First, The Gronk’s injury really did play a part. He wasn’t that much of a factor on offense, and I have to believe that it hurt his ability to get downfield on the INT by Chase Blackburn. On the last play, if the ball had been tipped a little higher, Gronkowski might have caught it. Second, the game was pretty clean. There were a few penalties, but the game wasn’t dirty.  That’s not to say that the penalties weren’t costly. 12 men on the field cost the Pats’ the Cruz fumble recovery. Third, the sacks were down, but both sides pressured the QB effectively. Both Brady and Manning showed why they are top QB’s.

The Giants’ running attack came to life late in the season, and it showed up here as well. Both Bradshaw and Jacobs ran well, and the Giants’ backs were also instrumental in the role as receivers. Good hustle to recover the fumble by Bradshaw. It was noted elsewhere that Eli Manning has the ability to throw the ball to a target that’s the size of a bread box, and he proved it again. Mario Manningham’s catch in the fourth quarter was right up there with Tyree’s from 4 years ago. The loss of Ballard and Beckum will be felt, but Pascoe came through.

On defense, Perry Fewell gets redemption, and Gilbride won’t ever be known as Kill drive again. Both of the co-ordinators put in an effective game plan, and the players executed it to perfection. Coach Coughlin will never have to worry about getting fired again; vindication all around.

Lastly, it appeared that there was some trouble with the NE wideouts. They dropped passes that were catchable on at least two occasions. In the middle of the season this would have gone unnoticed, but in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl, they were magnified. This happened with Tony Romo in the first Dallas game, when he missed a wide open receiver. It appears that the Giants were blessed with what Napoleon required of his generals; good luck. Enjoy the moment, Giants fans! the draft is two months away!

Fun fact #2: The NFC East is 7-1 in Super Bowls against the AFC East.

When the Giants have the ball, look for them to try and establish some sort of a running game. The G-Men averaged just over 89 yards a game during the regular season, but in the playoffs the average is around 117. Basically, the team got stronger as the season went on. The Packers were listless, but the 49ers gave the Giants a tough match. The strength of the Giants running game isn’t in the interior of the line, it’s on the outside. Since Vince Wilfork is going to clog the middle, it appears as if the Giants will try to get something going on the edges. It will be up to David Baas to handle his opposing number enough to give Eli Manning some time to throw, and to get the backs moving.

The Giants emphasize a vertical passing game. They throw the deep ball alot more than other teams, and complete more of the passes. The conventional wisdom is that the Patriots defense is weak. A more proper read would be that they give up yards, but not points. Staistically, the Pats and Giants are pretty evenly matched in the red zone (the Pats are slightly better) on both offense and defense. Still the Giants receivers appear to have an edge against the Pats secondary. I’d look for Eli and Company to try and hit the home run, and target some of the weaker players in the Patriots’ secondary. I’d also look for Beckum, Pascoe, and Ballard to be used to try and gain the offense some breathing room.

Alot of people think that this game will be high scoring. In the last Super Bowl, the final score was 17-14. In the meeting this season the teams were tied at 0 at the half, and the final score was 24-20. The Giants had a first and goal from the one, and needed three chances and a pass to pull it out. They couldn’t run it in. Basically, I would look for a lower scoring game between the two teams, with alot of fireworks in the fourth quarter. That’s been the history of the two teams this year. As to the conventional wisdonm that the Pats are better and the Giants are hotter…both teams are hot. The Pack and Saints had better offenses, San Francisco had a better defense, but the G-Men had better balance. The Pats’ opponents in the playoffs weren’t exactly the best, with Denver (great story, weak team) and Baltimore (great defense, okay offense) as the opponents. I’m sure that Belichik would love to run up the score on the Giants (see the Denver game for an example), but I think the game will be tight rather than a blow out. Giants 24, Patriots 21.

