Posted in Giants on February 18, 2014 by EAST SIDE RYNO
I’ve been looking for this jacket for over a decade. A few weeks ago, I walked into Modell’s and BOOM – there it is – the Bill Belichick 1980’s Giants Jacket. Now it may not be the exact replica of the famous red Belichick jacket, but it’s close enough. If there was ever a piece of clothing that represented the Parcells era, it’s this jacket right here. If you’re a Giants fan, this is the perfect jacket to have for March weather. Buy it.
Belichick donning his red jacket after winning Super Bowl XXV
In the last five years, this has been the biggest rivalry in football. Yes, you can argue that Ravens/Steelers or Jets/Patriots rivalries have been significant, but I’ve never seen two franchises hate each other as much as the Eagles and Giants in my lifetime.
The Eagles and Giants rivalry dates all the way back to 1933, but the hatred between these teams didn’t start until the 1940’s when Philadelphia started to have a winning franchise. The Eagles would win back-to-back NFL championships in 1948 & 1949, while adding another in 1960. In 1960, in a regular season matchup, Eagles linebacker Chuck Bednarik famously blindsided Giants’ star running back Frank Gifford, causing Gifford to retire (for the time being). In 1978, the Giants were leading the Eagles 17-12 with just 20 seconds remaining. But instead of taking a knee, the G-Men decided to run one more running play. Quarterback Joe Pisarcik fumbled the hand-off to running back Larry Czonka, allowing Eagles cornerback Herman Edwards to pick up the ball and run into the end zone for a game-winning touchdown. For Eagles fans, this game is known as the “Miracle at the Meadowlands,” while for Giants fans it’s know simply as “The Fumble.”
Given how close New York and Philadelphia are to each other and how passionate the fans are for these historic teams, this rivalry deserves to be on this list. Here are some of the top games in the last twenty years between the Eagles and G-Men:
October 31, 1999 – Strahan Wins it in OT
On a cold Halloween night at the Vet, the Giants marched into Philly with a 4-3 record. The Eagles were struggling at the time with rookie Donovan McNabb starting at quarterback and led by first-year head coach Andy Reid. This game would turn out to be a classic. With the Giants down 17-3 heading into the fourth quarter, the Giants would score twice to tie the game. In overtime, Giants defensive lineman Christian Peter tipped McNabb’s pass which landed in the hand of the Michael Strahan. The all-pro defensive end picked off the pass and returned it for a touchdown sealing the comeback victory.
January 7, 2001 – Sehorn’s Pick-Six Leads Giants to NFC Championship
In the 2000 season, the NFC East rivals met in the NFC Divisional Playoffs. The heavily favored Giants began the game with a 97 yard kick-off return by Ron Dixon, and they didn’t look back. In one of the most memorable plays in Giants playoff history, G-Men cornerback Jason Sehorn made an acrobatic interception and returned it for a touchdown. The Giants would go on to win the game 20-10 and march onto the NFC Championship.
January 7, 2007 – Eagles Knock off Giants with Akers’ Game-Winning Field Goal
Exactly six years after the Giants defeated the Eagles in the playoffs, Philadelphia would get redemption. In the 2006 Wild Card match-up, the Giants headed to the Linc as the heavy underdogs. The Giants looked promising at the beginning of the 2006 season with a 6-2 record. But after finished the second half the season at an abysmal 2-6, the G-Men found themselves crawling into the playoffs. Meanwhie, the Eagles were hottest team in the NFL in November and December. With McNabb out for the season, backup quarterback Jeff Garcia led Philadelphia to five straight victories to close out the season and clinch the NFC East. The Giants would give the Eagles a good fight in the playoffs, but the Eagles would go on to prevail with a game-winning field goal by David Akers as time expired.
