Giants Rediscover Their Winning Formula

Giants Rediscover Their Winning Formula
December 23
New York Times
"In the Giants' Super Bowl run last season and in the first 12 games of this season, the team's signature was resilience.

Whether it was the Brett Favre-to-the Jets distraction in the summer, disrespect from the national news media or injuries, the Giants seemed oblivious to distractions.

They kept on chugging.

But after the numbskull madness of Plaxico Burress last month, and while Brandon Jacobs's injured knee limited his effectiveness, the Giants were faced with circumstances they could not ignore.

"We just couldn't get that spark, we couldn't build momentum," offensive tackle Kareem McKenzie said after the Giants' electric 34-28 overtime victory Sunday night against Carolina.

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After the opening drive against the Panthers, the Giants sensed they had rediscovered the spark. The drive produced only a field goal, but quarterback Eli Manning made a big play (a mini re-creation of the Super Bowl miracle in which he escaped and threw a completion) and Domenik Hixon made a big catch.

Jacobs, while clearly hurting, was back to the punishing style of running that has put N.F.L. defenses on their heels. "After that drive," McKenzie said, "I knew we got that spark back. We'd regained momentum."

Consecutive losses to Philadelphia and Dallas had compelled the Giants to do some soul-searching. Words like accountability began to float around the locker room. There weren't any team meetings, although a number of players convened in smaller groups.

"Everyone has to look themselves in the mirror," tackle David Diehl said on Sunday. "It's about accountability, selling out for each other and working your way back through adversity.

"We knew this was an important game. This was a one-game season for us."

The most important pep talk might have been the one Jacobs gave to running back Derrick Ward just before overtime.

"I told him before we went to overtime, 'Look, you're the better man out of us tonight; I want you out there,' " Jacobs said. "And he got out there and proved that. He went out there and picked up the slack for me. That's what a teammate is for. I love him to death. So we just have to keep on pushing. We have a long road still ahead of us.""
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