Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Lost Episode 5.02 Two-Faced Liars by Luhks
Since the first season, honesty has always been a scarce commodity for Lost characters. For every instance of a character’s confession, it seemed that a few more buried secrets took its place. For every example of sincere cooperation, you could guarantee that a handful of cons, deceptions, and betrayals would soon follow. Things started on a small scale in the first two seasons, with petty crimes and infidelities scattered throughout the flashbacks and island interactions. Benjamin Linus, Juliet Burke, and the rest of the Others escalated the level of deceit as things moved into Season Three, and made the crash survivors look like amateurs by comparison. Season Four then introduced two massive global conspiracies into story: first, the staged flight 815 wreckage at the bottom of the ocean; and then the Oceanic Six cover story (a lie to conceal the other lie). Misdirection has become a way of life both for the characters and the Lost writers, who manipulate perceptions of truth with more skill than Anthony Cooper himself.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Lost Episode 5.01: Very Bad Things by Luhks
As a general rule when analyzing an episode, I try to refrain from mentioning Lost’s two executive producers, Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse. There are many reasons that I try to follow this rule. First of all, the two producers are students of the Benjamin Linus School of Truth-Telling. Second, I disapprove of the manner in which they promote the show, essentially by declaring themselves as the definitive authority on its interpretation. No artist has exclusive control over the meaning of his work, especially not in an intensely collaborative process like television. Dozens of artists play a role in crafting each episode: creators, producers, directors, writers, cast, and even crew. Each artist himself rarely becomes aware of the full implications of his work. For better or worse, though, no one now can deny that Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse have appointed themselves as the ultimate auteurs of this massive work. Season Five of Lost kicked off at 8 pm on Wednesday with what may prove to be an worrying sight for the future of the show: these two producers on the television screen, telling their viewers what the show is about. I realize that Lost: Destiny Calls was merely another clip show, intended to draw in casual viewers, but the show itself still struck me as odd. I am fairly sure they have done similar things before in the past, but even still, I cannot ever recall a time when Lindelof and Cuse made themselves such a prominent part of the viewing experience.
Monday, January 5, 2009
A Decade of the Giants-Eagles Rivalry
In the current decade, the NFC East division has been dominated by two teams: the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles. The two teams have combined for 8 out of the 9 division titles, 12 out of the division's 17 playoff appearances, 15 out of the division's 16 playoff wins, and six appearances in the conference title game. New York has enjoyed success in two different eras (the Jim Fassel/Kerry Collins era, and the Tom Coughlin/Eli Manning era), while Philadelphia has been successful with Donovan McNabb and Andy Reid over that span. The following includes an overview of all of the battles between these two teams over the past decade.
Philadelphia Eagles since 2000: .638 regular season winning percentage, 9-6 playoff record, 7 playoff appearances, 5 NFC East division titles, 1 NFC Championship
New York Giants since 2000: .556 regular season winning percentage, 6-4 playoff record, 5 playoff appearances, 3 NFC East division titles, 2 NFC Championships, 1 Super Bowl Championship
Head-to-Head Meetings Since 2000:
Eagles: 10 wins (1 playoff win); Giants: 10 wins (1 playoff win)
Eagles: 19.1 points per game; Giants: 18.5 points per game
Home Teams: 8-10 regular season, 2-0 playoffs
At Philadelphia: Eagles 5 wins (1 playoff win), Giants 5 wins
At New York: Eagles 5 wins, Giants 5 wins, (1 playoff win)
September 10, 2000: New York 33, Philadelphia 18
The Giants dominated the Eagles in a Week Two matchup at Veterans Stadium. Led by a Thunder and Lightning rushing attack (Tiki Barber and Ron Dayne), the Giants outgained the Eagles 167 yards to 56 yards on the ground, and controlled the clock for over 38 minutes. Duce Staley gained only 11 yards on 7 carries after a 201-yard rushing performance against Dallas a week before. Kerry Collins threw for 220 yards, and a pair of long touchdowns to Amani Toomer and Ike Hilliard.
October 29, 2000: Philadelphia 7, New York 24
The Giants continued their mastery of the Eagles with an even more impressive victory at the Meadowlands. Once again, Jim Fassel’s team dominated the ground game, with a 152 to 72 advantage in rushing yards, and a 44:00 to 16:00 advantage in time of possession. Toomer enjoyed another big game with 108 receiving yards and a touchdown. The Eagles offense managed only 8 first downs in the game, and converted only 1 of 11 third downs.
January 7, 2001: Philadelphia 10, New York 20 (Divisional Playoff)
Thanks to those two head-to-head victories, the Giants (12-4) edged out the Eagles (11-5) for the division title. The Eagles won a home playoff game against the Buccaneers for a third meeting against their division rivals. Philadelphia played better than their previous outings, but New York prevailed once again. Ron Dixon scored on a 97-yard return of the opening kickoff, and Jason Sehorn returned a Donovan McNabb interception 32 yards for another touchdown. In a much-anticipated matchup, Giants defensive end Michael Strahan bested Eagles offensive tackle Jon Runyan for 2 crucial sacks. The Giants would later advance to the Super Bowl, but fall short to the Ravens.
October 22, 2001: Philadelphia 10, New York 9
Andy Reid’s Eagles had plenty of time after a bye week to prepare for a Monday Night game at the Meadowlands. For 58 minutes, it appeared that the Giants would extend their winning streak to ten games. Strahan led the New York defense, and picked up 2 sacks in the process. The Eagles defense, however, managed to keep the Giants out of the end zone all game to give their team a chance. With 1:52 remaining, McNabb scrambled away from Strahan towards the sidelines and threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to James Thrash (the team’s main offseason acquisition) to take their first and only lead of the game. McNabb apparently ate his Chunky Soup on that day. Linebacker Jeremiah Trotter stripped the football from Kerry Collins to seal the victory.
