No problem bro I always enjoy a good debate. I see your points and they are all sound. First off let me say I honestly think the giants can win this ball game. I am not one of those NE fans who thinks we are unbeatable. Imo the pats will win this ball game , and heres why.
Your points. I think you make a good point about the pass rush. If you have noticed Maroney is a cut back runner. He has power , but he runs best bouncing to the outside or cutting back as the line pulls. I agree with you 100 percent when you have pass rushers like the giants do, if the line is not holding there blocks , Maroney can and he been limited.The only counter I have to this point is the absence of Stephen Neal and Nick Kaszur the last time they play. As you know Kyle Brady was also missing. When he is on the field he is like a extra o linemen. That said there is not way the pats line will hold of that rush for the whole game. Just to good. I am pretty impressed with Strahan's ability to bull rush and also speed rush the QB. I think the pats having there starters playing on the ride side will be a bit better this time around. One interesting note I saw with the pats over the last two games is the power running formation's and extra te's they are using to pound the ball. A wrinkle I think they held back on until now. I don't really have any beef with anything you said. You make some excellent points. I can only offer my opinion on the difference this time. I don't think a dump off game to faulk and Maroney would be a bad thing. The pats used to be the screen pass kings. Maroney and Faulk are playmakers who can take one to the house at any time. Imo the giants did a great job vs the gb screen game so I am not so confident as I type this.
I think your game plan is a good one. The only flaw I see in that logic is Ben Watson up the seams. If The g men are going to rush the passer like crazy , and they are wiling to allow things underneath, I think its only a matter of time until the safety's bite on a playaction pass and or screen and the deep ball comes out. Imo its a pick your poisen type deal. Stop the deep ball and deal with Welker , Gaff , and Watson in the seams and up the middle. Stop those guys and deal with Moss and Stallworth long. Then there is the running game. I think the pats in the end have a little to much for the G men to handle and lose this one by 10 points. Now this is just my opinion of course. Not taking a thing away from the g men , they have been playing grade A ball. On the defensive side of the ball , when the pats started applying pressure to Eli in the second half that is when they started to gain control on the line. It remains to be seen how Eli will handle the exotic stuff. As of right now he looks like he will handle it well.
I think the G men have a damn good offensive unit right now. I am worried about Plex on Hobbs. Eli is playing lights out right now. The g men have a killer rush. I am also worried about the giants running game. Christ , you guys have so many good backs its scary. Can the pats aging lb's hold jacobs to respectable numbers? Im not so sure. Can hobbs cover Plex? Im not so sure. Toomer is a beast to boot. Should be a great game.
it's funny. as you may be able to tell, i'm a giants fan, but i don't think we can beat NE- they just have too many weapons offensively. no one talks about their defense though, and when they do it is usually to focus on seau's age and i have been gald to see him step up and prove the nay sayers wrong. as good as they are on offensive, they are defensively complete.
i have been saying since week 4 this was the best team i think i had ever seen and layed a sizable bet with a friend at that time they'd go undefeated and win the SB.
the think that struck me most in your post as the absolute truth is that the giants have to be very careful not to bite on PA and give up the deep ball. if the giants get blown out, it will be by the deep ball, thats why it is so important for them to only give up managable yardage. i am surprised what alot of people that have thought was a weak secondary have stepped up and played very well. the challenge the secondary will face next week is too not give up yardage in the form of penalties.
i like the way the recievers matchup against NE. i also like the way the giants are balancing thier attack- they have been moving the ball well on the ground and giving manning a comfort zone of not having to put the ball up in order to come from behind. offensively the two most important unknowns for me will be if manning can handle the pressure of his first SB, and if toomer can pick up the ball. this team lead the league in dropped passes but in the last 4 games they have been catching the ball and manning has been making good decisions. this has to continue, but toomer needs to step up. i also like the way the giants o-ilne stack up against new englands d-line. that will be a great battle as well.
in all the giants need to be very stout defensively. this is where they will win or lose the game. they are going to have to roll the dice at times and bring pressure and hope they can get to brady before he can expose the secondary for big yardage. they are going to have to convert 7 instead of 3 in the red zone. they have to do so much to win this game, but sadly for me, all NE has to do is keep playing he way they have all year.
in my eyes, this is NE's game to lose, but i think if the spread does stay at 12.5 the giants will cover.
