Yesterday Paul Burke linked to a Philadelphia Inquirer article which blasted the Eagles.  The article put some perspective around the Eagles (AND THE GIANTS) season:

This was the worst coaching job of Reid's tenure, by miles.  Not only did this self-promoting team underachieve spectacularly, it did so in a year when the rest of the NFC East was pathetic.

A year in which the rest of the NFC East was pathetic.

Let's say it again for emphasis.  THE NFC EAST WAS PATHETIC.

Why is this important?  Why is this vital for our understanding?  It is our contention that things will have to get worse before they get better.  Competition makes you change.  It forces you to adapt. If you do not get better, you fall behind.  Right now, Giants management is in love with Tom Coughlin and barring an ugly loss to the Cowboys, he is coming back.

Again.

And more Tom Coughlin means no change.  I am holding out hope that Coughlin will show Perry Fewell the door, but I wouldn't bet on that, and not even with YOUR money.

Right now, the Giants have a division to win.  It is within their grasp, and because the entire NFL is vulnerable, even I won't completely rule out a chance at a title this year.  But the odds are long, very long, when your coordinator is Perry Fewell.  James Allen, who's been commenting since ~2008, was at the game and noted the following:

"...for all the pressure the Giants put on Sanchez, there were plenty of open receivers down the field as a result of a zone that is so soft it's stunning (and you can only really see how much from being at the game)."

The optimism is already creeping back in after a win vs a pathetic opponent this past weekend, but at least James Allen was able to remind us that Fewell is still Fewell.  And Coughlin is still Coughlin.  We have said it here more than a few times before- Coughlin is as good and as bad as the coordinators he has under him. 

In a year where the NFC East was horrible, the Giants get to be 2-3 vs their powerful division foes with one last game at home.  Vs the same anemic division.  This weak division is doing NO FAVORS for our aspirations for a championship title.  All this division is doing is camouflaging weakness.  How ironic that once again we have a situation where two weak teams, Dallas and NY, get to play one another and SOMEONE has to win.

In 2012, the Giants and the NFC East face the AFC North (BAL, PIT, CIN, CLE) and the NFC South (NO, ATL, CAR, TB).  Think we can split against those two divisions?  Think we can split vs the NFC East? 

And here is something else to think about-  If the Giants win vs Dallas, that means they'll play vs SF and GB next season.  Be careful what you wish for, Giants fans, you just might get it.  Because everyone including me will be rooting for the Giants to win so that they can get that lottery ticket to the tournament.  How many of you think we'll be able to survive a 4 game sweepstakes?  We'll need the Fewell leopard to change his zone spots and mothball that base defense.  Not happening.  We'll need Gilbride's strobe light to flash for more than one game in a row.  Not happening.  What is more realistic is that a win vs Dallas will merely perpetuate a mirage. 

This NY Giants blog wants a NY Giants championship as soon as possible.  Realistically speaking, even though the first playoff appearance in 3 years is a nice accomplishment, we are objective enough to realize that (a win and) at 9-7 does not make this team credible.  Appearing on Sunday night with Michaels and Collinsworth does not give you legitimacy.  Legitimacy will come when this team can play consistently for 60 minutes throughout a season and have the schemes to compete with the best on a regular basis.  Right now, the best in the NFL is not coming from the NFC East.  It is so important to realize that, because only a pathetic division allows for this team to even be talking about the playoffs in Week 17.     

The Giants won Christmas Eve. Whether you like it or not, it was a battle of mediocrity. At a meager 8-7 record, they put themselves in position to win their division.   Paraphrasing our GM Jerry Reese: Once you’re in the “tournament” anything can happen.

In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.  

And so it was when a mediocre team played against another mediocre team in a must win situation, one of the two teams must win.  The NY Giants prevailed.  But let's be honest and objective about this contest- both teams s*cked.  Dropped balls, penalties, dead ball fouls, crazy plays, screwball turnovers that weren't and were, insane playcalls... there was a lot of bad football out there.  The Giants came out on top, proving that yes indeed, they are the best football team in NY.  This is not something I'd be bragging about a whole helluva lot.

The Good

1) Victor Cruz is just fantastic.  With the Giants slumbering through the first half with a FG (which was set up by a 28 yard pass catch and run by VICTOR CRUZ), the Giants found themselves down 7-3 at their own goal line on 3rd down and 10.  I figured incorrectly that the Giants would run the ball out just so that the punter would have a few yards to move.  Instead, Gilbride goes shotgun (one of three times we saw shotgun that I went apesh*t) and passes to Cruz for a ~12 yard completion.  Except Cruz darts away from Wilson plus Cromartie, runs down the sideline, hops over an attempt at a shoestring tackle and scampers 99 yards into the end zone for a TD.  Brilliant.  BRILLIANT.  This play broke open the game, awoke the Giants, changed tempo, and the Jets never recovered.  It should be noted that Cruz figured in the second TD drive, getting the big, 37 yard pass play that set up the Jacobs and Bradshaw runs.  And Cruz also came within a fingertip of another TD catch where Eli overthrew him in the endzone.

I'm not done talking about Cruz.  Do you realize he passed Amani Toomer's 2002 NY Giants single season receiving yards record of 1,343 yards with 3 catches for 164 yards, now with 1,358 yards for the (15 game) season?!  This guy, in his first full season, breaks the all-time franchise record!  He's 25 years old.  So his future is very bright.  

2) It's another game, it must mean Jason Pierre-Paul was busy.  2 sacks for 15.5 on the year.

