Giants Blowout Philly, but Eliminated from Playoffs

GIANTS 42
EAGLES 7 

Needing to win their season finale to give themselves a shot at the playoffs the Giants had their best performance of season both offensively and defensively, as they smacked a Philadelphia Eagles' team that had mailed it in a long, long time ago, 42-7.

However, it didn't mean a thing as the Chicago Bears defeated the Detroit Lions 26-24, silencing the Giants playoff hopes. The Giants dream of defending their Super Bowl title is dead.

After two of the most dismal games in the Tom Coughlin era that put this team in a huge pickle, the Giants suddenly woke up from their second half swoon to send Andy Reid out rudely in his final game as Eagles coach.

Right out of the gate the Giants offense showed the kind of poise and consistency that had been missing for a majority of the season. Perhaps offensive coordinator Kevin Gillbride realized that his job was on the line? Too bad he and this group couldn't play with the same urgency about a month ago!

 After Michael Vick was picked off by Steve Brown setting up the Giants at the Eagles 26, Big Blue quickly pounded it in when a crisp Eli Manning found Ruben Randle from three-yards out to give the Giants a 7-0 lead.

On the next Giants possession, Manning was again percise. He hit Randle for 10 yards, and Victor Cruz for nine more. Finally, the former Super Bowl MVP found Randle streaking down the sideline for a 38-yard touchdown. All season the Giants have been missing a reliable third receiver to take pressure off of Cruz and Hakeem Nicks, and nobody stepped up until today. Nice to meet you Mr. Randle.

After another Eagles three-and-out, the Giants offense continued to light up the scoreboard in the first quarter. Manning's simple screen pass to Ahmad Bradshaw turned into a 41-sprint to the Eagles 28. Three plays later, David Wilson plowed through the front seven for a 15 yard touchdown, extending the lead to 21-0.

The Giants rolled up 32 first downs on Philadelphia's depleted defense, with Manning playing the starring role. Manning had a season high and career high, five touchdown passes in a game that turned out to be pretty meaningless for Big Blue.

In a year that has been a complete disappointment for the star quarterback, a huge day against this Eagles team is going to do little to quell the frustration of what could have been.

They were in first place midway through the season at 6-2, inspite of two divisional losses to Dallas and Philadelphia. Yet, the cracks that were there early in the year, became craters as the season wore on. The offensive line was bad, the running game was practically nonexistent, and the receiving corps was under siege. Not to mention the play-calling was awful.
Defensively, the only reason the Giants had a big game Sunday, was because they were playing the Eagles -- a team that had given up on both Michael Vick and coach Andy Reid, and couldn't wait to get their golf clubs ready for Hawaii.

There has been speculation that defensive coordinator Perry Fewell would be a head coaching candidate for someone, but after a season where he coached the Giants defense to 30th in the NFL, anyone who takes this character on their club would be doing the Giants a big time favor. 
Tom Coughlin and company are going to have to look long and hard at this season and find a way to improve a team that badly underachieved all season long. The Giants can ill-afford to go 9-7 every single year and hope against hope that the ball bounces their way to get into the playoffs. At one point the Giants have to have a consistent 11-5 or 12-4 campaign. If not, maybe it is time to reconsider Coughlin's job security with this franchise.

If Coughlin and GM Jerry Reese want to make a major change, they have to fire both Gillbride and Fewell and bring in coordinators who can get this group to play well. They will have to say good-bye to some long time Giants, i.e. Osi Umenyoria and Justin Tuck who were both invisible this season, and re-tool an offensive line that was hideous all season.

Even though the Giants won their season finale, it will not take the bad taste out of their mouths for this season. Maybe that will motivate them going forward.

NOTES: While the season is over, it is never too early to look ahead to the Giants scheduled opponents for 2013. The Giants will face the NFC North and AFC West. Depending on what happens tonight in Washington, the Giants will face either the second or third place finisher in the NFC South and NFC West.

Home: Philadelphia, Washington, Dallas, Green Bay, Minnesota, Denver, San Diego, (Seattle or St. Louis)

Away: Philadelphia, Washigton, Dallas, Chicago, Detroit, Oakland, Kansas City, (Carolina or New Orleans)