Giants Playoff Talk: Big Blue Bummer

Gravy season brought potential, then disappointment


The Giants were down by nine points when Eli Manning came to the line of scrimmage on fourth down needing around six inches to get a first down to give them a legitimate chance to stay alive in the game.

He was stopped.

At that moment, the thought went through my head that the end may be near.

When the Giants got the ball back, on third down Derrick Ward was instructed to run the “Wildcat” for the first time all season. He was stuffed for no gain and it set up fourth down needing two yards to realistically save the season.

Brandon Jacobs received the ball and the Eagles stopped him short.

It was officially over.

Someone asked me what was my first reaction when it became apparent that the Giants reign as Super Bowl champions was going to come to an end.

The answer: “Disappointment.”

I was not angry at all. There was no need. Considering that the team was the defending world champions, and I had already considered this season as gravy before the year, my expectations had always been under control. Going 11-1 and looking like a possible better team than the 1986 Giants, it was very easy to get caught up in the hype. When the term “possible dynasty” came up, just thinking about it made one giddy.

Then, on a Friday night just after Thanksgiving, both Antonio Pierce and Plaxico Burress entered the Latin Quarter nightclub as the Giants were scheduled to face the Redskins that Sunday. Burress brought a gun to the place that night and somehow, pulled the trigger, shooting himself in the leg and ending his season.

Along with the Giants.

The team was never the same from that day forward. A lot of fans tried to put a strong face on it by saying that the team did not need him and everything was going to be fine without him. Many of them can be considered “intelligence impaired” when it came to his impact on the field that contributed to them becoming at the time, the best team in football. Simply plugging “another player” in there was not going to allow the train to keep moving at the same speed.

One week later, they lost at home badly to the Eagles to have their seven game winning streak snapped. It was dismissed at the time as nothing. The overriding opinion being that the team was merely distracted mixed in with the Eagles being desperate.

What no one knew at the time was that a blueprint of how the Giants could be beat was established that afternoon.

The Cowboys followed the same script the following week and when the Panthers took at 21-10 lead at halftime in the Meadowlands, it appeared the wheels were going to fall off. It took a gritty effort to rally and eventually win in overtime to clinch the number one seed.

However, there were patterns that the team had established that were bound to show up at some point in the future.

There was the Giants inability to score touchdowns consistently in the red zone to go along with their underreported incredible amount of penalties. Add to it what appeared to be a defensive line that was clearly wearing down after starting off the season strong. Not having both high level playing defensive ends Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora was going to come into play at a certain point. For as good as Tuck was, he was getting double and triple teamed and eventually wore down and became injured. Kiwanuka was almost non-existent the last seven weeks. Not having a good enough rotation of pass rushers played a role in how defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo called his schemes on defense.

He knew this.

Was it a case of peaking too early?

No.

The Giants were the number one scoring team in the league before “17” ended his season. From the official time he was shown the door by the team, in five games (really four if you discount the meaningless Minnesota game), the team did not score an offensive touchdown in three of them. Manning was not the same quarterback when his best receiver left (look at the passer rating numbers) and the teams running game outside of gashing Carolina (who proved to be fraudulent) for 300 yards, was not the same either. Steve Smith and Amani Toomer, two of the biggest recipients of little to no coverage previously, were now bottled up by better defenders.

It was apparent that all of this could be exposed in a one game situation against a team familiar with them.

The Philadelphia Eagles were that team.

The Eagles did what the Panthers and Cardinals would not have been able to do. They were familiar with the Giants, had all the videotape in the world and had very smart coaches that could devise a scheme to put them in situations they didn’t want.

Add to that combination, the Giants coaches deciding that they were going play a thinking man’s game of chess rather simply engage them in a street fight, and it was a recipe that played right into the Eagles hands.

Instead of running them over, they often times chose to go around them and that led to nothing.

When they got into the red zone, the decided to get cute and throw the ball up with a quarterback that was having problems all day.

They never simplified the gameplan. Instead, they decided that they were not going to be intimidated by Johnson and his defense and chose to be bullheaded.

The end result: Failure.

It is why the end is so disappointing. There could have been a different ending. But when you see the continued problems in the red zone and settling for field goals, the penalties that negated positive progress and a wearing down pass rush, you could see the writing on the wall as it all manifested itself on that Giants Stadium field on Sunday.

As they go into the offseason, they’ll look back at this missed chance. You never know when or if you will get that opportunity again. The team is made up of many young players set to enter the prime of their careers.

However, success in the NFL is designed to be short. One injury to a key player or the damaging actions of another can alter the course of an entire season.

There was a reason I did not pick the Giants to go back to the Super Bowl this year.

It played out on the field Sunday.

A lost chance.

Giants Playoff Talk: Eagles make Giants fly away

Eagles end Giants reign as Super Bowl champs

Cancel those travel plans to Tampa.

