The New York Giants, who played all their starters in a “meaningless” game against the Patriots in the final week of the season are now 2-0 in the playoffs.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts, and Dallas Cowboys, who played their starters only sparingly at the end of the regular season to “rest up for the playoffs” are now 0-3.
I’m pleasantly stunned by the Giants victory. Though it might be better to call it a total meltdown by the Cowboys, who committed a bunch of stupid penalties in the fourth quarter to bail out the Giants’ patchwork defense and preserve the victory. Though, actually, watching Tony Romo turn into a pumpkin in the fourth quarter makes the victory just that much sweeter.
On to Green Bay next weekend for the NFC championship game, in which the starting left cornerback for New York will be Phil Leblonski, a longshoreman from Bayonne, because there’s nobody left on the roster with four intact limbs. I have no idea how they kept it together to finish that game, but I love the result.
(Given that Eli Manning and his receivers couldn’t hold onto the ball in 40-degree weather in the Meadowlands, I don’t think a trip to the Frozen Tundra of Lambeau Field (R) bodes well. But then, I didn’t think they’d win either of the last two game, either, so why are you listening to me?)