With a spot in the Super Bowl on the line, how could anyone have a letdown?
You don’t have to look far back or far way to find an example. It was a year ago the Jets found themselves in the same situation as the Giants: Coming off a huge upset against the team that was considered the Super Bowl favorite. The Jets went to New England and dominated the Patriots in a Divisional playoff game with their physical brand of football. The Giants used a different formula, but got the same result in Green Bay.
And what did the Jets do after climbing the biggest hurdle between them and their first championship in 42 years? After Bart Scott famously shouted that the Jets “Can’t wait!” to play the Steelers: They did not show up for the first half in Pittsburgh, and when they woke up for the second half, the 24-3 hole was too much to overcome in the eventual 24-19 setback.
Now, the Giants beat the best team in football, the 15-1 Packers. The team no realistic fan wanted to see them play in the NFC Championship, the Saints, were knocked out by the 49ers. The Giants played in San Francisco already this year, a 27-20 loss in a game that could have gone either way. And that win in Green Bay has seemed to turn the Giants motto from “No one believes” to “No one can beat us” — just ask Antrel Rolle. The line between confidence and overconfidence is thin, and the Giants need to say on the right side of it.
“I guess so, just coming from our schedule, how it turned out and how we played against New Orleans and how we played against San Fran, it definitely works out in our favor we were able to get San Fran as opposed to New Orleans, just because of how we feel about them and we understand we have a good chance of winning that game,” Victor Cruz told NJ.com.
But these Giants pride themselves on being better than the Jets, something they proved on the field in a Week 16 win that started this improbable four-game winning streak. This kind of letdown is something they avoided four years ago when they followed up a stunning upset of the top-seeded, and rival, Cowboys in the Divisional round by beating the Packers in the NFC title game. But since that 2008 Super Bowl, the Giants have shown the ability to lose to lesser opponents. We saw it against the Redskins (twice), the Seahawks and Vince Young-led Eagles in this season alone.
There would have been nothing easy about playing in New Orleans, where they lost 49-24 in Week 12, but a trip to San Francisco is no treat, either. The 49ers, as they showed in beating the Saints, are an opportunistic team that will pounce on you if given the chance. They jumped on the Saints 17-0 then held on for dear life until the frantic final four minutes. That is what will await the Giants if they take the surprising 49ers lightly at all.
It’s something the Giants should know considering the last time they were on a similar high (after beating the Patriots this season in New England), the Giants lost in San Francisco to start a four-game losing streak.
“Honestly, I’m not just talking here, we came into this game really feeling like we were gonna beat them down,’’ Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora said after they beat the Packers 37-20. “I don’t know why, I don’t know what gave us that impression but we just really thought we were gonna beat them. And we went out there and did it.’’
Now the Giants need that feeling to follow them west. Because if they think beating the Super Bowl favorites is tantamount to winning the Super Bowl, their season will abruptly end the way the Jets’ did last year.
*
Umenyiora continued his late-season resurgence with two sacks and a strip of Aaron Rodgers.
Before Umenyiora held out this season because of contract concerns, he threatened to retire after the 2009 season because he wasn’t happy with his playing time. Before Umenyiora came back earlier than expected from his high ankle sprain he was asked about Jason Pierre-Paul, who had been starting in his place.
“He deserves to be the starter, there’s no question about it,’’ Umenyiora said. “The guys playing at as high a level at defensive end as I’ve seen in a long time and I’ve been here a long time. He deserves to be the starter. Whatever this team needs for me to do, whether that’s come in and spot him or (Justin) Tuck, whatever they need me to do I’ll do, I don’t have a problem with that.’’
With the way Pierre-Paul was playing, this was a very obvious answer. But it’s also obvious Umenyiora has tucked his ego away for the Giants playoff push, and the results are telling.
*
Two bad throws by Rodgers defined the struggles for the Packers quarterback.
Trailing 3-0, the Packers had the ball third-and-8 at the Giants’ 29-yard line. Rodgers scrambled free and had Greg Jennings wide open inside the 10. Rodgers threw it wide and right for an incomplete pass and the Packers had to settle for a field goal.
