10 Spot -- the New York Football Giants
I've had 3 days to get used to the sound of "NFC Champion New York Giants", and I still can't believe it. I've been speechless for days. Especially with this year's team, I've tried maintain the line between blind fanatical faith and realism. However, maybe I should've thrown them a bone when I imagined that playoffless 7-9 was this team's fate. But destiny had other plans, and I couldn't have been happier with the results... ...No wait, I take that back. I can be happier if destiny calls for 1 more slot in the W column. We shall see on the evening of the 3rd.
Including the playoffs, the Giants are 13-6 this year. And combining my euphoric love for the team and my love of doing Top 10 lists, I ranked the 10 best Giant victories this season.
honorable mention
WEEK 5 vs. New York Jets
For some unknown reason, this game was not broadcast, so I was actually unable to watch. The Fox affiliate up here is close enough in the Northeast where they run Giants games usually every week. But this week I was not able to watch. However I was still pretty excited to see the two Meadowlands dwellers square off against each other. This rivalry is like the Yankees and Mets; you either like one or the other, not both (not coincidentally, I am a fan of both, same with Yankees and Mets. Hah). The game was close to begin with with the Jets really pressuring Eli all first half long. Then like so many times, the G-men snapped out of it and lit it up in the second half. 28 points including strikes to Shockey and a 53 yard score from Plaxico. The defense was stout and flexed its muscle with three picks, 2 by Aaron Ross, the latter was run back into the endzone for a game-clinching score. Big Blue battered Gang Green in the Battle of New York.
Final: 35-24
#10
WEEK 11 @ Detroit
Though they were a cellar dwelling team for the subsequent years, I've always held the Lions on the blacklist for one reason. In 2004, the Lions beat a then 3-1 Giants team. The jilt sent the Gmen into a tailspin and made them look atrocious in the process. I blamed Detroit's victory for the reason they failed to make any impression at all. That many years ago and I hadn't forgotten it. So while this may have been another game for some, this meant something, however minuscule it was, to me. Like so many, this game was won with stellar defense. Micheal Strahan harassed Kitna all day for 3 sacks, and the Lion QB also threw 3 interceptions. I remember watching the final drive at my girlfriend's place, scared that maybe Kitna can drive for the gamewinning score, and then feeling elated when Sam Madison plucked the pass out of midair for the game capper. Redemption was served, and the Giants in turn then sent the Lions in a tailspin causing them to miss out on the playoffs. Payback's a bitch!
Final: 16-10
#9
WEEK 4 vs. Philadelphia
People still regarded the Giants as peons in a professional league. Of course, this was when the team had only 1 win and those were still expecting the Eagles to fly away (puns are funny, har har!) with the division. This game shut a couple people up. Those who dogged the Gmen's defense were put in their place with an inhuman 12 sacks. McNabb was on his back longer than a Long Island hooker. Osi Ueminyiora himself had half of them with six. This game was a wake up call that the Giants were not doormats this year. The defense held the Eagles to a measly David Akers field goal. Along with the sackfest, the defense was covering everyone, keeping McNabb to only 15 of 31 for a mere 138 yards. Kuwika Mitchell had a sensational fumble recovery and run for a score. This game was a game to silence the critics who said their defense was nonexistent. This was a statement game, and 12 sacks later, they sure as hell made a statement.
Final: 16-3
#8
WEEK 14 @ Philadelphia
They play each other twice a year every year. So do you realize how many times I've seen David Akers ruin the Giants with a clutch field goal? After a slugfest and a half the other 59:59, the Eagles were looking to tie the game and send it into overtime with a 57-yard field goal attempt. I remember feeling nervous because Akers was a very precise kicker, and like I said, this guy was a literal and figurative Giant killer. The kick was boomed. It definitely had the distance. And then.
SCHTOINK!
Right off the right upright.
No good.
No good.
Giants win!
For all the times he made it, it was completely worth it to watch him writhe with the pain of knowing he missed it for once.
