Dec 22 Since Rex Ryan arrived in early 2009, he has had few secret goals. One of those has been to turn New Jersey and New York into Jets territory. And this week, he pointed out how his team had reached the past two AFC Championship games while the Giants missed the playoffs.
Tom Coughlin says his team will be ready to face the Jets, who have 'quite an arsenal' on Saturday. Quarterback Eli Manning says Coughlin should 'definitely' remain Giants head coach for years to come.
Before the 2007 season, Tom Coughlin had T-shirts distributed to every player on the Giants' roster. On the back of the shirts was written a message: "Talk is Cheap, Play the Game." It is a mantra the Giants have lived by ever since.

The obvious story line matches the Giants' pass rush (36 sacks) against an inconsistent offensive line that allowed the Eagles to beat up Sanchez last week. The Jets are 5-0 when Sanchez is sacked 0-to-1 times, 3-6 when he's sacked two times or more. The Jets' pass protection had been improving before allowing four sacks against the Eagles, but Philly's wide nine exposed the difficulty the Jets have had against edge rushers.

Eli Manning must find WR Victor Cruz to beat the Jets while Big Blue 'D' focuses on Plaxico Burress. Face it, Jets fans. If this comes down to a battle of quarterbacks, Eli Manning is going to outduel Mark Sanchez. He has had a remarkable season, carrying the Giants to dramatic victories with crunch-time heroics while masking the team's weaknesses.

As Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks race toward Amani Toomer's franchise record, they'll have to pass through the Jets' vaunted secondary this weekend. Who will Darrelle Revis cover? "We'll see," said Nicks, who is 248 yards shy of Toomer's 1,343 set in 2002. "We don't know their game plan. We know what we're going to do."
Nicks believes he'll have a chance to make plays, Mario Manningham said Revis and Antonio Cromartie are products of the Jets' system, and even Victor Cruz got into the act by saying the "Revis Island" has been open for business this year.

Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis is getting paid as if he is the best in the NFL. Is he the best? Giants receiver Hakeem Nicks paused for just a second. "I mean, he's a decent corner," Nicks said yesterday. "He's decent." Unless "decent" is some code word receivers use to mean "unbelievable" or "fantastic," Nicks isn't buying into the widespread belief that when it comes to shutdown corners, there is Revis then there's everyone else.

Despite being ranked seventh against the pass, the Jets defense gives up the second-most yards to tight ends. Bear Pascoe (ribs) and Travis Beckum (chest) were limited in Wednesday's practice. Both, however, expect to play and will try to fill the void of the Giants' third-leading receiver in terms of yards (604).

Perry Fewell isn't getting into a war of words. The Giants defensive coordinator opted against throwing back any barbs back at Jets receiver Santonio Holmes after the receiver called out the Giants secondary. The defensive coordinator said he's a coach who believes that teams play the game on the field. We'll see on Thursday if his players will also stay quiet when it comes to their response to Holmes.

In the last two weeks, Antrel Rolle has made it clear that he wants to be able to play a more traditional free safety role with the Giants and get back to trying to be a ball hawk. "I'm not restricting what he can do," perry Fewell said on Wednesday. "I would be more than happy for him to get a lot of interceptions. Hopefully Saturday he can get a lot of interceptions for us."

By coincidence or not, it appears Antrel Rolle has gotten his wish. Just a few days after saying how players need to be practicing if they want to play on Sunday and about the need to play through aches and pains, the Giants had a very full practice on Wednesday.
In a development that should please Antrel Rolle, who said everyone needs to practice, RB Ahmad Bradshaw (foot) put in limited time today after Coughlin indicated he wouldn't work at all. Bradshaw had been practicing only one day per week as he manages a stress fracture in his foot. Also likely pleasing Rolle was DE Justin Tuck's practicing and not being listed on the injury report.

Giants center David Baas will return to the starting lineup on Saturday against the Jets after sitting out three games with head and neck issues. Kevin Boothe, who filled in at center, will likely slide to left guard. Mitch Petrus, the second-year lineman who has done an admirable job, will head back to the bench.
In the three weeks that Baas has been gone, the Giants have had their best rushing attack of the season. In their last three games, the team has rushed for 301 yards (100.3 yards per game), the most of any three-game stretch on the season. This has been behind a line that features two backups in Boothe and left guard Mitch Petrus.

You can tell Steve Weatherford is now with the Giants and not the Jets. With this first game on tap to play against his former team and Jets special teams coach Mike Westhoff, who took some jabs at Weatherford's performance last season, the Giants punter is not talking any trash or using that as motivation for this game.

Former Giants
Plaxico Burress wants to win this week's game against the Giants to help the Jets' playoff chances. The Jets receiver also wouldn't mind putting on a show against his ex-team. "I definitely want to get in the end zone once, twice, maybe 3 or 4," Burress said. "
Plaxico Burress, the former Super Bowl hero for the Giants who now wears a Jets jersey, had heaps of praise thrown his way by his former teammates and offensive coordinator as they prepares to face him for the first time in a regular season game since he left the Giants organization.

Dec 21 Rex Ryan says if Jets lose to Giants, blame is all on him. Ryan said that he goes into every game thinking he's better than the opponent, making the Giants no different.
The Giants and Jets get to clash in the regular-season only once every four years, but overshadowing the "Who Owns New York?" angle is the glaring reality Coughlin might be running out of time with his fading team.

John Mara will walk out of MetLife Stadium around 5 p.m. Saturday, get in his car and make the familiar drive from East Rutherford, N.J., to his Westchester home where he will celebrate Christmas Eve with his family. Mara's mood that night, whether frightful or delightful, will determine the direction of the Giants for years to come.

Who's the most overrated player in New York?
Ralph Vacchiano: How could it not be Mark Sanchez? He gets credit for leading his team to back-to-back AFC Championship Games when he was just along for the ride, really.
Manish Mehta : Only in New York could a QB with four playoff wins in his first two seasons be deemed overrated. That's weak, Vacchiano. Real weak. The truth of the matter is that Ahmad Bradshaw isn't nearly as pivotal to the Giants' success as Big Blue fans would like you to believe.

Jets players have grown accustomed to parsing their coach's comments, to being asked what motivates their leader to put himself in the middle of every verbal fray.
Eli Manning is the anti-Rex Ryan, because he talks exclusively with the actions of his right arm rather than his words. There is only one elite quarterback in this ARMaggedon, and he will be wearing No. 10, no matter what Ryan tells you.

Mark Sanchez was asked about his health seven times Tuesday. And those questions figure to keep coming unless the Jets do a better job of protecting the third-year quarterback Saturday against the Giants. Sanchez was sacked four times in a loss at Philadelphia on Sunday, including three times by Jason Babin.
The Jets' offensive line didn't do much to help out their quarterback in Sunday's 45-19 drubbing by the Eagles. And with standout Jason Pierre-Paul and the Giants' defensive lined up next for the Jets, things could get ugly again when the teams meet Saturday. Pierre-Paul has recorded a sack in 10 of 14 games this season, including seven of the past eight. Not good news for the Jets, who have allowed eight in their past two games.

How much do Jet fans love their team? We're about to find out, around kickoff time on Saturday, whether Lawrence Taylor was right years ago when he said Jet fans are just Giant fans who can't get Giant tickets.

Dec 20 Special Report - There was no excuse for the way the Giants played against the Washington Redskins on Sunday. But there was an explanation, and it isn't the one any fan will be happy to hear. This is just not a good team. Whether the Giants go to the playoffs or not, and they will if they win their last two games (but who's counting on that?) there is still tons of work to do, many, many changes to be made and it would not come as a surprise - not at all - if many of the coaches, if not all, suddenly joined the ranks of the unemployed.

Deon Grant says Prince Amukamara isn't ready. Grant said defensive coordinator Perry Fewell cleared the communication problems that had been hampering the secondary for weeks and players were just getting beat. But to him, it wasn't just Amukamara.
The rookie was playing in just his fifth game on Sunday after missing all but two practices during training camp due to his contract negotiation and his broken foot, which sidelined him for the first nine games.

Justin Tuck said he spoke with Antrel Rolle and the two are "on the same page" after Rolle made post-game comments about how Giants players need to practice and fight through minor injuries if they can. Rolle reiterated in his weekly interview with WFAN that he was not pointing fingers at any Giant.
This season particularly, Rolle has been playing out of position as the team has asked him to play more in the slot and not play the deep pass as much. Those new assignments stem from the Giants' injuries at the cornerback position which has left them scrambling for healthy bodies to throw on the field.

Giants defensive captain Justin Tuck said that he thinks the inability for the team to consistently field the same starting 11 players has been a key reason why the team's defense has struggled so mightily. The defensive end also acknowledged the players the team lost before the season.

Giants-Redskins game review: Questioning the coaching in this one. Tom Coughlin and his staff have done a decent job with a banged-up roster this year but Sunday's game against the Redskins wasn't their best of the season.

On a short week, the injury news for the Giants doesn't seem to be getting much better. Defensive end Osi Umenyiora is unlikely to be ready for Saturday's game against the Jets, Meanwhile, tight end Jake Ballard is expected to "miss some time" with an injury to the posterior cruciate ligament in his knee suffered on Sunday against the Redskins, according to Tom Coughlin.
The Giants and Jets get to clash in the regular-season only once every four years, but overshadowing the "Who Owns New York?" angle is the glaring reality Coughlin might be running out of time with his fading team. Coughlin is in charge of a team on the brink of playoff elimination, veering into a third consecutive year of being excluded from the postseason

Coach Rex Ryan wasted no time in setting the tone this week, declaring on a conference call that he thinks the Jets are a better team than the Giants and will not play second fiddle to their cross-town foes. "Quite honestly, I never came here to be little brother to anybody," Ryan said. "So, it's on."
The morning after the Jets were throttled by the Eagles, Rex Ryan went into overdrive and hyped up this week's game against the Giants. It's a virtual must win for both teams. (Both can still technically make the playoffs if they lose on Saturday).

Former Giants
Antonio Pierce wants to see more togetherness from his former team. The one-time defensive captain was hot Monday after seeing the Giants blow chance after chance to take control of Sunday's matchup with the Redskins.
Leonard Marshall won two Super Bowls (1986, 1990) with the Giants, but played the 1993 season with the Jets. He understands Ryan's need to talk up his team at the Giants' expense.

Dec 19 Giants lose to the Redskins, 23-10   |   Photos  |  Photos

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On The Game: Game 14 Gamegirl "...Now the Cowboys are in first place in the NFC East and I know Mikefan will tell you that it doesn't matter because 'if the Giants win the next two games, they will own the division title' blah blah. Well guess what? If the Cowboys win their next two games, they will own the division title.." Mikefan. "..It was a game of opposites as Eli Manning passed the ball 40 times, while the Redskins decided to run the ball 40 times. By the way, the Giants averaged 5.1 yards a carry running the ball and 6 of those 18 rushes resulted in first downs. Why didn't they go that way more considering the Redskins seemed to have Manning under a lot of pressure on each snap? .."

