Die Hard Giants Fan

The Detroit Lions beat the New York Giants by a score of 13-10.

1st Quarter

The Lions won the toss and elected to receive on the opening possession. The Lions were able to get to a manageable 3rd and 3. Kitna rolled right avoiding two sacks to hit Johnson along the right sideline for 44 yards. The Lions ran a few quick plays to pick up a first down and a few yards. On 2nd and 8, Jon Kitna connected with Roy Williams over the middle. Williams avoided a tackle by Johnson for a 20-yard Touch Down to give the Lions a quick 7-0 lead.

The Giants first possession resulted in a Punt.

The Lions second possession resulted in a Punt.

2nd Quarter

The Giants second possession resulted in a 44-yard missed Field Goal Attempt by Tynes.

The Lions third possession resulted in a Punt.

With 7:02 remaining, Wright from shotgun launched the ball to Moss for a 46-yard gain on the right side. On 1st and 10, Wright handed it off to Bradshaw who ran it up the gut for a gain of 3 yards. On 2nd and 7, Wright fired it to Hixon over the middle for a 12-yard gain. On 1st and 10, Wright threw an incomplete sidearm pass to Matthews near the right hashmarks. On 2nd and 10, Wright dropped back a lobbed the ball to the right side of the end zone, and Hixon made the catch but came down with only one foot in bounds. On 3rd and 10, Wright from shotgun threw the pass through the hands of Bradshaw in the middle of the field. On 4th and 10, Lawrence Tynes made a 33-yard Field Goal Attempt making the score Lions 7 - Giants 3.

With 4:50 remaining, Orlovsky on the rollout connected with Bellamy for gain of 5 on the right side. On 2nd and 5, Orlovsky dropped back and made a 10-yard pass to Gaines along the left sideline. On 1st and 10, Orlovsky from shotgun fired it to Bellamy on a slant for 8 yards. On 2nd and 2, Orlovsky handed it off to Smith who ran up the middle for a gain of 4 yards. On 1st and 10, Orlovsky handed it off to Smith who broke right for a 3-yard gain. 2:00 Warning. On 2nd and 7, Orlovsky from shotgun connected with Standeford on the right side for a pickup of 10 yards. On 1st and 10, Orlovsky from shotgun threw it out of bounds. On 2nd and 10, Orlovsky from shotgun fired it to Standeford on the right side for a 9-yard gain. The Lions called a Time Out. On 3rd and 1, Orlovsky handed it off to Smith who ran up the gut for no gain. The Giants called a Time Out. On 4th and 1, Jason Hanson made a 50-yard Field Goal Attempt making the score Lions 10 - Giants 3.

The Giants fourth possession came to an end as Reuben Droughns fumbled the football at the Lions’ 44 yardline and it was recovered by LaMarcus Hicks.

The Lions took a knee to conclude the first half.

Halftime

3rd Quarter

The Giants turned the ball over on downs on their fifth possession at the Lions’ 47 yardline.

The Lions sixth possession resulted in a 37-yard missed Field Goal Attempt by Johnson.

The Giants sixth possession resulted in a Punt.

The Lions seventh possession resulted in a Punt.

The Giants seventh possession resulted in a Punt.

The Lions eighth possession resulted in a Punt.

With 1:27 remaining, Carr handed it off to Ware who ran to the left for a gain of 5. On 2nd and 5, Carr from shotgun fired it to Jennings along the left sideline for a 13-yard gain. On 1st and 10, Carr dropped back and connected with London along the right sideline for a gain of 5.

4th Quarter

On 2nd and 5, Carr handed it off to Ware who ran to the left for a 3-yard gain. On 3rd and 2, Carr fired it to London over the middle who broke tackles and picked up 29 yards. On 1st and 10, Carr handed it off to Ware who broke to the left for a gain of 2. On 2nd and 8, Carr from shotgun handed it off to Ware who got the end zone, but Collins was called for an Illegal Block in the Back penalty to bring it back. On 2nd and 15, Carr from shotgun dumped it to Ware in the middle of the field for a 3-yard gain. On 3rd and 12, David Carr from shotgun drilled it to Craphonso Thorpe at the goalline who broke the plane for a13-yard Touch Down tying the game at 7-7.

The Lions ninth possession resulted in a Punt.

The Giants ninth possession resulted in a Punt.

With 7:49, Stanton ran it himself towards the right side and picked up 7 yards. On 2nd and 3, Stanton handed it off to Pinner who ran to the right for 4 yards. On 1st and 10, Stanton handed it off to Pinner who ran to the left for a gain of 3 yards. On 2nd and 7, Stanton ran it himself and out of bounds after picking up 4 yards. On 3rd and 3, Stanton dropped back and connected with Pinner in the flat who picked up 7 yards. On 1st and 10, Stanton handed it off to Pinner who ran it up the gut for no gain, and Phillips forced a fumble that Blackburn recovered. There was a Coach’s Challenge which overturned the ruling on the field. On 2nd and 10, Stanton from shotgun ran it himself and out of bounds picking up 15 yards. On 1st and 10, Stanton handed it off to Pinner who ran it to the right for a gain of 4. On 2nd and 6, the Lions were called for a False Start penalty which backed them up 5 yards. On 2nd and 11, Stanton handed it off to Pinner who ran it to the right for a 2-yard gain. The Giants called a Time Out. On 3rd and 9, Stanton from shotgun hit Calhoun in the flat for no gain. The Giants called a Time Out. On 4th and 9, Eddie Johnson made a 41-yard Field Goal Attempt giving the Lions a 13-10 lead.

The Giants turned the ball over on downs at the 50 yardline on their tenth possession.

The Lions took a few knees on their eleventh possession to end the game.

The NFL.com Game Center: Post Game is attached.

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After the Giants huge win yesterday clinched the playoff spot, the Redskins victory over the Minnesota Vikings clinched the Giants the #5 seed overall. The best the Vikings or Redskins can finish is 9-7. With Tampa Bay’s loss they can do no better or worse then the 4th seed, the best record they can finish with is 10-6, but Seattle holds the Tie-Breaker.
So there it is, after many weeks of speculation and concern, the final week does not matter towards the Giants season, and man is that one helluva big relief.
The Giants will take on the Patriots in the regular season finale next Saturday night. As much as I would love to see the Giants thwart the Pats undefeated season on the last game of the season, the G-Men must treat next week like a bye. The Giants have too many banged up players and have lost too many players to injury this season, they can’t afford to lose anyone else.
If I was a betting man I would gamble on Burress and Jacobs not playing a snap. The scintillating rookie Bradshaw getting the majority of carries with Droughns spelling him. Eli, I bet, will play a series or two to continue his games started streak and Toomer will see a handful of plays. For the most part though we are going to see an offense led by Wright or Lorenzen, with Bradshaw in the backfield, Moss and Smith split wide and Boss anchoring the TE spot. Not the lineup you’d expect to knock off the Patriots….
It is also worth noting that if the Giants for some reason did play their starters all game and got waxed by the Patriots that would be an unneccesarry stomach punch leading into the playoffs. The team will be riding high after the win yesterday and will need to carry that momentum into the playoffs, which will be possible if the majority of starters sit next week.

Congrats Giants, the real season begins in two weeks down in Tampa Bay, perhaps the weakest team in the playoffs. What a great Christmas gift this was….Happy Holidays all!

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ESPN.com is reporting that Derrick Ward has a broken ankle and could be lost for the season. If that is the case it is a blow to the offense as Ward has been huge this year with injuries to the other Giant Running backs.
The silver lining here is that Jacobs is expected back next week and their is a slight chance, that if the fracture is only a hairline fracture, Ward may be able to give it a go come playoff time. Obviously Droughns will see an increase in playing time down the stretch.

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Today’s match-up is between the New York Giants and the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field.  We need to win this game to gain ground on the Wild Card chase in the NFC.  Unfortunately, we have to listen to Joe Buck all game.  Are you ready for this Die Hard Giants Fans?  Let’s Go Giants!

1st Quarter

The Bears Kicked Off, and Droughns caught the ball at the 21 yardline and returned it to the 37 yardline.

On 1st and 10, Manning dropped back and fired it to Burress for an 11 yard gain.  On 1st and 10, Manning handed it off to Ward who ran up the middle for 5 yards.  On 2nd and 5, Manning handed it off to Ward who broke right and up the sideline for 13 yards.  On 1st and 10, Eli Manning off play action threw in interception to Brian Urlacher who caught it at the 21 yardline with no return.

