New York Giants 41 – Minnesota Vikings 0
Game Overview: This thing isn’t over yet. Winning the conference championship is great, but losing the Super Bowl sucks. They always remember the winner and often forget the loser. Who outside of Buffalo remembers the Bills cremating the Raiders in the 1990 AFC Championship Game? No one. But who remembers the Giants winning Super Bowl XXV when Scott Norwood missed the final field goal? The whole country. The Giants players and coaches need to get their minds right and focus on the next (and final) obstacle. There will be plenty of time to celebrate the season when the season is over. For now, it’s time to get back to work.
I do want to take one brief moment to reflect on a bit of the irony of this season. Beating the Vikings in the conference championship must be like coming full circle for Head Coach Jim Fassel, Defensive Coordinator John Fox, WLB Jessie Armstead, DE Michael Strahan, HB Tiki Barber, and others. Three years ago a promising season was terminated prematurely when the Giants collapsed in the final seconds of the first playoff game of the Fassel-era against this very same team. Now the Giants have handed Minnesota their most humiliating defeat in their team history. Poetic justice indeed. More demons exorcised.
But this is a game review after all, so let’s get back to the game. This was practically the perfect game and it rivals the 1986 49-3 playoff destruction of the San Francisco 49ers as the most complete playoff game in Giant team history. It is hard to imagine the offense or defense playing better giving the context of the moment, what was at stake, and the caliber of the competition. There was a lot of talk this week about the old Giant players and teams of the past – but this performance took a backseat to no one. That’s what makes the next game ever so important. If the 2000 Giants can find a way to win that game, then this team will cement its legacy forever in the consciousness of Giant fans everywhere. Who knows, 10 years from now, Coach Fassel may call upon Armstead, Strahan, and Barber to speak to the next generation of Giant players before their NFC Championship Game.
Coaching: The Vikings were completely out-coached. So was almost every opponent the Giants have played this year. Just remember that the next time you take a shot at Coach Fassel (I’m ashamed of my temper tantrum directed at Fassel after the Titans game now). Fassel is going to be here a long, long time so if you don’t like him, you had better find yourself another team to root for. He’s here to stay probably for as long as he likes. And unlike his most famous predecessor, he won’t leave this franchise in a lurch at the last moment just as the season is about to start. There is a lot to be said about commitment and loyalty. Fassel has that – Tuna does not.
Offensively, the game plan made a lot of sense and I expected the Giants to come out throwing like they did (see my game preview). However, I was impressed with the overall commitment to the pass. Even with a big lead, the Giants didn’t let up and went for the jugular – it reminded me of the old 49er teams under Bill Walsh. The Giants also went deep more often than I thought they would. One thing to look for when you guys and gals watch the game again (and I know you will), is take a look at the personnel packages in the game. For example, there were times when the Giants ran when Pete Mitchell was in the game and passed when Ron Dayne was in the game. This decision to break from tendencies I think really confused the Vikings. The Giants’ 518 total net yards was the third-highest total in team history and the most in a post-season game.
Defensively, what can you say? The Vikings were held to nine first downs and 114 total yards. Who would have even conceived of the notion that the Giants would shut out the Vikings? Daunte Culpepper, Robert Smith, Randy Moss, and Chris Carter were non-factors in the game. Non factors. Unbelievable! Defensive Coordinator John Fox decided to keep Jason Sehorn on Randy Moss – despite what many fans and football men thought – and it worked beautifully. The Giants didn’t blitz much, but they did keep switching things up and this confused and frustrated the Minnesota players and coaching staff. Let’s pray some other team doesn’t offer Fox a head coaching job for at least one more year.
And how about special teams? Special Teams Coach Larry MacDuff has been a media and fan whipping boy for years. But special teams has played better and more consistently during the seven-game winning streak. They haven’t lost any games and have contributed quite a bit to some victories.
Quarterback: What can you say about the performance of Kerry Collins (28-of-39 for 381 yards, 5 touchdowns, 2 interceptions)? It was as good a performance as any in the history of the franchise. I think Kerry threw two bad passes all day (his second interception and another errant toss that should have been picked off, but was dropped). Everything else seemed to be right on the mark or was a deliberate throw-away. His accuracy was uncanny. Those of us who have seen Collins play every game since 1999, including the preseason, knew he was capable of this. We saw glimpses of it against the Jets last year and Pittsburgh this year. Kerry is a competitive leader with a rocket arm and quick release. Like he has all season, he made some incredible throws against the Vikings even when his feet were not set underneath him, including the touchdown pass to Joe Jurevicius.
To be honest, Kerry benefited from the fact that he was often provided with superb pass protection and the Giant receiver had no problems getting open against the soft Viking zone coverage. Collins will face the sternest test of his career in two weeks and he hasn’t always dealt well with pressure in his face. But against the Vikes, he still had to execute and he did so to almost perfection. From the get go, it was obvious that Collins was “on” and that he had a lot of confidence. On a a 4-play, 74-yard opening drive, Kerry hit WR Amani Toomer for 16 yards on a well-thrown slant. He then came back and found Amani on a 10-yard out. Two plays later, he threw a perfect strike to Ike Hilliard on a seam pass for 46 yards and a touchdown. After the Vikings fumbled the kick return away, Collins threw another beauty to FB Greg Comella coming out of the backfield on a waggle for 18 yards and a touchdown. Five offensive plays; 14-0.
In the second quarter, it was Collins’ pass to Toomer for 22 yards that helped to set up Brad Daluiso’s 21-yard field goal to make it 17-0. Later came the 5-play, 71-yard drive with Collins throwing a deep pass to Ron Dixon for 43 yards. He then rolled to his left and fired a rocket to Joe Jurevicius in the back of the endzone despite not even having his feet set on the play. This play was a perfect demonstration of his incredible arm strength.
After the Giants went up 27-0 with another Daluiso field goal (also keyed by Collins passes to Barber for 11 yards, a pass interference call against Jurevicius for 21 yards, and a 13-yard toss to Comella), Kerry led the Giants on another long drive – this time for 10-plays and 77 yards. Collins’ favorite target on this drive was Ike Hilliard as he found him for 11 yards, 28 yards (on a crossing route), 13 yards, and finally the 7 yard touchdown pass with 12 seconds to play before halftime. 34-0. The final piece of the masterpiece was his 7 yard fade to Amani for his fifth touchdown early in the third quarter. By early in the fourth quarter, Collins was pulled for Jason Garrett. What a game!
