Yes, I know you’re thinking about how the Eagles could be in the position that the New York Giants are in, if they had just hung onto the lead in that first battle against the Giants this season. Right now the Giants are the hottest team in the NFL and in position to repeat what they did against the Patriots in a Super Bowl upset a few years ago.
I’ll tell you right now that I think the winner of the Niners-Giants battle will win the Super Bowl. I have to give the nod to the Giants and Eli Manning right now because I like him over Alex Smith.
I wasn’t surprised at all by the Giants defeat of the Green Bay Packers. It’s very simple. Yesterday, the men in blue were the better football team. The Packers had the better record and had been on top of their game for a much larger share of the season than the Giants. But there was no doubt that the best team on Sunday January 15th was the team from New York.
I did expect the Packers to play better, but I hadn’t been impressed with their defensive play all season long. I must say I was disappointed in the play of Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay offense because it didn’t seem like they were ready to play.
Football is unlike other sports in that it’s very difficult to change the mindset of a team. The Packers had been cruising for far too long and they came into the game convinced that the magnificent play of NFL MVP Rodgers could cover up all the other deficiencies on their ball club.
In the other NFC Divisional contest, the San Francisco 49ers and the New Orleans Saints played a great classic playoff game. It was one of the best football battles that I’ve seen in a long time with tremendous plays executed down the stretch.
Niners quarterback Alex Smith may have come of age during that instant classic game, which makes the 49ers a better football team immediately. The Niners and the Giants both have complete football teams, but I still believe the Giants are more explosive.
The Niners have been playing on higher level defensively than the Giants for most of the season, but right now the New York defense has gotten healthy and their defensive line is capable of taking over a game.
I think it’s going to be a close one, but I’m leaning toward the Giants.
Gary, you are one of the very few, other than Giants fans, that thought they were going to win. I didn’t think they had a chance. Greenbay caught Eagle fever with the turnovers.
A coupld of issues on why I picked the Giants to win over the Packers
#1) Packers haven’t played a meaningful game since their loss to the KC CHiefs a month ago.. How many times now have we seen Teams that coast into the the Playoffs lay an egg that 1st game of Playoff Competition.. (We’ve seen if from the Patriots last season,the Colts a few times, Falcons last year, and even the Steelers last week) You just cannot turn off and back on again whatever that “mojo” or energy level that a teams has and builds upon each week of the Season… Meanwhile, the Giants have been playing with a must-win mindset and a sense of urgency and energy the final few weeks of the Season and obviously maintained that energy/focus level yesterday.. Also they are the healthiest they’be been all season which is exptremely important and have frsh legs with players like DE’s Umenyura & Tuck, MLB Boley, WR Manningham,RB Bradshaw and even TE Ballard so they are fully loaded and ready to rock..
#2) Packers have up to 4 Assistan Coaches/Coordinators are runmoured and come have even interveiwed for other Positions on other Teams ..
Raiiders are after Asst HC Winston Moss as their new HC and also Secondary Coach Darren Perry ans their new D/C… Packers current D/C Dom Capers is rumored to discusss HC positoins open in Miami & Tampa Bay and of course, we all know the tragic loss of O/C Joe Childs with the loss of his son last week in a drowning accident.. I am not making excuses because Coaches should be professional as the players are, but when you have many of yor key Coaches distracted, excited about fute opportunites, I think there is no doubt that takes away a little from the normal preparations..
The Packer Packers looked listless, physically & mentally fatigued and unfocused as we saw 8-9 Drop passes, 3-4 Turnovers, some poor tackling by LB Matthews and CB Woodson all game long…
The Giants were the better Tream by far and are peaking at the right time which is a credit to their players and HC Coughlin and his Staff.. I’ve said this a 1000 times.. What you did in the Regualr Season means little come Playoff Time, It’s about match-ups, big plays, turnovers and players and coaches rising their level of play and to the occasion to achieve a Championship.. Lately over the last few Season, that majiic, theat mojo or wahtever you want to call it (Karma) has been missing for a few years and about the time that Dawkins left & JJ passed.. Eagles have good players, but Coach AR has become way too predictable and cannot beat the good teams versus Teams with Good Coaches any longer…
That Packers team was nowhere near as primed to win as last year’s injury-riddled team. The death of Philbin son cast a pall over that team and couldn’t have come at a worse time. Winning is as much/more mental as physical and the state of emotions of Packer players/coaches did not have enough time to recover from the loss. The timing was perfect for the Giants who were healthy and confident with another shot at the Pack and the depressed Packers who hadn’t shaken off the negative impact of losing a “family member.”
