He was plausible until he got to the Dal-Philly matchup. How do we lose so badly at home if the Eagles are resting a ton of guys?
How Giants will make the playoffs
Paul Schwartz, NY Post
December 16, 2009
The beauty of the wild card is that even flawed and, at times, feeble teams can be in the hunt and sometimes even make it into the playoffs.
Barely better than mediocre often gets you in, which is good news for the Giants this holiday season.
It will be shame on the Giants if they cannot overtake the self-destructing Cowboys in the final three games to gain the second wild-card spot and No. 6 seed in the NFC playoffs.
Not that the Giants bear any resemblance to a playoff team or appear capable of mounting a serious challenge in the postseason. After all, the only team with a winning record they've beaten is the Cowboys.
Based on the more favorable schedule and the sense that coach Tom Coughlin can navigate his team through treacherous waters more ably than Wade Phillips, it says here the Giants are going to make it.
"We all know who Dallas plays, and they've got a tough schedule," Eli Manning said. "We are in the mindset that if we win these three games, we think we will make the playoffs."
We think so, too. Here's why:
⇒ WEEK 15 -- Cowboys at New Orleans in a Saturday night prime-time event. This is likely the last real threat for the Saints on their march toward an unbeaten season.
Tony Romo and the Cowboys will score plenty, but not enough as steam rises from Jerry Jones' head inside the Superdome. Saints 34, Cowboys 24
Giants at Washington in a Monday night event. Knowing they now once again control their destiny, the Giants get back to what they do best: Beating bad teams.
The Skins qualify even though they are spunky. Even the Giants' crummy defense can deal with these guys, and, at long last, Brandon Jacobs gets his first 100-yard game of the season. Giants 27, Commanders 16
⇒ WEEK 16 -- Panthers at Giants, Sunday at 1 p.m. It is two days after Christmas and the NFL is in a giving mood.
Panthers are playing out the string and Giants try to hire John Fox on the spot to run their defense. Some old Giants' swagger returns just in time in their final game at Giants Stadium. Giants 24, Panthers 10
Cowboys at Washington in a Sunday night game. Reports surface that Mike Shanahan is seen with Jerry Jones' credit card buying a pair of cowboy boots at DFW Airport. Romo is linked to one of Tiger Woods' babes, but the quarterback is undeterred as the Cowboys deny the Giants a chance to clinch playoff spot.
Cowboys 31, Commanders 14
⇒ WEEK 17 -- Eagles at Cowboys, Sunday at 1 p.m. Eagles already have wrapped up the division and don't need anything out of the game as far as playoff seeding, meaning there's a steady diet of Michael Vick on the field as Andy Reid rests a bunch of his starters.
Better coaching and a winning tradition win out, though, as the Wade Phillips era comes to an end. Eagles 23, Cowboys 9
Giants at Minnesota, Sunday at 1 p.m. Giants come in knowing they're in the playoffs if the Cowboys lose, but the games are going on simultaneously.
Vikings are the No. 2 seed and don't need the game at all.
Brett Favre is wearing Wranglers on the sideline.
Giants start slowly but later feast on Vikings reserves and get to whoop it up inside the Metrodome. Giants 27, Vikings 20