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Feb. 12, 2008
Overview: The doubters have been silenced. The Giants, who entered the playoffs as major underdogs, rode a path of three tough games away from home to improbably win the Super Bowl. Against most odds, the star-crossed Giants pulled off one of the bigger upsets in Super Bowl history, knocking off the 18-0 Patriots in XLII with a stirring 17-14 win. Once-maligned Eli Manning became a hero, winning the game’s MVP award, and a defense that began the year in horrifying fashion ended it with a nearly flawless performance.
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Date
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Opponent
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Spread
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Result
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09/09/07
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at Dallas
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+6
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35-45
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09/16/07
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Green Bay
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-3
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13-35
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09/23/07
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at Washington
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+3½
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24-17
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09/30/07
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Philadelphia
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+3
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16-3
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10/07/07
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NY Jets
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-3½
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35-24
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10/15/07
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at Atlanta
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-5
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31-10
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10/21/07
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San Francisco
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-9½
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33-15
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10/28/07
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vs. Miami
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-10
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13-10
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BYE WEEK
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11/11/07
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Dallas
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+1½
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20-31
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11/18/07
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at Detroit
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-3
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16-10
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11/25/07
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Minnesota
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-7
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17-41
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12/02/07
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at Chicago
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-1
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21-16
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12/09/07
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at Philadelphia
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+3
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16-13
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12/16/07
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Washington
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-6
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10-22
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12/23/07
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at Buffalo
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-2½
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38-21
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12/29/07
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New England
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+13½
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35-38
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01/06/08
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at Tampa Bay
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+3
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24-14
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01/13/08
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at Dallas
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+7
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21-17
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01/20/08
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at Green Bay
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+8
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23-20 (OT)
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02/03/08
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New England
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+12
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17-14
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Team MVP: Despite Manning’s late-season heroics, the award should go to WR Plaxico Burress. He played nearly the entire season at a Pro Bowl level despite suffering a major ankle injury that even left his Super Bowl status in question. He made crucial, game-changing catch after catch, keeping Manning’s season afloat, all the way through the Super Bowl game-winner. Burress’ toughness might have been underappreciated heretofore. And even though it’s called “most valuable player,” special merit should be given to head coach Tom Coughlin and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Each man performed admirably when the going got toughest, in the biggest games.
Biggest surprises: The performance of the rookie class as a whole, especially in the big games, was more than admirable. First-rounder Aaron Ross had his moments at cornerback. Second-round WR Steve Smith battled back from injuries to be a key late-season performer. Third- and fourth-rounders Jay Alford and Zak DeOssie were strong special-teams additions, and Alford’s final-minute sack of Tom Brady in the Super Bowl was huge. TE Kevin Boss was a great fill-in for an injured Jeremy Shockey. And the two seventh-rounders, S Michael Johnson and RB Ahmad Bradshaw, were superb, especially Bradshaw, who proved to be a productive No. 2 back.
Biggest disappointment: The season-ending injury to Mathias Kiwanuka, who was emerging as a disruptive force, was a big blow to the defense and prevented him from making it an even more stout unit. He played both defensive end and “Sam” linebacker and could be a future Pro Bowl player. Many teammates lamented the fact that “Kiwi” wasn’t able to play — funny, few said anything similar about Shockey — but he has a bright future ahead of him.
Offseason outlook: There are several things to watch for, including the potential retirement of Michael Strahan, a deserved contract extension for Coughlin and the unknown status of Shockey, whose future remains in some doubt. However, the Giants avoided a big loss when Spagnuolo decided to remain with the team rather than seek the Redskins’ head-coaching job. His Super Bowl game plan, not to mention his work for most of the season, was nothing short of phenomenal.
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