds. Second and ten, Brees dropped back and was hit by Cowboys defender DeMarcus Ware and fumbled the ball, recovered by Dallas with six seconds left; sealing off the game and the hopes of New Orleans undefeated season.
Final Score: 24-17 Cowboys
What This Means:
For one of the first times ever, the real story is how this affects the losing team in the New Orleans Saints. Expectations aren’t very high for the Saints; they’ve only been to the playoffs three times in their 42-year history. But, maintaining a 13-0 undefeated record up to this point, it was all or nothing. Iff they win, the spirit lives on. And if the lose, it just brings back memories of their losing history. Though it shouldn’t be that way, that’s how it is.
Losing this game takes an enormous amount of pressure off the Saints as they advance into the postseason. I mean, just look at the Vikings, nobodys talked about them ever since ending their six-game streak to the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this season; they’re 11-2! But in the end, this shows us a lot about this thriving Saints team. Being able to overcome a 21-point deficit in the second half and rally all the way back to within seven points and have the game coming down to the final play; this is a tough football team. Their star tight end was even out. The defense turned their game around and the offense picked it up. And though they lost, this teams knows how to fight.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Is God watching in Dallas? And if so, is he pissed?
Is God watching in Dallas? And if so, is he pissed?
by Drew Moss for Football Reporters Online
The swoon is in full swing.
The Dallas Cowboys continued their horrendous December efforts under Wade Phillips, falling to 0-2 this December by losing to Norv Turner’s San Diego Chargers 20-17 Sunday at Dallas Stadium.
For America’s team, with their 90,000 pairs of 3-D glasses and egregious video screens – It’s a lot of ugly to behold. And a lot of ugly to stomach. Just ask the twisted wizard behind this obnoxious curtain of silver and blue. “This is a bitter pill to swallow here at home… it’s a setback,” understated Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
At the hands of Turner and the surging Chargers, it’s more like a smackdown.
Lest Jones forget, the media (why is Jerry Jones holding a press conference after a regular season loss by the way?!) was very quick to remind him of Turner’s comeuppance. Even after his Super Bowl winning efforts as an offensive coordinator under Jimmy Johnson, Jones passed Turner over for Wade Phillips after Bill Parcells’ departure in 2007. Phillips is 3-7 in December as Cowboys head coach, and 0-1 in one January playoff appearance. Turner is 11-0 in December with San Diego.
At 8-5, the loss left the Cowboys looking up at the Eagles after Philly’s 45-38 shootout win over the New York Giants (will someone in this division make a tackle please?!) and also left them looking down the barrel at a date with the undefeated New Orleans Saints in New Orleans this upcoming weekend. The Cowboys are still talking semi-tough, but looking over their shoulder as they do it.
Efficient (19 for 30 passing, 249 yards, two TD’s, no picks) but uninspiring Cowboys quarterback expressed just such lukewarm confidence, “We just have to play better football. We can talk about it after it happens, but… we all just need to do it.”
“Doing it” on special teams, the offensive line or the offensive coordinator’s booth might be good places to look first. Start the debacle, with Nick Folk’s hooked 42 yarder early. (It’s Folk’s fifth consecutive game with a missed FG-attempt – his job is now in jeopardy). Add to this the Chargers no-brainer three play goal line stand against the obvious Marion Barber and yo uhave th emakings of a long day – and a long December.
Said Chargers linebacker Tim Dobbins (didn’t we see him in Bull Durham?), the next day in the Dallas Morning News,” In our mind, we knew he wasn’t blocking. He’s not getting paid to block.”
So in a huge spot, Dobbins and the Chargers defense did the only thing you can do in Big D - they followed the money. And in doing so, they stuffed Barber, took the ball back on downs, took the life out of the Cowboys - and maybe took the life out of the Cowboys’ entire season. Right in their own house.
That’s a big house. With a big ol’ hole in the roof. And a big ol’ price tag. And a big ol’ bag of late season woes. And if God is indeed watching as they say he is, he’s got a big ol’ scowl on his/her face.
Through it all, even though he shouldn’t be speaking at all, Jerry Jones is still talking tough.
“We have a team that’s capable of beating any opponent,” Jones asserted. Then after sharing some “personal triumph over credit card debt” rant that he used to inspire his beaten down team in the post-game locker room, through a sea of microphones he re-assured the Dallas faithful, “I know what hard times are like in Texas, and I know we can overcome it.”