Garrett completed one pass for four yards on 3rd-and-3 on the Giants last possession.
Wide Receivers: The Giants have been drafting receivers high for as long as I can remember, hoping that someday they would have an impact like this. The star here was Ike Hilliard (10 catches for 155 yards and two touchdowns). This game was made for Ike – a guy who has always played well against zone coverage. Hilliard is at his best when he doesn’t have a guy pressing him at the line and playing him aggressively and Minnesota played right into his game by playing so softly. Hilliard’s 46-yarder for a touchdown came on the opening drive set the tone for the game. He was a huge factor on the Giants’ touchdown drive right before halftime with four key catches for 59 yards (and another score). Not to be outdone, Amani Toomer, playing on a severely sprained ankle, came up with 6 big catches for 88 yards and a touchdown. Toomer got things rolling on the first drive with two catches on the very first two offensive plays of the game. He also had a big catch coming off of the goal line in the first quarter that got the Giants out of field position trouble.
What was unusual this week was that the third and fourth receivers had a big impact in the game. Ron Dixon had 2 catches for 62 yards, including a big time catch on a 43-yard bomb from Collins. Ron really had to fight for the ball and did a great job of coming down with it. He also made a nice move at the line of scrimmage on his second catch that completely fooled the DB and got him open on slant. Joe Jurevicius caught a touchdown pass to make it 24-0. He also drew an important pass interference penalty.
Tight Ends: Not a factor in the passing game as the Giants’ braintrust correctly decided to make the receivers the main focal point of the offense. The blocking was not up to par this week in the running game. I spotted Howard Cross missing two blocks.
Running Backs: Greg Comella had a great impact with his four catches for 36 yards and a touchdown. HB Tiki Barber (12 carries for 69 yards, 4 catches for 21 yards) started off slowly as the Vikings seemed determined to stop any sort of running game, but he warmed up as the passing game tore apart the Minnesota defense. In other words, like the old Bill Walsh teams, the Giants used the pass to set up the run. Barber had big runs of 12 yards (which helped to set up the third touchdown pass), 21 yards (a draw play on the second field goal drive), 17 yards (a counter play on the fourth touchdown drive), and another 10+ yard carry (on the final TD drive). Tiki did drop one pass.
HB Ron Dayne (10 carries for 29 yards, 1 catch for 8 yards) had an up and down performance. On positive side, he had three strong, positive runs where he once again flashed his potential. The first came off the left side for five yards. That was followed up by a 13 yard charge up the gut. He later came up with a 14 yard gainer on 2nd-and-14. On the downside, despite the ball being slightly tipped, he should have caught the Collins’ pass to him that was deflected and intercepted. This could have been a huge momentum switch in the game. He also took his own touchdown off the board in the second quarter by moving before the snap – the Giants had to settle for a field goal instead of a touchdown. On another goal line attempted, the play was stymied in the backfield when LG Glenn Parker was shoved into the backfield on a right-side pull. Still, there were other runs where Dayne continues to look a bit slow and indecisive at the line. He needs to attack more aggressively like he did on his positive runs.
Joe Montgomery (16 carries for 43 yards) got almost all of his carries in the fourth quarter against a demoralized defense that was simply looking to go home. Still, Joe was able to keep the sticks moving over and over again and made the 4th quarter a quick affair that was enjoyable to watch. The Giants held the ball for the last 12:53 of the game on one drive that was aided by a personal foul penalty on Minnesota on 3rd-and-long. Joe attacks the line of scrimmage with more verve than Dayne, but he sometimes plays a bit too fast – he needs to set up his blocks a tad better.
Offensive Line: Strong performance against a mediocre opponent. I was most impressed with RT Luke Petitgout’s work on DE/DT John Randle. At times, Randle can take over a game and get into an opponent’s head with his trash talk, but Luke retained his composure and made Randle a non-factor in the game. There was one play I saw where Randle was able to bull-rush back into Collins, but this kind of pressure was a rarity for the Vikes. LT Lomas Brown did a number on DE Fernando Smith in pass protection except for one play (the same play where Luke got bull-rushed). Smith wasn’t a factor until Brown left the game with a back injury and Mike Rosenthal replaced him. The weakness in Rosenthal’s game – his lack of quick feet – was readily apparent as Smith clobbered Collins on Mike’s very first passing play. When the season started, we all hoped that Lomas would be able to hold down the fort until a replacement was found. Now I find myself hoping he doesn’t decide to retire after the season is over. The running game was most productive when directed inside behind the interior blocking trio of RG Ron Stone, OC Dusty Zeigler, and LG Glenn Parker – though the line came up with a poor effort on Dayne’s first goal line attempt.
Defensive Line: The line played a strong game against a top-notch opponent. Just a week ago, the Viking offensive line had no problems with the vaunted Saint defensive line and held them to no sacks and very little pressure. Such was not the case on Sunday against the Giants. DE Michael Strahan (2 tackles, 1 sack) continued his re-birth with another very strong performance. While Strahan’s lone sack was more of the garbage variety (caused by Cedric Jones’ pressure), Michael was spotted more than a few times buzzing around or crashing into Culpepper, including two smack downs that caused the ball to helplessly flutter to the turf twice. He also drew an illegal hands-to-the-face penalty. Jones (0 tackles) was able to get to Culpepper on the play where Strahan picked up the sack, but he missed the tackle and couldn’t finish. His pass pressure did contribute to Emmanuel McDaniel’s interception. DT Keith Hamilton (3 tackles), DT Cornelius Griffin (0 tackles), and DT Christian Peter (1 tackle) were able to generate just enough heat to make Culpepper feel uncomfortable back there. Hamilton almost sacked Daunte on one play but couldn’t bring him down; Griffin then forced him to get rid of the ball quickly. In addition, Griffin slammed into Culpepper when the Giants only rushed three on another play; he also recovered the fumble that Shaun Williams caused on the blitz. Hamilton batted a ball at the line of scrimmage. “The things we were able to do today were based on what our front four did,” said Giants’ Defensive Backs Coach Johnnie Lynn. “We didn’t have to be out there in one-on-one coverage all day long. And when they’re trying to go up for the ball and the guy is the same size as them, they can’t rag-doll them around.” Viking WR Randy Moss agreed: “I think if you gave anybody the game ball, you’d give it to their defensive linemen, starting with Strahan, Hamilton and go on down to the other guys. They have a heck of a defense, and it starts with their front four.”