With remaining in the 1st Quarter, Grossman off play action connected with Peterson who was running down the left sideline and picked up 29 yards.  On 1st and 10, Rex Grossman dropped back and got sacked by Fred Robbins for a loss of 2 yards.  On 2nd and 12, Grossman dropped back and fired it to Clark in the middle of the field for a gain of 11.  On 1st and 10, Grossman dropped back and hit Muhammed near the right sideline for 11 yards.  On 1st and 10, Grossman handed it off to Peterson who ran up the gut for a gain of 2.  On 2nd and 8, Grossman dropped back and connected with Clark on the left side for 10 yards.  On 1st and 10, Grossman handed it off to Peterson who ran up the middle for 9 yards.  On 2nd and 1, Grossman handed it off to Peterson for a gain of 4 yards.  On 1st and Goal, Rex Grossman off play action fired it to Desmond Clark in the back of the end zone for a Touch Down.  The Extra Point attempt was good.  Giants 0 - Bears 7.  The Bears Kicked Off, and Bradshaw caught the ball at the 13 yardline and returned it to the 31 yardline

With 9:49 remaining in the 1st Quarter, Manning handed it off to Ward who took it up the gut for a 2 yard gain.  On 2nd and 8, Manning from shotgun handed it off to Ward who took it to the left for a yard.  On 3rd and 7, Manning from shotgun aired it out and overthrew Moss downfield, but the Bears were called for a Holding penalty prior to the pass which gave the Giants 5 yards and an automatic first down.  On 1st and 10, Manning handed it off to Ward who broked left for a gain of 2.  On 2nd and 8, Manning dropped back and scrambled for a gain of 3.  On 3rd and 5, Manning from shotgun handed it off to Ward who ran up the gut for 3 yards.  On 4th and 2, the Giants Punted it out of bounds at the 19 yardline.

With 6:21 remaining in the 1st Quarter, Grossman fired it to Bradley on the right side for 7 yards.  On 2nd and 3, Grossman handed it off to Peterson who ran to the left for 2 yards.  On 3rd and 1, Grossman tossed it back to Peterson who jumped forward for a gain of 2.  On 1st and 10, Grossman dropped back and hit Berrian for 5 yards.  On 2nd and 5, Grossman dropped back and handed it off to Peterson who ran up the middle for 6.  On 1st and 10, Grossman dropped back and fired it to Berrian for a gain of 4 yards.  On 2nd and 6, Grossman turned right and fired right to Hester who ran forward for a yard.  On 3rd and 5, Grossman from shotgun threw it out of bounds as Robbins and Umenyiora were chasing him down.  On 4th and 5, the Bears Punted, and McQuarters caught it the 16 yardline and returned it to the 22 yardline.

With 1:46 remaining in the 1st Quarter, Manning dropped back and fired to Toomer on the right side for 11 yards.  On 1st and 10, Manning dropped back and aired it out over the head of Burress near the right sideline.  On 2nd and 10, the Giants were called for a False Start penalty which backed them up 5 yards.  On 2nd and 15, Manning handed it off to Ward who ran up the middle for 8 yards.  On 3rd and 7, Manning hit Toomer for about 3 yards.  That concluded the 1st Quarter.

2nd Quarter

On 1st and 10, Manning handed it off to Hixon on a reverse, but Hizon got tackled in the backfield for a loss of 8.  On 2nd and 18, Manning dropped back and fired it through the hands of a wide open Burress downfield.  On 3rd and 18, Manning from shotgun threw a short pass to Ward for a gain of about 8 yards.  On 4th and 10, the Giants Punted, and Hester caught it at the 10 yardline and returned it to the 15 yardline.

With 13:25 remaining in the 2nd Quarter, Grossman handed it off to Peterson who ran up the gut for a 4 yard gain.  On 2nd and 6, Grossman dropped back and aired it out downfield to Hester who dropped the pass.  On 3rd and 6, the Bears were called for a Delay of Game penalty which backed them up 5 yards.  On 3rd and 11, Rex Grossman dropped back and sacked by Sam Madison for a loss of 13 yards.  On 4th and 24, the Bears Punted, and the Tyree tipped the punt and the Bears downed it at the 32 yardline.

With 12:05 remaining in the 2nd Quarter, Manning handed it off to Ward who broke left down the sideline for a gain of 31 yards.  The Bears are challenging the ruling on the field, and the ruling on the field was upheld.  On 1st and Goal, Manning handed it off to Droughns who got tackled in the backfield for a loss of 2 yards.  On 2nd and Goal, Manning handed it off to Droughns who ran up the gut for a yard.  On 3rd and Goal, Eli Manning handed it off to Derrick Ward who ran it to the left side for a Touch Down.  The Extra Point attempt was good.  Giants 7 - Bears 7.  The Giants Kicked Off, and Davis caught it at the 22 yardline and returned it to the 33 yardline.

With 10:21 remaining in the 2nd Quarter, Grossman off play action fired it to nobody in the middle of the field.  On 2nd and 10, Grossman dropeed back and fired it to Olson on the right side for a gain of 4.  On 3rd and 6, Rex Grossman dropped back and got sacked by Michael Strahan for a loss of 3 yard..  On 4th and 9, the Bears Punted the ball to the middle of the field, and McQuarters slipped as he was about to catch it.  The Bears downed it at the 19 yardline, but the Bears were called for an Illegal Touch penalty which backed the Bears up 5 yards.  On 4th and 14, the Bears Punted, and McQuarters caught the ball at the 25 yardline and returned it to the 31 yardline. 

With 8:55 remaining in the 2nd Quarter, Manning handed it off to Ward who broke left again for 33 yards.  On 1st and 10, Manning dropped back and hit Toomer in the middle for 12 yards.  On 1st and 10, the ball slipped out of Eli Manning’s hand and Anthony Adams fell on the ball at the 29 yardline.

With 7:51 remaining in the 2nd Quarter, Grossman handed it off to Peterson who ran up the gut for 3 yards.  On 2nd and 7, Grossman fired it to Olson on the right side for 3.  On 3rd and 4, Grossman fired it to Berrian on the left sideline for 50 yards.  On 1st and 10, Grossman stepped up and threw it to Peterson for 10 yards.  On 1st and Goal, Grossman handed it off to Peterson who lost a yard.  On 2nd and Goal, Grossman threw it over the end zone as Umenyiora was coming.  On 3rd and Goal, Rex Grossman dropped back and got sacked by Justin Tuck for a loss 13 yards.  On 4th and Goal, Robbie Gould attempted a 35 yard Field Goal Attempt…It was good.  Giants 7 - Bears 10.  The Bears Kicked Off, and Bradshaw caught the ball at the 10 yardline and returned it to the 33 yardline.

With 4:32 remaining in the 2nd Quarter, Manning handed it off to Ward who ran up the middle for a gain of 4.  On 2nd and 6, Manning dropped back and threw it to Hedgecock, but Hedgecock dropped the pass.  On 3rd and 6, Manning from shotgun tossed it to Ward who picked up about 3 yards.  On 4th and 3, the Giants Punted, and Hester caught the ball at the 6 yardline and returned it to the 10 yardline.

With 2:53 remaining in the 2nd Quarter, Grossman handed it off to Peterson for a gain of 5.  On 2nd and 5, Grossman dropped back and completed it to Muhammed for 21 yards.  The 2:00 Warning has arrived.  On 1st and 10, Grossman was getting hurried and threw it through the hands of McKie.  On 2nd and 10, Grossman handed it off to Peterson for a yard.  The Giants took their first Time Out.  On 3rd and 9, Grossman fired it quickly to Davis in the middle of the field for 12 yards.  On 1st and 10, Grossman flipped it to Peterson for a gain of 7.  On 2nd and 3, Grossman connected with Davis on the left side for 6 yards.  The Bears took their 2nd Time Out.  On 1st and 10, Grossman overthrew the pass to Berrian down the left sideline.  On 2nd and 10, Grossman threw the ball out of bounds down the right sideline.  On 3rd and 10, Grossman dropped back and fired an inside screen to Peterson who took it to the 14 yardline.  On 1st and 10, Grossman spiked the ball.  On 2nd and 10, Grossman threw it out of bounds on the left side.  On 3rd and 10, Rex Grossman dropped back and got sacked by Osi Umenyiora for a loss of 11 yards.  The Bears took their third Time Out.  On 4th and 21, Robbie Gould attempted a 46 yard Field Goal Attempt…It was good.  Giants 10 - Bears 16.  That concluded the 2nd Quarter.

3rd Quarter

The Giants Kicked Off the ball out of bounds.  The ball was placed at the 40 yardline.