How inspiring. Prophetic even. Maybe Jerry Jones knows something - or someone - we don’t. If so, he better check in upstairs. And if not, maybe he should be looking over his shoulder at that hole in the roof, too.
by Drew Moss for Football Reporters Online
The swoon is in full swing.
The Dallas Cowboys continued their horrendous December efforts under Wade Phillips, falling to 0-2 this December by losing to Norv Turner’s San Diego Chargers 20-17 Sunday at Dallas Stadium.
For America’s team, with their 90,000 pairs of 3-D glasses and egregious video screens – It’s a lot of ugly to behold. And a lot of ugly to stomach. Just ask the twisted wizard behind this obnoxious curtain of silver and blue. “This is a bitter pill to swallow here at home… it’s a setback,” understated Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
At the hands of Turner and the surging Chargers, it’s more like a smackdown.
Lest Jones forget, the media (why is Jerry Jones holding a press conference after a regular season loss by the way?!) was very quick to remind him of Turner’s comeuppance. Even after his Super Bowl winning efforts as an offensive coordinator under Jimmy Johnson, Jones passed Turner over for Wade Phillips after Bill Parcells’ departure in 2007. Phillips is 3-7 in December as Cowboys head coach, and 0-1 in one January playoff appearance. Turner is 11-0 in December with San Diego.
At 8-5, the loss left the Cowboys looking up at the Eagles after Philly’s 45-38 shootout win over the New York Giants (will someone in this division make a tackle please?!) and also left them looking down the barrel at a date with the undefeated New Orleans Saints in New Orleans this upcoming weekend. The Cowboys are still talking semi-tough, but looking over their shoulder as they do it.
Efficient (19 for 30 passing, 249 yards, two TD’s, no picks) but uninspiring Cowboys quarterback expressed just such lukewarm confidence, “We just have to play better football. We can talk about it after it happens, but… we all just need to do it.”
“Doing it” on special teams, the offensive line or the offensive coordinator’s booth might be good places to look first. Start the debacle, with Nick Folk’s hooked 42 yarder early. (It’s Folk’s fifth consecutive game with a missed FG-attempt – his job is now in jeopardy). Add to this the Chargers no-brainer three play goal line stand against the obvious Marion Barber and yo uhave th emakings of a long day – and a long December.
Said Chargers linebacker Tim Dobbins (didn’t we see him in Bull Durham?), the next day in the Dallas Morning News,” In our mind, we knew he wasn’t blocking. He’s not getting paid to block.”
So in a huge spot, Dobbins and the Chargers defense did the only thing you can do in Big D - they followed the money. And in doing so, they stuffed Barber, took the ball back on downs, took the life out of the Cowboys - and maybe took the life out of the Cowboys’ entire season. Right in their own house.
That’s a big house. With a big ol’ hole in the roof. And a big ol’ price tag. And a big ol’ bag of late season woes. And if God is indeed watching as they say he is, he’s got a big ol’ scowl on his/her face.
Through it all, even though he shouldn’t be speaking at all, Jerry Jones is still talking tough.
“We have a team that’s capable of beating any opponent,” Jones asserted. Then after sharing some “personal triumph over credit card debt” rant that he used to inspire his beaten down team in the post-game locker room, through a sea of microphones he re-assured the Dallas faithful, “I know what hard times are like in Texas, and I know we can overcome it.”
How inspiring. Prophetic even. Maybe Jerry Jones knows something - or someone - we don’t. If so, he better check in upstairs. And if not, maybe he should be looking over his shoulder at that hole in the roof, too.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Giants Drop a Tough One to the Hated Eagles
Giants Drop a Tough One to the Hated Eagles
The NY Giants came into this game tonight needing a win over the Eagles in the worst way. They couldn't come up with one, and so goes their season. In dropping the second game of the year to the birds, NY has no chance to win the NFC eastern Division, and must now win the final three games against the Redskins, Panthers, and Vikings just to win 10 games and get into post season play. We will have a full recap, but three players who had tough days for NY on Offense were Brandon Jacobs, Eli Manning, and Mario Manningham. This was their last game against the Eagles in Giants Stadium, with all the motivation in the world, and while they never gave up, they made plenty of mistakes in the loss. Including a sack and fumble on the very last play on offense. the Giants allowed 4 turnovers and several big plays, including a defensive touchdown, a punt return for a touchdown, and a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown. The Giants drop to a 7-6 record and are once again hanging by a thread in the playoff race. No joy in "wetville" tonight folks.