December 30, 2001: New York 21, Philadelphia 24
In Week Sixteen of the 2001 NFL season, the 7-7 Giants traveled to Philadelphia to take on the 9-5 Eagles, with slim hopes to steal another NFC East title. The teams battled for sixty minutes and the lead changed five times, but David Akers kicked a 35-yard field goal with 7 seconds on the clock to win the game. McNabb rushed for 48 yards, and threw for 270 yards and 3 touchdowns (2 to Chad Lewis, 1 to James Thrash) to lead Philadelphia. Michael Strahan recorded 3½ sacks, on his way towards breaking the single season record in the final week. Philadelphia clinched the NFC East division title, and eliminated New York from the playoffs with the win.
October 23, 2002: New York 3, Philadelphia 17
After years of inferiority in the running game, the Eagles rushing attack finally broke through against their division rivals. Duce Staley rushed for 126 yards, and added 37 receiving yards. Donovan McNabb himself ran for 111 yards on 7 carries. Backup Dorsey Levens contributed 33 and a rookie runner by the name of Brian Westbrook added 39, for a team total of 299 rushing yards. McNabb scored the game’s only touchdown on a 40-yard run in he forth quarter, and then capped it off with a 2-point conversion pass to Chad Lewis.
December 28, 2002: Philadelphia 7, New York 10 (OT)
With their season on the line, the Giants on their home field faced their division rivals in a Week Seventeen matchup. Poor weather conditions turned the game into a sloppy, defensively-dominated contest. Kerry Collins threw a short touchdown pass to rookie Jeremy Shockey, but also threw an interception in the end zone. Tiki Barber rushed for a then-career-high 203 yards, but he also lost three fumbles. David Akers missed a potential 35-yard game-winning field goal late in the fourth quarter. A.J. Feely, filling in for the injured McNabb, threw for 1 touchdown, but gave up a crucial interception in overtime. The Giants clinched a playoff berth with the win, and the Eagles clinched home-field advantage in the playoffs despite the loss.
October 19, 2003: Philadelphia 14, New York 10
Playing at home, New York outgained Philadelphia by a margin of 354 yards to 151 yards. The Giants defense limited the Eagles offense to only 9 first downs and 64 yards passing. Barber gained 100 total yards, Strahan recorded 2 sacks, and Shockey caught a touchdown pass from Collins. The Giants stifled the Eagles, outgained them, and outplayed them for four quarters, but somehow they finished with a loss. With the Eagles trailing by 3 points, Brian Westbrook returned a punt 84 yards for a touchdown with 1:34 to play. Westbrook finished with more than half of his team’s offensive yards, and also scored the team’s only other touchdown, a 6-yard run in the first quarter.
November 16, 2003: New York 10, Philadelphia 28
After the Eagles miracle punt return a month previously, the two division rivals were headed in opposite directions. Donovan McNabb threw for 314 yards and 2 touchdowns here, but Brian Westbrook was again the key to victory for the Eagles, this time in dominant fashion. Westbrook gained 108 yards from scrimmage, and scored 3 touchdowns on the day (1 rushing, 2 receiving). The Giants loss was part of an eight-game losing streak to end the season, which sealed the fate of long-time Head Coach Jim Fassel. The Eagles were in the process of winning ten out of their final eleven games to clinch home field advantage for the second straight year.
September 12, 2004: New York 17, Philadelphia 31
In Week One of the 2004 NFL season, the Giants and Eagles once again showed that they were in two different modes. The Eagles had spent big money on Jevon Kearse and Terrell Owens in the offseason to bolster their championship hopes. The Giants brought in new head coach Tom Coughlin, and selected quarterback Eli Manning in the first round of the NFL draft. Veteran Kurt Warner started the game, but Manning saw his first pro football action in the second half (and received a few vicious hits as part of his welcome). Westbrook gained 161 total yards, while McNabb passed for 330 yards and 4 touchdowns, including 3 touchdowns to Terrell Owens.
November 28, 2004: Philadelphia 27, New York 6
In his second career NFL start, rookie quarterback Eli Manning got another taste of the tough Eagles defense. The Eagles sacked Manning four times and intercepted him twice. On the day, Eli completed just 6 of 21 passes for 148 yards (and just 14 yards in the second half) for a 28.6 completion percentage and a 16.9 passer rating. Westbrook once again made things miserable for the Giants defenders, as he added a 127 total yard, 2-touchdown performance (1 rushing, 1 receiving) to his resume. The Eagles clinched the division with the win, and they were well on their way to a 13-3 record and an NFC Championship that year.
November 20, 2005: Philadelphia 17, New York 27
Thanks to the nucleus of Barber, Toomer, and Strahan, as well as the coaching of Tom Coughlin, it did not take long for the Giants to rebuild around their new young quarterback. It also did not take long for Terrell Owens to tear apart the Philadelphia locker room from within. The Eagles deactivated Owens for good three weeks prior, and then lost McNabb for the season a week before this game. Backup Mike McMahon started for the Eagles, but he was outplayed by the second-year Giants quarterback. Manning threw 3 touchdowns on the day, including two in the fourth quarter: a 1-yard pass to Shockey, and then a 61-yard pass to Plaxico Burress. The Giants offseason acquisition, Burress, finished with 113 yards, and the Eagles struggled to match up against his size and speed. It wouldn’t be the last time that they encountered such problems.