On 1st and 10, Grossman handed it off to Peterson who took it up the middle for 3 yards.  On 2nd and 7, Grossman had his pass batted down by Butler.  On 3rd and 7, Grossman from shotgun fired it through the hands of Davis near the left sideline.  On 4th and 7, the Bears Punted, and McQuarters caught the ball at the 13 yardline and returned it to the 20 yardline.

With 14:03 remaining in the 3rd Quarter, Eli Manning handed it off to Derrick Ward, who gained a few yards but Adewale Ogunleye forced the fumble and fell on the football at the 29 yardline.

With 13:56 remaining in the 3rd Quarter, Grossman handed it off to Peterson who ran up the gut for a yard.  On 2nd and 9, Grossman handed it off to Peterson who ran up the middle for a gain of 8.  On 3rd and 1, Grossman handed it off to Peterson who ran up the middle for 2 yards.  On 1st and 10, Grossman handed it of to Peterson who ran up the gut for a 2 yard gain.  On 2nd and 8, Grossman handed it off to Peterson who broke left for 4 yards, but the Bears were called for a Personal Foul penalty which backed the Bears up 15 yards.  On 3rd and 19, Grossman dropped back and threw it incomplete to Peterson.  On 4th and 19, Robbie Gould attempted a 41 yard Field Goal Attempt…It was good.  Giants 7 - Bears 16.  The Bears Kicked Off, and Bardshaw caught the ball at the 6 yardline and returned it to the 23 yardline.

With 10:47 remaining in the 3rd Quarter, Eli Manning dropped back and got sacked by Mark Anderson for a loss of 8 yards.  On 2nd and 18, Manning from shotgun dropped back and dropped it off to Shockey who ran up the middle picking up 7 yards.  On 3rd and 11, Manning from shotgun threw it incomplete as Harris brought the pressure.  On 4th and 11, the Giants Punted, and Hester caught the ball at the 36 yardline and returned it to the 44 yardline.

With 9:19 remaining in the 3rd Quarter, Grossman handed it off to Peterson who ran towards the right side and picked up 6 yards.  On 2nd and 4, Grossman handed it off to Peterson who got tackled by Tuck in the backfield for a loss of 5.  On 3rd and 9, Grossman stepped back and threw it sideways to Hester for a loss of 5 yards.  On 4th and 14, the Bears Punted, and McQuarters caught the ball at the 13 yardline and returned it to the 25 yardline.

With 7:09 remaining in the 3rd Quarter, Manning handed it off to Ward who fumbled the ball on his own, but Matthews recovered the ball.  On 2nd and 10, Manning handed it off to Ward who ran up the gut for 7 yards.  On 3rd and 3, Manning connected with Boss on the left side for 4 yards.  On 1st and 10, Manning handed it off to Ward who ran up the middle for 3 yards.  On 2nd and 7, Manning from shotgun threw it underneath to Ward for 17 yards up the middle.  The Bears were called for an Offsides penalty which was declined.  On 1st and 10, Manning tossed it back to Bradshaw who broke to the right side for 2 yards.  On 2nd and 8, Manning from shotgun threw it at the ground, but the Bears were called for an Offsides penalty which gave the Giants 5 yards.  On 2nd and 3, Manning handed it off to Ward who ran it a yard up the middle.  On 3rd and 1, Manning handed it off to Droughns who ran it a yard up the middle.  On 4th and 1, Manning handed it off to Droughns who broke right for 10 yards.  On 1st and 10, Manning off play action fired it to Shockey in the middle of the field for 18 yards.  On 1st and Goal, Manning handed it off to Ward who ran up the middle for 2 yards.  On 2nd and Goal, Manning handed it off to Ward who broke towards the left sideline while picking up 4 yards.  On 3rd and Goal, Eli Manning threw an interception to Charles Tillman in the left side of the end zone.  Tillman was ruled down for a touch back.

With 0:13 remaining in the 3rd Quarter, Grossman dropped back and fired it to Clark for a gain of 45 yards.  That concluded the 3rd Quarter.

4th Quarter

On 1st and 10, Grossman tossed it to McKie for no gain.  On 2nd and 10, the Bears were called for a False Start penalty which backed them up 5 yards.  On 2nd and 15, Grossman completed a screen to Peterson for a loss of a yard.  On 3rd and 16, Grossman overthrew a pass to Berrian downfield.  On 4th and 16, the Bears Punted the ball into the end zone for a touch back.

With 13:05 remaining in the 4th Quarter, Manning dropped back and threw a screen pass incomplete to Bradshaw.  On 2nd and 10, Manning off play action threw threw the pass incomplete to Burress.  On 3rd and 10, Manning from shotgun threw a short pass incomplete to Ward.  On 4th and 10, the Giants Punted, and Blackburn downed it at the 46 yardline.

With 12:39 remaining in the 4th Quarter, Grossman handed it off to Peterson who broke right for a gain of 2 yards.  On 2nd and 8, Grossman dropped back and threw the pass to Berrian on the right sideline but out of bounds.  On 3rd and 8, the Bears were called for a False Start penalty which backed them up 5 yards.  On 3rd and 13, Grossman from shotgun threw it out of bounds down the left sideline.  On 4th and 13, the Bears Punted, and the Bears downed the ball at the 29 yardline.

With 11:45 remaining in the 4th Quarter, Manning from shotgun off play action hit Toomer in the middle for 18.  On 1st and 10, Manning from shotgun handed it off to Ward who took it up the middle for 8 yards.  On 2nd and 2, Manning from shotgun handed it off to Ward who broke left for 4 yards.  On 1st and 10, Manning from shotgun completed the pass to Burress for 9 yards in the middle of the field.  On 2nd and 1, the Giants were called for a False Start penalty which backed them up 5 yards.  On 2nd and 6, Manning from shotgun got sacked by Walker for a loss of 13 yards, but the Bears were called for an Offsides penalty which gave the Giants 5 yards.  On 2nd and 1, Manning handed it off to Ward for 2 yards.  On 1st and 10, Manning from shotgun threw it to nobody down the right sideline.  On 2nd and 10, Manning from shotgun handed it off to Ward who ran up the gut for 8 yards.  On 3rd and 2, Manning flipped it to Ward who ran up the middle for 4 yards.  On 1st and 10, Manning dropped back and fired it downfield to Shockey, but Shockey got decked.  The Bears were called for a Pass Interference penalty which gave the Giants the ball at the 7 yardline.  On 1st and Goal, Manning from shotgun overthrew Tyree in the back of the end zone.  On 2nd and Goal, Manning from shotgun handed it off to Droughns who picked up a yard.  On 3rd and Goal, Eli Manning from shotgun threw it low to Amani Toomer who caught it but it was ruled incomplete in the end zone.  The Giants are challenging the ruling on the field, and the call was overturned and it is a Touch Down.  The Extra Point attempt was good.  Giants 14 - Bears 16.  The Giants Kicked Off, and it went out of bounds.  The ball will be spotted at the 40 yardline.

With 6:54 remaining in the 4th Quarter, Grossman dropped back and completed a short pass to Peterson who ran it up the middle for 7 yards.  On 2nd and 3, Grossman handed it off to Peterson who got tackled in the backfield for a loss a yard.  On 3rd and 4, Rex Grossman dropped back and got sacked by Justin Tuck for a loss of 12 yards.  On 4th and 16, the Bears Punted, and McQuarters caught the ball at the 21 yardline and returned it to the 23 yardline.

With 4:55 remaining in the 4th Quarter, Manning from shotgun handed it off to Droughns who ran up the middle for 5 yards.  On 2nd and 5, Manning from shotgun hit Tyree on a slant for a gain of 8 yards.  On 1st and 10, Manning handed it off to Droughns who dropped the ball which bounced right back up into his hands but got no gain.  On 2nd and 10, Manning completed a slant pass to Toomer for a first down.  On 1st and 10, Manning from shotgun handed it off to Droughns who ran up the middle for 5 yards.  On 2nd and 5, Manning dropped back and completed a short pass to Tyree who picked up 24 yards.  The 2:00 Warning has arrived.  On 1st and 10, Manning handed it off to Droughns for no gain.  The Bears took their first Time Out.  On 2nd and 10, Manning from shotgun fired it to a sliding Burress for a gain of 15 yards.  The Bears took their second Time Out.  The Refs went to a Booth Review, but the call on the field was upheld.  On 1st and Goal, Eli Manning handed it off to Reuben Droughns who ran it to the right side untouched for a Touch Down.  The Extra Point attempt was good.  Giants 21 - Bears 16.  The Giants Kicked Off, and Hester caught the ball at the 21 yardline and returned it to the 42 yardline.