We expect Gronkowski to play. What’s the best way to stop him? The Radiers effectively limited his production by chipping him with one defender and putting someone else on him thereafter. One of the G-Men on the D-Line (I’m pretty sure it was Justin Tuck, but it might have been Osi) said that the way to beat the Pats’ air attack was to cut off the head of the snake. That’s Brady. The Giants have been pretty succcessful in pressuring Brady in their meetings, and they will need to do so next week as well. By kncoking Gronkowski off of his timing and putting pressure on Brady, it will force Brady to run through his progression faster than normal, and not give much time to look for “the Gronk.” It looks as if Antrelle Rolle and Chase Blackburn will be tasked with taming the beast. Of course, theis leaves Hernandez and Welker. Aaron Ross will probably draw Welker, and Michael Boley will likely target Hernandez. Lastly, there’s Chad Ocho Cinco. He’s been a forgotten man this year, but this might be the breakout game that he finally has this year. The Steelers were able to solve the mystery of the Pats offense, as were the Giants. That was three months ago, and things have changed. Still, the Pats have too many offensive weapons to be able to get shut down completely. The Giants must have an effective pass rush and disrupt Brady in order to have success.

The Pats’ running attack is not their strongest part. The again, it’s effective (sound familiar, Giants fans?). The Pats running backs have only had to have been good enough this year, and they set up Brady to get his receivers involved.

On special teams, the Pats’ kicker is Stephen Gostkowski. In the last Super Bowl between the two teams, Coach Belichick opted not to attempt a field goal on fourth down, and went for it instead. While it was a long FG attempt, it was certainly makeable. Maybe he didn’t have the confidence in Gostkowski back then. He does now. Gostkowski will boom the kicks out of the end zone unless he’s trying to lay it up, so don’t look for much in the way of a return game from the G-Men. On punts, neither team has lit it up in terms of returns. As long as there are no turnovers, I don’t see the punting game (in terms of returns) as being a deciding factor. The law of averages might break in this game, but I wouldn’t put money on it.

Next time, the Giants get the ball.

Well, the G-Men are going to the Super Bowl! Rather than provide the single piece analysis that we normally do, and given the amount of time before the game, we will be analyzing this as if we were eating an elephant. We’ll do it in small bites.

First, the venue. The game will be played in Indianapolis, which is a neutral site. I’ve had the opportunity to speak with some guys who have played in the Super Bowl, and they have all said the same thing: it’s not a normal crowd. Most of the people are there for the party, and to have the chance to be part of an event. If there is an advantage for the crowd it would likely be for the G-Men. Given the Pats-Colts battles, the home crowd would likely pull for Peyton’s brother than Tom Brady. Just the same, the “home field” advantage is likely to be a wash.

The stadium is a dome, so weather conditions won’t be a factor. In fact, this might actually benefit the Giants receivers. After the rain and mud of San Francisco a weather free site will be a blessing. Of course, this helps the Pats; I just think it benefits the G-Men more.

Injuries. The two weeks will give both teams a chance to heal themselves. Ballard and Bradshaw are the most banged up, but others are hurting. Just the same, it benefits both sides. On the Pats side, their tight end, Gronkowski, is wearing a walking boot after a pretty serious injury in the AFC game. Shades of Brady the last time? Maybe, but Gronkowski will be on the field when the game starts. It should also be noted that the last time the two teams met (NE’s last loss in the regular season), both Nicks and Bradshaw didn’t play. Both teams will be at full stregnth, barring an injury during practice.

Mentality. Both organizations have strong front offices, and both teams have players who have been here before. They are familiar with the process, and all of the distractions about getting tickets for family/friends, and making arrangements for them once they get out there. Both teams also have players who have been to the game before, so they are familiar with the circus. The Giants have more of them, but this will also be a wash.

So far, a slight edge to the Giants, but nothing that’s statistically meaningful. More next time.

Well, we are happy to be wrong. We thought that the Pack would win, but we didn’t discount the possibility of a Giants win. Our analysis follows.

