Eagles-Giants Point-Counterpoint

Eazy-C (Eagles fan) and Diphicult-B (Giants fan) debate which team is more likely to choke this weekend. Both contend that their team is the most likely to blow it this weekend.

Eazy-C: The Eagles are the least clutch team in the NFL. This year 5 out of our 7 losses have come down to the final drive. We made Brian Griese look like Joe Montana in the last minute. We made Lofa Tatupu look like Marvin Harrison, not only throughout the game, but at the end too. We couldn't hit Kevin Curtis wide open at the end of the game against the Redskins. We even dropped a fair catch punt against the Packers to hand them a free win. What an incredibly non-clutch team. If its a close game, the Eagles have no chance. There is no way they can beat anyone in the final two minutes. No one can hold a candle to the Eagles ability to choke.

Diphicult-B: The Giants will prevail in blowing it because of their superior experience: The Giants have been in this position before and have each time engineered a late season collapse. The Eagles on the other hand have used the end of the season to gain ground, even winning the division last year. Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin are really clutch at blowing a season and will definitely lead Big Blue to a loss against the Eagles to start it off.

Diphicult-B: No matter how great the Eagles ability to lose games at the end is, it all boils down to a simple point...which quarterback would you rather put on the field with a game or season on the line? Eli Manning has been one of the premier chokers throughout his entire career. McNabb has been injured too many times to maintain any consistent ability to choke. You might have an argument that McNabb is playing injured and this could help him choke, but if he goes down then Andy Reid panics and gives the ball to Brian Westbrook more. When all the chips are down, Reid folds and becomes an actual football coach. Tom Coughlin on the other hand maintains his cool and chokes no matter the situation.

Eazy-C: Eli Manning just doesn't choke on the same level as McNabb. Did you watch those three straight NFC Championship games? The first two ended on McNabb picks, and he threw a couple to the Panthers as well. In the Super Bowl he threw three back-breaking picks. Eli Manning has this uncanny ability to suck all game, and then all of a sudden do incredible stuff. Witness last year's Eagles-Giants game, or even last week! And Reid certainly does not fold and become an actual football coach when the chips are down. He punts while losing inside 2 minutes. We saw against the Patriots and against the Seahawks that Reid can fold just when you need him to most. He just couldn't convince AJ Feeley not to throw picks inside the red zone while going for the game winning score. He's just not persuasive. I think Tom Coughlin's angry scowl is far more persuasive than Reid's red moustache.

Diphicult-B: You can't even compare Eli Manning and McNabb's ability to choke in late playoff games. Manning has never even gotten to a late round playoff game, so you can see that his ability to choke manifests itself far earlier than McNabb's. Besides just the quarterbacks and coaches, you have to pay credence to the fact that the Giants will be without their best player on Sunday...Winston Justice. Justice singlehandedly beat the Eagles earlier this season, but Thomas is back. Sure Runyan is always good for giving up one sack to Strahan, but without Justice's ability to give up 6 sacks to a single player, I don't see how the Giants can stay in this game.

Eazy-C: Don't underestimate Justice like that. He will find a way to unleash the Revolving Door of our Justice System game plan on the Giants, and I just don't see how the Giants will be prepared to lose against that. Finally, remember the rule that I live by: TIP. This is Philadelphia. We won't win, it won't happen. No way, no how. Remember 1983? I don't. I only know the time between. TIP.