Friday Random 10: Beast Mode Edition

Pax Arcana

With all appropriate deference to Marshawn Lynch — originator of the concept and Father Scott man-crush — and the lads over at PIAB, I can think of no better phrase to sum up my hopes for the Giants this weekend than the following:

BEAST MODE

More to the point, this game (and every game the Giants play from this point until he retires or explodes) depends on Brandon Jacobs turning on BEAST MODE and trampling the defense like a combination of Godzilla and Iron Man.

Much was made of the Eagles’ triumph over the defending Super Bowl champs last month, but let’s all remember that the birds took control of that game only after Jacobs left with a knee injury in the third quarter (he was on pace for 104 yards at the time).

It’s also worth remembering that while the Eagles have played much better of late than early in the year, they spent most of that time beating up on depleted or downright awful teams. The victory over the Giants was substantial, but then they beat a terrible Cleveland team, lost to a terrible Washington team, annihilated a talented but utterly incompetent Dallas team, and barely squeaked by the Vikings — possibly the worst-coached, worst-quarterbacked, worst special teams team in the playoffs — in the first round. I’m not saying they’re not good. I’m saying they haven’t proved anything yet.

That said, every Giants fan is nervous about this game. The Giants and Eagles always play down to the wire, even when one is clearly the better team. It’s been like this since Buddy Ryan was on the Eagles sideline and Ray Handley coached the Giants (cold shiver).

If you need me on Sunday, I’ll be clutching my Ron Dayne jersey and possibly launching half-empty beers around my apartment.

The songs:

Don’t Get It — Lil Wayne
Eli, the Barrow Boy — The Decemberists
La Denegracion — The Bowerbirds
Conquest — The White Stripes
Jesus Don’t Want Me For a Sunbeam — Nirvana
Roll the Credits — Peter, Bjorn and John
Guest Room — The National
Thorn in my Pride — The Black Crowes
As Tears Go By — The Rolling Stones
Someone’s in the Wolf — Queens of the Stone Age

Bonus audio track:

Been a Drill — The Heligoats

Bonus video:

Pop Lie — Okkervil River (Live on Letterman)

The Rules: The Friday Random 10 is exactly that — random. We open up our iTunes, set the thing on shuffle, and listen to 10 songs. We are not permitted to skip any out of embarrassment or fear of redundancy. Commenters are encouraged to post their own.