First, we said that in order for the Giants to win they would need to win the turnover battle, limit penalties, and control the clock with an effective running game. The Giants won the turnover battle 3-1, and the total would have been higher if not for some suspect officiating. From the standpoint of penalties, the game was clean. The G-Men had 3 for 30, and the Pack had 2 for 20. Once again, the roughing the passer call on Osi was suspect. From the standpoint of time of possession, it was about even. Statistically, the Giants ground game ws effective, but the reality was that if not for a couple of big runs the running attack was ordinary.Defensively, the Giants are playing lights out. Maybe it’s getting players back from injury. Maybe it’s a simplified system. Maybe it’s the return of Chase Blackburn as the QB of the defense. Whatever it is, in the last month things have tightened up, and the G-Men have plugged the leaks.

Offensively, the Giants did well. Manning spread the ball around, and Hakeem Nicks has reclaimed the number 1 receiver spot. With everyone focusing on Cruz, Nicks broke free. The 66 yard catch and run was aided by poor tackling on the part of the Packers. After Nicks made the catch, the d-back had the opportunity to make the tackle, but opted to try and lay a big hit on Nicks. Instead, Nicks bounced off of him and took it to the house. The Hail Mary pass at the end of the first half looked like the Packers gave up on the play, and the catch against the helmet brought back memories of the Super Bowl 4 years ago. The line held up reasonably well, and kept Eli upright for most of the game. It looked as if he was throwing off of his back foot at times, but it didn’t affect his accuracy.

Defensively, Osi played great, as did Michael Boley. Aaron Rodgers ran for a lot of yards, but that was because the Giants had great coverage. If the QB is the leading rusher for a pass happy team such as Green Bay, it shows how well the coverage was. It also looked as if the timing between Rodgers and his receivers was off. Maybe the week off hurt the timing, maybe the fact that Green Bay hadn’t played a meaningful game in a few weeks affected the timing. Sadly, maybe the loss of Coach Philbin’s son affected the performance of the team.

Lastly, special teams play was effective. The Giants were careful with the first onside kick, and also recovered the second kick as well. Weatherford kept the Pack pinned in, so there were no returns. Sadly, the Giants return game is still MIA.

At any rate, a great win. The Giants went into Green Bay and came out with a victory, exorcising the demons of last year’s shellacking. The revenge tour rolls on to San Francisco next week. Go G-MEN!

Well, here we go. The Giants travel to Green Bay to take on the 15-1 Packers. Where do things stand? For one, the Packers have had a great run over the past 13 months. They started their winning streak with a 45-17 pasting of the Giants in Green Bay, and rode that to the Super Bowl. Last year, Green Bay had a large number of injuries but outplayed opponents with better records all the way through. If this sounds like the Giants back in ’07, you’re right. The pertinent details follow.The last time these two teams met in week 13, it was a tight game. Both teams had players that were injured, and the statistics were remarkable similar. Both Manning and Rodgers played lights out football, and defnse was optional. This time, both teams look to be at full strength, with Clifton and Bulaga back on offense, and Hawk and Bishop back on D. The G-Men are pretty much at full strength, as Manningham is back (did not play the first time) and David Baas, a last minute scratch, will also play. (more…)

The NY Football Giants played what could be considered a perfect game yesterday, and gave the faithful a playoff win since their Super Bowl run in 2008. This was also the first playoff win ever in MetLife Stadium, so the fact the the G-Men beat rex’s team for the honor makes it even sweeter.

Now, for the particulars. The defense played great, and they played tough. Two fourth down stops when the Falcons could have either converted or attempted a field goal set the tone for the defensive effort. ichael Turner wasn’t much of a weapon, Julio Jones wasn’t a factor, and “Matty Ice” was stone cold. Corey Webster was targeted nine times, and he gave up five catches for only 36 yards. While there was a lack of sacks, the Giants did put pressure on Ryan and took his wideouts and tight end out of the game. The only downer for the Giants was the concussion suffered by Aaron Ross. We’ll see if he’s ready to go on Sunday.

Offensively, the Giants controlled the clock, with nearly 35 minutes time of possession. Both Jacobs and Bradshaw were a force, and each had 14 carries and a long gainer. Eli Manning also contributed with a key 14 yard scramble for a first down. Eli was lights out in passing the ball, and Hakeen Nicks, overshadowed by Victor Cruz of late, had a huge game. Mario Manningham came back from injuries for a nice touchdown catch, and 8 different receivers caught passes. There were 31 runs and 32 passes, a nice mix of plays.