A season that held such promise several weeks ago when the Giants were 11-1 has now seen itself disintegrate by a struggling finish and a one-and-done playoff exit.

Even more gnawing was that it came at the hands of their neighbors from 90 miles south, the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Eagles came into Giants Stadium back in December and won to keep their playoff hopes alive. This time, they came back to the Meadowlands and turned the trick again, advancing to the NFC Championship Game and sending their rivals to an early and unexpected vacation by way of a 23-11 victory.

It was a day of missed opportunities, quizzical play calling and coaching decisions that will eat away at the now former titleholders all the way through training camp in Albany.

With the winds gusting at 20 MPH at the start of the game, the Giants elected to receive and go into the wind for the second time against the Eagles. It happened back in December and the team was unable to score a point going in that direction for both the first and fourth quarters.

Taking the chance once again, the Giants appeared as if they would cash in on a golden opportunity. Ahmad Bradshaw returned the opening kickoff 65 yards down to the Eagles 35 yard line to set up great field position. On the teams first offensive play, quarterback Eli Manning got cornerback Asante Samuel to bite on a pump fake and had receiver Steve Smith wide open for what would have been a momentum building touchdown. However, Manning’s pass was incomplete as he overthrew it.

Consider it a missed opportunity.

A field goal by John Carney gave the Giants an opening 3-0 lead. After the forcing the Eagles to punt on their first drive, Manning made a terrible decision due in part because of questionable play calling. Backed up at their own 13, he rolled right looking for receiver Domenik Hixon who was covered. Trying to make a play, Manning’s passed sailed on him and into the hands of Samuel who returned it to the Giants 2.

After three tries, quarterback Donovan McNabb pushed ahead and stuck out the ball past the goal line to give the Eagles a 7-3 lead.

Both teams traded punts going into the second quarter. On Philly’s first possession of the second, McNabb was pressured and threw the ball out of bounds. The referees called intentional grounding and the Giants were awarded a safety to cut the lead to 7-5.

It appeared that the Giants were going to use that safety as momentum as moved the ball down the field inside the Eagles 30. Three plays for no gain brought on Carney to attempt a field goal, but his kick would curl to the right and the team would come away with nothing.

Heading near the half, the Eagles offense had amassed only (total) yards when McNabb’s pass was intercepted by Kevin Dockery at the Giants 20 yard line. Brandon Jacobs’ (19 carries for 92 yards) 24 yard run and a 26 yard reception by Kevin Boss drove the ball down to the Eagles 21 at the two minute warning.

It was first-and-five after a penalty and the Giants ran three successive pass plays that were incomplete. The continued problems in the red zone showed itself again. Rather than going for it needing one yard on fourth down, the team opted for a 34 yard Carney field goal to go back in front 8-7.

Leaving 1:24 on the clock, the Giants used only a three man line and McNabb finally found his groove. He completed five of eight passes on the drive that got within field goal range and kicker David Akers hit a 25 yard field goal to give the Eagles a 10-8 lead at halftime.

Only converting one of seven third downs in the half became a problem the Giants, as they were not able to establish any chance to separate themselves from their long time rivals.

Catching a break to begin the third quarter, McNabb had his second play of the quarter tipped by linebacker Chase Blackburn and intercepted by defensive tackle Fred Robbins who rumbled 17 yards down to the Eagles 33.

After runs of 11 and 5 yards by Jacobs, Manning threw incomplete passes on their next two downs to set up another field goal that Carney hit from 36 yards to make it 11-10.

The play of game came on the Eagles next possession. With the crowd roaring on third-and-20, McNabb eluded sacks from Justin Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka , moved up in the pocket and found an open Jason Avant for 21 yards and a first down. On another third-and-10, McNabb found Correll Buckhalter for 19 yards down to the Giants 22. This helped set up a 35 yard field goal from Akers to make it 13-11.

Another drive by the Giants offense got inside the 30, but again the drive stalled and Carney’s 47 yard field goal was no good. For Carney, it was his third missed field goal in the last six attempts. This gave the Eagles terrific field position and they took advantage, moving the ball 63 yards capped up with a one yard touchdown pass from McNabb to tight end Brent Celek to put them in from 20-11.

In desperation, the Giants tried to move quickly to close the gap. However, after Derrick was marked a half yard short of the first down, Coach Coughlin challenged the spot of the ball and lost a timeout as the play was upheld. Going for it on fourth down, a quarterback sneak by Manning did not move an inch as the Eagles took over on downs.

A quick three-and-out by the defense gave the ball back to the offense. After gaining two first downs, runs of two yards and no gain on a “Wildcat” play set up the season on fourth down. Jacobs was given the ball needing two yards and only gained one. Once again, the Giants turned the ball over on downs and the reign as champions was ticking away.

