Capitol Gains
By Superfan
On a weekend where every team we needed (and expected) to win let us down (except the Steelers), the Giants took it upon themselves to go out there and take care of business. Talk about a statement! I realize some people may say, “Oh, it was just the Redskins.” I know I’m not the only Giants fan who was a little worried about heading into Washington, thinking that this could very well be a trap game. They have a very tough defense (fifth in the league against the pass), and have recently played very competitive games against both Philadelphia and the Saints. Well, we scorched them for 45 points, with 21 of them coming through the air. And despite the fact that Jason Campbell made Gus Frerotte seem like a Redskins’ quarterback legend in comparison, our back-up defensive backs managed to keep some playmaking receivers (Moss, Randle-El) in check all game.
Thoughts About the Game
I haven’t seen our offense click like that since the NFC Championship Game against Minnesota in 2000. Especially that first drive, where every play seemed to work to perfection. If there was one thing that stood out about our offensive performance Monday night, it was the absence of mistakes. That’s all due to great preparation, and superior execution. Another great notch on what’s been Eli’s best regular season of his career.
For those fans out there who still rag on Eli, I feel sorry for you. You’re letting one the best quarterbacks in our team’s history play before your very eyes, and you fail to appreciate it. Do you realize Eli is now only the third quarterback in Giants history to throw for more than twenty-five touchdowns in a season? You know who the other two were? Y.A. Tittle and Fran Tarkenton. Pretty impressive company, if you ask me.
While it’s often the last thing most fans think about when watching a football game, I couldn’t help but notice how well our kickoff team played. It certainly helps our defense when their starting field position is deep in their own territory after every one of our kicks. Congrats for finally reaching their end zone, Mr. Tynes!
How about the job Goff has done filling in for Antonio Pierce these past two weeks? An interception against Philly, and a really big sack against the Redskins. Like what I’m seeing so far.
I can only imagine what an eye-opener it must have been for Bruce Allen (their newly appointed GM). You have to think he was just sitting there with a checklist, marking off numerous roster spots that will need replacing. Here’s the good news, Bruce – Dan Snyder, Vinny Ceratto, and Jim Zorn have set the bar very low.
Speaking of setting the bar low, how about that whole situation at the end of the first half? Line up for a fake field goal, call a timeout, then line up in the EXACT SAME formation? What did they think was gonna happen?
A Fun Day of Travel
The game itself made for one hell of a travel experience. Having flown back east for the holidays, my dad and I were able to catch the 2:00 pm Acela train to Washington, D.C. from Penn Station. The train ride itself was great (minus some disgusting microwavable hot dogs), but waiting in Penn Station was a total mess. Someone’s gotta do something about that place – talk about your all-time fire hazards.
When we arrived in D.C., my dad seemed keen on having me zip up my jacket aboard the Metro. I don’t know if it was because he was concerned for my safety (you’ll always be your father’s son, after all), or because he was born and raised in Bethesda, Maryland. Regardless, I ignored his request, making it a point to remind him that we were in D.C., not Philly, and therefore he should relax. Which he did.
We arrived at the stadium around 7:00, where we met up with my Uncle Michael (my dad’s brother), and my cousin Alexandra, on break after her first semester at the University of Maryland. While it’s unfortunate that they both happen to be huge Redskins fans, it was a pleasure to watch the Giants beat the stuffing out of the dead-skins in their seats (thanks again!!).
Just before the game started, my dad and I hung out on the field for a bit, where it looked like there may have been more Giants fans with field passes than Redskins fans. As the game started, we headed into a suite as my uncle’s guests, where (once again) the Giants fans outnumbered the Redskins’ faithful.
The best part of the game experience was that the suites at FedEx Field have huge windows that open in front, so we still felt very much a part of the crowd. Also, the crab cakes were DYNAMITE.
At game’s end, my dad and I hitched a ride back with the team train, which was quite a thrill. I’ll tell you what – the train food back was a whole lot better than it was on the ride in!
Random Musings
- I couldn’t help but notice a lot of random fans at the game wearing Eagles jerseys. What was that about? Did they simply have a small selection of football apparel to choose from, or were they deliberately trying to piss off both sets of fans? Maybe they were counting on the whole “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” idea to come into play. Only, which side would be which enemy? Either way, that’s gutsy.
- While moving from the bus out of the stadium to the train that would take us the rest of the way to Newark, the entire team (players, coaches, family, press, friends, etc.) filed onto one very narrow escalator, which took us up to the platform. While on it, I noticed that Eli was standing directly behind my left shoulder, and behind him and slightly to the right was David Carr. Now, you must realize that this escalator was kind of slippery, since people had been walking on it with snow-covered shoes all day. Considering all this data, I couldn’t help but picture the scene where I would be “that guy” to slip on the escalator, knocking Eli backwards into Carr, and sending the whole group tumbling down the escalator. Could you imagine what that injury report would look like? How could a fan possibly live with himself/herself? That’s the first and second-string quarterbacks, out with one fell swoop! Yikes.
Wrapping Up…
What better way to head into the final game at Giants Stadium than with so much on the line? It’s only appropriate that both the Giants and Panthers are coming off of dominating victories. I also feel confident that the Giants won’t let their blowout of Washington affect their preparation or motivation for the match up against Carolina. This team knows we need to take it one game at a time, and whatever might be riding on our big game in Minnesota won’t mean a thing unless we take care of business at home first. Giants Stadium has been host to some amazing football over the years, and it’d been a shame to go out on anything less than a spectacular performance.
Despite Dallas’ surprising victory over the Saints, we’re still very much in this! Assuming we can take care of our own business, we’d only need either Dallas or Green Bay to lose one more game! Two games to go! Each one’s a playoff game! To keep talking Gmen football, or any questions/comments, feel free to send me an e-mail at gmensuperfan@gmail.com. You can also find me on Facebook, under the name “Gmen Superfan.” Merry Christma-Hanu-Kwanz-ukah everybody, and until next week – GO GMEN!!!!
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