Crunch Time

Giants opened fourth quarter with an 80 yard touchdown drive, and led 10 – 7, until Patriot quarterback Tom Brady, connected with wide receiver Randy Moss, who scored with 2:42 remaining. Giants started on their own 17 after the kickoff, and Eli Manning earned his MVP award on their final drive.

Giants gained yards on two completions to Amani Toomer, and two yard run by Brandon Jacobs on fourth and one. Under heavy pressure, Manning ran for five yards, then threw an incomplete pass to rookie wide receiver, David Tyree. Giants were facing a third and five, when Manning and Tyree both made the greatest play of their careers.

The Helmet Catch

Patriots were about to sack Manning, when he somehow escaped, and passed to Tyree, who was in the middle of the field, while running toward the sideline, away from Patriots. Tyree, was closely covered by 14–year veteran Rodney Harrison, but jumped higher than Harrison, and managed to trap the ball on his helmet, and maintain possession, for a 32 yard gain. Giants called time out after the play, with 59 seconds left in the season.

MVP

A sack, and an incomplete pass, led to a third and 11, Manning completed another clutch pass, to another rookie, Steve Smith, who stepped out of bounds, on Patriot 13 yard line, to stop the clock, with 39 seconds remaining.

Manning threw a touchdown to Plaxico Burress on the following play, to give Giants a 17 – 14 lead with 35 seconds on the clock.

Tom Brady began his drive with an incomplete pass, then was sacked for a ten yard loss, by rookie defensive tackle, Jay Alford. Brady ended his drive, and Patriots 18 game winning streak, with two incomplete passes to Randy Moss. Brady finished the day 29 for 48, for 266 yards, with one touchdown.

After the game, Eli Manning, who finished 19 out of 34 for 255 yards, added to his hero status, saying:

“That’s the position you want to be in. You want to have the ball in your hands, four minutes left – go down, you’ve got to score a touchdown. That’s where you want to be, a chance to win the game.”

Defense

It seems like the defense plays its best game of the year every week.

Patriots finished the game with 22 first downs, five more than Giants, but only got into “red zone” (inside 20) twice.

One example: Just before the half, Patriots seemed likely to add at least three points to their lead, after Randy Moss caught an 18 yard pass on Giants 44. But on the next play, Justin Tuck got his second sack, Brady fumbled, and Chief Osi Umenyiora recovered, with ten seconds left in the half.

Giants sacked Tom Brady five times. They also held Patriots to 45 yards rushing.

Consider this:
Over the season, Patriots averaged, an NFL record, 36.8 points per game. Patriots only punted 44 times, in 16 games, compared to 71 for Giants. Brady was offensive player of the week five times, and offensive player of the month twice. Patriots set regular season records for most points scored, and most touchdowns scored. Randy Moss scored 23 of their 75 touchdowns by himself.

Patriots also set records for fewest sacks allowed (21) and fewest turnovers (15) — besides winning 18 games in a row.

Meanwhile, Giants treated the NFL’s best team like second–class citizens. Patriots offense only got first downs on five of their nine possessions. Patriots had no first downs in the third quarter.

Post Euphoria

Let us all hope that defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo returns next season. Although “Spags” will be interviewed for Redskins head coaching job, I hope Giants do whatever it takes to keep him with the team.

I am still in shock over this win, and this game.

My Favorite New York Giant Pass

Giant fans might recall, when Phil Simms completed a fourth and 17 pass, late in a game against Minnesota, in 1986, which Giants won, 22 – 20. Simms said that was his favorite game, and that particular play was my favorite pass of all time until yesterday.

Phil Simms is still my all–time favorite Giant quarterback, but David Tyree’s Helmet Catch is now my favorite pass.

And Super Bowl XLII is the greatest game New York Giants have played in my lifetime.

Giants can win if they avoid stupid penalties.

Giants are the first team since the 1999 Giants, to play three playoff games without an offensive turnover, and Eli Manning has passed 85 times without being intercepted.

New York Giants need to keep it up for one more game to beat Patriots.

I predict Giants 31 — Patriots 28. Go Giants!

Packers were toughest opponents Giants faced in playoffs. It was the first sack–free game for the Giants this season, and the first sack–free game they won since 2005.

Expecting the Worst

Eli Manning had no fumbles or interceptions, even though it was windy, and the temperature was below zero – with a wind chill factor of -23. Rookie running back Ahmad Bradshaw said:

“Cold weather lasts three hours. A championship lasts forever.”

Who Are These Guys?

Meanwhile, after 85 passes, Eli Manning has not been intercepted in the playoffs.

Defense was superb, as usual. Packers could only convert one third down out of ten attempts. Ryan Grant, who rushed for over 200 yards last week, was held to 29 yards.

It is hard to believe that these are mostly the same players, without Tiki Barber, and Jeremy Shockey, who were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, for the past two years.

Penalties

Giants lost points on penalties.

Ahmad Bradshaw had 38 yard touchdown run nullified on a questionable holding call against guard David Diehl Chris Snee.

And Sam Madison lost his brain. After Packers failed to convert a third and eight, when the play was over, Madison threw down Packer receiver Vernand Morency, and stood over him, yelling. It was incredibly idiotic. Madison remained excited on the Giants sideline, pleading his case to Michael Strahan.

Madison’s penalty gave the Packers a first down, and Brett Favre threw a touchdown, to tight end Donald Lee, on the next play.