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ESPN - Redskins pick off Eli Manning three times, put dent in Giants' playoff hopes.
ESPN - Rapid Reaction: Redskins 23, Giants 10.
ESPN - Tollefson: "We played like s---".
ESPN - Nicks on drop: 'Can't control the sun'.
ESPN - Rolle: Amukamara got beat.
ESPN - Eli & Manningham not on same page.
ESPN - Giants don't back up Jacobs' words.
ESPN - Rolle: Giants must fight through injuries.
Giants.com - Giants Fall to Redskins, 23-10.
Giants.com - Postgame: Coach Coughlin on Redskins Game.
Giants.com - Giants D Looks for Answers.
StarLedger - Giants fall flat in lopsided loss to Redskins, 23-10.
StarLedger - Giants suffer humiliating loss, but hardly a surprise.
StarLedger - Giants show difficulty of running 2-minute offense.
StarLedger - Giants have difficulty with the sun in deflating loss to Washington.
StarLedger - Giants' rookie Prince Amukamara struggles in loss to Washington.
StarLedger - Giants' loss to Washington leads to finger pointing around locker room.
NYDailyNews - Big Boos for Giants in loss to Redskins.
NYDailyNews - Rolle blasts mates who miss practice.
NYDailyNews - Giants give Eli pass for subpar game.
NYDailyNews - Blinded by sun, Nicks loses grip.
NYDailyNews - Giants vs. Jets may not be Merry.
NYPost - Giants suffer embarrassing loss to Redskins.
NYPost - Teammates don't rally to Eli's aid.
NYPost - Tuck has no answers.
NYPost - Awful Amukamara not happy after benching.
NYPost - Redskins make loudmouth Antrel eat his words.
NYPost - Holiday jeers for Coughlin's crew.
Record - Giants can't explain their disappearing act in 23-10 loss to Redskins.
Record - Devin Thomas neck injury not serious.
Record - Talk of playoffs hard to swallow even with a dash of hope.
WashingtonPost - Washington damages New York's playoff hopes.

Game 14 Preview - Giants (7-6) vs Redskins (4-9)
It took Tom Brady tossing for 357 yards and 3 touchdowns to edge out a 34-27 win over the Redskins who came close to tying the game when they took the ball down to the Patriots 5 yard line. Santana Moss caught the ball at the goal line, but was hit with a pass interference call. That was soon followed by an interception off his hands with 29 seconds left.
The Giants were trailing by 12 points with just under six minutes remaining and they managed to turn that into an exciting 37-34 comeback victory over the Cowboys last Sunday night. Jason Pierre-Paul blocked Cowboys' kicker Dan Bailey's 47-yard field goal attempt that would have tied the game and forced overtime. The Giants ended up in a tie for first place with the Cowboys holding an important edge in head to head matchups.

Dec 18 Sunday, while viewers at home are watching multi-angle replays or highlights during the Giants' matchup against the Washington Redskins, a chess match will be playing out at MetLife Stadium. Personnel packages are changed, plays are called, spats between players run their course quickly, receivers plead for the ball, audibles are called, players go in motion and defenses disguise what they're doing until moments before the ball is snapped to start another chaotic 5 to 10 seconds. In a game of brute strength, it's a battle of the minds. And Manning often wins it.

Coming off a game in which he had several errant snaps, Kevin Boothe is confident that he has fixed his snapping problems heading into Sunday's game against Washington. Boothe will be making his third straight start at center on Sunday, filling in for the injured David Baas.

Prince Amukamara, the Prince of Awo-Omamma, doesn't want to be a prince. The Giants' rookie cornerback is named for royalty, but he reluctantly embraces his bloodlines. Shy and humble, Amukamara is caught in the same time warp that engulfs many first-generation Americans, battling to carve his own niche while simultaneously trying to satisfy traditions from another world.

When is the last time the Giants did something they were supposed to do, particularly at home? Just this season alone, they barely beat a winless Dolphins team, couldn't beat a dead Eagles team and lost to a Seattle team that had lost nine straight games in the Eastern Time Zone.

Dec 17 The Giants will set out to stop one of the hottest running backs in the league this week in Washington's Roy Helu when the two teams meet on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Redskins rookie has rushed for at least 100 yards in his last three games and is going for four straight against the league's No. 22 rush defense.

For the season, the Giants have given up 71 points in the final two minutes of the halves, the most in the NFL, according to ESPN Stats & Information. The Giants have allowed the opposition to score in the final two minutes of each half 12 out of 26 times this season.
We haven't been a complete, functioning unit this year," defensive coordinator Perry Fewell said. "Sometimes we play well and sometimes we have lapses. No, we haven't really played a solid, complete game, in my opinion."

After being a premier shutdown corner in college, Prince Amukamara has been beat several times for big plays over the last few games. He surrendered a touchdown to Green Bay's Greg Jennings on Dec. 4 and last week gave up two big plays to Laurent Robinson that both led to Dallas points. .

Eli Manning, the quarterback who saved his worst for last a season ago, is finishing with a flourish this year. He saved the Giants' season on Sunday. He has brought them back from the dead with five come-from-behind wins. The quarterback, who in August proclaimed himself to be in the same league as Tom Brady, is closing in on 5,000 passing yards, and he has recorded the first three 400-yard games of his career.
He has grown up, all the way up, right before our searing, judgmental eyes. The growing pains he endured would have broken lesser men in our town without pity. His crimes? He wasn't his big brother. He wasn't Peyton Manning, He showed no fire. He wasn't Phil Simms. And now? He is 30 years Ole, the franchise quarterback who has carried his franchise on his back in a way that no other Giants quarterback has carried his team, a yard at a time 4,105 times.

Rookie fullback Henry Hynoski isn't one to trash talk; he usually allows his hard-hitting play to serve as his communication on the field. And he was doing just that last Sunday night against the Dallas Cowboys, consistently creating holes for the Giants' stable of running backs throughout a crucial 37-34 victory.
Mitch Petrus is sure he and the Giants' offensive linemen matter when it comes to throwing the ball. But when it comes to running it, Petrus knows just how important the O-line is. "We make sure Eli has time and everything, but it's kind of a different feeling when you're running the ball good. Like, the running back's right behind you."

Former Giants
Antonio Pierce, once the anchor of a feared Giants defense, said that despite the team's misfortune with injuries, there are no excuses. "You never want to use excuses, but they have had a ton of injuries. Secondary, linebacker, Tuck in and out of the lineup, Osi in and out of the lineup," Pierce said. "With that said, there are still 11 guys on the field and those 11 guys' job is to make the offense's job a little difficult and right now they aren't doing that."

Dec 16 Special Report - Dave Klein - A couple of months ago I had lunch with former Giants' general manager Ernie Accorsi at a midtown Manhattan location. There was no question that we would discuss the biggest trade Accorsi ever made, the one that brought Eli Manning to the Giants in April of 2004, when according to many experts, he "sold the farm" to convince San Diego general manager A.J. Smith to make the deal. "Ernie, Eli is still struggling. He is still throwing too many times off his back foot. The fans are upset. Do you still think it was the right trade to make?"

The Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award will recognize and celebrate the backbone of every great NFL team ... the offensive line. John Madden has narrowed the list to five finalists: the Falcons, Chiefs, Patriots, Saints and Giants.
Balance may be on its way back to the Giants' offense. After becoming primarily a passing team over the course of the season, the Giants have rushed for at least 100 yards in each of the past two games and the team is optimistic about where its running game is headed.

Chris Snee, who also missed one game with a concussion, has been smack in the middle of the constant adjustments, answering questions from the film room to the field, coaching up his younger teammates in precisely the way he vowed.
While offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride said that Kevin Boothe has been "flat-out outstanding," he said that some of the snaps have been "unnerving." Boothe, who is filling in for David Baas at center, sometimes has had his snaps go too high or too low.

Lawrence Tynes came into this season with a career-high of eight touchbacks in one season. With the ball moved up 5 yards on kickoffs, he set a goal of 30 touchbacks by season's end. He has 33 already. And it's not just because of the extra 5 yards.
Tom Coughlin isn't throwing his clipboard on the ground about his special teams anymore. Coughlin talked highly on Thursday of his special teams play so far this season, complimenting his kicker, punter and his coverage teams. The only area Coughlin had an issue with was the team's return game.

The defensive backs will line up with their teammates when the Giants try to retain their lead in the NFC East Sunday against the Redskins in MetLife Stadium. Too many receivers are running too freely against the Giants. So what, exactly, is happening?
Antrel Rolle thinks he was right. Corey Webster thinks he was right. Perry Fewell had the final say. And according to the Giants' defensive coordinator, everybody was in the wrong on Dez Bryant's touchdown on Sunday night.

Much has been made of the Giants' struggles against the pass, which have included glaring breakdowns in the secondary on a weekly basis. But the run defense hasn't been much better, ranking 22nd in the NFL at 127.9 yards allowed per game, and it was on full display in Dallas. That combined with the pass defense woes have landed the Giants 30th in total defense, a season after finishing fifth.

Tom Coughlin iced Dan Bailey with a timeout, negating his potential game-tying attempt from 47 yards, forcing the Dallas rookie to re-kick. The Giants were huddled up waiting for the second attempt when special teams coordinator Tom Quinn decided to make a personnel change: Justin Trattou was going in, sent out on field-goal block for the first time in his three month NFL career with one job to do.

Rex Grossman and the Washington Redskins have played admirably in spite of a crushing rash of injuries, but when you play the Saints, Packers and Cowboys in three consecutive weeks, the Redskins' array of offensive weapons doesn't terrify you.
The Redskins remain 31st in the league in rushing, which shows how dire things had become in Washington. The 5-11, 219-pound Roy Helu,who has 582 yards and two touchdowns on 124 attempts, comes a week after the Giants prepared for another breakout rookie, Dallas' DeMarco Murray.

Former Giants
Barry Cofield says Eli Manning 'a completely different animal now' What Barry Cofield saw from Eli Manning in Week 1 was pretty much the same guy he saw during his five seasons with the Giants. What Cofield sees on tape now is a changed quarterback.
Barry Cofield gave Manning the back-handed compliment just thee days before the teams meet on Sunday at MetLife Stadium at 1 p.m. It will be Cofield's second game against his former team.

Dec 15 Victor Cruz is now only 194 yards away from becoming the Giants' new single-season receiving leader (overtaking Amani Toomer at 1,343) and has joined Hakeem Nicks (1,023 yards) as the only duo in the 87-season history of the Giants to each record 1,000 yards or more in the same season. "Nobody else had that many? Even Plax and Amani?" Cruz said, referring to Plaxico Burress and Toomer, the latter of whom came 316 and 240 yards short of 1,000 in Burress' two seasons hitting that mark. "You'd just think with guys like that definitely got it done.

A longstanding axiom with quarterbacks is only the truly elite are able to elevate their teammates. There can be no argument that as Manning continues to assemble his career-best season and is on his way to shattering most franchise passing records, he is lifting up players who are also enjoying break-out years.

The Cowboys' famous blue star did come tumbling off the mountain Sunday night as they fell back into a first-place tie with the Giants in the NFC East. And for now, the NYG is technically on top of the mountain because the victory gives the Giants the tie-breaker heading into the final three games. The players enjoyed Coughlin symbolically removing the star and putting the Giants' logo on top.

Jason Pierre-Paul had a game some defensive ends could only dream of Sunday night. He blocked a field goal that preserved a Giants win. He recorded a safety. He had two sacks, giving him 12.5 on the season. And, to top it all off, he led the Giants with eight tackles in their 37-34 win over Dallas. Yet, to the second-year defensive end, he's still "very far" from his potential.

