Giants Offense vs Patriots Defense

Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride will have more weapons at his disposal this time around. Both RB Ahmad Bradshaw and WR Hakeem Nicks did not play in the earlier meeting. They both have been healthy and give the GMen an edge in this matchup. WR Mario Manningham, who has caught a TD in each of Big Blue’s playoff games and the dangerous WR Victor Cruz give Eli Manning a nice set of options when looking downfield. I know that the New England defense has improved and has sacked the QB 9 times in these playoffs but I believe Manning and company will be their stiffest competition. This will by no means be an easy task. Patriots DT Vince Wilfork can clog up the middle as well as any interior defensive lineman in the NFL. Guards Chris Snee and Kevin Booth, as well as Center David Baas will need to divert Wilfork’s rush so that Manning can drop back unscathed. Although the Patriots didn’t record a sack in the previous meeting, you can expect Bill Belichick’s defensive scheme to be designed to disrupt Manning’s rhythm. Eli can move around in the pocket and is quick enough to set his feet and get velocity on the ball, but if the tackles Diehl and McKenzie don’t protect him from outside rushers the effectiveness of the passing game will be neutralized.

The Giants offense continues to be able to move the ball. There is a quiet confidence emanating from this unit. It all starts with Manning. He took an absolute pounding from the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship game. But he was able to get up and move on to the next play and be successful.

Giants Defense vs Patriots Offense

The Patriots offense doesn’t have the deep threat off years past but Tom Brady does have a progression of talented targets to go through. WR Wes Welker is quick off the line and gets yards after the catch. He will probably be covered by Giant CB Corey Webster.  Two others who also are tough to cover are tight ends Rob Gronkowski(recovering from a high ankle sprain) and Aaron Hernandez. Of course Brady has old stand-by WR Deion Branch to get the ball to as well. The Patriots love to throw the ball, although running backs  Ben Jarvis Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead provide Brady with candidates for an inside handoff out of the shotgun formation. New England will go no-huddle in an effort to keep the tempo up and keep any special player personnel packages for Big Blue on the sideline. This may not be effective as the Giants defense has talented players who can play multiple positions. The Giants will need to pressure Brady because if they sit back he will pick them apart. Big Blue’s defensive lineman(Tuck,Pierre-Paul,Umenyiora,Canty,Joseph,Tollefson,et al) must continue to pressure the QB and disrupt Brady’s hot routes. When Brady is able to complete the pass the GMen must swarm to the ball and get the player down on the ground.

Special Teams

These units may decide the game. Whether it’s maintaining or taking advantage of field position these units will have a heavy influence. The Giants Devin Thomas recovered 2 fumbles on special teams in the NFC Championship game. Neither team is a real threat to take one back. The two teams combined only returned one kick/punt  for a TD all season. That was a return by the Patriots Julian Edelman. The kickers are both very good. Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes once again kicked an OT winner to propel the GMen to a Super Bowl meeting with the Patriots. New England kicker Steven Gostkowski is always in the top echelon of the position in the NFL. Either player is capable of hitting the big kick. Lucas Oil Stadium is an indoor stadium so conditions will be perfect.

Prediction

I expect another thriller for all 4 quarters and maybe overtime! The last team with the ball wins. It’s been the Big Blue script all season. I believe the GMen will finish the job in yet another classic. Giants 24 Patriots 23

Related Posts

Four years ago the New York Giants shocked the world. They upset the mighty undefeated Patriots and went on to win the Lombardi that year. This year, the stakes are much higher. The Patriots as a team are out for revenge, looking to avenge the lone blemish of their 2008 dream season. This game isn’t just an epic rematch; it’s a battle of quarterbacks looking to cement their legacy. If Eli wins, he will have officially overshadowed his big brother Peyton who only has one ring; if he loses he’ll forever have to hear that he isn’t better than Peyton. Tom Brady on the other hand is working on his case for the greatest quarterback of all time. If he wins, the discussion begins if he’s the greatest. If he loses, he will forever have on his record that he lost to the same team, twice, in the biggest game of the year.  Sunday in Indianapolis all this will be decided.