Special teams was good, for the most part. Weatherford and Tynes prevented any huge returns by Atlanta, andTynes hit on one of his two FG attempts. The miss looked as if it was cauesd by a bad snap from Zak DeOssie. The coaches put together a great game plan, and it was executed to perfection. Healthy bodies, a reversion to players’ natural positions (Dave Diehl back at LT), a simplified defensive scheme, and getting hot at the right time adds up to another run at 2007. We’ll see.

In the Arnold Schwarzenegger film “Conan the Barbarian,” the question is asked “What is best in life?” Someone answers “Falconry,” while Conan says it’s to crush your enemies and hear the lamentations of their women. With that in mind, the Atlanta Falcons come to MetLife Stadium to do battle with the Giants. Sorry for the cornball intro. I just couldn’t resist.

Where do we stand right now? First, the venue. The Falcons are a dome team, and the game will be played outside. The original forecast was dicey, but the new forecast calls for temps in the low 40′s with sunshine. There aren’t many less hospitable places to play than New Jersey in January, but weather conditions, at least right now, don’t look like they will be a factor. The fact that the game is outside may cut down on Atlanta’s speed factor. It’s also worth noting that Atlanta played poorly in losses to the Bears in week 1 and to Tampa in week 3. Both games were played outdoors.

The next factor is the Giants’ D against Atlanta’s O. Justin Tuck called the Falcons’ linemen “dirtbags,” based on the fact that they use cut blocking in their schemes. While this is not a favorite technique for defensive linemen to deal with, the Falcons’ o-line hasn’t been haevily penalized. If the Giants defense wants to turn its three headed monster of Tuck, Osi, and JPP loose, they must stop Atlanta’s rushing attack.Michael Turner is a bull, and has actually outgained Bradshaw and Jacobs combined. Jacquizz Rodgers is not as effective, but can spell Turner. If there is an advantage, it’s that the Giants’ backs haven’t lost a fumble this year, while the Falcons’ starters have lost three. The Giants will need to contain the Falcons on first down for the DE’s ro be effective.

When the Giants have run for more than 100 yards in a game this year they are 7-1. The Giants rushing attack this year has been subpar. Typically, this was a Giants’ strength, but this year it has been their weakness. Both Bradshaw and Jacobs have rushed for about 650 yards this year. In order for the Giants to have a better than average chance at winning, they have to run the ball effectively. They don’t need to dominate, just run well enough to keep Atlanta off balance.

When Atlanta passes the ball, Julio Jones is now healthy and is the preferred target for Matt Ryan. Their tight end, Tony Gonzalez, is an all-world talent and a beast to bring down. Ryan doesn’t get sacked very often, which means that the Giants will have their work cut out for them. For the Giants, it looks as if Jake Ballard will be able to play, although Bear Pascoe filled in nicely, and Henry Hynoski also proved to be an effective weapon. Cruz and Nicks have been discussed ad nauseum, and Manningham should be back as well. If Manning can stay upright and get uncranked, he will have a big day.

Lastly, Matt Ryan is suffering from the same issue that Eli Manning was tagged with early in his career: he can’t win a playoff game. The Falcons’ head coach has them playing with grit and poise, and they are a dangerous team. The word is that if the Giants can get to Ryan early they can shake him. Some of Ryan’s former BC teammates who are now with the Giants (Snee, Kiawanuka) will attest to Ryan’s presence. Just the same, he has failed in his two previous playoff games. Actually, Eli Manning came up short in his first couple of tries as well, and faltered against the Eagles in 2008. This is his first trip back to the dance since then, so we’ll see if he has a case of the jitters.

