LOOKING LIKE WHAT THE CATS BROUGHT IN

Despite the mild January temperatures, low winds and raucous crowd, you’d have better luck finding a spark with two twigs than what the Giants brought to the field. And while LT, Harry Carson and Carl Banks were brought in for inspiration, the way the Giants linebackers played, perhaps they should have suited up instead. Even the toll collectors on the Jersey Turnpike could have stopped the run better. Oh, but if only the linebackers were the problem…

In the opening minutes of the game, the Giants, who were hosting their first playoff game in five years, seemed poised to cash in on home field advantage. Their opening kick coverage was fast and swift; of which Carolina stumbled with two false start penalties, not to mention having a frazzled Jake Delhomme looking sucked in beneath a Big Blue undertow. Unfortunately, the currents quickly changed, of which the stench of low tide lingered for the rest of this agonizing game.

It’s hard to pinpoint where the game turned, but the Giant’s recent formula as the sleepy dinosaur coming to life shouldn’t have been in their playoff game plan. They had a chance to seize control early, as they moved the ball nicely on their opening drive, only then failing to convert while passing on a third and two on Carolina’s 45-yard-line. Somehow, somewhere that seemed to send a message that the door was wide open, even if it was only the opening minutes of the game. Didn’t they learn anything for their dismal loss to Washington two weeks ago?

In terms of performance, Eli Manning (10/18, 133 yards, 3 INT’s) was simply awful. Sure, one could say it was his first NFL playoff game, but Manning’s “aw shucks” demeanor seems better fit for Baskin-Robbins than it does the NFL. Early in the season, we were in awe of his “poise” and “composure”, not to mention his being uncannily unflappable. Instead, it’s quite obvious that Manning now needs a wet towel snapped on his ass before each possession. Beating the Giants is simple: force Manning to win the game on his own and watch him lead the Giants’ head right through the noose. And with Tiki Barber relegated to a supporting role (13/41), Manning was rowing with just one oar.

While Manning couldn’t get anything going all day, it was Carolina’s simple exploitation of the Giants’ porous run defense that put this one away early. With the Giant linebackers looking sent over from a temp agency, Carolina ran the ball with a scheme simple enough for a Pop Warner team to follow. No draws, no counters, just rammed it right down the Giants’ throats with balanced production by DeShaun Foster and Nick Goings. Perhaps the most incriminating case of this came late in the first half after Jeff Feagles pinned Carolina to their own 7-yard-line. With the Giants only down by a touchdown, and a 3rd and 7 situation looming for the Panthers, a stop on this play would force a punt and presumably give good field position for the Giants to score. The Giants instead allowed Carolina to convert with a screen to Goings. Three plays later, Carolina faced a 3rd and 11 from their own 18-yard-line. Same scenario for the Giants, yet again  Carolina runs Goings up the middle for a first down. When the Giants finally did force a punt, Carolina still gets the ball back, as the Giants muffed the return as the result of a bad punt gone good. Somehow, the Panthers were only up 10-0 at the half.

There are plays that speak volumes in games even though they may not have had much impact on the overall outcome. The Giants have been playing on the defensive in recent weeks. First by an ugly, unconvincing win against Philadelphia, then by getting manhandled at Washington, and finally by surviving a lackluster yawn-athon in Oakland on New Year’s Eve. Sure they’ve won games, just as Silicon Valley produced paper millionaires, but there’s been very little meat besides what Tiki Barber has done recently. In Sunday’s game against Carolina, the one play that may have ignited some badly needed mojo came with an asterisk. It came in the opening play of the third quarter on a 44-yard floater to Jeremy Shockey. Sure Shockey caught the ball, then it squirted out, but thanks to a quick whistle he was ruled down by contact. After numerous replays it seemed pretty apparent that Shockey did indeed fumble. But because he was ruled “down by contact” the play could not be reviewed. In essence, the Giants biggest play of the day was fraud. They knew it, and carried out the rest of the drive, and game, as if they didn’t deserve it.

Ironically, Tim Lewis, the Giants defensive coordinator, will interview with Green Bay and St. Louis in the wake of one of the most abysmally played performances by his squad. No doubt he’ll have some tough questions to answer. The Giants too, have plenty answers to search for; starting with a long look in the locker room mirror.