New York Giants Contain Michael Vick But Mistakes Doom Big Blue

The biggest storyline going into Sunday night's NFC East divisional battle centered on how the Giants could possibly stop Michael Vick. 

He had a huge game last week, putting up numbers that are simply unheard of. He threw for over 300 yards and singlehandedly accounted for six touchdowns. 

It was a different story against the Giants. 

Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell's squad had a clear game plan: contain Vick on the edges, blitz often and send the pressure from the left side. 

The plan was executed with near flawlessness; Vick threw for no touchdowns and only rushed for one. The defense, led by Justin Tuck, held Vick to only 34 yards on 11 carries and forced his first turnover of the year. 

Tuck played like his hair was on fire today, and he and Antrel Rolle were two of the biggest reasons why Vick looked so different this week as opposed to the clinic he put on last week. 

The defense, in both halves, played well. The first half saw the Giants turn the ball over twice and the defense responded by holding the Eagles to two field goals. The momentum was all with the Eagles, but holding them to field goals kept New York in the game. The blocked field goal was also a big play that changed the tone of the game. 

So what happened? Turnovers. 

You cannot turn the ball over five times and expect to beat a team like the Eagles at home. 

Ahmad Bradshaw needs to figure out how to hang onto the football, because as great a runner as he is, head coach Tom Coughlin can't afford to keep him on the field in key situations if he has to worry about the ball popping out. 

Putting Brandon Jacobs on the field hurts the team and stifles the offense. Coughlin taught Tiki Barber to hang onto the ball, and he needs to do the same for Bradshaw. 

Something needs to be done because the Giants are turning into the San Diego Chargers of the north. Great statistics and turnovers will almost always equal losses. 

As for Eli Manning, I am rendered nearly speechless. 

He's always going to throw interceptions and the defense will have to bail him out, but that's not the story. I forgive some of the interceptions because he is working with young receivers like Duke Calhoun and Derek Hagan; their route-running is suspect and their hands are even worse. 

The story is how incredibly dense Manning can be in such big situations. 

How he fails to slide in that crucial situation boggles the mind. What could have possibly been going through his head? The first down was secured and all he had to do was go down. That play sealed the game and ended any hope the Giants had of winning. 

Of course, Manning and Bradshaw weren't the only offenders. Jason Pierre-Paul did his part to ensure defeat by jumping offsides on a 3rd-and-6 when the defense made the stop and forced Philadelphia to punt. What would have been a 4th-and-6 became a 3rd-and-1 and...well, you saw what happened next. 

In short, this is a Giants team with major problems. They have the talent on both sides of the ball to be a playoff team, but if they can't stop making mistakes, they're finished. 

The Giants defense was one of the only units all year to say that they contained Vick, and stupid mistakes rendered all of that for naught. 

Either Coughlin is going to instill more discipline in this team and teach them to value possessing the football, of the Giants will swirl the drain in the second half of the season for the second year in a row. 

Mike Osterberg is a student at Penn State University and a Featured Columnist at BleacherReport.com. Follow him on twitter @Mike_Osterberg.