The New York Football Giants

My beloved Giants take on the hated Cowboys this weekend in what, oddly enough, will be the first meeting of these two storied franchises in the post-season.  The Giants' performance against the Pats in week 17, though a visceral letdown in person, has actually blossomed into a cause for timid optimism.  After last week's game I was actually pretty high.  Now, with three forgettable workdays under my belt, and the objectivity that often accompanies the mundane, I don't really know what to think.  (Don't bother trying to tell me I'm not a real fan because I'm not teeming with the cockeyed optimism of an 11 year-old boy, though I often act like one.  And I didn't bet $50 without the spread on the Giants-Pats game....  My brother did.  Sadly, he's not 11 either though.)   

The Giants have won eight games away from the Meadowlands this year.  That's pretty impressive.  Gilbride, the Giants offensive coordinator, who I had been second guessing the entire second half of the season - including the Pats game - looked brilliant last week.  I've gone from lamenting Gilbride's play calling to hailing him a genius after one game!  Admittedly, I could be misappropriating in giving credit to Gilbride where I should shoveling blame on Tampa Bay's defensive game plan which, for some inexplicable reason, did not include blitzing Eli Manning and forcing him into bad decisions.  

Mr. Kevin Gilbride, if you're listening:   In the event that Jerry Jones takes the defensive coordinator's headphones, hands him a Coke Zero Super Caffeine Terd, and starts calling blitzes, throw screens to Bradshaw - not to be mistaken for Jacobs - because Bradshaw has the ability to get up field in a hurry, and, presumably, his hands can't be worse than Jacobs.  (If you recall, Eli had to depend on an evolutionary instinct present in all men, to protect the twig 'n' berries, in order to be sure Jacobs would secure what would became a touchdown pass.)    

The Giants have already lost twice to Dallas this season.  It is extremely difficult to beat a team three times over the course of the same season in the NFL.  I dare you to find examples of this having happened before.  I bet it has.  Infrequently though.     

Ultimately, I'm left with more questions than answers or advice:  Can we disregard the Giants second half of the season decline because of two impressive performances?  Will Dallas take a page from Tampa in only rushing four and rarely, if ever, blitzing?  Or will they take a page from the Patriots' effective second half two weeks ago by throwing the kitchen sink at the Giants' patchwork offensive line and quarterback who doesn't exactly thrive in the face of a collapsing pocket?  Is Tony Romo be distracted by his siren girlfriend to such a degree that he'll be pushing fabric during timeouts?  Is his dreamy little fucking thumb okay?  Will the Giants be able to pressure Romo as effectively as they pressured Garcia?  In addressing this potential, will the Cowboys have to sacrifice Jason Witten's role in the passing game?  (Jason Witten killed the Giants in their first meeting but had two catches for 14 yards in their second meeting.  Perhaps this was a necessity because Strahan, not a factor in their first meeting, and the rest of the defensive line were gelling by then.)   

I hope I don't sound irrational here, but I hope Romo gets badly injured when Justin Tuck comes in low and Strahan high.  For good measure, I hope he fumbles the ball as he shrieks in pain, and Osi Umenyiora recovers and takes a jaunt over to the endzone for six.  I hope TO can find it within himself to play....and Aaron Ross treats him like shit on his way to setting a playoff record for dropped passes (this is actually very much possible because TO has terrible hands). But above all else, I hope the Giants can find a way to win.