Looking for the knockout, McNabb hit receiver DeSean Jackson for 48 yards down to the Giants 1. The defense stiffened and Akers trotted out to boot a 20 yard field goal to increase the lead to 23-11 with 3:58 left.

Manning bad day was concluded when at midfield going into the wind, his pass intended for Smith sailed and was intercepted by cornerback Quentin Mikell at the Eagles 32 yards.

Game over.

The Eagles became the only team to beat the Giants twice in Giants Stadium. It was the game that many felt was the worst possible matchup for the now former champions and it played out that way.

Manning never found rhythm the entire day. His wind-aided 15 for 29 for 169 yards and two interceptions was a complete contrast from his heroic postseason of last year.

Going 3 for 13 on third down also hurt. In addition, the Giants found themselves in the red zone four times, settled for three field goals and threw one costly interception that led to the Eagles first touchdown.

When they look back on it, they will kick themselves for all the missed opportunities they had and wonder what happened.

For the next six months.

Giants Playoff Talk - I'm Ready

6 days to Sunday – Part 5 of 6

With the week almost over, Carl is geared up and ready to go for this showdown.



The week of hype is over.

Now, they can just go out there and play.

Hyperbole and inflation take a backseat to the real action that going to take place in-between the white lines.

To that I say, "I'm ready."

I have been ready since Sunday when this match was official. There was not going to be any running away from this. There is no sense of fear or trepidation about seeing the Philadelphia Eagles for the third time.

Sure, they beat the Giants back in December. It was not the best performance I saw from the Giants that day. In fact, outside of the game against the Browns, it was their worst. But many times you want to undo your previous mistake by correcting it. On Sunday, the Giants get that chance.

Is their fear?

Only of the team not performing to its ability.

Not of the Eagles?

Not in the least. If the Giants play to their level of talent, they should convincingly win this game. However, in this rivalry, nothing is ever a sure thing. Every game is usually close, so to predict a blowout would be crazy.

Surely there will be some agita moments during this game. There will come a frustrating moment where you'll wonder what they are doing on either side of the ball and wondering if they can fix the problem. No Giants is complete without that.

When you think about it, this will be the first big game that all of us have had since the Super Bowl.

All these games during the regular season did not have a "win or go home" feel to it. There has not been any real tension. Sure, the game against the Panther had some tension moments. However, the Giants were locked into a bye regardless if they won or not.

Now it gets serious.

A lot of many friends were nervous at the outset. I told them that we should embrace this and look at this as fun. For me, I have been in frenzy all week. As the days have shortened, my intensity has grown. It does feel as if these last six days have felt like six weeks.

People have doubt and this is a good thing.

Do I have doubts?

Sure I do.

Will Eli Manning throw a flutter ball into the wind and have it intercepted?

Will Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward hold on the football?

Will the wide receivers get separation and if they do, will they hold onto the ball?

Will all 22 eyes be on Brian Westbrook?

Can they get off the field on third down?

Can John Carney hit a field goal in cold weather with the wind?

All these things I bounce back in my head for answers. If the answer is "Yes" to all of these questions, then the Giants will be playing in the NFC Championship Game next Sunday. If not, its time to look ahead to Spring Training in Florida.

This is fun. Tremendous fun. It is the feeling of the "unknown" that looms out there. No one knows the answers to any of these questions.

That's why they play the games.

But the other aspect that has got me excited is the constant love that the (drive by) media has given to the Eagles the entire week. They have chosen to draw inspiration between our 2007 championship team and this current squad from Philadelphia. It makes no sense on its own merit, but it has been the storyline the (drive by) media has ran with it.

If they want to do that, let’s just go there.

What it has set up is that I look at the Giants as underdogs at home. This very rarely happens. It is a great opportunity to embrace and get excited about.

Disrespect?

Fine with me.

After Sunday, they likely will be singing a different tune.

Giants Playoff Talk - Random Thoughts

6 days to Sunday - Part 4 of 6

Its been nearly four months since Carl has just thrown out sporadic thoughts about the Giants. Here, he finally breaks free.


I’m still trying to figure out the origins of the phrase “Omaha” that Eli Manning uses when changing a play at the line of scrimmage. Does he have a love for that city? Could he use another term?

I guess if he said “Atlanta”, it would sound different.

The stats may show that Manning only had 10 interceptions, but you could have added another four or five if the defenders simply didn’t drop what amounted to “cans of corn” out in the secondary.

What a revelation John Carney has been this season. The stock of AARP kept going up with every made field goal.

However, he cannot kick off effectively when the weather drops below 30 degrees. Will Coach Coughlin elect to go with Lawrence Tynes on Sunday at the expense of a position player?

I guess you just take your chances.