Thankfully, Packers were worse.

During the Giants opening drive of the second half, cornerback Al Harris, figured out how to intercept Eli Manning. On a third and nine, from the Giant 43, he knocked down Plaxico Burress, and caught the ball himself. Refs called it illegal contact.

Three plays later, on a third and five, Packer safety Nick Collins was called for roughing the passer, when he decided to give Eli Manning a shove, after he threw an incomplete pass, which would have forced the Giants to punt.

Ending An Era

Brett Favre did not play particularly well, despite a great offensive line which held the Giants without a sack for the first time this season. The last time Giants won a game without a sack, was on November 20, 2005, against Eagles.

Favre passed 35 times, with 19 completions, for 236 yards. However, Favre got 70 yards added, when Donald Driver turned a 20 yard pass, into a team record, 90 yard touchdown.

Favre blew his big chance, when he was intercepted by Corey Webster on the second play of overtime. Giants got the ball on Green Bay 34, and Lawrence Tynes, who had missed two earlier field goals, converted a 47 yard kick, four plays later. Favre said:

“I was disappointed that the last pass I threw was intercepted”

One More Time

I said that Giants would be in Super Bowl, in October, after defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo got a chance to play against Philadelphia, where he coached for eight years, and the Giants played their best game in decades.

I think New York Giants can beat New England Patriots if their offense plays well enough, and they do not commit any idiotic penalties.

Giants play Patriots in Super Bowl XLII, on February 3^rd at 6 P.M. EST

Go Giants!

The Falcons scored one touchdown, on a 67 yard carry by Jerious Norwood. However, the Giants’ revamped, and revitalized, defense, allowed the G—men to control the game. The Falcons offense was only on the field for twenty minutes. The Falcons rushed for 103 yards – that is 36 yards besides Norwood’s run, which is some serious defense, against any NFL team.

Amani Toomer (pictured) tied Kyle Rote’s team record, with the 48^th touchdown reception of his career. Toomer also broke Tiki Barber’s team record of 587 career receptions. Toomer, who missed the second half of the 2006 season with a torn ACL, led the team with seven receptions. Toomer said:

“It usually takes about a year to really get everything back. I think I am a couple of weeks away. I hope. I think I am getting better and progressing really well. I think training camp helped me by not practicing twice. I think I am well on my way.”

Way To Go Eli!

In my opinion, the highlight of the game, was when quarterback Eli Manning completed twelve passes in a row. Semi—predictably, the thirteenth pass was dropped. Eli finished the day with 27 completions, for 303 yards, to seven different receivers. Eli’s 27 completions, included five to always—underutilized Jeremy Shockey.

Thirteen To Go

The Giants next opponents are the anemic San Francisco 49ers, who have only managed to gain 200 yards in total offense, once this season.

The Giants should have no trouble beating the 49ers.

Rookie cornerback, Aaron Ross, who sat out the first half as punishment for violating an undisclosed team rule, contributed two fourth quarter interceptions, as the Giants defense continued to carry their struggling offense.

Brandon Jacobs, who returned after missing three games with a knee injury, began the team’s first–half woes, by fumbling on a third–and–one, at the Giants 17. Jet cornerback Kerry Rhodes recovered, and ran it into the end zone, for the first score of the game.

Passing

Eli Manning, had a horrible first half, completing only three of ten passes for 22 yards, and throwing one interception, which translated into a quarterback rating of zero.

Thankfully, Eli rebounded in the second half, to finish with 13 completions out of 25 attempted passes. Jeremy Shockey scored his first touchdown in an astounding ten months, and Plaxico Burress scored a touchdown on a gorgeous, 53 yard, catch and run.

Unfortunately, Amani Toomer did not catch a pass for the first time since 12-31-05. However, it was great to finally see Shockey score a touchdown. I have no idea why Shockey does not average five catches a game. Shockey now has 18 catches after five games.

Rushing

Brandon Jacobs rushed for 100 yards on 20 carries, and became the first Giant, other than Tiki Barber, to rush for 100 yards, since Ron Dayne did it for the Giants in 2001. Derrick Ward continued to impress me, and perhaps the Jets, by scoring a powerful touchdown, on an eight–yard–run, after he appeared to be stopped on the five. It was the first rushing touchdown of Ward’s four year career.

Defense

The defense played reasonably well, and only gave up ten of the Jets 24 points. The Jets best offensive play of the day, was a 98 yard kickoff return by Leon Washington. Osi Umenyiora, the NFL Defensive Player of the week, got the Giants only sack of the game, but it was their three interceptions, that beat the Jets. Jet quarterback Chad Pennington summed up it splendidly:

“believe me, it makes you sick to your stomach.”

Giants Will Win Super Bowl XLII

The Giants will have their biggest test of this season on Monday night, when they face the Michael Vick–less Atlanta Falcons.

The Falcons replaced starting quarterback Joey Harrington with Brian Leftwich, during today’s loss to the Titans, but neither one was effective. The Falcons only converted 4 of the 18 third downs they faced during this game.

The Falcons lost, despite five Titan turnovers, and this is a game that should be easy for the Giants to win.

The Giants have shown that can psyche themselves up for their division–rivals, the Eagles, and for their (former) crosstown rivals. Will they come to play on Monday, or will they get distracted by the lovely Falcons cheerleaders?

If the Giants can step up, and stay focused next week, they might just be able to beat anyone.

Let’s see.