Giants Grappling With Reality of Disastrous Fourth Quarter vs. Eagles

by David Elfin

Filed under: Eagles, Giants, NFC East

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- They're still 9-5 and in control of their postseason destiny. If the New York Giants win their final two games at Green Bay and Washington, they will make the playoffs. But that fact didn't ease the pain of Sunday's incredible choke against the Philadelphia Eagles in the battle for the NFC East lead. The Giants were at home. They led 31-10 with just 8:17 remaining but still lost 38-31.

The defeat was New York's sixth straight to their ancient division rivals, whom they now trail by a game.

"You don't want to lose period, but when you lose like that it hurts more," Giants defensive tackle Barry Cofield said in the shocked New York locker room. "This was definitely the most jarring, deflating loss I've ever been a part of. I've never had to deal with anything like this. The proper reaction, I don't think anybody really knows.

"We're going to try to come together as a team and put it behind us and move on. We'll see if we're capable of that. It'll show next Sunday. We'll show up like a team that's moved on or we'll show up like a beaten team."

Receiver Mario Manningham, who staked New York to an early 14-3 lead with touchdown catches of 33 and 35 yards from Eli Manning, said, "I don't feel nothin'. It was terrible the second half."

Indeed, after outgaining the Eagles 222-74 in building a 24-3 halftime bulge, the Giants surrendered 344 in the second half, 221 on the trio of touchdown drives that tied the score before Philadelphia's DeSean Jackson won the game by taking Matt Dodge's punt 65 yards to the house on the final play. The Eagles had also outfoxed the Giants on special teams seven minutes earlier, recovering an onside kick that New York special teams captain Chase Blackburn said they knew was coming.

"Just unbelievable," said Giants quarterback Eli Manning, who outplayed Eagles star Michael Vick by passing for 289 yards and four touchdowns but still lost. "Just kind of how did that happen? You're up 21 in the fourth quarter feeling pretty good about your situation ... then all of a sudden just everything went downhill. Everything that could probably go wrong went wrong and you can't have that. We played a good 52 minutes and the eight other minutes we gave it to them. With a chance to win the game, you have to make plays, but more importantly you can't screw up, you can't have mistakes.

 

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