3) Running game in H2.  After running for 6 yards in H1, they ran for 110 yds in H2.  Bradshaw ran over S  Pool. Excellent.     

4) Rex Ryan can eat some crow.  I like him as a coach but he talks way too much.  Shut the F up, stop talking about how your team is going to win the Super Bowl and just prepare your team to play.  With your team at 8-6 going into the game, you are trash for talking.

5) The Eagles are eliminated.  Good riddance, dream team.  Nightmare this.  Another country who we no longer have to hear from.

6) Darrelle Revis.  Understand this- I root for the Jets when the Giants are out of it because I have so many friends and family who root for this team.  I have said this before, that I will trade 16 Jets wins for 1 Giant win.  And with all of that said, when I watch Revis play, it is art.  I appreciate good football, preferrably when it is in a NY Giants uniform.  Revis is a pleasure to watch.  There is a reason why Eli only had 9 pass completions today and his name is Darrelle Revis.  

The Bad

1) Kevin Gilbride's playcalling was at times atrocious.  I really do not want to go through all of the egregious examples of why I detest him, but in this game we saw so many insanities... I could write a bible.  Third and 1, THIRD AND 1.... and he puts Manning in shotgun.  I can hear 'Nature' going apoplectic.  If you are going to pass, why not go play action and freeze the line.  He did this playcall THREE times that I can recall, using shotgun where it was horrible.  The Giants have just gotten a turnover in the end zone off the Sanchez fumbled snap, 1st and 10 from the 20, up 20-7, and there is Gilbride again in .... SHOTGUN!  WTF???!!!  Ya gotta be kiddin' me.  The world is expecting run, I am expecting run.  Just do playaction if you have a hard-on to throw the damn the ball.  Yes, it would be unexpected, and I love the unexpected and unpredictable.  You can catch the Jets LBers and Safeties biting on run.  Instead, we get a tipped ball which is picked off by a non-biting LBer. 

2) Mark Sanchez.  Please do not tell me, Daryl Johnston, how much better the Giants secondary played today.  Sanchez just played worse, which was what we expected when we previewed the game yesterday.  In the first half, McKnight has Boley beat by 3 steps and Sanchez misses him.  Keller crosses on play action, he is wide open, Sanchez takes forever to get him, the Giants defenders close the gap and woohoo, incomplete pass.  Holmes open and overthrown, woohoo.  Add at least 4 more batted balls at the line of scrimmage (Tuck2, Tollefson, Joseph) and it was a weaker opponent abdicating.  Please, do not schedule any parades just yet for Mr. Fewell.

Summary

Here is a stat to chew on- The Jets had 10 penalties for 95 yards.  This should be a reminder that the Giants beat a garbage football team.  Hey, at least the Giants played about 40 minutes of football today, which was about 40 more minutes than they played vs the Redskins.  Let's be thankful for small favors.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, everybody! 

Start spreading the news
One team's leaving today
The NFL playoffs in
New York, New York

These frustrated boos
Are longing for Stray
Right through the very heart of it
New York, New York

I want to wake up with a team
That doesn't sleep(walk)
And find they're king of the hill
Top of the heap

My little town team
they are melting away
They need a brand new start of it
In old New York

If Fewell can't make it there
He can't make it anywhere
TC shoulda left you in
Buffalo, New York

New York, New York
I want to wake up with a defense
That never sleeps
And find a zone that works
Corners that press
Linebackers who cover
King N-F-LLLL

These are my Giants blues
The defense has melted away
We need a brand new start of it
Right here in old New York 

If the Giants can make it here
They'll make it anywhere
It's up to you
Mara Reese, New York                     

Normally you'd expect that after a week of bashing the Giants, that we'd be looking for the Giants to lose this coming weekend.  But that is not the case.  We are not predicting a Giants win, but we do believe the Giants have the edge.  Here's why: 

1) The Giants are a better team on paper. When they play their 'A' game, they will beat the Jets 'A' game.

2) The Giants have more focus and energy when they play as underdogs than when they are favorites.  Since they are FG underdogs following a loss, we expect them to bounce back.  Week 15 vs the Redskins was abominable.  If they dare to not show up in Week 16, it would be despicable.  Given all the rivalry w the Jets etc, I cannot imagine the Giants being flat again.  

3) Eli Manning and Giants offense is far more potent than Mark Sanchez and the Jets offense.

4) JPP should require a double team.  Wayne Hunter will need help.  When JPP is doubled, that will mean a Jets offense that is already limited becomes even more limited.

5)  Sanchez is not an accurate QB.  Fewell should not give Sanchez a lot of zone.  It is up to Fewell to do one right thing in a row. 

6) Ballard, Pascoe and Beckum are all hurt.  If one of them can be even halfway decent for Saturday, it will be more than enough, as the Jets have trouble with TEs.

7) I am worried about Plaxico Burress.  How many times have we seen it- a player gets amped when he goes up against his former team.  This is a wild card.

8) Load the box and dare Sanchez to beat you.  If you stop the Jets run, they are in trouble.

9) The Jets do not have a pass rush (without blitz).  Eli should be effective.  He torched Rex Ryan's brother when Dallas blitzed too much in H2.  The Jets need to blitz sporadically/infrequently and I do not think they will do that.      

Summary- this is the Giants' game to win or lose. No predictions, but if the Giants show the same effort and focus they had vs Green Bay, they will win easily.  If they have a flawed gameplan, ie Fewell too much zone for Sanchez and Gilbride not enough rhythm for Eli, then the Giants will dig themselves a hole.  The Giants have control.  Win or play golf.