Staying Alive: The Night the Giants Saved Their Season

It took less than six minutes for the fate of the Giants franchise to turn around.

Ever since I left New York for college, I have a tradition of calling my father after every Giants game to recap what happened.  As Dez Bryant was imitating Victor Cruz's salsa dance with less than six minutes to play and the Cowboys lead stretched to 12, I couldn't help but formulate what I was going to say on the phone:  

"All of our injuries caught up to our defense.  Kenny Phillips wouldn't have blown that coverage like Antrelle Rolle did."

"Eli and our offense put up a fight.  We'd be 9-4 if our defense was even average."  

"It's unfortunate, but I don't see how we can keep Tom Coughlin around after his fourth second-half collapse in six years."

What a difference a few minutes make.  Last December, the Giants lost their 2010 season in an eight minute "take it to your grave" collapse against the Eagles.  Ultimately, it was the difference between them missing the playoffs and going to the NFC Championship game.  Last night, New York saved its 2011 season in an improbable six minute comeback.  It may turn out to be the difference between the Giants firing their coach and hosting a first-round playoff game.

If the Giants do make the playoffs, then this win will have been their biggest since Super Bowl XLII.  But nothing is guaranteed right now.  New York's defense is among the worst in the league, and the Giants have trailed in the fourth quarter in 12 of 13 games (Week Two against the Rams being the only exception).  Those are not the characteristics of a playoff team.  But amid all the criticism for second-half collapses, what's lost in the Coughlin era is that his teams are always playing for something.  In fact, there's been only ONE game in the past seven seasons (the 2009 finale against the Vikings) when the Giants took the field knowing they had been eliminated from playoff contention.  That is a monumental accomplishment.

The road ahead is not easy.  New York now hosts the Redskins, who beat them in Week One and nearly beat the Patriots yesterday.  Then they play the Jets in a Christmas eve game that is sure to get personal.  And if the Giants lose to the Cowboys in the season finale, yesterday's comeback will have just delayed the inevitable. But last night's win guaranteed that Giants fans can keep believing in their team's playoff hopes deep into December.  At this point, that's all you can ask for.

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 Image found here.