Aug 16, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) talks after the game with Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Hakeem Nicks (14) at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Game Time Situation:
This is a must win game for the Giants, if the lose this game they will be 3-5 and only one loss away to having an equivalent record with the worst team in the division, the Washington Redskins (ew, gross).
No one in Giants Nation or on the New York Football Giants team wants that stat accomplished. So — today is the day the team needs to step it up. It’s Eli Manning vs. Andrew Luck, Tom Coughlin vs. Chuck Pagano, Jason Pierre-Paul vs. Anthony Castonzo and Gosder Cherilus. GMEN HQ listed both tackles, because the Giants pass rush needs to mix it up with their best defender in order to get to Andrew Luck. They simply can’t give him time to throw the ball, if they do, they probably won’t win.
Players on the Giants defense like Prince Amukamara and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (if he plays) need to have their best games. Tonight, there will be no excuses for the Giants if they lose, so the bottom line is, these Giants players need to come in and play dominant winning football in their own house at MetLife Stadium.
They’re completely capable of doing just that, now they just need to actually go out there and do it, which is easier said than done. If the Giants win this one, the season is still on life-support, if they lose, break-out the urns and start gathering the GIANT ashes.
This is MUST-WIN Monday Night Football in Giants Nation tonight. Can they get it done?
Giants vs Colts – MNF
Game time: 8:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Announcers: Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden, Lisa Salters
Online Streaming: Audio Pass | Game Rewind
Odds: Colts -3 | Over/Under 50
Radio: Giants Radio Network — WFAN 660 AM and 101.9 FM (Bob Papa, Carl Banks, Howard Cross) | Giants Radio Network Local Affiliates | Giants Spanish Radio — WADO 1280 AM (Nestor Rosario, Francis Adames)
NFC East Standings
Eagles 6-2
Cowboys 6-3
Giants 3-4
Redskins 3-6
Colts Record
5-3 | 1st in AFC South
Injury Report
Giants: Out: RB Rashad Jennings (knee), DT Cullen Kenkins (calf);Questionable: CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (leg); Probable: DE Jason Pierre-Paul (shoulder), P Steve Weatherford (ankle).
Colts: DE Arthur Joens (ankle), LB Josh McNary (ankle), LB Erik Walden (quad).
Game Time Previews
Here’s one from Giants.com titled, Giants vs. Colts: 8 things to watch for… as the title suggests, it just gives you somethings to look for tonight as you watch the game. A couple of the best are:
"Playing above the X’s and O’s.Fresh off the bye week, coach Tom Coughlin gathered his team on the field after their first practice back on Monday and delivered the message that their nine-game season begins now. “I think the message also was that you look around the league and you see teams that are playing superbly that maybe hadn’t been playing superbly, so to me, we’ve got to play above the X’s and O’s,” Coughlin said. “We’ve got nine games to play as well as we can possibly play. I think anybody in that locker room can do that. They just have to realize the amount of the season and the schedule that’s gone by and yet, we have nine opportunities. Let’s go. One at a time.”Big plays coming?Much has been made this week about the Giants’ lack of big plays through their first leg of the season. The team is tied for 30th in the NFL with just 20 plays of 20 yards or more. But at the same time, the Giants are fourth in the league with just 33 negative plays. So does Coughlin want to sacrifice one for the other? “I don’t care how it comes,” he said. “Short pass and long run, long pass and long run, whatever it is, kickoff return, punt return, interception run to the end zone, we need more of them.”"
For the Colts.com website, their story was titled, Week Nine Preview: Indianapolis Colts @ New York Giants, and they have a couple of things you should skim over as well in terms of matchups:
"INTERESTING MATCHUPSColts pass rush versus the Giants offensive line: The often-critiqued Colts pass rush will once again be analyzed closely on Monday night. During the Colts five-game winning streak, the pass rush was a disruptive force. Last week against the Steelers, it was a struggle creating pressure. The Colts might also be without starting outside linebacker Erik Walden on Monday.Colts quarterback Andrew Luck versus the Giants secondary: Luck is back in the Monday night spotlight for the third time in his NFL career. Luck and the NFL’s best offense will see an attacking Giants defense that leads the league in interceptions per pass attempt. Can Luck move to within two games of the NFL record for most consecutive 300-yard contests (nine)?"