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New York Giants vs Philadelphia Eagles Week 14 Highlights

2009-12-20T11:49:00.000-05:00

New York Giants look to beat down Philadelphia Eagles Sunday night

2009-12-13T18:59:00.000-05:00

It really doesn't get any better than this December night: Giants vs. Eagles, teams that can't stand each other, perfect NFC East bone-chilling weather and the Giants desperately trying to save their season again after the Cowboys generously administered life support last weekend.

What more could you want?

"This is what you live for," Justin Tuck said.

The Giants dialed up the emotion, reached down deep and found their pride against Dallas. They played with an attitude. Now they have to do it against the Eagles. It's the final weeks for Giants Stadium and the old joint will be jumping Sunday night.

"We know it's going to be a fistfight," David Diehl said. "They don't like us. We don't like them. They are right down the Turnpike. This is what this game is all about."

This already is the single-elimination playoff season for the Giants. If the season ended right now, they wouldn't make the postseason. But if the Cowboys lose to the Chargers at home Sunday afternoon and the Giants beat the Eagles, then the Giants will jump into first place in the NFC East. If they lose, they can forget about the NFC East title - they will be down two games and the tiebreakers to the Eagles with three games left - and then need help to make it as a wild-card.
Were the Giants one-weekend wonders with their performance against the Cowboys? Or are they now a dangerous team given a second chance that can get on a serious run?

Last week, Tom Coughlin entered the "family circle," as Michael Strahan used to call the players-only pregame gathering on the field, when he used to do his "Stomp them Out," routine. Brandon Jacobshas continued the tradition and last week Coughlin surprised his players by getting into the middle of the circle for the first time and delivering a fiery speech.

They want him to do it again.

Every little bit helps. The Eagles have beaten the Giants three times in the last 12 months. They beat them last December at Giants Stadium and came back and beat them in the playoffs in January, the first team ever to beat the Giants twice in the same season at Giants Stadium.

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Giants' Playoff Future Rests in Eli Manning's Hands

2009-12-13T17:35:00.000-05:00

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning raised his play to rare heights in a postseason run two years ago that culminated in a Super Bowlupset of the previously undefeated New England Patriots.

Now, as streaky New York hosts the high-flying Philadelphia Eagles, the Giants hope Sunday night's NFC East showdown inspires an encore performance not far from the lights of Broadway.

"Anytime you are in the stretch — you are in December — you are talking to your team about playing their best, (and) obviously the quarterback has to play very well," sixth-year coach Tom Coughlin says.

Manning, 28, has watched older brother Peyton make it look easy at times in guiding the Indianapolis Colts (12-0) to the AFC South crown. Meanwhile, Eli has been as inconsistent as his unpredictable team while battling a foot problem, the first significant injury of his NFL career.
Manning, whose woes have been amplified by a defense that often has failed to make key stops, is keenly aware of how precarious New York's chances have become. After the Giants put together their first complete effort since their 5-0 start in beating the visiting Dallas Cowboys 31-24 last Sunday, Manning looked to the challenge of ending a three-game losing streak to the Eagles.

"We are going to need that win," he said.

After a four-game skid and later an embarrassing 26-6 Thanksgiving road loss to the Denver Broncos followed a torrid 5-0 start, New York (7-5) trails the Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys (each 8-4) in attempting to defend its title in the smash-mouth division.

Reasons for the Giants' wild ride surely extend well beyond Manning, including a defense that was shuffled as recently as last Sunday. But it is hardly coincidence that the team lost its way soon after the Super Bowl XLII MVP hurt his right foot and began to misfire.

He was hot when he completed 87 of 135 passes for 1,212 yards and 10 touchdowns with two interceptions through the first five games. His passer rating exceeded 100 in the last four of those contests, culminating in a perfect 158.3 mark in a 44-7 rout of the Oakland Raiders on Oct. 11. He played less than a half in that game after injuring his plantar fascia, the connective tissue that supports the arch of the foot, on the final step when he dropped back to pass the week before.

Concerns about Manning increased at the same rate as his incompletions when an MRI done during the second week of November showed a stress reaction (which signals the potential for fracture) in his foot that, at its worst, threatened his season.

In the first three games of the Giants' four-game tailspin, he did not complete more than 52% of his passes in any of those starts. He threw twice as many interceptions (six) as scores (three). His passer ratings: 61, 47.5 and 55.7.

Manning politely sidesteps questions about his injury and what went wrong as he focuses on his 84th consecutive start and the chance to avenge a 40-17 Week 8 rout against the Eagles, who also bounced the top-seeded Giants from last year's divisional playoffs.

"I was just going through a stretch," he says. "I feel good now, and hopefully we can finish the season strong."

After Philadelphia, road tests against the Washington Redskins and Minnesota Vikings are sandwiched around a home game against the Carolina Panthers. The Giants are bidding for their fifth consecutive postseason appearance. A little help, please

Eli needs supporting cast

In 2007, Eli made a name apart from Peyton and his father, Archie, a former NFL quarterback. He dramatically put a disappointing regular season (23 TD passes, 20 interceptions, 73.9 passer rating) behind him with a four-game playoff charge in which he threw for 854 yards and six touchdowns with one interception. His passer rating in that postseason: 95.7.

Center Shaun O'Hara, a friend of Manning's, emphasizes that the Giants do not need a repeat of those heroics to rescue them.

"I'll never put that pressure on him," he says. "I don't think it's fair to put all of that pressure on any one person, no matter who they are."

Former quarterback Phil Simms, MVP of the Giants' Super Bowl XXI victory, emphasizes the importance of the supporting cast.

