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Super Bowl trophy no help to Giants, insists Pierce
Source: Agencies |
January 7, 2009, Wednesday
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BEING Super Bowl champions will make no difference to the New York Giants in Sunday's divisional playoff against the Philadelphia Eagles, according to linebacker Antonio Pierce.
"Defending champions? That's irrelevant," Giants defensive captain Pierce told reporters in a conference call on Monday.
"We're 0-0. The team we face is 1-0 and played great yesterday. Being Super Bowl champions is not scaring anybody."
The Eagles won 26-14 at the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the playoffs on Sunday while the top-seeded Giants enjoyed a bye.
The Giants (12-4) and Eagles (10-6-1) are NFC East rivals and clash for the third time this season when they meet at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The winners advance to the NFC championship game, one step from the Super Bowl.
"I would expect a knockdown, dragged-out NFC East brawl," Eagles coach Andy Reid told reporters after his team collected their fifth win in six games.
New York and sixth-seeded Philadelphia split their regular season series, the Eagles winning 20-14 three weeks ago to avenge a 36-31 home defeat in November.
Pro Bowl defensive end Justin Tuck said he was not surprised to be facing Philadelphia again.
"I think the Eagles are the hottest team in the NFL right now," Tuck said. "It's going to be the tough NFC East battle you'd expect and we are really looking forward to it."
"The regular season is over," said New York coach Tom Coughlin when asked about his team finishing with defeats in three of their last four games.
Pierce added the week off had been important for the Giants, who powered their way to 11 victories in their first 12 games. "We played 13 straight games after our bye week in Week Four," Pierce said. "We needed the rest.
"I think we did a great job last week of going over what we needed to go over, as far as making corrections and getting things right for our team."
The extra rest may also help some injured players get back to full strength including running back Brandon Jacobs.
Philadelphia's primary offensive weapon, all-round back Brian Westbrook, was in fine form against Minnesota on Sunday.
"He's the guy on everyone's lips in terms of what you have to do to try to prevent him from getting the ball in the end zone," Coughlin said. "Minnesota did a pretty good job on him ... but he broke out on a 71-yard screen (pass).
"You've got to be very, very aware of all the different alignments he is in, the ways he can beat you."
"Defending champions? That's irrelevant," Giants defensive captain Pierce told reporters in a conference call on Monday.
"We're 0-0. The team we face is 1-0 and played great yesterday. Being Super Bowl champions is not scaring anybody."
The Eagles won 26-14 at the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the playoffs on Sunday while the top-seeded Giants enjoyed a bye.
The Giants (12-4) and Eagles (10-6-1) are NFC East rivals and clash for the third time this season when they meet at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The winners advance to the NFC championship game, one step from the Super Bowl.
"I would expect a knockdown, dragged-out NFC East brawl," Eagles coach Andy Reid told reporters after his team collected their fifth win in six games.
New York and sixth-seeded Philadelphia split their regular season series, the Eagles winning 20-14 three weeks ago to avenge a 36-31 home defeat in November.
Pro Bowl defensive end Justin Tuck said he was not surprised to be facing Philadelphia again.
"I think the Eagles are the hottest team in the NFL right now," Tuck said. "It's going to be the tough NFC East battle you'd expect and we are really looking forward to it."
"The regular season is over," said New York coach Tom Coughlin when asked about his team finishing with defeats in three of their last four games.
Pierce added the week off had been important for the Giants, who powered their way to 11 victories in their first 12 games. "We played 13 straight games after our bye week in Week Four," Pierce said. "We needed the rest.
"I think we did a great job last week of going over what we needed to go over, as far as making corrections and getting things right for our team."
The extra rest may also help some injured players get back to full strength including running back Brandon Jacobs.
Philadelphia's primary offensive weapon, all-round back Brian Westbrook, was in fine form against Minnesota on Sunday.
"He's the guy on everyone's lips in terms of what you have to do to try to prevent him from getting the ball in the end zone," Coughlin said. "Minnesota did a pretty good job on him ... but he broke out on a 71-yard screen (pass).
"You've got to be very, very aware of all the different alignments he is in, the ways he can beat you."
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