So I take it that outside of Domenik Hixon, no Giants player is allowed to go deep in the offense. Amani Toomer got deep on Fred Smoot in the game against the Redskins and since then, all the other receivers have been AWOL from the deep game.

Please people, stop complaining about the lack of carries by Ahmad Bradshaw. Two players ran for 1,000 yards! Where do you think these carries are going to come from?

Message to Madison Hedgecock on Sunday:

DON’T DROP THE BALL!

At some point, the Giants are going to miss Plaxico Burress. I have been saying this all season.

It could be this Sunday. It may be next week. Or may be in the Super Bowl if they are lucky to get that far.

His loss is going to come into play in one of these games.

Mario Manningham and Sinorice Moss actually looked like NFL wideouts in that game against the Vikings. Should be good for them or an indictment on the Minnesota defensive backs?

I love watching Chris Snee on the line. He is probably the best guard in football and when his career is over, he may even get Hall of Fame consideration.

David Diehl still worries me against speed rushers that go wide on him. Trent Cole may try to exploit this on Sunday.

What more can you say about Jeff Feagles? He is the consummate professional. He should punt until he is 50.

Fred Robbins not healthy and missing from the defensive line was huge the last six games of the season. He was arguably the best interior player this season and should have made the Pro Bowl.

How much better would the team be is Osi Umenyiora never got hurt in the preseason?

Danny Clark has made me forget about Kawika Mitchell.

Will Gerris Wilkinson ever be healthy enough to make a positive contribution to the roster?

Chase Blackburn is the quiet overachiever.

Corey Webster has been the best cornerback in the NFC hands down. This is not even up for a debate. Teams do not even attempt to throw near him. When they do, he either knocks the ball away or nearly intercepts it. How was he not a Pro Bowl selection? It was a joke.

Michael Johnson has impressed me this season.

Kenny Phillips has been the secondary’s best tackler.

Aaron Ross would have been a Pro Bowl player too had he held on to interceptions that turned into completions for long gains and touchdowns.

This has been the year of the nickname for the Giants. Here are a few:

Brandon Jacobs – Earth
Derrick Ward – Wind
Ahmad Bradshaw – Fire
Kevin Boss – Big Boss Man
Fred Robbins – Baskin Robbins
Chase Blackburn – Chase Bank
Danny Clark – Clark Street

That’s seven guys. Usually, you are lucky if you get two or three.

How did they lose to the Browns this year? I still do not understand this.

I like how the (drive by) media originally was fixated on the Cowboys at the start of the season, switched off to the Redskins for a few weeks, and then finally came around to the Giants.

But once the Giants started winning more and more, the media came back around to the Cowboys and eventually the Panthers and Eagles.

Talk about fickle.

My most satisfying win of the season had to be that game in Pittsburgh. It was so frustrating to watch only to see them come back and win it in the fourth quarter.

The most agita filled win had to have been the first Eagles game where they won 36-31, stopping Brian Westbrook on fourth-and-one. They should have scored 50 points in that game and somehow needed a big time stop in order to preserve the game.

I think my most favorite victory of the year had be the Carolina comeback game. It looked like they were dead in the water as the Panthers were hitting big plays and led by 11. But like champions they found back and tightened screws, finally winning in overtime.

When you play the amount of quality teams in a row without a bye week, fatigue inevitably sets it. Does that explain why the team went 1-3* (the Vikings game does not count)?

Possibly.

Good to see the Giants go 7-1 at home to make our fans less apoplectic.

If the team wins two home games, they go to the Super Bowl. The task seems simple but it isn’t.

I should be very nervous, but I am not. Who knows if this is good or bad.

We’ll see on Sunday.

Giants Talk: Offense and Defense

Small areas Big Blue needs to correct to have playoff success

Six Days to Sunday - Part 3 of 6

As we look ahead to the Giants-Eagles tilt, there are some issues on both sides of the ball that the team needs to sure up in order to ensure a healthy playoff run. Winning can overlook some things. But in a one game elimination, your flaws can ultimately lead to your season being over.

OFFENSE

Red Zone problems equals Red Alert for Giants

Moving the ball has not been a problem for the Giants this season. In fact, over the last 7 years, the team has been very efficient on offense moving the ball from their own 20 yard line to the opponents’ 20 yard line, also known as the “red zone”.

Once there, scoring touchdowns is critical. Leaving points off the board is a sure recipe to lose. A very good team can get away with it if they are far more talented the other team. However in the playoffs, when the gap between teams is very small, this becomes a huge factor.

For the Giants, leaving points on the board has been the difference between them keeping games too close for comfort, and simply blowing them out of the building.

69 times this year the Giants moved the ball inside the 20. That amount was the most in the NFL of all teams. However, the team only scored 35 touchdowns with those opportunities to rank 20th in the league.