Winding things up, it’s likely to be a high scoring affaisr. The weather won’t likely be a factor, but Atlanta doesn’t play well outside. The Giants need to win the turnover battle, rattle “Matty Ice,” and have a decent running game. The G-Men have been in playoff mode for the past two weeks, so they are likely primed to go again. Giants, 31-27. (more…)

Offensively, Victor Cruz came through again. Another spectacular catch and run for a TD. Hakeem Nicks avoided the drops and had a big game as well. Bear Pascoe came up big, as did Henry Hynoski. Both of them made big catches in crucial situations, and showed some leaping ability as well. Poor Terrence Newman was the targeted d-back, and the Giants took advantage of the mismatch. The line kept Eli Manning upright, and Eli had zero INT’s. The rushing game still looks like a weak link, although there were flashes of brilliance last night, and Ahmad Bradshaw came up big in situations, as did D.J. Ware.

Defensively, the G-Men played well, although they felt a need to make things close. Whether it was the urgency of playing for a playoff spot or a ticket home, playing for a job next year, the return of Osi, a simplified scheme, or any other factor, the Giants defense came through. They d-line gave Dallas’ undermanned o-line fits, and put consistent pressure on Tony Romo. They held Dallas’ wekened rushing game in check, but still gave up some plays to the wideouts.

Special teams managed, with a bit of luck, to avoid a costly turnover, and the Giants got a few lucky bounces. The missed 40 yard field goal hurt, but Tynes came back to make the 28 yarder. All in all, not a bad way to close out the season. The Giants now face the Falcons at home next week. For now, let’s just enjoy the victory. Way to go, gentlemen! (more…)

This game has been rehashed so many ways that anything that I could add at this point would be redundant, so I’ll keep it brief. Both teams are nearly identical; they have shown the ability to play brilliantly, and at other times they fail to show up for the game. In order for the G-Men to win, they must establish the running game, which has actually shown signs of life over the past two weeks. Both Bradshaw and Jacobs have been talking alot about how healthy they are and how ready they are. The line must clear things for them. The line must also keep Eli Manning upright. When he doesn’t get sacked the Giants’ record is unreal. The Giants receivers must play through their injuuries; everyone’s banged up at this point on both teams, but the statistics have shown a weakness in what had been a strength this season. One of the reasons for the Giants’ success this season was the emergence of Jake Ballard at tight end. Without his presence in the lineup the opposing defenses have been able to shut down the Giants’ wideouts. Either Beckum or Pascoe must step up. (more…)

I know that this is a late posting, but my computer got hit with a major virus, and this is the first chance that I’ve had to post. I apologize for my tardiness, but I hope that everyone understands.

The good news is that the G-Men won the battle of NY, and made everyone’s Christmas a little merrier, unless you’re a Jets fan. By virtue of the win, the Giants still control their own destiny (they would have anyway, with a win over Dallas this coming week), but the Giants’ emotional state is probably better for it. As is typical of the guys in blue, the game was a microcosm of the season: flashes of brilliance with periods of lackluster performance. More after the jump.From a statistical viewing, the game was somewhat even. The punting game was virtually equal, with each team punting 9 times. The Giants had a 43 yard average, while the Jets averaged 42 yards. Tynes drilled two field goals, while Coach Coughlin iced the Jets kicker, and Mr. Folk missed his one attempt. Offensively, the Giants running attack showed some signs of life in the second half. The rushing totals were ordinary, but after only 6 yards gained in the first half the G-Men came up with a respectable tally for the game. Both Jacobs and Bradshaw literally ran over people. 26 attempts for 115 yards versus 25 attempts and 105 yards for the Jets. About even, although it seemed as if the Jets secondary wanted no part of either of the Giants main backs. (more…)

Well, here it is. The date has been circled on the calendar since the schedule was released, and now the two teams get ready to play the game. Without further ado, here is the analysis.

