Giants know they control playoff fate

The Giants still believe they will make the playoffs.

"I don't know if there's any concern," defensive captain Justin Tuck said after a second-straight loss. "There shouldn't be. The only thing we have to do is win football games. We still own our destiny. We're still where we want to be. But . . . "

Here comes the caveat.

" . . . We can't afford to play like we did [Sunday] night."

The Giants have spent the last few days grappling with the many indignities the Philadelphia Eagles thrust upon them in their big game this past weekend, such as the blindside hit on Eli Manning and the flick of the football at defensive coordinator Perry Fewell. Those challenges should have awakened the Giants, but instead, they mostly hit the snooze button for about 12 hours and came to work Monday ready to fight. Had they shown as much spunk and spirit Sunday night as they have the past two days, their argument about still being a playoff team would carry much more weight.

As it is, they have a decent shot, these two upcoming games against the New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packers notwithstanding. There are two games against the Dallas Cowboys in their final four that will essentially decide the division winner. The last of them is Jan. 1 at MetLife Stadium. That game likely will provide the Giants with the ultimate test of their mantra about finishing.

It also helps the Giants that the Chicago Bears, one of two teams ahead of them in the wild-card race, will be turning their postseason dreams over to Caleb Hanie for the rest of the year.

Of course, the Giants have had to rely on the Bears in the past and been disappointed. It was only last year in Week 17 that they needed a Chicago win to get in and they did not get it. The Giants would much rather take care of the situation themselves.

"It is within the power of our team to correct this situation," Tom Coughlin said. "This is the same team that went to New England a few weeks ago. There are not any changes there. It is the same football team that went into a place (where the Patriots had) won 20 straight football games and won. The ability to do that is certainly here."

Is the desire? The determination? There have been plenty of debates this season about the Giants' roster, whether they have the right pieces at wide receiver, along the offensive line, at linebacker. Now, after Sunday, the team's heart is coming into question -- by the players themselves.

It's a six-week season. The Giants are tied atop the division, exactly where they were 10 games ago.

"Everything that we wanted to do at the start of this season is still right there in front of us," defensive tackle Chris Canty said. "Everything we wanted to do we still have the opportunity to do."

Canty said he was upset at the lost opportunities against the Eagles, particularly because he believes that the Giants have a chance to do something special.

"I understand the potential for this football team," Canty said. "You don't get a chance to be a part of teams that have a real opportunity to do something all the time . . . But here I stand, in a locker room with a team that has an opportunity to do something. So I'm excited. I'm encouraged by that. I'm energized."

And, finally, the Giants seem to be a little bit angry.

"It's put up or shut up," safety Antrel Rolle said. "I'm not trying to be sitting at home come the first week in January watching these other teams that I know are not better than us go on. For what? I know we're a great team . . . "

Here comes the caveat again!

" . . . We have to go out there and prove it."