Final: 16-13
#7
WEEK 3 @ Washington
The Week 4 Philly game really showed off the obliterating force of the defense. But what set that game up was the second half of this game. The team's then-future resilience was also on display in droves here. The first half was a complete mess, trailing 17-3. The second was like a completely different team running onto the field. Eli completed smart passes, the defense shut out the Skins, and the running game exploded. The team responded and got the first victory of the year. And what will be talked about a lot is the final drive of this game. At First and goal at the 1 yard line and under a minute to play, the Redskins were well within distance to tie the game and force overtime. The first snap was a dead play, spiking the ball to stop the clock. 2nd down, Campbell misses a short pass to Matt Sellers. 3rd down, Ladell Betts stopped short by Kawika Mitchell for no gain. Crucial 4th down, Ladell Betts gets jammed in the backfield and goes right down. Turnover on downs. That may have been the most important stand by the Giants all season.
Final: 24-17
#6
WEEK 13 @ Chicago
Despite it being #6, this was actually one of the first victories I put down on my list. Because nothing is better than a comeback victory to thwart one of your least favorite teams. And come back they did. Man, for the first three quarters, this team looked putrid. So much so that I turned the channel to a shitty TV movie for the better of 15 minutes during the second half. Then the fourth quarter happened... ...
Eli transformed into ELI and went on a tangent. All of a sudden his handful of turnovers meant nothing, moving the ball with elite precision, capping off one drive with a tip toeing score to Amani Toomer. Then the defense did it's job and got the ball stopping the Bears and forcing a punt. With time dwindling, the GMen forced downfield again with an effective and successfully time draining drive, ending with a Reuben Droughns punch in for a touchdown. That fourth quarter was a true testament to the team, and really showed how well Eli could put all the badness behind him and still play the game. A triumphant drive.
Final: 21-16
#5
WILD CARD ROUND @ Tampa Bay
Even against the team with the worst record in the playoffs, the Giants were not given much respect. As I recall, everyone on the Fox pregame selected the Bucs to win. Not only did the Gmen prove them wrong, but they looked damn good doing it. Eli didn't have a single turnover, threw for 185 yards and a punctuating TD to Amani Toomer. The show belonged to Brandon Jacobs. He had 2 touchdowns and made life hell for the Tampa defense. ON the other side, the defense shut down the Tampa offense. Earnest Graham was hardly a factor. Jeff Garcia was pressured all day. And the secondary was brilliant including picking off Garcia twice. Corey Webster's play on Joey Galloway completely took him out the equation. There's not a lot of memorable plays to this one, but it was still excellent in giving Eli his much needed first playoff win.
Final: 24-14
#4
WEEK 16 @ Buffalo
This game was so important. Though the Giants were in the driver's seat to the playoffs at this point, this sure felt like a must-win situation. Not just to clinch the playoffs, but to give the team some sort of semblance and momentum. A lot of people were down on this team as weak, and they needed to silence those critics with a big game. They responded. In the wind and snow, the team came through to blast the Bills. It sure is to be one Eli would like to forget on a personal level. In the second half, there were only 3 pass plays called. 1 was incomplete, 2 were picked off. But where the passing game was grounded, the running game was unstoppable. Brandon Jacobs had a career high 145 yards running. There wasn't a Bills player who could stop the behemoth. Meanwhile, Ahmad Bradshaw had a breakout game running for 151 himself, including a game-changing 88 yard burst for a touchdown. And again, it can't be understated, the defense was crucial in the victory, including picking off Trent Edwards 3 times. Kawika Mitchell's pick was rumbled back for a touchdown. This game was monumental in the Giants' playoff push.
