Giants Q&A: Road warriors!
Jason Pierre-Paul of the New York Giants reacts against the San Francisco 49ers during the NFC Championship. (Jan. 22, 2012) Credit: Getty Images
Can we now call the Giants the Kings of the Road?
Yes. They've now won an NFL-record five straight road playoff games. Home teams are 8-2 this postseason, and the only two road teams with wins are the Giants over the Packers and the Giants over the 49ers.
Eli Manning has more road playoff wins (five) than any other quarterback in history. And Tom Coughlin tied Tom Landry for the most road playoff wins as a head coach.
Manning will try to win a second Super Bowl in the stadium where his brother Peyton usually reigns. Does that make it any more special for him?
Apparently not. "It's just exciting to be playing in a Super Bowl," he said. "It doesn't matter where we're playing or the fact that it's in Indianapolis. I'm just excited about being in one and looking forward to it."
Are we the only ones who see the similarities between this team and the 2007 squad?
Not anymore. "It is kind of eerie," Justin Tuck said. "We've downplayed it during this playoff run, but I'd be lying to you if I said it didn't feel like '07. I mean, we're playing the Patriots again, too."
How many hits did Manning take?
He was sacked six times and hit another 12, taking some of the most brutal blows he's absorbed all season. "They're a good front four," he said. "They brought a little pressure and we tried to get the ball out quickly, but they've done that all season. That's why they're one of the top defenses in the NFL. They're tough against the run and then they get a lot of sacks."
What does it say about Manning that he took those hits and the Giants won?
"We already knew he was tough," Tuck said. "I don't know how many games he's played in a row, but it's a lot. We give him a lot of grief about his dopey appearance and he doesn't look like he's ever been in a weight room, but that guy's a tough guy. He's like the Energizer bunny; he keeps ticking . . . I think you respect him differently than a quarterback. I respect Eli as a football player. A great football mind and he's a tough guy."
Who was the most excited player about the win?
Had to be punter and field- goal holder Steve Weatherford, who sprinted around the field after the game-winning field goal screaming "We're going to the ---- Super Bowl!" Even in the locker room, he climbed atop a partition wearing only a towel and stage-dived on one of his teammates. Weatherford had been to three previous conference championship games without advancing to a Super Bowl. He was the only player on the Giants who had gotten that far without winning.
Weatherford made a good play in getting a low snap from Zak DeOssie down for Tynes. "I knew that if I got the ball down and the laces out that Lawrence Tynes was going to make the kick and we were going to go to Indianapolis and play in the Super Bowl," he said.
How special was this for David Baas?
After six years of playing for the 49ers without ever making the playoffs, he advanced to the Super Bowl by beating his former team. "I'm excited," he said. "I was standing out there on the field because I was in shock. I didn't know what to say, what to do, really. This is incredible. I'm proud to be a New York Giant and going to the Super Bowl."
Do defenses win championships?
Tuck said he heard that on ESPN Sunday morning while getting ready for the game. "No, they don't," he said. "Teams win championships, and this is a great football team . . . We're playing our best football right now. It's been a roller-coaster year this year, but all of that is forgotten because it counts now. We're starting to jell, we're starting to play our best ball. Hopefully, we still have our best game ahead of us."