The NY Giants came into this game tonight needing a win over the Eagles in the worst way. They couldn't come up with one, and so goes their season. In dropping the second game of the year to the birds, NY has no chance to win the NFC eastern Division, and must now win the final three games against the Redskins, Panthers, and Vikings just to win 10 games and get into post season play. We will have a full recap, but three players who had tough days for NY on Offense were Brandon Jacobs, Eli Manning, and Mario Manningham. This was their last game against the Eagles in Giants Stadium, with all the motivation in the world, and while they never gave up, they made plenty of mistakes in the loss. Including a sack and fumble on the very last play on offense. the Giants allowed 4 turnovers and several big plays, including a defensive touchdown, a punt return for a touchdown, and a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown. The Giants drop to a 7-6 record and are once again hanging by a thread in the playoff race. No joy in "wetville" tonight folks.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Giants Play Like Turkeys In Thanksgiving Night Loss In Denver
Giants Play Like Turkeys In Thanksgiving Night Loss In Denver
By Jon Wagner-Sr. Writer at Large Football Reporters Online
The New York Giants traveled to Denver feeling appropriately thankful on Thanksgiving.
How could they not, after finally ending a four-game losing streak with an overtime win over Atlanta last week and licking their chops, thinking of feasting on a Denver Broncos team that was on a bad four-game slide of its own?
After an embarrassing 26-6 loss in Denver however, the Giants (6-5) will be most grateful if they can simply remain a legitimate contender in the NFC playoff race by the time the December holidays arrive.
If that happens, Giants’ head coach Tom Coughlin might be thanking any player on his team who could help prevent another performance as dreadful as the one he witnessed at Invesco Field at Mile High on Thursday night.
“We didn’t have any tempo and we didn’t make any plays,” Coughlin said. “We keep talking about winning the physical battle and controlling the line of scrimmage. We thought this would be the night and it wasn’t.
That was the understatement of the evening for Giants fans who probably wished Big Blue could have at least swapped places with one of the NFL teams which played its game earlier in the day. Seeing their team get physically dominated in the trenches the way it did in a Thanksgiving nightcap must have made it tough for Giants supporters to keep down their turkey and all of the trimmings.
The Giants managed just a pair of Lawrence Tynes field goals against a Broncos squad that allowed between 27 and 32 points in each of its previous four games.
New York tight end Kevin Boss (two receptions for 22 yards), who caught two key touchdown passes last week, said “We really wanted this one. We needed this one. We felt like we were starting to play our type of ball again [after last week] and for whatever reason we just came out here and laid an egg. We never got into a rhythm and we were just flat.”
Offensively, that was true right from the start, as the Giants stumbled out of the gate, with their six first-half possessions resulting in five punts and a fumble, going an anemic three-and-out on four occasions.
Giants’ quarterback Eli Manning (24-40, 230 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT), who threw for a career-high 384 yards and three touchdowns only four days prior, was routinely pressured as the Giants’ ineffective offensive line let the floodgates open on its often unprotected quarterback.
Although New York made the final statistics respectable -- the Broncos outgained the Giants 373-267 and finished with just six more first downs (21-15) -- the first half numbers, which set the tone for the rest of the game, told the real story, as the Giants could get very little going offensively and didn’t make enough defensive stops early on, to stay in the game.
Denver (7-4) held a huge advantage (213-38) in total yards (including 149-9 net yards through the air), had twelve first downs to New York’s three, and limited Manning to just six completions in thirteen attempts, for 28 yards in the opening two quarters.
A frustrated Osi Umenyiora was seen scolding his teammates on the sideline during the first as the defensive end seemed to be, like many Giants this season, left without answers as to why his team can often look so good at some points, and during others, as bad as it showed against the Broncos, this season.
After punting on its first possession of the game, Denver drove deep into New York territory on its next two trips, but settled for field goals each time. The first, a 26-yarder from Matt Prater, gave the Broncos a 3-0 lead with 2:28 left in the first quarter. Prater then made it 6-0, Denver, from 32 yards out, with 10:46 remaining in the opening half.
The Broncos would score on their next two possessions though, to take control of the game. A fumble by Giants’ running back Danny Ware was recovered at the New York 38-yard line by safety Brian Dawkins (who used to plague the Giants for years as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles before coming to Denver this season).
