Third Time's A Charm?

By Matt Jussim

Third time’s a charm? That is what the Giants are hoping as they prepare to face the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday at the Meadowlands. The division rivals know each other all too well, and have split the two games they have played this season.

Each time, the road team was victorious. The Giants visited Philly on November 9th and defeated the Eagles 36-31. Eli Manning threw two touchdowns, while Brandon Jacobs rushed for two as well. The second time the teams faced off the Eagles prevailed 20-14 at the Giants Stadium. Brian Westbrook dominated the defense in that game, almost out gaining the entire Giants team amassing 211 total yards.

If the Giants hope to advance in the playoffs, the defense will have to find an answer for Westbrook. Justin Tuck didn’t practice on Wednesday, but Coach Tom Coughlin expects him to work out Thursday and play on Sunday. The Giants will need a supreme effort from Tuck, who has to return to his early season form. He has had only one sack in the past four games.

The Eagles were the only team to beat the Giants at the Meadowlands this season, but that does not guarantee success on Sunday. “We haven’t forgotten that game,” said defensive tackle Barry Cofield. “It wasn’t very long ago. They came in here and beat us up. So we owe them something.”

The Giants didn’t play particularly well in that game, and they wish to erase that memory with a win over their division rivals. “In that game we didn’t rush the ball, we didn’t pass the ball, we didn’t have many snaps,” Coach Tom Coughlin said. “They had the ball, they had time of possession. So it was disappointing from that standpoint. We had a drive at the end of the game that put us a little bit closer, but it didn’t say much about that game.”

Many voices in the sports community have been hailing the Eagles as the second coming of the 2007 Giants, which the team takes a bit personally. “There’s a strong dislike for one another,” said guard Chris Snee. “Anytime you get a chance to knock out a divisional opponent, one that you don’t like, you get geeked up for these challenges. I think both sides would agree that to knock the other one out would make the other one happy.”

Talk that the Giants may falter I think will just motivate the team even more to win the game on Sunday. Every time the media or anyone counts the Giants out, they find a way to win. They did it in the Super Bowl last year, and they did it against Carolina in Week 16 when everyone counted them out.

I predict a close, high-emotion game, but the Giants take this one, and advance to the NFC Championship game.