Why do they do this to us? Why?!

It was an all-too-familiar scene at Lincoln Financial Field yesterday afternoon. We watched in horror and rage as a sure and easy win slipped slowly and agonizingly away from us. Maybe we should have known right away, when Akers got in a scuffle on the Giants' sideline after the opening kickoff, that everything was going to go terribly wrong.

After an impressive first offensive drive that resulted in a touchdown, the Giants seemed to collapse. The Eagles easily dominated them throughout the first half, and really even through the third quarter. At one point, they led 24 to 7. Then things started to spiral down. The Eagles, apparently assuming they had already won, stopped playing. Their defense, which sacked Giants QB Eli Manning an incredible 8 times, fell to pieces. The team continued to shoot itself in the foot with stupid mistakes and penalties. Just to draw out the agony further, the game went to sudden death overtime, and the Eagles ended one possession by the Giants only to fail to score on their possession, and then allow a Plaxico Burress touchdown during the Giants second and final overtime possession.

Even worse, late in the game Kearse left with what looked like a devastatingly painful injury to his left leg. Thankfully, it was only a sprain of his left knee, which hopefully won't keep him out of action for long. The loss will be a more painful and lasting injury to this team. Hopefully it's not a sign of what we can expect for the rest of the season.

Photo of a December, 2005 Giants game by Flickr user sflisler