Giants' Desire to Win | jho's blog

Like almost everybody else in NY and around the country, I did not expect anything out of Eli Manning. It confused the heck out of me to see Eli & Coughlin still around the team after the horrendous play from the '06-'07 Season. The way that Eli played during the regular season did not offer any new reasons for optimism. Not only did Eli throw MORE interceptions and have a worse passer rating than his first 2 full years starting, the Giants lossed badly to the Redskins & Vikings late in the season. Not to say that either of those 2 teams are bad, but I couldn't help think that the Giants were going to be the same one-and-done team in the playoffs like their past couple of seasons.

Then something stupendous happened. Pats-Giants: Final game in the regular season. I fully expected the Giants to rest their tired and weary players (esp. since their playoff game against Tampa the following week was already determined) and in terms of seeding, the Giants had absolutely zero to gain from this game. I thought the Patriots would have the easiest final game ever in trying to stay perfect in the regular season. But then the impossible started to happen. Eli finally found his groove, the Giants' battered offensive & defensive players stepped up, and the Giants almost stopped the Patriots from winning a game the Giants had no business to be in.

After that game I scratched my head and I thought, 'If Giants can almost beat the best team in the league, why can't they beat anyone else?'

But I was still full of unbelief, and then the Giants rolled over the Bucs pretty easily in a game many people picked against them. No one really expected anything out of this as people thought the "bad" Eli was just a pick away from showing his ugly colors.

It was then that I started to think: What if?

Wouldn't it be crazy if the Giants had the chance to face the Cowboys, the Packers, and then the Pats (on the way avenging themselves against some top-notch teams that beat them in the regular season?

The game against the Cowboys was so great. I thought that Giants layed everything they had on the line and played that game like it was their Superbowl. The Giants' defense was getting pounded, but they didn't give up. I shouted at their offense to stop being so conservative with their last 2 drives. I definitely didn't want the Cowboys to end up with the ball 2 minutes left having the chance to pull out the upset. But the Giant D stood up and finished the game.

Then NO ONE gave the Giants a chance against Green Bay. I read all the experts and then read the blog of someone I highly respect (Josh), and it was a real head scratcher that every SINGLE person had the Packers coming out on top

Honestly for me I was satisfied just to see the Giants end the Cowboys' season in flames. For the Giants to win the Packers' game was just icing on the cake. But when I watched that Packers-Giants game I noticed several key things.

Hunger.

The Giants were the team that was stepping up in this frigid cold. They were the team that kept pushing and pushing the Packers, and they were the team that kept making the most opportunities for itself. They certainly didn't look like a team that was satisfied at all.

I threw in my towel after Tynes' missed that regulation-ending field goal. Like everyone around the country, I pretty much expected to see Farve engineer one of those famous game ending drives.

One thing kept sticking on my mind. Just how much do the Giants want it? How much do they desire it? If this was any other Giants' team, then they would fold and give up. I think a lot of teams would after all those blown chances.

But they didn't give in. And then Farve throws another INT. Miraculously Tynes goes and hits the first 40+ yard field goal in Packer Stadium post season history when I kept thinking, 'oh no, oh no, oh no...oh yes, heck yes, HECK YES!!!'

Please Pat fans & Giant haters, continue to pour it on about how the Giants' injuries and mistake-prone roster cannot possibly handle the perfect Pats. This is exactly what the Giants need to hear. This team is special and is not satisfied with just being second best. They're going to finish the job and bring home the trophy to New York.

Giants 27, Patriots 24