A similar effect happened to the Eagles the next season with the loss of Jerome Brown. Happened to the Flyers with the death of Pelle Lindbergh. It’s more than the loss of a skilled player on the team. Sorrow is deep, debilitating state and those who’ve gone through it understand.
this game, as well as others was for the most part decided by the play of the quarterback, the play of the quarterback is everything in this now pass oriented league, rules favoring qb play, eli manning may well be in class of brees, rodgers and brady, certainly if he wins another super bowl he will be, eagles need this type of quarterback to compete for a super bowl,
They can blame the turnovers, them not being hungry, whatever, the bottomline is, their Defense this year didnt play half as good as they played last year! Woodson looked like Nnamdi out there yesterday, clueless! Thats what happens when u ask players to do too much.
Jake, I agree that the Eagles need an upgrade at QB to compete for sure. Vick is a turnover machine. I would also offer that the defense needs a playmaker or two, someone who can make a bit hit and cause a fumble or just set the tone for a game. QB is definatley important, but the favorites for league MVP (Brees/Rodgers) are watching the playoffs after going up against some pretty formitable, hard hitting defenses and Brady might be next vs Ravens.
Giants and Pats won big. Both had well balanced offenses to keep the D guessing and more. Giants rushed 27 times and Pats 30. Andy ran mcCoy this yr finally, but the other backs did not get much touches. He did not run mcCoy against the Pats this yr and got crushed and i believe he probally would not run in if he ever makes the playoffs again
You know why you didnt know the G-men were going to win? because you Philly fans are MORONS!! you arent even fans your thugs! frustrated cause your team sucks. Also how in the Blue hell can ANY philly fan trash the Giants when you have not won a GOD D### thing!! I been to a NFL parade in my city have you? hahaha and now you all sit there looking pathetic as my G-men go on a tear all the way to the Superbowl. Its also funny how you love and support this team while all the Eagles players and coaches hate every single one of you!! none of those players like any of you I think Jason Avant made that clear. Oh BTW how is Steve Smith doing so far?? lmaoooo
Eagles Suck, lets see if u come on here when the Baby Blue get trashed this week, you were nowhere to be found during the season when you didnt even know if u were gonna make the playoffs, just make sure u man up next monday.
I have to second DCar’s response. Gary you’re one of very few people outside of Giants fans that thought the Giants would win that games. To be honest I gve very little credit to the Giants for the win. Aaron Rodgers poor play, missing open receivers, generally not having good ball placement was uncharacteristic and the reason the Giants are playing in the NFC championship game. I will say the Giants have to be one of the luckiest franchises on the planet. In the two championships I’ve had to struggle through seeing them win they weren’t favored in either, so its not like the Giants ever have a powerhouse team or a team that gets picked to even get deep into the playoffs.
Pats will win the big game.
Gronkoski and their playcalling win the big game. 41-23
I really love when a bandwagon fans come out from under their rocks, when their teams win! Where were you, when they played just as bad as the Birds, all year, & barely made it to the playoffs? EaglesSuck, I hope your Giants lose by 3 TD’s next week, so you can go back in your hole. BTW, just for your information, NY is a cesspool filled with thugs, so don’t call our fans thugs, you troll, scumbag!
Examine how Coughlin was on the hot seat before and after winning a Superbowl. Real teams holds the coach accountable and f he fail to deliver, the ax comes down.
Not in Philadelphia…Tom Coughlin is better coach than Andy Reid yet we’ve been propagandized into believing the reverse.
We’ll never win until this organization realize only pop warner rewards failure. Another coach would have had at least 3 Superbowls with some of the teams Andy were over and it’s become evident us Philly fans are stuck in football purgatory.
Every part of the team comes under scrutiny annually yet Andy for some reason is never examined as the key factor for failure.
The damn Texans,Jaguars, and Panthers will win a Superbowl before an Andy led team an I never want to hear he’s a better coach than Coughlin again. Our damnfront office is a joke also….We haven’t had a legit football guy to pick college talent since Tom Modrak. Let’s get a football to pck strong, tough players and a coach to just coach..Im’tired of this circus and will not spend another dime on the Eagles until a serious fundamental change starting with the firing of Roseman and Reid.
When Tony Dungy’s Son died the Colts collapsed in the playoffs. Then won the superbowl the next year when it just seemed like they were on a mission for their coach.
Football is a game. When these pampered players have to experience a taste of real life it is more traumatic.
About 78% of NFL players are broke after 2 years away from the game. (yahoo sports). They are sheltered from the real world as soon as their NFL potential is discovered.