With 1:28 remaining in the 4th Quarter, Grossman from shotgun completed a screen to Peterson who only picked up a yard.  On 2nd and 9, Grossman dropped back and fired it to Clark for 9 yards.  On 1st and 10, Grossman spiked the ball.  On 2nd and 10, the Bears were called for a False Start penalty which backed them up 5 yards.  On 2nd and 15, Grossman from shotgun threw it incomplete to Davis near the right hash marks.  On 3rd and 15, Grossman from shotgun fired it down the right sideline to Berrian, but Berrian couldn’t make the grab.  On 4th and 15, Grossman from shotgun hit Muhammed in the middle of the field for a 20 yard gain.  The Bears took their third Time Out.  On 1st and 10, Grossman dropped back and threw it beyond the end zone.  On 2nd and 10, Grossman dropped back and fired it in the far left corner of the end zone, but Dockery knocked it down.  On 3rd and 10, Grossman dropped back and fired it in the near left corner of the end zone, but Butler knocked it down.  That concluded the 4th Quarter.

Final Score: New York Giants 21 - Chicago Bears 16.  The NFL.com Post Game is attached.

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Bad news for the Giants, all signs point to Jacobs sitting out again this week. The good news is that Ward will be back this weekend. Him and Droughns will split the carries for the G-Men.
Against the Bears I would much rather have Jacobs with his punishing running style then Ward and his quickness. The Bears D is built on speed, they are not especially big, even more so these days without Tank Johnson. Jacobs would wear this D out, Ward and Droughns, I’m not so sure.
Hopefully these backs will do enough to take some pressure off of Manning so he doesn’t feel like he has to win the game for the Giants, we all know this is not an area he exceeds at.
Maybe we’ll get lucky and Jacobs will recover miraculously before Sunday, we could use a little miracle this holiday season right about now, dontcha think?

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Today’s match-up is between the Minnesota Vikings and the New York Giants at Giants Stadium.  We need to win this game to gain ground on the Wild Card chase in the NFC.  Are you ready for this Die Hard Giants Fans?  Let’s Go Giants!

1st Quarter

The Giants Kicked Off, and the ball went out of bounds so the Vikings will begin at the 40 yardline.

On 1st and 10, Jackson handed it off to Taylor for a yard on a fake reverse.  On 2nd and 9, Tarvaris Jackson dropped back and aired it out to Sidney Rice along the right sideline, and Rice ran it in for a 60 yard Touch Down.  The Extra Point attempt was good.  Vikings 7 - Giants 0.  The Vikings Kicked Off, and Bradshaw caught it at the 6 yardline and returned it to the 35 yardline.

With 14:12 remaining in the 1st Quarter, the Giants were called for a False Start penalty which backed them up 5 yards.  On 1st and 15, Manning from shotgun zipped it to Pixon for a 6 yard gain.  On 2nd and 9, Manning handed it off to Droughns for 9 yards.  On 1st and 10, Manning fired the ball to Shockey in the middle for a 20 yard gain.  On 1st and 10, Manning connected with Burress in the middle of the field for a gain of 20 yards.  On 1st and 10, Manning from shotgun handed it off to Droughns for 5.  On 2nd and 5, Manning handed it off to Droughns for 4 yards.  On 3rd and 1, Manning handed it off to Droughns who ran it up the gut for 4 yards to the 1 yardline.  On 1st and Goal, Manning had his pass batted down.  The Vikings were called for an Offsides penalty which gave the Giants half the distance to the goal.  On 1st and Goal, Eli Manning handed it off to Reuben Droughns who jumped over the pile for a Touch Down.  The Extra Point attempt was good.  Vikings 7 - Giants 7.  The Giants Kicked Off, and Williamson caught it at the 9 yardline and returned it to the 32 yardline.

With 9:19 remaining in the 1st Quarter, Jackson handed it off to Taylor who ran it up the middle for 4 yards.  On 2nd and 6, the Vikings were called for a False Start penalty which backed them up 5 yards.  On 2nd and 11, Jackson threw a short pass to Williamson for a gain of 7 yards.  On 3rd and 3, Tarvaris Jackson dropped back and had the ball batted down by Osi Umenyiora (This was ruled a Forced Fumble and a Sack), but the ball went forward and Wade fell on it at the 49 yard gain for a first down.  On 1st and 10, Jackson handed it off to Taylor for 3.  On 2nd and 7, Jackson rolled right and threw it away as the pressure was coming.  On 3rd and 7, Jackson from shotgun fired it to Wade for 9 yards.  On 1st and 10, Jackson handed it off to Taylor for a 2 yard gain.  On 2nd and 8, Jackson handed it off to Taylor again for a gain of 2.  On 3rd and 6, Jackson from shotgun threw it away because he was hit by Dockery as he was throwing it.  On 4th and 6, the Vikings Punted the ball out of bounds at the 10 yardline.

With 4:12 remaining in the 1st Quarter, Manning threw it out of bounds.  On 2nd and 10, Manning handed it off to Droughns for a 3 yard gain.  On 3rd and 7, Eli Manning from shotgun threw an interception to Darren Sharper who returned it for a 20 yard Touch Down.  The Extra Point attempt was good.  Vikings 14 - Giants 7.  The Giants Kicked Off, and Bradshaw caught it at the 4 yardline and returned it to the 26 yardline.

With 3:10 remaining in the 1st Quarter, Manning hit Matthews for a 3 yard gain.  On 2nd and 7, Manning dropped back and aired it out to Burress downfield but out of bounds as the pressure was coming.  On 3rd and 7, Manning from shotgun fired it 31 yards to a wide open Toomer.  On 1st and 10, Manning handed it off to Droughns who ran up the gut for 2 yards.  On 2nd and 8, Manning from shotgun handed it off to Droughns who advanced 3 yards.  On 3rd and 5, Manning from shotgun overthrew Moss along the right sideline.  On 4th and 5, Manning from shotgun threw it incomplete in the middle of the field.  The Vikings will take it over on down at the 36 yardline.

With 0:21 remaining in the 1st Quarter, Jackson from shotgun dropped back and got sacked by Robbins for a loss, but the Giants were called for a penalty which advanced the Vikings 5 yards.  This concluded the 1st Quarter.

2nd Quarter

On 1st and 10, Jackson handed it off to Taylor who ran it up the middle for a 3 yard gain.  On 2nd and 7, Jackson rolled right and ran it out of bound after picking up 6 yards.  On 3rd and 1, Jackson handed it off to Taylor who ran it up the gut for 2 yards.  On 1st and 10, Jackson handed it off to Taylor again for a yard up the middle.  On 2nd and 9, Jackson handed it off to Taylor who ran up the gut for 2 yards.  On 3rd and 7, Tarvaris Jackson from shotgun got sacked by Osi Umenyiora for a loss of 2 yards.  On 4th and 9, the Vikings Punted the ball into the end zone for a touch back.

With 11:21 remaining in the 2nd Quarter, Manning handed it off to Droughns who ran up the middle for a yard.  On 2nd and 9, Manning tossed it back to Droughns who gained a couple yards, but the Giants were called for a Holding penalty which backed them up 10 yards.  On 2nd and 19, Manning from shotgun threw it incomplete as the pressure was coming.  On 3rd and 19, Eli Manning from shotgun threw an interception to Dwight Smith who caught it at the 28 yardline and returned it to the 7 yardline.  The Giants were called for an Illegal Formation penalty which was declined, and it is Vikings ball.

With 9:58 remaining in the 2nd Quarter, Tarvaris Jackson handed it off to Chester Taylor who had an incredible 7 yard run to the house for a Touch Down.  The Extra Point attempt was good.  Vikings 21 - Giants 7.  The Vikings Kicked Off, and Bradshaw caught it at the 1 yardline and returned it to the 16 yardline.

With 9:42 remaining in the 2nd Quarter, Manning handed it off to Droughns for a gain of a yard.  On 2nd and 9, Manning dropped back and misfired to Toomer downfield.  On 3rd and 9, Manning from shotgun threw a short pass to Shockey for a gain of 8 yards, but the Vikings were called for an Offsides penalty which gave the Giants 5 yards.  On 3rd and 3, the center direct snapped to Droughns who got about a yard, but the Giants were called for an Illegal Formation penalty.  The Vikings declined the penalty, and the result of the play is a 4th down.  On 4th and 2, the Giants Punted the ball out of bounds at the 35 yardline.