“I’ve got to give a lot of credit to their defensive linemen – they played a great game,” said Culpepper. “We knew they were going to double Randy sometimes and go one-on-one against him other times…I haven’t seen them play that well in any film I’ve seen them play.”
“They put a tremendous amount of pressure on Daunte,” Viking Coach Dennis Green said. “Daunte got hit a lot, sacked a lot. He made some errant throws, and we couldn’t run the ball.” In reality, the Vikings were forced to eschew the ground game once they found themselves in a big deficit that kept only getting bigger. The low tackle figures on the Giants’ defense reflect the fact that Minnesota was only able to run 41 plays. When they did run, Keith Hamilton was spotted on the bottom of a couple of piles. The only breakdown came in the third quarter when Strahan and CB Dave Thomas got caught too far inside on a run that Robert Smith bounced outside for big yardage.
Linebackers: The Giants also used MLB Mike Barrow (7 tackles, 1 sack) as pass rusher quite a bit and he cleanly beat Korey Stringer with a speed rush to the outside on a play where Mike got a great jump. He also drew a hands-to-the-face penalty from LT Todd Steussie on another pass rush. Yet another time he smashed into Daunte on a stunt from the RDE spot. WLB Jessie Armstead (7 tackles, 1 sack) made a number of key open field tackles, including two on a scrambling Culpepper and another on Robert Smith on a screen pass. He sacked Culpepper in the third quarter for a big loss.
Defensive Backs: You know all my talk about not possibly re-signing CB Jason Sehorn (2 tackles, 1 interception) this upcoming offseason? Forget it – I didn’t know what the hell I was talking about. This guy completely took the best wide receiver out of the game. What more can you ask? Sehorn gave up one very early catch to Moss, missed the tackle, and was flagged for tripping – but that was the only bad play he made all day. Moss caught another short pass on him, but Jason made a very strong and sure tackle. “(John Fox’s) plan was to make them throw the ball short,” said Sehorn. “We wanted to take away all the deep things they wanted to do. If they wanted the 10-yard out, it was there. We were going to give them those passes. And when we got up, 14-0, early, the running game became obsolete. So they had to throw.”
Two catches for 18 yards – that’s what Moss had. Incredible! “Am I surprised we shut down Moss?” CB Dave Thomas said. “No, not with Jason guarding him.” Jason successfully defended the two deep passes thrown in his direction despite aggressive hand play from Moss.
Let’s also give a large amount of credit to Thomas (2 tackles). WR Chris Carter has proven to be a Giant-killer in the past by Carter’s first catch of the game came in the 4th quarter. Unbelievable! The play of the day for Thomas came when Daunte hit a receiver on a quick throw to the right on 3rd-and-1, yet Thomas came up with such a strong and sure tackle that he prevented the first down. I wish Fox Sports had done a better job of isolating the work of Sehorn and Thomas because these two must have really done a number on the two All-Pros.
I thought the most important play of the game came when CB Emmanuel McDaniel (2 tackles, 1 interception) out-fought Chris Carter (who is notorious for out-fighting defensive backs) for the ball and coming up with an interception after the Giants’ turned the ball over. If EMac gets burned there, the score becomes 14-7 and who knows what happens?
A large amount of the credit for shutting down the explosive Viking passing attack must also go to SS Sam Garnes (4 tackles, 1 interception), FS Shaun Williams (2 tackles, 1 sack and forced fumble), and reserve S Omar Stoutmire (who saw some playing time even early in the game). Garnes picked off a pass when Moss saw Stoutmire coming in for a kill shot and pulled up on the play. Williams forced a fumble when he sacked Culpepper on a safety blitz.
Special Teams: Big game for Lyle West who fought hard for a key fumble recovery on the Giants’ kick-off after their first score. The Giants scored on the very next play to go up 14-0. West also had a big hit on a kick-off.
Brad Daluiso hit two field goals, but missed another. He also may now be one of the worst kickers in the league in terms of kicking off – his boots keep coming up dreadfully short. Because of this, kick-off coverage early in the game was pretty bad with the Vikings getting to the 40-yard line time a couple of times. However, the head hunters on special teams – Lyle West, Brandon Short, Jack Golden, Damon Washington – quickly took over and each one of these guys made very strong tackles on kick-offs.
Brad Maynard only punted once – it was high and short. Ike Hilliard was only able to field three punts. One was a risky diving effort that saved some field position. Another was a pretty nifty return that didn’t pick up much yardage, but he showed some amazing moves on the play. Incredibly, since the Vikes never scored, the Giants only returned one kickoff (to start the game).
NFC CHAMPIONSHIP
by David Oliver
Was there anything less than perfect for Giants fans on this Sunday? I’ve thought long and hard trying to find something over which I could be critical so you wouldn’t accuse me of being a homer. And I found something. A few minutes before the coin toss there was a military flyover, three thunderous, low-flying fighters buzzed the Stadium. The head military man came up the sideline a little later asking if anyone had photos of the flyover. No one had apparently snapped it and I told him it was unexpected. He said yes, and they were a bit early. So there you have it – the jet flyover was early – that’s the critical part of this report.
I got up at 4 a.m. left at 5:20. When I pulled into the Pilot at Exit 7 of the Turnpike, where I usually gas up, I looked out the window and saw Bob from Annapolis and Steve from Maryland (or vice-versa). Both nice guys, true blue, weekly commuters up the Pike for Giants games. We talked for a few minutes, compared notes and said ‘Go Giants.’ The only party missing was Hope J. and she was missed. Then I was listening to Mike F on the WFAN, and he was saying the parking lots were already mostly full at 8:30. I cruised up the Pike, had no trouble getting in, parked, picked up my credentials and went down the tunnel. The security guys were already telling me “you aren’t going to have fun today”. There was TV equipment everywhere and the guards said TV guys had taken over most of the sidelines.