The Broncos took advantage quickly, needing just four plays to find the end zone, as Denver wide receiver Brandon Marshall (team-high 6 catches for a game-high 86 yards) made a nice leaping, one-hand grab on a pass from quarterback Kyle Orton (18-28, 245 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) for a 28-yard gain. Three plays later, rookie running back Knowshon Moreno (Ware‘s fellow Georgia alum, who racked up a game-high 88 yards on 19 carries), scored on a one-yard touchdown plunge to put the Broncos comfortably ahead, 13-0, with 7:17 left in the half.
A 15-yard facemask penalty on Giants’ cornerback Corey Webster put Denver in field goal range on the Broncos next possession, allowing Prater to connect again, on a 47-yard field goal, 3:28 before halftime, to give Denver 16-0 lead, a margin the Broncos would take into the locker room.
The Giants showed signs of getting back in the game on both sides of the ball in the third quarter. They held Denver scoreless in the period and mounted scoring drives the first two times they touched the ball in the quarter.
But, each of those possessions ended in field goals (third-quarter kicks of 39 and 52 yards from Tynes) rather than touchdowns, something that Coughlin pointed to as the last blown chances for the Giants to come away victorious. “We came away with field goals rather than touchdowns.” he said, “Which could have given us some gas un our tank… and a chance to win.”
The Giants went quietly in the final quarter after Tynes’ second field goal trimmed the Broncos’ lead to 16-6 with 31 second remaining in the third period.
Denver took the ensuing possession 64 yards, finishing a nine-play drive in 5:16 on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Orton to wide receiver Brandon Stokley, who caught a pass wide open over the middle and scored untouched, to put the Broncos up 23-6, with 10:15 left in the game.
Prater closed the scoring, finishing his perfect night with his fourth field goal, a 24-yarder, with 5:02 remaining.
History has been traditionally unkind to NFL road teams traveling on a short week, distances of at least as long as the Giants’ trip to Denver. However, Coughlin didn’t blame the schedule makers. He said his team’s meetings, preparation, and organization during the week were all fine. He simply concluded, “We played very poorly tonight, there was no excuse for it… no short week, none of that stuff... We just did not play well.”
Coughlin came back to losing the battle at the line of scrimmage, particularly losing the battle with the running game on each side of the ball. “That’s where football starts,’ he said. “Stopping the run and running the ball.”
That issue for the Giants was evident by the play calling. Although New York had a slightly higher yards per carry average (3.6 to 3.5), the Broncos, who were in control, were able to rush the ball 40 times (for 138 yards) out of 68 offensive plays. In sharp contrast, the Giants, playing catchup, were forced to abandon their running game earlier than they had originally planned, rushing just 16 times in 56 offensive plays.
The loss was a big missed opportunity for New York, which could have been playing Dallas (8-3, Thanksgiving Day winners over Oakland) for first place in the NFC East at home next week.
Giants’ running back Brandon Jacobs said of his team’s overall effort, “We didn’t want it bad enough.” He remains optimistic though, despite the Giants’ fifth loss in six games, saying, “We’ve got a lot of talent and we know at some point it’s going to pick up. We’ve got to really get our engine going for the next couple of weeks.”
They still may, but as Coughlin alluded to, the Giants must now hope there’s enough gas in the tank for that engine to get them where they’d still like to go.
By Jon Wagner-Sr. Writer at Large Football Reporters Online
The New York Giants traveled to Denver feeling appropriately thankful on Thanksgiving.
How could they not, after finally ending a four-game losing streak with an overtime win over Atlanta last week and licking their chops, thinking of feasting on a Denver Broncos team that was on a bad four-game slide of its own?
After an embarrassing 26-6 loss in Denver however, the Giants (6-5) will be most grateful if they can simply remain a legitimate contender in the NFC playoff race by the time the December holidays arrive.
If that happens, Giants’ head coach Tom Coughlin might be thanking any player on his team who could help prevent another performance as dreadful as the one he witnessed at Invesco Field at Mile High on Thursday night.
“We didn’t have any tempo and we didn’t make any plays,” Coughlin said. “We keep talking about winning the physical battle and controlling the line of scrimmage. We thought this would be the night and it wasn’t.
That was the understatement of the evening for Giants fans who probably wished Big Blue could have at least swapped places with one of the NFL teams which played its game earlier in the day. Seeing their team get physically dominated in the trenches the way it did in a Thanksgiving nightcap must have made it tough for Giants supporters to keep down their turkey and all of the trimmings.
