G-Men Find Spark | Big Blue Biz

As the Boss (not Kevin, Chris Berman) once said, "You Can't Start A Fire Without A Spark."

On Saturday night, the Giants established that spark and without Ahmad Bradshaw.

You avid NFL fans know how it is and how it can be. A team gets pissed over a tough loss and comes back to win the next game because they are seething mad (I thought the Bills would beat my beloved Giants because they lost a tough one to the Browns a week before). Let's call it the beehive effect. One team gets slapped around for a game and it challenges their will to win. This will to win is then evidenced in their next game.

On the other hand, you have what Giant Haters will surely being saying now which is: "Ah their emotionally spent and they now have nothing left to give."

I, like Tom Coughlin, and the TRUE Giants fan see the glass as being half-full. Taken from New York's BEST paper (The Daily News):

O'Hara (sprained knee), Mitchell (sprained knee) and Madison (abdominal strain) had MRI exams Sunday; their status for Sunday's game isn't clear. Dahl, a rookie reserve safety, hurt the ACL in his left knee and is done for the year.

But as Coughlin saw it, he had little choice but to risk his team's health by going for the win in Week 17. And even if he had played it safe and rested some players, none of those four would've sat out the entire game.

Mitchell, O'Hara and Dahl were injured in the first half, long before most coaches would've put in the reserves.

"I would again challenge you on who you're going to pick out as starters who aren't going to play," he said. "How do you do that?"

Coughlin reiterated what he said after the game Saturday night - that the positives from the regular-season finale far outweighed the negatives.

The Giants got outstanding play from Eli Manning (22-for-32, 251 yards, four touchdowns, one interception), a huge play on special teams (a 74-yard kickoff return for a touchdown from Domenik Hixon) and a solid effort by a defense that held off the Patriots for most of the first three quarters.

If nothing else, the Giants will head to Tampa feeling like they are on a roll.

"I thought that we gained momentum from the quality of our play," Coughlin said.

"Obviously we're very disappointed that we didn't win. That goes without saying. But we did gain some momentum, I thought, coming out of Buffalo (where they won 38-21) and coming out of (Saturday) night. I don't know that you can move towards the playoffs in a better way than to play against the No. 1 team in the league, a team that's 16-0, and hold your own at least for the majority of the evening."

***BTW, I heard Amani Toomer say that when the G-Men beat the Broncos to end their unbeaten string several years back with Kent Graham at the helm, the '72 Dolphins reneged on their promise to send the Giants champagne. That's a classless move as many say the Patriots are.

However, I hold a certain place in my heart for Mr. Bill Belichick (or as Jets fans know him: B.B.) due to him being the Coach of the GREATEST DEFENSE I EVER SAW in the 1986 GIANTS!!! Bill is a Giant deep down in his heart of hearts. Is he really the Grinch as some would say and/or portray? News Flash: The media isn't all fuzzy.

I am so sick of seeing Nick Bucotwhattheheckionci and the rest of the conceited '72 Dolphins being wheeled around the field like Han Solo enclosed in kryptonite (need StarWars nerd here to tell me the exact chemical Han Solo was encased in). The Dolphins played less games without free agency, obligations and pressure.

Heck, Ray Finkel had more pressure.

Finally, I coming to terms with many things right now and here they are in no particular order:

1) Eli Manning is the man and will get better. How good would he be with Tom Brady's offensive line, receivers and play calls?

2) Tom Coughlin is the coach for the long-term. Although my heart yearns for a Giant of the past such as John Fox. Tom has been terrific and I don't know many (unfortunately) who could have done a better job than he has this year. I guess us Giants fans just plain dislike the guy although the reasons may or may not be valid.

3) Experts and Vegas picked the Giants to finish 7-9 this year. For once, the Giants beat the teams they were supposed to beat and that's a credit to Tom and his staff.

4) A healthy Plaxico Burress is a dangerous thing and this year he put the league on notice. He hit career highs this year on one leg and it's clear that although Amani is a great possession receiver whom has chemistry with Eli, he is not the compliment to Plax.

5) We have a running game. That's why the Giants could afford to trade Ryan Grant and that's why Tiki Barber get booed...that and his big mouth. Find me a better backfield in the league over Jacobs, Ward and Bradshaw. Bradshaw is a star in the making and Ward just got started. Wait a minute, so did Jacobs who gained 1,000 yards despite missing 6 games. Dumb good as the younglings say.

6) Kicking game: Please stay Jeff Feagles! You make me say Sean Landwho? Tynes? Ok, but I still like Jay Feely. Good riddance Matt Bryant!

7) DB's is an area of obvious upgrade and please release Corey Webster! Either through the draft or free agency, Jerry Reese do your thing.

8) Awesome DL: Don't change a thing except say goodbye to Willy Joseph and lock these guys up long-term.

9) Boss and Shockey? Spilt Shockey out with Boss running TE routes. It's obvious he has chemistry w/ Eli.

10) Re-sign Kawika Mitchell. As the Chili Peppers said but in reverse he's "Slow to start, but fast to finish"

So the Giants just lost to the best team in the league...bring on the BUCS!!!