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.
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