The Giants spent 60 minutes yesterday looking like a sloppy team, an undisciplined team and, at times, even a bad team. But a 16–13 win over the Philadelphia Eagles ensured that they’re also a playoff team.

The Giants are 9–4 and have a big lead in the NFC wild-card race. Although Big Blue hasn’t technically clinched a playoff spot, yesterday’s win means that, unless a scenario takes place that is so far-fetched it’s beyond a Mets fan’s worst nightmare, the Giants will play into January.

But they didn’t make it look easy in Philadelphia yesterday. The defense got off to a slow start, the offense almost fumbled the game away, and the Giants have a lot of work to do over the last three weeks of the regular season if they plan to make any noise in the postseason.

The Eagles received the opening kickoff, started their first drive with a 16-yard run by Brian Westbrook, and ended with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Westbrook by Donovan McNabb. It was a coolly efficient, six-play, 68-yard drive on which the Giants’ defense engaged in shoddy tackling and blown coverage assignments, and it looked like it would be a long day.

It looked even worse for the offense, as the Giants went three-and-out on their first two possessions, with Eli Manning appearing pressured, inaccurate and, yes, skittish. Even when the Giants began moving the ball in the second quarter, they had little to show for it. The Giants had a 13-play, 84-yard drive; an eight-play, 44-yard drive, and a nine-play, 45-yard drive. But failure to convert on third downs left them with just six points from all that offense.

The Eagles’ defensive game plan was simple: Stack the line of scrimmage to stuff the running game and blitz Manning, and dare the Giants to beat them downfield. Early in the game that strategy was effective, especially in stopping running back Brandon Jacobs, who looked tentative in his return from a hamstring injury. But eventually Manning started to look for Plaxico Burress downfield, and the Eagles’ emphasis on blitzing meant they were undermanned in the secondary. Burress took advantage.

Burress caught seven passes for 136 yards, and his 20-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter gave the Giants a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. He has been playing through injuries all season, and the Giants weren’t even sure if he’d be able to suit up yesterday. But he was the best player on the field, routinely finding holes in the Eagles’ defense and catching the balls thrown his way even if Manning was off-target. Now that the Giants are comfortably ahead in the wild-card race, they might want to consider letting Burress rest for the remainder of the season and bringing him back for the playoffs. Even if Burress doesn’t play another down this season, he’s the Giants’ MVP.

Until yesterday, Jacobs might have been the Giants’ MVP. But he nearly handed the game to the Eagles, with two costly fumbles to go along with his meager rushing game (just 70 yards on 22 carries). Jacobs’ first fumble came when he caught a pass from Manning and dropped it as soon as he was hit, setting up the Eagles with first-and-goal at the 8-yard line. His second fumble came in the fourth quarter, at the end of his only long run of the game, when all he needed to do was hold onto the ball and the Giants could put the game on ice.

Instead, the Eagles got a chance to come back, but the Giants’ defense stiffened. It was the defense — which turned in a dominating 12-sack performance in this year’s first game against the Eagles — that won this game as well, despite doing it in much less spectacular fashion. This time, the Giants recorded a modest three sacks, but after giving up a touchdown on that first drive, they never again allowed the Eagles to move the ball effectively. That’s the kind of defense the Giants will need in the playoffs.

Giants’ fans have become so accustomed to late-season collapses that it might seem premature to start talking about the playoffs just yet. But make no mistake: This is a playoff team, even if it doesn’t always look like one.