With 8:03 remaining in the 2nd Quarter, Jackson handed it off to Taylor who ran up the gut for 3 yards.  On 2nd and 7, Jackson dropped back and threw it to Taylor on a screen while picking up a first down.  On 1st and 10, Jackson dropped back and threw it to Rice for a 13 yard gain on the right side.  On 1st and 10, Jackson handed it off to Taylor who ran it up the middle for a yard.  On 2nd and 9, Jackson fired it to Rice along the right side for a gain of 9.  On 1st and 10, Jackson handed it off to Moore who ran it to the right for a gain of 2 yards.  On 2nd and 8, Jackson handed it off to Taylor for 2 yards.  On 3rd and 7, Tarvaris Jackson dropped back and got sacked by Fred Robbins for a loss of 2 yards.  On 4th and 9, Ryan Longwell attempted a 46 yard Field Goal Attempt…It was good.  Vikings 24 - Giants 7.  The Vikings Kicked Off, and Bradshaw caught it at the 1 yardline and returned it to the 27 yardline.

With 3:08 remaining in the 2nd Quarter, Manning from shotgun threw it incomplete to Moss in the middle of the field.  On 2nd and 10, Manning from shotgun fired a 13 yard completion to Moss on the right side.  On 1st and 10, Manning from shotgun handed it off to Droughns who ran it up the middle for a gain of 2 yards.  On 2nd and 8, Manning from shotgun fired it to Toomer downfield, but Toomer dropped the pass.  On 3rd and 8, the Giants were called for a False Start penalty which backed them up 5 yards.  On 3rd and 13, Manning from shotgun threw it away as the pressure was coming.  This brought it to the 2:00 Warning.  On 4th and 1, the Giants Punted, and Moore called for a fair catch at the 21 yardline.

With 1:50 remaining in the 2nd Quarter, Jackson handed it off to Taylor who ran left for a 4 yard gain.  On 2nd and 6, Jackson handed it off to Taylor who ran it up the middle for 3 yards.  The Giants called their first Time Out.  On 3rd and 3, Jackson handed it off to Taylor who ran up the middle for no gain.  The Giants called their second Time Out.  On 4th and 3, the Vikings Punted the ball and downed it at the 31 yardline.

With 0:45 remaining in the 2nd Quarter, Manning from shotgun fired a short pass to Droughns, but Droughns dropped the pass.  On 2nd and 10, Manning from shotgun fired it through the hands of Shockey downfield.  On 3rd and 10, Manning from shotgun threw it incomplete (Manning got booed as he walked off the field).  On 4th and 10, the Giants Punted the ball and downed it at the 19 yardline.

With 0:13 remaining in the 2nd Quarter, Jackson took a knee to conclude the 2nd Quarter.

3rd Quarter

The Vikings Kicked Off, and Bradshaw caught it at the 4 yardline and returned it to the 22 yardline.

On 1st and 10, Manning handed it off to Droughns for a loss of a yard.  On 2nd and 11, Manning overthrew Burress along the right sideline.  On 3rd and 11, Manning dropped back and hit Toomer in the middle for 24 yards (That was Amani Toomer’s 600th reception).  On 1st and 10, Manning handed it off to Bradshaw who broke left for 10 yards.  On 1st and 10, Manning from shotgun handed it off to Bradshaw who ran it up the gut for 4 yards.  On 2nd and 6, Manning from shotgun fired it to Shockey along the left sideline for 11 yards.  On 1st and 10, Manning rolled right and threw it away near Shockey.  On 2nd and 10, Manning dropped back and threw it to Burress in the end zone, but Burress could not pull it in.  On 3rd and 10, Manning overthrew Hedgecock as he was getting hurried.  On 4th and 10, Lawrence Tynes attempted a 48 yard Field Goal Attempt…It was good.  Vikings 24 - Giants 10.  The Giants Kicked Off, and Williamson caught the ball at the goalline and returned it to the 23 yardline.

With 11:01 remaining in the 3rd Quarter, Jackson handed it off to Taylor who ran up the middle for 6.  On 2nd and 4, Tarvaris Jackson got sacked by Fred Robbins at the line of scrimmage.  On 3rd and 4, Jackson scrambled and picked up 19 yards.  On 1st and 10, Jackson dumped it off to Williamson as he was getting knocked down for a gain of a yard.  On 2nd and 9, Jackson handed it off to Taylor for a gain of 5.  On 3rd and 4, Jackson from shotgun connected with Wade for 6 yards.  On 1st and 10, Jackson handed it off to Taylor who ran up the gut for a gain of 3 yards.  On 2nd and 7, Jackson eluded a sack by Strahan and scrambled for 10 yards.  On 1st and 10, Jackson handed it off to Taylor who ran up the gut for 3.  On 2nd and 7, Jackson handed it off to Taylor who ran to the right side but almost got brought down by Strahan and then ran it to the left side for 3 yards.  On 3rd and 7, the Giants were called for an Encroachment penalty which gave the Vikings 5 yards and an automatic first down.  On 1st and 10, the Vikings were called for a False Start penalty which backed the Vikings up 5 yards.  On 1st and 15, Jackson fired it to Shiancoe for 13 yards.  On 2nd and 2, Jackson handed it off to Taylor who ran it up the gut for 1 yards.  On 3rd and 1, Jackson handed it off to Taylor who got tackled in the backfield for a loss of a yard.  On 4th and 2, Ryan Longwell attempted a 26 yard Field Goal Attempt…It was good.  Vikings 27 - Giants 10.  The Vikings Kicked Off, and Bradshaw caught the ball at the 1 yardline and returned it to the 29 yardline.

With 1:37 remaining in the 3rd Quarter, Manning from shotgun rolled right flipped the pass, as he was getting hit, to Shockey for 6 yards.  On 2nd and 4, Manning handed it off to Bradshaw who took it to the right side for 3 yards.  On 3rd and 1, Manning handed it off to Droughns who ran up the gut for 4 yards.  On 1st and 10, Manning from shotgun threw it away as the defender was coming at him unprotected.  On 2nd and 10, Eli Manning from shotgun threw an interception to Cedric Griffin at midfield with no return (That definitely appeared to be incomplete).  The Giants challenged the ruling on the field, and the ruling on the field was overturned.  On 3rd and 10, Manning from shotgun aired it out to Burress along the left sideline for 32 yards.  That concluded the 3rd Quarter.

4th Quarter

On 1st and 10, Manning from shotgun overthrew Burress in the end zone.  On 2nd and 10, Manning from shotgun fired it to Burress in the middle for 14 yards.  On 1st and 10, Manning from shotgun had the pass batted down at the line.  On 2nd and 10, Manning from shotgun threw it incomplete at O’Hara’s back.  On 3rd and 10, Eli Manning had his pass batted at the line by Leber and intercepted by Dwight Smith at the 7 yardline and he returned it 93 yards for a Touch Down.  The Extra Point attempt was good even though it hit the upright.  Vikings 34 - Giants 10.  The Vikings Kicked Off, and Bradshaw caught it at the 4 yardline and returned it to the 24 yardline.

With 13:34 remaining in the 4th Quarter, Manning from shotgun connected with Toomer for 5 yards.  On 2nd and 5, Eli Manning from shotgun threw an interception to Chad Greenway at the 37 yardline and he returned it for a Touch Down.  The Extra Point attempt was good.  Vikings 41 - Giants 10.  The Vikings Kicked Off, and Bradshaw caught it at the 1 yardline and returned it to the 23 yardline.

With 12:51 remaining in the 4th Quarter, Manning hit Shockey in the middle for 7.  On 2nd and 3, Manning connected with Droughns along the right sideline for 6 yards.  On 1st and 10, Manning from shotgun threw it out of bounds as he was getting chased down.  On 2nd and 10, Manning dropped back and fired to Burress for 8 yards.  On 3rd and 2, Manning dropped back and had the pass batted down at the line.  On 4th and 2, the Giants Punted and downed the ball at the 4 yardline.

With 11:05 remaining in the 4th Quarter, Jackson handed it off to Taylor who ran up the middle for 6.  On 2nd and 4, Jackson handed it off to Taylor who got tackled in the backfield for a loss of a yard.  On 3rd and 5, Jackson handed it off to Taylor who got tackled in the backfield for a loss of 6.  On 4th and 11, the Vikings Punted, and McQuarters caught the ball at the 45 yardline and got tackled with no return.

With 8:45 remaining in the 4th Quarter, Manning from shotgun handed it off to Bradshaw who gained 13.  On 1st and 10, Manning from shotgun found Moss for a 7 yard gain.  On 2nd and 3, Eli Manning from shotgun got sacked by Fred Evans for a loss of 8 yards.  On 3rd and 11, Manning from shotgun fired it to Toomer in the middle for 21.  On 1st and 10, Manning from shotgun connected with Burress for 3 on the left side.  On 2nd and 7, Manning from shotgun handed it off to Droughns who picked up 4 yards.  On 3rd and 3, Eli Manning threw a lob to Plaxico Burress on the right side of the end zone for a Touch Down.  The Extra Point attempt was good.  Vikings 41 - Giants 17.  The Giants Kicked Off, and Gordon caught the ball at the 12 yardline and returned it to the 29 yardline.

