New York Giants See Image From The Past

Well, I was right about predicting a hot Wild Card team heading into the NFL playoffs that resembled last year's fifth-seeded New York Giants. I was wrong, however, about which team that would be.

Several weeks ago, I had pegged the Cowboys to be that team.  Then the Cowboys got trounced badly (read: drubbed) by the Philadelphia Eagles, other Wild Card contending teams lost (the Chicago Bears and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers), and the Eagles found themselves in the unlikely position of entering the NFL playoffs as the sixth seed.

Few would have correctly seen this coming when the Eagles tied Cincinnati earlier in the season. Yet, the Eagles succeeded, nonetheless, in becoming the first playoff team in many years to carry a tie into the playoffs.

(Incidentally, CBS analyst Bill Cowher has prophesied that those same Cincinnati Bengals will enjoy a Miami Dolphins-esque resurgence next season. I'm highly doubtful, but maybe the Bengals will surprise everyone and seize the roar of the tiger. It could happen.)

The New York Giants have their work cut out today to win a Divisional Playoff Game against the Eagles at Giant Stadium in the New Jersey Meadowlands.

They need a solid running game from Earth, Wind, and Fire to wreak havoc on the Eagles' defense. They need some clutch passing from Quarterback Eli Manning. They need some steadfast play from their highly ranked defense. 

And they probably need some luck to go their way, as well.   

It's not been long since an NFL team has won back-to-back Super Bowls.

The Patriots performed the feat in 2004 and 2005. It has, however, been a long time, since a team from the NFC Conference won back-to-back Super Bowls.

You'd have to go all the way back to the Dallas Cowboys wins in Super Bowls held in 1993 and 1994, which feels like a distant memory 15 years later.

And only three NFC teams in history have won back-to-back championships: the Green Bay Packers, the San Francisco 49ers, and the Dallas Cowboys.

(Four AFC teams in history have won back-to-back championships: the Miami Dolphins, the Pittsburgh Steelers (twice), the Denver Broncos, and the New England Patriots.)

The Giants road in an attempt to win another championship will be extremely tough with many teams gunning to de-throne last year's champs.

The Giants can do it, but they must rekindle the spirit of playing like a cohesive unit that took everyone by storm last year. That fire, that energy, is how you win championships.

If they don't rekindle that fire, they'll be watching the Super Bowl at home and wondering what if...