The Perfect Ending: The 2007 New York Giants

(Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)

The perfect ending to the perfect story.  My favorite all time NFL team will always be the 2007 New York Giants.

Coming off the loss in the 2006 Wild Card Round against the Philadelphia Eagles, many questions came about before the 2007 season.  Will Tom Coughlin be gone at the end of the year?  Is Eli Manning the quarterback to lead this team?  How will the team operate without the retired Tiki Barber?  Will the defense get back to its old style of smash mouth, aggression?

Eli Manning's character was questioned by Barber, who was now part of the media.  Manning would shrug it off and shot back at Barber.  Manning's teammates would notice and it inspired their play.

However, like any other year, the Giants '07 season would be a roller coaster of emotions.  It happened right away, losing the first two games to the Cowboys and Packers while being tagged for 80 points.

The following week was a must win and the Giants did so in dramatic fashion against the Redskins, holding off four consecutive Washington plays inside their 5 to preserve the victory.

The Giants got the moral victory they needed and ran with it.  They dominated the Eagles at home, came back to beat the Jets, shredded the Falcons on Monday Night Football, scorched the 49ers at home, and held off the Dolphins in London.

This put the Giants at a familiar spot; 6-2.  It was the same record they had the last three years through eight games.  Much like the prior two years, the Giants hit a skid in the middle of their schedule.

They were trounced again by the Cowboys, this time at home.  And while they snuck out of Detroit with a win, a dismantling at home from the Minnesota Vikings put the Giants season at a crossroad.  They could roll over without a fight and miss the playoffs or they could pick up the pieces and rally towards the finish line.  They would choose the latter and fight back.

Down two scores in Chicago, the Giants fought back with two late scores to give them an electrifying win while taking down the Eagles in Philly the next week.  All seemed to be well in Giants land.

However, they would fall flat on their faces on Sunday Night Football to the Washington Redskins.  Sitting at 9-6, and knowing the undefeated New England Patriots were waiting for them in Week 17, their next game against the Buffalo Bills became a must win.

Down 14-0 early, the Giants went ahead right before halftime thanks to their running attack.  Trailing in the 4th quarter, both the defense and offense made HUGE plays to give them the playoff berth.  A pair interception returns for touchdowns by Kawika Mitchell and Corey Webster, sandwiched by an 88 yard TD by Ahmad Bradshaw, sent the Giants back to the playoffs for the third straight year.

Week 17.  Patriots-Giants.  Perfection on the line.  Would Tom Coughlin rest his starters?  His answer simply....NO.  They battled back and forth deep into the New Jersey night but New England's offense was too much and the perfect regular season was theirs.  But the Giants were proud of the way they played and that game would be just what they needed for their confidence level going into the playoffs.

That swagger showed in the Wild Card Round vs. the Bucaneers.  Trailing early, the Giants would seize control of the game in the second quarter and grinded down the Bucs with their unparalleled running game.  The Giants would cruise to victory and with the win, Tom Coughlin had saved his job.

But the Cowboys were waiting for them in the next round.  They traded blows back and forth, heading into the half tied 14-14.  Dallas went ahead by 3 early in the second half, but it was the Giants defense who set the tone, continuing to get to Romo and forcing him to get rid of the ball early.  The Giants continued to plug away and broke through early in the 4th, seizing the lead.  The Giants were forced to make one last goal line stand late in the game with their season on the line and R.W. McQuarters made sure they were going to the NFC title game as he intercepted the ball with just seconds remaining, punching the Giants ticket to Green Bay.

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