New York Giants: It Isn't Panic Time for Tom Coughlin, Eli Manning and Company

I know what you're thinking: Here we go again.  

After a five-game winning streak that put the words "Super Bowl" on the lips of Giants fans, the G-Men have dropped two against divisional opponents.   

Of course, last season's 3-8 finish is all too fresh in Giants fans' minds.  

And now it seems almost cliché to talk about the injuries to Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks,  Shaun O'Hara and David Diehl.  But those last two losses are not a sign that the G-Men are on a path to another second-half debacle. 

Let's look at the game against Dallas. The Cowboys were featuring the debut of their new head coach, Eli Manning's interception for a touchdown changed the whole chemistry of the game and Dallas is underachieving as it is.  

The same Dallas Cowboys that beat the Giants almost beat the Saints.  

In a nutshell, I can live with a loss to Dallas.  

Now, let's go back to the Eagles game.  

I hate to tell you, but the Eagles are a flat-out better team right now, mostly because of their phenomenon that goes by the alias of Michael Vick. The Giants still managed to go toe-to-toe with them amid injuries in Philadelphia.  

If anyone's defense can find a way to put Vick back in his cage (pun intended) and force him to have even a mediocre game, it's the Giants. We will see how good Vick really is in Week 15, when the Eagles land in East Rutherford. 

At 6-4, it is not time to panic. Remember, the Big Blue dropped two before they went on their five-game winning streak.

The only two teams that could be favored to close out the Giants' season are the Eagles and the Packers. Otherwise they face the Redskins twice, the Jaguars and the struggling Vikings

As long as the Giants defense stays healthy, Ahmad Bradshaw keeps doing his thing and Eli can spread the ball around to all his receivers, the Giants are in the running for the NFC East title.  

Oh, and by the way, Giants beat the Eagles 23-17 in Week 15.