LT was standing there talking to my favorite analyst, BT (Billy Taylor). There was more fur in evidence than in a zoo, the beautiful people were out in force, as well as some ugly people, who maybe can’t help being ugly, but they could have stayed home. The photographers’ room was more crowded than usual, but less than I expected, and the Giants had outdone themselves in the comfort department. There was a full brunch buffet with eggs, bacon, sausage, the usual cold cuts, soup, orange juice, plenty of water and boxes of programs and roster sheets. Last week the programs never arrived. Many thanks to the hard working staff who did a great job. The Giants are one of the top three teams in the league when it comes to recognizing that photographers are people too.
It was mayhem on the field. Terry, Howie, James Brown and that ex-Bengal (CC) were on hand with a full set. There was a TV boom in the corner, a full camera in all four corners, the mobile units on the sideline behind the benches and several roving units. Celebrities were everywhere, including Danny Aiello, Spike Lee, Puffy Combs and Darrel Waltrip, there to help FOX hype its NASCAR coverage. It was like being on a movie set. And the fans were there, loud and joyous. There were hard hats, uniforms, face paint, signs, one blow up doll dressed as a Viking and getting pummeled by its owner.
The Vikings had special guests including Fran Tarkenton and Bob Lurtsema. The Giants had invited LT, Harry Carson, Phil McConkey, Carl Banks and others. It was impressive to see these Giants back on the sidelines. They were introduced with the team and came out of the tunnel waving towels, driving the crowd to hysteria. LT had on a black top coat and paced the bench area. Harry pulled on a white jersey and also paced, waving a towel. T looked impressive, ever a force. Harry was animated. Both obviously were enjoying the day and you could tell they missed the game. If you love football, particularly NY Giants football, there was no other place to be this Sunday.
And there was a game, too. I had 3 cameras going. I shot so much film pre-game that I was in the danger zone, 5 shots left on one, 6 on another and 8 on the third. Everyone shot a lot of film and I was lending film throughout the day (repaid at half time). I paid the price. Usually when I drive up the day of a game, I am zoned for half of the first quarter. It takes that long to unwind and for my brain to control my finger. I expected a fast start and an aerial game, but the Giants struck so quickly, I was caught changing film on the Comella TD and didn’t have my lens on tight. I got the shot, slightly blurred. On the Ike TD, there was so much shoving and jostling for position, that I got camera mikes, refs butts and everything but Ike. One of the distaff regulars turned into a demon on Sunday. She was pushing and shoving as if she was Goldberg. At first it was funny, a 5’4″, maybe 115 pounder shoving the big boys. Then it got obnoxious. Everyone down there has a job, everyone wants the shot – otherwise they should be in front of a TV. But there is a code of conduct, politeness, among the regulars. It’s kind of like steel workers on a high rise. Next time this photographer gets aggressive, her butt is going to meet the stadium turf. Other than that, it was a well-behaved bunch on the sidelines.. Oh, the extra referee watchdogs and the FJ were a constant irritant, but that’s life in the age of ego.
So the grind it out, boring, cold weather, no account Giants’ offense opened with a 16 yard pass to Amani, a 10 yard pass to Amani and a 46 yard bomb to a streaking Hilliard – TD. The ensuing kick off was high and short. The Viking receiver bobbled it, then both backs fell on it. This took place right in front of me and the Vikings clearly fell on the ball. But there was no whistle and the pile on happened. 20 guys jumped on, in and around the ball, pushing, shoving, grabbing. The refs dived into the pile. And guess what – Lyle West came out with the ball. First play, Comella comes out, right into our sector and Kerry lofts a perfect pass. Greg reaches up, grabs it and hits the end zone turf. As he’s going down, I catch the ref raising his arms, there are no flags and Greg thumps down. You could hear the audible OOF!, but he holds the ball, the Giants score again and the fans are going out of their minds. Greg is only the second Giant to score his first TD in a playoff game, that’s the kind of day it was going to be.
LT and Harry are prowling the bench area, smiling and frowning, concentrating, almost a conscious effort to impart their will and skill on the players. Now it’s the turn of the D. The fans know it, the team knows it, LT and Harry have made their impact. Barrow, Jessie and Strahan, the 3 Amigos of D, the 3 Horsemen of Giant tradition, the 3 scourges of mobile QBs take the field. The towels are waving, the fans are screaming and you can see the look already on the Vikings’ faces. They know they must score now. They start to move the ball, but penalties kill this possession. OK, you can hear Dennis Green saying. We’re establishing rhythm, we can catch these guys. Moss has been slightly nicked, the O goes to the bench. The Giants take possession and start moving through the air. A ball bounces off Dayne’s hands and is intercepted. In late October this might have been disaster, but now, it’s just another play. The D is on fire. The Vikes start moving on the short field but get greedy and go for it all. The Giants are in the nickel and ball hawk EMac steps in front of Carter and grabs the ball in the end zone. About now, you can feel the Vikings equipment men packing up the gear in the tunnel. The Giants stay aggressive, move the ball, then a long pass to Dixon is intercepted; but it’s better than a punt, puts the Vikes deep and the Giants shrug it off. The D stops the Vikes cold. Berger gets a slightly high snap and shanks one. The curse of the meadowlands has bitten the Vikes. The first quarter ends 14-0. Daluiso kicks a field goal to open the second quarter and everyone senses something big is happening here. Giants 17-0.
The D is hungry for action. Bam, bam, Culpepper gets sacked twice, once by Strahan, once by Barrow, Barrow coming in so quickly, Culpepper wasn’t set up. You could feel the impression LT had made on Barrow, and when Barrow went to the bench, LT came over and talked with him. Here was tradition, a Bergsonian conundrum, time and place melding, LT like the man in the black cape and hat with the whip standing on the car in the tunnel in Fellini’s 8 and a half, inspiring these Giants and feeling it with them once again. And they responding, showing LT that they know Giants’ tradition, that they were a part of it and that they too would go into the hearts of Giants’ fans as DEFENSE.
The Giants take over and come right down field. Tiki pass, Tiki run, long pass to Dixon right in front of us. We’ re in Kerry’s corner. He rolls left, towards the Giants’ bench and JJ comes cutting across the end zone. He is as deep as he can get in the right angle crease of the back, Kerry waits, then fires on the run, a perfect pass where only the tall JJ can get up for it. JJ grabs it and gets both toes down. TD. JJ runs to the goal posts and dunks the ball. Pandemonium in our corner. The fans are besides themselves with joy. Make your reservations for Tampa.