They have a quarterback on pace to throw for 5,000 yards, two 1,000-yard receivers for the first time in their history, and they are scoring a remarkable 24.9 points per game. So it's no secret why the Giants have climbed back into first place. Just imagine how good they'd be if the defense gave them a little help.
Safety Kenny Phillips says the Giants' rush and pass defenses, which have allowed a combined average of 26.8 points per game, need to get on the same page. "The offense is doing a great job of putting points on the board and keeping us in games. We definitely have to step up and do our part," Phillips said. "We can't let those guys down. They're working extremely hard over there and guys on defense, we want to be great. We just have to get it done."

The Giants' secondary has been torched in each of the last three games. But safety Antrel Rolle wants Rex Grossman, Mark Sanchez and Tony Romo --- the next three quarterbacks to face the Giants --- to throw the ball his way. "I'm a ball hawk man," Rolle said on Wednesday when asked about how he views himself and how his Giants career has gone so far.

The regular season concludes with the Cowboys coming east on New Year's Day. The Giants, leaders in the NFC East, may need to win all three to ensure a spot in the postseason. That's why Tom Coughlin all but made a public plea for Giants fans to step up their game during this final stretch.
Mike Shanahan and the Redskins held Manning to his third-lowest output of the season as the quarterback tallied just 268 yards and one interception in a 28-14 loss earlier this season. In that game, the Giants did not score in the second half.

Dec 14 In his 23 years of coaching in the NFL, Tom Coughlin has never seen anything like what's happened to the Giants this year. They don't just play football games every week, they ride emotional roller coasters with constant twists and turns. "I can never remember a season like this," Coughlin said, "where every game - not every game, but almost every game - went right to the wire."

Jason Pierre-Paul's outstanding performance in the Giants' victory Sunday night in Dallas has earned him the NFC Defensive Player of the Week award. Pierre-Paul, the Giants' first-round draft choice in 2010, has 12.5 sacks this season, the highest total by a Giant since Osi Umenyiora had 13.0 in 2007.
If you cannot believe what you are seeing with Jason Pierre-Paul, cannot comprehend how this driven athletic marvel has soared for the Giants like some wide-winged bird of prey, thank Manny Martin. If you cannot block Jason Pierre-Paul, cannot keep him from laying out your quarterback, blame Manny Martin.

Antrel Rolle was the subject of criticism during NBC's Sunday night broadcast - NBC analyst Cris Collinsworth said Rolle was "barbecued" on the play - and in the aftermath of the game, and he wasn't happy about it.
"The commentators don't know what coverage we are in," Rolle continued. "They don't know how we are playing our defense, they don't know that I am disguising and showing a Cover 2 but really supposed to drop down and play a Cover 3. So they don't know."

Antrel Rolle (surprisingly) did not make any playoff guarantees Tuesday during his weekly radio appearance. (After all, he did each of the past two weeks.) But Victor Cruz took care of that for him earlier in the day. The second-year receiver said during an interview on SiriusXM Mad Dog Radio that the Giants were postseason-bound.
Antrel Rolle said earlier on Tuesday that Jason Pierre-Paul needs to go to the Pro Bowl this season. Without a doubt, JPP is having a Pro Bowl-type of year and the blossoming second-year stud was recognized for his monster effort on Sunday night by being named NFC Defensive Player of the Week. Pierre-Paul had eight tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble and a blocked field goal in the Giants' 37-34 win over Dallas.

Dec 13 Eli Manning showed his cool and resolve when he engineered two scoring drives in the final four minutes to overcome a 12-point deficit in an eventual 37-34 win over the Cowboys. He scored a quick touchdown to slice the lead to one score and following a defensive stop, he pioneered the game-winning touchdown and two-point conversion.

You look at the quarterback ratings right now and see that Eli Manning is ranked only seventh in the league, three spots behind Tony Romo, two spots back of Matt Schaub of the Texans. Schaub, who has been out for the season since the 10th game with a foot injury, threw fewer than 30 times per game and only 15 of those throws had been for touchdowns. Manning has 1,600 more passing yards than Schaub and 10 more touchdown passes. And what we take away from all that here in New York is simple enough: The NFL needs new quarterback ratings.

Given how pass-happy the NFL has become in recent years, expectations for a secondary in today's NFL are radically lower than in years past. Quarterback numbers across the league are at an unprecedented level as evidenced by the fact that Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, and Tom Brady are all within striking distance of Dan Marino's single-season passing yards record of 5,084 set in 1984.

The Giants are a flawed team, everyone has seen that. Just turn on the tape and watch how they play defense in the fourth quarter, how receivers are turned loose and run free through the secondary. Imagine what Tim Tebow could do to Little Blue with a game on the line. And at the moment they are still the best the feeble NFC East has to offer.

Justin Tuck admitted that his latest injury, to a toe, was more serious than he had let on after the Giants' win Sunday night in Dallas. On his weekly WFAN radio spot Monday, Tuck said he had gone for a MRI on the toe earlier in the day and had "no clue" if he would be able to play against the Redskins on Sunday.
Osi Umenyiora is unlikely to play against the Washington Redskins on Sunday, according to a source close to the defensive end. The source said the progress on Umenyiora's ankle has "been more down than up." Umenyiora got hurt in the Giants' loss in New Orleans two weeks ago.

Following Ahmad Bradshaw's benching for violating team rules on Sunday night, defensive tackle Chris Canty does not see Bradshaw's violation having a lingering effect. "That is something that is an in-house issue and it will be taken care of in-house," Canty said.

Iinstead of hoping and praying for help from others, the Giants (7-6) have instead now put themselves in position to dictate who reaches the postseason as NFC East champions. Beat Washington and Dallas - with a juicy Meadowlands showdown against the Jets in between - and Big Blue will be heading back to the playoffs.

There may never be a Subway Super Bowl, so the Giants-Jets game on Dec. 24 may be the closest it ever comes to happening. It could be the most important Giants-Jets game since 1969. Three weeks to go and the Giants and Jets are in control of their own playoff destinies. They have made the playoffs in the same season only five times and not since 2006.

Former Giants
Steve Smith was placed on the Eagles Injured Reserve list. Smith did not dress Sunday for the first time this season because he had a bone bruise on his knee, the same one he had microfracture knee surgery on last December. His season, and likely his tenure with the Eagles, are now over.

Dec 12 Giants win over the Cowboys, 37-34   |   Photos  |  Photos

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On The Game: Game 13 Gamegirl "...Wow they did it! They actually did it! As big a fan that I am, I have to admit that I really had my doubts. Shame on me. The Giants were down 34-22 in the fourth quarter with less than 6 minutes left and I had my doubts.." Mikefan. "..The Cowboys hadn't allowed more than 24 points in their last five games, but Eli Manning was able to put the hurt on them when it counted. As we said in the game preview, neither team wants to be the one walking off the field with their heads down, dejected that they let this one get away and that's what happened to the Cowboys tonight .."

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ESPN - Eli Manning, Giants rally past Cowboys in 4th, halt slide after blocked FG.
ESPN - Rapid Reaction: Giants 37, Cowboys 34.
ESPN - Pierre-Paul makes best of second chance.
ESPN - Bradshaw says little about benching.
ESPN - Blackburn is Chase-ing a dream.
Giants.com - Giants Beat Cowboys, 37-34.
Giants.com - Jacobs Carries Load for Giants vs. Cowboys.
Giants.com - DE Pierre-Paul Stepping Into Spotlight.
StarLedger - Giants win 37-34 in last-second thriller, topping Cowboys and keeping division title hopes alive.
StarLedger - Once again, Eli Manning masters Texas shootout as Giants defeat Cowboys.
StarLedger - Jason Pierre-Paul continues to cause havoc in Giants win over Cowboys.
StarLedger - Brandon Jacobs steps up to carry load for Giants after benching of Ahmad Bradshaw.
NYDailyNews - Ice Block: Giants beat Cowboys with timeout, JPP's field goal swat.
NYDailyNews - Breakdowns in secondary against Dallas Cowboys remain a problem for NY Giants.
NYDailyNews - Tom Coughlin saves season and possibly his job with timeout.
NYDailyNews - Bradshaw sits out first half for violating team rules, Jacobs runs wild.
NYPost - Giants' playoff chances, coach's future could hang in balance.
NYPost - Dead Team Walking comes alive for coach.
NYPost - Pierre-Paul's play carries day for Giants.
NYPost - Giants leave Cowboys singing the bruise.
NYPost - Rob's players come up short when it matters most.
Record - What a wild way for the Giants to save their season.
Record - Giants block Cowboys' field goal attempt for 37-34 win.
DallasNews - See you next year? Cowboys RB DeMarco Murray has ankle fracture, high ankle sprain.

Game 13 Preview - Giants (6-6) vs Cowboys (7-5)
The Cardinals were able to pull out a 19-13 overtime victory over the Cowboys last week. Cowboys coach Jason Garrett had called a timeout just as his kicker landed what would have been a game winning field goal with six seconds left. Dan Bailey's next try missed and the game went into overtime where the Cardinals won the coin toss and the game on their first possession.
The Giants hung with undefeated Green Bay as long as they could, but they couldn't break them, or their own losing streak which has now extended to four games. They put up points but still came up short in the final minute when Aaron Rodgers took his team down to field goal range for a 38-35 win, their lowest winning margin of the season.
Dallas Cowboys. Last season owner Jerry Jones had dreams of his team being the first ever to play a Super Bowl game in their own stadium. Expectations were high with head coach Wade Phillips having a 34-17 record, which was the best winning percentage in team history, surpassing Tom Landry, Jimmy Johnson, and Bill Parcells. Instead the Cowboys started with a 1-7 record and Phillips did not last out the year.

Dec 11 As they begin the stretch run today with the first of two games they'll play in the next four weeks against the first-place Dallas Cowboys, the Giants know there's only one way out of this depressing mess they've created for themselves. As safety Antrel Rolle said: "We have to win."
If the Giants win this game, they will be in control of the division going into the final three games. The easiest way for them to clinch is by doing no worse than splitting with the Redskins and Jets and then beating Dallas again.

Mario Manningham is set to return. Ahmad Bradshaw will suit up for the second straight game. Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz and Ramses Barden are fully healthy. This sudden wealth of weapons at Eli Manning's disposal couldn't come at a better time, because this evening, the Giants will play their annual shootout against the Dallas Cowboys.

The Giants have faced Tony Romo before. The same goes for Dez Bryant, Miles Austin and Jason Witten. For the most part, the Giants are very familiar with the Cowboys offense --- except for breakout rookie running back DeMarco Murray.

Giants safety Kenny Phillips did not travel with the team to Dallas. He has been downgraded from doubtful to out because of a knee sprain suffered against the Packers. His injury was to the medial collateral ligament and there's a chance he could return on Dec. 18 against the Washington Redskins.