Offense: Statistically, Eli is a better QB than Mark Sanchez, especially in the fourth quarter. In fact, the only time Sanchez and Manning are statistically even is when the game is tied. Quite simply, Manning needs to play well, and be able to account for the blitzes and disguised defenses that Rex Ryan will throw at him. The Eagles didn’t seem to have any problems last week, but this game is different. The Jets may have been looking ahead. With Jim Leonhard out, the Jets defense in the middle of the field has been suspect. If the G-Men had a healthy tight end, this would be an advantage that they could exploit. If Travis Beckum is healthy, this may help. The Giants wide receivers are good. Both Cruz and Nicks have the chance to beat Amani Toomer’s yardage record. They might have done it already if they could have remembered how to catch the ball. They will be matched against the Jets’ strength. Revis and Cromartie present different challenges, but they both have the ability to shut down the wideouts. Teams have been more successful challenging Cromartie, but the Giants must attack Revis to at least keep him honest.

The Giants get Baas back at center. This is a plus and a minus. Boothe was a better run blocker (the Giants rushing game improved with Boothe and Petrus in the lineup), but Baas is a better pass blocker. The Giants should attempt to run the ball, as the Jets D-Line appears to be their weak link. (more…)

According to Antrel Rolle, if the Giants and the Redskins played 100 times the Giants would win 99 of them They played each other twice in 2011, and the Redskins won both, so the law of averages was defied.

Quite honestly, this was an ugly effort. The Giants reverted to the ghost of seasons past, with dropped balls by wide open receivers, failure to protect the QB, interceptions be Eli Manning, and nothing in the way of a defensive effort. Playing against a Redskins line that was missing its two starting OT’s, the Giants defense registered 1 sack and allowed the ‘Skins 35 minutes of possession. The Giants number 1 draft choice wound up getting benched. The team managed to accumulate 8 penalties and showed no sense of urgency. The coaching staff didn’t appear to have put in an effective game plan, and what was installed wasn’t executed. If there was a bright spot for the G-Men, it was their special teams, which performed adequately.

Incredibly, the Giants still control their own destiny, and if they win out they go to the playoffs. If the Giants can play with fire and passion, they might get to the post season. If my aunt was a man she’d be my uncle. The odds makers have installed the Jets as three point favorites. Right now, I think that’s being charitable.

The Giants lost to the Redskins on opening day by the score of 28-14. I won’t kid you, the loss hurt, as we thought that the Giants were much better than the ‘Skins. The Redskins now pay a return visit to Jersey with a 4-9 record, while the Giants are fighting for the NFC East championship (face it, the wild card slot is likely out of the question. While the Redskins record is not that impressive, it’s better than is indicated. They’ve played alot of games close, and nearly beat the Patriots. More after the jump. (more…)

I’m happy to be wrong. I thought that, in spite of Eli Manning’s success in Dallas (2-0 before this game, now at 3-0) at the JerryDome, the Giants’ defense wouldn’t be able to contain Dallas’s potent offense. We had focused on DeMarcus Ware and his ability to sack the QB, plus the fact that Dave Diehl has had trouble with him in previous games. The Cowboys failed to register a sack in the game, and Ware left the game with an injury. When Eli Manning isn’t sacked, the Giants are 3-0 this season.

Coach Coughlin held firm. Ahmad Bradshaw missed curfew, and was held out for the first half. This was OK, as Brandon Jacobs decided to show up with 101 yards on 19 carries. DJ Ware scored another 2 point conversion, and the G-Men had a respectable 110 yards on the ground. Eli Manning now joins Dan Marino as the only players who have three 400 yard passing games in a season. Statistically, he was 27-47, and a sure TD catch by Mario Manningham only makes his statistics more impressive. Manning came through in the fourth quarter again. Down by 12 with 5 minutes and change? No sweat. The recivers all looked good,although Victor Cruz had something of a mixed bag.

Defensively, Jason Pierre Paul is a beast. His stats indicate that he was the dominant force that Ware wasn’t. The Giants other defensive players were lacking. Dallas gouged the Giants for 139 yards on the ground, and 305 in the air. In fact, Romo missing a wide open Austin saved the game for the Giants. Coach Coughlin was able to ice the Dallas kicker, and JPP blocked the second kick.

In the end, the Giants had what Napoleon requierd of his generals: good luck. Dallas lost this game as much as the G-Men won it. Now, here come the Redskins.