December 11, 2005: New York 26, Philadelphia 23 (OT)
Less than a month later, Manning and the Giants had another crack at the depleted Eagles squad. Already starting Mike McMahon at quarterback, Philadelphia also started Ryan Moats to replace the injured Westbrook. The Eagles running game still kept them competitive, and the defense intercepted Manning three times in the fourth quarter and overtime. However, the day belonged to the veterans Michael Strahan (2 sacks) and Tiki Barber (195 total yards and a touchdown). The loss officially eliminated Philadelphia from playoff contention, and boosted the Giants toward the NFC East division title. McMahon's ineffectiveness prompted the Eagles to sign Jeff Garcia as a backup the following year. The Giants would go on to lose to the Carolina Panthers in the wild card playoffs.
September 17, 2006: New York 30, Philadelphia 24 (OT)
In a Week Two matchup at Lincoln Financial Field, Eli Manning extended his winning streak against the Eagles to three games. Philadelphia dominated for three quarters with McNabb (350 yards, 2 touchdowns), Westbrook (124 total yards and 1 touchdown), and a defense that intercepted Manning once and sacked him 8 times. Manning withstood the beating, though, and rallied his team from a 17-point fourth quarter deficit. He threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Toomer with under 5 minutes to play, then led his team into field goal range at the end of regulation, and finally capped the game with a 31-yard touchdown to Burress to win the game in overtime.
December 17, 2006: Philadelphia 36, New York 22
After Donovan McNabb suffered another season-ending injury, the Eagles found new life with backup Jeff Garcia. With the Eagles clinging to playoff hopes at 6-6, they faced a brutal three-game road stretch against division opponents Washington, New York, and Dallas. The game featured fireworks from the usual suspects: Westbrook (137 total yards and 2 touchdowns), Burress (120 yards), and Barber (104 total yards and 1 touchdown). The lead changed for the fifth time when a Brandon Jacobs touchdown gave the Giants a 1-point lead with 7 minutes to play. Garcia then led the Eagles on an 80-yard drive, which finished with a 19-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Brown. Trent Cole returned an interception for a touchdown to seal the win. Improbably, Garcia led the Eagles to a clean sweep and another division title.
January 7, 2007: New York 20, Philadelphia 23 (Wild Card Playoff)
The 10-6 Eagles won the 2006 NFC East title, but the Giants also snuck into the postseason with an 8-8 record. Tiki Barber had rushed for a career-high 234 yards against the Redskins to clinch a playoff berth on the last day of the regular season. In his final season before retirement, Barber had earned himself one more playoff game. Barber had tremendous success against the Eagles throughout his career, and this game (152 total yards) was no different. His younger doppelganger, Westbrook, did the same for Philadelphia (153 total yards, 1 touchdown). Plaxico Burress exploited the Eagles secondary again for 89 yards and 2 touchdowns, including a score that tied the game at 20 with 5 minutes to play. Afterwards, Garcia and Westbrook led the Eagles on a final drive to kill the clock and allow David Akers to boot in a game-winning field goal. This playoff contest was Tiki Barber’s final game, and also proved to be the final home game for Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter. The Eagles also lost by 3 points in New Orleans the following week.
September 30, 2007: Philadelphia 3, New York 16
On the same day that the Philadelphia Phillies clinched their division title thanks to an historic collapse to the New York Mets, the Philadelphia Eagles managed a memorable collapse of their own. Offensive tackle Winston Justice started in place of an injured Tra Thomas, and Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora exploited him for a franchise-record 6 sacks. The Giants defense as a whole tied an NFL-record by sacking McNabb a total of 12 times on the day. The game involved the first-ever matchup between New York defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo (a former assistant in Philadelphia) against his old team. The Eagles sorely missed the presence of Brian Westbrook, but the Giants running game was strong even with Brandon Jacobs on the sidelines. In the first quarter, Plaxico Burress caught his fifth touchdown in five starts against the Eagles, which proved to be all the points the Giants needed.
December 9, 2007: New York 16, Philadelphia 13
When A.J. Feeley replaced McNabb after another midseason injury, the Eagles went on a two-game losing streak to fall to 5-7 on the season. Philadelphia was still hopeful that it could stay in the playoff chase as the Giants came to town. Burress had another great performance for the Giants (136 yards and 1 touchdown), and Westbrook had another outstanding game for the Eagles (154 total yards, 1 touchdown). Aside from those two star offensive players, the dueling defenses and special-teams dominated the rest of the contest. Trailing by 3 in the final minutes, McNabb drove the Eagles to the edge of field goal range. With 1 second remaining, David Akers attempted a 57-yard field goal, which had enough distance, but hit the upright and bounced back. Afterwards, the Eagles won their final three games to finish at 8-8, but missed the playoffs. The Giants win became the sixth road win in a ten-game road winning streak, including three playoff wins on the road, to close out the season. Ultimately, in Michael Strahan’s final football game, the Giants upset the 18-0 New England Patriots and won the Super Bowl. Eli Manning won Super Bowl MVP honors, after leading his team on a game-winning drive.