Final: 38-21
#3
NFC CHAMPIONSHIP @ Green Bay
I know there are a bunch of people who think calling their Super Bowl clinching victory the third-best win of the season pretty crazy. But there was one win that meant more, if my a microscopic margin, than this one. Don't get me wrong, this game made me so elated that I can't even remember the last time this rush of excitement came over me. The entire game was a cold dog fight. But Eli remained poised and errorless. The weather didn't bother him. The Packers' defense didn't bother him. He was cool, calm, and collected... and cold. It was by no means a really great game, but he did just enough to get the job done. And at the end of the day, getting it done is all it needs. Plaxico Burress was a beast. He certainly made fans who voted Al Harris into the Pro Bowl look foolish, dogging him all day. He snagged 11 catches for 154 yards, his best performance all year. While far from mistake-free, the Packers were unable to capitalize on the Giants' miscues. After making an interception, RW McQuarters fumbled the ball right back to the Packers. Lawrence Tynes in the second quarter miffed on a field goal that set up the game tying drive. And with a chance to end the game in regulation, Tynes botched his second kick, this one not even close. When it miffed, I felt this rush of illness run through my stomach. And it only magnified when Green Bay won the coin toss. I sat on the floor and begged the defense to show up.
Cue Corey Webster.
It was an ill-advised throw, and Webster hauled it in for the G-men, running back just enough yardage to automatically put them in field goal range. But how comfortable was anyone leaving the game on Tynes' foot again? Alas, after going 3 and out, it had to be on him. A 47 yarder... the longest of his 5 attempts... The snap is perfect... the kick is up... and... ...
Final: 23-20
#2
DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF @ Dallas
My reasoning for this win being more favored than the NFC Championship is simple. And anyone who follows an NFC East team knows why: The Cowboys and the Giants hate each other. And to be the little engine that could that derails the jet-powered locomotive that Dallas was... humiliating their hated rivals by eliminating them from their high pedestal, it was so euphoric. Consider the set up. Dallas had 13 victories this year, a franchise record. Number 1 seed in the NFC. Tony Romo was instrumental and looked well enough to fit in with past heroes Aikman and Staubach. TO looked like the consummate teammate, not creating distractions and playing well. Wade Phillips made Jerry Jones look like a genius. A running game that was well underrated, and a terrifying defense. They thrashed the Giants twice in the regular season. It looked like they had the entire field sized up and ready to blow out. History was on their side when it was stated that no No. 1 seed had ever lost in the divisional round since the NFL went to the current 12 team format decades ago. All of a sudden, here come the Giants. Winning 8 straight road games. Eli playing error-free football. A dual-strike running game. A dynamic front four. A reborn secondary. Still, the Cowboys and their fans had little to fear, right?
... This victory felt so good. Watching a blood rival be the toast of the conference boils the blood. And redemption never was any sweeter. There was no way the Giants "should have" won this game. But they did. And it's a game that will play out forever in my mind. From Amani Toomer's 52 yard catch and run for the score right up to RW McQuarters' game-winning endzone interception. This is up there with my favorite games of all time.
[EDIT]As promised, if the G-men had won the big one, I would edit my list. And here it is.
#1
Super Bowl vs. New England
I am still shellshocked. What I experienced is beyond euphoria. This game went from defensive grudge match to impotent offense to 4th quarter thriller. For the longest time, 7-3 Pats was lit up on the scoreboard. That is, until the beginning of the fourth quarter came around. Eli Manning finally got the ball into the endzone by delivering a bullet to David Tyree. Joe Buck said something that I still remember. Of the touchdown, he claimed "David Tyree makes the catch of his life."
Nay, Joe Buck. Nay.
Tom Brady does what he does best and composes an 80 yard scoring drive leaving the Giants down 4 with under 3 to go. Time winding down, around midfield, they face a 3rd and 5. I'm sure you all know what play I'm talking about by now. This is one that will be given a name just like Montana and Clark's The Catch, Franco Harris' Immaculate Reception, and John Elway's The Drive. I'm lobbying for The Great Escape myself. Manning gets pressured all the way around and was certainly sacked for a crucial loss. Miraculously, he escapes, scrambles out, escapes more pressure, finally sees an opening and zings it to David Tyree downfield. Tyree times the leap right. The ball is millimeters out of Rodney Harrison's reach. Tyree grips the ball between his hands and his helmet and comes down with the reception. That set up the winning touchdown fade route to Plaxico. There's just so much amazingness in this Super Bowl, but that is the play that will stick with me forever.
This was such a spectacular game and an amazing season. So much so that I have definite plans on buying the team DVD later on.