The Giants pulled off the impossible again this season, barely winning their last two games to get into the playoff’s then pounding the Atlanta Falcons in the first round. They then went into Lambeau Field and knocked off the Packers. Last weekend they cemented their trip to Indianapolis with a thrilling overtime victory over the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. The Patriots on the other hand hit cruise control from Week 1 and are firing on all cylinders coming into Sunday’s game.

The Giants need to use their powerful defense line to harass Brady if they want to have a chance at winning the game. The Patriots on the other hand are hoping for a mistake free game and will put everything on the line to stop the late game of heroics of Eli Manning should it come to that again.

To leave you hanging I’m not going to make a prediction. This isn’t just any old football game. This is a 60 minute war to cement legacies and make careers. Careers will be defined on how guys perform Sunday and I expect nothing less than a dogfight for the entire 60 minutes.

Related Posts

By Michelle Zehr

Zehr is a contributor with Gold Star Games, your tailgating  games supply company.

With a victory in Super Bowl XLVI versus the New York Giants can Bill Belichick close in on cementing his legacy as the great football coach of all time?

Currently, Belichick would not match former Pittsburgh Steeler head coach, Chuck Noll. Noll is the only head coach with four Super Bowl Rings. On the other hand, Belichick would be the first coach in history to have six rings as a head coach as well as a coordinator.  Previously, Belichick won two titles with the Giant’s defense under the direction of head coach, Bill Parcells.

As of today (just days leading up to the Super Bowl), Belichick’s resume is packed full of accomplishments that put him up there with some of the best head coaches ever to be a part of the National Football League; such as Bill Walsh and Joe Gibbs. Walsh and Gibbs are the only head coaches with three Super Bowl rings to their names. With Sunday’s upcoming Super Bowl appearance, Belichick will match Tom Landry. This found tie him for second place in Super Bowl appearances falling just behind Don Shula, with six Super Bowl appearances. However, we also need to keep in mind that Shula has four Super Bowl losses and Landry has three losses to his name.

Bill Belichick is the only head coach to ever win three Super Bowls without four years. He also has 17 playoff victories, which places him in third with all-time playoff victories. Many supporters indicate that if Belichick remains with the New England Patriots throughout Tom Brady’s career, he will likely top the list of coaches with the most playoff victories.  One thing that Belichick has going for him that none of the greats of the past do is that Belichick has had success while working with a salary cap.

Sure Belichick has a very impressive resume. Belichick does have one very negative aspect to his resume, a scandal that he may never live down. Do you all remember the Spygate Scandal? The 2007 NFL controversy regarding the New England Patriot’s videotaping. The New England Patriots were disciplined by the NFL for videotaping the New York Jets’ defensive coaching signals. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell deemed this to be in violation of league rules. Belichick was fined $500,000 and the Patriots were fined $250,000. Additionally, the team was docked their original first round draft pick in the 2088 NFL draft.

Another downfall to Belichick’s coaching career centers around the last time the Patriots met the Giants in the Super Bowl. The Giant’s put an end to the perfect season of the Patriots. This has since been a major blemish on Belichick’s resume.

Like most coaches, Belichick has his pros and cons. When it comes to the numbers, Belichick has the stats to become a legacy. When it comes to the cheating, Belichick may have a hard time living that one down.

Related Posts

Giants +3 vs. Patriots

With the Super Bowl finally here, the Guru acts like the groundhog and comes out after a several week hiatus to give his free pick for the  Super Bowl, against the spread.  For the season we posted a documented 58% mark picking games against the spread, a decent winning percentage but the lowest since the inception of nflandcollegefootball.com.  However, in my career picking games against the spread, this game, which happens to be the Super Bowl, may be my favorite of all time.

On to my free pick.

