Good morning, New York sports fans! Much of the Northeast is buried under more than a foot of snow this morning, and that is appropriate for New York Giants fans who watched their team pretty much bury its postseason hopes on Sunday underneath an avalanche of bad football.
The Giants were routed by the Green Bay Packers, 45-17, and now must win their final game and get help in order to sneak into the playoffs. Six turnovers and a landslide of defensive mistakes have left the 9-6 Giants in disarray.
It is now open season on speculation about Tom Coughlin's future as coach and on Eli Manning bashers. There really is no defense for the pitiful way the Giants played Sunday, for the unnecessary and inexcusable mistakes they have continued to make for most of two seasons and for the fact that for the third straight season they are crumbling at the end when the games matter most. See Big Blue View for more about the Giants latest meltdown.
The New York Jets are in the playoffs despite a 38-34 loss to Chicago Sunday in which their defense was torched for three touchdown passes by Bears quarterback Jay Cutler. The Jets are in thanks to a Jacksonville loss and can now afford to give sore-shouldered quarterback Mark Sanchez a week to rest his arm before heading into the playoffs. See Gang Green Nation for more on the Jets.
The New York Islanders are suddenly hot, defeating Montreal 4-1 Sunday night for their third straight victory.
The New Jersey Devils, on the other hand, are not. They lost to Toronto 4-1 Sunday, possibly making new coach Jacques Lemaire wish he had stayed retired.
A little good news for New York Yankee fans. No, you didn't get pitching help. The Yankees, though, won't be signing Manny Ramirez.