It won’t take a miracle to end a team’s season Sunday night in New Jersey.
That’s exactly what happened last year when the Eagles scored 28 straight points in the fourth quarter to shock the Giants and take control of the NFC East for good. The Giants would miss the playoffs because of the loss and add 2010 to the growing list of seasons ruined by second-half collapses.
The 6-3 Giants have a chance to exact some revenge Sunday when the Eagles, who won last year’s game on a DeSean Jackson punt return on the final play, come back to MetLife Stadium at 3-6 and their season in peril.
“The Eagles have a lot of talent,” said ESPN analyst and former Eagles defensive back Herm Edwards, who authored the first “Miracle at the Meadowlands,” when he returned Joe Piscarcik’s fumble for a touchdown in the final seconds.
“The problem is they haven’t been very consistent. That talent gives you the chance to make big plays during the course of the game, but unless you play together as a team it’s very difficult to win and that’s where they are struggling at. They are kind of hot and cold. Every week you see a different football team, where the Giants are pretty consistent with what they are going to do.”
And Edwards attributes that consistency to Eli Manning. The Giants quarterback is enjoying perhaps the best season of his career completing more than 60 percent of his passes for 2,688 yards and 17 touchdowns. He has the Giants in a familiar position: poised to win the NFC East. After winning the division in 2008, the Giants started 5-0 in 2009 and 9-4 in 2010, but both seasons ended without an NFC East title or playoff berth. The former Jets head coach expects that to change this year.
“The whole strength of this football team has been Eli Manning,” Edwards said. “He’s playing at a very high rate. Regardless of what’s happened, he’s been the guy that’s showed up every week and plays, for the most part, very consistently if you look at his numbers.
“What he’s done this year is really a tribute to what he’s been and what he’s about. When you play for a team like the Giants, a lot of criticism goes along with your play at quarterback, he’s handled it very well and handled all the different things. They’ve had to deal with their weapons over there as far as the receivers, running back and even the offensive line.”
The Eagles may be without Manning’s counterpart, Michael Vick, because of broken ribs suffered in their latest loss to the Cardinals, but don’t expect any pity from the Giants, who beat the Eagles 29-16 earlier this year.
At different times this year, the Giants have been without running backs Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs and receivers Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham. Before the season began, Manning lost two of his more reliable targets in tight end Kevin Boss, who signed with the Raiders, and slot receiver Steve Smith, who signed with the Eagles. Through it all Manning has played every snap and cut down on his interceptions from 25 last year to eight so far this season.
“Last year, you look at the quarterback and turning the ball over so often,” Edwards said. “A lot of it wasn’t on him, but he’s the quarterback. The special teams’ play wasn’t so good, but they have rectified that. The defense is playing fairly well. With all those injuries in the secondary, they are still playing fairly well. I think last year wasn’t who they were; this year they are sitting atop the division with a great opportunity to win it.”
justin.terranova@nypost.com
