Eagles - Giants Notes

> Once again, I hate night games. I'm old, I like less drama rather than more, and if it goes badly, it's going to eat at me all night. Then you have games like tonight, which are inexplicable hair pulls of absurdity, and the only way you are happy is if you had fantasy skin in the game, or bet the over.

> Jason Peter and DeSean Jackson were in the starting lineup, and the first play sees LeSean McCoy run through a great hole for a first down. Useful all over, really, especially when it's backed up by another quick first down from a no huddle offense. Giants Fan is already making unhappy noises, made louder by Michael Vick nailing Jackson in stride to get it in the red zone. Wow, that was a pretty ball. Then, the resistible force that is the Eagle red zone offense met the movable object that is the Giants red zone defense, and a pretty Brent Celek screen scores the touchdown just 3.5 minutes into the game. Useful all over, as previously noted.

> Is Leonard Weaver a Pro Bowl fullback? I think so, but I couldn't name six other fullbacks in all of football, let alone the NFC.

> Why do national telecasts show Manhattan when they do the local B-roll footage of games from the Meadowlands? That's not where the Giants play. Not by a long shot, really.

> Blue comes out with one of those Brandon Jacobs Is Strong runs that just dispirit a defense, and Eli Manning hits Steve Smith with a telegraphed but accurate slant for the first. And then Jacobs put it on the carpet from a hustle play by DE Trent Cole, with a clear fumble that has no chance of being overturned, and CB Sheldon Brown literally glided into the end zone for the score. We're five minutes into this thing, and Green is up 14-0, before the defense is even introduced. Wow.

> Eldra Buckley with one of the better jobs in kickoff coverage for the year, but the Giants offensive line is creating holes and time. It leads to a fourth and a huge call, and Jacobs just steamrolled to the conversion; that wasn't appealing. Even less so was Jeremiah Trotter blowing a gift interception, with TE Kevin Boss scooping up the deflection for a big gain. Dammit, that's a big deal there. If I'm Blue, I stay with power here, but thankfully Tom Coughlin doesn't go for that, and WR Mario Manningham can't get his feet down on a fade route in the end zone. Close, but not quite. A Lawrence Tynes figgie makes it 14-3 with 2:30 left in the first, and the offense is going to have to do some work.

> The next drive was McCoy for a yard, McNabb scrubbing a screen, Giants coach Tom Coughlin becoming the world's ugliest cheerleader, and an incomplete after pressure. Three, out, gahhh. A good Sav Rocca punt -- yes, he does have some of those -- gets aid from a Blue personal foul, so at least Blue's field position will suck.

> Jacobs has ran for 6 yards a carry tonight, and he does better on first down. Worrisome, but Blue then tries him on a toss sweep -- not his forte -- and it's third and six to end the first quarter. Green 14, Blue 3.

> Quinton Mickell gets flagged on a ball that scary Blue rookie WR Hakeen Nicks drops, rather than go for six, and that's a first down on a play that both sides have to be disgusted by. Manning then had all day to find Nicks, and Mickell gets nicked for another five and a first. The defense is not encouraging right now, if only because I'm seeing way too much of it. Nicks then made two guys miss after a catch, and whoosh, that's seven for Blue. Green is ahead in this game, but you wouldn't know it from my stomach or mind. Green 14, Blue 10.

> Offense has to do something here in the face of a full throated crowd, and McNabb hits Celek on a slightly behind ball for a big gain. Weaver then busted a big gain for a first down, and the drive ends in the red zone on a pretty terrible no-call on Celek in the end zone. Irritating. A David Akers chip shot makes it Green 17, Blue 10.

> After getting a rare defensive stop, Jackson takes a quick jump back on a punt return, then puts on the jets down the sideline for six. If there has ever been a more electrifying player than DJ in my laundry, I don't remember him. If I was a fan of other people's laundry, I'd have nightmares about this guy. He's just crazy great.

> Blue responds with an evisceration of the very lacking defense, and if you bet the over on this game, congratulations. Bradshaw finished it off with the touchdown, and the only discouraging thing about that drive for Blue was that it ended with 95 seconds on the clock...

> Which was 16 seconds too many for Green, who march down the field despite a bizarre officiating call on an obvious incompletion. The drive featured some great balls from McNabb, who found Jackson and Celek for big gains, then hit the sideline for the Vick vulture touchdown from the one. Vick's been on the field for three plays tonight, which have resulted in a 32-yard play to Jackson, a run for a first down, and a run for a touchdown. If he keeps this up, those green 7 jerseys won't seem so silly anymore.

