EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - The New York Giants completed a rollercoaster ride to the playoffs on Sunday, earning the final NFC wild card berth and a third game with the NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles.
Virtually assured of making the playoffs for the second straight year after beating Washington on Saturday night, the Giants (8-8) officially got their postseason ticket punched when Houston and Carolina posted wins in early games on Sunday.
The matchup with the Eagles in Philadelphia was set up minutes later when Dallas lost to Detroit, handing the Eagles the NFC East title. The game will be played at 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
“It's an exciting thing to be in the playoffs, and to be playing against the Eagles just makes it even more exciting,” Giants coach Tom Coughlin said in a conference call late Sunday afternoon.
The Giants and Eagles split their two regular-season meetings, with each winning on the other's field.
New York rallied from a 24-7 fourth-quarter deficit in the second week of the season and posted a 30-24 overtime win in Philadelphia on Sept. 17. The Eagles returned the favor Dec. 17, riding a 22-point fourth-quarter and the outstanding play of quarterback Jeff Garcia to a 36-22 win at Giants Stadium.
“We certainly do know each other,” Coughlin said. “There is going to be tremendous information gathering right now as we put this thing together.”
The Eagles should be heavily favored, considering the Giants won twice in their final eight games and Philadelphia rallied in the final month to win the division.
The only reason the Giants reached the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time since 1989 and '90 was that the NFC was so weak this season.
“We've already jumped over the hurdle about being here and I think that is the important thing,” Coughlin said about backing in. “Underdogs. Whatever. We'll draw strength from anything we can. Now we are appreciative of the fact that we were able to get in with an 8-8 record.”
The last time a .500 team made the playoffs was in 2004, when St. Louis and Minnesota qualified with 8-8 records. They both won in the first round, too: the Rams beat Seattle 27-20 and Minnesota surprised Green Bay 31-17.
Last season, no team made the playoffs with a record worse than 10-6. The Giants won the NFC East with an 11-5 mark.
The playoff game could be very important for Coughlin. He has been on the hot seat in recent weeks and there are some who feel he needs to win a playoff game to remain as coach.
“I'm not talking about anything that has to do with that,” Coughlin said. “I've not even thought one thought about that. I'm focused on trying to find a way for us to win and that's where I'll continue to focus.”
The playoffs are a sore point for some Giants followers. New York played its worst game last season in losing 23-0 to Carolina in the opening round of the playoffs.
Making the playoffs also assured that halfback Tiki Barber will have at least one more game before heading off into retirement.
Barber carried the Giants into the playoffs on Saturday night, rushing for a team-record 234 yards and three touchdowns in the win over Washington.
Coughlin could not remember someone stepping up so big under those circumstances.
“I do know you would certainly like to have that follow you forever, that on the night that was the 16th game of the season and your team had an opportunity if they won to possibly be in the playoffs, to have that kind of performance is just incredible.”
The performance coincided with Coughlin's decision to let quarterbacks coach Kevin Gilbride replace offensive coordinator John Hufnagel in making the play calls.
Coughlin said Sunday that Hufnagel has left the team.
While the Giants finished tied with a couple of teams at 8-8 for the final playoff berth, they won all the tiebreakers.
The playoff appearance was guaranteed when Houston defeated Cleveland 14-6 and Carolina knocked off New Orleans 31-21.
“My football career hopefully has four more games in it,” Barber said Saturday. “The rest of my life is starting soon and I'm excited about that, I really am. It's better to leave wanting more than them kicking you out.”
The matchup with the Eagles in Philadelphia was set up minutes later when Dallas lost to Detroit, handing the Eagles the NFC East title. The game will be played at 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
“It's an exciting thing to be in the playoffs, and to be playing against the Eagles just makes it even more exciting,” Giants coach Tom Coughlin said in a conference call late Sunday afternoon.
The Giants and Eagles split their two regular-season meetings, with each winning on the other's field.
New York rallied from a 24-7 fourth-quarter deficit in the second week of the season and posted a 30-24 overtime win in Philadelphia on Sept. 17. The Eagles returned the favor Dec. 17, riding a 22-point fourth-quarter and the outstanding play of quarterback Jeff Garcia to a 36-22 win at Giants Stadium.
“We certainly do know each other,” Coughlin said. “There is going to be tremendous information gathering right now as we put this thing together.”
The Eagles should be heavily favored, considering the Giants won twice in their final eight games and Philadelphia rallied in the final month to win the division.
The only reason the Giants reached the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time since 1989 and '90 was that the NFC was so weak this season.
“We've already jumped over the hurdle about being here and I think that is the important thing,” Coughlin said about backing in. “Underdogs. Whatever. We'll draw strength from anything we can. Now we are appreciative of the fact that we were able to get in with an 8-8 record.”
The last time a .500 team made the playoffs was in 2004, when St. Louis and Minnesota qualified with 8-8 records. They both won in the first round, too: the Rams beat Seattle 27-20 and Minnesota surprised Green Bay 31-17.
Last season, no team made the playoffs with a record worse than 10-6. The Giants won the NFC East with an 11-5 mark.
The playoff game could be very important for Coughlin. He has been on the hot seat in recent weeks and there are some who feel he needs to win a playoff game to remain as coach.
“I'm not talking about anything that has to do with that,” Coughlin said. “I've not even thought one thought about that. I'm focused on trying to find a way for us to win and that's where I'll continue to focus.”
The playoffs are a sore point for some Giants followers. New York played its worst game last season in losing 23-0 to Carolina in the opening round of the playoffs.
Making the playoffs also assured that halfback Tiki Barber will have at least one more game before heading off into retirement.
Barber carried the Giants into the playoffs on Saturday night, rushing for a team-record 234 yards and three touchdowns in the win over Washington.
Coughlin could not remember someone stepping up so big under those circumstances.
“I do know you would certainly like to have that follow you forever, that on the night that was the 16th game of the season and your team had an opportunity if they won to possibly be in the playoffs, to have that kind of performance is just incredible.”
The performance coincided with Coughlin's decision to let quarterbacks coach Kevin Gilbride replace offensive coordinator John Hufnagel in making the play calls.
Coughlin said Sunday that Hufnagel has left the team.
While the Giants finished tied with a couple of teams at 8-8 for the final playoff berth, they won all the tiebreakers.
The playoff appearance was guaranteed when Houston defeated Cleveland 14-6 and Carolina knocked off New Orleans 31-21.
“My football career hopefully has four more games in it,” Barber said Saturday. “The rest of my life is starting soon and I'm excited about that, I really am. It's better to leave wanting more than them kicking you out.”
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