Never was this more evident than in the teams Week 8 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Six times the Giants had the ball inside the 15 yard line and three times they were inside the 10. However, before Eli Manning found Kevin Boss with a touchdown pass to take an eventual 21-14 lead, the offense was denied on a fourth-and-goal from inside the 1, and was forced to settle for four John Carney field goals. The Steelers may have the best defense in football, but the game should not have been that close if the Giants had simply cashed on the numerous opportunities that were presented to them.

The same thing happened on opening night against the Redskins. In the first half, the offense was dominating as it appeared they could do whatever they wanted. However, the scoreboard only read 16-0 when it likely should have been 24-0 or 27-0. Washington got a late score before the half to cut the lead to 16-7 and it made the score look far more competitive that it really was.

Against the Cowboys at home, they put it all together. Five times they got in the red zone, and all five times the team came away with touchdowns. When that happens, the opponent has zero chance to win.

So why are these problems happening? Is it a lack of concentration? Is there an attention to detail problem? You cannot say that it is because Plaxico Burress is not on the field (though that is some of it) because the team had this problem when he was in the lineup and before he ever became a Giant. Something is amiss here. One of the problems has been the teams play selection on first and second downs that most of the time is forcing long yardage situations in goal-to-go spots.

The fade route in the corner needs to be eliminated. I am tired of seeing that play. Unless you have a receiver named Moss, Johnson or Owens running that play, do not use it. Burress was very good at that play as well, but he is not here. Running that same play with Domenik Hixon is not likely to achieve the same result. For some reason, on two occasions in the Minnesota game a few weeks ago, the team ran that fade route on third down. It is a low percentage play. PLEASE STOP IT! If I see that on Sunday against the Eagles, I may just break something.

Sometimes it appears that Offensive Coordinator Kevin Gilbride tries to cute on offense and decide to put the ball up more than he has to. Sure he has to do that to keep the defense honest, but there are certain times when if you are running the ball down their throat, keep on doing it until you pound your way into the end zone.

The new play that they have run at the goal line is a play action fake where the tight end is in a down position on the right hand side of the formation, chips the defender and loops his way to the opposite side of the formation and finds himself wide open. One of those plays that keeps the defense on its toes and ultimately leads to success. Operating out of the shotgun with four wide and trying to jam the ball in traffic with all the defenders clogging the passing lanes has not been very successful this season. Perhaps the last two weeks of looking at films show that.


DEFENSE

Pressure, pressure...Pressure?

In the first eight games of the season, the team amassed 30 sacks and consistent pressure on quarterbacks.


Since that point, the number of sacks has decreased because of the quality of opponents the Giants have been facing since mid-October. However, there have been several games in which not getting to the quarterback consistently enough has led to additional opportunities for the opposing teams offense which in essence had led to numerous big plays.

Example 1 - Dec 7 vs. PHI

The Giants inability to pressure quarterback Donovan McNabb in a number of long yardage, third down situations allow the Eagles to sustain multiple drives that eventually led to scores.

On one third-and-eleven play early in the fourth quarter, the lack of pressure on McNabb was able to free Brian Westbrook, who was initially staying in the protection scheme to block, to leak out on a circle pattern lined up one-on-one with Antonio Pierce, who he was able to outrun 40 yards for the games backbreaking touchdown.

Defensive tackle Fred Robbins was injured and was ineffective most of the day. Justin Tuck was being double (sometimes triple) teamed on every play. And Mathias Kiwanuka was unable to generate a consistent pass rush against William Thomas.

The inability to at least alter a quarterbacks timing makes the Giants defense look ordinary. Defensive genius Steve Spagnuolo can only call so many blitzes and schemes if those four down linemen are not generating pressure.

McNabb was erratic for a large portion of that game and only bailed out by having excessive time and defenders not tackling well. When there was open space, he chose to breakout his old ability to scramble and picked up several first downs.

That is what Sunday's game will come down to. Pressure McNabb and completely throw off their time. Do not, and the Giants will be at home during the NFC Championship Game.

Catch the ball!

No play in football is more difficult to watch from a defense is the cornerback who drops an interception.

The ball is right in your hands. Catch it!

Too many times this season the Giants defense has had chances to turn the other team over and take ball to the house only to have it slip out of the defenders hands.

No longer can this happen.

Points are being given to you free by the quarter. Hold on to the ball! Nothing has been worse than a Giants defender in perfect position to change the games momentum by securing both hands on the football.

The Ravens and the Steelers take the ball away and score with it. Great defenses score when given opportunities. For the Giants to be “great” in this postseason, they need to take the ball and run.

All the way to the house.

All the way to Tampa.

Giants Playoff Talk: Remembering a lost opportunity

6 days to Sunday: Part 2 of 6

In this second installment, Carl thinks back to his youth as a Giants fan growing up and remembering one of the worst losses he ever saw.


Heartbreak.