"All he can do is do his job and take advantage of the opportunities when they are presented," the CBS analyst says. "If the team doesn't present him with opportunities, they are not going to the playoffs."

Simms praises the top pick in the 2004 draft for continuing his growth.

"I can just tell he's controlling the football better than he has at any time in his career," he says. "That means placement to the receivers, trajectory and speed. You've got to control trajectory, and, every once in a while, you've got to step on it."

Despite breaking in a young receiving corps and a foot problem that gave him visible discomfort in early October, Manning is 225-for-379 (59.4%) with 20 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions.

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New York Giants can take huge step toward NFC East crown with KO of Donovan McNabb, Eagles

2009-12-13T17:20:00.000-05:00

The Giants' two-month slump opened the door for the Cowboys and Eagles to take control of the NFC East, but neither of them managed to pull away. The Cowboys even had a chance to finish off the Giants themselves last weekend, but blew that, too.

So now here the Giants are, still teetering on the edge of elimination, but with an unexpected last chance to thrust themselves into the thick of the NFC East title chase - maybe even the lead.

"The way the season has gone we didn't think we would have this chance," said running back Brandon Jacobs. "They couldn't kick us out when we were playing bad so now you have to live with us."

How much longer the NFC East will have to live with the Giants (7-5) will become much clearer Sunday night when they face the Eagles (8-4) at what could be a very cold and wet Giants Stadium. A loss by the Giants and they'll have all-but conceded the division race. But if they win they could wake up Monday morning locked in a first-place tie.
That's just remarkable considering the Giants are just a couple of weeks removed from a season-killing stretch of five losses in six games. But they re-announced their presence in the division with a convincing and emotional 31-24 win over the Cowboys last Sunday.

"I thought the players responded to that the other night," said Tom Coughlin. "They were focused. They believed. What I really liked was the resiliency was back. If something bad happened, they still responded. They came right back and played harder."

That's exactly the opposite of the way the Giants played the first time they faced the Eagles, when they lost 40-17 in Philadelphia on Nov. 1 - easily the most embarrassing loss in the Giants' miserable two-month stretch. They gave up 180 rushing yards that day to a team that was without Brian Westbrook, including a 41-yard touchdown to fullback Leonard Weaver and a 66-yarder to LeSean McCoy. They also got beat for a 54-yard touchdown pass from Donovan McNabb to DeSean Jackson as the Eagles built a 30-7 halftime lead.

The game knocked the Giants out of first place and left linebacker Antonio Pierce feeling "mind-boggled by how we're playing." They were blitzed by two Eagles touchdowns in a 52-second span just before halftime, and Justin Tuck said he looked at his teammates after that and wasn't sure if they truly believed they could come back.

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Flozell Adams vs Justin Tuck

2009-12-09T21:19:00.002-05:00

NY Giants' revamped defense will face challenge against high-flying Philadelphia Eagles offense

2009-12-09T21:02:00.000-05:00

Most of the focus was on DE Osi Umenyiora’s demotion, but DT Fred Robbins also lost his starting job.

“It was disappointing, but I still have to perform,” Robbins said after playing spot duty in Sunday’s victory over the Cowboys. “I still have to go out there and do my job to the best of my ability. That’s all I can do.”

Robbins said his surgically repaired knee “isn’t an issue” and that he knows he must prove he’s not slowing down at age 32.

“It’s going to take more than one game to get back,” he said. “I still feel like I’m capable of performing.”
The Giants haven’t even talked to DT Barry Cofield about a contract extension, despite the fact he’s only three months from being a free agent. That’s because, if the owners and the union don’t agree on a new collective-bargaining agreement, next season will be uncapped and a player will need six accrued seasons, not four, to reach free agency.

That’s why it’s been so quiet on the extension front for Cofield and other fourth-year players, who will be restricted free agents without a new CBA.

“All of the guys I came in with, there’s no action,” said Cofield, a fourth-round pick in 2006. “It seems like the owners are confident (a CBA extension) is not going to get done. If I was the only guy (without an extension), I’d be devastated. But since that’s how it is for everyone, you just have to kind of accept it.

S Aaron Rouse vs. the Eagles passing game

Rouse replaced C.C. Brown in the starting lineup after the blowout in Philly, when Brown blew a coverage call on WR DeSean Jackson’s 54-yard touchdown. Since becoming a starter, Rouse has been reliable in coverage and in run support since missing a tackle on Eagles RB LeSean McCoy’s66-yard TD.

The NFL Network reported Tuesday night Cowboys OT Flozell Adams was fined $50,000 for hitting DE Justin Tuck in the back during Sunday's game. The fine is much bigger than the average penalty for an on-field act and brings Adams' 2009 fine total to $75,000. The NFL Network report also states a suspension for Adams is likely if he acts up again.

The Giants placed DB Vince Anderson on their practice squad/injured list and signed DB Londen Fryar, the son of former NFL WR Irving Fryar. The younger Fryar, who played for Western Michigan in college, was with the Chiefs in camp this summer after signing as an undrafted free agent.

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New York Giants not handling tight end Kevin Boss' hits to head with care

2009-12-09T21:00:00.000-05:00

There's a picture that was sent to Kevin Boss that summed up his season - a dramatic action shot of him making a 25-yard catch. The picture caught him just as he took a brutal, helmet-to-helmet hit from Cardinals safety Antrel Rolle in October.

He called it "funny" even though by just looking at it he could almost feel the pain.

"It was a pretty funny expression on my face, though I don't even know if you could call it an expression," Boss said. "My eyes were just closed and it looked like I was saying 'Ouch.' To say the least."

