Good morning New York Giants fans. Today is a beautiful day, isn't it? Where I live it's pouring rain at the moment, but I feel all warm and fuzzy inside after watching the Giants exorcise their demons against the Eagles on Sunday, crushing them by nearly two touchdowns in their house. Watching our defense lay the wood to Michael Vick the same way we did to Tom Brady in the Super Bowl four seasons ago was a thing of beauty, Vick's post-game comments notwithstanding. I also want to extend an apology for two things--one, for insulting and challenging Kevin Gilbride on Friday. There is a reason I write about football and he coaches it, and that was a creative and awesome offensive game plan, that also was executed nicely. Two, I am sorry I picked against us on Friday in my crystal ball. I was proven wrong, but for that I am very happy. Now let's see what is being said out there.....
Vick, Eagles need to do more than blame refs - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
When asked to explain the situation, Vick was incredulous: "Why? You all see. There’s no reason for it. I’m not going to go into a big dissertation about why I’m not getting the calls. … The refs have to do their jobs as well. … Everybody seen the game. I’m on the ground constantly, all the time. All the highlights, watching film every time I throw the ball, I’m on the ground. "I don’t know why I don’t get the 15-yard penalties like everyone else does. I am not complaining. I am just pointing it out and hopefully someone will do something about it. … I’m not blaming the referee. Let’s not get it twisted. Everybody on the field has to do their job. … I just want them to take notice."
There is one word in there that sums it up: 'incredulous."
New York Giants' Justin Tuck, Jason Pierre-Paul brush off injuries - ESPN New York
Tuck left the game briefly in the third quarter with a recurring neck stinger, while Pierre-Paul cramped up on the last play of the Giants' stunning 29-16 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. Nevertheless, both Tuck and Pierre-Paul downplayed their ailments, and neither sounded as though they'd miss any significant time.
New York Giants top Philadelphia Eagles, 29-16, as Michael Vick breaks hand - The Washington Post
So three games into the season, the Eagles have two losses and have squandered two fourth-quarter leads, and Vick has been unable to finish two games. They’ve been outscored, 29-0, in the fourth quarters of their past two games.
Victor Cruz shines, fills void for NY Giants with Mario Manningham and Domenik Hixon sidelined
There is nothing like seizing it. The Giants' receiver, who has seemingly been biding his time since last preseason, made two huge plays for touchdowns in the Giants' upset victory Sunday to come to the rescue of a decimated receiving corps. With injuries to Mario Manningham and Domenik Hixon forcing him into the lineup, Cruz finished with (three) catches for 110 yards.
The commissioner in one of my fantasy leagues made fun of me last season for drafting, releasing and picking up Victor Cruz several times. I did it again this year--drafted, dropped and then picked him up Sunday. That's because I know the kid is a huge play maker, and he finally proved it in a big way in a regular season contest.
Off the bench, redemptive Aaron Ross shines in Giants victory | NJ.com
Ross didn’t talk about his benching after the game. He didn’t want to talk about his benching this past week. And after recording two interceptions and playing impressive defense in the Giants’ 29-16 win over the Eagles Sunday, Ross didn’t feel the need to reminisce about the benching. "I move game-to-game, play-to-play," Ross said. "It was behind me. Had nothing to prove. The coaches know what I can do. I know what I can do. Just have to go out there and do it." And he did.
Boley's Stuff Was Big Play for Giants - NYTimes.com
Giants linebacker Michael Boley stuffed Eagles running back LeSean McCoy in the backfield on a critical 4th and 1 in the fourth quarter. Eagles Coach Andy Reid’s controversial decision not to punt with just over 11 minutes remaining led to the go-ahead Giants touchdown. Boley said he read McCoy’s cut before leveling him for a 3-yard loss.
Yeah, I take it Ed will have lots of Kudos and maybe just one *cough* Travis Beckum *cough* Wet Willie. Actually I'll give the refs a Wet Willie here because of two things--they missed a face mask call on Eli Manning, and they gave Antrel Rolle an unsportsmanlike conduct call when Brent Celek was just as guilty. When I saw Celek elbow-bump DeSean Jackson after that, I wanted to drive to Philly and punch him. But we got what matters most--a W.
Eagles' Reid wants to talk football after loss, so let's start here - Philly.com
You want to talk some football? All right, here's some football. With a two-point lead in the fourth quarter and the ball near midfield, you punt on fourth down. Even if you think you've got a spiffy play picked out. Even if your running back is over 100 yards on the day. You punt because what can happen if you make it is outweighed by what can happen if you don't. It's just the percentages. So what happened? LeSean McCoy lost 3 yards on the play, and New York got the ball just 20 or so yards from being in range for a field goal that would give them the lead. It turned out they didn't have to stop there. The Giants drove for a touchdown, and, just to show that wasn't a fluke, they drove for another, and that was that.
Andy Reid's act wearing thin | Philadelphia Daily News | 09/26/2011
THEY BOOED Andy Reid the first time the Eagles took a lead yesterday. The 69,144 at Lincoln Financial Field booed, I suppose, because they had seen this movie one too many times, knew what was coming next, the way fans of horror flicks do. Andy Reid was at a loss to explain some odd calls after the game. A sure touchdown had devolved into the worst kind of compromise: A 14-play, 88-yard drive that used almost 9 minutes of the clock provided just a field goal, just a two-point advantage over the New York Giants in a rivalry in which what comes next always trumps what just happened. They booed because 13 years of the same coach has provided, in Giants coach Tom Coughlin's words, "mounds and mounds of tape."
Smith at loss for words - Giants Blog - ESPN New York
This probably isn’t the way Eagles wide receiver Steve Smith saw his reunion going with the Giants. With his former team down two receivers in Mario Manningham (concussion) and Domenik Hixon (out for season with another ACL injury), Smith could have starred as the scoring threat who got away. Instead, he was the receiver who gave up an interception to Aaron Ross in the first quarter. "Just dropped it," Smith said. The wide receiver who switched from the Giants to the Eagles during free agency, a move that an irked Giants coach Tom Coughlin said took him by surprise. Smith disputes that characterization of those negotiations.
Ah, Steve Smith. To whom I also say, "take that." It's a beautiful Monday guys--let's soak in the scenery and bask in it for one more day before turning our attention to Arizona.