Can you really be heartbroken as a sports fan at the age of six? Probably not. So maybe there is a little hyperbole in the preceding statement.

But why is this game still vividly in my head nearly 19 years later?

I should have escaped it by now, but I have always remembered that day. When I was able to rewatch the game years later, it ate away at me even more.

As I look ahead to the big game on Sunday against the Eagles, I needed to go back into my past to relive an old playoff memory that still irks me.

Date: January 7, 1990

Site: Giants Stadium

Game: NFC Divisional Playoffs between the 12-4 Giants and the 11-5 Los Angeles Rams.

Football had just became a part of my life on a serious level just two months before when on a near blizzard day in Denver at old Mile High Stadium, Gary Reasons leaped into the air to meet Broncos running back Bobby Humphrey and take him down on a fourth-and-goal play at the one yard line.

From that day, I was “in”.

The Giants went on to have a great season and received a first round bye. However, the NFL at this point only had five playoff teams instead of the six that exist today. Also, NFL playoff rules dictated that two teams from the same division could not play in the second round of the playoffs. It was a complete break for the number one seed San Francisco 49ers. This eliminated them from playing the mediocre Minnesota Vikings and instead brought the Rams, who beat the Philadelphia Eagles on the road in old Veterans Stadium to set up this match.

It was odd that the Rams matched up well with the Giants in the past. Jim Everett usually resembled a bumbling quarterback at times, would mysteriously turn into Johnny Unitas against the New York defense. No one really had an explanation as to why this was.

The year before, Los Angeles came into Giants Stadium and ran up and down the field en route to a 45-31 victory. In 1989, the two teams met in November in Anaheim, the Rams defeated the Giants 31-10. Dominating them like no one else had done that season. By winning in Philly on Wild Card Weekend, the rematch would take place in the Meadowlands with the Rams not having any fear Big Blue.

In the first half, the Giants were completely controlling Jim Everett and the Rams offensive attack to the tune of a 6-0 lead just before halftime.

It should not have been as close.

However, as Phil Simms was looking to drive the offense to more points, he threw an errant pass that was deflected by Jerry Gray and intercepted by cornerback Michael Stewart at midfield who brought the ball to the Giants 20 yard line. On the very next play, Everett found Flipper Anderson for a touchdown to give the Rams a 7-6 lead at the break.

For all of the success the team had for the first 29 minutes of the game. That one instant lapse washed away everything.

The Giants regained the lead in the third quarter when Ottis “O.J” Anderson ran it in from two yards out to take a 13-6 lead. Yet, as the game was unfolding, it was easy to spot that Simms was not playing well. His passes were missing targets (and wind was not a factor) and he looked sluggish.

Los Angeles lived in Giants territory for most of the second half, but turned away by the defense. The Rams finally answered in the fourth quarter with two field goals from Mike Lansford to even the game at 13 with just over three minutes left. Another Giants drive was stalled by the Rams defense to force overtime.

The toss was won by the Rams and they looked to go for the knock out. Everett sent Anderson deep over the middle and Giants cornerback Sheldon White had excellent coverage, as the pass was incomplete. However, the referee (Bernie Kukar) saw fit to call pass interference on the play. To this day, it is still one of the most egregious calls in the history of postseason football. Watch the clip here at the 0:34 mark. White trailed Anderson and never touched him on the play as Anderson fell to the turf. There was no foul, yet it was called.

Had I been a lot older, it may have been cause for a riot.

Two plays later, Anderson was lined up the top of the formation to the right with Mark Collins defending him. Collins got a jam in at the line of scrimmage, but it was not good enough. Anderson got past him and was free. Everett found him in stride and Flipper was going into the end zone, out of sight going straight through the tunnel and sending the Rams to the NFC Championship Game against the 49ers.

It was a bitter defeat to take.

Since that game, both Simms and head coach Bill Parcells always say that it was the worst game they ever played and coached, because to a man, they all felt as if their team was built specifically to beat that 49ers team in Candlestick Park the next week.

Though the Giants would get that opportunity the next year and eventually won Super Bowl XXV, the playoff game against the Rams in The Meadowlands from 1989 has still been tough to digest as a fan.

Mention the name “Flipper Anderson” and any fan will likely look down and shake their head in disgust. It was a lost chance at potential Super Bowl glory.

As I look to this Sunday, these Giants are 12-4 facing an opponent that does not fear them and matches up well. In playoff games, mysterious and fluky things happen at sudden moments to turn games around. Without that interception in the first half, there is no doubt the Giants would have likely won handily.

Come Sunday, it is the Giants task to make sure that history does not repeat itself.

Giants Playoff Talk: Round 3 – Let’s get it on

6 Days to Sunday: Part 1 of 6


It’s fate.

Nothing else can explain it.

Forces beyond our control were going to converge somehow in order for this to happen.

