My friend, Nick, is a NYG season ticket holder. He hates Accorsi and blames him for Eli and everybody else (Corey Webster). Now he has a problem, and I have been giving him hell about it. How did this team with these 'ne'er do well's' win the Super Bowl? How did this guy, Eli, rate the MVP when he was so LOUSY during the regular season? Now, Nick is of two minds: on the one hand he feels completely justified in screaming at the top of his lungs about Eli/Corey/Accorsi game after game this Fall. But on the other hand, he has to admit that John Mara is probably right, this is the greatest victory in the franchise's history. How come they made a 'mistake', played hard in a meaningless game, and jelled in the post-season, going undefeated and killing the Pat's perfect season? What made them 'jell"? How did they suddenly out of nowhere come together?
They have a lot of talent on the team. The Offensive line played very well and the Defensive line played amazing. That's really most of it right there. Aside from that, you could say team chemistry, lack of pressure in the underdog role, Eli maybe learned something towards the end of the year or started feeling more comfortable.
As ShutEmDown says they have been one of the most talented teams in the NFC for the last few years. The last piece was getting Manning rolling and when Shockey went down that apparently happened.
My reason for bring this up is, "How can we learn from what happened and take advantage of it?" the NYGs have taken a lot of criticism here in NYC for years. All of a sudden they did something about it...at the last minute. A lot of fans who cared alot had no idea. Sounds like us.
For me, every year its the same story in the NFL. One/Two teams really find their stride late and begin to play well down the stretch and go into the playoffs blazing hot (i.e. the steelers a couple of years ago). The giants were that team this year, and you can't take it away from them. I also think they were very well coached. Tom Coughlin instilled confidence in the team by playing all the starters the last game of the regular season: a brilliant move in retrospect, and probably one of the main reason they strutted through the NFC 'unbeatables' to the super bowl.
They dominate the line of scrimmage... thats really the main priority. When the jets had that with the sack xchange in the 80's... when we had Mawae and crew on the OL in recent history with ellis and abraham causing havoc- we did well. We need to do that to start winning again... not to mention a QB (clemens) who starts all 16 games and manages them well.. doesnt need to win it himself, just needs to not give the game away (healthy chad in 02,04,06)