Dec 10 Few defenses have been able to befuddle Giants quarterback Eli Manning this season. The quarterback is fourth in the NFL in passing yards (3,705), fifth in touchdowns (23) and sixth in passer rating (96.0), which adds up to arguably the best season of his eight-year career. Rob Ryan, the outspoken Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator, told reporters in Dallas that his defense's goal is to confuse quarterbacks and "make them play left-handed."
Rob Ryan is a big fan of Eli Manning, but the same can't be said of Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride. Rex's long-haired twin brother, now running the Cowboys' defense, showered Manning with praise yesterday but wasn't exactly complimentary of the pass-happy ways that earned Gilbride a notorious sideline punch from Ryan's dad Buddy in 1994.

If Big Blue can beat first-place Dallas (7-5) at what figures to be a raucous Cowboys Stadium on Sunday night, it will once again sit atop the NFC East and once again be headed toward a playoff berth. And wideout Victor Cruz thinks not only that it will all happen, but that the Giants will run the table starting Sunday.
The quartet of receivers is ready to go. For just the third time this season, the Giants are expected to have all four of their top receivers active when they play the Cowboys on Sunday night. The group consists of of Hakeem Nicks, Ramses Barden, Victor Cruz and Mario Manningham.

Corey Webster's face lit up as he spoke, becoming almost as bright as the fluorescent orange sneakers he wore after practice. "We all know what's on the line right here. The season's on the line." And that's exactly the kind of game Webster wants to be involved in -- especially since the Giants will be about as healthy as they're going to get heading into the season's final quarter. They face three division games, including two against Dallas (7-5).

Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell said Jason Pierre-Paul played 70 snaps against the Packers. "I never want it to be that high. We want it to be 60 or less, definitely," Fewell said. Pierre-Paul, who leads the Giants with 10.5 sacks, is starting to get more attention from opposing offensive lines. Fewell has seen Pierre-Paul chipped a the line by tight ends and blocked by running backs more frequently in recent weeks.

Meet the next man up at the strong safety position: Tyler Sash. Sash is expected to receive more playing time Sunday against the Cowboys if Kenny Phillips can't play. Phillips is doubtful for the game with a sprained MCL. If Sash gets the start at strong safety, it would be the first of his career after primarily playing on special teams this season.
Not exactly an easy challenge -- the Cowboys have an excellent quarterback, a strong running back, impressive wide receivers and a superb tight end. And the Giants will be on the road. In a nationally televised game. "This is the first time all year that I've gotten actual reps during practice," Sash said.

Justin Tuck doesn't remember calling Cowboys Stadium a dump. But if he wants to call Jerry Jones' home turf that, the Cowboys' outspoken owner wouldn't care. Jones just wants Tuck to get one thing: His $1.2 billion structure in Arlington is a beautiful and pricey dump.

Stacy Andrews lucky to be alive. Doctors discovered he had blood clots in both lungs. If not caught, they could have traveled to his brain or heart. Andrews was placed on injured reserve Wednesday, but is expected to make a full recovery and possibly be ready next spring for minicamp. He will take blood thinners for the next two to six months.
Last week, the Giants offensive lineman dealt with pain in his ribcage but kept brushing it off, thinking it was just a popped rip. Then, Saturday night during prep meetings for Green Bay, he couldn't stand the pain anymore. "Saturday evening when I'm just sitting in meetings and it's steady increasing, I was like something can't be right," Andrews said.

Dec 9 It appears the Giants will face a team Sunday with serious trust issues between its head coach and Pro Bowl quarterback. Romo wasn't buying into that notion yesterday, insisting Garrett has his back in crucial situations. But Romo seemed to admit Garrett doesn't let him run the two-minute offense completely on his own, a restriction that would be highly unusual for another veteran quarterback with three Pro Bowl appearances on his resume.

Back in 2007, the Giants called Ahmad Bradshaw "Fire" because his energy always seemed to spark the running game. He was at it again on Sunday. With Bradshaw back in the fold for the first time in four weeks, the Giants ran for 100 yards against the Packers. Brandon Jacobs ran for 59 on eight carries. He admitted on Thursday that watching Bradshaw provided some extra motivation.

Brandon Jacobs had no problem with the Dallas Cowboys calling him "a bully." To him, that proves only one thing: They're scared. The football will come on Sunday night when the Giants (6-6) face the Cowboys (7-5) in a huge NFC East showdown in Arlington, Tex., but the trash talk is already underway. It started on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, Cowboys cornerback Mike Jenkins called Jacobs "a big bully," and at 6-foot-4, 264 pounds, the Giants back can overpower defenses. When asked if Jacobs actually enjoys playing the role of bully, offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride laughed. "I don't think it upsets him, no," Gilbride said. Justin Tuck agreed.

If every Giants defender brought the same unbridled joy for the game Jason Pierre-Paul brings every week, no one would be talking about Vince Young driving the ball down the defense's throat at the end, no Giants fan would be fraught with concern over surrendering 49 points to the Saints or letting Aaron Rodgers spoil The Perfect Upset in the last minute. Pierre-Paul is, quite simply, the new Bully on the Block.

Kenny Phillips' plan is to play on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys. Ultimately, the Giants' medical staff will have the final call. Phillips missed practice for the second straight day on Thursday due to a sprained MCL. He rode the bike during practice and did some running outside under the watch of team trainers. "It was good to run again," Phillips said. "For the most part, it felt pretty good." If Phillips can't play, Tyler Sash may replace him at safety.
With Phillips' sprained knee threatening to knock him out of action Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, Perry Fewell and the Giants might be limited further in what they can put out there. "It definitely disrupts your continuity," Fewell said. "We've covered this and we've covered this, but we have to go back and do that. You don't expand as much as you'd like to and you try to make sure you're fundamentally sound in what you do."

Perry Fewell did not like everything he saw on the videotape of Sunday's heartbreaking loss to the Green Bay Packers, but the Giants defensive coordinator saw enough to cool his fiery temper.
Perry Fewell, like coach Tom Coughlin and players have said, was pleased with the defense's energy after being blown out in New Orleans. But the renewed intensity didn't alleviate the sting of the team's fourth consecutive loss. "We wanted the 'W,' " Fewell said.

Dec 8 The Giants and Cowboys have stumbled their way through the first 12 games of the season and are left with little margin for error over the last four weeks in which they will play each other twice . The Cowboys (7-5) have a one-game lead in the NFC East over the Giants, who have lost four games in a row. In one of the biggest regular-season games in this long Giants-Cowboys rivalry, the Giants clearly have the edge at quarterback.
When Eli Manning put his signature on the wall of the visiting locker room in Cowboys Stadium two years ago, it may have offended the tenants, but it was also somehow fitting. In two career trips to Jerry Jones' $1.2 billion palace, Manning has played like the building belongs to him.

Clock management issues aside, Tony Romo has been red-hot over the last five weeks. Romo ranks in the top 10 in completion percentage (67.6), yards per game (273.2), TD-to-INT ratio (5.5) and total QBR (75.2) since Week 9. Antrel Rolle knows all about Romo's exploits. "Tony Romo is very capable of going out there and kicking your butt. We are aware of that and we understand that and we are going to go out there like we are playing the best of the best," Rolle said.

Justin Tuck has not been shy to let his thoughts on the Dallas Cowboys be known. And three seasons ago, after the two teams' first meeting at the new Cowboys Stadium, Tuck called the then-brand new $1.3 billion stadium "a dump." Tuck reiterated his thoughts this week and DeMarcus Ware had a response. "He says that because maybe he wants to play here," Ware said of Tuck.
Cowboys players were asked about the hatred some of the Giants - namely Justin Tuck and Brandon Jacobs - have for them. Jacobs makes it no secret that he despises the Cowboys. The Cowboys admit, though, that they need to stop allowing the Giants to push them around in their own house. The Giants have won the two meetings at the sparkling Cowboys Stadium.

The Giants offensive line continues to undergo changes based on players' inability to stay on the field. David Baas remains out and is undergoing tests. "It's much more serious than headaches, obviously," coach Tom Coughlin said Wednesday. Baas is listed on the injury report as "neck/intense headaches."
With center David Bass' return uncertain at this point and Will Beatty out of the season, the Giants may be forced to go with Kevin Boothe at center, Mitch Petrus at guard and David Diehl at left tackle for the rest of the way. And, if that's the case, Diehl believes the Giants are in good hands.
The patchwork line performed well. Behind it, the Giants ran for 100 yards on 20 carries. It was the first time they'd reached the century mark since a Week 9 win over New England. Also, Eli Manning was hit just three times. "I liked his attitude and the way he went about it," Coughlin said of Petrus, who holds an NFL combine record for benching 225 pounds 45 times.

Much as David Diehl said he could step right back in at left tackle as if he'd never left, the truth is there was an adjustment period. It lasted about two quarters in New Orleans. "You're doing stuff practicing, but there's nothing like that game speed, playing in that atmosphere," Diehl said. "That second half, it was just getting back to being comfortable, getting back to taking your sets."

Chase Blackburn spent most of the spring unemployed in Ohio, working out in a gym and doing defensive and special teams drills by himself at a local park. He kept studying his Giants playbook, waiting for a call from Big Blue, or anybody else. "I'm going to try and prove that it was a mistake for me not playing earlier this year," said Blackburn, who hadn't put on pads or a helmet in 13 weeks, but got 50 or 60 snaps against the Packers.

When Kenny Phillips hobbled off the field during the second quarter against the Packers, he did not have positive vibes. His left knee -- the one on which he had microfracture knee surgery in 2009 -- was hurting again. Phillips, who has a sprained medial collateral ligament, hasn't given up hope of playing Sunday night at Dallas, but that's probably overly optimistic.

Last year, Tony Ugoh didn't return to football because he was 100 percent healthy. Now, the newest Giant believes he's back to full-strength, 15 months after the Indianapolis Colts waived him with an injury designation because of an undisclosed foot issue. Ugoh, who was signed by the Giants to replace Stacy Andrews on the roster, says he's healthy and focused now.

Everyone seems to have an opinion on whether Jake Ballard landed in the end zone or out of bounds after a first-quarter catch against the Packers on Sunday. For what it's worth, Ballard believes he was in. "I thought so," he said on Wednesday. He got one foot in. At issue was whether he dragged his knee in, too. Tom Coughlin challenged the play, but referee Jeff Triplette reviewed it upheld the call on the field.

Dec 7 This is not a classic Giants-Cowboys showdown. How can it be when each team is terribly flawed and has been staggering through the season trying to make it to the finish line in first place? The Cowboys are 7-5 and have a one-game lead over the Giants even though Big Blue has lost four straight. It's not often 6-6 teams get to play for first place.
The Giants' season comes down to their final four games, beginning Sunday night with their showdown in Dallas against the NFC East-leading Cowboys (7-5). They will play for their season deep in the heart of Texas. "We know what needs to happen. We have to win out. That's the bottom line," Antrel Rolle said.

Antrel Rolle was so fired up about the Giants' performance Sunday, that right after the game he promised "once we get into the playoffs there's not going to be anything that can stop us." And the Giants will get into the playoffs. That, he said, is guaranteed.
Rolle understands that the Giants have a tendency to turn the emotion switch on and off and he's hoping the switch stays on after the Green Bay loss. "If we go out there and play with the intensity and emotion that we had this last Sunday, man those teams are in trouble," Rolle said of the remaining four games against Dallas, Washington and the Jets. "Those teams are in trouble."