That was the first of two helmet-to-helmet hits the Giants' tight end took in a two-week span (the other came from Chargers safety Eric Weddle), and despite the look of pain and the fact that he felt like he was in a car wreck the next mornings, Boss insists he did not suffer any concussions. The Giants' doctors agreed because Boss missed only a handful of plays in each game. Even Boss admitted that's a surprise. "Yeah, I'm definitely surprised," he said. "It's one of those things where I definitely had my bell rung a little bit. But it wasn't the type of thing where I was blacked out or was knocked out and can't remember anything."
Whether he suffered a concussion or not is hard for even neurologists to say for sure, given how difficult the injury is to diagnose, especially immediately afterward on the sidelines of an NFL game. It's one reason why the NFL will soon require teams to consult with independent neurologists on any player with a concussion. There have been talks about having one present at all games, to take the difficult decision out of team doctors' hands. The Eagles used an outside neurologist to help with the case of Brian Westbrook, who suffered a concussion on Oct. 26, missed two games, suffered another one in his first game back on Nov. 15, and hasn't played since. Westbrook, who may return to practice today, was sent to the Pittsburgh Medical Center's Sports Medicine Concussion Program, whose doctors have been consulting with the Eagles on both him and receiver DeSean Jackson, who sat out with a concussion last week.

The Giants said they took a similar approach with Boss. He was examined by an independent neurologist and an independent neurosurgeon - both of whom were approved by the NFL as independent consultants. They also said his current neurological test scores are equivalent to his baseline test, which was determined in the offseason. When he was examined on the sidelines after the hits, according to the team, he did not meet any of the NFL's criteria for a concussion.

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Giants' Jacobs enjoys his part in win over Dallas Cowboys

2009-12-07T23:12:00.000-05:00

There are Cowboy lovers and Cowboy loathers, and by now, Brandon Jacobs has rather famously planted himself among the latter.

Sunday, the New York Giants running back added some fuel to the conversation with his 74-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter to give the Giants the lead and momentum.

Jacobs, usually a target of last resort for Giants quarterback Eli Manning, took great delight in giving the Cowboys a figurative thumb in the eye.

"Oh, ... no question," Jacobs said. "This is so good. This is the first time in my five years we've beaten the Cowboys twice in one season. It makes me feel on top of the world."

Jacobs, it should be noted, has been a 1,000-yard rusher twice in his NFL career, but has rarely done much damage to the Cowboys – save for a 117-yard outing last season.
He didn't do much on the ground against them Sunday, either, putting in a rather pedestrian 10-carry, 39-yard performance that included a 1-yard TD plunge.

So it came as something of a shock when he caught a 10-yard throw from Manning, who first had been looking first for tight end Kevin Boss, then rumbled down the sideline for the go-ahead touchdown.

"They were in man coverage to that side," Manning said. "Boss got banged as he was trying to release. I was able to throw [Jacobs] an accurate pass and keep him in stride. He showed some speed."

More speed, in fact, than Giants coach Tom Coughlinhad ever seen from Jacobs.

"I've never seen him run that fast," Coughlin said. "I reminded him of that."

Cowboy safety Gerald Sensabaugh made a diving shot at Jacobs at the Dallas 22, but Jacobs hurdled him and kept on running until he was plowed into the pylon by linebacker Anthony Spencer.

Jacobs said he could have kept running if he'd had to.

"I was good, actually," he said. "I was able to go to the sideline, celebrate and talk trash. I wasn't out of breath."

Nor was he out of ammo, using the occasion to fire off one final salvo at the team he says he first detested while growing up in Houma, La.

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Dallas brings out best in Giants, but Big Blue will get intense test from Eagles

2009-12-07T22:10:00.000-05:00

It took the hated Cowboys to bring back the passion and intensity in theGiants that mysteriously had been missing for almost two months.

The Giants saved their season with the 31-24 victory Sunday that had playoff intensity and implications. For at least a week, the Giants are back in business, one game behind the 'Boys and Eagles in the NFC East after sweeping Dallas for the first time since 2004.

"Dallas is a team that I just absolutely can't stand," Giants running back Brandon Jacobs said. "I've been hating Dallas ever since I knew anything about football. ... This feels so good."
Standing in the middle of a very noisy locker room, Giants co-ownerJohn Mara looked relieved. "I don't know where we went for a few weeks, but hopefully (we) are back now," he said. "It's a long season. You have ups and downs. I don't know what happened during that period, but I certainly like the effort and the emotion. Hopefully we can keep that going."

Now they have to do it again Sunday night with Philly coming to town.

This is the team the Giants expected to have all along. They played with heart. They made big plays. They imposed their will when it was absolutely necessary. And they didn't back down when Flozell Adams, who kicked and tripped Justin Tuck in the September game, partially tearing the labrum in Tuck's left shoulder, pushed him down from behind after a missed Cowboys field goal ended the first half.

Mathias Kiwanuka came over to defend Tuck and he and Adams grabbed each other's facemask as the benches emptied. Not that the Giants needed any more reason to get fired up, but Adams did it for them. "He's a dirtbag," Tuck said. "There's a few guys on Dallas I really admire as people. He's not one of them."

Tuck also called Adams a coward. All Adams could say was, "Justin Tuck is a nobody."

The Giants have to prove that the team that had lost five of the last six games has been put out with the trash. Are they one-weekend wonders? Can they prevent the Eagles from signing the locker room wall in their last visit to Giants Stadium?

It really makes you wonder where this team had been since starting the season 5-0. The intensity just wasn't there. They didn't look all that interested. They weren't playing physical, which has always been their trademark.