The Giants managed just a pair of Lawrence Tynes field goals against a Broncos squad that allowed between 27 and 32 points in each of its previous four games.
New York tight end Kevin Boss (two receptions for 22 yards), who caught two key touchdown passes last week, said “We really wanted this one. We needed this one. We felt like we were starting to play our type of ball again [after last week] and for whatever reason we just came out here and laid an egg. We never got into a rhythm and we were just flat.”
Offensively, that was true right from the start, as the Giants stumbled out of the gate, with their six first-half possessions resulting in five punts and a fumble, going an anemic three-and-out on four occasions.
Giants’ quarterback Eli Manning (24-40, 230 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT), who threw for a career-high 384 yards and three touchdowns only four days prior, was routinely pressured as the Giants’ ineffective offensive line let the floodgates open on its often unprotected quarterback.
Although New York made the final statistics respectable -- the Broncos outgained the Giants 373-267 and finished with just six more first downs (21-15) -- the first half numbers, which set the tone for the rest of the game, told the real story, as the Giants could get very little going offensively and didn’t make enough defensive stops early on, to stay in the game.
Denver (7-4) held a huge advantage (213-38) in total yards (including 149-9 net yards through the air), had twelve first downs to New York’s three, and limited Manning to just six completions in thirteen attempts, for 28 yards in the opening two quarters.
A frustrated Osi Umenyiora was seen scolding his teammates on the sideline during the first as the defensive end seemed to be, like many Giants this season, left without answers as to why his team can often look so good at some points, and during others, as bad as it showed against the Broncos, this season.
After punting on its first possession of the game, Denver drove deep into New York territory on its next two trips, but settled for field goals each time. The first, a 26-yarder from Matt Prater, gave the Broncos a 3-0 lead with 2:28 left in the first quarter. Prater then made it 6-0, Denver, from 32 yards out, with 10:46 remaining in the opening half.
The Broncos would score on their next two possessions though, to take control of the game. A fumble by Giants’ running back Danny Ware was recovered at the New York 38-yard line by safety Brian Dawkins (who used to plague the Giants for years as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles before coming to Denver this season).
The Broncos took advantage quickly, needing just four plays to find the end zone, as Denver wide receiver Brandon Marshall (team-high 6 catches for a game-high 86 yards) made a nice leaping, one-hand grab on a pass from quarterback Kyle Orton (18-28, 245 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) for a 28-yard gain. Three plays later, rookie running back Knowshon Moreno (Ware‘s fellow Georgia alum, who racked up a game-high 88 yards on 19 carries), scored on a one-yard touchdown plunge to put the Broncos comfortably ahead, 13-0, with 7:17 left in the half.
A 15-yard facemask penalty on Giants’ cornerback Corey Webster put Denver in field goal range on the Broncos next possession, allowing Prater to connect again, on a 47-yard field goal, 3:28 before halftime, to give Denver 16-0 lead, a margin the Broncos would take into the locker room.
The Giants showed signs of getting back in the game on both sides of the ball in the third quarter. They held Denver scoreless in the period and mounted scoring drives the first two times they touched the ball in the quarter.
But, each of those possessions ended in field goals (third-quarter kicks of 39 and 52 yards from Tynes) rather than touchdowns, something that Coughlin pointed to as the last blown chances for the Giants to come away victorious. “We came away with field goals rather than touchdowns.” he said, “Which could have given us some gas un our tank… and a chance to win.”
The Giants went quietly in the final quarter after Tynes’ second field goal trimmed the Broncos’ lead to 16-6 with 31 second remaining in the third period.
Denver took the ensuing possession 64 yards, finishing a nine-play drive in 5:16 on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Orton to wide receiver Brandon Stokley, who caught a pass wide open over the middle and scored untouched, to put the Broncos up 23-6, with 10:15 left in the game.
Prater closed the scoring, finishing his perfect night with his fourth field goal, a 24-yarder, with 5:02 remaining.
History has been traditionally unkind to NFL road teams traveling on a short week, distances of at least as long as the Giants’ trip to Denver. However, Coughlin didn’t blame the schedule makers. He said his team’s meetings, preparation, and organization during the week were all fine. He simply concluded, “We played very poorly tonight, there was no excuse for it… no short week, none of that stuff... We just did not play well.”
Coughlin came back to losing the battle at the line of scrimmage, particularly losing the battle with the running game on each side of the ball. “That’s where football starts,’ he said. “Stopping the run and running the ball.”
