Losing Efforts

How ironic that on a night that Tiki Barber used halftime to revisit his stinging comments regarding Eli Manning’s leadership last August, the Giants lost 22-10 in a game in which they needed him the most.

Barber was once the safety blanket for Manning, catching passes out of the backfield when the young quarterback couldn’t find a receiver downfield. He was able to turn a small catch after a checkdown into a big gain. When he retired after the 2006 season, critics wondered who could replace the nimble, versatile back.MORE ...

If the Jets had an eye on the second-greatest upset in franchise history yesterday afternoon, the stars were aligned. The weather was terrible; the field in Gillette Stadium was drenched; their spirits were high. And after the Patriots’ first drive ended in a rare punt, that faint glimmer of hope grew brighter.

Even after Adrien Clarke’s amateurish failed attempt at blocking Patriot defensive lineman Richard Seymour resulted in a Patriot touchdown on the Jets’ second play from scrimmage, the Jets responded on the next drive when Chad Pennington, in for an injured Kellen Clemens, threw a perfect pass to Jerricho Cotchery on third and 18 from the Patriot 33, thus setting up 4th an 2 from the 17. The 24-point underdogs were in business, with three points all but assured, a first down six feet away, and Pennington back at the helm, perhaps for the last time.MORE ...