November 9, 2008: New York 36, Philadelphia 31
During the 2008 regular season, the Eagles and the Giants ranked as the two best defenses in the NFC (Philadelphia was 1st in total defense and 1st in points allowed; New York was 3rd in total defense and 2nd in points allowed). Long-time Philadelphia defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, and his former pupil Steve Spagnuolo, both did outstanding coaching jobs. During this wild regular season meeting in Philadelphia, though, both teams lit up the scoreboard. The Eagles forced two turnovers and capitalized on good starting positions, while the Giants used a methodical and balanced attack to drive all over Lincoln Financial Field. Manning threw yet another touchdown pass to Burress against the Philadelphia defense, and also tossed one to tight end Kevin Boss. Brandon Jacobs rushed for 126 yards and two touchdowns, and the team as a whole gained 219 rushing yards. The lead changed four times, but the Giants took control in the second half behind Jacobs. In the fourth quarter, McNabb threw for his third touchdown of the game, a short pass to Kevin Curtis, to cut the lead to 7. The New York offensive line proved to be too strong for the Eagles, and the defending champs ran out the clock before the Eagles could finish the rally. The game’s outcome could have tipped the other way due to a few inches on replay reviews: a crucial forward pass ruled in favor of the Giants, and a potential fumble recovery that was also denied after an Eagles challenge.
December 7, 2008: Philadelphia 20, New York 14
Receiver Plaxico Burress was probably the most dangerous offensive weapon that the Giants could use against the Eagles (7 touchdowns in 7 games). A week before the Eagles faced the Giants the second time around, Burress wounded his leg in an accidental shooting. Before the game, New York learned that Plaxico would miss the remainder of the 2008 season. Domenik Hixon struggled while starting in his place, and dropped an early deep pass that could have gone for a touchdown. Brandon Jacobs also left the game in the second half with an ankle injury. The Philadelphia defense stifled the New York offense well into the third quarter, and the Giants only points came off a blocked field goal attempt returned for a score to end the half. Brian Westbrook had been a non-factor in their home game against the Giants, but he gave the Eagles all the offense they needed on the road: a career-high 33 carries for 131 yards and 1 touchdown, along with 6 catches for 72 receiving yards and another touchdown. Eli Manning led the Giants on a touchdown drive with 15 second remaining, but the clock ran out on a comeback attempt. Manning finished up 13 for 27 on the day, for just 123 yards (with 6 of those completions and 57 of those yards on the final drive).
January 11, 2007: Philadelphia at New York (Divisional Playoff)
On Sunday, January 11, 2009, the Philadelphia Eagles will travel to New York to take on the Giants in their most important contest of this decade. The loser will be eliminated from the playoffs, and the winner will move on to the NFC Championship game with a chance to advance to the Super Bowl.
Philadelphia Eagles (10-6-1)
Coach: Andy Reid (9-6 Playoffs)
Rushing Offense: 106.1 yards, 22nd in NFL
Passing Offense: 244.4 yards, 6th in NFL
Total Offense: 350.5 yards, 9th in NFL
Scoring Offense: 26.0 points, 6th in NFL
Rushing Defense: 92.3 yards, 4th in NFL
Passing Defense: 182.1 yards, 3rd in NFL
Total Defense: 274.4 yards, 3rd in NFL
Scoring Defense: 18.1 points, 4th in NFL
The Philadelphia Eagles needed help from other teams around the league in order to clinch the sixth seed in the NFC playoffs, but they proved that they belonged with an impressive 26-14 road victory over the Minnesota Vikings. Jim Johnson's defense played well once again, with the exception of a 40-yard touchdown run to Adrian Peterson. Philadelphia has now won five out of their last six games, thanks to a defense that has allowed an average of 10.7 points during that span. Donovan McNabb completed 67.6% of his passes, and threw for 300 yards, to win his first playoff game in four years. Two explosive plays were key to the victory: a 44-yard interception return by Asante Samuel, for an NFL-record 4th postseason touchdown; and a screen pass to Brian Westbrook, which he took 71 yards for a touchdown.
In twelve career games against the Giants, Westbrook has had more success against them than any other team: 4.9 yards per carry, 121.3 total yards per game, and 14 total touchdowns, helping the Eagles to an 8-4 record in that span. McNabb's career numbers against the Giants are fairly impressive as well: an 8-7 record in 15 games, 56.1% completions, 194.8 passing yards per game; 20 TDs, 5 INTs, along with 29.3 rushing yards per game and 3 rushing TDs. The Eagles are 6-3 against the Giants when both Westbrook and McNabb play. The Eagles defense has had great success against Eli Manning, whenever he plays without Plaxico Burress. The Eagles won two games against Manning without Burress, both played in New York, during which they limited him to 39.6% completions, 135.5 passing yards per game, 1 TD, and 2 INTs. Andy Reid will try everything he can to get his team to execute the same way they did on the road in Week Fourteen: feed the ball to #36 on offense, and disrupt the Giants passing game with a swarming defense.
New York Giants (12-4)
Coach: Tom Coughlin (8-6 Playoffs)
Rushing Offense: 157.4 yards, 1st in NFL
Passing Offense: 198.5 yards, 18th in NFL
Total Offense: 355.9 yards, 7th in NFL
Scoring Offense: 26.7 points, 3rd in NFL
Rushing Defense: 95.8 yards, 9th in NFL
Passing Defense: 196.2 yards, 8th in NFL
Total Defense: 292.0 yards, 5th in NFL
Scoring Defense: 18.4 points, 5th in NFL
A year ago, the New York Giants put together one of the most legendary playoff runs in NFL history. As a 10-6 wild card team, the Giants won on the road in Tampa Bay, Dallas, and Green Bay, and then upset the undefeated New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. The Giants opened their 2008 campaign with an 11-1 record, and then clinched home field advantage throughout the playoffs with a 34-28 overtime victory over the second-seeded Carolina Panthers. Tom Coughlin's team has stepped up to a wide array of obstacles all season long. Last year's team needed to overcome the departure of Tiki Barber and the loss of Jeremy Shockey. This year's team responded well to the retirement of Michael Strahan, the loss of Osi Umenyiora, the off-field drama surrounding Plaxico Burress, and a series of injuries to Brandon Jacobs and others. The competitiveness of Coughlin, Manning, and Antonio Pierce held the team together each week, and New York kept their momentum rolling. The Giants will send six players to the Pro Bowl, including defensive end Justin Tuck (12 sacks), who elevated his game in the absence of Strahan and Umenyiora.