Dante Culpepper, the latest greatest to face the Giants is in shock. He hasn’t been blitzed so ruthlessly or hit so ferociously in his career thus far. He is learning what it means to come into the Meadowlands in a high stakes game. His teammates have entered the Twilight Zone of the swamps. There are no Scandinavian horns blaring or raucous “who let the dogs out”. There is just pure, high energy Giants’ fans, screaming themselves hoarse, bonding to the TEAM and becoming the Twelfth man. There is a sense of Victory now, payback for dissing the City, its fans, the Stadium location and the quality of football in the NFC East. Take that Boomer, take that Madden, take that the rest of you know it all commentators. I could go on about the futility of the Vikings, the feeling on the bench as the game progressed, the stolid presence of Dennis Green, the hardest Coach in football to get a clean photo of on the sidelines. Randle, Culpepper, Moss and Carter realized it was going to be one of those days, and I won’t say they shut it down – they just couldn’t get it started. The only person over there I felt for was Robert Smith, a class act and a very good ball player. He sat disconsolately on the bench and when JoMo punched over that 4th down first down, he muttered something as knowing the Vikes would lose, it really hurt to be shut out.
Here’s the deal. Giants possession of 42:22; the defense is fresh and rested for the Ravens. First downs, 31; efficiency – 3rd down, 50% on 4th down, 100%; total net yards – 518, 82 plays (twice the Vikings); yards rushing, 138, mostly late; yards passing 380 on 29 of 40 (KC Championship shared record of 5 TDs); punts 1; penalties, only 4. The Giants had the ball 12 times. It went like this: TD (1:57); TD (0.06); Interception (2:24); Interception (1:25); FG (3:10); TD (2:42); FG (3:27); TD (3:19); TD (2:35); missed FG (5:18); punt (3:06); end of game (12:53), 19 plays, 38 yards, 5 first downs – Garrett and JoMo. The Vikings had given up by then. The Giants mercifully just stayed on the ground, keeping the ball most of the last quarter and kneeling it over for virtually the entire last 2 minutes.
The scoring – Hilliard, Comella, Daluiso, JJ, Daluiso, Hilliard and Toomer. In the middle of it all, the Giants still threw 2 interceptions and missed a field goal. Individual stats: KC 28-of-39 for 381 yards, 5 TDs; Ike 10-for-155 with a 46 yd TD; Amani 6-for-88; Comella 4-for-36; Tiki 4-for-21; Dixon 2-for-62; JJ 2-for-15, Dayne 1-for-8. On the ground it was Tiki 12-for-69; JoMo 16-for-43; Dayne 10-for-29. Garnes, EMac and Sehorn had INTs, Shaun Williams forced a fumble and Griffin and West recovered fumbles.
Jessie had 7 combined tackles (combined includes solo), 1 sack; Barrow 7 combined tackles 1 sack; Garnes 4 combined tackles, 1 INT, 2 passes defensed; Hammer 3 combined tackles, 1 pass defensed; EMac 2 solo tackles, 1 INT, 1 pass defensed; Sehorn 2 solo tackles, 1 INT, 3 passes defensed; MS 2 tackles, 1 sack; Thomas 2 solo tackles, 1 pass defensed. They just weren’t out there enough to build up stats.
That’s the game by the numbers. Now let’s take a closer look.
Coaching: Sure Denny Green is running his mouth. What else can he do, he is trying to deflect the heat, keep up the morale. The team was such an utter failure that the off season could be long and cold in Viking-land. This was the first shut out of a Green coached team in his 9 year stint. And it is sweet pay back for that job in the Meadowlands in January a few years ago when the Giants gift-wrapped a win. The Vikings were outplayed that day and this.
For the Giants, the most complete game of the year. Coach Fassel and Coach Payton put together an aggressive plan, exploiting the weak secondary of the Vikings. The Vikes made the mistake of reading the media and believing the Giants are a lumbering, cold weather team with no offense. In the NFL, it is look at last week’s analysis. Sure, the O didn’t score any points against the Eagles but it did control and move the ball for 36 minutes, and it was the air game. We have analyzed again and again here and pointed out that if Kerry is cut loose early and connects he finds his groove. JF and Payton finally have that confidence in him and turned him loose. My pre-game comments said this was his op for a big game and I said he would throw for over 300 yards and Ike would be the go to guy. The coaches read the same novel and liked it. It was attack, attack, attack no backing off, no stopping after a few mistakes, and success.
On the defensive side Coach Fox designed a masterful game plan, just as he did for Jax, the Steelers and the Eagles. He used multiple packages including several blitz variations and mixed coverage in the secondary. The nickel was effective in confusing the Vikes and Culpepper and the pressure Denny Marcin’s troops applied rattled the Vikings
Assistant Coaches McNally, Marcin and Lynn contributed by having their troops prepared for the game plan. It is difficult to assess how much impact Pope and Olivadotti had – certainly Olivadotti didn’t hurt the linebackers.
Specials – Coach MacDuff continues to work hard and is now the beneficiary of having Shaun Williams, Damon Washington and Jason Sehorn added to his squad to go along with Golden, Short and West. This is now a credible team and has shown that the coaching wasn’t at fault. Coach Fassel challenged the unit and it responded, but Coach MacDuff coaches the unit so he must receive credit.
Coaching – A- is there room for improvement? Sure, 50+ points against the Ravens and holding Dilfer to negative yardage. That ought to raise the grade here.
Kerry Collins – A- in the zone. This was his best game as a Giant, as a professional. He played under control but with fire. I watched him warm up when they were introducing the Vikes and you could see it in his delivery. He had both zip and touch in his throws, the game plan was designed to take advantage of his strengths and he played totally focused. We have been saying that the Giants would go as far as Kerry took them – he has lived up to the burden and he is taking them all the way – he is the team driver.
I don’t apologize for my doubts – they were purely football doubts – I have said from the start that this was a genuinely nice guy, dealt some bad hands and dissed by fools. But I did not see the confidence, the control, the toughness necessary to lead, until the last few games. It is there now and he may have bad games to come, but the Giants have found their QB.
