It's been quite a trip so far up here in the Big (No Eli) Apple.  Google Maps decided to see how many U-turns I could make in a one-mile radius.  The waitress at the restaurant decided to see how long I would wait until my hangry came out (45 minutes for a grilled chicken sandwich?!).  Then the Ambien decided to see if I could function after taking it, I could not from what I remember.  Oh, and then I managed to pull a muscle in my neck either while I was saving kids from an orphanage on fire or while adjusting a shower head.  Let's just go with the former.

 

 

Oh yeah, we have a football game, too.  I know, I know, we're 4-2.  The Giants are 1-6.  So I'll say what we're all thinking:

 

  

 

Sitting here in the box, I'm looking down on a 1-6 team, both figuratively and literally.  Just before our game, they get rid of Eli Apple (wrong Eli) and Snacks.  We've got AP hitting on all cylinders and likely making history today, with 26 yards he'll be moving to 9th all-time in rushing yards, passing Tony Dorsett.  So that's a win no matter what since we'll be moving a Cowboy down the list.  Suddenly Kerrigan and Preston seem to be starting to remember that they're on the team, and the Giants have an offensive line that is underperforming.

 

However, it's the Redskins.  The Giants have won four games in the past two years, and two of them have been against us.  That's not a distinction that is something to brag about.  At the same time, Dak was 5-0 against us until a random penalty and an upright saved our win. To sandwich that point, we are the one win that the Colts have.  Another thing to not brag about.

 

If we want to win, then today we've got to not let it come down to lucky plays, yellow flags, and a regret about cutting Dan Bailey.  We play well with the lead, but there's not a lot to look to in order to have faith that we can come back from behind.  We're going to need to avoid looking at our record or theirs and getting some sort of ****iness, something that seems to haunt us after a win.  We will need to stay after Eli and get him to make mistakes.  With our depleted secondary, it's had to trust that we can cover Beckham, Shepard, and Engram.  Oh, and they have some running back who can catch the ball.  Man, just thinking about that, how the hell are they 1-6?

 

As of this writing (11:37), inactives have yet to be announced.  Expect Crowder to still be out in case you drafted him in fantasy.  Thompson is a game time decision in case you drafted him in fantasy.  I bet you can guess which Redskins I drafted.

 

As the game starts and things are announced, I'll update this.  In the meantime, HTTR.

 

And right before I post this, inactives are announced:

 

Quinton Dunbar

Samaje Perine

Kenny Ladler

Casey Dunn

Geron Christian, Sr.

Jamison Crowder

Brian Quick

 

Mo Harris is in for Crowder, and Moreau is in for Dunbar.

 

About an hour until kickoff and the Giants punter looks great.  Hopefully we see a lot of him today.

 

With 49 minutes to go, the stadium looks like people thought it was at Washington.  Basically nobody here.  We'll see what it looks like once we get underway.

 

 

During warm ups Richardson has looked very comfortable.  No noticeable holding back or wincing.  Same goes for Thompson.

 

With ten minutes to go, stadium is maybe half full?  Something like 90/10% Giants fans.  Crazy since they're 1-6 coming off of a 3-13 season.

 

FIRST QUARTER:

 

Not quite sure how to feel about this quarter.  It's great that we're up 7-0, but that'st he danger of this offense.  Control the clock methodically, but then it takes two seconds for the other team to throw a bomb and flip the field along with the momentum.

 

SECOND QUARTER:

 

I'm quite sure how I feel about this quarter.  Smith, man.  Smith.  Throws seem off target, happy feet, not keeping his eyes down the field.  I don't know what's up with this offensive line.  They're supposed to be amazing, but they're in their Halloween costume of Swiss Cheese lately.  It's nice to see Doctson playing well along with Reed.  I just can't be happy about this lead even though it's only halfway over.  Hopefully Jay adjusts at halftime (LOLOLOLOLOL), because this just isn't the team that we've seen.

 

THIRD QUARTER:

 

I feel like we can copy and paste this each week.  No adjustments, defense still plays well, and we don't score a touchdown.  Unfortunately Peterson has a very rare fumble that gets returned a mile, and we start the fourth quarter with the ball on the Redskins 41.  We seem to be winning on the field, but the scoreboard makes me very nervous.  Again.  Every damn time.

 

FINAL:

 

Well that fourth quarter was actually pretty fun to watch.  Peterson got a hell of a TD after being denied the whole game.  Our defense showed up, except for Norman not getting that pick, costing me like 12 points in fantasy (I was playing against Engram).  Somehow we are 5-2.  It doesn't feel like it, does it?  Somehow it feels like a struggle every time, but man, aren't we used to that struggle regardless?

 

The difference this year is that we are no longer snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, we're actually coming out on top.  I was just down in the locker room and at the press conferences (except for Smith, he was late, because he's Alex Smith), and there's a different feel.  These guys know they're not performing to their peak, but they know they're only going to get better.  It's a lack of satisfaction that I have been dying to see.  Jay's not happy with close endings or miscues on offense.  Adrian's not happy with how little he's seen the end zone (not in a selfish way; guy's the nicest person I've ever met).  DJ isn't happy with anything which is awesome.  The whole team won't be happy until, as DJ said, we're winning Super Bowls.  

 

DJ said today, and I'm paraphrasing very poorly, that today's victory is nothing.  The other four are nothing.  Channeling his inner Iverson but in a good way, he said that we haven't yet won the division, won a championship, won a Super Bowl.  We're 5-2 and have the Falcons to focus on.

 

Well, DJ, for the first time in a very long time, it feels like we're on the edge of our seats and on our way.

 

Hail.