> How in blue blazes is whether or not the clock shows zeroes not a reviewable play? When Domenik Hixon puts the ball on the ground in the half-ending kickoff, that's costing my laundry a field goal attempt and possible three points, and since they had a PAT blocked, um, that's fricking huge. Nice home field advantage on the play clock there, Meadowlands guy. Huge assist, really. The half ends as Green 30, Blue 17.

> The second half starts with the usual -- big Blue drive, questionable replay challenge that goes against Reid (of course), and Jacobs running through the defense like varsity through JV. I hate, hate, hate, hate defenses that can't deal with power backs; there is something inherently unmanly about it, and unsatisfying on every level. Rather than give it to the bruiser three times at the goal line, Blue tries trickery on second down, and Jacobs doesn't make it on third. Big call on fourth and goal from the one here; the field goal has value, but Coughlin shuns it, and the power back makes it easily. I hate, hate, hate, hate, hate defenses that can not stop power backs. The Giants now have 24 carries for 111 yards and two touchdowns, and I'll be thrilled if they end the night with less than 200. Green 30, Blue 24. Pinball night in Jersey, which of course makes the announcers happy.

> McNabb and Celek combine for a terrible pick on a second and four, and given how badly the defense is playing, that's a given for seven... but Manning fails sliding for an unconscionable mistake, and it's ruled a fumble on the field. Given how the zebras have gone tonight, I can't imagine this holding up, especially with NBC shoehorning in another ad, giving the Giants coaching staff two minutes to review the replay. Must be nice to have the networks in your pocket. I'm 100% certain that this will be overturned, despite a fairly ridiculous premise that a pulled finger stops a man, rather than ducking the tackle. Amazingly, the call stands, and the Eagles get it back on their own 14. Phew.

> McNabb shows his age on a six yard scramble. McCoy for a yard on the kind of play that causes concussions; a questionably late hit with legs on the face. McNabb then missed The Mostly Cursed Reggie Brown on what would have been six... had Brown been, well, Jackson. Big opportunities being missed by both teams here. A big Rocca punt with mediocre coverage gives Blue the ball on their own 40, and we're looking at another 60 to 75 minutes of hairpull here.

> Blue's drive starts with holding and ends with utterly atrocious tackling, letting Hixon go for 61 yards. With the successful extra point, Blue now leads, 31-30. I'm not sure, really, who these guys are in the green defensive jerseys, but I really hate them a lot, and they are costing the team the division. On a night where you get a punt return touchdown and a room service score off a fumble recovery, you should not be down by a point in the third. The NBC mouth jobbers think this is one of the best games ever, but I'm kind of hating it.

> All on the offense now, so McNabb just throws it to Jackson for a 60 yard touchdown. Wow. I'm not sure this is still football, and I'm ready to chastise DJ for not taking more time off the clock before going into the end zone. Akers for the point after connects as Blue spins him around on the follow through, giving Green an extra five on the next kickoff, and it's Green 37, Blue 31.

> Bad tackling spreads to the kickoff coverage, and Blue starts on the 29. Hicks gives back yardage on the theory that missed tackles are fun in both directions. Jacobs finds nothing for once, and Blue now has 418 yards and are down six in the third. Can the defense get of the field? I'm hoping for a dropped ball, but I get an actual sack, and that's what my ancestors used to call a three and out. DJ almost breaks another one, but a flag would have brought it back anyway.

> Weaver gets swallowed for a three yard loss as Blue's defense decides to show up as well. DJ for six yards to set up third, and he's not actually open for once on a deep ball, and that's a return three and out. DJ ends up on the ground after a head butt and flop, and that would have been monumentally stupid on Blue, but the refs didn't call it.

> A run blitz stops Bradshaw for a loss. A lot of dancing on a draw by Bradshaw also doesn't go far, and that's the end of the third with Green 37, Blue 31.

> On third and 10, Blue gets it as easily as you could imagine; no pass rush, bad coverage on a short pass, plus 15 yards more on Mickell for a late hit. Terrible on every level, and Mickell's third flag, all of which have led to first downs. Manning finds FB Madison Hedgecock on the sidelines, and such is the state of the NFL that hitting a man on the sidelines gets expectations for a late hit. Boss drops a great ball from Manning -- to be fair, this is the best game I've ever seen Eli play -- to make it third and five. I have no confidence in the defense getting off the field, but Blue calls an awful draw, and Trent Cole saves the play and forces a punt. Phew. Feagles punts it to DJ at the nine, and with 13:12 left, the offense can do a lot towards putting this away. A man can dream.