Justin Tuck didn't sleep much on Sunday night. He was too busy thinking. About the loss to the Packers. About the Giants' upcoming four games, two of which are against the team they trail by one game - the division leading Cowboys. And about the way the Giants' intensity level can be so high one week and so very low the next.

Stacy Andrews started to feel "a little funny, a little short of breath" during practice last Thursday. He felt pain in his ribs and had trouble sleeping. Still, he thought he had merely damaged some cartilage after practicing hard, so he didn't tell anyone. Friday, the aches were still there. After practice, he spit up blood in the shower. Again, he thought little of the symptoms and told no one.

Dec 6 A day later, Tom Coughlin was nauseous. Not about his team's effort in the Giants' loss to the Packers. Rather, about a replay challenge he believes he should've won when tight end Jake Ballard was ruled out of bounds on a pass in the end zone. The officials upheld the call on the field and the Giants settled for a field goal. It was 10-7 instead of 14-7.
Coughlin said FOX TV produced the picture and he was alerted to it because general manager "Jerry Reese was carrying it around." In the first quarter shot, tight end Jake Ballard appears to have his right knee touch down just inside the end zone before sliding out of bounds.
Victor Cruz was one of several Giants to express frustration with the officiating on Sunday. "I'm not trying to get fined or anything, but it was just amazing how some of those things didn't get turned over," Cruz said on Sunday. "We felt on the sideline a lot of those calls were kind of iffy and tough to rule."

Tom Coughlin's always looking for examples of perseverance to pass along to his players. On Sunday, he found two on the Giants offensive line. Both Mitch Petrus and Kevin Boothe were pressed into service about two hours before kickoff on Sunday when David Baas was ruled out with headaches. And both men responded well, helping the Giants run for 100 yards on 20 carries.
There is no doubt the Giants believe they can and will use this as a springboard into what amounts to a playoff-type scenario against the Cowboys. Manning at times was unstoppable firing downfield to Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz and the return of Ahmad Bradshaw provided "a spark with him being back," Nicks said, "just the intensity he brings to the offensive huddle and the team and the sideline."

Don't expect to see safety Kenny Phillips on the field in Sunday's pivotal NFC East clash with the Dallas Cowboys. Phillips was seen sporting a bulky brace on his left knee today. He insisted once again that the injury is not serious, but a league source said that Phillips has a sprained MCL and will miss at least 1-2 weeks.

So your head might be spinning wondering what the Giants have to do to make the playoffs. The easiest way of course is to beat Dallas twice and win their way in. But check out the ESPN playoff machine which will help you figure out any scenario that plays out. It's pretty cool.

Giants coach Tom Coughlin conceded that there is "no solace in playing well and losing," but then reeled off a dozen reasons why he had witnessed "the kind of emotional things that bind you together" and how this performance "brings us together even tighter." Right on cue, they all interpreted this 38-35 kick in the teeth as a clear sign that they are merely 3 seconds away from being the equal to the reigning Super Bowl champions. Nobody had the heart to remind them they haven't won a game in 28 days.

Dec 5 Giants lose to the Packers, 38-35   |   Photos  |  Photos

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On The Game: Game 12 Gamegirl "...This game was the equal to facing the undefeated Patriots in the 2007 regular season game before beating them in the Super Bowl. The Giants took the top team in the NFL to the wall. The Packers had their hands full trying to control Eli Manning, his receivers and our suddenly awakened running game..." Mikefan. "...The Giants were stuck substituting players right up until the last minute. You had to love it that Chase Blackburn made a big play in his first game back from obscurity. Aaron Rodgers didn't see him and tossed that interception just as General Manager Jerry Reese didn't see Blackburn or overlooked him as well. Blackburn was a former Giant free agent that Jerry Reese turned his nose up at as he is prone to do..."

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ESPN - Rodgers engineers last-minute drive to overcome Giants, keep Packers unbeaten.
ESPN - Rapid Reaction: Packers 38, Giants 35.
ESPN - Nicks gets high-five -- from Woodson.
ESPN - Bradshaw, Jacobs power running game.
ESPN - Giants' unsung hero on Sunday? Blackburn.
ESPN - Giants question refs' calls.
Giants.com - Giants Fall to Packers, 38-35.
Giants.com - Postgame RB Brandon Jacobs Interview.
Giants.com - LB Blackburn fits the middle vs. Packers.
Giants.com - Postgame Coach Coughlin Interview.
Giants.com - Postgame Eli Manning Interview.
Giants.com - Postgame DE Justin Tuck Interview.
Giants.com - Postgame Giants Players Interviews.
Giants.com - Mitch Petrus gets surprise start.
StarLedger - Packers remain undefeated with last-second 38-35 win over Giants.
StarLedger - Aaron Rodgers: First play set tone for Packers' final drive.
StarLedger - Giants lose to Green Bay, 38-35; some see loss as moral victory.
NYDailyNews - Giant effort not enough vs. Perfect Pack.
NYDailyNews - Packers put faith in quarterback Aaron Rodgers with game on the line.
NYPost - Giants lose to perfect Packers at last second.
NYPost - Pressure doesn't get to unflappable Rodgers.
NYPost - Blown coverages on final series are enough to drive you nuts.
NYPost - Giants' last-minute O-line holds up.
NYPost - 'Too much time' for Pack QB.
NYPost - Bitter Giants 'call' out game officials.
NYPost - Packers want that 16-0 record.
JSonline - Rodgers leads Packers to field goal in final minute and 12-0 record.
JSonline - Rodgers smooth on clutch drive.
Grib - Packers Take Giant Step Toward Perfect Season.
PackersNews - After another rough day, defense folds in the clutch.
PackersNews - Packers, Saints look alike to Giants.

Game 12 Preview - Giants (6-5) vs Packers (11-0)
On Thanksgiving day, Green Bay's quarterback Aaron Rodgers took some hits and the Detroit Lions took even more penalties. The result was a 27-15 win for the Packers once they figured out how to control the Lions in the second half.
The Giants didn't put up much of a defense and came no where near where they needed to stop a two-game skid. The 49-24 loss to the Saints has that number up to three now with the undefeated and well rested Packers coming their way.
The Giants have five games left. They need to overtake the Cowboys to win the division. Can the Giants do it? They saw the Lions hold the Packers at bay for the first half of their game with a big pass rush. That's an area of strength the Giants once had, but it has since faded. Perry Fewell tried to fire up his defense this week and some players vowed they will be bringing the pressure. The Giants started the Packers off on their current 17 game long win streak. Can they end it as well?

Dec 4 Tom Coughlin still NY Giants' top choice to coach team in 2012, but he, Andy Reid and Norv Turner could be fired Tom Coughlin could be coaching his final five games with the Giants if he doesn't get things turned around and make the playoffs.
Coughlin isn't giving up. He can't afford to and he knows that without a monster pass rush tomorrow at MetLife Stadium, Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers will destroy the Giants, essentially ending their season and most likely Coughlin's Big Blue coaching career.

Eleven teams have tried and all 11 have failed. As the Packers have steamrolled the competition to their 11-0 start, no team in the NFL has found a way to stop Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers has thrown 33 touchdowns to four interceptions and is the league's highest-rated passer. Sunday, coming off their worst loss, the Giants will try and see if they have an answer for how to slow down Rodgers and the Packers offense.
The season doesn't end today if the Giants, like everyone else in the NFL this season, aren't good enough to beat the unbeaten Packers. The Giants can put a much better product on the field for their fans at MetLife Stadium than they did last week in New Orleans and still get clubbed by the mighty right arm of Aaron Rodgers.

Although most of the attention today will be focused on Aaron Rodgers and his record-breaking season as the Packers (11-0) visit the Meadowlands, lost is just how well Manning has played. If the Giants (6-5) are going to turn around what appears to be their latest second-half swoon following three straight losses, it will be Manning who leads them.
Rodgers is the third Super Bowl MVP quarterback that Eli Manning, a Super Bowl MVP himself, is facing in the last five games. He outplayed Tom Brady in the Giants' victory in Foxborough on Nov. 13. And even though he threw for 406 yards last week against the Saints, the second most of his career, the Giants lost by 25 points.

Despite just two starts, Victor Cruz, 25, leads the Giants in catches (55), receiving yards (957), touchdowns (7) and yards per catch (17.4). Since his breakout game - a 110-yard performance Sept. 25 in a victory over the Eagles - he has averaged six catches and 104 yards per game. People around the NFL are noticing. And they're impressed.
Victor Cruz began this season searching for his first NFL reception. He might end it putting up one of the most prolific seasons ever for a Giants receiver. "It's crazy," Cruz said. Cruz, as he did last week in New Orleans, will start today against the Packers, replacing injured Mario Manningham.

Dec 3 His teammates knew it. They could tell from the way Ahmad Bradshaw carried himself this week, walking less gingerly and promising everyone that he had "a big shot" to play against the Packers. The Giants' top tailback was finally ready to return to action. "He pretty much told us," said wideout Hakeem Nicks. "We had the vibe that he was going to play. That was the vibe that we had from him all week."
Coach Tom Coughlin was a little more cautious discussing whether Bradshaw will be ready Sunday. While saying his starter looked good and said all the right things, Coughlin said the deciding factors on whether Bradshaw plays will be how his foot feels on Saturday and whether doctors will clear him to play.

Perry Fewell sounded like Lawrence Taylor imploring Giants everywhere to play like a bunch of crazed dogs. This was on the heels of a game in which his defense simply played like dogs, in which he saw several unconscionable instances of surrender from players beaten down and resigned to defeat.
Perry Fewell left the Giants speechless. For the most part, including head coach Tom Coughlin, the Giants did not say much about their defensive coordinator publicly ripping the defense's effort and saying some players stopped short on plays against New Orleans in the 49-24 loss on Monday. "Those were his thoughts," Coughlin said.
One day after Fewell publicly blasted Giants defenders for quitting in the fourth quarter, safety Antrel Rolle refused to comment - on multiple occasions - when asked if players did indeed lose their aggression late in Monday's blowout. Rolle said. "If he's frustrated, I'm frustrated. We're all frustrated. We're going to take that frustration and come into Sunday."

Through 11 weeks of the season, rookie receiver Jerrel Jernigan's lone contribution to the Giants has been one kickoff return for 19 yards. The wide receiver and return specialist admits that he thought he would have had more of an effect with the team by now.

Dec 2 Perry Fewell has been known around these parts as a players' coach. Not this week. Today, during his weekly session with the media, the Giants' defensive coordinator was clearly still steaming about Monday's blowout loss to the Saints in which his defense gave up seven touchdowns - four from Drew Brees through the air and three on the ground - refused to respond to New Orleans' intensity level and even quit on a few plays.
The normally optimistic defensive coach called Monday's performance "disappointing" and it wasn't because of his game plan. He said the unit had "prepared well" but there was "no doubt" that players quit long before the final whistle blew, bailing out on plays as if they knew the game was over. "We don't coach that," he added. "I'm going to say it like this: We don't coach pulling up short, and we're not going to accept pulling up short."
This is a side of Fewell the Giants have not seen in his two seasons running the defense. Fewell will not have defensive end Osi Umenyiora, who won't play because of a sprained ankle, and a diminished Justin Tuck, who is playing despite an ankle injury. The pass rush has generated three sacks in the past three games yet Fewell sounds confident the Giants will put the heat on Aaron Rodgers.