As an aside, this process has taken all year. The line and KC now have mutual confidence and respect – Kerry has shown he is willing to lay out and the line believes in him. Lomas and Parker know leadership and if Kerry is leader enough for them, he has arrived. Ernie and JF also had a role in this, and frankly, Payton loves to game plan for KC. These two guys together are young, aggressive and want to light it up. It may have taken a TEAM to raise a Kerry Collins, but it is now Kerry’s show – he has inherited the mantle from Conerly, Tittle, and Simms. I may criticize him in the future for shoddy play, but I will not doubt him.
Jason Garrett got some playing time and that was good. He did his job, maintained the flow, didn’t make mistakes and he had some fun.
RUNNING BACKS – B- Tiki Barber is a big time player. He is smooth and tough, can find a hole, turn the corner and catch a pass. His combined yardage figure places him in the upper echelon of backs. Were he about 15 pounds heavier, he would be compared to Gale Sayers. As it is, backs of the future will be compared to Tiki Barber. He is a Giant asset.
The Great Dayne – many here consider him a bust; many on the sidelines feel the same way. I have been lambasted for not properly extolling his virtues, and I have been criticized as ‘liking’ him therefore coloring the reporting. Ron Dayne will be an All-Pro back within 3 years. He is still adjusting to the pro game. He ran on turf, behind huge lines and in an offense designed to take advantage of his open field speed. He was not often hit low and he is strong enough to escape a high tackle. But at this level he is getting hit low and he has been dropping. In the Vikes game I saw a little something different which leads me to believe Charles Way is working with him. He was running more like a fullback, putting his head down and hitting the line and pushing on his linemen. This is a positive. Once he finds his balance, he will be tough because he has shown then in the seam he is a runaway horse. Now before you start kicking the hell out of me – I stayed with Kerry Collins, and I am asking you to stay with Ron Dayne. “Thunder and Lightning” are a legitimate pair.
Joe Montgomery – the odd man out. He is a talented, powerful runner, more in the Jamal Anderson, Bennett of Green Bay style, He runs hard and fights for yardage. He knows how to follow blockers and he can go through a hole. What he needs to work on to enhance his value is to develop the cutback. The backers identify his direction and string the line, minimizing his yardage. Once he learns how to turn it back in, he will chew up real estate, and become an exciting and dangerous back. In the 4th quarter he ran against a dispirited defense, but they were trying to stop him. He showed his grit, and that cannot be minimized. And he must stay healthy. I don’t know how you use 3 backs in a rotation so I fear he may be lost to the Giants and emerge ala Wheatley, but for different reasons. He is a hard worker and willing to carry the load. I hope the Giants find a way to keep him, but if not I wish him luck wherever he goes.
TIGHT ENDS – Difficult to grade. All 3 blocked well. My photos show even Pete leading the way. But none of them were utilized in the passing game. Howard is still a great blocker, but if he gets that ring, I doubt he will be back. Campbell continues to show promise. He is supposed to be a blocker but needs more work here. He already has better hands than Howard. He may never be a Bavaro, but he could be as good as Aaron Pierce was supposed to be. Pete is not used, which is a shame. Payton says he is in the game plan, but…maybe he has lost a step. He may be another casualty here and could move on.
LINE – Too old, too slow, too soft – yeah, right. The Vikes learned the hard way. Lomas Brown still has the heart of a lion and the cunning of a fox; Parker is the Eveready Bunny; Ziegler just runs left, runs right, hits somebody; Stone is the Darth Vader of the line, and Luke – anybody out there question his heart this year? They are not physically dominant and don’t blow people off the line; their forte is not short yardage running. But under Coach McNally’s tutelage, they are working together and finding ways to get it done. And they protect Kerry. Most importantly, they protect Kerry. I said it as early as mini-camp that this line would function best when on the move, that Ziegler is an active center who clears the middle. They make mistakes, their assignments get goofed once in a while, but they are a very good line. Mike Rosenthal and Jason Whittle are developing the mean streak needed to stay at this level and will only get better. Engler is quiet, but he doesn’t go away and that is a good propensity for an offensive lineman. I talked to Ziemann on Sunday and he is a big likeable guy who says he’s ready to get back and will be around for the winter. For a kid who is always smiling, he is a nasty drive blocker and could fill in very nicely along with Iron Mike and Jason of the offense. This unit kept Randle and company in check the entire game, no small feat. They are getting better and better, and I don’t perceive any letdown as the old guys want that ring.
DEFENSE – There are 2 units vying here – Strahan, Barrow and Armstead are a unit. MS has joined the linebackers to form the heart and soul of the defense. They rally on the sidelines and play together during the game. Barrow was a force Sunday, his sack a thing of beauty. MS hit Daunte so hard, his 270 pound frame buckled. And Jessie speed rushed, mauled and covered like a beast. They put the pressure on Daunte that allowed the other unit to shine. That unit is the secondary. Coach Lynn has them believing and playing together as a fist. Dave Thomas is sick of hearing about how he can’t cover; he is covering and he is hitting. Jason is almost back; he is nearing good health, and success as a team has induced him to bring his game. What he has lost in speed, he has gained in instinct and his A game is tops. Garnes and Williams are developing into what the Giants expected. Hard hitting, deep cover men. They were not beaten Sunday, Carter and Moss didn’t abuse them. Of course, we can’t forget the nickel and Emac – the little tough guy has earned the right to play, makes up for Percy Ellsworth’s ball hawking ability loss, and plays smart – EMac will be a coach when his playing days are over.
Hammer, Peter, Hale, Griffin and Big George are the interior. Smith gained nothing on these guys Sunday and that freed the backers to make the blitz. CJ is also playing up to potential and he is developing a move to the inside to take advantage of his speed. Everyone but Big George contributed Sunday and he took the hit and rode the bench so the Giants could get more speed in the game.
Additional Thoughts: Over the last five or so games, the much maligned #1s of the Giants have begun to play up to potential. Shaun Williams has not been beaten deep since the first Washington game, in which he looked like Robin Williams. Phil in L.A. had it right. Williams has found hid comfort zone and should continue to develop. CJ is having some fun and is getting cut loose in the more aggressive game the Giants are playing. He is often less than a step away from the QB and if he continues to build on this year and plays balls out, he will become a pass rusher as well as tackler. Michael’s resurgent play in the second half has been helped by CJ ability to get into the backfield. Don’t discount his performance because of stats (same with Peter). Luke Pettigout is a starting tackle in the NFL. He has earned it and he will be there for a very long time. He has more fire than most people realize and he is fearless. No one intimidates him, not the Freak, not Randle, not the Eagles fierce rushers. He may have been a slight reach, but he was not a mistake. So kudos to the Giants’ staff, not only for Kerry Collins, but for these 3 #1s, for Tiki and Ike and Amani. Next year should be Dayne’s turn to make us believers.
