What Giants, Eagles Can Be Thankful for This Week 17

The NFL is trying something unique with this year’s Pro Bowl, asking designated captains to draft players from the pool of players voted into the game, irrespective of conference.

It’s an attempt to drum up interest in an otherwise meaningless game. That struck me as a pretty good way to drum up interest in another relatively meaningless game -- the Giants versus the Eagles in Week 17.

But then I realized that I basically only want two results from this draft: I want to end up with Odell Beckham Jr. and I want my imaginary opponent to end up with Mark Sanchez, even if that means that I draft no quarterbacks and have to run some form of the wildcat on every play.

Looking at the rosters of the Giants and the Eagles and trying to draft a workable team is pretty depressing, not least because about half of the talented Giants are on injured reserve while Philadelphia’s roster is loaded with people who play for the Eagles.

Draft an injured player or draft an Eagle? A true Catch-22.

It’s amazing how the fortunes of these two teams have changed since they squared off on Oct. 12. Back then, the Giants were 3-2 and the Eagles were 4-1, and one or both looked like legitimate playoff contenders.

But then the Giants settled into a seven-game losing streak, the Eagles lost quarterback Nick Foles to injury, and Philadelphia fans learned what New York football fans learned long ago -- namely that Mark Sanchez has the most inappropriate nickname (The Sanchise) of any warm-blooded male in the four major North American sports.

The 6-9 Giants and the 9-6 Eagles have opposite records, but they actually both have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season, including:

  • Great rookie wide receivers. Odell Beckham Jr. is the most exciting Giants rookie since Ali Haji-Sheikh in 1983. Jeremy Shockey? Please, that guy is at best an honorable mention for all-time Giants name team. But Ali Haji-Sheikh? Unanimous selection as placekicker. Jordan Matthews, the Eagles' rookie receiver from Vanderbilt, served as Sanchez’s safety blanket in the first few games after Sanchez took over for Foles. Next year, Matthews will only benefit from a full season of not having to catch Sanchez’s hospital passes.
     
  • The season is almost over. Seriously, the end is nigh. And while I will certainly miss writing about the Giants, I won’t miss that look of befuddlement on Tom Coughlin’s face -- ya know, the one he wore for like two months straight -- when someone on his team does something stupid.

This Week 17 matchup looked promising all season. Sure, the Giants were almost certainly going to be playing for nothing. But the Eagles were in the playoff picture almost all season, so it stood to reason the Giants would have the chance to dent the Eagles’ postseason aspirations.

Nope. The Eagles self-dented themselves to the point of ruin, and roll into this matchup with dashed playoff hopes.

The Giants and the Eagles have that in common, but Philadelphia actually has more in common with the Panthers, Cardinals, Falcons, Lions and Vikings, i.e., the other NFC teams who have never won a Super Bowl.

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