The "no practice, no play" rule is something Giants coach Tom Coughlin believes in. To a point. You don't get on the field at all during the week, you don't play on the weekend. Unless your team is desperate for a spark, you insist you are good to go, and you do not take "No" for an answer. Ahmad Bradshaw, the feisty running back who has missed the past four games with a stress fracture in his foot, said he doesn't expect to practice at all this week. In fact, he doesn't even want to. "No," he said yesterday. "I want to be as healthy as I can on Sunday."

The recent lack of first-half touchdowns is not sitting well with Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride. "It's very frustrating," Gilbride said on Thursday. In the last four games, the Giants have has failed to score a single touchdown in the first half and the squad has just one score in its last five games. In those last four games, the Giants have not scored more than six points in a half and have tallied a combined 12 points.

Running back Brandon Jacobs believes his team is being counted out. "No question (about that)," Jacobs said. "It happens ever year. We just have to stick together and play as hard as we can play. That's just about it. All we got is each other in this room. We're going to play as hard as we can for one another and try to come out and be positive about everything and not lay down."

For the first time since straining his hamstring late in the first half of the Giants' loss against the 49ers almost three weeks ago, Michael Boley was on the practice field Thursday. The middle linebacker was limited, participating in only a couple reps during each period, but it was a significant step in the right direction for a team in dire need of some help at linebacker especially with Mark Herzlich most likely out Sunday.

Giants wide receiver Mario Manningham says his injured knee feels weak and unstable and that there is "stuff floating" in there. On the other hand, he said he's 50-50 for Sunday's game against the Packers. So there's that. Meanwhile, Hakeem Nicks isn't worried about his head or his ribs and says he'll be back to work on Friday.
Mario Manningham is going to miss his second consecutive game this weekend when the Giants face the Packers. Manningham continues to deal with a knee issue and now he is hoping he can avoid surgery, which would end his season. "I'm weak, I feel weak," Manningham said of his knee. "Just trying to strengthen it."

Dec 1 Chase Blackburn and his wife, Meg, just had their second child about four weeks ago, so he's been spending plenty of time with his family lately. But when the call from the Giants came on Tuesday at 4:15 p.m., he was headed to the airport for a flight originally scheduled to leave only two hours later. He already had a bag packed for such an emergency. Unsigned by the Giants in the offseason, he's been a free agent for the first 12 weeks of the season.
The Giants told Blackburn that his role will likely be similar to what it was from 2005-10 -- middle/weakside linebacker and special teams. The Giants brought in Blackburn because he knows the system from his first stint with the team. Plus, their depth at linebacker has been depleted by injuries and they're playing a lot of rookies. A veteran presence is certainly a welcome addition.

Injured running back Ahmad Bradshaw doesn't expect to practice this week, but he still believes there's a "big shot" he'll play against the Packers on Sunday. "Maybe I'll try to run a little bit this week," said Bradshaw, who has missed the last four games with a fractured foot. "Then if Sunday comes and there's not a lot of pain . . . "I feel good," Bradshaw added. "And I'm planning to play."
A return by Bradshaw would provide a jolt of energy to a Giants offense that wasn't running the ball very well with him and has been fairly lousy running the ball without him. One caveat: Bradshaw insists he isn't going to rush himself back on the field if there's a risk he reinjures his foot and misses more time. "I don't want to get out there and play and then sit out the next game, I want to play the rest of the year," he said.

Osi Umenyiora has a "real bad" sprained ankle and the injury could keep him out as long as a month. The Giants' defensive end "sprained pretty much everything in there," according to someone familiar with his situation. He will definitely miss the Giants' game on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers and likely their NFC East showdown in Dallas on Dec. 11, too.

Coughlin vows Giants will meet challenge of Packers. Coughlin said he feels his team will be able to move past the dreadful showing. "It's pro football, got to move on to the next one," he said. "We'll bounce back. That's the thing I believe in. It's a time for us to be bold, not listen to what you all are saying."

Last year, many were irate Carl Banks and Mark Bavaro were not included in the initial 30 members inducted into the Giants' Ring of Honor. More than a year later, those two are on their way in. And they'll be joined by three others. Banks, Bavaro, Dave Jennings, Alex Webster and Brad Van Pelt will be inducted on Sunday in a ceremony at halftime of the game against the Packers.

Former Giants
Michael Strahan, whose 15-year career ended with a victory in Super Bowl XLII, tried to inspire the defensive line as he did so often when he wore a Giants uniform. "He basically told us not to get down and to fight the good fight," Dave Tollefson said. "He's like an older brother. A real old brother. I think he's the oldest friend I have."

Nov 30 On the day after a brutal loss to the Saints, Antrel Rolle said the Giants will make the playoffs. "Absolutely," Rolle said Tuesday afternoon on his weekly WFAN radio spot. "Let me tell you something. We're gonna fight, I don't care how we fight, I don't care what corner we're gonna back ourselves up to, everyone might be off the Giants bandwagon, which is fine. We only had us from the beginning anyways. We only need us in order to get to where we need to."
Rolle says the key to turning things around is getting back to playing Giants football. "We need to find a way to get back to that," Rolle said. "I don't know what it's going to take, I don't know what has to happen, but we need to find a way to get back to that at the end of the day. That's who we are. That's when we play our best ball."

They are the words no one around the Giants wants to hear. Collapse. Swoon. Meltdown. Take your pick. Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning knew their history together long before they and the Giants came marching in to the Superdome last night and went marching out disgraceful 49-24 losers. Mardi Blah. Manning doesn't have a running game without Ahmad Bradshaw, and Coughlin doesn't have a big-time defense. Now 6-2 has become 6-5, and Aaron Rodgers and the Perfect Packers are rested and waiting, what are we supposed to think now?

Justin Tuck sounded a whole lot like Rex Ryan did last week during a radio interview on Tuesday. "The playoffs have started for us," the dejected Giants defensive end said. "We haven't given ourselves any margin for error." Just three weeks ago, the Giants were 6-2 following an impressive road victory in New England. But they've been awful ever since. "One game can be the difference-maker in a season," Tuck said. "So hopefully can establish something this week and shock the world." The Giants have been world-beaters before. Just ask the 2007 Patriots. They went 18-1. Not 19-0.

The Giants went as long as they could with their stable of rookie linebackers. Now it's time to bring in a veteran reinforcement. Linebacker Chase Blackburn, the former Giant who was not re-signed after last season, will re-sign with the team on Wednesday, according to two people familiar with the move. The Giants did not announce the transaction on Tuesday, and it's not yet clear who's roster spot Blackburn will take.

The team was built around a defense that harassed quarterbacks into submission. Now that the Giants can't do that, they're sunk. Having those fierce pass rushers up and down the line set the tone for the entire team, put teeth in their attitude. It was the thing that opposing teams feared. In three straight losses, they haven't been able to put pressure on the quarterback and that has not only deflated their playoff hopes, but turned them into playoff pretenders

Do the Giants really need positive reinforcement? With his team in a funk, coach Tom Coughlin apparently thinks so. "We've taken a look at the plays from our six wins to remind our players of the quality of their play and what we're capable of doing," Coughlin said during a Tuesday conference call with the media. Coughlin didn't single out many players for their efforts in Monday's night 49-28 blowout loss in New Orleans, but Jason Pierre-Paul was one of them.

The Giants who built a two-game lead in the NFC East at 6-2 may have been outmanned, may have been beaten and bloodied. But they were tough as day-old steak. They hit the Eagles in the mouth when the Eagles were still above water. They were heroic at New England. Goodness: could that Patriots game really only be 22 days ago? "We were ready for this game," Coughlin said, shaking his head. "We just didn't play very well once it started."

The Giants love to boast that you can never have too many pass rushers, but they never seem to have enough talent behind them. The secondary is also inadequate, including Aaron Ross, the cornerback Reese picked in the first round, and Deon Grant, the one he re-signed in the offseason. Reese was right -- he didn't need to make "big sexy moves" this summer. He needed to make better moves, and the secondary and offensive line are the two examples. But Coughlin is the one taking the bullets, and a few came from an old friend Tuesday.

Former Giants
Tiki Barber sees the Giants in another downward spiral in the second half of a season and it comes as no surprise he is interested in determining where Tom Coughlin fits into the latest mess. Barber also takes exception to Coughlin's famous decree upon his hiring prior to the 2004 season decrying the many injuries that hit the Giants under Jim Fassel before Fassel's firing after the 2003 season.
Tiki Barber goes on to discuss how the Giants have struggled in second-halves in each of the last three seasons, and how it doesn't fall squarely on anyone one person, rather on the team as a whole. He wonders how -- given the Giants' recent failures -- we "fairly" evaluate Coughlin?

Nov 29 Giants lose to the Saints, 49-24   |   Photos  |  Photos

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On The Game: Game 11 Gamegirl "...This looked like one of those games where a team might beat itself. The Saints rushed their plays in the first quarter and then skipped an easy field goal, attempting a trick play that didn't work. Jason Pierre-Paul was all over that and as a result, at the end of the first quarter the score was 0-0, but the Saints were threatening..." Mikefan. "...Where to start on this one? The biggest weapon the Giants had to slow down Drew Brees was their pass rush, but it was ineffective for most of the game. That allowed the secondary to be open for some big plays. Drew Brees took advantage, throwing for 363 yards and 4 touchdowns. The defense came away with no sacks and no interceptions. The Saints also ran on the Giants for over 200 yards..."

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ESPN - Drew Brees accounts for 5 TDs as Saints demolish fading Giants.
ESPN - Rapid Reaction: Saints 49, Giants 24.
ESPN - Homecoming not happy for Eli.
ESPN - Punter on fake: 'My fault, plain and simple'.
ESPN - Brees, Saints decimate Giants' defense.
Giants.com - Giants Lose Shootout to Saints, 49-24.
Giants.com - Cruz Remains Humble in Defeat.
Giants.com - Mixed Reviews For Giants Special Teams.
Giants.com - Postgame Coach Coughlin Interview.
Giants.com - Postgame Giants Players Interviews.
StarLedger - Drew Brees, New Orleans dismantle Giants, 49-24.
StarLedger - Hakeem Nicks unhappy about hit in loss to Saints.
StarLedger - Aaron Ross has rough night against Drew Brees, Saints.
StarLedger - Chad Jones gets emotional as he joins teammates in New Orleans.
StarLedger - Will Blackmon returns to the NFL feeling healthy.
NYDailyNews - Big (Too) Easy: Saints pound Giants.
NYDailyNews - Big Blue's Fewell tank on empty.
NYDailyNews - RB Jacobs fails to make any gains.
NYPost - Saints deal reeling Giants third straight loss.
NYPost - Same old song-and-dance -- from Jacobs and Jints.
NYPost - Solace in wideout's breakout.
NYPost - Miracle reunion for Jones.
NYPost - Big Blue plagued by full swoon fever.
NYPost - With Pack up, carnage not over for overmatched Giants.
Record - Drew Brees dismantles Giants defense; Big Blue slide continues.
NOLA - Saints defense comes up with the big plays.
NOLA - Saints run all over the Giants 49-24 at the Superdome.