18-1. Pats lose. Giants win. [/EDIT]
No matter what the outcome of the last remaining game brings, this has been an amazing season from this team. Even as a faithful fan, I never saw this coming. Here's hoping there's one more W in their bag of tricks.
Including the playoffs, the Giants are 13-6 this year. And combining my euphoric love for the team and my love of doing Top 10 lists, I ranked the 10 best Giant victories this season.
honorable mention
WEEK 5 vs. New York Jets
For some unknown reason, this game was not broadcast, so I was actually unable to watch. The Fox affiliate up here is close enough in the Northeast where they run Giants games usually every week. But this week I was not able to watch. However I was still pretty excited to see the two Meadowlands dwellers square off against each other. This rivalry is like the Yankees and Mets; you either like one or the other, not both (not coincidentally, I am a fan of both, same with Yankees and Mets. Hah). The game was close to begin with with the Jets really pressuring Eli all first half long. Then like so many times, the G-men snapped out of it and lit it up in the second half. 28 points including strikes to Shockey and a 53 yard score from Plaxico. The defense was stout and flexed its muscle with three picks, 2 by Aaron Ross, the latter was run back into the endzone for a game-clinching score. Big Blue battered Gang Green in the Battle of New York.
Final: 35-24
#10
WEEK 11 @ Detroit
Though they were a cellar dwelling team for the subsequent years, I've always held the Lions on the blacklist for one reason. In 2004, the Lions beat a then 3-1 Giants team. The jilt sent the Gmen into a tailspin and made them look atrocious in the process. I blamed Detroit's victory for the reason they failed to make any impression at all. That many years ago and I hadn't forgotten it. So while this may have been another game for some, this meant something, however minuscule it was, to me. Like so many, this game was won with stellar defense. Micheal Strahan harassed Kitna all day for 3 sacks, and the Lion QB also threw 3 interceptions. I remember watching the final drive at my girlfriend's place, scared that maybe Kitna can drive for the gamewinning score, and then feeling elated when Sam Madison plucked the pass out of midair for the game capper. Redemption was served, and the Giants in turn then sent the Lions in a tailspin causing them to miss out on the playoffs. Payback's a bitch!
Final: 16-10
#9
WEEK 4 vs. Philadelphia
People still regarded the Giants as peons in a professional league. Of course, this was when the team had only 1 win and those were still expecting the Eagles to fly away (puns are funny, har har!) with the division. This game shut a couple people up. Those who dogged the Gmen's defense were put in their place with an inhuman 12 sacks. McNabb was on his back longer than a Long Island hooker. Osi Ueminyiora himself had half of them with six. This game was a wake up call that the Giants were not doormats this year. The defense held the Eagles to a measly David Akers field goal. Along with the sackfest, the defense was covering everyone, keeping McNabb to only 15 of 31 for a mere 138 yards. Kuwika Mitchell had a sensational fumble recovery and run for a score. This game was a game to silence the critics who said their defense was nonexistent. This was a statement game, and 12 sacks later, they sure as hell made a statement.
Final: 16-3
#8
WEEK 14 @ Philadelphia
They play each other twice a year every year. So do you realize how many times I've seen David Akers ruin the Giants with a clutch field goal? After a slugfest and a half the other 59:59, the Eagles were looking to tie the game and send it into overtime with a 57-yard field goal attempt. I remember feeling nervous because Akers was a very precise kicker, and like I said, this guy was a literal and figurative Giant killer. The kick was boomed. It definitely had the distance. And then.
SCHTOINK!
Right off the right upright.
No good.
No good.
Giants win!
For all the times he made it, it was completely worth it to watch him writhe with the pain of knowing he missed it for once.