With 5:46 remaining in the 4th Quarter, Jackson handed it off to Taylor who ran it up the middle for 4 yards.  On 2nd and 6, Jackson rolled right and slid after picking up a yard.  The Giants called their second Time Out.  On 3rd and 3, Jackson dropped back and zipped it to Dugan for no gain as the pressure was coming.  The Giants called their third Time Out.  On 4th and 3, the Vikings Punted, and McQuarters caught the ball at the 15 yardline and returned it to the 27 yardline.

With 5:09 remaining in the 4th Quarter, Manning from shotgun fired it to Moss along the left sideline for 20 yards.  On 1st and 10, Eli Manning from shotgun got sacked by Spencer Johnson for a loss of 5 yards.  On 2nd and 15, Manning connected with Burress in the middle for a gain of 11.  On 3rd and 4, Manning from shotgun threw it incomplete as he was getting pressured.  On 4th and 4, Manning from shotgun dropped back and scrambled backwards and got sacked by Ben Weber for a loss of 25 yards.  The Giants turned the ball over on downs at the 29 yardline.

With 3:38 remaining in the 4th Quarter, Jackson handed it off to Taylor for 4 yards.  On 2nd and 6, Jackson handed the ball off to Taylor who ran it up the middle for 13 yards.  On 1st and 10, Jackson handed it off to Taylor who ran it up the middle for no gain.  This brought it to the 2:00 Warning.  On 2nd and 10, Jackson handed it off to Taylor who ran it up the gut for no gain.  On 3rd and 10, Jackson handed it off to Moore who ran it up the middle for 2.  On 4th and 8, Jackson handed it off to Taylor who picked up 9 yards.  On 1st and Goal, the Vikings allowed the clock to run out without getting a play off.  This concluded the 4th Quarter.

Final Score: Minnesota Vikings 41 vs. New York Giants 17.  The NFL.com Post Game is attached.

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It’s game day folks.  Here’s a bunch of pregame articles for you to read in the meantime.  We still have 2 hours until gametime…  Also, ESPN reported that Jacobs and Ward will not start today, so that’s official.  Droughns will get the start with Bradshaw and Pass behind him.  Peterson will not make the start today.

Newsday:

Giants can’t forget 2005 upset loss to Vikings - Arthur Staple reminds us of how Big Blue lost to the Purple People Eaters in 2005.

New York Daily News:

Fans will lose out in NFL Network battle with cable operators - Bob Raissman explains the reasons why fans still can’t watch certain games on the NFL Network.  There appears to be no end in sight…It’s pathetic.  I threw it in here because the Giants will host the Patriots in the last game of the season, and it will be aired on the NFL Network.  I can’t get satelite service because I’m in an apartment building, and I’m not allowed to put a satelite on the roof.  The game will be aired in the Boston market on regular television.  I will go to my cabin in New Hampshire to cover the game for you guys.  So hit your local sports bar that has the NFL Network or head up to the Boston area to catch the Pats - Giants game.

Giants remember Vikings’ upset - Ralph Vacchiano also reminds us about Giants loss to the Vikings in 2005.

With win over Vikings, Giants should lock up playoff spot - Gary Myers tells us why the Jints will basically wrap up a Playoff spot with a win today against the Vikings.  Of course, this isn’t official.  However, there aren’t many teams chasing the Giants right now.  The Lions (6-5) and the Cardinals (5-5) are the two teams to watch right now.  The Lions already played this week and lost.  The Cardinals play the 49ers and should win.  With both of those teams at 6-5, and the Giants at 8-3, there are only 5 games left for either team to catch up.  The Giants own the tiebreaker over the Lions, but they haven’t played the Cardinals.  There are some other teams that are 5-5 and can get hot like the Redskins and the Eagles, but that’s unlikely.  So, the Giants should basically wrap up with 8 wins and 5 games to go.

New York Post:

History Says This is a Trap Game - Paul Schwartz reveals why this is a trap game for the G-MEN.

Eli’s Arm Key to Victory - Steve Serby explains why Eli Manning needs to lead the offense with a passing attack to get a win over the Vikings.

Giants in Rush to Spike Vikes - Paul Schwartz provides a pregame analysis between the Vikings and the Giants.

New York Times:

Giants Meet a Friendly Face - Dave Caldwell points out the fact that former Giant, Visanthe Shiancoe, will be facing his former team in today’s game.

Running the Ball: Anyone Can Do It? - John Branch lets us know why running backs are an interchangeable part of a football team.

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Happy Thanksgiving!  Hope you all have safe travels and enjoy some delicious meals with your friends and families.  The news is limited today due to the holiday.  Enjoy the articles.

 Bloggin’ with Radio - Thanksgiving Edition

Newsday:

Giants forced to hand off to Droughns, Bradshaw

New York Daily News:

Giants concerned about fan behavior

Giants turn to Reuben Droughns

New York Post:

Adrian’s Status Doubtful

Back Breakers

The Star-Ledger:

Ward hungry to play

Fantasy Focus

Running Vikings a Giant concern

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Today is Veteran’s Day, and the match-up is between the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants at Giants.  We need to win this game to tie the Cowboys for 1st place in the NFC East.  The Giants asked the players and fans to wear red today.  Are you ready for this Die Hard Giants Fans?  Let’s Go Giants!

1st Quarter

The Giants Kicked Off, and Austin caught the ball at the 9 and returned it to the 35 yardline.

On 1st and 10, Romo handed it off to Jones for a 20 yard run.  On 1st and 10, Romo threw it incomplete to Owens.  On 2nd and 10, Romo from shotgun fired it to Hurd for 12 yards.  On 1st and 10, Romo handed it off to Jones for a gain of 8.  On 2nd and 2, Romo dropped back and connected with Owens for a first down.  On 1st and 10, Romo handed it off to Jones for no gain.  On 2nd and 10, Tony Romo fired to a wide open Tony Curtis in the left side of the end zone for a Touch Down.  The Extra Point attempt was good.  Cowboys 7 - Giants 0.  The Cowboys Kicked Off, and Droughns returned it to the 32 yardline.

With 11:06 remaining in the 1st Quarter, Manning handed it off to Jacobs for a gain of 9.  On 2nd and 1, Manning zipped it to Burress for 11 yards.  On 1st and 10, Manning fired it to Shockey for 4.  On 2nd and 6, Manning flipped it back to Jacobs for no gain.  On 3rd and 6, the Giants took their first Time Out as the play clock was about to expire.  On 3rd and 6, the Cowboys were called for a Neutral Zone Infraction penalty which gave the Giants 5 yards.  On 3rd and 1, the Cowboys were called for an Encroachment penalty which gave the Giants 5 yards.  On 1st and 10, Manning completed the pass to Burress for a gain of 7 yards.  The Cowboys were called for a Personal Foul penalty which gave the Giants half the distance to the goal.  On 1st and 10, Manning handed it off to Jacobs who brought it up to the 9 yardline.  On 2nd and 5, Manning handed it off to Jacobs for a gain of 1.  On 3rd and 4, Eli Manning from shotgun gunned it to Jeremy Shockey in the front of the end zone for an 8 yard Touch Down.  The Extra Point attempt is good.  Cowboys 7 - Giants 7.  The Giants Kicked Off, and Jones returned it to the 32 yardline.

With 6:07 remaining in the 1st Quarter, Romo threw it incomplete as he was about to rocked.  On 2nd and 10, Romo handed it off to Barber for a gain of 3.  On 3rd and 7, Romo from shotgun had his pass blocked by Ross as the pressure was coming.  On 4th and 7, the Cowboys Punted it out of bounds at the 21 yardline.

With 5:05 remaining in the 1st Quarter, Manning aired it out down the left sideline for a gain of 22 yards to Shockey.  On 1st and 10, Manning handed it off to Jacobs for 2 yards.  On 2nd and 8, Manning handed it off to Jacobs for no gain.  On 3rd and 8, Eli Manning from shotgun threw an Interception to Ken Hamlin who returned it 26 yards to the 39 yardline.

With 2:52 remaining in the 1st Quarter, Romo handed it off to Barber for a 2 yard gain.  On 2nd and 8, Romo flipped it to Barber because he was going to get sacked for a gain of 4.  The Giants were called for a Personal Foul penalty which gave the Cowboys 15 yards and an automatic first down.  On 1st and 10, Romo handed it off to Barber for a gain of 3.  On 2nd and 7, Romo from shotgun threw it to Barber in the backfield for a loss of 8 yards.  On 3rd and 15, Romo from shotgun got the ball knocked out by Strahan, but the Cowboys maintained possession of the football.  (Romo has been getting smacked silly in the first quarter).  This concluded the 1st Quarter.