This team is mentally tough; they have been dissed by everyone, including the NY Media. But the fans have responded to good football and the team is falling in love with the fans. Many of these kids have played before large crowds before, but none has experienced playoff fever in NY, and they love it. Lomas was touched when told the fans were calling his name. I have his quote in the conversations part but he said something to the effect of I love these fans. They are football people. Where else would the fans chant the name of an offensive lineman.
That is what makes NY special – where else would people know and appreciate football in the trenches, hard and fast. Defense was first celebrated here and will always be celebrated here. When LT and Harry stepped onto that field, it was electric. Wild, unbridles passion, but fairness; tough but fair, it’s the NY way, it’s the Giants’ way. There are no loud mouths on this team, no trouble-makers, no bad apples – I know, some guys will never forgive CP – but forgiveness is not ours, it is God’s only. These are good kids, good people.
An embattled Coach who put it all together, a staff which rallied behind him and the troops. Barrow, Brown and Parker have led the way, they have healed the breach, they have made the difference. And Kerry Collins has grown up – he is the Man.
One more game, one more step. As my wife told me earlier this year – Super Bowl 25 – Super Bowl 35, the Giants are on a 10 year cycle – kind of like my life – how about yours? Go Giants.
Post-Game Interviews:
The locker room after any game is an interesting place. Following a loss, emotions run high; many guys shower, dress and leave. A few veterans take their time and willingly deal with the tough questions; they have learned that the media people have a job to do. Following a win, spirits are high, more guys stay around, and the conversation is free and easy. The playoffs accentuate the emotions. There are more TV folks, a lot more print journalists and a few guests. Following the NFC Championship game, the locker was a zoo, swarming with first timers, old pros, all sorts of guests. For the Giants, the magnitude of victory provided a release and the players answered the same questions over and over, never showing impatience and using the scene as a celebration of sorts.
There are all sorts of styles among those covering the team. Some guys look for the controversy, some do puff pieces, some write straight press release reports. At this time of the year, there are numerous feature pieces focusing on one or two plays, spiced with an anecdote or two, a quote or two thrown in for measure. This is all good stuff for us, who as football junkies, as Giants junkies, can’t get enough.
It’s a difficult thing for a writer to find an understanding with readers, particularly readers as Giants’ fans who are so knowledgeable. How do you make it enjoyable? Interesting? Factual? Non-repetitive? It is just as difficult to establish a rapport with these athletes who have heard the same questions over and over, the dumbest questions ever asked and sometimes questions that just don’t make sense. There are writers who will only ask questions in an open forum, some who will share with a small group, some who will never ask, just write the answers to others questions, and some who will only talk to players one on one.
I have tried to present the story of this year’s team through the words of the individual players. If you have been with me from mini-camp, you can see the awe of the rookies, the melding attempts of the new free agents, the forge of brotherhood in the different units. I apologize for some seeming disjointedness as in using the words of the players, flow is difficult to establish. There were down moments, moments of wondering and doubt, then a healing process, a bonding, an acceptance of each other, and finally a love for each other. What provided the catalyst? Was it the loss to Detroit? Was it the maturation of the team? Was it the emergence of a leader? Was it all combined?
Frankly, the iron will and belief in himself of one man led to the turnaround. Make no mistake about it because you are about to read a slew of pieces written about Coach Fassel, of “the guarantee”, of the threat of loss of his job. And hopefully, you will learn more of the man and his impact on these Giants. Coach suffered through an unbelievable year last year. The terminal illness of his mother and her loss, the poutiness of his “star children on the defense”, the rebellion of his QB, and the insistence of management that he change his mode of operation. These were challenges that most would consider burdens; they were more than straws to break any camel’s back.
But more than anything else, it was the loss of his mother and the self analysis that followed that has led to success this year. Somewhere along the journey, JF found a beacon, an inspiration, a lodestar. That light came in, of all things, a movie, The Gladiator. It started in the summer – at first a kind of quirky, okay we’ll line up two by two and march down to the theater. Some of the veterans got a glimmering of what was taking place. The fast start helped the thing grow. But just as steel is forged in fire, it took the hard times to forge this team. The loss to the Rams wasn’t devastating; the loss to the Lions was. Self-doubt crept into the tent. And then it took another quirky act of the Coach. He made “the guarantee”. People laughed; some silly articles got into the Press about JF’s meeting with EA. It was the buzz. JF almost rivaled Dan Snyder for laugh of the month.
Unnoticed to everyone was the fact that the team didn’t laugh. The veterans were touched and humbled by the Coach. The rookies were stunned, then noticing the veterans, they were motivated. At the same time, the national media and football fans were heaping abuse on the team as the “worst” of everything in football. There is nothing in life like scorn on all sides countered by the embrace of a leader to rally a group of warriors. The 300 at Thermopylae gave up their lives because they loved their leader; those who died in the pass with Roland did so because they loved their leader. The man stood tall when everything and everyone else was down on them. He backed his coaches, he stayed with his players, and before the Redskins game, he played excerpts again for them of The Gladiator – the Coliseum scene. And the Giants became a team because their Coach loved them and they in turn realized that they loved their Coach.
They began to again find their self-respect and respect for their unit members and finally respect for the other unit members. Winning has brought the fans back into the equation and this has become a juggernaut. We should all enjoy it for it doesn’t happen very often. Come what may, we should all thank Coach. He has emerged, he is a leader and his team will not be denied.