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Domenik Hixon's 79-yard punt return for touchdown a key play of NY Giants' 31-24 victory over Dallas Cowboys

2009-12-07T07:21:00.000-05:00

Derek Hagan and Kevin Dockery were so enthused that they tumbled over. Head coach Tom Coughlin delivered a fist pump so hearty it looked more like a golf swing. Defensive end Justin Tuck joyfully flopped his 182-pound teammate over his right shoulder.

Domenik Hixon couldn’t remember all the details of the celebration following his 79-yard punt return for a touchdown Sunday night against Dallas, but there was really only one that mattered.

His score put the Giants up 14 points with just over five minutes to play, one of the decisive moments in their eventual 31-24 victory over the Cowboys.

“I wouldn’t even know how to describe it,” Hixon said of the aftermath of the play. “We knew that a big play on special teams is a momentum changer, and that’s what we tried to do.”
Not that it was easy to pull off. Hixon forged a crafty escape route from the Cowboys coverage team, starting his return left and then cutting back right for a dash to the end zone outside a trusty wall of blockers.

Cowboys cornerback Orlando Scandrick had the first shot at him, sticking out his left arm, but Hixon turned back to his right and ducked safety Patrick Watkins. From the sideline, this was when Coughlin worried he might lose his balance and fall down — but Hixon stayed up.

As he continued to angle right, two Dallas players dove at his ankles and missed chances to tackle him. When he cleared the Giants’ 35-yard line, Chase Blackburn and Dockery started to set up the wall. Terrell Thomas took care of punter Mat McBriar, and Hagan delivered the final block of Cowboys receiver Sam Hurd at the Dallas 15-yard line.

From there, it was clear sailing into the right corner of the end zone for Hixon, who gave the Giants their first punt return for a touchdown since Chad Morton’s against Arizona in September 2005 — and, more importantly, a 31-17 lead with 5:33 to play.

“That was a huge emotional moment, I think, for everybody on that sideline,” Coughlin said. “I just thought that would be the one thing that we needed to allow us to win the game.”

Hixon pointed out that he had more space because the 59-yard punt outshot its coverage. He also, of course, gave the credit to the 10 blockers on the field with him.
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One big play by Brandon Jacobs just might have turned NY Giants' season around

2009-12-07T00:00:00.000-05:00

The play that could end up saving the Giants’ season was supposed to get about 5 yards. Hey, they had to start somewhere, right? Brandon Jacobs caught the ball in the flat, turned upfield and figured he could get 15. Maybe 20. Eli Manning saw him running down the sideline and thought, all right, this could be a big one. But no one, least of all the Cowboys giving chase, figured he could go all 74 yards for a momentum-changing — maybe season changing — touchdown.

“I’ve never seen him run that fast,” head coach Tom Coughlin said after a 31-24 victory moved his team to within a game of first place in the NFC East. “I just reminded him of that, too.”

So if this rocky season takes an improbable turn to a successful run in the playoffs, we know where it started.
It started with a struggling running back finally breaking free and making an impact when it mattered.

It continued when Jacobs — never mistaken for a ballerina — somehow managed to keep his 265 pounds inbounds at the Dallas 20-yard line.

It ended when he followed a lead block from tight end Darcy Johnson and blasted his way into the end zone.

Jacobs did not have a single play longer than 31 yards this season. This was more than twice that.

So was he winded?

“No, I was good,” he said. “I was able to celebrate AND talk trash, so I wasn’t out of breath at all.”

Yes, the Giants had a little bit of their swagger back after this one, and that was a good sign. They are tied with Dallas in the division now, by virtue of sweeping the season series, and just a game behind the Eagles, who come to the swamp Sunday night.

No one is booking flights to Miami just yet, and they have teased us with games like this before. But this win gives them life again, and it was more than the result. It was how they won.

There was the big special teams play, with Domenik Hixon breaking free for a 79-yard punt return for a touchdown.

There was the defensive stops in the fourth quarter, including a fourth-down, had-to-have-it tackle by cornerback Aaron Ross on Cowboys running back Marion Barber after Dallas had moved into Giants territory.

There were the things they had always done well when they were winning, but were missing in their midseason slump. The confidence seemed to return the moment Jacobs started rumbling down the sidelines.

Jacobs, maybe more than any player, has embodied the funk of this team. The big back has played small too often this year, averaging just 3.9 yards per carry and scaring no one.

He blamed himself for being a “terrible leader,” but this was more than being vocal in the huddle. This was about being a playmaker and restoring what made the Giants special.

The Giants offense hadn’t had a legitimately big play in weeks. With 3:39 left in the third quarter, after Dallas had taken a 17-14 lead, the home team was desperate for one.

Manning was playing it safe when he dumped the ball to Jacobs, who had just 15 catches all season to that point. “You’ll live many days by getting 5, 6 yards in the flat on first down,” Coughlin said.

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New York Giants Beat The Dallas Cowboys 31-24 Week 13 Game Highlights

2009-12-06T20:45:00.002-05:00

Eli Manning, new-look defense lead Giants to Big 31-24 win over Cowboys

2009-12-06T20:33:00.000-05:00

All week long the Giants stubbornly refused to admit the Dallas Cowboys had become the team to beat in the NFC East.

Now we know why.

With their season in danger of slipping away, the Giants came up with one of their finest performances of the year Sunday and turned the division into what could be a wild, three-team race. They got a big game from their new-look defense, a huge play from Brandon Jacobs, and a remarkable punt return for a touchdown by Domenik Hixon as they beat the Cowboys at the Meadowlands, 31-24.