2nd Quarter

On 4th and 15, Nick Folk attempted a 44 yard Field Goal Attempt…It was good.  Cowboys 10 - Giants 7.  The Cowboys Kicked Off, and Droughns caught it at the 10 yardline and returned it to the 27 yardline.

With 14:51 remaining in the 2nd Quarter, Manning fired it to Shockey for a gain of 4 as he was getting pressured.  On 2nd and 6, Manning connected with Shockey again for 7 yards.  On 1st and 10, Manning handed it off to Jacobs for no gain.  On 2nd and 10, Manning overthrew Burress in the middle of the field.  On 3rd and 10, Eli Manning from shotgun got sacked by DeMarcus Ware for a loss of 14.  On 4th and 24, the Giants Punted, and Crayton called for a fair catch at the 35 yardline.

With 12:05 remaining in the 2nd Quarter, the Cowboys were called for a False Start penalty which backed them up 5 yards.  On 1st and 15, Tony Romo aired out an Interception to Gibril Wilson who was downed at the spot of the catch at the 40 yardline.

With 11:55 remaining in the 2nd Quarter, Manning threw a quick pass to Burress on the right side for a gain of 3.  On 2nd and 7, Manning handed it of to Jacobs for a gain of 9 yards.  On 1st and 10, Manning threw a quick pass to Burress on the left side for 4 yards.  On 2nd and 6, Manning handed it off to Jacobs for a loss of a yard.  The Cowboys were called for Illegal Hands to the Face which gave the Giants 5 yards from the spot of the foul.  On 1st and 10, Manning threw a quick low pass to Shockey on the right side for 5 yards.  On 2nd and 5, Manning tossed it to Jacobs who picked up two yards.  On 3rd and 3, Manning from shotgun handed it off to Jacobs who picked up 4 yards.  On 1st and 10, Manning connected with Toomer for 4 yards.  On 2nd and 6, Manning handed it off to Jacobs for 10.  On 1st and Goal, Manning handed it off to Jacobs for a gain of 3 yards.  On 2nd and Goal, Manning from shotgun threw it to Jeremy Shockey in the middle at the 1 yardline.  On 3rd and Goal, Eli Manning handed it off to Rueben Droughns who ran it up the gut for a 1 yard Touch Down.  The Extra Point attempt was good.  Cowboys 10 - Giants 14.  The Giants Kicked Off, and Austin caught it at the 1 yardline and returned it to the 22 yardline.

With 4:28 remaining in the 2nd Quarter, Romo handed it off to Jones for a gain of 3.  On 2nd and 7, Tony Romo got sacked by Osi Umenyiora for a loss of 2.  On 3rd and 9, Romo from shotgun threw it through the hands of Owens.  On 4th and 9, the Cowboys Punted, and McQuarters caught it at the 31 yardline and returned it to the 42 yardline.

With 2:45 remaining in the 2nd Quarter, Eli Manning got sacked by Chris Canty for a loss of 8.  On 2nd and 18, Manning from shotgun handed it off to Jacobs for a loss of 2.  The Cowboys called their first Time Out.  On 3rd and 20, Eli Manning from shotgun got sacked by Anthony Spencer for a loss of 13.  This brought us to the 2:00 Warning.  On 4th and 33, the Giants Punted, and Crayton called for a fair catch at the 32 yardline.

With 1:48 remaining in the 2nd Quarter, Romo from shotgun threw a short pass to Crayton for a gain of 8.  On 2nd and 2, Romo from shotgun fired it complete to Hurd for 9.  On 1st and 10, Romo from shotgun completed the pass to Owens for 11 yards.  On 1st and 10, Romo from shotgun completed the 9 yard pass to Crayton.  On 2nd and 1, Romo ran a Quarterback Sneak for about a yard.  The Cowboys called their second Time Out.  On 3rd and 1, Romo from shotgun threw it to Owens for a 10 yard completion on the left sideline.  On 1st and 10, Tony Romo from shotgun fired it to Patrick Crayton in the middle of the field and broke two tackles while taking it to the house for a Touch Down.  The Extra Point attempt was good.  Cowboys 17 - Giants 14.  The Cowboys Kicked Off, and Bradshaw returned it to the 34 yardline.

With 0:21 remaining in the 2nd Quarter, Manning from shotgun handed it off to Jacobs for a gain of a couple.  The Cowboys were called for a Taunting penalty which gave the Giants 15 yards and an automatic first down.  On 1st and 10, Manning from shotgun aired it out deep to Shockey down the right sideline for about 30 yards.  On 1st and 10, the Giants called their second Time Out.  On 1st and 10, Lawrence Tynes attempted a 40 yard Field Goal Attempt…it was good.  Cowboys 17 - Giants 17.  The Giants Kicked Off, and made the tackle immediately which concluded the 2nd Quarter.

3rd Quarter

The Cowboys Kicked Off, and Bradshaw caught it at the 15 yardline and returned it to the 32 yardline.  The Cowboys were called for a Personal Foul penalty which gave the Giants 15 yards and an automatic first down.

With 14:56 remaining in the 3rd Quarter, Manning handed it off to Jacobs for a 2 yard gain.  On 2nd and 8, Manning from shotgun threw it incomplete to Shockey.  On 3rd and 8, Manning from shotgun connected with Shockey for a gain of 6.  On 4th and 2, the Giants Punted, and Crayton called for a fair catch at the 19 yardline.

With 13:41 remaining in the 3rd Quarter, Romo handed it off to Jones for 9 yards.  On 2nd and 1, Romo handed it off to Jones who ran up the gut for a first down.  On 1st and 10, Romo handed it off to Jones who got tackled in the backfield for a loss of a yard.  On 2nd and 11, Romo completed the pass to Fasano for a gain of 9.  On 3rd and 2, Romo from shotgun handed it off to Jones for a 10 yard gain.  On 1st and 10, Romo handed it off to Jones who got tackled in the backfield by Mitchell for a loss of a yard.  On 2nd and 11, Romo from shotgun completed it to Witten for a gain of 4.  On 3rd and 7, Romo from shotgun fired it to Crayton along the left sideline for a gain of 15 yards.  On 1st and 10, Romo from shotgun threw it to nobody in the middle of the field.  On 2nd and 10, Romo tossed it to Jones for a loss of a yard.  On 3rd and 11, Romo from shotgun fired it to Crayton in the middle of the field for 12 yards.  On 1st and 10, Tony Romo fired it to Terrell Owens on the right side of the end zone for a Touch Down.  The Extra Point attempt was good.  Cowboys 24 - Giants 17.  The Cowboys Kicked Off, and Bradshaw returned it 83 yards to the 2 yardline, but it was brought back because of a Holding penalty.  The Giants began at the 17 yardline.

With 7:02 remaining in the 3rd Quarter, Manning handed it off to Jacobs for a gain of 15.  On 1st and 10, Manning handed it off to Jacobs for a gain of 5 yards.  On 2nd and 5, Manning connected with Shockey for an 11 yard gain.  On 1st and 10, Manning had the pass batted away by Newman.  On 2nd and 10, Manning handed it off to Droughns for a 5 yard gain.  On 3rd and 5, the Giants were called for a Delay of Game penalty which backed them up 5 yards.  On 3rd and 10, Manning from shotgun fired it to Toomer for a 22 yard pickup in the middle of the field.  On 1st and 10, Manning handed it off to Jacobs who ran up the middle for a gain of 4.  On 2nd and 6, Manning ran it himself for a 3 yard gain.  On 3rd and 3, Manning from shotgun handed it off to Jacobs who ran up the gut for 4 yards.  On 1st and 10, Manning handed it off to Jacobs for a 6 yard gain.  On 2nd and 4, Manning handed it off to Jacobs for 3 yards.  That concluded the 3rd Quarter.

4th Quarter

On 3rd and 1, Manning handed it off to Droughns for 2 yards.  On 1st and Goal, Manning threw it incomplete to Toomer as Newman batted it away.  On 2nd and Goal, Manning from shotgun handed it off to Jacobs who ran it in for a Touch Down, but the Giants were called for a Holding penalty which backed them up 10 yards.  On 2nd and Goal, the Giants were called for a Delay of Game penalty which backed them up 5 yards.  On 2nd and Goal, Manning from shotgun had the pass batted away by Ratliff.  On 3rd and Goal, Manning fired it to Moss for a gain of 13.  On 4th and Goal, Lawrence Tynes attempted a 26 yard Field Goal Attempt…it was good.  Cowboys 24 - Giants 20.  The Giants Kicked Off, and Austin returned it to the 30 yardline.