This message has come through loud and clear in my conversations after the last few games. I asked Jason Garrett to compare this locker to the Dallas teams of which he was a part. He told me “lots of the same thing…there’s a reason why teams get this far; a lot of it has to do with talent, but more with the intangibles; working hard together, competing, the team work; handling the successes and adversities of a season; and this team has done that; it’s been a great team to be a part of.” I talked to one of the guys who has had to participate vicariously, Chris Ziemann, and he told me, “It’s been wonderful sitting there watching the team come together. It’s frustrating to be hurt, but that’s just part of the game.” And Thabiti Davis told me, “It feels good. We are getting it done and it’s a lot of fun; everybody is going out and having fun, that’s the main thing, winning is going to come, it’s more fun when you are winning and having fun doing it, we’re just going out and playing.” As far as everyone accepting the Giants, Davis said, “They have to accept it and prepare for it; Coach Payton is going to come with something totally different.” Dave Thomas was asked about the doubters and said, “I don’t want to talk about the doubters, if you want to jump on the bandwagon, that’s fine, I’m riding it, if you want to ride it, come along, we’re going to put a Caboose on it, we probably can get some more (cars).” He also said, “I thank God that Coach Fassel believed in me and made me a part of this special, special team.” Lomas Brown told me, ” I love these guys. They just made me feel so welcome. A lot of times, it’s hard being the outsider coming into a new situation, being the new guy on the block, but I’ve never felt that way, from day one, I’ve felt a part of this team and this organization; my teammates, they helped me feel that way and I love them for that.” Lomas continued on the team feeling and said of the 41 points scored: “We wanted to help them (the defense) – this is a team thing – when you have a team working, everyone wants to pull their own line; we didn’t do that last week, the defense pulled us through; so we wanted to come out and help those guys.” Lomas also spent a great deal of time on the impact and relationship between the team and Coach Fassel, the guarantee and the feeling throughout the team that they were not going to let their Coach down.
Reggie Stephens told me, “They don’t want to give us respect, I guess, so we’ll keep on doing the same thing, doing what we have been doing.” He talked about the winning momentum and told me “everybody kept saying Giants can’t do this, Giants can’t do that, but every week, we get it done…all year we’ve been suspect (D Backs), maybe because I’m from Rutgers, maybe people didn’t know who I was…EMac has gone through some different things, he’s got 5 years in the League, he’s been cut from teams, then he came to the Giants and got the chance to prove what he can do, he got the chance, I got the chance, very rarely does a guy come in and play in the first year and have the stats…it’s a team effort, we’re playing well; I don’t know what else to say right now, it’s like a dream; I feel so happy for Coach Fassel, the management, the Maras, it’s nice to bring them something because I know they really want it. Coach Fassel, all year he took the heat, he put it on his back, all we had to do was go out there and perform…”
The players have also been overwhelmed by the fans. Reggie told me, “The twelfth man was great; coming out of that tunnel and seeing the towels waving like that, it was great.” During the game, Reggie told me “the crowd kept roaring and roaring and it seemed like they (Vikings) didn’t know what they were doing…Chris Carter said it was going to be tough to come in here and play, anyone who comes in here knows its going to be a tough place to play. Our fans are great, supporting us, we put it all together today, everybody gets an A+.” Brandon Short told me, “Oh, my goodness, our fans were a major part of it; they (Vikings) were confused on some of their audibles…the crowd noise played a major factor, these are the greatest fans.” And, of course, Lomas, was touched deeply. He said, “I never thought I’d ever see an offensive lineman getting cheers. It never happened before (for him), it felt so good.” He went on about “this City, this is a football City, these fans know football, when they cheer for an offensive lineman to get up and I don’t have anything but love for the City and fans, I appreciate everything…”
One of the most telling comments in the room came from Glenn Parker, when asked about Kerry Collins and the past. Parker said, “I couldn’t be happier for one single individual. I don’t know about those times, or what he went through. I know what I know now and the feeling that this team has for him and he for us; it’s a game of redemption for him and maybe a game of redemption for him in the eyes of the entire League.”
Other interesting comments: Brandon Short, when I asked if they could tell something was different about this game: “From the opening drive, to be honest. The kickoff, we knocked the ball loose, the ball was on the ground, it was like WOW, this is going to happen…I didn’t see anything in their eyes as to when they shut it down, but I knew we were going to win this game at that point, that nothing was going to stop us; the clock couldn’t move fast enough.”
Luke Pettigout was sitting quietly, as always, dressing. When I asked him if he had a little different feeling this year he smiled and said, “The different end of the spectrum, from the whole total team standpoint. This point last year I was sitting around watching the games. I think I went jogging before the games just so I felt like I was going to do something for the weekend; this is a great success for the Giants and hopefully we can get one more victory.” I teased him about what would be better, the National Championship at Notre Dame or… He laughed and said that when he was there they didn’t even sniff at the Championship – notwithstanding, even if they had, this was a much more special feeling.
CJ – I asked CJ about his feisty behavior out there after several plays and he told me, “There were some things going on after the whistle, you know, you have to protect yourself out there. They did some things out there that I didn’t appreciate, so I had to answer.” I asked him about his aggressive play and he told me that going into the game they knew the pressure points, that Coach Fox had come up with a game plan to go after them and there were certain match-ups the Giants had to win to get the victory. CJ told me, “We won those match ups…the game plans the last couple of weeks have been aggressive; I like it when we come in and get aggressive. Coach Fox turned us loose today, last week; when you are on the attack all the time, it gets to be fun out there.”
Jason Garrett also talked about the game plan and told me, “The approach was to have a balanced offense; when we looked at the tape, we felt we had opportunities to throw the ball, and still be able to run with it. Kerry made a lot of big plays, the receivers made a lot of big plays, we kept going. What was most impressive to me is that we stayed aggressive and kept after them, even when we got up early; it was a great approach and it worked out well for us.”
Dave Thomas told us he was surprised that the Giants totally shut down the Vikes receivers as “you can never shut down a group of wide receivers that basically at any point can score and take it to the house. What that says about our defense is that we’re very special and we have been doing some good things all year long.” Thomas also talked about the front seven and the importance of pressure on the QB. He then went on to say, “Today we confused them with our coverages, but we also confused them with how quick we are; a lot of people say our defense is slow, and I don’t understand that. I don’t know if it’s the uniforms, they say black makes you look slow, I guess blue is the closest thing to black, so we’re kind of deceptive. At the same time we have to line up and once you line up against us you’re going to see what the Giants bring to the table.” Dave also talked about Super Bowl week and the “distractions out there, and you know what I’m talking about. Basically, you have to come to work, keep your mental state in the right place and once you are on the field you take care of business.”
Lomas summed it up. He said the wait “makes it more sweet, the more you have to wait, the more you want it, the better it tastes. I’m not through, we’re not through, we’ve got one more mile to climb and we’ll be done.”
This is a very special team and you fans at BBI are very special fans. Enjoy the ride.