It wasn’t pretty. But few of Big Blue’s 10 wins this season have. They don’t give you extra points for style. That’s for sure.

For the third consecutive year under Tom Coughlin, the Giants are heading to the playoffs after a hard fought come from behind 38-21 victory over the Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium Sunday.

In what was an emotional roller coaster which seemed to feature at least three different games within the 60 minutes in very poor conditions that included high winds, rain and hail, somehow Big Blue found a way to recover from a dreadful beginning where they spotted a charged up Bills team a two touchdown lead.

Just how crazy and unpredictable was this game? The teams combined for eight turnovers including nine fumbles (3 lost) and five interceptions. It added up to a couple of the NFL’s lowest scoring teams combining for an unlikely 59 total points. So, if you took the under on the low spread (32 pts), you got killed.

To be perfectly honest, I didn’t foresee any way there would be that many points on the board. But sometimes, that’s what happens in this league. Good thing I don’t gamble cause I probably would’ve laid down a few bucks.

Despite being eliminated from AFC playoff contention in last week’s 8-0 shutout defeat at the hands of the Browns in blizzard conditions at the Dawg Pound, Buffalo came out ready to play and had extra incentive to pull out a ‘W.’

Before the coin toss, injured tight end Kevin Everett came out to loud cheers from the crowd. The 25 year-old former Hurricane even addressed his teammates before the game in what was his first return to Buffalo since suffering a severe spinal cord injury on Sept.9.

Not surprisingly, the Bills came out pumped up. They immediately took advantage of an ill-advised Lawrence Tynes opening kickoff which went out of bounds by going 60 yards in seven plays for the game’s first score- a Trent Edwards three-yard TD pass to Michael Gaines only 4:36 in.

For whatever reason, the Giants were extremly flat for the second consecutive week. They went three-and-out giving Buffalo the ball again. It didn’t take long for Buffalo to go 66 yards for a second score. Following a nice Edwards 42-yard hook up with Roscoe Parrish, the rookie QB out of Stanford found a wide open Lee Evans from four yards out to put the Bills in front by 14.

Though Eli Manning converted a third-and-long with a nice 29-yard throw on the run to Amani Toomer for the offense’s first first down, the Ole Miss product lost control of a snap on a key third down in Buffalo territory falling on the ball to stall a drive. It would prove to be a big problem all day for the Giants’ quarterback as he fumbled fives times losing a couple.

The Giants finally caught a break when Buffalo’s special teams did them in on a botched punt due to a low snap giving Big Blue the ball at the Bill 23. Two plays after Toomer hauled in a tough pass from Manning to convert a key third down, Brandon Jacobs plowed in from six yards out to slice the deficit in half.

With some momentum, New York’s D stiffened forcing a three-and-out to give the offense the ball back. Once again, an undisciplined Bills’ play on special teams allowed the Giants to take advantage. After Buffalo had stopped them, they took a roughing the kicker penalty which gave the Giants an automatic first down. It didn’t take long for them to cash it as Jacobs picked up blockers for a 43-yard TD- his second of the game which knotted the score.

A third straight three-and-out along with a Kawika Mitchell sack and Bills’ five-yard penalty helped setup the Giants’ first lead of the day.

With good field position at their own 44, they quickly moved down the field thanks to Jacobs (13 total yds) and Toomer (19-yard reception on another third down). Even with winds gusting up to 30 miles an hour, Tynes was good from 42 to put the Giants up three with 2:24 left in the half.

The Giants got the ball back with 1:18 remaining and drove inside the Buffalo 40 thanks to two more Manning completions to Toomer. But on the next play, Eli lost a fumble courtesy of Aaron Schobel’s sack and recovery at the Bills’ 36 with two seconds left.

They got the ball first in the second half but a silly playcall by offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride saw Manning get picked off by Keith Ellison at the Giant 31. Why on God’s earth would you call that when your run game had plenty of success in the first half and got you the lead? It made no sense.

In any event, it took Buffalo rookie running back Marshawn Lynch two plays to get in the end zone and put the Bills back ahead 21-17.

That’s where the game changed because those were the last points Buffalo got.

On their next drive, the Giants tried to tease Big Blue supporters. Passing it just once, they drove from the 40 to the Buffalo 1 thanks to keeping it on the ground with Jacobs (28 yds), rookie Ahmad Bradshaw (36 yds) and Reuben Droughns. 

Chewing up more than eight minutes on the clock, it looked like they’d go ahead. But Bradshaw’s knee was down at the Buf 1 before he got in. Droughns was then stopped just short on first and goal. He was pushed back on second down. Bradshaw gained back a yard to set up fourth and goal. Rather than kick a chipshot and cut the lead to one, Coughlin opted to go. 

Out of a Buffalo timeout, a sad yet predictable Droughns center trap was stuffed for a loss of four giving the Bills the ball at their own five with a four-point lead and 5:37 left in the third quarter.

They proceeded to do nothing giving Big Blue another chance. But a great drive which featured Jacobs gaining 34 yards to go from the NYG 45 to the Buf 11 stalled when Manning lost another fumble.

At that point, I thought for sure they were going to lose. However, this wasn’t your normal football game. The turnover fest continued two plays later when Edwards was intercepted by Mitchell, who then went all the way for a 20-yard go-ahead score to put the Giants ahead 24-21 with 14:05 remaining in the final quarter.

The crazy quarter continued later when Eli was int’d for the second time by Terrence McGee after another questionable play selection at the NYG 43. Once again, the Giant D stepped up forcing a three-and-out. Just out of curiosity for any Bills fans, how many times can you see your offense accomplish zilch?!?!?!?!

Especially given how well they came out. There’s just no consistency and that’s why Buffalo is getting ready to pack up for the golf course rather than play next January.

With the Giants at their own 12 and just over six minutes remaining, Bradshaw who had been terrific all day burst through and went the distance for an 88-yard TD as snow came down which put his team up a dime.

This was just an awesome run by the very quick first-year player selected in the seventh round out of Marshall. Can you say steal people? Where’s all those so-called experts on this one? The same people also had this team winning five or six games because of the retirement of Tiki “Me-ki” Barber.

They really looked like they miss him on the ground, especially after gashing the Bills for 291 rushing yards including 151 from the 21 year-old Bradshaw along with a career high 145 from Jacobs.

“I’m very proud,” an excited Jacobs expressed to the Associated Press afterwards. “I’m proud of my team. I’m proud of the defense. It means a lot.”

Anyone who watched this topsy turvy contest had to figure the Bills still had a shot. However, Corey Webster erased any doubts by picking off Edwards for the second time and dashing down the left sideline for a fantastic 34-yard interception TD return which sealed the deal.

The rough quarter continued for the Stanford rookie as vet Sam Madison added further insult to injury with pick No.3 with 4:37 left.

Bradshaw then tacked on 20 yards before the Giants wisely turned the ball over on downs allowing Buffalo to run two more plays as the clock wound down which officially gave them a third straight postseason berth- matching the team record.

It might not have been pretty and was typically nerve wracking. But when push came to shove, this resilient group got the job done as they have all year when the doubters questioned them.

“We’ve won some tough games, done a good job, and it’s a relief,” Manning admitted after completing only seven of 15 passes for 111 yards while turning it over four times. “We all knew we wanted to do it this game.”

Their seventh consecutive road win was a franchise record. Most importantly, they don’t have to play New England next week facing a must win as the undefeated Pats aim for history in East Rutherford.

Ironically enough, the last time an NFL team looked to be going for history, it was the Giants who stopped Denver several years ago.

We’ll see if they play for pride next weekend.

For now, they’ve got a date with either Seattle or Tampa and that’s all that matters.