Victory hollow as Giants are eliminated
Redskins Ryan Torain stiff-arms Giants' Aaron Ross, Sunday. (Jan. 2, 2011) Credit: MCT
LANDOVER, Md. - The Giants stuck the landing on an imperfect 10.
Their 17-14 win over the Redskins Sunday gave them double-digit wins, a plateau that historically gets teams into the playoffs and is something to celebrate. But in the Giants' case, their 10th victory came two weeks too late. Had they been able to nail it down against the Eagles or the Packers, their fate would have been much different.
Instead, Tom Coughlin had to grit his teeth and tell his players to try to enjoy the victory because - with a second consecutive playoff-less offseason and NFL labor uncertainty - it could be their last for quite some time.
It was some consolation for Coughlin when co-owner John Mara announced he will return as coach next season.
"Obviously, this is the weirdest locker room I've ever been in after a win," defensive tackle Barry Cofield said. "The most somber winning locker room you'll ever be in."
"It's bittersweet," tight end Kevin Boss added. "More bitter than sweet."
The Giants needed not only a win but a Green Bay loss or tie to get into the playoffs and face the Eagles next weekend. Although the Bears put up a fight on their behalf, the Giants knew their season was over with about 2:13 to go in their game at FedEx Field.
"It hurts. It hurts a lot," Coughlin said. "That's what you're trying to accomplish. You want to be in the playoffs, that's what this thing is all about. Not to be able to play in the playoffs is very, very disappointing."
Two weeks ago, that seemed almost an impossibility when the Giants took a 21-point lead over the Eagles with 8:17 remaining. But they lost that game, then turned in a clunker against the Packers in another game they considered to be a "must win."
That Eagles loss still haunts the Giants.
"If someone would have made one play - one play - we wouldn't have been in this position right now, but nobody did," Osi Umenyiora said. "It --, but that's the way it is."
Coughlin tried to focus the players on controlling what was in front of them - the game against the Redskins.
The Giants went ahead 10-0 in the second quarter on Lawrence Tynes' field goal and a 2-yard touchdown run by Brandon Jacobs. The Redskins, who missed a field-goal attempt in the first quarter, closed to within 10-7 at halftime on Fred Davis' 1-yard TD catch.
Eli Manning hit Mario Manningham for the longest touchdown of either of their careers, a 92-yarder early in the third quarter, but after that, the offense stalled even when given the ball after three Redskins turnovers. Anthony Armstrong caught a 64-yard TD pass for the Redskins (6-10) with 5:52 left.
The Giants are the 19th team to win 10 games and not make the playoffs since the NFL went to a 16-game schedule in 1978. There were 17 before yesterday; the Bucs also finished 10-6.
Making the ignominy even more difficult are the NFC West champion Seahawks, 41-7 losers to the Giants who not only got into the playoffs at 7-9 but will host the wild-card Saints.
"Good for them," Giants linebacker Keith Bulluck said with some bitterness. "Their playoff run will be short-lived, I'm sure."
The Seahawks' response, of course, would be: At least we'll have one.
The Giants ended last season at 8-8, so there was some improvement. And there was no collapse in the final weeks the way there was in 2009, when the Giants were outscored 85-16 in the last two games. This year they were outscored "only'' 59-34 in that stretch and 87-41 in the season's final nine quarters.
"We had a lot of opportunities this year, and that's what eats at you," defensive end Justin Tuck said. "I hate to say this, but in a way, we didn't deserve to be in the playoffs. We had chances to get there, but we didn't take advantage. It's the weirdest feeling I've ever had after a win."
The Giants seethed over the way their 2009 season ended, and it drove them to a 10-win season. Tuck said that even though the result is essentially the same - a seat on the sofa for the playoffs - the feeling is a little different this time around.
"Last year I was mad at the world," he said. "Now I'm just mad at us."
