Real Football - Random Reactions from 2010 Giants-Eagles – Part 2 – Meadowlands Meltdown

So, yeah, um about yesterday.  That was crazy, huh?  Being big Giants’ fans we pretty much have to write something.  We could have done it yesterday but it probably would have devolved into something containing about 4,000 more F-bombs then that Cee-Lo song without the benefit of complete sentences.  After a night to process, we’re still not sure exactly how this is going to go but we’ll give it a try. 

Warning:  May Contain Profanity Laced Rants.

1.       The Eagles Are Better …

For 52 minutes yesterday it didn’t look that way, but any team that can rip off 28 unanswered points in less than 8 minutes to sweep a season series is better.  It’s a painful admission but its true.  They withstood what was essentially a perfect 3 ½ quarter game game by the Giants, didn’t give up, and won the game.  The Giants didn’t just give it away, the Eagles took it.  And they did it on the road

2.       But It’s Not Because of Talent.

The biggest problem with the Giants isn’t lack of talent.  We’d argue from a pure talent standpoint they’re better than the Eagles.  From top to bottom they’re probably in the 1^st tier in terms of pure ability.  They have excellent offensive and defensive lines, good receivers, a good secondary, average linebackers and a Super Bowl MVP QB.  How many teams can beat that?  The Pats, Chargers, Falcons?  Not many.  Their fatal flaw is that they consistently make crippling mistakes at the worst possible times.  Worse yet, it’s never the same guy who makes the mistake so you can’t cut him or bench him to remedy the problem.  One week it’s a bad pick by Eli, another it’s a fumble by Bradshaw, the next it’s a missed tackle and a bad angle by Boley.  Nothing could be more frustrating.  This year’s Giant team reminds us a lot of the old Kerry Collins teams which is a scary thought for anyone who remembers those years.  More talented but the same tendencies.  This isn’t the team that won the Super Bowl, they’ve got talent but there is just something missing (Strahan’s leadership?).  Champions don’t lose games like this.  Still, they have both the talent and time to turn it around.  This could be the defining game for this group of players if they let it.  Everything is on the line in Green Bay next week.  Great.

3.       This is not the worst loss in franchise history, or even the history that we’ve seen.

The principle of proximity (we may or may not have made that up and if not we’re certainly using it wrong) makes it tempting to conclude that this is the worst loss ever because it happened yesterday and the pain is so fresh.  We don’t remember Herm Edwards returning Joe Pisarcik’s fumble of an unnecessary hand off when a knee would have sufficed so we can’t really measure that one.  But, what we do remember is the abomination that was the Giants blowing a 24 point lead to the Jeff Garcia, TO and the San Francisco 49ers in the 2003 Wildcard Playoffs.  That was worse for a bunch of reasons.  First, it was the playoffs.  There was no chance at redemption.  The Giants had the thing in hand and were ready to move on to play Tampa Bay and there was a feeling that the team, coming off 4 wins to get into the playoffs, might be able to make a run and then it was all over.  At least this team has a chance to get things back together.  Secondly, for us at least, the 2003 loss was more of a slow painful death that was totally the Giants’ fault.  As soon as Shockey dropped the easy touchdown in the 3^rd quarter of that game, we were overcome by a feeling of impending doom as the Giants’ made mistake after mistake and gave it away.  Yesterday, we still didn’t think they’d actually lose  until the second Jackson crossed the goal line.  While the Giants certainly made their fair share of mistakes, it seemed more like the Eagles just took the game away, they were perfect for 8 minutes while the Giants didn’t make a single play.  They had Vick, and ultimately DeSean Jackson, the Giants had nothing.  The final reason 2003 was worse.  It ended like this.  That shit is just embarrassing (go to 9:00 mark.)

4.       Here’s what it felt like to watch the game yesterday.

Before Kickoff, we were filled with nervous anticipation.  Sure they lost in Philly but they played well and if they could just tackle and keep Vick reasonably under control and not turn the ball over, they’d have a shot.  It was the most excited we’ve been for a game in a long time but still secretly very worried they’d get blown out.

FIRST QUARTER

TD 03:36 Mario Manningham 35 Yd Pass From Eli Manning, 7-0 Giants. 

Holy crap, they scored first.  At least they won’t get shut-out.  Feeling good.  

SECOND QUARTER

FG 13:02 David Akers 34 Yd, 7-3 Giants.

Held them to a field goal inside the red zone.  Good sign for the Giants.  Confidence growing.

TD 08:17 Mario Manningham 33 Yd Pass From Eli Manning, 14-3 Giants.

Holy Crap!!

FG 00:48 Lawrence Tynes 25 Yd, 17-3 Giants.

A little insurance.

TD 00:05 Hakeem Nicks 8 Yd Pass From Eli Manning, 24-3 Giants.

Off a bad Eagles fumble, the Giants get a cheap touchdown going into the half.  Up 21, we’re dreaming of an NFC East Title and an home playoff game.

THIRD QUARTER

TD 03:56 Jeremy Maclin 8 Yd Pass From Michael Vick, 24-10 Giants.