With 13:13 remaining in the 4th Quarter, Romo threw it away as Kiwanuka brought the pressure.  On 2nd and 10, Romo threw it to Owens as Ross knocked it away.  The Giants were called for a Hands to the Face penalty which gave the Cowboys 5 yards and an automatic first down.  On 1st and 10, Romo handed it off to Barber for a yard.  On 2nd and 9, Romo fired it to Witten for 8 yards.  On 3rd and 1, Romo handed it off to Barber for a 6 yard gain.  On 1st and 10, Tony Romo aired it out 50 yards to Terrell Owens in the middle of the field, and then Owens ran it in for a Touch Down.  The Extra Point attempt was good.  Cowboys 31 - Giants 20.  The Cowboys Kicked Off, and Bradshaw returned it to the 32 yardline.

With 10:38 remaining in the 4th Quarter, Manning from shotgun threw it incomplete to Toomer.  On 2nd and 10, Manning from shotgun handed it off to Jacobs for a 5 yard gain.  On 3rd and 5, Eli Manning from shotgun got sacked by Tank Johnson.  On 4th and ???, the Giants Punted, and Crayton called for a fair catch at the 32 yardline.

With 9:29 remaining in the 4th Quarter, Romo handed it off to Barber for no gain.  On 2nd and 10, Romo connected with Owens at midfield.  On 1st and 10, Romo handed it off to Barber for 2 yards.  On 2nd and 8, Romo threw it to the left to Barber who picked up 2 yards.  On 3rd and 6, Romo from shotgun threw it incomplete to Owens who was out of bounds.  On 4th and 6, the Cowboys Punted, and McQuarters called for a fair catch at the 9 yardline.

With 6:25 remaining in the 4th Quarter, Manning from shotgun completed the pass to Toomer for an 8 yard gain.  On 2nd and 2, the Cowboys were called for an Nuatral Zone Infraction penalty which gave the Giants 5 yards.  On 1st and 5, Manning from shotgun handed it off to Jacobs for a gain of 2 yards.  On 2nd and 8, Manning from shotgun fired it incomplete to Shockey in the middle of the field.  On 3rd and 8, Manning from shotgun fired it to Shockey in the middle of the field for a 10 yard gain.  On 1st and 10, Manning from shotgun hit Boss for a first down.  On 1st and 10, Manning from shotgun connected with Jacobs for 10 yards.  On 1st and 10, Manning from shotgun handed it off to Jacobs for a gain of 5.  On 2nd and 5, Manning from shotgun threw it away as he was about to get sacked.  On 3rd and 5, the Giants were called for a Delay of Game penalty which backed them up 5 yards.  On 3rd and 10, Manning from shotgun fired it to Droughns for a gain of 6.  On 4th and 4, Manning threw it incomplete.  The Giants turned it over on downs at the 31 yardline.

With 2:58 remaining in the 4th Quarter, Romo handed it off to Jones for a loss of 3.  On 2nd and 13, the Cowboys were called for a False Start penalty which backed them up 5 yards.  On 2nd and 18, Romo handed it off to Barber for 5 yards.  The Cowboys were called for a Holding penalty which backed them up 10 yards.  On 2nd and 28, Romo handed it off to Barber for a gain of 3 yards.  On 3rd and 25, Romo handed it off to Barber for a gain of 3.  The Giants were called for a Personal Foul penalty which gave the Cowboys 15 yards and an automatic first down.  On 1st and 10, Romo handed it off to Barber for a short gain.  On 2nd and 8, Romo handed it off to Barber for 2 yards.  This brought us to the 2:00 Warning.  On 3rd and 6, Romo handed it off to Barber for 5 yards.  On 4th and 1, the Cowboys Punted, and the Giants got the ball at the 30 yardline.

With 1:06 remaining in the 4th Quarter, Manning from shotgun connected with Schockey (12 receptions was a career high) for a first down.  On 1st and 10, Manning from shotgun got the ball stripped away, but Snee fell on top of it.  On 2nd and ???, Eli Manning from shotgun threw in Interception to Pat Watkins.  That concluded the 4th Quarter.

Final Score: Dallas Cowboys 31 - New York Giants 20.  The NFL.com Game Center is attached.

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Now that the season is half over, it’s time to take a step back and look at some things.  Before the season started, I wrote a post titled, “Will Eli be a Manning?”.  It was about whether or not Eli would step up and play like those who carry the same name.  I know he never will play at Archie or Peyton’s level, but I think he could be playing better than he has been the past few seasons.

 With that said, the first half of the season isn’t an indicator of that.  Eli has put up very good stats during the first half of football each year.  The team has also played very well in the first half of the season each year as well.  It is in the second half of the season that Eli has performed mindblowingly poor the past few seasons.  And the team ended it up with horific records in the second half each year.

Eli has also had horrific performances in the playoffs the past two seasons as Big Blue got ousted in the first round each time.  First to Carolina, and then to Philly.  The Panthers completely spanked the Giants after Tiki had one of his best seasons ever.  The G-MEN only lost to Philly by a point or two I think last season.

For Eli to be considered a better Quarterback in the NFL, he needs to play like he did in the first half of the season in the second half of the season for starters.  Add to that a Playoff win or two, and he will begin to meet or exceed people’s expectations.  It’s a 16 game season, so playing great for 8 games and poor for 8 games isn’t going to cut it.  He needs to close the season as well as he started.  I’m not looking for another Big Blue meltdown.  The Giants had two in as many years.  My Mets just had the worst one ever in MLB history this September.  Can one of my teams pull something spectaculor off?  I’d rather the Giants over the Mets.

Now onto another topic.  Earlier in the season, I wrote a post titled “Does Coughlin Lack Killer Instinct?”.  The Giants are known for playing down to the level of their competition which allows these scrubby teams to stick around the game long enough to come back and win the game.  An example of that would be last week’s game against the Dolphins, where the Dolphins put up 10 points in the 2nd half and made it a three point game.

Take the Miami game out of the equation, and you have multiple games in a row where Coughlin had Eli take a knee at the end of the game and even pulling him from games.  I believe Eli was even out of the 49ers game with 5 minutes remaining.  So T.C. proved me wrong.  He has done everything right when the Giants have had the lead.  Tom has also allowed his team to build up large leads earlier in games than years past.  Last year, the Giants wouldn’t play until the 4th Quarter.  Eli was the king of the 2:00 drive to try and win the game.  It’s not like that this year.  But, things aren’t going to be as easy as the scrubs we just beat up.  The level of the competition is slightly tougher in the second half.  mrjokah release the second half schedule the other day so you can look at that to see what we’re up against.

The defense has turned around this year under first year Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.  It’s a really good thing that former Defensive Coordinator Tim Lewis is no longer with us.  Even though we were 6-2 last year after 8 games, our D didn’t look this good.  However, we had the hardest schedule in the NFC East last season.  So it might not be so easy for me to make my case.  I love the aggresiveness of this defensive unit.  It’s great to watch.

The 3-Headed Monster, (Jacobs, Ward, and Droughns), have filled in the gap of Tiki.  This is a huge part of the team’s success this year.  Jacobs was named NFC Offensive Player of the Month for October.  All of them have player really well.  As much as I loved Tiki’s ability to break free for a 75-yard TD run, I love watching Jacobs drag 5 defenders right up the gut for 7 yards.  It’s old school smashmouth football.

Plaxico Burress leads the NFC in Touch Downs, and he was tied with Randy Moss for the lead in the NFL for 6 out of 8 weeks.  He seems like he changed a lot as well.  With that said, everything is great when teams are winning.  His character will get tested when the team loses a few games.  Hopefully, that happens another season.

It’s good to see Mr. Clutch, Amani Toomer, back in the mix after his season ending injury last year.  He’s been solid this year as well.  He broke the Giants All-Time reception record and All-Time touch down record.

The weakness of Big Blue this year is Special Teams.  They need to be called out for it.  It’s horrible all around from kick offs, kick off coverage, punts, punt coverage, kick off returns, punt returns, and field goals.  There’s nothing good to mention about any of it.  It seems like it will remain this way this year because we’re half way through the season.  When you play tougher opponents and playoff games, Special Teams matters.  So this needs to be addressed.

I’m looking forward to a great second half of football, and a nice playoff run eliminating the Cowboys in any round of the playoffs we face them in.  But for now, let’s spank the ‘Boys 100-0 on November 11th.

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