Game 11 Preview - Giants (6-4) vs Saints (7-3)
Last week the Saints were on a bye. With this upcoming game being played at home and on a Monday, they've had plenty of time to rest up and plan for the Giants.
The Giants lost their game to the Eagles 17-10 in front of a very disappointed home crowd. Things only get tougher for the team as they travel to play the Saints in New Orleans.
New Orleans Saints. When you think of the Saints, one of the first things that comes to mind is that they were the Super Bowl Champions in 2009. Last year they finished at 11-5, and surprisingly became the first to ever lose a playoff game to a team with a losing record.
The Giants are in second place in the NFC East. Wild-card dreams fade with every loss and they have a tough six games remaining. The Giants have trailed in the fourth quarter in eight of ten games, were tied in another one and have come away with six wins. If they have any of that magic left, they need to spring it on the Saints this week.

Nov 28 Tonight against the Saints, Kevin Boothe will be the Giants' starting left guard. It will be his fourth start of the season -- at a third different position. The sixth-year veteran, a Giant since the team claimed him off wavers from the Raiders in 2007, filled in at center for a game and a half while David Baas was dealing with a neck burner and another game after he sprained his knee. Boothe is as nonchalant when it comes to playing a new position. In all, he's played everywhere on the line except for left tackle. Boothe's best position, in his opinion? "Wherever they need me next," he said.

There is no more margin for error, no more room for Victor Cruz fumbles and slow offensive starts. There can be no more defensive lapses, no matter how youthful the linebackers are. And there are no more excuses for the running game. It must all come together Monday night.
The Giants, coming off a bit like a bunch of wimps in last week's 17-10 loss to the Eagles, were disgusted with the way they were pushed around and come in with yet another injury, as left tackle Will Beatty is out following eye surgery, forcing David Diehl to return to the left tackle spot he manned for four years and Boothe to fill Diehl's place at left guard.

The Giants have lost a couple of games in a row, and they stare at two awfully challenging assignments back-to-back with the Saints here and the unbeaten (and well-rested) Packers awaiting them at home next week. The Cowboys have slipped past them into first place. The wild-card picture is looking crowded, if not muddled. Yet the Giants still control their own destiny.
The Giants will need fire against a Saints team riding the NFL's No. 1 offense that is averaging 39.8 points per game at home, where they're 4-0. For these Giants, that moment is now. They're in second place in their division, 0-2 in the second half of their season, facing two tough games (including their home game next Sunday against the undefeated Packers), and staring at a season that could be slipping away again.

The answer did not change, no matter who did the talking. Defensive end Dave Tollefson. Linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka. Safety Deon Grant. They all agreed. The Giants (6-4) will need to hit Saints quarterback Drew Brees early and often tonight if they're going to slow the top-ranked New Orleans offense or quiet the notoriously loud Superdome crowd. Teams that slowed the Saints' quarterback pressured him. "You can't let Brees sit back there and be comfortable," Grant said. "So you definitely got to rattle him up and keep somebody in his face."

Jake Ballard is essentially a rookie, having spent all but one week last year on the practice squad and he's been a revelation with 27 receptions for 443 yards and three touchdowns. Last week was his worst week, though, as he had two rare dropped passes and little went his way. Eli Manning threw in his direction seven times, yet all Ballard had to show for his efforts was one catch for 13 yards.

Punters and kickers are, at least stereotypically, "the soft," "wimpy" type, Giants punter Steve Weatherford said. But according to many of Weatherford's teammates, Weatherford -- at 210 pounds -- is pound for pound the strongest player in the Giants' weight room. He proudly works to maintain what defensive end Justin Tuck called (with only a hint of envy) a "total beach body."

Nov 27 The Giants continue a grueling six-game stretch with perhaps their biggest tests, at least for the defense, this season coming up against the NFL's top two scoring teams -- the New Orleans Saints (7-3) on Monday night and the undefeated Green Bay Packers (11-0) on Sunday.
Drew Brees is 3-0 against the Giants and his teams have won by an average of 22 points. In the Giants' last trip to the Superdome in 2009, their then-No. 1-ranked defense got lit up by Brees for 369 yards and four touchdown passes as the Saints found mismatches all over the field, including one created by linebacker Michael Boley's absence.

There was plenty of speculation last week over which Giants defensive player would wear the helmet with radio communication against Philadelphia. Safety Deon Grant wound up wearing it against the Eagles, and will continue to wear it Monday night against the New Orleans Saints, according to defensive coordinator Perry Fewell.
If the Giants are going to have any chance in this game, Manning will have to air it out. In the five games Manning has thrown the ball 39 or more times this season, the Giants quarterback passed for two touchdowns or more in each of those games. The Saints have allowed at least one passing touchdown in every game this season but one which came against the Colts.

The Giants will be without their starting left tackle. Their starting running back. Likely without with a starting linebacker. And possibly without a starting receiver. That's hardly how they want to face the Saints on Monday night in New Orleans. Ahmad Bradshaw will miss his fourth straight game due to a stress fracture in his right foot and could be joined by linebacker Michael Boley (hamstring) -- who is listed as doubtful -- and receiver Mario Manningham (knee) -- who is questionable.

Hands down, it was the best free-agent signing of the offseason. The same day the Saints traded the spectacular but porcelain-legged Reggie Bush to the Dolphins because he refused to slash his impending $11.8 million salary, they quietly signed the Chargers' Darren Sproles to a four-year contract for about $14 million.

Jimmy Graham, having fully blossomed in just his second season, is one of the most prolific tight ends in the NFL. Through 10 games he already has broken the Saints' single-season franchise records and leads all NFL tight ends in receptions (62) and yards (873) and leads his high-scoring team with six touchdown catches.

The outcome of the next three games could be the determining factor whether Tom Coughlin is back next year. The Giants do not want to fire Coughlin. Stability and continuity are rare in the NFL. Coughlin is in his eighth season with the Giants and only Andy Reid, Bill Belichick and Marvin Lewis have been with their teams longer. But these second-half collapses are getting a little old.

Nov 26 Michael Boley hasn't played since straining his hamstring late in the first half against the San Francisco 49ers on Nov. 13 and whether he suits up Monday night in New Orleans is still up in the air. "If I don't feel right, then I won't be able to play," Boley said. "Obviously, I don't want to put myself in situations where I hurt the team or I hurt myself. I would rather miss another week than miss a few more weeks."

The Giants will go into New Orleans without their starting left tackle and, at best, a banged-up right tackle. Starting left tackle Will Beatty underwent surgery to repair a detached retina on Thursday. There is no timetable for Beatty's return but Coughlin noted on Friday that it is "a very serious situation, obviously." What isn't obvious is how Coughlin plans to address Beatty's absence.
There aren't many teams that can lose their left tackle, plug in a guy who has started there most of the past four years, fill the hole at guard with a veteran who has been in the system for five seasons and also have the option of turning to a guard/tackle with three seasons of double-digit starts.

David Diehl said they're taking the criticism and the fact that "people are saying we don't have a chance going into New Orleans" as "a personal challenge". Diehl noted several teammates worked out during their off-days Tuesday and Wednesday. But all the movement on the line is a concern, offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride admitted. It will be the Giants' fifth different lineup for the front five in 11 games.

With Big Blue a seven-point underdog and in second place in the NFC East for the first time since September, David Diehl said more players have worked out during the off days this week than ever before. Such an uptick in work ethic may help explain a perplexing trend of the Giants, proven yet again this season: They play up or down to their opponent, exemplified by a home loss to the Seahawks and a victory in New England.

On Friday, Brandon Jacobs, unprompted, mentioned how great Giants fans were at least four times in a brief interview. "We've got to take care of our business on Monday night. We've got a lot of people that's pulling for us," Jacobs said. "We've got a lot of great fans that's out there and want us to go out there and do good. For all of the people that have supported us from Day 1, we've got to go out there and do our best for them."

On the same day DeSean Jackson was fined $10,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct against the Giants last Sunday, the target of the wide receiver's taunt -- defensive coordinator Perry Fewell -- said he didn't take it personally. Jackson wasn't the only Eagle hit by the league Friday. LB Brian Rolle was fined $10,000 for celebrating a tackle with a fake machine gun in his hands, and DT Trevor Laws was hit with a $7,500 penalty for his block on Eli Manning following an interception in the first half. Reminded that Jackson's penalty had helped negate the 50-yard gain, Fewell laughed and said, "I should probably thank him."

Nov 25 Tom Coughlin didn't mince words when he assessed his team's performance immediately after the Giants' Sunday night loss against the Philadelphia Eagles. The fiery coach was particularly incensed with his offensive line's play, and it was hard not to be, given how ineffective the run game was (29 yards on 17 carries, or 1.7 yards per carry) and the constant duress Eli Manning was under all night (16 pressures, 3 sacks).

Brandon Jacobs took the bulk of the blame after running for 21 yards on 12 carries, but Howard Cross does not think that the banged-up Ahmad Bradshaw would have fared much better. "It starts with the running game and the offensive line. They are struggling, there is no secret about it," said Cross, who is an analyst on "This Week in Football" and a sideline reporter for the Giants' radio broadcasts on WFAN.

Reinforcements for the Giants' "pathetic" running game do not appear to be on the way. Though Ahmad Bradshaw vowed last week to test his broken right foot sometime this week, it did not happen on Thursday. The injured running back was sidelined during the Giants' Thanksgiving Day practice and he could be in line to miss his fourth straight game.

Giants' rookies growing up fast. Fullback Henry Hynoski and middle linebacker Mark Herzlich already have started games for the Giants this season. Herzlich made his first start in Sunday night's loss to the Eagles, joining Jones, Spencer Paysinger and Jacquian Williams in earning playing time at linebacker due to injuries to Michael Boley, Jonathan Goff and Clint Sintim. Hynoski has made three starts. And cornerback Prince Amukamara made his much-anticipated debut Sunday night.

By the time their Thanksgiving turkey had turned cold last night, the first-place Giants had become the second-place Giants, and the disconcerting images from Jerry Jones Stadium on their hi-definition televisions offered an ominous reminder they are now fighting an uphill battle for their playoff lives.
The Giants have been playing from behind all season long, from the moment the lockout ended in July and free agency started without them. They have battled back from free-agent losses, injuries and even from four fourth-quarter deficits. It's only fitting now that in order to save their once-promising season they will have to come from behind again.

The Saints have some defensive issues the Giants hope to exploit -- they allow 5.2 rushing yards per attempt -- but it won't mean much if Big Blue cannot find a way to slow down Drew Brees, who has completed 18 or more passes to seven different players. The last time the Giants played in New Orleans, in 2009, they were hit with a Brees avalanche. He completed 23 of 30 passes for 369 yards and four touchdowns in a 48-27 Saints victory that wasn't that close.

Nov 24 Left tackle Will Beatty has a detached retina in his right eye and will undergo surgery today in Manhattan, the Giants announced today. The team said a timetable for his recovery will not be known until after the surgery is performed, though this is the type of injury that could sideline him for a while and possibly for the remainder of the season.
Beatty doesn't recall any specific incident in which he injured his eye and began experiencing blurriness the last couple of days. The left tackle does not remember being poked in the eye. Beatty had been dealing with a back issue, but tests on Monday didn't reveal anything serious.
With Will Beatty out indefinitely with a detached retina, David Diehl will be back to protecting Eli Manning's blind side. The Giants will slide Diehl from left guard to left tackle starting Thursday, when they return to practice, according to someone informed of the team's plans to replace Beatty.