This week the Giants travel to Texas to take on Jerry Jones’s Dallas Cowboys.  The Giants are sporting a four game losing streak, although the last game against the Packers is being viewed optimistically. The Giants showed alot of fight in the loss, and came within a minute of forcing an overtime against the undefeated Pack. The Cowboys lost a heartbreaker to an inferior Cardinals team that could have been avoided. Basically, the Giants have to win three out of their next four to have a shot at the playoffs. Four wins would guarantee them the playoff slot, but that might be too much to ask for. The G-Men are choosing to look at the loss to GB as a flashback to their loss to the Patriots in 2007. They are hoping that the loss showed that they can come up big when things are on the line, and are viewing the next four games as playoff games.

Offensively, Eli manning is having another great season, and has developed a rhythym with his receivers. He also plays well against Dallas, with 26 career TD’s against the ‘Boys, the most of any opponent. In three of the last 4 games against them, he has thrown for over 300 yards and 2 TD’s, and has had four 300 yard games against Dallas, with three of those games coming in Texas. The Giants are 2-0 in the Jerry Dome, and Manning is 5-2 when playing in Dallas. The return of Ahmad Bradshaw seemed to rejuvenate the Giants’ rushing game to a serviceable level. The running attack doesn’t need to be great, just good enough to make the opponents think twice before committing to an all out rush against the Giants’ overmatched O-Line. Stacy Andrews is out with blood clots, Will Beatty has a detached retina, David Baas is plagued with headaches, everyone knows the drill. Mitch Petrus played well in the loss, and David Diehl slid outside to his natural left tackle slot. This matches him up against the first of Big D’s defenders, Demarcus (big D) Ware. In previous matchups Ware has handled Diehl effectively, so Bradshaw might be called on to help out in protection. The receiving corps looks relatively healthy, so this should be a strength for the G-Men. (more…)

This one hurts alot. To come so close and come up short…Well, let’s take a look at the various components of the Giants’ effort last weekend. On offense, the G-Men did ok. Manning was able to hook up with his receivers and exploit the Packers pass defense. Other than the pick six that he threw, Manning had a good game. His receivers were open, and he hit them consistently. Travis Beckum showed up with a 67 yard TD reception and run that had me comtemplating the headline Bend It Like Beckum. Victor Cruz and Hakeen Nicks were open all day, and the patch work line kept Eli upright. The refs blew the TD call with Ballard, and the running game got untracked. Bradshaw’s return was a huge benefit.Defensively, the Giants rushing defense showed up, but the pass D took a breather. Chase Blackburn’s INT pretty much cancelled out Eli’s INT, but the defense should be able to find a way to stop their opponents and force OT with only 58 seconds on the clock. (more…)

Green Bay has a wide array of options available to them. They pasted the Saints in the season opener, so logic would indicate that they should have little trouble with the G-Men. Statistically, the two teams appear even in many categories: The Pack is rated number 1 in pass offense, while the Giants are rated fifth. The Giants have a slight edge in pass defense, rated 18 versus the Packers’ 21. For run defense, the Giants are rated 20, while the pack comes in at number 27 in the league. On run offense, the Pack has a clear edge, as they rank at number 7, while the Giants’ anemic run offense is at 23rd in the league. Special teams for the Packers are 10th in the league, while the Giants are at number 18. The Packers pass defense rating may be a misleading statistic, as teams are forced to pass the ball in order to attempt a late game win or try for some late game heroics. The Packers D Backs play aggressively, as the defense has 22 takeaways. However, they have also given up 47 pass plays of 20 or more yards, the second most in the league. This plays into the strength of the Giants, as their passing attack is geared to a downfield orientation, rather  than the West Coast offense of dink and dunk. The Packers have a bend but don’t break philosophy, and tend to stiffen when the opponent gets into the red zone.  The Pack has also given up an average of 140.7 yards per game to their opponents two top receivers, which means that Eli could thrive. The G-Men use the long pass like San Diego, so it could work. If they dink and dunk, maybe not so much. (more…)