What They Say…Week 12 Power Rankings
By author
Not too many happy faces in Giant land this week after an abysmal loss to the dreaded Eagles. It looks as though the Power Rankings this week are reflecting the black cloud hovering over all of us right now. In weeks past a loss hadn’t, for the most part, dropped the Giants too far because they were usually close, well matched games. But dropping two in a row, and this one being as flat as it was coupled with memories of second half season collapses, the Giants took a hit.
National Football Post has dropped them five points to number 11. Let’s see how they fared across the board.
The Giants Across the Board
"The Giants should be hanging their heads pretty low right now. They blew a chance to beat a divisional rival that was without their starting QB and best WR. Allowing Vince Young to drive the length of the field on an 18-play drive in which they converted six third-downs is embarrassing. In one day, they allowed the Cowboys right back into the race for the division championship."
All true points, there is not much to defend when you let a broken team walk all over you. The Giants have yet to face the Cowboys this season, but this team is riding high while the Giants seem to have lost all momentum. A bad combination.
"They need better play from that offensive line if they are to be a division winner. The schedule doesn’t let up with a trip to New Orleans this week."
More talk about the tough schedule, and unfortunately the Giants are proving the critics right as they are only 1-2 since this part of their schedule has begun.
"I feel like a broken record, but the Giants keep proving my point over and over again. To repeat, the minute you start to feel good about Tom Coughlin’s team, you can be sure a losing streak is on the way (see upset at New England, then defeats by the 49ers and Eagles). And just when you’re ready to give up on the Giants and declare them a bastion of mediocrity, they will rise up and prove you wrong, before repeating the entire process. It makes for a dizzying trip up and down the power rankings."
Pinch hitting for our friends and nflmocks.com, who did not post their rankings yet, is Sports Illustrated who, despite not usually making this list, agrees with everyone else that the Giants needed to fall in the rankings this week.
"“She’s a good girl. Loves her mama. Loves Jesus, and America too. . . .”"
You know you’re in trouble when your plight has to be put to song.
Some more relevant rankings via National Football Post:
New Orleans Saints: 4 (7-3, week 12)
Everyone will be looking to the Saints to take care of business Monday night. There is no real analysis to discuss here, because the Giants just have to play better in every facet of the game. The defense has to pressure Drew Brees, the secondary has to protect the middle of the field, the offensive line has to create space for the running backs, the backs have to gain more than a handful of yards, and the receivers have to stop dropping the ball. Did I forget anything?
Green Bay Packers: 1 (10-0, week 13)
If the Giants are able to make it to the playoffs, they could face the Packers in January, so this will be an important game all the way around. Talk about a team that is riding high! Undefeated or not in week 13, the Giants will find themselves facing a highly confident team with a quarterback having one of the greatest seasons ever in the history of the game.
Dallas Cowboys: 7 (6-4, week 14)
As predicted, the Cowboys have beaten several mediocre teams and are now being declared the favorites in the division. Not completely undeserved if you actually watched the Giants on Sunday, but all eyes will be on this showdown, as the winner will be the likely top seed of the division. Hopefully by this time the Giants will have turned things around.
Washington Redskins: 30 (3-7, week 15)
The next time the Giants face a team that currently has a losing record will happen in week 15, but it’s a division team that has beaten them once, so they will need to take this one seriously. Who knows what the state of the Redskins will be by then, but this could be an important matchup.