The big play was a 74-yard touchdown pass from Eli Manning to Brandon Jacobs, who ran about 70 of those yards after catching a short pass near the end of the third quarter, giving the Giants a 21-17 lead into the fourth. And Hixon's 79-yard punt return for a touchdown with 5:33 remaining put the game away.

But the real heroes were on the revamped defense, where with three new starters - Mathias Kiwanuka, Chris Canty and Jonathan Goff - they shut down a Cowboys rushing attack that had ripped through them for 262 yards back in Week 2. Cowboys running back Marion Barber was barely a factor as the Giants (7-5) forced the game into Tony Romo's hands.

But Romo couldn't get anything done against the Giants' defense in the second half. And after a dangerous three-and-out midway through the fourth quarter, he opened the door for the Hixon return that sealed the Cowboys' fate.

The win was just the Giants' second in the last seven games, but it saved their season and moved them within one game of both the Cowboys (8-4) and the Philadelphia Eagles (8-4), who earned their share of the division lead with a 34-7 win over the Atlanta Falconsearlier in the day. The Giants, who now have the tie-breaker advantage over Dallas after beating them twice this season, face the Eagles at the Meadowlands in a huge showdown game next Sunday night.

This was exactly what the Giants had in mind when they tried to manufacture a spark by shaking up their defensive lineup on Friday. As expected, they started Kiwanuka at defensive end for Osi Umenyiora, Canty at defensive tackle for Fred Robbins, and Goff at middle linebacker for Chase Blackburn. Defensive coordinator Bill Sheridanalso feverishly rotated players in and out, almost down-to-down all-game long.

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NY Giants' playoff hopes bolstered by 31-24 victory against Dallas Cowboys

2009-12-06T19:37:00.000-05:00

Sunday evening, the Giants took control of their critical division game against the Cowboys -- and, perhaps, their season. Bolstered by running back Brandon Jacobs' 74-yard touchdown play and a 79-yard punt return from Domenik Hixon, the Giants fought their way to a 31-24 victory against Dallas at home.

With the win, the Giants (7-5) pulled within a half-game of the Cowboys (8-4) in the division standings, if the tiebreaker is factored in. The Eagles (8-4), who come to Giants Stadium next Sunday, are tied with Dallas atop the NFC East.

The Giants had led at the half, 14-10, after a pair of touchdowns in the final two minutes of the first half. They had a chance to add to that lead when they came back out for the second half, but quarterback Eli Manning threw an interception in the end zone to Dallas cornerback Mike Jenkins.

Tony Romo hooked up with Roy Williams for a 5-yard touchdown pass -- his second to Williams over cornerback Corey Webster -- to give the Cowboys a brief 17-14 third-quarter lead, before Jacobs' second score of the evening.

The Cowboys had a chance to pull within one point early in the fourth quarter, but kicker Nick Folk missed a 42-yard field goal attempt. Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes would add to his team's lead with a 23-yard field goal.

The Giants first got on the board late in the second quarter with a 21-yard touchdown pass to rookie Hakeem Nicks. Then, after the Cowboys got the ball back, defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka forced a fumble on a pass to running back Marion Barber, recovered by Osi Umenyiora. The Giants got the ball back at the Dallas 28-yard line and scored four plays later on a 1-yard touchdown run from Jacobs.

The Cowboys tried a 57-yard field goal as the half expired, but missed. As the teams ran off the field for the half, there was a large scuffle. Cowboys left tackle Flozell Adams was called for a personal foul, but the penalty was declined.

The Cowboys controlled the ball for much of the first half (21:10 to the Giants' 8:50) and jumped out to a 10-0 lead. Both teams traded fruitless possessions before the Cowboys drove into scoring distance early in the second quarter, thanks in part to a 32-yard completion to tight end Jason Witten that bounced on and off the hands of Giants cornerback Bruce Johnson. Dallas ended that drive with a 34-yard field goal, after rookie linebacker Clint Sintim saved a touchdown with a 7-yard sack of quarterback Tony Romo on third-and-goal.

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NY Giants without safety Michael Johnson vs. Dallas Cowboys

2009-12-06T15:05:00.000-05:00

Of all the positions on their roster, the last one at which the Giants could afford to lose another player to injury is safety.

But that's exactly what happened on Sunday afternoon when starterMichael Johnson was declared inactive for the game against the Cowboys with a groin injury suffered on Thanksgiving against the Broncos. Johnson was listed as questionable but seemed a lot closer to doubtful all week. It's his first missed game in his three seasons with the Giants, snapping his consecutive games streak at 48 (including postseason).

With Johnson out, the beleaguered C.C. Brown will make his first start since Week 6, when he struggled against the Eagles. Brown also had a few miscues in the loss to Denver. Aaron Ross will play safety in nickel and dime packages.

Also, running back Ahmad Bradshaw (ankles/foot) is active, which is no surprise, considering he ran sprints on Thursday and practiced on Friday.

Tight end Travis Beckum, who suffered a groin injury in practice on Friday and was listed as questionable, is out. Also not a surprise, considering the Giants signed TE Bear Pascoe off their practice squad on Friday. That was a good indication they were at least concerned about Beckum's availability. Pascoe will make his NFL debut.

Here's the list of Giants inactives:

WR Ramses Barden
S Michael Johnson (groin)
RB DJ Ware (concussion)
DB D.J. Johnson
TE Travis Beckum (groin)
OL Adam Koets
OL Guy Whimper
WR Sinorice Moss

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Time to put up or shut up: With season on line, Giants need to walk the walk against surging Cowboys

2009-12-06T10:41:00.000-05:00

The Giants have spent two months explaining how good they really are, how confident they are, and how they're sure they'll find a way out of their slump. Now, with less than a month left in the season, they're faced with this bleak reality:

They're nearly out of time.