That issue for the Giants was evident by the play calling. Although New York had a slightly higher yards per carry average (3.6 to 3.5), the Broncos, who were in control, were able to rush the ball 40 times (for 138 yards) out of 68 offensive plays. In sharp contrast, the Giants, playing catchup, were forced to abandon their running game earlier than they had originally planned, rushing just 16 times in 56 offensive plays.
The loss was a big missed opportunity for New York, which could have been playing Dallas (8-3, Thanksgiving Day winners over Oakland) for first place in the NFC East at home next week.
Giants’ running back Brandon Jacobs said of his team’s overall effort, “We didn’t want it bad enough.” He remains optimistic though, despite the Giants’ fifth loss in six games, saying, “We’ve got a lot of talent and we know at some point it’s going to pick up. We’ve got to really get our engine going for the next couple of weeks.”
They still may, but as Coughlin alluded to, the Giants must now hope there’s enough gas in the tank for that engine to get them where they’d still like to go.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Mediocre NFC Yields Giant Strides For Big Blue During Bye Week
Mediocre NFC Yields Giant Strides For Big Blue During Bye Week
BY Jon Wagner-Sr. Writer at Large Football Reporters Online
New York Giant fans can now calm down a little this week. Rest assured, at this point, there’s still very much of a season left for Big Blue.
It wouldn’t be New York if its fans and media didn’t often overreact to each game that any professional team plays in New York. That response just comes with the territory when rooting for or discussing teams in the New York City area.
Sure enough, to the degree that the Giants were being discussed as part of the National Football League elite after a dominant 5-0 start, was the extent to which many in the New York area were asking what was wrong with the Giants and how New York could let its entire season slip away after a subsequent four-game slide.
No doubt, the questions surrounding the problems that the Giants still need to fix this season were, and still are, legitimate. And, if the Giants don’t soon rectify a lot of the issues that were exposed during their aforementioned four-game losing streak, it’s true, Big Blue’s goal of reaching the playoffs could be in serious jeopardy.
But, for those who were spewing all of the doom and gloom talk about the Giants’ playoff possibilities, many going so far as to say that the Giants’ fourth straight loss ended their season, take a look at the current NFC standings after what happened on Sunday, as the Giants tried to regroup during their bye week.
Sure, New York had slipped from 5-0 to 5-4, and from first place to third place in the NFC East.
Yet, simply by not playing, the Giants moved back into a tie for second place with the 5-4 Philadelphia Eagles (who were beaten in San Diego on Sunday), and are now just one game behind the 6-3 Dallas Cowboys, the NFC East leaders, who lost at Green Bay this week.
As for the NFC wild-card race, the Giants and Eagles are not only tied for the wild-card lead with each other, but also with the 5-4 Atlanta Falcons (losers at Carolina on Sunday) and the 5-4 Green Bay Packers. Carolina, San Francisco, and Chicago are each a game back, at 4-5.
For all of this past week’s chatter about the Giants’ season being over, New York still very much controls its own destiny as long as it can pull everything together and play better.
The Giants host Atlanta next week, while having other home dates with Dallas, Philadelphia, and Carolina in December. And, the Giants are done with both the Cowboys and Eagles on the road.
The bottom line is that while the Giants have to correct a lot of what plagued them while losing four games in a row, and they still have much work to do in order to reach the playoffs this year, they’re very far from the fate many had prematurely predicted for them (if any Giants are Mark Twain fans, they can certainly relate).
As evidenced while the Giants rested this week, no one else in the NFC East seems to be running away with their division, and even less so in the NFC wild-card picture.
So, at least for now Giant fans, view the remaining Giant games in this season the same way your team plans on approaching them. It may sound clichéd, but forget about the recent past and take the rest of the season one game at a time.
Because it doesn’t appear that anything regarding where the Giants are headed this season, one way or the other, will be determined any time soon.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
The Emerging NFC East
The Emerging NFC EAST- By Michael Porpora for Football Reporters online
The NFC East has emerged as undoubtedly the best and most competitive division, top to bottom, in football. One could argue that it might be the toughest division in all of sports (although the AL east may have something to say about that). Lets not forget the NFC East sent three teams to the playoff a year ago (Giants, Cowboys, and Redskins), and I would be shocked if that changes this season.