After a phenomenal offseason by the Eagles given the signings of Cullen Jenkins, Nnamdi Asomugha, and Vince Young, Philadelphia was self-proclaimed the “Dream Team.” The Giants, on the other hand, looked like a team in turmoil. Having lost their starting cornerback Terrell Thomas and linebacker Jonathan Goff to season-ending injuries, and having lost starting tight end David Boss and wide receiver Steve Smith to free agency, the Giants looked a team destined for the NFC East cellar. But in week 3, the GMen went into the Linc and stunned the Eagles with a 29-16 victory. The Giants would go on to win the Super Bowl while the Eagles failed to make the playoffs.
Posted in Giants on February 5, 2012 by sammywestside
Here we are, after two weeks of anticipation the Giants and the Patriots are only a few hours away from battling it out for the ultimate championship. This game is all we’ve heard about for a while and I’m sure you all know the in’s and out’s of it. The Patriots and Giants are both much different teams than they were 4 years ago, and honestly this game has nothing to do with that day. Pat fans I’m sure are exciting for a chance to beat the Giants in the Super Bowl. Giant fans want to solidify the legacy of great players and coaches who haven’t earned enough respect for winning four years ago.
This game could go all different sorts of ways and those who guarantee it to be a real close game shouldn’t be that confident. Both teams have the ability to separate themselves from one another, and both are built similarly. The Giants and Pats both throw the ball a lot and successfully, but have very inconsistent run games. On defense they have had their moments, but in the end neither teams strength lies there.
In my opinion this game comes down to one thing and one thing only. TURNOVERS. Whoever wins that battle will win the game. If both teams are even in turnover then the game will indeed come down to the final minutes, but there is absolutely no idea to know. Turnover can come in many ways, they can be forced, they can be made, and they can be downright unlucky. The timing of turnovers can be costly as well. If you turn it over on the precipice of a score it can be costly, but even more so if it leads to an easy score for the other team. When and how many turnovers happen in this game will determine the outcome.
If you came here for a prediction, I fear I will not give it to you. As a Giants fan though, I have an uneasy feeling about the way the Giants have been pimped up for the game and how the Patriots have taken an unusual underdog role. About 60% of people out there seem to be picking the Giants, and I hope the confidence the Giants have gained does not go to their head. We’ll see in only a few short hours, and the Giants need to get after it. One final note, I couldn’t be LESS excited for Madonna to perform at halftime, she’s old and I’ve never liked her music anyway. We need to do better than this! Anyway, hope everyone enjoys the game!
Posted in Giants on January 15, 2012 by EAST SIDE RYNO
Here we go. Gameday baby. Nothing better than a playoff matchup between two old-school teams in the most historic stadium in football. All I’ve heard this week in the media is how the Giants have a good shot at winning this game since they have the momentum. But I think we’re all forgetting just how good this Green Bay Packers team has been. They’re 15-1, undefeated at home, have an MVP quarterback, and are the defending Super Bowl champs. Let’s just get that straight. But having said that, the Packers are beatable. In Week 13, the Giants stood neck and neck with the Pack all game. Eli was able to pick apart the Packers’ secondary, but the defense looked atrocious. But Perry Fewell’s defense have improved and are much healthier since that early December game. In order for the Giants to win today, they must execute two basic things:
1) ESTABLISH THE RUN
If Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs perform like they did last week, the Giants will pick apart the Packers’ mediocre defense. With a good running game, Eli Manning will have a field day with his receivers. In 2007 when the Giants last played the Packers in the postseason, the Giants gained a solid 134 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Plus that Packers defense was one of the best in the league that season. If Jacobs and Bradshaw only run for a combined 85 yards, like they did against the Pack in Week 13, it’s not going to be pretty for Kevin Gilbride.
