MANHATTAN — Talk about a Giant game.
Big Blue’s regular-season finale against division rival Dallas on Sunday night will send the winner to the postseason with an NFC East title in hand — and the loser goes home to watch the playoffs on TV.
The season-defining game pits Giants quarterback Eli Manning against the Cowboys' Tony Romo at MetLife Stadium in what promises to be a physical matchup colored by both teams’ tumultuous 2011 campaigns.
The Giants (8-7), fresh off a victory over the cross-town rival Jets, are looking to maintain their winning ways against the Cowboys after going a dismal 1-5 in their previous six contests.
New York’s lone win during that stretch came on the road at Dallas only three weeks ago, when Big Blue edged the Cowboys, 37-34, in a last-second thriller.
Meanwhile, Dallas (8-7) blew their chance at claiming the division last week with a loss to Philadelphia, following victories over five of their previous seven opponents.
“This is a long and storied rivalry, no doubt about it,” Giants head coach Tom Coughlin told the Associated Press of the divisional showdown.
“There have been some great, great games between the two franchises. The one a couple of weeks ago was an outstanding game and example of that. We prepare ourselves for just that type of high intensity, outstanding, high level of performance on both sides.”
The game is set for 8:30 p.m. Sunday on NBC.