The defending world champion New York Giants are surely one of the best teams in the NFL. Although though they lost their first game of the season this past Monday night to the Cleveland Browns, they still remain one of the best in the game. They are the true definition of team, with Eli Manning emerging as one of the premiere quarterbacks in the league; gaining confidence by the minute. The offensive line has been together for more than two full seasons and seems to get stronger with every game. Let’s not forget to mention the rushing attack of the human bulldozer, Brandon Jacobs, and the speedy Derrick Ward, a powerful one-two punch.
The Dallas Cowboys on the other hand have just acquired Roy Williams from the Detroit Lions, and now have the most powerful WR combo in the game. The Cowboys were the early odds on favorite to win it all this year with the season ending injury to Tom Brady, and that was before the acquisition of Williams. Although they have had their issues thus far this season with injuries to Tony Romo and Felix Jones, (and let’s not forget the mayhem that always revolves around Pacman Jones) I would love to see the damage they can do with their full squad in mid-season form.
The Washington Redskins are also looking like the playoff team from a year ago, winning four straight games against tough opponents to the likes of the Cowboys and the Eagles. The Redskins had a shocking loss to the winless Rams this past week, but they are a resilient team who will surely bounce back.
The Eagles have the longest tenured head coach in the game, in Andy Reid, who has proven to be one of the best head coaches in the league. With the addition of Asante Samuel and the receive DeSean Jackson they are an extremely skillful team with great experience to go along with it. As long as McNabb and Westbrook can stay healthy, they can play with anyone in the League.
The other night I heard Osi Umenyiora say on Monday night countdown that the team he fears the most in the NFC East is “the Philadelphia Eagles,” who have a 3-3 record and are currently last in the division. If that doesn’t explain how competitive this division is, I don’t know what does.
In short, these four teams are stacked among all facets of the game. They are great defensively and offensively with outstanding running attacks. The NFC East teams also have Pro Bowl quarterbacks with tremendous upside and if you ask me, the Super Bowl champions will once again come out of the NFC East.
Eds. Note Michael Porpora is the newest addition to the staff at Football Reporters Online. This is his first submission.
The NFC East has emerged as undoubtedly the best and most competitive division, top to bottom, in football. One could argue that it might be the toughest division in all of sports (although the AL east may have something to say about that). Lets not forget the NFC East sent three teams to the playoff a year ago (Giants, Cowboys, and Redskins), and I would be shocked if that changes this season.
The defending world champion New York Giants are surely one of the best teams in the NFL. Although though they lost their first game of the season this past Monday night to the Cleveland Browns, they still remain one of the best in the game. They are the true definition of team, with Eli Manning emerging as one of the premiere quarterbacks in the league; gaining confidence by the minute. The offensive line has been together for more than two full seasons and seems to get stronger with every game. Let’s not forget to mention the rushing attack of the human bulldozer, Brandon Jacobs, and the speedy Derrick Ward, a powerful one-two punch.
The Dallas Cowboys on the other hand have just acquired Roy Williams from the Detroit Lions, and now have the most powerful WR combo in the game. The Cowboys were the early odds on favorite to win it all this year with the season ending injury to Tom Brady, and that was before the acquisition of Williams. Although they have had their issues thus far this season with injuries to Tony Romo and Felix Jones, (and let’s not forget the mayhem that always revolves around Pacman Jones) I would love to see the damage they can do with their full squad in mid-season form.
The Washington Redskins are also looking like the playoff team from a year ago, winning four straight games against tough opponents to the likes of the Cowboys and the Eagles. The Redskins had a shocking loss to the winless Rams this past week, but they are a resilient team who will surely bounce back.
The Eagles have the longest tenured head coach in the game, in Andy Reid, who has proven to be one of the best head coaches in the league. With the addition of Asante Samuel and the receive DeSean Jackson they are an extremely skillful team with great experience to go along with it. As long as McNabb and Westbrook can stay healthy, they can play with anyone in the League.
The other night I heard Osi Umenyiora say on Monday night countdown that the team he fears the most in the NFC East is “the Philadelphia Eagles,” who have a 3-3 record and are currently last in the division. If that doesn’t explain how competitive this division is, I don’t know what does.
In short, these four teams are stacked among all facets of the game. They are great defensively and offensively with outstanding running attacks. The NFC East teams also have Pro Bowl quarterbacks with tremendous upside and if you ask me, the Super Bowl champions will once again come out of the NFC East.
Eds. Note Michael Porpora is the newest addition to the staff at Football Reporters Online. This is his first submission.
