Giants' D Rises to Occasion

Giants' D Rises to Occasion

Ever wonder just how many twists and turns are born of an NFL season? Well, just consider this: the New York Giants defense is now being credited as the unit most solely responsible for resurrecting their turbulent season.

Things can't get any more sobering than that, particularly when you recall this is the same unit that virtually sleep-walked its way way through the team's first two week's of the season, both of which not so coincidentally ended in blowout losses.

But Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora and company more than answered the bell in Washington on Sunday in their 24-17 last second victory. And, among all their teammates, an alarm seemed to go off. Went off on the Giants' season and all the hope Eli Manning and his thought to be high-powered offense held in entering it.

Once more, Manning again did his part against the Redskins, throwing for 232 yards and a touchdown. But much like everyone else who'd bared witness, he was quick to concede this was a moment entirely triggered by the defense.

Facing first-and-goal at the one with less than a minute remaining, the Giants defense responded in way no one could have imagined. Linemen Barry Cofield best captured the mindset he and his seemingly overwhelmed teammates faced at that critical juncture.

“If I put you in that huddle, your ears might bleed,” said Cofield. “At that point, it's not about technique, it's not about the call, it's all about getting fired up and realizing what's at stake. We just came off the ball and did what we had to do.”

And high the stakes were, for not only did a game hang in the balance for the much beleaguered Giants, but an entire season. But after all the criticism and all the shortcomings, the Giants defense would not rest. And with that comes more plot lines than one could even possibly imagine.

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