Credit to the Giants for taking advantage of the turnovers as they should, and for winning the game. Still want to talk that crap that the Eagles were the best team in the East. You are what your record says you are.
As I stated months ago. New Yorkers believe that the world revolves around them, and they believe they deserve a championship in everything. So that’s what they have.
Philly fans make excuses for the Fat Man and say stupid stuff like “we should be lucky to make the playoffs” or “be careful what we wish for” if Self Destruct Andy is fired. That kind of fearful, loser attitude is why Lurie could care less if the Eagles win. He’s making money with Andy.
If the Philadelphia fans demanded a change and proved it by not going to the games (like they did in Detroit) then change would come.
I paid $300 to take my sons to an Eagles game. Season ticket packages last year for the Lions was about $275. Commercials aired giving you “all you could eat deals” with your tickets for only $30.00. That’s ticket and food!!!
That’s business. Supply and demand. Those commercials did not air this year. The team is winning and selling out.
It’s that simple. Hit Lurie in the pocketbook and they will get rid of that Fat Loser.
Many of the Philly fans are like the girl who stays with the boyfriend who beats her up, because she’s afraid of being alone. Everyone outside of the situation knows she should leave him and find someone better. But her self esteem keeps her getting abused.
We have been abused by this organization. We have supported it as well as any team in the NFL and should be rewarded with a coach who at least gives a crap about what the city wants. Instead he just passes all the time, and keeps getting these baby players to play on the east coast.
The defense is undersized. Vick is a pipsqueak. Desean is the size of a Jr High school player.
The Giants, Ravens and Steelers have all won Superbowls playing in the East with players with size and power built for East Coast Cold weather football.
Notice how the Giants and Packers kept running the ball in the cold weather, just to keep the defense honest and make them respect play action. Try getting Fat Boy to understand that simple fact. Even the Saints ran the ball this year. Their coach said that he does not even care if they gain any yards. He knows they have to keep the defense honest and take heat off of his QB.
Not QB killer Andy Reid. He insist on getting his QB mashed. And he did not respect McNabb or Vick enougth to give them more line of Scrimage aubible responsibility. Then again, they take so long to get to the line, there’s not much time to read the defense and make the proper adjustments like Brady, Manning and Brees do.
Andy Reid is on Football Crack. He keeps telling you “just one more season/hit” and I’ll be off the stuff for good.
It’s not going to happen. He is what he is. 13 seasons. The proof is in the results. He lost 4 out of 5 NFC championship games. And if it was not for 4th and 26….A 80% losing record in the biggest game of the year.
80% losing record when evenly matched.
And those Odds drop to 0% when the game is the Superbowl.
I’m so sick of hearing he made it to the NFC Championship game.
The goal is to win, not make it there.
Michigan fires their coach if they can’t beat Ohio St.
Ohio State fires their coach if they can’t beat Michigan.
Notre Dame fires their coach if they are not in the hunt for the National championship.
College programs have higher standards than the Eagles.
Those guys pay millions of dollars to their coach and they expect results or their gone….
No excuses.
Alabama kept firing their coaches, even with winning records (shula). It’s National Championship or hit the door. No excuses.
Alabama has gotten a few of those National championships since the Bear died. They Demand it.
I won’t even mention that Tampa Bay, New Orleans, NY Giants have all won Superbowls on Andy Reids watch. Now the former 0-16 Lions make the playoffs, while the “dream team” sits at home. Comepletely unacceptable.
Andy Reid has said, time and time again. It’s his responsibility to put the players in a better position to win. If he’s telling the truth, then he should be fired for not doing what he said he knows is his responsibility.
No he should resign. Fall on his sword. He made Mcdermott and McNabb fall on the sword. Man up and say “the buck stops here” It’s my fault.
But he’s a coward. Blaming the coaches and players by getting rid of them.
Get rid of yourself. You gave the keys to a Bently (our defense littered with pro bowl players) to a guy who did not even have a drivers license. And he wrecked the car.
You should pay for it.
Gonna be a tough game: We’ll see if the 49ers shot their load against the Saints…Alex Smith is going to get hit in the mouth a few times, depends on how he reacts…But the Giants may have some problems too, taking it to a higher level after beating the Packers…Neither team are pussies…It’s a pick ’em game.
The Kickers for both teams could very well come into play and Akers has been on fire this Season… COuld come down to a FG with little time to play..
I still like the Giants 26-24 but would not be surprised to the 49ers Win by a similar score.. Should be some good old smash-mouth football and turnovers will be huge for either side… Can the Giants cover TE Davis and can the 49er DB’s stay with Nicks,Cruz and Manningham… Whoever does the better job, wins..