> NBC tells us that DJ now has the most 50-yard-plus touchdowns in a season in NFL history, a three way tie between him, Devin Hester, and Crazy Legs Hirsch. There isn't enough guys named Crazy Legs, in my opinion. I'm dreaming that's a set up, really. McCoy for a hard three on a run. McNabb avoids the rush to find DJ for a pedestrian 20. Weaver for a couple on a play where DJ set up in the backfield and kept everyone's attention. My choice for Pro Bowl fullback then rumbled for ten and the first, and the offense goes no huddle on another give to Weaver, this time for three. Clock running, yards coming. I like. Check down to McCoy, and the scatback makes me nervous holding it with one hand, but it goes for ten yards, a first, and more clock.

> Gadgetry ends with Vick to McCoy to McNabb, and Don has the presence to take the checkdown to Celek for four. A lovely little screen to Weaver gets eight and another first down. Really nice drive happening here. Swing pass to McCoy add six more yards. Blue blitzes, McNabb finds Brown, and he makes a bunch of bad tackle attempts miss, leading to a 19 yard gain; he slips, or he might have gotten in. First and goal at the six, Vick comes in and plunges to the one and the Blue defense looks gassed. Six minutes left, and Weaver delivers what might be the kill shot; 91 yards, no third down plays, 7.5 minute drive, and credit Jason Peters for the hole on that one. Green does for two, and McNabb connects with Avant at the pylon. It's Green 45, Blue 31, and very quiet in New Jersey. Or, at least, northern New Jersey, where DJ just got Reid off the ground in a celebration moment, in what might have been the funniest moment of the year. Proof, really, that DJ can't be stopped by anyone, not even his coach.



If Drew Rosenhaus ruins this man for Eagle Fan, he will need serious security.

> Can the defense end this with some pride? A flag, then a sad little Manning run. Bradshaw gets the first, and the clock's moving. A ridiculous play in which Manning is nearly sacked, but flips it to Bradshaw, who gets 31 after a mess of bad tackling. GAHHH. Jacobs for a convoy screen, and the only useful thing is that it didn't end out of bounds. Manning is finally sacked, this time by Darren Howard, and it's third and 8 at the 29. A Bradshaw screen is stopped at the 25 for a fourth and four. Game on the line... and Manningham keeps it alive on another great throw by Manning. I just threw up a little. Another screen to Bradshaw, but Blue gets hit with a hold, and we're down to 2:28 left, and then an unconscionably easy touchdown to Manningham... but it should come back on review. Fitting, really, that the big play of the game might come on what Blue couldn't do on offense, rather than what Green might have actually stopped. For once, the Eagles win a challenge, and it's back to second and 20 from the 28. Phew.

> Manningham ruled in bounds on a 9 yard catch, and that costs Blue 15 seconds of clock. Useful. 3rd and 11 from the Eagles 19 with two minutes left. I'm not dreaming of stops, just clock running. Cole jumps for a free play (incomplete) and five yards. On third and six, it's Steve Smith for a first, but the clock runs. Blue with 505 yards of offense as Manning throws an unspeakably easy six to Boss, and with 91 seconds left, it's Green 45, Blue 38.

> An onside kick is obvious, and thanks to recent rule changes, a very low percentage play. Try a pooch kick instead? This game has been so insane, I'm not expecting anything good, but Blue's Lawrence Tynes puts it out of bounds, and that helps loads, really. McCoy, an intriguing choice at this time of the game given earlier fumble issues this year; he goes for a yard and that's Blue's second time out. He gets it again and stays up for an extra second, and goes again on third down, and by the time the back goes down and the play clock runs out, there are 36 seconds left. Rocca gets it off, and Hixon makes a huge mistake by calling for a fair catch, which is made worse by a dumb penalty. Manning now has to go 96 yards in 28 seconds, which seems entirely doable, given this defense tonight.

> Manning is nearly sacked in the end zone, but fights it off to Boss, who gets a few yards, but it costs nine seconds; that's a Green win. The final play is Howard forcing a fumble on Manning, which is recovered, and the teams then got into a big nasty brawl, and that's going to wind up as fines. Methinks Blue doesn't really enjoy losing for the fourth straight time to this laundry. And I'm sure that they are already dreaming of playoff revenge, just like the last three games where Vengeance Was Theirs.

> The Eagles and Giants have played each other 150 times; they've never scored this many points before. And while you never look a road division win in the mouth, the simple fact of the matter is that while my team is now alone in first, they escaped tonight due to a punt return, a fumble return, and getting just enough second half defense to make a big drive the difference.

The trouble, of course, is that winning the NFC East isn't going to do more than get you the fourth seed in the conference, and a probable home date against someone like Green Bay or Dallas. But hey, so long as Blue Fan is unhappy, I'm happy -- and four straight wins over a team will do that. At least in this game, they kept McNabb off their phones.