Brandon Jacobs is sticking by his words. In an radio interview on WFAN, Jacobs said he doesn't regret commenting about Giants fans following Sunday's loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. "I don't take nothing back I said about the fans," Jacobs said. "I don't think I said anything bad about them."
Jacobs said that Giants players don't want to hear boos when they are playing at home and trying to win. "We go out there and we play hard and do whatever we got to do," he said. "It's up to them whether or not that they want to boo. And that's what they do. So that's what we got cheering for us.
That may be true, but it was hard to fault the fans for booing the home team since the Giants, by their own admission, barely put up a fight in a critical game against a bitter rival. Their rushing attack was particularly "pathetic," as both Jacobs and Tom Coughlin admitted. Jacobs rushed 12 times for only 21 yards.

The collapse of 2009 began in New Orleans, a place where the Saints have won 23 of their last 30 games heading into Monday night against the Giants. At least this time Manning can't be surprised by New Orleans' 12th man.
New Orleans leads the NFL in offense with an average of 436.9 yards, which has them on pace for 6,990 yards. That would not only eclipse the previous franchise high of 6,571 in 2008, but also would be second in NFL history, behind only the 2000 St. Louis Rams (7,075).

For the first time since the Giants selected him in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft, Chad Jones will stand on the sideline with his teammates, as they face the Saints on "Monday Night Football." Jones won't suit up because he's still recovering from severe leg injuries suffered in a car accident last June. Before he even made it to his first training camp, Jones' NFL career was pushed down the list of priorities behind saving his life, keeping his leg and even walking again.

Former Giants
Plaxico Burress is spending his first Thanksgiving with his family in three years today. On a holiday devoted to giving thanks, Burress is simply thankful to be with his family. After each touchdown he scores at home, he trots the ball over to his 4-year-old son, Elijah. His daughter, Giovanna, was born while he was in prison, so this is the first Thanksgiving he'll spend with her.

Nov 23 Antrel Rolle is still steaming over the loss to the Eagles. On Tuesday, he did his weekly radio hit with WFAN radio and the safety believes the Giants have to go into games with a better mentality, the same one that lifted them to a win in New England three weeks ago.
A day after Rolle stood by his locker and offered an impassioned plea for the Giants to get tougher, he took to the airwaves to continue to state his case. His frustration was obvious when he explained that the 17-10 loss was not a case of the better team winning the game.
On Monday, Chris Canty was still fuming over the Giants' lack of fire in the previous night's loss to the Eagles, saying players need to hold themselves more accountable. "Yeah, I was grumpy," he said with a laugh. "You know how I get."

Giants' offensive line. - It hasn't really been any good all year, but now it has begun to cost them games. The Giants were absolutely manhandled up front by the Eagles' defense Sunday night, unable to find anything at all in the run game or give Eli Manning enough time to throw. Brandon Jacobs is getting booed by the home fans, but he can't make the holes himself.
Center David Baas said he and his teammates "need to take a deep breath and realize that we have six games left and we need to be at our best. People need to self-reflect and understand that we are a really good team and we need to go out and establish that." The team that beat the Patriots in New England two weeks ago was a good team.

Justin Tuck isn't worried about his struggling team. At least, he said, "Not yet." He preferred to use the word "cautious" when he spoke of the dangers that lie ahead for the Giants. That's because he knows those dangers all too well from too many miserable second halves of the season, which is why he wants his teammates to remember how miserable those felt.

You have to think: The Giants could not beat Alex Smith and Vince Young, thus they have little or no chance of beating Drew Brees and Aaron Rogers. After stinking up the joint in their own home, there is little or no shot the Giants can strut into the Superdome in New Orleans, where the Saints are 4-0 and thrive in such an inhospitable environment.
The Giants have three sacks in the past two games, and couldn't get to Eagles quarterback Vince Young on his game-winning, 18-play drive Sunday. If Drew Brees is given that kind of time Monday night, the Saints quarterback will carve up the Giants defense as precisely and thoroughly as a master chef will slice his Thanksgiving turkey.

Sixteen days ago, after the Giants beat the Patriots and the Jets beat the Bills, talk of a Subway Super Bowl was beginning to rise above a whisper, even though they have never even made it to a conference title game in the same year. The whisper now has turned into eerie silence as the Giants and Jets are self-destructing.

Nov 22 One sleepless night did nothing to change the outcome of another embarrassing loss to the Eagles. It did nothing to eliminate the dread that comes with the Giants approaching Thanksgiving, which has been the sell-by date on the team's playoff hopes the last two years.
The Giants better wake up and understand they are not just fighting for their season, they are fighting for their head coach's future as well. If they cannot stem the tide of history of second-half collapses under Tom Coughlin, then the Giants hierarchy, which loves him, will likely be forced to make a change it would much rather not make.

On Monday, Antrel Rolle was one of a few Giants players who expressed some frustration after Sunday night's 17-10 home loss to the rival Philadelphia Eagles. The safety said he didn't think the Giants responded as they should have after the Eagles came out physical and that changes are in store going forward.
At yesterday's team meetings, players said they expressed similar frustrations with the team's lack of intensity and fire Sunday night. For a team in the playoff hunt with first place in the division on the line, players were left puzzled with their performance and without much of an explanation.
"We got punched in the mouth and we didn't do anything about it," said defensive tackle Chris Canty. "I think our response, or lack thereof, was embarrassing." That was the theme of what Canty said was a "very candid" meeting of Giants' defensive players on Monday.

What seemed to gall several Giants just as much, or more than the actual loss, was the meek way they responded to several incidents in the game. Eli Manning, after throwing an interception, was nailed with a cheap-shot by defensive tackle Trevor Laws, running back D.J. Ware was knocked out of the game with a concussion after a vicious blind-side hit by defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins, and DeSean Jackson was hit with a taunting penalty after a 50-yard reception (which was wiped out by the penalty) after he brazenly flipped the ball to Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell.
The Giants spent yesterday saying they need to play with more emotion, not accept getting hit in the mouth and not take any (stuff) from anybody. Basically, to play more like Prince Amukamara. The rookie cornerback impressed his teammates and coach Tom Coughlin when he chased down the Eagles' LeSean McCoy at the end of a 60-yard run that helped seal Philladelphia's 17-10 victory on Sunday night. The kid showed some fight in his first NFL game, which is more than many veterans were saying about themselves.

Injured NY Giant Michael Boley dismisses Tom Coughlin's harsh criticism of team. "I mean, it's his assessment. I've always said, coaches coach, players play. We (are) in the trenches. We really know what goes on out there.
Boley himself sat on the sideline during the Giants' 17-10 loss to the Eagles. He was ruled out with a hamstring injury. From his perspective, the Giants made took many mental mistakes. From Coughlin's perspective, they were physically dominated by Philadelphia.

Brandon Jacobs said that boos raining down from the Met Life Stadium stands on Sunday night didn't bother him. But if Jacobs ever gets frustrated by the boo-birds, Tom Coughlin has a simple solution for him: just play better. To be clear, Jacobs did not express outward frustration with getting booed.

Giants reserve cornerback Michael Coe suffered a season-ending shoulder injury on Sunday night against the Philadelphia Eagles. He will undergo surgery to repair the injury, Coe's injury leaves the depleted Giants defense even more thin in the secondary. The Giants have already lost cornerbacks Terrell Thomas, Bruce Johnson, Brian Witherspoon and Justin Tryon to season-ending injuries.

Nov 21 Giants lose to the Eagles, 17-10   |   Photos  |  Photos

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On The Game: Game 10 Gamegirl "...I love the Giants and hate it when our home fans boo the team because you know that they're out there trying on every play. That didn't seem so obvious to the crowd in this game and the boos rang down. A win certainly would have encouraged the fans that the Giants wouldn't once again lapse into one of their second half nosedives, but that didn't happen tonight..." Mikefan. "...It was up to the offense to carry the game this week and they weren't up to the task. The offensive line was manhandled, with Eli Manning being sacked 3 times. The unit let him down and they managed only 12 first downs, with two of them coming off of penalties..."

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ESPN - Vince Young rallies undermanned Eagles past Giants late in 4th.
ESPN - Rapid Reaction: Eagles 17, Giants 10.
ESPN - Prince makes pic in debut.
ESPN - Herzlich on debut: 'A dream come true'.
ESPN - Steve Smith on TD: 'It's like the cherry on top of a win'.
ESPN - Jacobs on boos: 'That's the best thing they do'.
Giants.com - Giants Fall to Eagles, 17-10.
Giants.com - Postgame Giants Players Interviews.
Giants.com - Postgame Coach Coughlin.
StarLedger - Eagles down Giants, 17-10, thanks to late touchdown for second straight year.
StarLedger - Giants fall to Eagles, 17-10, in key NFC East matchup.
StarLedger - Beset by drops and injuries, Giants tight end Jake Ballard takes step back in loss to Eagles.
StarLedger - Eagles' physical play, long drive push Giants from first place after 17-10 loss.
NYDailyNews - Young & restless Eagles beat Giants.
NYDailyNews - Coughlin's Giants always the fall guys.
NYDailyNews - Brandon Jacobs grounded, Tom Coughlin rips 'pathetic' rushing attack.
NYDailyNews - DeSean Jackson haunts Giants, taunts defensive coordinator Perry Fewell.
NYPost - Giants' fourth-quarter loss to Eagles sure to start swoon talk
NYPost - Night's bad Dream leaves Big Blue fans in cold sweat.
NYPost - Coughlin rips 'outplayed' line.
NYPost - QB has Giants' number -- again.
NYPost - Eagles' go 'fourth' for winning points.
NYPost - Jackson's jive keeps Philadelphia hummin'.
Record - Giants stunned by Eagles, fall into tie in NFC East.
Record - Giants' Mark Herzlich continues to beat all the odds.
Record - Vince Young lets his play do talking against Giants.
ExpressTimes - Philadelphia Eagles score late to edge New York Giants 17-10.

Game 10 Preview - Giants (6-3) vs Eagles (3-6)
Last week the Eagles took a hit in more ways than one in losing their game to the Cardinals 21-17. Quarterback Michael Vick suffered two broken ribs during the game. He might miss playing against the Giants on Sunday night. The Giants on the road lost their game to a powerfully surging San Francisco 49er team 27-20. That's not an excuse, nor can it be as there is more of that kind of competitive football coming their way.
Philadelphia Eagles. Before the season started phrases like 'dream team' were thrown around loosely and now the Eagles are 3-6. Following a dream sequence, if the Eagles somehow managed to win every single game from here on out they would finish at 10-6. Since the dream grants them coming up wins over the other division teams, the Giants and Cowboys would have their hands full achieving 11, and the Redskins would be eliminated.
Overall. Make no mistake, this game is really big. The Eagles have a poor record, but they play strong. In their six losses all have been by a touchdown or less, except for the one Giants game (29-16). The Giants are on the spot, known for second half fades, and even winning this game won't totally squash the talk with teams like the Packers, New Orleans and the resurging Cowboys coming up. The Eagles have already lost one game to the Giants and losing two just about kills off any chances they would have even if the Giants do somewhat fade.