There is only one stat you need to know for this game.  In the 3 games that the Patriots were held to twenty points or lower (Giants, Pittsburgh and Dallas) all three teams had one thing in common.  They could rush the passer.  The New York football Giants can rush the passer, and should get in Brady’s face early.  The Patriots weapons are all in the middle of the field with Welker, Hernandez, and Gronk, which will make them a little easier to defend if the Giants can get some pressure up the middle.  The Giants secondary can look horrible at times, but they have defended the TE’s extremely well all year (except the 49ers game) I think the Giants hold the Patriots to 20.  As for the Giants, they match up very well against the Patriots on offense.  The combination of Cruz, Manningham, and  Nicks will be too much for the Patriots to handle.  Free pick for the Super Bowl….Giants 26- Pats 20

Related Posts

So I didn’t watch it this year, as a matter of fact I never really watch it. I may flip to see what the score is every couple of years. Brandon Marshall put on a show I guess? Andy Dalton had a good performance as the second half quarterback for the AFC, and that’s great.

But none of the Pats or Giants were there and so many stars just decide not to show up. It was no different when it was played after the Super Bowl, we dealt with the same issues.

So I have a solution, why not take the Pro Bowl and move it to Hall of Fame Weekend in August? It would take all the hype after the draft and the build up to the season when fans are frothing at the mouth after not having pro football for 6 months and give us something to watch.

Even though watching real NFL starters play a quarter and then backups go at it for 3 more is great. But why not take a game that isn’t really super serious and allow fans a chance to see the best players in the league.

Players will be healed, fans will be interested and its a natural match up of the best players in NFL history and the best NFL players of today.

Correct me if I am wrong, but there isn’t a major event surrounding the Hall of Fame Game that would prohibit anyone from participating or a full on war that is the NFL season directly prior to the Hall of Fame Game.

A rookie game would be so much more interesting with players that have just been drafted seeing they’re first action in front of fans after 3 months of waiting to see how they’re favorite teams draft choices will look on the field.

Build on the hype of us missing you for months NFL, play the Pro Bowl in the summer, hell call it the Hall of Fame Game, its not like anyone cares at this point anyways.

Related Posts

Since the inception of football at the U of O their overall record is 596 wins 477 loses and 46 ties, paling in comparison to true dynasties as USC, Alabama, Oklahoma and Texas. The Ducks bowl record is 10-15, and 3-7 in major bowls, and just 2-4 when playing in the Rose Bowl. Playing in a bowl game consistently only over the last 15 or so years.

During their existence Oregon has had a mere 28 All-Americans, the majority coming the past 20 years, they have no Heisman winners, receiving their only invitee’s in the last 5 years. With just a hand full of names that had great success in the NFL, Norm Van Brocklin, Mel Renfro, Ahmad Rashad known as Bobby Moore during his time in Eugene, and their two highest draft picks being QB’s Akili Smith and Joey Harrington, each taken with the overall third pick, both struggling to live up to such a lofty selection.

Then there’s the in-state rivalry against Oregon St, which over the last decade and a half has been mostly one-sided the Ducks way, was fairly even up to that point. What about their enability to beat Boise St University at pivotal points in their rise over the last ten years. Or even this year’s surprising defeat at the hands of what was supposed to be a down Trojan team in Autzen Stadium their revered home.

I want to believe the hype when speaking of The U of O and greatness or dynasty. The fact is those two words equal decades of consistency in winning, multiple National Championships, numerous Heisman recipients, recruiting 5-star athletes, the ability to defeat the teams you should beat, and defending your home field no matter who comes a calling. I’d say they’ve got one decade down with a few more to garner, with the backing of Phil Knight and Nike there’s obviously no shortage of funding and support . With that the fans and residents of this beautiful state are delusional, but definitely have visions of grandeur for the future!

Related Posts

Well, maybe not that savior, but former Broncos Defensive Coordinator Dennis Allen’s defense sure kept they’re games low scoring and close enough for Timmy T. to get those heroics going in the 4th Quarter.