Final: 16-13
#7
WEEK 3 @ Washington
The Week 4 Philly game really showed off the obliterating force of the defense. But what set that game up was the second half of this game. The team's then-future resilience was also on display in droves here. The first half was a complete mess, trailing 17-3. The second was like a completely different team running onto the field. Eli completed smart passes, the defense shut out the Skins, and the running game exploded. The team responded and got the first victory of the year. And what will be talked about a lot is the final drive of this game. At First and goal at the 1 yard line and under a minute to play, the Redskins were well within distance to tie the game and force overtime. The first snap was a dead play, spiking the ball to stop the clock. 2nd down, Campbell misses a short pass to Matt Sellers. 3rd down, Ladell Betts stopped short by Kawika Mitchell for no gain. Crucial 4th down, Ladell Betts gets jammed in the backfield and goes right down. Turnover on downs. That may have been the most important stand by the Giants all season.
Final: 24-17
#6
WEEK 13 @ Chicago
Despite it being #6, this was actually one of the first victories I put down on my list. Because nothing is better than a comeback victory to thwart one of your least favorite teams. And come back they did. Man, for the first three quarters, this team looked putrid. So much so that I turned the channel to a shitty TV movie for the better of 15 minutes during the second half. Then the fourth quarter happened... ...
Eli transformed into ELI and went on a tangent. All of a sudden his handful of turnovers meant nothing, moving the ball with elite precision, capping off one drive with a tip toeing score to Amani Toomer. Then the defense did it's job and got the ball stopping the Bears and forcing a punt. With time dwindling, the GMen forced downfield again with an effective and successfully time draining drive, ending with a Reuben Droughns punch in for a touchdown. That fourth quarter was a true testament to the team, and really showed how well Eli could put all the badness behind him and still play the game. A triumphant drive.
Final: 21-16
#5
WILD CARD ROUND @ Tampa Bay
Even against the team with the worst record in the playoffs, the Giants were not given much respect. As I recall, everyone on the Fox pregame selected the Bucs to win. Not only did the Gmen prove them wrong, but they looked damn good doing it. Eli didn't have a single turnover, threw for 185 yards and a punctuating TD to Amani Toomer. The show belonged to Brandon Jacobs. He had 2 touchdowns and made life hell for the Tampa defense. ON the other side, the defense shut down the Tampa offense. Earnest Graham was hardly a factor. Jeff Garcia was pressured all day. And the secondary was brilliant including picking off Garcia twice. Corey Webster's play on Joey Galloway completely took him out the equation. There's not a lot of memorable plays to this one, but it was still excellent in giving Eli his much needed first playoff win.
Final: 24-14
#4
WEEK 16 @ Buffalo
This game was so important. Though the Giants were in the driver's seat to the playoffs at this point, this sure felt like a must-win situation. Not just to clinch the playoffs, but to give the team some sort of semblance and momentum. A lot of people were down on this team as weak, and they needed to silence those critics with a big game. They responded. In the wind and snow, the team came through to blast the Bills. It sure is to be one Eli would like to forget on a personal level. In the second half, there were only 3 pass plays called. 1 was incomplete, 2 were picked off. But where the passing game was grounded, the running game was unstoppable. Brandon Jacobs had a career high 145 yards running. There wasn't a Bills player who could stop the behemoth. Meanwhile, Ahmad Bradshaw had a breakout game running for 151 himself, including a game-changing 88 yard burst for a touchdown. And again, it can't be understated, the defense was crucial in the victory, including picking off Trent Edwards 3 times. Kawika Mitchell's pick was rumbled back for a touchdown. This game was monumental in the Giants' playoff push.
Final: 38-21
#3
NFC CHAMPIONSHIP @ Green Bay
I know there are a bunch of people who think calling their Super Bowl clinching victory the third-best win of the season pretty crazy. But there was one win that meant more, if my a microscopic margin, than this one. Don't get me wrong, this game made me so elated that I can't even remember the last time this rush of excitement came over me. The entire game was a cold dog fight. But Eli remained poised and errorless. The weather didn't bother him. The Packers' defense didn't bother him. He was cool, calm, and collected... and cold. It was by no means a really great game, but he did just enough to get the job done. And at the end of the day, getting it done is all it needs. Plaxico Burress was a beast. He certainly made fans who voted Al Harris into the Pro Bowl look foolish, dogging him all day. He snagged 11 catches for 154 yards, his best performance all year. While far from mistake-free, the Packers were unable to capitalize on the Giants' miscues. After making an interception, RW McQuarters fumbled the ball right back to the Packers. Lawrence Tynes in the second quarter miffed on a field goal that set up the game tying drive. And with a chance to end the game in regulation, Tynes botched his second kick, this one not even close. When it miffed, I felt this rush of illness run through my stomach. And it only magnified when Green Bay won the coin toss. I sat on the floor and begged the defense to show up.
