"I don't think you can underestimate the importance of that game," said coach Tom Coughlin, when asked about Sept. 23 affair on the road against the Redskins.
Having been slapped around pretty good in their first two games - 45-35 by Dallas and 35-13 by Green Bay - the Giants were on the short end of a 17-3 halftime score against the Redskins, and 0-3 was a very real possibility.
Instead, they scored three second-half touchdowns and rallied for a 24-17 triumph.
"That win launched us to a 6-2 first half of the season," said Coughlin.
Sporting a dark suit, white shirt, and resplendent red tie, Coughlin touched upon a number of topics during a brief meeting with the media not long after the Giants arrived at their home for the week, the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass some 30 miles from Phoenix. There's a true desert feel to this resort - cactus is everywhere, and so are the patches of green grass on the hotel golf course - but don't expect Coughlin to soak in any of the ambiance. This is a business trip.
"We're glad to be here and anxious to get started," said Coughlin.
But when asked why the team hadn't come in Sunday, he shrugged and said, "We just thought we'd do as much as we could at home."
That meant taking care of some medical issues (rookie cornerback Aaron Ross was the latest Giant to be confirmed with flu-like symptoms), handling luggage challenges, and keeping things as normal as possible.
Of course, any curiosity about the decision would have to be accompanied by a disclaimer, because if there's one thing you can say about these New York Giants, it is this: They are quite a road show. There was that dismal defensive effort Sept. 9 in Dallas, but that's it. What followed were seven regular-season triumphs away from Giants Stadium and three more at hostile outposts (Tampa, Dallas, and Green Bay) in the playoffs.