Hopefully we will see more of this from Brandon Jacobs, just like in 2007:
2) PRESSURE RODGERS
Aaron Rodgers can’t have time in the pocket if the Giants want to win (or at least hold the Packers under 45 points). With Jennings back in the lineup today, Rodgers has all of his weapons ready to go. Let’s face it, the Giants secondary has improved over the 2011 season but it’s still not that good. Just like they did with Matt Ryan, the defensive line must get to Rodgers and disrupt his time in the pocket. In Week 13, there was a play in the second half where the Packers were inside the ten on a 3rd and goal. Rodgers went back to pass and had at least eight seconds in the pocket. Eventually, Donald Driver got open and the Packers had themselves another touchdown. (See Below) This can’t happen today. Let’s hope JPP, Osi, and Tuck stay hot and lay the hammer on Rodgers all game.
Posted in Giants on January 8, 2012 by EAST SIDE RYNO
Good thing the Giants decided to to play their best football in the three most important games of the season. This is what happens when a team gets healthy at the right time. Osi, Tuck and JPP were simply unstoppable, Jacobs was an absolute beast, and Nicks was unreal.
I’ve heard some buzz about these guys looking eerily similar to the 2007 team. First of all, the 2007 Giants was a once in a lifetime kind of run. With the Giants headed to Green Bay next week, it’s the perfect opportunity for an upset. In Week 13 at the Meadowland, the GMen came close to beating the then-undefeated Packers 38-35 (the same score the Giants lost to in the regular season to the 2007 undefeated Patriots). It’s close to impossible to beat the Packers at Lambeau this season, but if there’s a team that can do it, it’s the New York Giants. This squad plays better on the road, plus this team has a history of doing the unthinkable on the road. We obviously know about the 2007 season where the Giants won 11 straight on the road including the Super Bowl against the 18-0 Patriots. But in 1990, the Giants were in a similar situation when they had to go out to Candlestick Park to face the 49ers in the NFC Championship game. At Candlestick, Joe Montana and the NIners never lost, especially in the postseason. Against all odds, the Giants went to San Fran and beat the Niners on a last second field goal to go to the Super Bowl. So who knows? Maybe next week the Giants can make history once again. Game time is 4:15pm Sunday.
Posted in Giants, Jets on December 25, 2011 by EAST SIDE RYNO
Instead of talking trash all week, maybe Rex Ryan should've figured out a way to stop Jason Pierre-Paul
Could this be the day Rex Ryan will shut up for good? I mean how can anyone take Rex seriously from now on? All week he constantly preached on how the Jets were “the better New York team,” disrespected Tom Coughlin and guaranteed a victory (shocker). But after today’s game, we can now all enjoy a nice Christmas knowing this coach is completely full of shit. What’s Rex going to do now? Guarantee another Super Bowl? A playoff victory? Try and fight Brandon Jacobs? Who cares? The dude is all talk.
By no means did the Giants play well today. They could’ve won this game by forty points, but instead they kept the Jets in the game. This easily could’ve been a disaster. After the Jets fumbled on the Giants’ one yard line, the GMen had the ball with only eight minutes to go in the game up by six. Instead of taking some time off the clock and run the ball, they passed and threw a shitty interception. Are you freakn kidding me? Is Kevin Gilbride trying to lose his job? Pathetic.
Coming into this game, I felt that the Giants needed to execute three things to win. First, they had to put pressure on Sanchez. The secondary has been awful as of late, so the line needed to step up big. And all day, JPP and Tuck were in Sanchez’s grill. Plus the line ultimately ended the game with a Chris Canty safety in the final two minutes. Second, they had to establish the running game. The Giants ran the ball terribly in the first half, but made the right adjustments in the second. This allowed the GMen to control the game’s tempo. Gotta admit, tt was fun to watch Jacobs and Bradshaw run guys over again. It felt like it was 2007. Third, the Giants couldn’t beat themselves and turn the ball over. With the exception of the terrible fourth quarter interception, Eli and the offense kept the ball out of harms way.
Like Coughlin said, the Giants must put this game behind them and start preparing for the Cowboys immediately. It’s simple: win and you’re in. The Giants are lucky to be at 8-7 and control their own destiny. So here we go. The playoffs for the 2011 New York Giants begins next Sunday night.
EAST SIDE RYNO
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5 BOROUGH SPORTS 