By Steven Panzarella
The New York Giants haven’t had an easy road to an 11-1 season but they are still winning convincingly. Against Washington, Eli Manning threw for 300 yards and a touchdown with an INT in there somewhere. Their running game was held to only 108 yards with Brandon Jacobs banged up and Ahmad Bradshaw out with an injury but most importantly kept Washington’s Clinton Portis to only 22 yards rushing.
The Giants have had one of the hardest schedules in the NFL after their first 6 games. Since then they have been able to beat the Steelers, Eagles, Cowboys, Redskins, Ravens and Cardinals. While these teams happen to be some of the league’s top contenders, if you look at the scores and stats you may think they have had an easy road as non of the final scores were that close.
The Giants dominated the Redskin’s and continue their domination of the NFC East which has been no easy feat considering Dallas and Washington had been considered high wild card contenders. The G-Men came into this game against Washington knowing they were only a couple of wins away from wrapping up the regular season.
Their next 2 games are against division opponents including one game at Dallas before ending the season with a home game against Carolina and a game against the NFC North leading Minnesota Vikings.
The Giants can clinch the Division with a win Sunday against Philadelphia but if they don’t win they still can clinch with a playoff spot with a Tampa Bay loss or a Dallas loss. Only 2 more wins and they get absolutely everything, home field throughout the playoffs, a first round bye and the NFC East. While these next two weeks are crucial for the Giants to make the Playoffs, the last 2 games of their season will be even more important considering they need to keep momentum.
As a fan I would love to see them win out the rest of the season but being the giants fan I am I know this is a team that every once and a while needs something to bring them down to earth and make them know they still have to play a full 60 minutes.
Last year, the Giants were hot and cold but gained momentum late in the season and their loss to the Patriots at the end of the year took their play to a new level showing everyone they weren’t messing around.
These Giants are different in they have had less on the field problems but some big off the field ones; first with the retirement of Michael Strahan and the injury to Osi Umenyiora and now the problems of Plaxico Burress. Burress turned himself in to police after shooting himself in the thigh accidently in a club on Saturday November 29. He will be charged with illegal Possession of a firearm and has been suspended by the giants for 4 games and added to the Non football injury list.
It seems like this couldn’t have happened at a worst time but considering the giants have played better on days when Plaxico Burress is not on the field. Now it’s time for Giants fans to look at the youth of the New York Giants. To look at Domenik Hixon and Steve Smith as the future greats and forget about the big playmaker that was Plaxico Burress even though the giants average 10+ more points when Burress is off the field. Eli Manning’s best games passing all occurred when throwing to Amani Toomer, Steve Smith and Domenik Hixon. His only Great game passing with Plaxico as the leading receiver was week 1 against Washington, besides that Eli has shared the wealth to all the Wide-outs on the Giants offense.
So while we know their names get ready for a big few weeks for Smith and Hixon to show they deserve to be making big plays all year round for the giants and expect a tough fight by the eagles who will be for all intensive purposes eliminated from full playoff contention with a loss.