2011 NFL Playoffs: Why We'd Rather See the Giants Than the Cowboys

Are the Dallas Cowboys really still referring to themselves as "America's Team"?

The Cowboys aren't even the best team in their own state, as the Houston Texans went 10-5 this season and locked up the AFC South division.

So, who would we rather see in the playoffs?

Obviously I'm going to say the G-Men, but for all non-Giants fans out there, here are some reasons why we'd rather see the Giants in the playoffs than the Cowboys.

Eli Manning > Tony Romo

Eli Manning's six fourth-quarter comebacks are a strong enough body of work to show that he's been better than Tony Romo this season.

Need to look further? Manning is on pace to throw for 4,900 yards, while Romo will barely reach 4,000. Romo may have thrown more touchdowns and less interceptions than Manning, but what about in the clutch?

Manning has thrown for more yardage and touchdowns and posts a higher passer rating in the fourth quarter than Romo.

Manning has proven over and over again in 2011 that he can perform at a high level in big games, as evident in the Week 9 victory over the New England Patriots and the Sunday night thriller over Romo's Cowboys in Week 14.

Hakeem Nicks & Victor Cruz Are Better Than Dez Bryant & Laurent Robinson

Hakeem Nicks' touchdown total is lower than anticipated, but he and Victor Cruz have been giving defensive coordinators headaches all season long.

Even for a down year, Nicks eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving and caught 71 balls for six touchdowns. He's had a case of the drops in recent weeks, but that doesn't change his overall numbers on the season.

Cruz, who was snubbed by Pro Bowl voters, set two Giants receiving records this season on his way to 76 receptions, 1,358 yards and eight touchdowns.

The Nicks and Cruz tandem has combined for 2,474 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Dez Bryant and Laurent Robinson, on the other hand, haven't been as solid as Nicks and Cruz.

Bryant and Robinson each boast nine touchdowns apiece, but neither receiver has surpassed 1,000 yards on the season.  

Bryant (858 yards) and Robinson (797 yards) have only combined for a total of 1,655 yards, which is only 300 more than Cruz single-handedly earned this season.

Nicks and Cruz have also combined for more plays of 20-plus yardage (37) than Bryant and Robinson (28).

Jason Pierre-Paul Is Playing at a Higher Level Than DeMarcus Ware

Is anyone rushing the passer better than JPP right now?

I'm not saying that he's better than DeMarcus Ware, but he is playing at a higher level right now.

While Ware (18) has more sacks than JPP (15.5), Pierre-Paul has been more productive in other defensive areas. For instance, Ware has a mere 53 total tackles for a guy who's listed as a linebacker, while JPP has 81, which is the most in the NFL among defensive lineman.

Pierre-Paul has six passes defended to Ware's two, and he has shown up when it counts this season.

When the Giants needed him the most, JPP stepped up, with eight tackles, two sacks and a blocked field goal against the Cowboys in Week 14.  What did Ware do that game? Four tackles and zero sacks.

JPP has five sacks in his last three games, and I'm willing to bet he'll be a force in the playoffs if the Giants make it.

Ahmad Bradshaw & Brandon Jacobs > Felix Jones & Sammy Morris

The Giants running game has been atrocious for most of the season, but they've turned it around since Ahmad Bradshaw returned from an injury in Week 14, and Dallas has taken a step back since the loss of DeMarco Murray.

Over the course of the past three games, the Giants have averaged 105.3 yards on the ground—a massive improvement from their NFL-worst 88.1 rushing yards per game on the season.

Even though they're having an off year, Bradshaw and Jacobs still rank in the top 15 in terms of rushing touchdowns, with Bradshaw scoring eight and Jacobs seven.

In 13 games for the Cowboys, a healthy Murray only scored two touchdowns, and his replacement doesn't look too promising.  Sammy Morris has never rushed for 1,000 yards in a season, and his highest single-season TD tally ends at seven.

Felix Jones has looked good since taking over, but not as good as the Bradshaw and Jacobs tandem.