Well, that was about as ugly as it gets. Holding a 31-10 lead with just under eight minutes left at New Meadowlands Stadium, the New York Giants lost to the Philadelphia Eagles, 38-31, in heartbreaking fashion. The Giants did not have their dominant run game for the second time in a month against the Eagles, but Eli Manning did throw for 289 yards and 4 TDs (two to Mario Manningham, 1 each to Hakeem Nicks and Kevin Boss) with 1 interception, and completed several crucial third downs. The Giants’ defense swarmed Michael Vick and contained him all afternoon (sacking him three times)—well, for three and half quarters.
Once Vick hit Brent Celek on a 65-yard TD to close to within 31-17, the Eagles successfully recovered an onside kick—then exactly two minutes later Vick rushed for a 4-yard touchdown to make it 31-24. After the Giants were forced to punt, the Eagles drove down the field again, seeminingly at will, with Vick hitting Jeremy Maclin from 13 yards out to tie the game at 31-31. The Giants could not get down the field for a possibly winning field goal. Instead, Matt Dodge punted, kicking a line drive to DeSean Jackson. Jackson bobbled it, and then sliced through every blue uniform on the field for a game-winning 65-yard score to win it.
Instead of a 10-4 record with a great shot to win the NFC East and an outside shot at a first-round bye, the Giants are 9-5, and are now back to being a 6-seed in the NFC. Worse of all, they could miss the playoffs entirely if they lose to the Packers in Green Bay next Sunday.