In fact, it's now or never, at least as far as the NFC East race is concerned when the slumping Giants (6-5) mount one last divisional stand against the Dallas Cowboys (8-3) at Giants Stadium this afternoon.

A loss would put them three games back with only four games to go.

And given how poorly they've played, while losing five of their last six games, that's far too big a deficit for the Giants to overcome.

"You can call it whatever you want, you could put whatever cliché on it that you want, but the way we're looking at it is we've got to win this game," said center Shaun O'Hara. "We have to fight with every ounce that we have to try to win this game.

"And then we have do it all over again the next week."

That's the sad truth about the situation the Giants have put themselves in, that they can't afford anymore missteps down the stretch. Because not only are they in danger of ceding the division to the Cowboys, but they're also one game behind the Packers (7-4) and Eagles (7-4) in the wild-card chase as well.

That's not an enormous hole — at least not yet. But there's no way out if the Giants don't dramatically improve their play. If they hadn't won the overtime coin flip in their 34-31 win over Atlanta two weeks ago, they might be riding a six-game losing streak into this game. Their defense — which they'll shake up today by benching Osi Umenyiora and Fred Robbins in favor of Mathias Kiwanuka and Chris Canty - hasn't made a big stop since early October. Their running game has all-but disappeared. And Eli Manning is coming off a stinker of a game in Thanksgiving on Thursday night.

Yes the Giants say they're confident they'll still be able to salvage their season. But they don't have much time left to actually offer any proof.

"You know the old Coughlin saying, 'Talk is cheap, play the game'?" said linebacker Danny Clark. "This is one of those weeks where you have to put your money where your mouth is and your actions are going to speak louder than words. This is an opportunity for us to go show who we say we are, vs. saying it."

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Brandon Jacobs loves to hate Dallas Cowboys

2009-12-05T22:45:00.000-05:00

Growing up in Napoleonville, La., population 700, Brandon Jacobswas surrounded by Cowboys fans.

His family cheered for the Cowboys. So did some of his friends. It seemed that everywhere he went he ran into Cowboys fans, from community college, to Auburn and on to Southern Illinois.

So being a bruising running back for the New York Giants has been a bonus, allowing him two opportunities per season to spew anti-Cowboys venom.

"If I play for the Giants, or if I play for Buffalo, or if I play for anybody, my hatred for the Cowboys will remain the same because as a kid I just never liked the Cowboys," Jacobs said Thursday. "No one ever did anything to me. It's just that I took the team that a lot of people loved and that was the one I disliked."

No other current Giants player can rival Jacobs in his loathing of the Cowboys, at least publicly. There are few current sports figures who rile Dallas-area sports fans more.

Even in the off-season, Jacobs was shoveling disrespect on the Cowboys, telling a national radio audience that "I'm not a fan of Tony Romo. I don't think he's that good a passer, to be honest with you."

Before the Sept. 20 game at Cowboys Stadium, Jacobs said, "I hate the Cowboys with a bloody passion."

Jacobs talks as much on the field as off. He is considered one of the NFL's most vociferous trash talkers.

"He hasn't stopped talking," Cowboys linebackerBradie James said. "I think when they played Arizona ... he'd say, 'We've got the Cowboys Week 13 or Week 12.' That's all he does."

Cowboys nose tackle Jay Ratliff, a teammate of Jacobs at Auburn, offered a surprisingly different assessment:

"He's actually a really nice guy. We both have on-the-field mentality where you're nasty a little bit. He talks a whole lot more than I do, but he's a good guy. He's still a good friend of mine."

Jacobs' performance has been a hot topic as the Giants have gone from 5-0 to 6-5. After renewing his contract – four years, $25 million – Jacobs is still looking for his first 100-yard game.

But his work load will probably increase because of New York's lack of depth at running back. BackupDanny Ware is out with a concussion, and Ahmad Bradshaw is questionable with ankle and foot injuries. Bradshaw went through the Giants' jog-through on Thursday but sat out practice.

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AHMAD BRADSHAW WILL PLAY SUNDAY AGAINST COWBOYS

2009-12-05T22:08:00.000-05:00

Ahmad Bradshaw sounded like he's ready to return to action tomorrow in a potentially important development for the Giants' sagging running attack.

The electric running back missed the Thanksgiving loss to the Broncos with two sprained ankles, and didn't practice on Wednesday or Thursday this week. But after being able to practice yesterday, Bradshaw said he feels fantastic.

"My ankle feels 10 times better than two days ago," he said. Bradshaw officially is listed as questionable but said he could handle his normal workload against Dallas.

"I'm ready for anything right now," he said.

Bradshaw also said he thinks his absence has hurt Brandon Jacobs.

"His legs are getting punished, just because I'm not there to help him through practice all week," Bradshaw said. "And then Sunday his legs are almost dead."

Safety Michael Johnson (groin) looks like he will miss the first game of his career tomorrow. He didn't practice and is listed as questionable. C.C. Brown likely would start in his place. . . . RB DJ Ware(concussion) is out and TE Travis Beckum (groin) is questionable.

As part of the festivities marking the final season of Giants Stadium, the top Giants of this decade will be honored tomorrow. Tiki Barber, Greg Comella, Keith Hamilton and Sam Garnes will act as honorary captains.

