Giants Need a Miracle

The Giants are used to winning when they have to and putting on miracle runs down the stretch.  They are going to need a whole lot of magic this Sunday.

After two blowout losses to the Atlanta Falcons and Baltimore Ravens on the road, the Giants record stands at 8-7.  They return home Sunday to face the Eagles, who beat the Giants in Philadelphia, 19-17, in week 4 when the Eagles were still relevant.  Now, Philadelphia sits in last place in the NFC East at 4-11 and have only won one game since their victory over Big Blue.  The Giants have lost give straight home games to the Eagles and eight of nine overall in this series.  Sunday will be no easy task with Michael Vick making his return at quarterback as rookie Nick Foles broke his hand.  Vick is 3-1 as a starter with the Eagles against the Giants and Sunday could be his last game in a Philadelphia uniform.  It will also be the last game Andy Reid will coach on the Eagles sideline as this lost season will have him out.

For the Giants to sneak in the playoffs, they will need to not only beat the Eagles, but have the Bears lose to the Lions, have the Vikings lose to the Packers, and hope the Cowboys lose to the Redskins.  There is no question that crazier things have happened.  They will need to beat the 4-11 Eagles.  Could happen.  They need the 9-6 Bears to lose in Detroit to a 4-11 Lions team that has lost eight games by one possession.  Could happen.  They need the 9-6 Vikings to lose at home to the 11-4 Packers, who are still trying to hold on to a first-round bye.  Could happen.  Finally, they need the 9-6 Redskins to lose at home to the 8-7 Cowboys.  Could happen.  

All of these situations COULD HAPPEN, but will they? Probably not.  First off, the Giants need to beat the Eagles and winning has been hard to come by for the G-Men.  They were destroyed the last two games showing no life on both sides of the ball.  They have lost five of their last seven games.  Beating the Eagles with Michael Vick out to prove he can still be a successful starting QB in the NFL will not be a walk in the park.  The Giants need to come out with energy and intensity with the season on the line.  Eli Manning will need to carry this team as he has done in years past.  They also have to avoid scoreboard watching and focus on the task at hand.  

It might take a miracle, but the Giants are holding on for their playoffs lives.  They'll need a lot to happen Sunday for them to slide in as the last seed in the NFC.  If they somehow do get in, you just never know with this team.  Sure, they might not deserve to make it, but if they're in, anything can happen.  Tom Coughlin's team has gone on two improbable Super Bowl runs before.  You just never know on an NFL Sunday what can go down.  Manning and company hopes that the unthinkable happens in week 17.  

Vince Young Does it Again to the Giants

Vince Young did it again to the Giants on Sunday night.  He beat them for the third time in his career.  Young is now 3-0 as starting quarterback against the Giants.  Young looked very sharp as he started for the injured Michael Vick Sunday night at MetLife Stadium.  Young led a nearly nine minute drive ending in a touchdown, which would turn out to be the game winning score in the 17-10 victory.

The Giants offense was silent for most of the night.  They key to this one was the lack of any running game by the Giants.  They had 29 yards total rushing by three running backs on the night.  There is no way any team can win that absolutely no running game whatsoever.  The Eagles were running very successfully and Vince Young was throwing to all different receivers.  The Eagles had 136 total rushing yards led by LeSean McCoy with 113 yards.  Young did have three interceptions, but looked very sharp throwing the ball.  He was 23 for 36 with 258 yards and two touchdown passes.  For a guy who has been on the bench all season, Young looked like the player he once used to be with the Titans.  Young has had his troubles on and off the field, but he has been a winner in his career.  He has won games.  The Giants know that very well.  The Giants are 0-3 against Young.

Giants punter Steve Weatherford was very busy in this game.  Every Giants drive in the first half ended in the punt until their last drive when they finally scored on a field goal.  Every drive in the third quarter would also end in a Giants punt.  The Giants offense was stagnant Sunday night.  Injuries have been a problem for the Giants and without running back Ahmad Bradshaw and losing offensive lineman Chris Snee really hurt them tonight.

The dagger in this one came in the fourth quarter.  Vince Young led an unbelievably long and well-executed drive that was 8:51 long and 18 plays for 91 yards.  The Eagles started the possession with 11:36 remaining in the fourth quarter.  They slowly moved down the field eating the clock away.  The Eagles went an astounding six for six on third downs on the drive.  The Giants defense had no answer and could not get stops when they needed to most.  The Giants would get the ball back with 2:45 to go.  They had plenty of time to get down the field and send it to overtime.  They were put in nearly the same position as last week.  They had the ball, down a touchdown, with a chance to tie the game.  They would get a huge completion to Victor Cruz who would have a catch and run for 47 yards getting the Giants all the way to the Eagles 21.  For the second week in a row, the Giants looked to have life late, but Eli would scuffle late again.  Manning got sacked from behind and fumbled the football and the Eagles would recover.  Two heartbreakers in two consecutive weeks for the Giants.  It was a tough way to lose another dropping them to 6-4 on the season.

The problem for the Giants now is that they have the toughest remaining schedule in the NFL.  They have to go to New Orleans next Monday night to face the Saints.  That is followed by the defending Super Bowl champion Packers.  If that is not enough, they have to go to Dallas to face their division rival Cowboys, who have been on fire of late and tied with the Giants for first in the NFC East.  Following that, they play the Redskins, Jets, and Cowboys.  Five of those six games are against teams that are .500 or better.  It is going to be a tough road to the playoffs here on out for the Giants.  The road starts in New Orleans next week.