The Giants beat the Eagles early in the year, and the Panthers late this season, by leaning on their rushing offense. Brandon Jacobs rushed for 126 yards and 2 touchdowns in a Week Ten win against the Eagles, and then gained 92 yards and scored 3 touchdowns against the Panthers. For his career, Jacobs averaged 4.6 yards per carry against Philadelphia. The New York offensive line is probably the league's best, paving the way for not just one by two 1,000-yard rushers: Jacobs with 1089 and Derrick Ward with 1025. The Giants will pound away in the run game against the smaller Eagles defensive front, and pressure McNabb with their outstanding pass rush. Manning has also performed well in clutch situations against Philadelphia in the past, and he also takes plenty of confidence from the experience last year's playoffs. New York is talented, tough, experienced, balanced, motivated, and they have the added benefits of home-field advantage and two week's rest. It will take a monumental effort for Philadelphia to prevail.
Prediction, from the Head: Giants 24, Eagles 20
Prediction, from the Heart: Giants 20, Eagles 24
Philadelphia Eagles since 2000: .638 regular season winning percentage, 9-6 playoff record, 7 playoff appearances, 5 NFC East division titles, 1 NFC Championship
New York Giants since 2000: .556 regular season winning percentage, 6-4 playoff record, 5 playoff appearances, 3 NFC East division titles, 2 NFC Championships, 1 Super Bowl Championship
Head-to-Head Meetings Since 2000:
Eagles: 10 wins (1 playoff win); Giants: 10 wins (1 playoff win)
Eagles: 19.1 points per game; Giants: 18.5 points per game
Home Teams: 8-10 regular season, 2-0 playoffs
At Philadelphia: Eagles 5 wins (1 playoff win), Giants 5 wins
At New York: Eagles 5 wins, Giants 5 wins, (1 playoff win)
September 10, 2000: New York 33, Philadelphia 18
The Giants dominated the Eagles in a Week Two matchup at Veterans Stadium. Led by a Thunder and Lightning rushing attack (Tiki Barber and Ron Dayne), the Giants outgained the Eagles 167 yards to 56 yards on the ground, and controlled the clock for over 38 minutes. Duce Staley gained only 11 yards on 7 carries after a 201-yard rushing performance against Dallas a week before. Kerry Collins threw for 220 yards, and a pair of long touchdowns to Amani Toomer and Ike Hilliard.
October 29, 2000: Philadelphia 7, New York 24
The Giants continued their mastery of the Eagles with an even more impressive victory at the Meadowlands. Once again, Jim Fassel’s team dominated the ground game, with a 152 to 72 advantage in rushing yards, and a 44:00 to 16:00 advantage in time of possession. Toomer enjoyed another big game with 108 receiving yards and a touchdown. The Eagles offense managed only 8 first downs in the game, and converted only 1 of 11 third downs.
January 7, 2001: Philadelphia 10, New York 20 (Divisional Playoff)
Thanks to those two head-to-head victories, the Giants (12-4) edged out the Eagles (11-5) for the division title. The Eagles won a home playoff game against the Buccaneers for a third meeting against their division rivals. Philadelphia played better than their previous outings, but New York prevailed once again. Ron Dixon scored on a 97-yard return of the opening kickoff, and Jason Sehorn returned a Donovan McNabb interception 32 yards for another touchdown. In a much-anticipated matchup, Giants defensive end Michael Strahan bested Eagles offensive tackle Jon Runyan for 2 crucial sacks. The Giants would later advance to the Super Bowl, but fall short to the Ravens.
October 22, 2001: Philadelphia 10, New York 9
Andy Reid’s Eagles had plenty of time after a bye week to prepare for a Monday Night game at the Meadowlands. For 58 minutes, it appeared that the Giants would extend their winning streak to ten games. Strahan led the New York defense, and picked up 2 sacks in the process. The Eagles defense, however, managed to keep the Giants out of the end zone all game to give their team a chance. With 1:52 remaining, McNabb scrambled away from Strahan towards the sidelines and threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to James Thrash (the team’s main offseason acquisition) to take their first and only lead of the game. McNabb apparently ate his Chunky Soup on that day. Linebacker Jeremiah Trotter stripped the football from Kerry Collins to seal the victory.
December 30, 2001: New York 21, Philadelphia 24
In Week Sixteen of the 2001 NFL season, the 7-7 Giants traveled to Philadelphia to take on the 9-5 Eagles, with slim hopes to steal another NFC East title. The teams battled for sixty minutes and the lead changed five times, but David Akers kicked a 35-yard field goal with 7 seconds on the clock to win the game. McNabb rushed for 48 yards, and threw for 270 yards and 3 touchdowns (2 to Chad Lewis, 1 to James Thrash) to lead Philadelphia. Michael Strahan recorded 3½ sacks, on his way towards breaking the single season record in the final week. Philadelphia clinched the NFC East division title, and eliminated New York from the playoffs with the win.
October 23, 2002: New York 3, Philadelphia 17
After years of inferiority in the running game, the Eagles rushing attack finally broke through against their division rivals. Duce Staley rushed for 126 yards, and added 37 receiving yards. Donovan McNabb himself ran for 111 yards on 7 carries. Backup Dorsey Levens contributed 33 and a rookie runner by the name of Brian Westbrook added 39, for a team total of 299 rushing yards. McNabb scored the game’s only touchdown on a 40-yard run in he forth quarter, and then capped it off with a 2-point conversion pass to Chad Lewis.