Cue Corey Webster.
It was an ill-advised throw, and Webster hauled it in for the G-men, running back just enough yardage to automatically put them in field goal range. But how comfortable was anyone leaving the game on Tynes' foot again? Alas, after going 3 and out, it had to be on him. A 47 yarder... the longest of his 5 attempts... The snap is perfect... the kick is up... and... ...
Final: 23-20
#2
DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF @ Dallas
My reasoning for this win being more favored than the NFC Championship is simple. And anyone who follows an NFC East team knows why: The Cowboys and the Giants hate each other. And to be the little engine that could that derails the jet-powered locomotive that Dallas was... humiliating their hated rivals by eliminating them from their high pedestal, it was so euphoric. Consider the set up. Dallas had 13 victories this year, a franchise record. Number 1 seed in the NFC. Tony Romo was instrumental and looked well enough to fit in with past heroes Aikman and Staubach. TO looked like the consummate teammate, not creating distractions and playing well. Wade Phillips made Jerry Jones look like a genius. A running game that was well underrated, and a terrifying defense. They thrashed the Giants twice in the regular season. It looked like they had the entire field sized up and ready to blow out. History was on their side when it was stated that no No. 1 seed had ever lost in the divisional round since the NFL went to the current 12 team format decades ago. All of a sudden, here come the Giants. Winning 8 straight road games. Eli playing error-free football. A dual-strike running game. A dynamic front four. A reborn secondary. Still, the Cowboys and their fans had little to fear, right?
... This victory felt so good. Watching a blood rival be the toast of the conference boils the blood. And redemption never was any sweeter. There was no way the Giants "should have" won this game. But they did. And it's a game that will play out forever in my mind. From Amani Toomer's 52 yard catch and run for the score right up to RW McQuarters' game-winning endzone interception. This is up there with my favorite games of all time.
[EDIT]As promised, if the G-men had won the big one, I would edit my list. And here it is.
#1
Super Bowl vs. New England
I am still shellshocked. What I experienced is beyond euphoria. This game went from defensive grudge match to impotent offense to 4th quarter thriller. For the longest time, 7-3 Pats was lit up on the scoreboard. That is, until the beginning of the fourth quarter came around. Eli Manning finally got the ball into the endzone by delivering a bullet to David Tyree. Joe Buck said something that I still remember. Of the touchdown, he claimed "David Tyree makes the catch of his life."
Nay, Joe Buck. Nay.
Tom Brady does what he does best and composes an 80 yard scoring drive leaving the Giants down 4 with under 3 to go. Time winding down, around midfield, they face a 3rd and 5. I'm sure you all know what play I'm talking about by now. This is one that will be given a name just like Montana and Clark's The Catch, Franco Harris' Immaculate Reception, and John Elway's The Drive. I'm lobbying for The Great Escape myself. Manning gets pressured all the way around and was certainly sacked for a crucial loss. Miraculously, he escapes, scrambles out, escapes more pressure, finally sees an opening and zings it to David Tyree downfield. Tyree times the leap right. The ball is millimeters out of Rodney Harrison's reach. Tyree grips the ball between his hands and his helmet and comes down with the reception. That set up the winning touchdown fade route to Plaxico. There's just so much amazingness in this Super Bowl, but that is the play that will stick with me forever.
This was such a spectacular game and an amazing season. So much so that I have definite plans on buying the team DVD later on.
18-1. Pats lose. Giants win. [/EDIT]
No matter what the outcome of the last remaining game brings, this has been an amazing season from this team. Even as a faithful fan, I never saw this coming. Here's hoping there's one more W in their bag of tricks.