If the remainder of this week is anything like the first day back to work for the Giants, they may have convinced themselves that they stand no chance to score a single point and have no prayer of even remotely hindering Donovan McNabb and the Eagles in Sunday’s playoff clash.
The team that assembled at Giants Stadium yesterday did not merely gather to praise the Eagles, but also to insist that all traces of past and recent Giant domination should be stricken from the record. If it pleases the court, those eight games are of no relevance to this case and should not be admitted as evidence.
The fact that the Giants have hammered the Eagles not once, but twice this season? Means nothing. The fact that in Jim Fassel’s four seasons the Giants are 8-0 against the Eagles? Means less than nothing.
The Giants were so eager to shower their opponent with plaudits that one would think they believed they were preparing to face the Rams, instead of a familiar divisional opponent they’ve had no trouble outscoring 57-25 this season.
The Giants searched and discovered new superlatives to heap on McNabb and saluted the Eagles as a team with profound determination and toughness. All that was missing was a concession speech.
“The odds are really not in our favor, if you look at it,” Jessie Armstead said. “Those eight times we beat ’em don’t mean nothing. They can erase all those losses if they win this one. It’s really unheard of to beat a team three times in one season. We’ve got our work cut out for us. The third time will be real hard. You fight someone three times, the odds are not in your favor the third time.”
Who says?
It just may be that the Giants match up exquisitely well against the Eagles and will continue their dominance in the third meeting. Just as Fassel bought into a popular theme that the Eagles “have gotten a lot better since we’ve played them,” he also correctly pointed out “and we’ve gotten a lot better.”
The Eagles put everything together in a 21-3 playoff dismantling of the Buccaneers but now have to hit the road to continue a magical climb that is even more unexpected than the Giants’ ascension.
It was difficult, but not impossible, to get the Giants riled up. There was anger directed at Eagle running back Brian Mitchell, who suggested that Tiki Barber’s fractured left forearm will be an inviting target. And there was the requisite “bring ’em on” retorts to reports that the Eagles are thrilled about getting another crack at the Giants.
There was even an attempt by Keith Hamilton to work himself into a frenzy as he tried to twist the reality that the Giants are favored in this game. Finally, when he realized he could not apply the underdog label to his team, Hamilton went for a blanket challenge.
“I’m not taking the approach that this is a game we should win,” he said. “It’s a game we’re going to have to fight like hell to win. If I got to pull somebody and [bleeping] choke somebody, they’re going to be ready when we line up out there on Sunday.
“They’re a good team, I give them much respect, but this is a do-or-die situation and we’ve got to be ready. We’re going to be ready.”
One by one, the Giants built a formidable case, going so far as to characterize their 33-18 and 24-7 victories over the Eagles as deceptively one-sided. If the Giants keep this up all week, they may be too frightened to take the field this weekend.
There’s a wide-ranging sample from which to choose.
The Giants on their domination of the Eagles:
Fassel: “I don’t want to hear about all that record stuff, what our record is against them. All that stuff is out the window. It’s the playoffs. I reminded my team that’s a solid team in all areas. We can arguably say we played our two best games of the year against them.”
Michael Strahan: “It’s overrated to say, ‘The Giants have beaten them.’ Please, when you’re out there, it’s not easy. We haven’t had an easy one yet, regardless of what the score may say. With this Philly team, everything is going to be said about the past, but that doesn’t mean anything.”
The Giants on the brilliance of McNabb:
Hamilton: “He’s a one-man wrecking crew. Of all the quarterbacks we’ve played and I’ve seen, people talk about his passing ability, but he’s a tremendous runner, he could start at tailback for a lot of teams and he’s got as good an arm of anybody I’ve seen since I’ve been in the league.”
The Giants on the Eagles’ spirit:
Strahan: “This is a team that’s going to play their hearts out. They believe they are destined to go to the Super Bowl, and they’ve got to come through here to get it.”
Armstead: “This is a team that’s going to fight back. When we played them, that stood out, that they fight to the end.”
Finally, when it was suggested the Eagles might actually be a team that is held in even lower regard than the Giants, Barber couldn’t resist a smile. “It’s a no-respect game, then,” he said. “I guess no one will watch.”
For more on the Giants, read Paul Schwartz’s Giants Plus in New York Post Sports Week.