DRIVE FOR 5
Forget merely making the playoffs, Giants’ ceiling is much higher
THE REMINDERS have been relentless, from the first day Ben McAdoo gathered his Giants together:
And now it is no longer a pipe dream.
It is no longer The Impossible Dream, it is no longer Mission Impossible. This is real now. It isn’t only Odell Beckham Jr. who wants to be legendary. It is all of McAdoo’s Giants. Even with an Eli Manning offense that has failed to crack 20 points on seven occasions this season and has failed to surpass 17 in its last three games,, no one will want to play the Giantsiants when (is a better bet thann if ) they capture their first playoffayoff berth since Super Bowl XLVI.I.
Win Thursday night in Philly and they’re in. Sixty minutes to the wild card. Don’t let the Eagles and their raucous fans spoil the party.
Because look around the NFC: Who scares you?
It is more than the fact every-veryone knows Manning has thisthis habit of raising his game and getting hot in the playoffs, and would be bringing Beckhama niamania with him for the first time. It is this championship McA-cA-D. McAdoo and defensive coor-coordinator Steve Spagnuolo didn’tdn’t have the best defense in thehe NFL over the first half of thee season.
They have the best defense in the NFL now:
Cowboys: seven points scored. Lions: six points scored. With no Jason PierrePaul in either game and onlyy one quarter of Jackrabbit Jen-nkins against Matthew Stafford.rd.
“Putting a ranking on it,t, or saying we’re the best, that’ss not what we’re about at all,” Damonamon “Snacks” Harrison said.
They’re about that fifth Lom-Lombardi Trophy.
“Our goal is ultimately to makemake it to the playoffs and put a fifth trophy in the case, so if that comes with it then, fine,” Har-Harrison said. “But that’s justt not something that’s talked about.”ut.”
That fifth trophy was talkedalked about from Day 1 by the rookieookie head coach — who, inheritinging a 6-10 team, has suddenly barged into the Coach of the Year conversation versation with a magnificent football obsession and Step Brothers humor that has been well received.
“It was talked about in the very first meeting, and just about every meeting since then,” Harrison said. “It’s not about individuals, it’s not about one side of the ball, it’s an ultimate team goal. He’s done a great job of preaching that message and instilling that in us, and every guy in this locker room knows exactly what the goal is, and we work hard every day to try to achieve that.”
This is the kind of defense a coach loves to take with him on the road, and the Eagles at the Linc certainly qualif ies as the road. Here’s why: The Big 3 free agents — Jenkins, Harrison and Olivier Vernon — are all in or entering their primes, and all are hungry for their f irst playoff experience. And JPP’s one-year, $10 million prove-it deal has paid dividends.
Linebackers Keenan Robinson and Kelvin Sheppard have been under-the-radar freeagent signings, defensive captain Jonathan Casillas has emerged as a leader and playmaker, and Devon Kennard has been healthy and versatile enough to be deployed on the defensive line. Defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins, who missed the ff ii nn aa ll s eve n games last season with a torn pectora l muscle, has remained healthy as Robin to Harrison’s Batman.
Emerging first-round pick Eli Apple has enabled Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to play the nickel.
Two rookie free agents — defensive end Romeo Okwara and free safety Andrew Adams — have held the fort.
Harrison is a man among men, on and ofoff the field, universally respected and the kind of leader every team needs.
SpagnuSpagnuolo, the Super Bowl XLII de def fens ive coordinator, is dangerdangerous when he has the horses.
“It’s a crcredit to him getting guys to buyb in and being able to playp together,” Harrison ssaid.
Giants ownership got it righright with the McAdoo hire, and they got it right pairing SpSpags with t hero rookokie head coach. MM cA doo iinterviewnt er viewed with the EaglesEagles, remember.ber. And tthe Eagles were iintenterested in Spags to be Doug Peder son Peder son’ s defensive co or di nat coordinator.
The babar is set high again in East Rutherford.ford. In ththeir last eight playoff games,ga including Super BoBowls XLII and XLVI, Big Blue did not ssurrender more than 20 points.
“YYou can ask anybodbody who’s around the ddefense or any player, any coaccoach or anything, we’re still not wwhere we need to be or where we should be,” Harrison said.
McAdoMcAdoo has instilled in his Giants thattha each game should be approach ea pp roached as a Super Bowl. Super TThursday is next. With an unblinking eagle eye on that Super Sunday prize.