Giants Alive but Baffled

The New York Giants are 7-8 after losing five of seven and getting pounded by the St. Louis Rams, 31-10, and the Minnesota Vikings, 34-17, in their last two games.

But they’re still in playoff contention and not about to apologize for it.

“Whether or not we deserve it,” quarterback Kerry Collins said, “if you’re in, I think you deserve it.”

Some Giants, though, are perplexed by the team’s mediocrity.

“I don’t get it,” defensive end Michael Strahan said. “I don’t understand how some weeks we look like world beaters and other weeks we look like we’re Santa Claus, giving away gifts.”

In Arizona, the Cardinals are out of the playoff picture and ticked off that they have to end the season Sunday at Green Bay.

The Cardinals, who don’t play early season games at home because of the extreme desert heat, think it’s unfair that they have to play their season finale in the league’s coldest outpost.

“It’s just weird that when they make the schedule, they don’t allow us to have home games at the beginning of the year because of the weather,” linebacker Rob Fredrickson said, “but we can go there in January.”

A three-game losing streak ended the Cardinals’ playoff hopes, prompting Coach Vince Tobin to paraphrase Yogi Berra.

“Yes, it’s disappointing,” Tobin said. “Nothing is quite so final as when it’s final.”