This has to be a long, nervous day for New York Giants fans. First of all, you have to wait anxiously all day for the Giants to face the Philadelphia Eagles in prime time on Sunday Night Football, with kickoff slated for 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC.
It is, of course, an NFC East division game. And, mostly, it is the Eagles who are going to be facing the Giants in MetLife Stadium this evening.
I really don't care about the Eagles 3-6 record, at least in terms of what it means for the Giants tonight. The Giants exercised a lot of demons with a victory over Philadelphia earlier this year. Still, though, these are the Eagles -- a team that has inflicted more long-lasting scars on the psyche of Giants fans through the years than anyone really wants to think about.
Sure, the Eagles are pretty much out of the playoffs already even though Thanksgiving hasn't gotten here yet. You have to know, though, that they would love to put a big dent in the Giants' playoff hopes Sunday night. And you know they are capable. They can still score points, they can still make big plays on special teams and they still have Trent Cole, Nnamdi Asomugha and Asante Samuel on defense.
This is a game the Giants should win. It's a game they need to win to stay out in front in the chase for a playoff spot. That nervousness you likely feel, though, is understandable. The waiting, as they say, is always the hardest part.