Because they had a roster opening after moving LB Antonio Pierce to the IR, the Giants signed TE Bear Pascoe off their practice squad. They filled out their practice squad by signing DT Jeremy Clark.

FIVE KEYS TO BEATING THE DALLAS COWBOYS

2009-12-05T20:55:00.004-05:00

1. Stop The Run
You may remember their week two matchup in which the Cowboys ran for 251 yards on only 29 carries, good for an embarrassing 8.7 yards per carry. Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tony Romo each had rushing touchdowns.
Simply put: if the Cowboys come even close to these numbers, the Giants will be blown out. They were lucky to come away with a victory last time, and this time all of the other pieces will not fall into place.
The Giants cannot hope that Tony Romo will have a repeat performance of his worst game of the year. If they allow the Cowboys to run wild again, it won’t matter what else they do. The Giants haven’t had a game like this since, but you can be sure the Cowboys will try to find what worked in that game and get back to it.

2. Key On Miles Austin
When these two teams last met, Tony Romo was a mess, completing only 13 of 29 passes for 127 yards, one touchdown, three interceptions and a QB rating of 29.6. Unfortunately for the Giants, two things have changed since then: The Giants secondary has gotten weaker, while the Cowboys’ passing attack has gotten stronger.
The Giants have lost safety Kenny Phillips, who had two of those three interceptions. The loss of Phillips exposed the Giants’ secondary as a glaring weakness. Also since that first meeting, the Cowboys have started to feature Miles Austin in their passing attack, and that is not a good thing for opposing defenses.
In the first meeting, Tony Romo tried to force the ball to Jason Witten and Patrick Crayton, throwing them each seven passes. Miles Austin, on the other hand, saw only one target, which he caught for a twenty yard gain. Since then, Austin has taken over as the team’s starting wide receiver opposite Roy Williams, and he has flourished. The Summit, New Jersey native has caught 42 passes for 824 yards and eight touchdowns, and could be on his way to his first Pro Bowl (if voters vote correctly). He is on pace for roughly 1200 yards and 12 touchdowns. Not bad for someone who went undrafted out of Monmouth.
If the Giants are going to have any shot at stopping the Cowboys’ offense, they will have to stop Austin from getting the ball. With the ball in his hands, he can run for Miles (sorry). Austin has a reception of 40 or more yards in five of eleven games, and four of his last seven.

3. Air It Out
The running game has been pathetic and I see little reason to believe it can pick it up now. While most people probably believe the Giants’ number one priority should be to re-establish the running game, I’d like to see them go another way with it: an all out aerial show.
The Cowboys probably expect the Giants to come out and try to establish the run; they’ll be ready for that. Instead, give Eli Manning the keys to the car and let him decide the fate of the team’s season. Let him run some no huddle drives so as to take Kevin Gilbride’s playcalling out of the equation. If Eli is healthy enough to play, there’s no reason he shouldn’t be given the opportunity to throw it all over the field.
In their last meeting, Eli threw for 330 yards and two touchdowns. Mario Manningham and Steve Smith each had 10 catches for 130+ yards and a touchdown. Yes, it was in the Jerry Dome, but the point is this Cowboys team can be beaten by the pass. The Cowboys give up 225 passing yards per game, 21st overall in the NFL. They are much more stout against the run.
I’ve been barking up the “establish the run” tree all season, and to no avail. So screw it. Let’s air it out.

4. Block
This is pretty self explanatory: the offensive line has been putrid, and unless they can create some holes for
Brandon Jacobs and give Eli Manning more time to find his receivers, the offense will go nowhere. What used to be the biggest strength of this team is now a weakness.
Perhaps their is no solution to this problem. Maybe they have just lost some of their skills. Maybe the wear and tear of the NFL, as well as age, has finally caught up with these trench warriors.
But for at least five more games, the line needs to get its mojo back.

5. Remember December
Since 1997, in games in or after the month of December (including five postseason losses), the cowboys are 19-39 (32.8%).
Since 2002, it’s been even (slightly) worse: 11-23 (32.4%).
As mystical and magical as a December swoon may seem, the results speak for themselves. With a sample
size of almost 40 games played after the month of November over the last eleven years, the Cowboys have won just under one third of their games. That’s bad.
This isn’t really a strategy, just something to keep in mind. Four keys should be enough.

NFL FILMS: Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants Week 13 Preview Video

2009-12-05T20:47:00.001-05:00

New York Giants' Osi Umenyiora may head to bench as defense struggles

2009-12-05T09:34:00.002-05:00

With the season slipping away and the beleaguered defense not getting any better, the Giants finally seem ready to shake things up.

It appears that defensive end Osi Umenyiora and defensive tackle Fred Robbins have been demoted out of the starting lineup just in time for the Giants' crucial game against the Dallas Cowboys tomorrow. Though Tom Coughlin wouldn't confirm any moves, end Mathias Kiwanuka and tackle Chris Canty were working in those spots with the first-team defense at practice Friday.
And after a six-game stretch in which the Giants have lost five games and given up an average of 31.7 points, nobody should be surprised.

"At this point, if it saves our season, Coach would try anything to get this thing right," defensive end Justin Tuck said. "I don't see why it's a big deal."
It's a big deal, of course, since the Giants have only made one non-injury-related lineup change since their struggles began - benchingsafety C.C. Brown for Aaron Rouse. Also, Umenyiora is a former Pro Bowler who leads the Giants' anemic pass rush with five sacks.

But after missing all of last season due to knee surgery, he hasn't been the same.

That is evident by the fact that Umenyiora, who did not speak to the media Friday, has just two sacks in the last seven games. He also struggled against the run on Thanksgiving night in Denver when theBroncos, running often in his direction, gained 138 yards .