It had to happen this way. In many ways, though you wanted to avoid it, it was supposed to be this way.

Giants-Eagles: Round 3 - With a shot at the NFC Championship at stake.

Can it get any better than this?

Around the midway point of the season, I took a glance at the rest of the field in order to find out which team(s) would pose the biggest threat to the Giants chances of a repeat trip to the Super Bowl.

I scanned far and wide in search of an opponent that could pull it off and was struggling. The conclusion I ended up drawing was that the only team that had a legitimate shot was right in our own backyard.

Arizona Cardinals? No.

Atlanta Falcons? No.

Minnesota Vikings? Double no.

Carolina Panthers? Maybe.

Only the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles had the proverbial “snowball’s chance in hell” of coming into Giants Stadium in January and winning.

The Cowboys had their chance to get into the playoffs and chose not to show up for their eventual beat down at the hands of the Eagles who needed more help than the economy to get into the playoffs that same day.

In perfect world, the Tampa Bay Bucs would not have choked away the final four games of the season. The Chicago Bears would have found a way to win against the Houston Texans, which would have eliminated Philadelphia before their game with Dallas ever started.

Once the Eagles were participants in this year’s tournament, they lurked in the background. Playing a familiar opponent in a postseason situation is always tricky, especially meeting them potentially for the third time. Add to that, the lingering memory of the Eagles completely dominating the Giants at home just over a month ago. That team was in full desperation mode against one that was dealing with the full-blown Plaxico Burress drama.

For one day, most of us became fans of the Minnesota Vikings in hopes of avoiding this potential “Thrilla in Manila” type of showdown from our neighbors 90 miles away. Unfortunately, counting on Tarvaris Jackson to deliver a playoff win against a good defense is like asking a midget to beat Shaquille O’Neal in a dunk contest.

As the final moments of that game ticked down, reality began to set in. The Eagles were going to come back to Giants Stadium one more time.

Giants-Eagles: Round 3.

In the minutes after that game, my friends in Big Blue Nation sent me messages of worry about what is coming up this Sunday. A serious sense of nervousness and anxiety has taken over. As the days go on, it is only going to intensify.

There’s a reason for this. It’s because the Eagles demand your respect. You do not look at them and simply dismiss them as if they are a mosquito. They get a little more clout that lets say, oh, the Cardinals.

So why am I not nervous?

Put it this way, had the Giants beaten them twice in regular season, I would be incredibly nervous about their chances to pull the hat trick. Look at last year. Splitting two games is not the worst thing in the world. In fact, it is probably a good thing in this situation. Everyone has their antenna's up. Anything thought of "overlooking" is right in the trash disposal.

For someone who is nervous before most if not all of these games (hell, I made a case for the Rams in Week 2 of this season. Oops), I can freely say that I am excited for this one. It does not get any better than playing either the Eagles or the Cowboys in a postseason game.

Bring ‘em on.

Did I want them? In a way, yes.

We need to settle this thing once and for all. You can even declare that even though there is a chance the Panthers will be lurking again in the NFC Championship Game - it is this game, Round 3 that is the real Super Bowl.

At least until February 1 in Tampa.

As we would say before our games this year, “I’m ready. Who’s ready?”

Some people want the easier road and that’s fine. But here’s the thing:

WINNING CHAMPIONSHIPS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE EASY!

Some teams roads to the big game may have been easier than others have on occasion (see: 1991 Washington Redskins and 1989 San Francisco 49ers), but those occasions are rare. There is/was going to be a tough game in this process. Besides, when you have played the schedule that this team, in addition to the playoff run last year, this group is battled tested and knows what it takes.

For those that submit that the Eagles are “last year’s Giants”, I submit the following question:

Are the Giants the 2007 Cowboys?

It takes two to tangle for this to work. Last year, it took a combination of the Giants playing just well enough to hang around and the Cowboys, who had been on skid row for the previous five weeks, seeing their offensive line break down completely in the second half while Tony Romo had receivers running wide open, only that he was unable to find them.

Unlike the Cowboys, this Giants team had character and was not frontrunners. This team does not back down or run from a fight. Tom Coughlin and Steve Spagnuolo coach the Giants instead of Wade Phillips and Jerry Jones (at times).

Oh, and there is the infamous “T.O Factor”.

If both of these teams play to their maximum, the Giants should win this game. They did win 12 games for a reason much like the Eagles only won nine. Two and a half weeks of rest and comfort has been something this team needed who now also have an additional chip they can put on their shoulder.

The (drive by) media.

For a team that has claimed not to get any respect, they will certainly be proven right this week. The Eagles are everyone’s sexy pick. For whatever reason, they have garnered incredible respect to where beating their last three inept teams have suddenly made them everyone’s choice.

Even at home, they will be picked to lose (even though Las Vegas doesn’t agree – the line is 4.5). Segments of the fans even have doubt as well.

