A one-and-done playoff dance for last year's champion Giants doesn't suprise many. Not because they had to face arguably the best team coming into the playoffs in the Philadelphia Eagles.
It is because the Giants peaked weeks ago.
Like the Super Bowl Champions of last year, the Eagles are the league's hottest team at the right time. Like the Giants of 2008, the Eagles hit rock bottom during the latter end of the regular season, inspiring an improbable run. After Eli Manning's awful game against Minnessota last year, they found an identity in pass rush and running the ball, and forced their way to the Super Bowl, where they took down the Pats. This year, the Eagles, after tieing the Bengals and benching their QB Donovan McNabb, they too found their identity, relying more on the running game and on steady defense.
But for the Giants, this loss comes after losing key parts of their leadership and talent. Michael Strahan to retirement, Osi Umenyiora to injury, and Plaxico Burress to an accidental shooting, landing him on IR. The Giants looked to players like Dominic Hixon and Steve Smith to step into the Plax role, but they could not draw the same attention as Burress, resulting in a late-season slide.
After looking at the numerous mistakes, many would state that the Gmen should have taken down the Eagles on Sunday. But this team did not have the same makings as last year's. There was no 4th down conversion like the one from last year's Super Bowl converted by Jacobs. There was no front line defensive pressure brought by Strahan, Umenyiora, and Tuck like last year.
While the Giants must be comended on not falling victim to the Champions hangover, they must realize that their team didn't lose because of lack of effort, but because a lack of x-factors and sure-fire go-to talent on both sides of the field.
Original Story:
http://dagreatwhitehype.blogspot.com/...
It is because the Giants peaked weeks ago.
Like the Super Bowl Champions of last year, the Eagles are the league's hottest team at the right time. Like the Giants of 2008, the Eagles hit rock bottom during the latter end of the regular season, inspiring an improbable run. After Eli Manning's awful game against Minnessota last year, they found an identity in pass rush and running the ball, and forced their way to the Super Bowl, where they took down the Pats. This year, the Eagles, after tieing the Bengals and benching their QB Donovan McNabb, they too found their identity, relying more on the running game and on steady defense.
But for the Giants, this loss comes after losing key parts of their leadership and talent. Michael Strahan to retirement, Osi Umenyiora to injury, and Plaxico Burress to an accidental shooting, landing him on IR. The Giants looked to players like Dominic Hixon and Steve Smith to step into the Plax role, but they could not draw the same attention as Burress, resulting in a late-season slide.
After looking at the numerous mistakes, many would state that the Gmen should have taken down the Eagles on Sunday. But this team did not have the same makings as last year's. There was no 4th down conversion like the one from last year's Super Bowl converted by Jacobs. There was no front line defensive pressure brought by Strahan, Umenyiora, and Tuck like last year.
While the Giants must be comended on not falling victim to the Champions hangover, they must realize that their team didn't lose because of lack of effort, but because a lack of x-factors and sure-fire go-to talent on both sides of the field.
Original Story:
http://dagreatwhitehype.blogspot.com/...
