Chokeadelphia

I was ready to write this depressing post about how the Giants were mandled in the trenches on both side of the ball. About how Donovan toyed with Big Blue's secondary for most of the day. How Osi and Strahan couldn't lay a hand on the Eagles QB.

I thought that I was watching the best team in the NFC. "The Eagles are a premium back away from going back to the Super Bowl." The way this team was rotating in their defensive lineman to keep fresh pass rushers in the game, I held out little hope that the Giants could pull this one out.

But then, Reid got conservative with his play-calling after the Westbrook fumble. Donovan got cocky, going so far as taunting Antonio Pierce at the line of scrimmage, getting a false start penalty called on himself. The score was still 24-7, but in spite of the fourth quarter deficit, I thought that they could make a game of it if they gave Eli some time and the defense could get some three and outs.

The rest as you know, is history.

This was easily the biggest win of the Coughlin-Manning era. McNabb and the Iggles have had our number for the past several years. It wasn't lost on me the fact that our wins over Philly last year were somewhat tainted because McNabb was out of the lineup. This was their first win over a McNabb run offense and the Giants first win over Donovan since 2000. That game was an important psychological hurdle for Big Blue.

Now with the Redskins stinking it up and the Cowboys losing Terrell for a couple of weeks, the schedule looks a little less imposing right now. 2-1 going into the bye week seems very possible with a win in Seattle Sunday.

As for Philly, well, when it rains, pours on that team. From today's AP Wires....

PHILADELPHIA (AP) Jevon Kearse's season is over because of a severe knee injury the star defensive end suffered in Philadelphia's overtime loss to the Giants yesterday.
Kearse tore multiple ligaments in his left knee when his leg knocked against Mike Patterson while the two brought down Eli Manning on New York's first possession of the extra period. Kearse reached for his knee immediately after the play, was helped off the field and carted to the locker room.
Kearse had two-and-a-half sacks against the Giants. He is in his third season with the Eagles after signing a 66 (m) million dollar, eight-year contract in 2004.
Kearse's injury should give former first-round pick Jerome McDougle an opportunity to play after he was inactive the first two games.

The Eagles still have plenty of depth on both lines, but losing Kearse is going to hurt morale somewhat. We'll see what sort of fallout occurs there. One thing that can't be overlooked is their lack of a bigtime back. Westbrook is great utility back, but you need someone that you can give the ball 25 times a game. He's not that sort of player. Their slip is going to show bigtime if their O-line gets banged up and their pass protection becomes compromised later in the year.

As for the Giants, I still have serious concerns about their defense. They have too much talent in the front seven and secondary to be giving up this much yarddage in their air. They have to find a way to get more pressure on the QB and create some turnovers. On offense, the penalties have to stop. They almost shot themselves in the foot on that last drive in OT with two careless flags. Shockey's balky ankle is a concern as well.

But you have to love the maturation process of Eli Manning. He still throws the occassional wounded duck, but his passes yesterday were on the money for the most part. The one pick he threw yesterday wasn't his fault. He hit Tiki in the numbers and the ball bounced off of him. The TD throws to Toomer were on the money and his call at the line of scrimmage for Plaxico to go full throttle for the end zone to beat the blitz...a thing of beauty.

This can be a very special year if he can build on what he's learned from these first two games. He has the talent and the temperament. Now all he needs is the experience.