"I'm Sorry Wilson!"

By Anthony Beers

A message from Tom Coughlin to David Wilson:






"Wilson...I'm sorry Wilson!"

On David Wilson's first career carry against the Dallas Cowboys he committed the worst crime in all of football: he fumbled. That crime is even more significant as a rookie under head coach and royal hard ass Tom Coughlin. Over the next twelve games Wilson would see just 28 total carries at running back.

Over the course of the season, Wilson waited for his chance to truly contribute to this team. He gave it his all as the Giants kick returner, but there's no question the Giants 2012 first round draft pick was dying to get some snaps on offense. Coughlin's restraint of the rookie, even after the injury to running back Andre Brown two weeks ago, put a hunger deep inside Wilson. If he wanted to see snaps he had to earn it.

Then yesterday, the moment came. Early in the first quarter Eli Manning threw a pick six to New Orleans Saints defensive back Elbert Mack. The presence of fear began to take hold of Giants fans. After the Redskins and Cowboys both put together miracle wins just moments before the game started, the Giants simply could not afford to lose this game. The fans, whether they're willing to admit it or not, for a brief moment started to feel that doubt. But alas, on the ensuing kickoff, David Wilson had the eye of the tiger. The kids time had come. After awesome lead blocking on kick return, Wilson saw the seam and exploded. Bam. Six points. The crowd goes wild. The Giants were right back in it and the fans could feel the momentum swing.

Everything clicked following that kick return. The Giants took the ball away on defense, Eli Manning threw four touchdown passes, and the Giants blew out the New Orleans Saints who were also in desperate need of a win. As a result of this loss the Saints playoff hopes have been significantly diminished. The Giants reminded the football world that if you don't have a defense, you aint goin' to da show. And the New Orleans 'Aints aint got no D. Da Giants said dey gonna beat dem Saints, and dey did.

Mockeries of the Saints inept defense aside, (a pure result of the Saints defense scandal this past off season), a huge part of this win goes to the Giants defense. The Giants have the best safeties in football even without Kenny Phillips. Antrel Rolle, (who leads the team in tackles), and Stevie Brown are both playing on a pro bowl level. Will Hill stepped up in his role as the third safety as well. The Giants three safety set with Rolle as the nickle option back, seriously works. It's what propelled the Giants in the post season last year, and it's the reason the Giants have been able to beat two great quarterbacks in Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees this season. Defense. Winning. Awesome.

The hero of yesterdays game however was without question David Wilson, who made Giants history with 327 all purpose yards. Wilson was unleashed, and finally took advantage of the chance that the kid was dying for since that infamous fumble so many moons ago. Wilson was the first Giants kick returner to bring one to the house since Domenik Hixon against the Patriots in December of 2007. Following the game, and several back flips, Wilson was all smiles.

This is not the first time Giants fans have seen something like this. In fact, in December of 2007 on the door step of the Giants first super bowl run under Tom Coughlin, the Giants had to win a crucial game against the Buffalo Bills in week 16 of the regular season. With a win, the Giants would clinch the playoffs with an NFC wild card birth. The game had horrible weather conditions with wind, freezing rain, and snow and as a result the passing game struggled. So still needing to put the game away, Tom Coughlin decided to put in a rookie running back who had been benched earlier in the season due to fumbling problems. On the rookies first play, he busted a run eighty-eight yards for a breath taking touchdown. That rookie, was Ahmad Bradshaw.

Tom Coughlin, ex running back at Syracuse University, knows what he's doing. By benching rookies with any signs of struggle, he is humbling them and making them more appreciative of any chance that follows. It's Coughlin's way of bringing out the best in his players, and making sure these rookies are on board with the team concept. Sometimes when these great players come out of college with a big NFL deal, they forget what it's like to appreciate the beauty that is playing this great game of football. Coughlin is simply reminding these confident rookies that the margin for error in this game is far too small to not be weary of. Give it 100%, all the time, and truly love and cherish every moment that is shared with your teammates.

Yup, that's the ol' Tommy Coughlin winning football formula. All in, doing whatever it takes to win. The Giants should be proud of this romping of the Saints, but should know that every game needs to be played at the intensity that Wilson showed Giants fans yesterday. Because this is what football's all about, battling with every ounce in your heart and soul to get into playoff contention. December football is the best time of year, and right now the Giants playoff hopes are very much alive.

But as the players, coaches, and fans all know, that can all disappear in a flash. That's what's so awesome about winning in December, it's do or die. It's as Al Pacino says in Any Given Sunday, "coming together now...as a team...or dying as individuals." It's go time man. It's officially the "Dirty Bird" segment of the Giants schedule with the Falcons, Ravens, and Eagles coming to town over the next three weeks. It's likely that if the Giants wish to win the division, they won't know it until that final game against their most bitter rivals of all time.

That's fucking poetic shit man. Time to mess up these dirty birds, take it one week at a time. Right now the Giants are at the top and have the ability to control their own destiny. The Falcons are coming off their first loss in quite some time to play the Giants on Sunday at 1:00. There's no question the Falcons clearly remember how the Giants embarrassed them in the first round of playoffs last year in a humiliating 24-2 defeat. Atlanta should come out with a chip on their shoulders, to say the least.

The Giants are right where they want to be...you better bELIeve it...time to make a serious statement in the NFC on Sunday.