That’s exactly what the Raiders are hoping that he will be able to do for they’re cast of characters for seasons to come inthe Bay Area. Prior to his gig as DC for Denver, Dennis Allen held positions with the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcolns after a successful stints at Tulsa and his almamater Texas A&M.

With Carson Palmer able to have a full off season and training camp under one system after having taken half of 2011 off, and Darren McFadden back from injury. It will be very interesting who Allen fills the offensive coaching side with to further the development of an offensive that has shown flashes of potential.

Needless to say Allen has his hands full as the Raiders were 8-8, good enough for 3rd place in a very weak AFC west.

He and new General Manager Reggie McKenzie will be tasked with getting the Raiders over the hump to compete with the Charger’s Phillip Rivers, Kansas City Chiefs Matt Cassell and up and coming Broncos QB Tim Tebow twice a year.

Since the death of longtime owner and assumed dictator Al Davis, the Raiders organization has been through a multitude of changes. Here is to hoping that these two men now in charge of this franchise are able to right the ship and return this once proud organization back to prominance.

You never know with the Raiders, but with the potential for them to move out of the Bay Area because of stadium issues and into a new facility back in Los Angeles, Allen may just have gotten one of the better jobs out there if he is able to hold onto it for that long.

This should be an interesting upcoming year for the silver and black, will the Carson Palmer gamble pay off? Will McFadden assume his position as one of the top rushers in the league. Will a young receiving core continue to to grow into a productive unit?

Heading into next season we’ll all be interested to see how the first Raiders sans Al Davis begins. Dennis Allen sure has a lot on his hands.

Related Posts

Who would have thought when the Hoodie was canned from his first NFL coaching job by the then Cleveland Browns (BTW now the Ravens team they beat in Sunday) after a 36-44 record in 4 seasons that 5 years later he would take over New England Patriots squad and turn them into a dynasty?

Since taking over for Pete Carroll in 2000 the Patriots have an overall record of 154-58, including the playoffs, going 3-1 in Super Bowls. And all of this has been done with a rapidly changing cast of characters, postings playing positions on both sides of the ball and assistant coaches that are constantly being promoted.

Does Belichick rank up there with some of the all time greats like George Allen, Don Shula or Paul Brown. If you count wins and championships he’s most definatrly in the same class. For a coach to have seen such tremoundous success over an extended among of time during the free agency era, something many of the all time greats didn’t have to deal with, is almost unheard of.

But as his career isn’t over yet, The Hoodie still has time to pad his coaching stats and could start in a big was by defeating the Giants in Indianapolis to add his 4th Super Bowl win to join the ranks of coaches with the most Super Bowl Rings.

I’m guessing the best way to judge how truely great of a head coach Belichick is will be to see how his teams perform after Tom Brady is gone. Matt Cassels success during the 2008 season showed what we might be looking forward to, but it’s much more difficult to have success over an extended amount of time.

For, me he is definately in the conversation. We’ll reserve the end of this argument for after Super Sunday.

Related Posts

Joe Paterno to me is like Jason Voorhies from the Friday the 13th movies, He just keeps coming back, and coming back! I have been a Seminole fan for a very long time, which also makes me one of the biggest Bobby Bowden fans alive! I have been bitter about Joe Pa ever since FSU basically fired Bowden. Wrong reason to be bitter about a person I don’t even know, right? One of the reasons behind all that was that they were both in a race to see who would have the most all time wins in division 1A, and of course Joe Pa was able to stay and hold a record that will never be beaten in this new age of college football!

I bring this subject up because Joe has now passed away. Sad subject no matter how you look at it! Wife has lost a husband, children have lost a father, and Happy Valley has lost a Legend. There are many sad parts about this whole story and what has happened, and I am going to give you a few of them that come to mind.