Once again, they are being doubted.

It would be just like them to send a big “I told you so” to those people who think that the world champions are simply going to give up their championship belt and ride off into hibernation.

It’s what makes all of this so much fun. Sunday cannot come soon enough.

Round 3

Let’s rumble.

Giants Playoff Talk: Update – NFC Divisional Playoffs Coverage

With the Giants set to take on the Eagles in the NFC Divisional Playoffs this Sunday, I have decided to step up my blog coverage leading up to Round 3 at 1:00 (12:00 local time) PM.

I will begin a “6 Days to Sunday” diary feature series where I detail my personal thoughts and provide analysis leading up to the big game.

Hope you enjoy.

-Carl

Giants Playoff Talk: Enjoying the Bye Week

Carl decided to use the Giants bye week to soak up the sun in a very famous place. While there, I spotted a few old friends.

NOTE - Carl wasn't actually there.

CABO SAN LUCAS - So here I am on the beach, sitting down and relaxing. I'm not really thinking about anything specific. Just allowing the sun to toast me up and watching the water.

I see a group of people about 30 feet away. There's some guy trying to get a view of them so he can take a picture of them for some reason. When he gets away, I'll go up to him and ask what's going on.

I finally get to see the photo guy and we struck up an interesting conversation:

Me: Hey, what's going on over there? Who are you trying to take a picture of?

Photo Guy: Dude, that's Tony Romo and Jason Witten! They've been here since Monday.

Me: Are you serious?

Photo Guy: Yeah man. They were here last year too before the playoffs.

Me: I remember that. That was just before they lost to the Giants. We'll, at least they can spend more than one week here. Hell, they could have spent last week here too. They didn't even show up for the Eagles game when they got their ass kicked.

Photo Guy: I'm sure they'll like the business. Besides, you should see the outfits Jessica has been wearing lately.

Such is life when you get a week off to relax and not have to worry about your own football team. That can be saved for next week when I can think about either the Falcons, Cardinals or the Eagles. For now, one can sit back, take in all four Wild Card playoff games this weekend and just watch as a casual observer and have some fun.

Meanwhile, I walked past Romo and Witten just a moment ago by the cabana wearing my Giants cap. They turned their heads the other way.

When you are playing every week, many times it is hard to look at the season in a holistic sense. You are so consumed with the next week's opponent and when you don’t have a bye week for 13 straight weeks, there is never any time to breathe. However, looking at the Giants 12-4 record has to be looked at as an incredible accomplishment.

Think about this, each Giants team that has been to and won the Super Bowl in their history has not made the playoffs the next season.

The 1987 team was ill prepared by Bill Parcells for that season. They started 0-3 before the strike took place and replacement players were used. When team found out those game with the scabs would count, the record ballooned to 0-6 and the season was lost.

Parcells left after the 1990 Super Bowl and because Bill Belichick took the job with the Cleveland Browns before he announced his resignation, Ray Handley was given the job and rather than go back to Phil Simms, he instilled Jeff Hostetler as the quarterback and he was exposed for the career backup that he was and with that, the season went up in smoke.

The 2001 team was not a good enough team in the first place for them to even contemplate a return trip. It was a mish-mashed unit of veterans and overachievers that had one shining moment before the Ravens smacked them with a hard dose of reality.

Complacency? Perhaps.

Excessive hubris? Maybe.

Whatever the reason, the following season has always provided that dreaded "Super Bowl Hangover". It was reasonable to ask if this year was going to be more of the past or if we were going to see a different team emerge and legitimately defend their title.

They have.

Now here they are, with one week to kick back and relax. By the end of Sunday afternoon’s action, their opponent will be determined and the real fun begins. All we can do now is count the days until January 11 at 1:00 EST at Giants Stadium when the Cardinals, Eagles or Falcons.

With one victory, the Giants will play for a return trip to the Super Bowl. Another victory put them in Tampa to officially defend their title. A third win makes them world champions again.

Years of frustration has been replaced by sudden anticipation at the possibility of this happening. Before the season started, I thought my years of pessimism had gone away forever. As this year played out, I noticed that I still linger some old scars from the past. It never fully goes away no matter how much I try. There still isn’t a game that goes by where I ask myself the question, “How are they going to screw this up?”

While I remain confident, the seed of doubt has increase about 20 percent in the last month since that loss at home to the Eagles. Maybe its nervousness knowing that the each game is now a one game season. Win and stay home or lose and go home. But next week I can worry about all that stuff.

Me: Hey, if you get close enough, tell those guys that enjoy the rest of the trip and pull up a chair so they can watch us next week. Tell them to get their popcorn ready.

Photo Guy: Sure thing.

For now, just kick back, relax and take in this week of fun and just count the days.

It can’t come soon enough.