Triple Threat from the Twin Cities

"Pick Six" is becoming a very prevalent phrase all of a sudden, and I had never heard it before last night when analysts were describing the Giants' and Eagles' losses. It's always really interesting to me when a new phrase comes out and everyone starts using it every time they refer to a specific event. "Eli Manning's first pick six was different from his second pick six and then his third pick six really iced the game." Really? You really can't just say that he threw three interceptions returned for touchdowns, or at least just vary the phrasing once in the course of that sentence?

Anyway, I'm not going to go into the whole rant, because the Giants really showed me something on Sunday: they didn't point any fingers. Nobody would have gotten angry at Michael Strahan if he said something like, "We really didn't have a chance in this one, the offense just gave up too many points," after the game. Instead he got behind Eli Manning and said that it took more than one person to lose this game and everyone needs to improve. That's a huge step from last year when he would have thrown Manning, Tom Coughlin and the entire offense under the bus.

But that's it for the good from this game. Manning needs to make better reads (first pick six), and the offensive line failed at giving him enough time to sit back in the pocket and make good throws (second and third interceptions returned for touchdowns). Aside from that, it seemed like the defense played alright, they didn't give up many highlights after the first 60-yard bomb by Tarvaris Jackson.

Aaron Ross was burned on that play, so I sound pretty dumb for calling him the Giants' savior in the secondary, however I am pleased that the coaching staff put him on the opposing team's number one receiver. That said, the team has to rebound from this game, and go at least 2-3 the rest of the way, if they want to make the playoffs and have a chance at beating Tampa, New Orleans or Seattle, or really anyone else who wants to make the playoffs in the NFC west or south.

The defense has the talent to step up, and the offense needs to stay healthy to lend Manning enough support to win games.

It's easy to say Manning is terrible, and that the Giants need to move on and get a new quarterback in the draft this offseason, but not every quarterback is as good as Peyton Manning or Tom Brady. Eli Manning is better than Kurt Warner, and Warner won a Super Bowl. Manning is better than Jeff Garcia, and he led the Eagles deep into the playoffs a few years ago. Not every Super Bowl quarterback is going to be the best quarterback in the league. If this is the best Manning has, that is more than good enough. He is somewhere between the 11th and 17th best quarterbacks in the league. That means that there are at least 15 teams who have worse quarterbacks than Manning is, and those same 15 teams would probably be vying for him if he was a free agent.

If the Giants stay healthy, and the offensive line plays up to its capabilities, Manning won't lose many games for his team.

In sum, since my professor keeps looking over here and wondering what I'm typing, the Giants need to stay healthy and play up to their capabilities during these last five games if they want any chance to make the playoffs and help Manning win his first playoff game.