Our Season On The Line Well it has now come down to this. We’ve known for a couple of weeks we’d be hosting the G-Men, but the day of reckoning is finally here and I for one can’t wait for some meaningful football once again. Last weekend was mind numbing to listen to in all honesty, hearing how our back-ups fared in a game as meaningless as the average Falcons contest this season. Our players may be rested but our home fans deserve a refund for being served up such a sterile contest – back-up players should mean back-up prices though there’s zero chance of that happening. Come Sunday it will all be different as Eli Manning’s Giants come to town, and though we are winless since 2002/3 in the play-offs, old Eli’s winless in them for life so let’s keep it that way. The keys to the game will again fall on our defense, the crutch we have leant upon for many a year. A few things I think 1. I think I trust Jermaine Phillips wont be wearing that stupid hat during the FOX TV player introductions. 2. I expect a big game from Jeff Garcia come Sunday. The guy’s been there, done that in the play-offs before – time for him to show us again what he’s about. 3. I’m surprised that as of Wednesday the game had yet to sell out. Is this down to exorbitant ticket prices I wonder? Whatever the reasons I’d expect RJS to be full and the crowd jacked up to the max come Sunday. 4. I think I’m already bored to death with the “Bill Parcells cleaning house” story in Miami. Bettered only by the 72 Dolphins continuous whinging. If it were anybody else bar the Patriots or The Twits Id want them to win out, but Belicheat’s attitude just prevents me from doing so. 5. Garcia to Galloway, 40 yards plus TD this Sunday and a flex of number 84’s right bicep. Bank on it. 6. I think if Aarron Sears is fit and lines up on Sunday, I’d get my ass to the bookie on a 100 yard day for Earnest Graham. 7. If there’s one thing the Bucs can learn from the 2005 play-off defeat its to not turn the damn thing over. We’d given that game away well before the half with 14 points tossed to the other teams sideline; learn from it and keep the handle on the ball. The crowd will be juiced, we have the weapons to win so lets preach patience, confidence and belief – this game is ours for the winning. 8. Things I like about the play-offs number 27 – the play-off bunting comes out in the stadium. Am I the only person out there who likes that stuff? Stop their running game and force Manning the Younger to beat us with his arm, and we are right in business. If you see Brandon Jacobs being tackled regularly by our secondary then that wont be a good sign, so lets hope Tanard Jackson and Jermaine Phillip‘s unform’s remain clean well into the 4th quarter. I’m confident in our offense's ability to put up 20 or so points in this game which, given a decent showing from our D, should be enough for us. Plaxico does create a mismatch of sorts for us thanks to his size over messrs Barber, Kelly and Buchanon but if we can force Eli out of rythmn, particularly on first and second down, then we can be successful. It’s always dangerous to end up playing the opponent you would probably have wished for, but in all honesty I think we are all glad that it’s the Giants and not the Redskins coming to town this weekend. They played their starters last weekend against The Cheats, and are a little banged up here and there so we have absolutely no excuses for not winning this game besides the fact we weren’t good enough. Its time for us to lean on the play-off experience we have in our locker-room, from Gruden downwards to the vets in our secondary, and to put it bluntly we not only want a victory this Sunday, we expect it. A great opportunity exists here so lets get in Eli’s face and ensure we are on a plane to Dallas or (god forbid) Green Bay come next weekend. Nod of Acknowledgement to - Tom Brady Whether I like his coach or team or not is irrelevant. To throw 50 TD passes in a season is an incredible stat line. Get in the Real World Award - Brian Billick The rather smug one who apparently spent last week trying to recruit an offensive coordinator - what the hell for coach, your own family’s touch football team? Sports News Story I No Longer Give a Toss About – Media hysteria on the number of NFL coach firings Bottom line it’s a win business, the ones who get canned can see it coming, and the million dollar pay-offs they get cushion the blow quite nicely for them too. Head on the Block Time Last week 11-5 (season 163-92 ) Lock of the Week 8-2 OK, time for the real games to begin and for me to slip back on the winning percentage no doubt. This week's receivers of the Bendy Bullies from Jim Bowen are (obviously) The Buckos, San Diego Super Chargers (lock of the week), Stillers and Starbucks – a home sweep!