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Buying Into Team Concept Resulting In Big Results For Big Blue
Buying Into Team Concept Resulting In Big Results For Big Blue-By Jon Wagner for Football Reporters Online
It took the New York Giants the majority of the 2007 regular season to buy into what its coaching staff was selling. We all know how that story panned out for New York, with an unlikely run to a Super Bowl title over the previously undefeated New England Patriots. The Giants didn’t even look like a playoff team, let alone an eventual NFL champion, in the earlier part of the 2007 campaign.
The point at which the Giants are at now, defending their 2007 title with a perfect 4-0 start in 2008 (extending their regular and postseason winning streak to eight consecutive games), clouds recollections of the Giants’ very humble beginnings last season.
Revisiting those early stages of what has become the Giants’ tremendous team growth, provides a great deal of perspective. The Giants began last season 0-2, allowing 80 points in their first two games; after winning seven of their next eight games, the Giants and Eli Manning were about as dreadful as they could be in getting wiped out at home, 41-17, against the Minnesota Vikings; and, after losing a key December game at home (in which they came in favored) to the Washington Redskins, in December, the Giants found their slim playoff chances hanging by a thread, down 14-0 after the first quarter in Buffalo, in a must-win game.
That’s the point at which everything finally clicked for the Giants, who they haven’t looked back since. That’s when Brandon Jacobs ran for two touchdowns (en route to a 143-yard rushing day) to tie that game in Buffalo; when Kawicka Mitchell stepped up with a huge play, returning an interception 20 yards to put the Giants ahead of the Bills to stay; when Eli Manning finally began to prove, in any conditions (even in rainy and windy Buffalo that day) that he could be the leader the Giants had waited for, four years; and, that’s when the Giants learned what they had in Ahmad Bradshaw, who ran for an 88-yard touchdown and a career-high 151 yards to clinch the win over the Bills, and ultimately clinch the Giants’ playoff chances, touching off what became one of the greatest late-season runs in sports history.
What followed of course was the narrow, confidence-building, well-played loss to New England at home, the Giants’ final loss (excluding the 2008 preseason) to date, before the Giants’ magical road playoff run to a title.
Manning’s confidence and level of play soared. The defense finally practiced on the field what Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo was preaching, and the rest of the Giants bought in to Head Coach Tom Coughlin’s ideals of personal sacrifice and “team first” concepts.
The Giants of course, have gotten where they are today because they have talent both on their roster and throughout their coaching staff. However, last season’s 18-1 Patriots also had a world of talent, yet as 14-point underdogs in Super Bowl XLII, it was the Giants who emerged as unexpected champions.
Why? Because the Giants mixed their talent with all of the other ingredients needed to overcome injuries and adversity -- maximum effort, heart, true team play, and surprising heroes picking up the slack for the Giants’ stars whenever called upon.
When Jeremy Shockey went down for the season with a leg injury in the aforementioned Washington game, Kevin Boss stepped in more than adequately for the remainder of the season, including his key, late 45-yard reception in Super Bowl XLII.
And, of course, we all know the remarkable catch that David Tyree made, despite being able to count the number of catches he had previously made in 2007 on the same right hand that incredibly affixed the football to his helmet as he acrobatically fell to the ground.
So, is it any wonder that after their amazing Super Bowl run, even after the retirement of Michael Strahan and the huge season-ending injury of Osi Umenyiora, that the Giants continue to not miss a beat?
Because of their team-first attitude, a collective willingness to prove all naysayers wrong, and the uncanny ability to effectively plug seemingly anyone into holes created by injuries or other circumstances, the Giants have simply refused to let such personnel losses translate into any additional losses to their opponents.
Given the track record since December, it should come as little surprise that the spot of the man who caught the winning touchdown in Super Bowl XLII (Plaxico Burress, of course, sitting out last week serving a one-game team-imposed suspension), was filled in on Sunday (a 44-6 crushing of the Seattle Seahawks) with Domenik Hixon catching four balls for a career-high 102 yards and a touchdown, and by Sinorice Moss catching the first two touchdowns of his professional career.
The Giants’ schedule will get much tougher this season, it will be a long and winding road back to another possible Super Bowl title, and the Giants may not repeat as champions. However, the smart pick says that because they have defined the word “team” since December, the Giants will at least have a great chance of getting back to the top no matter what other obstacles are placed in front of them.
(image thanks to Ingamenow.com)
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