When a Legend dies, It should be the most talked about thing on television, which it wasn’t, at least not from what I saw. There were glimpses and specials that you had to wait until a certain time to see. I wasn’t the “Headliner” that it should have been. It didn’t hit people the way it should have, and it all stems from what has happened in the last few months at Penn St.

When I heard the news Sunday morning, I was shocked, but it didn’t make me very sad. I’m sorry if that makes me seem cold and hearless, but that’s the way I feel! I wish that he had a little more time to tell his side of the story, like he was supposed to. but he doesn’t. We will never know exactly what happened from his perspective, and the sad truth is that we will always wonder why he didn’t do more to protect those kids, and what was going through his mind this whole time.

Joe Pa died as “The Legend” and also “The Guy Who Did Nothing” to help out the victims in this whole ordeal im my mind. I’m sure that many others feel the same way that I do, especially the ones who also have children. In the 45 years that Joe coached for Penn State, and all the great things that he has done for the organization, the thing that he will most likely be remembered for is being “Fired” because he did nothing! Sad! Sad! Sad!

They say he died because of lung cancer, is it true? Would he have lived a little longer if he would have been allowed to coach this last bowl season, and been able to retire on his own terms? Or was it heartbreak that did him in like Paul Bryant, who died 37 days after he retired? Either way, May he rest in peace, and let all this madness die with him and bring peace to all the victims. My heart goes out to the wife and family, and hopefully after this is all over with, his name will be cleared and “Happy Valley” will be happy once again!

A legend or the man that did nothing, how will you remember Joe?

Related Posts

No related posts.

It’s obvious from watching the NFC and AFC Championship Games on Sunday that both featured very evenly matched teams. With both games coming down to the wire and football being a game of inches, it takes very few mistakes to change the outcome of the game in one direction or another.

That being said, this Monday we are posed with a question. Which player is the biggest goat? Is it Billy Cundiff and his chip shot, wide left field goal to sink the Ravens chances of taking the Patriots to overtime? Or Kyle Williams and his two fumbles that lead to Giants scores late in the game with the 49ers?

Cundiff the journeyman kicker for the Baltimore Ravens, who spent much of the 2000′s without a meaningful roster spot, was a pro bowler last year and signed in the offseason to a 5 year $15 million dollar contract to provide stability in the Ravens kicking game. With the Ravens defense able to solve the Patriots offensive riddle for most of the afternoon on Sunday, and Joe Flacco able to drive down the field so easily against the Patriots secondary, Cundiff must have prepared himself for the possability of a game tying field goal. Now I will give him this, the hold was off, we could all see that. Also, Gillette Stadium in January isn’t one of the friendliest enviroments for any opposing player, much less a journeyman kicker.

But after all of that is said and done, when given a chance to give your team an opportunity to go to the promiseland, one must seize the it when it arises. Much time, effort and money has been invested to let the specific goal slip away by not performing a task you’ve done thousands of times.

Kyle Williams, the second year wide out from Arizona State, started in place of the injured Ted Ginn Jr. His 4th quarter fumble was bad enough, leading to a Giants touchdown, but no one could have expected him to do it again. Especially so deep in 49ers territory, basically handing the game to the Giants with another chip shot field goal to end it.

It is my belief that Kyle Williams two fumble performance trumps the Billy Cundiff botched field goal for two reasons;

1.) When kicking field goals there are numerous variables

2.) Cundiff didn’t shank 2 field goals, just one.

If Williams had only muffed the one punt return that allowed the Giants to score at least he had the opportunity to be redeemed in overtime had the 49ers been able to pull it out. He put the Giants in position to score twice, which they did, one in sudden death to send the Giants to Indy.

In the AFC game, the Patriots drove down the field and after numerous attempts put themselves ahead. Flacco did his job and got the Ravens down the field, but failed to get them into the endzone. Cundiff never once put the Pats into position to score, he certainly didn’t assist the team by failing to give them an opportunity to drive the field again.

With that being said, I officially crown 49ers WR Kyle Williams as Biggest Goat of the 2012 NFL Playoffs.

Related Posts