PHILADELPHIA - Tiki Barber's final game with the New York Giants was a microcosm of the season: big expectations, a quick start, lots of chances and then a major disappointment in the end after being so tantalizingly close.
Barber headed into retirement by rushing for 137 yards and contributing to all four Giants scores. It meant little when David Akers kicked a 38-yard field goal as time expired to give the Philadelphia Eagles a 23-20 win in the NFC wild-card game Sunday.
The performance was typical of the season for the Giants (8-9) in what was definitely Barber's final game and possibly the last for coach Tom Coughlin.
It was a big tease all day.
Eli Manning threw two touchdown passes to Plaxico Burress, the first on the opening series to give New York a lead, the last an 11-yarder with 5:04 to play that tied the game at 20.
However, with the game on the line, the Giants failed to make a big play. The Eagles (11-5) went down the field behind Barber's counterpart, Brian Westbrook, and won on the last play.
It was par for the season for the Giants, who opened 6-2 to build hopes of a Super Bowl trip. The second half was another story, with losses in seven of the final nine games, despite all of Barber's efforts.
New York was its own worst enemy. It had the ball in Philadelphia territory on five of its first six possessions and got 10 points. The Eagles got going and took a 20-10 lead into the final quarter.
But Barber helped the comeback to tie it, only to once again just miss a victory.
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