Win or lose today against the Eagles, Giants co-owner Wellington Mara yesterday declared this season a success.
“I’d say the team developed the way we hoped it would and thought it would,” said Mara, standing in a businesslike Giants locker room. “Regardless of what happens, I think it was a good step forward for our franchise.”
Staying in playoff contention until the final game is important to Mara, who is highly sensitive when he sees empty seats at Giants Stadium.
“When there’s a lot of excitement in the stands, you feel you’ve done a good job,” Mara said. “I always feel the least they should expect from the team and the least you should expect to give them is that you still be in contention on the last home game of the season.”
As far as the Eagles, Mara said, “I think they’re very similar to a [Vince] Lombardi-coached team in that they’re very simple, you know they’re going to come right at you.”
Mara should know; he hired Lombardi as a Giants assistant coach.