The Giants' run defense actually has been better lately and it's given up just 262 yards on 85 carries the last three games. "I think some of (the problems have) been overblown," defensive tackle Barry Cofield said. "I don't really think it's fair when people act like we're just a sieve out there."

Still, run defense was going to be a particular point of emphasis this week regardless, since the Cowboys rushed for 251 yards on just 29 carries in the Giants' 33-31 win in Dallas in Week2.

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Giants need to tap into hatred of Cowboys this Sunday

2009-12-04T07:00:00.002-05:00

Nothing has worked.

Not reminding the Giants of the urgency of the situation. Not demanding greater attention to detail. Not even questioning their pride.All the attempts to beseech the Giants into shedding their losing ways have fallen on deaf ears and been met with blank stares. Losing persists. Perhaps there might be only one motivational tool left in the shed.

Good, old-fashioned loathing of the Cowboys -- this Sunday's opponent at Giants Stadium.

"Once I signed to the Giants, I felt like that was the team to beat in our division," linebacker Danny Clark said. "Speaking to some people in this organization, they made it very, very clear that Dallas is a team we need to beat.

"The city likes when we beat Dallas. I'm totally into it. I want to devote every ounce of time and effort and passion to hopefully bring that to fruition."

The antipathy is mutual. Already Cowboys linebacker Bradie James is chirping how, "We don't like them and they don't like us," as if he's breaking new ground.

From a fan's point of view, the proximity of Philadelphia and recent battles with the Eagles might place that franchise to the south atop the list of Most Despised.

But ask players: It's always the Cowboys. If members of Giants ownership came clean, they would unquestionably circle the two meetings against the Cowboys each season as the games they want most of all.

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Giants face huge problems for remainder of season

2009-12-03T21:15:00.001-05:00

The New York Giants' problems only seem to get bigger as the season progresses, and in what has been a frustrating 2009 campaign overall.

Plagued by injuries and the inability to play well consistently, the Giants are watching their playoff hopes slowly fade away.

The Giants have been fighting to stay healthy all season, but with the recent loss of linebacker Antonio Pierce it seems the harder the Giants fight the harder they fall. With the loss of Pierce, the Giants not only lose their Pro Bowl inside linebacker, but their team captain and the heart and soul of the defense.
In their past two games without Pierce, the Giants have given up 57 points.

As if losing Pierce wasn’t bad enough, the G-Men, already without strong safety Kenny Phillips who was injured in week two, are now getting word that safety Michael Johnson might be out with a groin injury against Dallas. That means back up corner Aaron Ross will get some plays in at safety if Johnson is unable to play the full game or can’t go at all.

With the Giants hurting so much on defense, look for defensive ends Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora to step up as the catalysts to resuscitate the Giants defense.

The Giants offense has had a few setbacks this year as well, with injuries Eli Manning, Ahmad Bradshaw, and the receiving core.

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Running back Ahmad Bradshaw and safety Michael Johnson out of practice again

2009-12-03T21:10:00.000-05:00

The three Giants players who missed practice on Wednesday (Ahmad Bradshaw, Michael Johnson and DJ Ware) are out once again Thursday, though Bradshaw was doing heavy work on the side.

The Giants' running back, who missed last week's game against the Broncos with an ankle sprain, was doing full sprints and appeared to have no issues or limitations while running. I continue to hear optimism on Bradshaw, which means he might return to practice Friday and should play Sunday against the Cowboys.

Johnson (groin), however, might not be on the field against Dallas. He didn't do anything except stretch and jog very lightly during the portion of practice open to the media Thursday. We'll see if he makes any progress Friday.

The Giants have yet to make a roster move to replace linebacker Antonio Pierce. At this point, they'll wait to see what happens with Johnson and then decide if they should bring up one of the safeties from their practice squad (Sha'reff Rashad or Vince Anderson).

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New York Giants know NFC East is at stake as Dallas Cowboys come to town

2009-12-03T07:24:00.000-05:00

The Giants know another loss would damage their playoff chances and all but eliminate them from the NFC East race. And they are sure the Dallas Cowboys would love to be the ones to put them out of their misery.

But they are refusing to go quietly. In fact, they're not ready to give up on this season at all.

"They're looking to deliver the knockout punch," said Giants guard Chris Snee. "We'll see who delivers the knockout on Sunday."

Maybe it's a just an act of defiance, but the reeling Giants expressed confidence yesterday as they began preparing for their must-win, NFC East showdown with the Cowboys at the Meadowlands on Sunday. They have lost five of their last six games and are two games behind the Cowboys (8-3) with just five games remaining.

Yet their belief still seems to be as strong as ever. The Giants (6-5) seem to have no intention of conceding the NFC East.

"This division is wide open," said linebacker Michael Boley. "At this point in the year with this many games left it's up in the air. It's a crapshoot. I'm not going to say they're the team to beat. Anybody has a chance to win this division. It's all about how you finish."

Of course, at the moment, the Cowboys seem to be primed to finish strongly. They have won six of seven to seize control of the division, and they are coming off a 24-7 Thanksgiving Day win over Oakland. They seemed to fix their offensive problems after scoring just two touchdowns in the previous two games.

Meanwhile the Giants have gone in the opposite direction ever since they threatened to run away from the pack with a 5-0start that included a 33-31 win over the Cowboys in Dallas on Sept. 20. Despite that, defensive end Justin Tuck said earlier this week that, on a scale of one to 10, his confidence is an "11". And his teammates seem to feel the same way.

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