The second came at the start of the fourth quarter with the Packers trailing 20-13. Green Bay had it third-and-5 from the Giants’ 39-yard line, Rodgers missed open Jermichael Finley for what would have been a 15-20 yard gain. The Packers opted to go for it and Michael Boley sacked Rodgers. The Giants would kick a field goal on the next drive and the game would never be within one score again.
*
You know a call is terrible when it goes against the team that won and complaints remain, explanations are called for.
Such is the case with the fumble by Packers receiver Greg Jennings, which referee Bill Leavy chose not to overturn. The call on the field was that Jennings was down by contact, but one official originally ruled it a fumble. Replays clearly showed the ball came free before Jennings hit the ground, and FOX’s own referee expert Mike Pereira came on after the fact and disagreed with Leavy.
It’s a mystery to me how Leavy, who admittedly made two costly calls against the Seahawks in Super Bowl XL, still is on the biggest games of the year. And if the Giants had lost, he would be just as much an enemy in New York as he is in Seattle.
*
Rams fans are likely breathing a little easier, at least for now.
There were reports Sunday night that former Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer was offered the same position in St. Louis. But that appears to be premature, and new coach Jeff Fisher plans to meet with recently fired Raiders coach Hue Jackson about job.
Jackson had his issues as a head coach, but he was an innovative offensive mind. The Raiders finished ninth in football in total offense and that was with Jason Campbell and rusty Carson Palmer at quarterback.
*
At first glance, one would think Todd Haley was just being paranoid.
The former Chiefs coach, who interviewed with the Jets last week, was part of a Kansas City Star story depicting what it’s like to work for the team.
The reporter writes:
“Haley suspected that many rooms at the team facility were bugged so that team administrators could monitor employees’ conversations.
“Stopping finally in a conference room, Haley said he believed his personal cellphone, a line he used before being hired by the Chiefs in 2009, had been tampered with.”
Haley is not quoted directly in the story, in which GM Scott Pioli is painted as the impetus behind such spying and secrecy. And other past and present employees do not seem to think Haley is being paranoid.
“I don’t think that anything would surprise anyone, really,” one former employee told the newspaper. “That’s how Scott wants it.”
*
Chad Ochocinco’s role in the Patriots offense continues to be reduced when they are in their no-huddle style.
Most blame Ochocinco’s struggles grasping the complex system.
And because of that, he was on the field for one snap in their Divisional round win over the Broncos, according to ESPN.com. That would be the same as fellow receiver Tiquan Underwood, who also is in his first year in New England.
I am not sure what’s more surprising: Ochocinco’s lack of an impact or the fact that he has not complained about it.
*
The Patriots found another way to torment opponents with their lethal tight end duo of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.
Sure Gronkowski caught three touchdowns against Denver, but Hernandez starred receiving (four catches, 55 yards, one touchdown) and rushing the ball. Hernandez appeared in the Patriots backfield on several occasions and was their leading rusher with 61 yards on five carries.
*
Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco complained about the lack of credit he was receiving for the Ravens success.
“I’m sure if we win, I’ll have nothing to do with why we won according to you guys,” he said, according to the Baltimore Sun. “It is what it is. We’re going to do our best to try to win it and it doesn’t really matter what the reason is.”
The Ravens then proceeded to beat the Texans despite a sub-par performance by Flacco (11 of 21, 140 yards, two touchdowns). The Sun reported that the conversation was playful. Now it’s ironic, too.
*
Some of Flacco’s struggles were a result of the Texans defense.
Both Baltimore touchdowns were set up by Houston turnovers, and if not for Jacoby Jones foolish decision to handle a punt the Texans may have won the game.
They shut down Ray Rice and were attacking Flacco on most dropbacks. They were ultimately undone by rookie quarterback T.J. Yates throwing three interceptions, but with Matt Schaub (and Arian Foster, who was a beast in that game) back next year there’s no reason the Texans cannot be a force in the AFC for years to come.