PHILADELPHIA -- The recent case for legitimate New York Giants contention was easy to make. They had just about everything they had in their championship seasons of 2007 and 2011, including a smothering defense, an opportunistic playmaker or two, and, of course, a quarterback who handled the pressure of the postseason with a walk-in-the-park ease.
In other words, the 2016 Giants were beginning to shape up as a potential third dose of bad news for the Bradys and Belichicks.
Of course, the case is built around the assumption that Eli Manning is still capable of elevating his play and carrying his team when it matters most.