I have read several stories in the past few days about how the NY Giants backed into the playoffs this week. To catch everyone up who may not be a Giants fan; the Giants lost on Sunday to the Eagles, but when Dallas lost to Pittsburgh later in the day, it clinched the NFC East title for the Giants. So these articles are saying that because the Giants didn't win their game on Sunday and won the division because another team lost, that they backed into the NFC East title.
Ummm.......EXCUSE ME??!!!
How is this backing into the playoffs?? Did we all just forget the 11-1 start that the Giants had that put them in position to win the division in Week 14 of the season? Or the fact that up until Sunday they hadn't lost to anyone in their division, let alone the entire NFC? They beat the 1st place Arizona Cardinals, the 1st place Steelers, and demolished the likely playoff bound Baltimore Ravens.
Backing into the playoffs is a team that wins its division with a 9-7 record, after it loses its final regular season game, and only goes to the playoffs because the other teams in their division also lost their last games and ended up with worse records.
The Giants just happened to lose this week when they were able to clinch the division early. They put themselves into that position on the shoulders of their 11-1 start. They didn't back in because Dallas lost, they earned their spot by being dominant over the first 13 weeks of the season.
I feel bad for the Cowboys, Panthers, and Vikings who all have to face the Giants in the final 3 games of the season, because as we've seen in the past, the G-Men don't take too kindly to being disrespected like that, and they tend to take it out on whatever team they happen to be facing that week.
And if you disagree....go ahead and tell me I'm wrong.
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9 comments:
You're wrong.
But only because you dared me.
Backing into the playoffs is what the Giants did two years ago. If the Giants win their next two games they will have home field throughout the NFC playoffs. No way is that backing in! They just happen to clinch during one of the two weeks this year they didn't win a game.
Bob
You got it Bob. I was SHOCKED to read those stories on ESPN and the newspapers that were calling this "backing in" to the playoffs.
What a slap in the face to the great success they have had so far this year.
Pshhhhh. As a Vikings fan I laugh at your Giant's pathetic attempt to "back into the playoffs" and encourage you to watch as we show you how it's down over the next three weeks.
p.s. if you could play your 2nd or 3rd string players in that last game? Yeah. That'd be greaaaaaat.
Rosey: If any team is lucky enough to "back into" the playoffs it would be The Dallas Cowboys a.k.a the most frustrating team to watch in 2008 ....as for the Yankees? thats another story for another time...good to hear from ya....enjoy the game Sunday...guess who I'll be rooting for? Happy Holidays.......
Good to hear from you Matty. Should be a great game this Sunday. Happy Holidays to you too. And if you wouldn't mind, could you maybe give this blog a little plug to your friends over at The Spot? I know there are some big-time sports fans there and I will try to continue to do stories on a national level as opposed to doing only NY stories.
GO G-MEN!!
Alright Rosey, on the subject of the Giants "backing into the playoffs", I'm not saying they are yet, I just wanted to point out that at this point if:
1. Panthers win out (Giants, Saints)
2. Vikings win out (Falcons, Giants)
then final seeding of division winners would be:
1. Panthers
2. Vikings
3. Giants
4. Cardinals
I'm not saying it's going to happen...but the Panthers are probably the hottest team in the league right now, and if the Vikings manage to win next week (not a gimmie game by any means!) the Giants will be coming to the Metrodome trying to keep the number 2 seed.
Personally, I'm hoping Giants beat the Panthers AND the Saints beat the Panthers (this seems even more unlikely though). In this case Giants won't have much to play for in week 17 and if Vikings manage to beat Falcons could slip past the Panthers into the 2 seed!
I suppose you could start to make the case that they backed in if they don't win one of their next two games, but I still think that notion is a little far-fetched. Anytime a team wins 11 of 12 games it's pretty good.
I read all about the possibility of them being the 3 seed, but I think they will go into Carolina next week and shut all the doubters up. The big X factor will be if Brandon Jacobs plays or not. If he does, they win the game. If not, it'll be interesting.
The Vikes have done a real nice job driving to the playoffs and at the same time have pretty much flown under the radar. They're tricky to figure out, and I'm not sure I'd like to play them right now.
That said, I still don't think ANYBODY wants to play the Giants in the playoffs, regardless of seed.
Hmmmm. While I think while you had a good point when you posted after the pundits used this "backing in" phrase after the one loss, and while one win is probably enough as it will give them the #1 seed; if the Giants don't win AT LEAST one of the next two they will have without any question backed in (4 straight losses pretty much defines it...) and they will have very likely thrown away a very good season.
This is all just hypothesis though...there's a LOT of football left. In any case, though, I think you'll have your fingers crossed for Mr. Jacobs... ;-)
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