A few days ago the NY Times Fifth Down asked the question- which team/s have the ability to beat the Giants. Let’s analyze which kinds of matchups would give the Giants the biggest problems, and then see if there are any teams out there that possess those qualities.
Versus the Giants Defense
Steve Spagnuolo has been adept at covering up weaknesses with other defensive strengths. None of the Giants cornerbacks are considered cover corners, but they are big enough and physical enough to play bump and run. When given enough time, our LBers (versus the TE) and/or secondary are as vulnerable as anyone else in coverage. We have seen good Tight Ends gash this team. To me, that is the secret sauce... good protection for a good QB who will then find that TE..that is where we are vulnerable. Summary: a strong OL which can pass protect combined with a good QB can have success against the Giants. When healthy, Dallas has that.
Versus the Giants Offense
Sorry, not to sound too arrogant (when have I ever been arrogant?) but this Offense's only weakness is their conservatism. We have discussed ad nauseum about reaching their potential with #44. The Giants offense does not have any real weakness. All defenses like to rattle the opposing QB, but Eli has such a good OL that he simply does not get the kind of consistent pressure to make that a factor. We have seen Manning get careless with the ball, but that was almost as a direct result of having such supreme confidence in his OL that he forgets that he does have to get rid of the ball eventually(!). Summary: none.
We posed the same question to Wonder:
think NYG wins SB....in order to beat jints:
1. MUST control NY running game..if it means run blitzes, 8 in the box, etc..so be it...which means a GREAT one on one secondary..
2. MUST be able to RUN and then PASS (play action, etc.) so that:
a. DL just can't "tee off" on QB...; and
b. QB/WR's must have a GAME PLAN to take advantage of NY weak secondary...their TE must be effective
As for the team to do that ?? you would need a combo of TN,BALT, NYJ for Run D..some great DB's, great LB's from Oak, TN ...as for their OFFENSE....would need TN's physical OL and running game, IND/NE wr's, and a Peyton Manning control the field/clock kind of QB...does any ONE team have ALL that ?? NOOOOOO!!!!!!
closest team ?? IF, IF, IF they can "get in", I think the Cowboys are still a threat...I don't think Ariz or Caro have enough...and as for TN, I just think if you shut down their run game, they can be beat..I know I'm biased, but actually NYJ IF they shore up their pass D, is exactly the type of team to beat NYG- great run D with Jenkins, etc.(assuming Harris gets back), developing Offense with TIME CONSUMING drives (again, assumes no bad INT's), great, scary return specialist...and a good, if not spectular OL with a GREAT TE and TOUGH RB who can not only gain tough yds, but pick up rushers..but JETS achilles heel is DEF coord. and pathetic secondary "bend/don't break" play.
Ultimatenyg here... the bottomline is that no single team has all the parts to make it happen. If the Giants stay healthy they have the inside track.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Reverse Engineering: Finding the team with the kryptonite to defeat the gmen
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7 comments:
The fact is that the Giants are probably vulnerable to every team remaining on the schedule from hurting themselves. On offense: Some sloppy Eli play. On defense: a couple of big plays downfield, or some over-pursuit that wiffs on misdirection. We know the Giants have it in them to blow it against inferior opposition. My biggest worry is probably special teams, where sooner or later we'll get burned on lousy kickoff coverage (kick the damn ball in the endzone already).
This week's game against Arizona is concerning because the pass rush seems to have evaporated. We'll need it big time to keep Warner from shredding a banged up secondary.
Having said that, I do think this team is stronger and more disciplined than many in the past. There is clearly no team in the league who would be significantly favored against the Giants.
on any given sunday, any team can beat the Giants. Look at the Browns!
Right now, I am fearful of a healthy and resilient Dallas team.
They can truly upset the Giants in the playoffs
Likewise, my biggest concern is Dallas. When Witten gets healthy and a healthy Romo they can attack the middle of the field. Romo's ability to scramble out of trouble sets up big plays against their weakness. The O needs to become Obamaesque in their play calling and out score them.
Hopefully, Dallas will implode as projected and Wade Phillips continues to use his intellect (idiotcy).
AZ concerns me as this will be interesting to watch with the matchups of 2ndary and their WRs.
The Giants most dangerous adversaries are complacency, overconfidence & injuries.
Can they win again in the postseason when NOT an underdog ?
I'm concerned about another Cleveland type letdown. It might be better to lose a few games in late season,as a kind of wake up call for postseason.
I feel the 2nd Dallas game will proove a major challenge. Away, and with Dallas seeking revenge.
I am concerned every week about our opponents. This week it is Arizona and they have a tremendous passing game. Our pass rush has not been what it was earlier in the season but I still have to give credit to our opposition because all the OC's are gearing their game plans to combat this. Having said that, we always seem to have the most trouble with mobile QB's which Warner is not. AZ's run game is poor. They are 29th in the league with 869 total rush yds, so I think Spags will have them "pinning their ears back" and putting tremendous pressure on Kurt Warner.
on another note...
If you think the Giants were angry last year when they sent one player to the Pro Bowl while the Cowboys sent 13? Well, the champs might be on the verge of being slighted again.
With three weeks to go in the fan balloting on NFL.com, which counts for one-third of the selection process, the Washington Redskins lead in 16 of the 19 position categories in the NFC. They also have four of the top 10 overall NFL vote-getters.
Eli Manning (fourth) is the only Giant in the overall top 10. And DE Justin Tuck is the only Giant leading the voting at his position.
I think that chip on their shoulder is getting very heavy...
i agree a healthy cowboys offense gives anyone trouble and they could beat the giants. the giants would still score, but the cowboys are very capable of big plays. of course, dallas is their own worse enemy and doesn't have the character of ny. let's hope we don't see a reversal of last year where dallas ruled the season but got knocked off by the giants in a playoff's nail biter.
i'm not worried about complacency, but injuries can pop up at any time.
ko coverage has been troublesome, but tynes helps with longer kos.
The idea that the Giants secondary is a "weak link" is comical. Is it a squad of future HOFers? NO. But they are very competent. Besides I'm old enough to remember the 85 Bears, they said the same thing. Giants aren't in 85 Bears class, but I don't think that you can isolate any "part" of a defense. Giants pass D, includes the pass rush. No one has solved it yet (only short crossing stuff into the teeth of the D, which leads to turnovers)
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