NYP: 'BOYS TO MEN
By PAUL SCHWARTZ
November 6, 2007 -- Following a brief but welcome vacation to St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Amani Toomer returned home and settled in Sunday night, ready for some advance scouting as he flipped on the tube to watch the Cowboys and Eagles.
Toomer did not make it through the entire game, but not because he nodded off on the couch.
"I was pretty disappointed," Toomer said yesterday. "I thought the Eagles came out ready to play; that early turnover kind of set the tone for me. After that, honestly it was hard to watch. It wasn't the type of game you can really judge a team on. They kind of opened the gates and kind of had their way with 'em. And the Eagles are a good team."
Guard Chris Snee, fresh off a trip to Boston to see his alma mater, Boston College, fall from the ranks of the unbeaten with a loss to Florida State, also had the intention of watching the entire Cowboys-Eagles game. He made it until halftime.
"It was enough," Snee said. "You figured Philadelphia would come out with the home crowd, the fans are into it, the place is rocking from the opening kickoff. Dallas just never let go of it."
Any help the Giants might have hoped for as they took the weekend off for their bye never materialized, as the Cowboys ripped up the Eagles 38-17, setting up a titanic showdown Sunday at Giants Stadium. There's nothing quite like Giants-Cowboys, and add in the fact it's a showdown with first place at stake in the NFC East and what you've got, for the moment, is the game of the season.
"Every time we play the Cowboys here it's always different," said Toomer, a veteran of a dozen years of these battles. "The big factor is this year, this team, this situation, having an opportunity to take the division lead, that's kind of what we're looking for.
"They've definitely had a good run, I'm not taking anything away from them, but we played 'em, we feel we know exactly what they got, they know exactly what we got, we feel like we match up well against them. We're definitely looking forward to proving [to] a lot of people, to make a statement with this game." There's no doubt a statement by one of these teams is forthcoming.
Back in the season opener, with the Giants defense in disarray, the game in Texas Stadium was a 45-35 shootout Dallas victory that immediately branded the 'Boys as the NFC's top dog. Nothing that has transpired since has altered that thinking. The Cowboys are 7-1, with the lone loss to the perfect Patriots. The Giants? They've rebounded magnificently from an 0-2 start with six straight victories, albeit against opponents that are a combined 13-36.
A victory moves the Giants into a first-place tie with the Cowboys. A loss makes the Cowboys the odds-on favorite to win the division, with the Giants reduced to fighting for a wild card berth against a more rugged second-half schedule. Their remaining opponents are a combined 40-25.
"It's going to be a tough test, but I think that's what it's all about," Eli Manning said. "You look forward to these type of games."
Tony Romo threw for 345 yards and four touchdowns in the opener and has remained a hot commodity, directing with aplomb the NFL's No. 2 offense (behind the Patriots).
"I think there is no doubt we are playing better defensively," Tom Coughlin said. "We have gotten better. But certainly we will be tested by a very strong offensive team."
The test will be all-encompassing. The Cowboys also possess the league's fifth-rated defense against the run and their kicker, rookie Nick Folk, is 5 of 6 on field goals beyond 40 yards.
"Everyone's been chasing them since they beat us in the first week," Snee said. "We put ourselves in a position where if we win this game we're able to take that next step and climb to the top of the division."
Asked if the Cowboys are the best team in the conference, Snee said, "We'll see."
November 6, 2007 -- Following a brief but welcome vacation to St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Amani Toomer returned home and settled in Sunday night, ready for some advance scouting as he flipped on the tube to watch the Cowboys and Eagles.
Toomer did not make it through the entire game, but not because he nodded off on the couch.
"I was pretty disappointed," Toomer said yesterday. "I thought the Eagles came out ready to play; that early turnover kind of set the tone for me. After that, honestly it was hard to watch. It wasn't the type of game you can really judge a team on. They kind of opened the gates and kind of had their way with 'em. And the Eagles are a good team."
Guard Chris Snee, fresh off a trip to Boston to see his alma mater, Boston College, fall from the ranks of the unbeaten with a loss to Florida State, also had the intention of watching the entire Cowboys-Eagles game. He made it until halftime.
"It was enough," Snee said. "You figured Philadelphia would come out with the home crowd, the fans are into it, the place is rocking from the opening kickoff. Dallas just never let go of it."
Any help the Giants might have hoped for as they took the weekend off for their bye never materialized, as the Cowboys ripped up the Eagles 38-17, setting up a titanic showdown Sunday at Giants Stadium. There's nothing quite like Giants-Cowboys, and add in the fact it's a showdown with first place at stake in the NFC East and what you've got, for the moment, is the game of the season.
"Every time we play the Cowboys here it's always different," said Toomer, a veteran of a dozen years of these battles. "The big factor is this year, this team, this situation, having an opportunity to take the division lead, that's kind of what we're looking for.
"They've definitely had a good run, I'm not taking anything away from them, but we played 'em, we feel we know exactly what they got, they know exactly what we got, we feel like we match up well against them. We're definitely looking forward to proving [to] a lot of people, to make a statement with this game." There's no doubt a statement by one of these teams is forthcoming.
Back in the season opener, with the Giants defense in disarray, the game in Texas Stadium was a 45-35 shootout Dallas victory that immediately branded the 'Boys as the NFC's top dog. Nothing that has transpired since has altered that thinking. The Cowboys are 7-1, with the lone loss to the perfect Patriots. The Giants? They've rebounded magnificently from an 0-2 start with six straight victories, albeit against opponents that are a combined 13-36.
A victory moves the Giants into a first-place tie with the Cowboys. A loss makes the Cowboys the odds-on favorite to win the division, with the Giants reduced to fighting for a wild card berth against a more rugged second-half schedule. Their remaining opponents are a combined 40-25.
"It's going to be a tough test, but I think that's what it's all about," Eli Manning said. "You look forward to these type of games."
Tony Romo threw for 345 yards and four touchdowns in the opener and has remained a hot commodity, directing with aplomb the NFL's No. 2 offense (behind the Patriots).
"I think there is no doubt we are playing better defensively," Tom Coughlin said. "We have gotten better. But certainly we will be tested by a very strong offensive team."
The test will be all-encompassing. The Cowboys also possess the league's fifth-rated defense against the run and their kicker, rookie Nick Folk, is 5 of 6 on field goals beyond 40 yards.
"Everyone's been chasing them since they beat us in the first week," Snee said. "We put ourselves in a position where if we win this game we're able to take that next step and climb to the top of the division."
Asked if the Cowboys are the best team in the conference, Snee said, "We'll see."
posted by The Gryphon at 7:47 PM
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