For a looooooong time on Sunday it looked like there would be no smiles on the New York Giants' sideline at the end of Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins. No Giants' offense in victory formation. No Giants' victory -- and consequently probably no more thought that the Giants were a potential playoff team.
For the fourth time this season, however, the Giants (5-2) pulled out a late-game victory, rallying from 17-10 down in the fourth quarter for a 20-17 victory over the still winless Dolphins (0-7).
Sure it sounds dramatic, but with the tremendously difficult final nine games of the season facing the Giants, a loss to Miami Sunday at MetLife Stadium might have been a fatal blow to any hopes the Giants had of reaching the playoffs.
Thankfully, though, the Giants have Manning. If he wasn't in the MVP discussion before today, he needs to be now. He led two fourth-quarter scoring drives, helping the Giants win a game despite getting zero help from his running game (58 yards) and not much help from his receivers, who dropped at least five perfectly-thrown balls on the day. Still, Manning finished 31-for-45 for 349 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Thankfully, the Giants' pass rush showed up late in the game as the Giants got four sacks in Miami's final two possessions to stifle the Dolphins' hopes of winning their first game of the season.
Thankfully, the Giants caught a huge break on a very questionable pass interference call against Miami's Brandon Marshall that nullified a Miami first down when the Dolphins were trying desperately to keep the lead in the fourth quarter.
Thankfully. Corey Webster showed up with a huge interception when defensive coordinator Perry Fewell only rushed three on Miami's final play, sealing the victory.
Most thankfully of all, though, now we don't have to spend the next week moaning about losing to the Dolphins -- and listening to the Giants get killed on New York sports talk radio.
We can just talk about the New England Patriots, who are next of the Giants' agenda.