It wasn’t supposed to happen this way.
The New York Giants, with a WR corps so decimated that Brandon Stokley had to be called in (yes, the white guy who used to catch passes from Peyton Manning) and a group of CBs that barely grazed the bottom of the depth chart at the end of last year, somehow beat the vaunted Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
While the Eagles should never have been called a Dream Team, they do still have a lot of talent. With the Giants injured, playing on a short week (they played Monday night) and coming off two unimpressive showings against the Redskins and Rams, the G-men should have been easy pickings for the Eagles. Except they weren’t.
The Giants beat the Eagles at their own game, making timely stops, rushing the passer with ferocity, and most surprisingly, out-Eagling the Eagles with several big plays. How did the Giants do it, you may ask?
Coaching.
On Sunday, the Giants, and more specifically Tom Coughlin Kevin Gilbride and Perry Fewell (offensive and defensive coordinators) flat outcoached Andy Reid and his staff on the Eagles sideline.
The easiest way to see this is by looking at the rosters. On paper, this should have been a whitewash, and not in New York’s favor. With Michael Vick throwing to Desean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and Jason Avant, the Eagles should have had the edge in the passing game. The Eagles have Asante Samuel and Nmandi Asomugha, as well as a strong front four, so the defensive advantage should have been theirs too. According to Darryl Johnston and Kenny Albert, Philly also had the best running back in the NFL, Lesean McCoy.
(Side rant: The fact that Johnston and Albert continuously refered to Lesean McCoy as the best back in the NFL and were never called out on it is preposterous. Actual quote: “The back I can most compare him to is Barry Sanders”. Give me a break. Yes, the kid's great; he’s got quick feet and is extremely dangerous on cutbacks and in the open field. But Barry Sanders? Please.)
On paper, the Eagles had every advantage, on both sides of the ball. Being able to use all of this talent properly, however, is another story.
Time and time again, Philadelphia didn’t capitalize on their opportunities. With 1st and goal at the 2 yard line on two separate occasions, the Eagles settled for field goals both times. They were stuffed on boring running plays, and when they did try to take it to the air, they got way too cute. They tried a play action inside screen to Lesean McCoy, and with the clutter of bodies that come with a goal line stand, the play made no sense, and the Eagles were stopped once again.
Philly was also shut down on a key late game 4th and 1 gamble, with another unimaginative, poorly thought out running play. McCoy, in all his Barry Sanders-esque glory (sarcasm intended), was slowed down by one Giant, then promptly wrapped up for a loss by Michael Boley (who, by the way, played a hell of a game). The Eagles were either too creative or not creative enough with their play calling on this day, and it ended up costing them. The Giants' play calling, on the other hand, was exactly the opposite.
Kevin Gilbride, New York’s longtime offensive coordinator, had one of his best games in recent memory. Giants fans often lament at the sometimes predictable play calling of the old coach. On this day though, not a peep could be heard, not even from the brash, no holds barred New York faithful.
That’s because not even a fan base as surly as the Giants can be disappointed with 29 points, three +25 yard TD passes, a 70 % completion percentage and tons of important plays when it mattered most.
As a diehard Giants fan, one of the plays that stood out to me wasn’t even one that netted any points. In the second quarter, with the Giants clinging to an 11 point lead and facing 3rd and 5 at their own 25, Eli Manning lined up in shotgun. You could hear the groan of Giants fans everywhere from my house in Montreal. Here comes another predictable short 3rd down pass.
But Kevin surprised us all. Gilbride completely fooled the Eagles by running a draw, and 40 yards and one punishing stiff arm later, the Giants had a first down and then some. This is the kind of play calling that was seen from the Giants throughout the game. Smart, unpredictable, and playing off the Eagles weaknesses.
Gilbride and the Giants continued to use Philadelphia’s aggressiveness against them throughout the game, and especially on the game clinching TD late in the fourth quarter.
With the Giants ahead 22-16, and with memories of Desean Jackson waltzing into the end zone still residing, New York wasn’t taking any chances. A field goal was essential, and a touchdown would all but end it. Facing a 3rd and 11 at the Eagle 18, Kevin Gilbride guessed pressure, and he guessed right. The Eagles brought the heat, hoping for a sack and to perhaps jar the ball loose, but the Giants offensive coordinator cooked up the perfect play: a screen.
When Ahmad Bradshaw caught the ball, the shifty back, who had a stellar game once again, saw nothing but green and blue in front of him. Not the green of the Eagles though; the green of freshly cut grass. Bradshaw went untouched into the end zone, and New Yorkers breathed a sigh of relief.
There was also some great coaching done on the defensive side of the ball, as evidenced by the constant pressure that eventually knocked All-Pro QB Mike Vick out of the game (I could’ve gone with so many prison and felon related names on this one, but decided to go with All Pro. Who says I’m biased? Ok maybe I still am). The Giants attacked Vick all game, and came up with huge red zone stops when they needed them.
Gilbride also started the game off with perhaps his best call, a play action wheel route to Brandon Jacobs that was designed to get the back one on one with a linebacker. The unfortunate linebacker was Casey “Don’t Call Me Clay’s Brother” Matthews, and by the time he realized Jacobs was going deep, the ball was already landing in his overly large hands, and Jacobs was walking into the end zone.
For all the talent the Eagles possessed, they were no match for the Giants’ coaching staff in this one. Tom Coughlin got his team ready to play, and Kevin Gilbride and Perry Fewell called the right plays for the right players. Sounds like a winning combination to me.
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