December 28, 2002: Philadelphia 7, New York 10 (OT)
With their season on the line, the Giants on their home field faced their division rivals in a Week Seventeen matchup. Poor weather conditions turned the game into a sloppy, defensively-dominated contest. Kerry Collins threw a short touchdown pass to rookie Jeremy Shockey, but also threw an interception in the end zone. Tiki Barber rushed for a then-career-high 203 yards, but he also lost three fumbles. David Akers missed a potential 35-yard game-winning field goal late in the fourth quarter. A.J. Feely, filling in for the injured McNabb, threw for 1 touchdown, but gave up a crucial interception in overtime. The Giants clinched a playoff berth with the win, and the Eagles clinched home-field advantage in the playoffs despite the loss.
October 19, 2003: Philadelphia 14, New York 10
Playing at home, New York outgained Philadelphia by a margin of 354 yards to 151 yards. The Giants defense limited the Eagles offense to only 9 first downs and 64 yards passing. Barber gained 100 total yards, Strahan recorded 2 sacks, and Shockey caught a touchdown pass from Collins. The Giants stifled the Eagles, outgained them, and outplayed them for four quarters, but somehow they finished with a loss. With the Eagles trailing by 3 points, Brian Westbrook returned a punt 84 yards for a touchdown with 1:34 to play. Westbrook finished with more than half of his team’s offensive yards, and also scored the team’s only other touchdown, a 6-yard run in the first quarter.
November 16, 2003: New York 10, Philadelphia 28
After the Eagles miracle punt return a month previously, the two division rivals were headed in opposite directions. Donovan McNabb threw for 314 yards and 2 touchdowns here, but Brian Westbrook was again the key to victory for the Eagles, this time in dominant fashion. Westbrook gained 108 yards from scrimmage, and scored 3 touchdowns on the day (1 rushing, 2 receiving). The Giants loss was part of an eight-game losing streak to end the season, which sealed the fate of long-time Head Coach Jim Fassel. The Eagles were in the process of winning ten out of their final eleven games to clinch home field advantage for the second straight year.
September 12, 2004: New York 17, Philadelphia 31
In Week One of the 2004 NFL season, the Giants and Eagles once again showed that they were in two different modes. The Eagles had spent big money on Jevon Kearse and Terrell Owens in the offseason to bolster their championship hopes. The Giants brought in new head coach Tom Coughlin, and selected quarterback Eli Manning in the first round of the NFL draft. Veteran Kurt Warner started the game, but Manning saw his first pro football action in the second half (and received a few vicious hits as part of his welcome). Westbrook gained 161 total yards, while McNabb passed for 330 yards and 4 touchdowns, including 3 touchdowns to Terrell Owens.
November 28, 2004: Philadelphia 27, New York 6
In his second career NFL start, rookie quarterback Eli Manning got another taste of the tough Eagles defense. The Eagles sacked Manning four times and intercepted him twice. On the day, Eli completed just 6 of 21 passes for 148 yards (and just 14 yards in the second half) for a 28.6 completion percentage and a 16.9 passer rating. Westbrook once again made things miserable for the Giants defenders, as he added a 127 total yard, 2-touchdown performance (1 rushing, 1 receiving) to his resume. The Eagles clinched the division with the win, and they were well on their way to a 13-3 record and an NFC Championship that year.
November 20, 2005: Philadelphia 17, New York 27
Thanks to the nucleus of Barber, Toomer, and Strahan, as well as the coaching of Tom Coughlin, it did not take long for the Giants to rebuild around their new young quarterback. It also did not take long for Terrell Owens to tear apart the Philadelphia locker room from within. The Eagles deactivated Owens for good three weeks prior, and then lost McNabb for the season a week before this game. Backup Mike McMahon started for the Eagles, but he was outplayed by the second-year Giants quarterback. Manning threw 3 touchdowns on the day, including two in the fourth quarter: a 1-yard pass to Shockey, and then a 61-yard pass to Plaxico Burress. The Giants offseason acquisition, Burress, finished with 113 yards, and the Eagles struggled to match up against his size and speed. It wouldn’t be the last time that they encountered such problems.
December 11, 2005: New York 26, Philadelphia 23 (OT)
Less than a month later, Manning and the Giants had another crack at the depleted Eagles squad. Already starting Mike McMahon at quarterback, Philadelphia also started Ryan Moats to replace the injured Westbrook. The Eagles running game still kept them competitive, and the defense intercepted Manning three times in the fourth quarter and overtime. However, the day belonged to the veterans Michael Strahan (2 sacks) and Tiki Barber (195 total yards and a touchdown). The loss officially eliminated Philadelphia from playoff contention, and boosted the Giants toward the NFC East division title. McMahon's ineffectiveness prompted the Eagles to sign Jeff Garcia as a backup the following year. The Giants would go on to lose to the Carolina Panthers in the wild card playoffs.
September 17, 2006: New York 30, Philadelphia 24 (OT)
In a Week Two matchup at Lincoln Financial Field, Eli Manning extended his winning streak against the Eagles to three games. Philadelphia dominated for three quarters with McNabb (350 yards, 2 touchdowns), Westbrook (124 total yards and 1 touchdown), and a defense that intercepted Manning once and sacked him 8 times. Manning withstood the beating, though, and rallied his team from a 17-point fourth quarter deficit. He threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Toomer with under 5 minutes to play, then led his team into field goal range at the end of regulation, and finally capped the game with a 31-yard touchdown to Burress to win the game in overtime.