Giants turn the ball over with a bad Mannignham fumble.  Ok, ok.  No big deal.  Not too worried, just need to answer back with a score.

FOURTH QUARTER

TD 08:17 Kevin Boss 8 Yd Pass From Eli Manning, 31-10 Giants.

Eagles fumble that probably wasn’t a fumble by Jackson.  No challenge by Reid.  And there it is!! Game over!! (we actually said that out loud.  Feel free to kill us, please).  If Chicago loses a game and the Giants win out, they’re the #2 seed.  Maybe Atlanta gets knocked off.  NFC Championship game in Jersey, here we come. 

TD 07:28 Brent Celek 65 Yd Pass From Michael Vick, 31-17 Giants.

Oh isn’t that cute.  They Eagles are still trying.  The final score won’t tell the true story of how dominant Big Blue was.

TD 05:28 Michael Vick 4 Yd Run, 31-24 Giants.  

Wait fuck.  Eagles get the ball back off an onside kick.  Where was the hands team?  Are the coaches the only ones who don’t realize the Eagles aren’t rolling over?  They really are going to make this thing close.  Even if they score, all the Giants need to do is get the back back and run some clock out and it’s over.  No need to panic.  Time for the 4 minute offense.

So what happens, 2 first downs, then they throw on 3^rd, incomplete. Unbelievable. Clock stops and they have to put the ball back to the Eagles with 3 minutes left.  The defense will get a stop here, then we exhale and everyone goes home feeling great.

TD 01:16 Jeremy Maclin 13 Yd Pass From Michael Vick, Game tied 31-31.

Is this really happening?  Seriously.  That’s ok, Giants get the ball back with 1:16 left, 3 time outs.  Plenty of time to get into field goal range.  Not so much.  Incomplete.  Incomplete.  Sack.  And then THE punt.  Matt Dodge.  Fuckin Matt Dodge.  If you don’t know he’s the worst punter in the league.  By far.  He’s just not good at punting a football (seems like that should be a prerequisite to his job) and is the only guy who’s fans are genuinely concerned he might actively cost them a game.  So at this point, we’re sufficiently nervous given his aforementioned inability to kick and his season long problem with catching the snap.  Still, no way he kicks it to Jackson, he’ll just boot it out of bounds, they’ll play defense for one hail mary and its goes to overtime. Win the toss, you have a shot.

TD 00:00 DeSean Jackson 65 Yd Punt Return (David Akers Kick)  Eagles win 38-31.

Oh, god, no.  Fuck, Fuck Fuck.  Gjioqerhjioheio[hqio[ghoiqerfjiorgjo[rijre[iojgqo[igjioqjg[igjioerjg iqo iojqer ioj oiqj io[gj rqeiorj [goij qioqj ioj[ qioj [gjio qio[ j[goij q[ogi oq[j g[qio gjio qjio[ gjio jgio[q ejgio[j qio[ jgio[q jioj [qi jio[q j[io jeio[ jo[i qj[iojiojiojiog[ jqo[ iqgio io qrjio[gjqrio[e jrio[ jio[rjgioqueriouioqtu io[qjrioebtuo[qtub[qetmv[.  FUCK!!!!!

5.       There’s No One Person to Blame …

When a team falls apart as abruptly as the Giants did yesterday it’s a complete team effort.  You can point to 100 things that went wrong – the defense stopped keeping containment on Vick, they offense went 3 and out when they needed to run time off the clock, Coughlin didn’t put the hands team in on the onside kick (Andy Reid said if he had they would have kicked it deep), Manningham fumbled, Phillips missed the tackle on Celek’s TD, and, of course, the punter couldn’t kick the ball out of bounds.  They are all to blame.   Still, today, the man we hate even more than the rest is Matt Dodge.  He needs to be cut immediately

6.       Fuck DeSean Jackson.

We hate, hate, hate, HATE DeSean Jackson.  We’ve said it before and we’ll say it ever goddamn time his name comes up - he’s a cocky punk.  It permeates everything he does, the way he runs, the way he walks on the field, his interview after the game (“I’m just so awesome, I don’t know what to say, Pam!”).  EVERYTHING.  He just struts though life like his proverbial shit doesn’t stink.  Sure, he’s a really good player but it would be in his best interests to remember he weights like 125 lbs and guys like that who talk shit generally don’t last that long.  Sure, he’s fast but at some point some cranky linebacker or safety is going to get a hold of him and shut him up.  We freely admit we’d name our kid DeSean (or at least have that as his middle name) is he wore a Giants uniform.  But, still, fuck him.  

7.       The Worst Part is Showing Your Face The Next Day.

As an out of the closet sports fan, people know who you root for.  You might wear the hat, you might talk about the game with someone, whatever you do, you make it known.  After a loss like this, you don’t want to show your face on Monday morning.  You don’t want to wear the hat, you don’t want to talk about the game but everyone knows and, of course, THEY want to talk about it.  It’s like clogging the toilet and having it aired on national prime time television.  It’s embarrassing.