December 17, 2006: Philadelphia 36, New York 22
After Donovan McNabb suffered another season-ending injury, the Eagles found new life with backup Jeff Garcia. With the Eagles clinging to playoff hopes at 6-6, they faced a brutal three-game road stretch against division opponents Washington, New York, and Dallas. The game featured fireworks from the usual suspects: Westbrook (137 total yards and 2 touchdowns), Burress (120 yards), and Barber (104 total yards and 1 touchdown). The lead changed for the fifth time when a Brandon Jacobs touchdown gave the Giants a 1-point lead with 7 minutes to play. Garcia then led the Eagles on an 80-yard drive, which finished with a 19-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Brown. Trent Cole returned an interception for a touchdown to seal the win. Improbably, Garcia led the Eagles to a clean sweep and another division title.
January 7, 2007: New York 20, Philadelphia 23 (Wild Card Playoff)
The 10-6 Eagles won the 2006 NFC East title, but the Giants also snuck into the postseason with an 8-8 record. Tiki Barber had rushed for a career-high 234 yards against the Redskins to clinch a playoff berth on the last day of the regular season. In his final season before retirement, Barber had earned himself one more playoff game. Barber had tremendous success against the Eagles throughout his career, and this game (152 total yards) was no different. His younger doppelganger, Westbrook, did the same for Philadelphia (153 total yards, 1 touchdown). Plaxico Burress exploited the Eagles secondary again for 89 yards and 2 touchdowns, including a score that tied the game at 20 with 5 minutes to play. Afterwards, Garcia and Westbrook led the Eagles on a final drive to kill the clock and allow David Akers to boot in a game-winning field goal. This playoff contest was Tiki Barber’s final game, and also proved to be the final home game for Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter. The Eagles also lost by 3 points in New Orleans the following week.
September 30, 2007: Philadelphia 3, New York 16
On the same day that the Philadelphia Phillies clinched their division title thanks to an historic collapse to the New York Mets, the Philadelphia Eagles managed a memorable collapse of their own. Offensive tackle Winston Justice started in place of an injured Tra Thomas, and Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora exploited him for a franchise-record 6 sacks. The Giants defense as a whole tied an NFL-record by sacking McNabb a total of 12 times on the day. The game involved the first-ever matchup between New York defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo (a former assistant in Philadelphia) against his old team. The Eagles sorely missed the presence of Brian Westbrook, but the Giants running game was strong even with Brandon Jacobs on the sidelines. In the first quarter, Plaxico Burress caught his fifth touchdown in five starts against the Eagles, which proved to be all the points the Giants needed.
December 9, 2007: New York 16, Philadelphia 13
When A.J. Feeley replaced McNabb after another midseason injury, the Eagles went on a two-game losing streak to fall to 5-7 on the season. Philadelphia was still hopeful that it could stay in the playoff chase as the Giants came to town. Burress had another great performance for the Giants (136 yards and 1 touchdown), and Westbrook had another outstanding game for the Eagles (154 total yards, 1 touchdown). Aside from those two star offensive players, the dueling defenses and special-teams dominated the rest of the contest. Trailing by 3 in the final minutes, McNabb drove the Eagles to the edge of field goal range. With 1 second remaining, David Akers attempted a 57-yard field goal, which had enough distance, but hit the upright and bounced back. Afterwards, the Eagles won their final three games to finish at 8-8, but missed the playoffs. The Giants win became the sixth road win in a ten-game road winning streak, including three playoff wins on the road, to close out the season. Ultimately, in Michael Strahan’s final football game, the Giants upset the 18-0 New England Patriots and won the Super Bowl. Eli Manning won Super Bowl MVP honors, after leading his team on a game-winning drive.
November 9, 2008: New York 36, Philadelphia 31
During the 2008 regular season, the Eagles and the Giants ranked as the two best defenses in the NFC (Philadelphia was 1st in total defense and 1st in points allowed; New York was 3rd in total defense and 2nd in points allowed). Long-time Philadelphia defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, and his former pupil Steve Spagnuolo, both did outstanding coaching jobs. During this wild regular season meeting in Philadelphia, though, both teams lit up the scoreboard. The Eagles forced two turnovers and capitalized on good starting positions, while the Giants used a methodical and balanced attack to drive all over Lincoln Financial Field. Manning threw yet another touchdown pass to Burress against the Philadelphia defense, and also tossed one to tight end Kevin Boss. Brandon Jacobs rushed for 126 yards and two touchdowns, and the team as a whole gained 219 rushing yards. The lead changed four times, but the Giants took control in the second half behind Jacobs. In the fourth quarter, McNabb threw for his third touchdown of the game, a short pass to Kevin Curtis, to cut the lead to 7. The New York offensive line proved to be too strong for the Eagles, and the defending champs ran out the clock before the Eagles could finish the rally. The game’s outcome could have tipped the other way due to a few inches on replay reviews: a crucial forward pass ruled in favor of the Giants, and a potential fumble recovery that was also denied after an Eagles challenge.
December 7, 2008: Philadelphia 20, New York 14
Receiver Plaxico Burress was probably the most dangerous offensive weapon that the Giants could use against the Eagles (7 touchdowns in 7 games). A week before the Eagles faced the Giants the second time around, Burress wounded his leg in an accidental shooting. Before the game, New York learned that Plaxico would miss the remainder of the 2008 season. Domenik Hixon struggled while starting in his place, and dropped an early deep pass that could have gone for a touchdown. Brandon Jacobs also left the game in the second half with an ankle injury. The Philadelphia defense stifled the New York offense well into the third quarter, and the Giants only points came off a blocked field goal attempt returned for a score to end the half. Brian Westbrook had been a non-factor in their home game against the Giants, but he gave the Eagles all the offense they needed on the road: a career-high 33 carries for 131 yards and 1 touchdown, along with 6 catches for 72 receiving yards and another touchdown. Eli Manning led the Giants on a touchdown drive with 15 second remaining, but the clock ran out on a comeback attempt. Manning finished up 13 for 27 on the day, for just 123 yards (with 6 of those completions and 57 of those yards on the final drive).
January 11, 2007: Philadelphia at New York (Divisional Playoff)
On Sunday, January 11, 2009, the Philadelphia Eagles will travel to New York to take on the Giants in their most important contest of this decade. The loser will be eliminated from the playoffs, and the winner will move on to the NFC Championship game with a chance to advance to the Super Bowl.
Philadelphia Eagles (10-6-1)
Coach: Andy Reid (9-6 Playoffs)
Rushing Offense: 106.1 yards, 22nd in NFL
Passing Offense: 244.4 yards, 6th in NFL
Total Offense: 350.5 yards, 9th in NFL
Scoring Offense: 26.0 points, 6th in NFL
Rushing Defense: 92.3 yards, 4th in NFL
Passing Defense: 182.1 yards, 3rd in NFL
Total Defense: 274.4 yards, 3rd in NFL
Scoring Defense: 18.1 points, 4th in NFL
The Philadelphia Eagles needed help from other teams around the league in order to clinch the sixth seed in the NFC playoffs, but they proved that they belonged with an impressive 26-14 road victory over the Minnesota Vikings. Jim Johnson's defense played well once again, with the exception of a 40-yard touchdown run to Adrian Peterson. Philadelphia has now won five out of their last six games, thanks to a defense that has allowed an average of 10.7 points during that span. Donovan McNabb completed 67.6% of his passes, and threw for 300 yards, to win his first playoff game in four years. Two explosive plays were key to the victory: a 44-yard interception return by Asante Samuel, for an NFL-record 4th postseason touchdown; and a screen pass to Brian Westbrook, which he took 71 yards for a touchdown.
In twelve career games against the Giants, Westbrook has had more success against them than any other team: 4.9 yards per carry, 121.3 total yards per game, and 14 total touchdowns, helping the Eagles to an 8-4 record in that span. McNabb's career numbers against the Giants are fairly impressive as well: an 8-7 record in 15 games, 56.1% completions, 194.8 passing yards per game; 20 TDs, 5 INTs, along with 29.3 rushing yards per game and 3 rushing TDs. The Eagles are 6-3 against the Giants when both Westbrook and McNabb play. The Eagles defense has had great success against Eli Manning, whenever he plays without Plaxico Burress. The Eagles won two games against Manning without Burress, both played in New York, during which they limited him to 39.6% completions, 135.5 passing yards per game, 1 TD, and 2 INTs. Andy Reid will try everything he can to get his team to execute the same way they did on the road in Week Fourteen: feed the ball to #36 on offense, and disrupt the Giants passing game with a swarming defense.
New York Giants (12-4)
Coach: Tom Coughlin (8-6 Playoffs)
Rushing Offense: 157.4 yards, 1st in NFL
Passing Offense: 198.5 yards, 18th in NFL
Total Offense: 355.9 yards, 7th in NFL
Scoring Offense: 26.7 points, 3rd in NFL
Rushing Defense: 95.8 yards, 9th in NFL
Passing Defense: 196.2 yards, 8th in NFL
Total Defense: 292.0 yards, 5th in NFL
Scoring Defense: 18.4 points, 5th in NFL
A year ago, the New York Giants put together one of the most legendary playoff runs in NFL history. As a 10-6 wild card team, the Giants won on the road in Tampa Bay, Dallas, and Green Bay, and then upset the undefeated New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. The Giants opened their 2008 campaign with an 11-1 record, and then clinched home field advantage throughout the playoffs with a 34-28 overtime victory over the second-seeded Carolina Panthers. Tom Coughlin's team has stepped up to a wide array of obstacles all season long. Last year's team needed to overcome the departure of Tiki Barber and the loss of Jeremy Shockey. This year's team responded well to the retirement of Michael Strahan, the loss of Osi Umenyiora, the off-field drama surrounding Plaxico Burress, and a series of injuries to Brandon Jacobs and others. The competitiveness of Coughlin, Manning, and Antonio Pierce held the team together each week, and New York kept their momentum rolling. The Giants will send six players to the Pro Bowl, including defensive end Justin Tuck (12 sacks), who elevated his game in the absence of Strahan and Umenyiora.
The Giants beat the Eagles early in the year, and the Panthers late this season, by leaning on their rushing offense. Brandon Jacobs rushed for 126 yards and 2 touchdowns in a Week Ten win against the Eagles, and then gained 92 yards and scored 3 touchdowns against the Panthers. For his career, Jacobs averaged 4.6 yards per carry against Philadelphia. The New York offensive line is probably the league's best, paving the way for not just one by two 1,000-yard rushers: Jacobs with 1089 and Derrick Ward with 1025. The Giants will pound away in the run game against the smaller Eagles defensive front, and pressure McNabb with their outstanding pass rush. Manning has also performed well in clutch situations against Philadelphia in the past, and he also takes plenty of confidence from the experience last year's playoffs. New York is talented, tough, experienced, balanced, motivated, and they have the added benefits of home-field advantage and two week's rest. It will take a monumental effort for Philadelphia to prevail.
Prediction, from the Head: Giants 24, Eagles 20
Prediction, from the Heart: Giants 20, Eagles 24
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