Sunday, November 16, 2008

Is anybody going to beat the Giants?


A lot of folks might think I'd be writing about the Titans, but I think the Giants are the team to beat in the NFL. The New York Giants are the most impressive team so far in '08. After 11 weeks, they lost only a single game to the Cleveland Browns.

Going into today's game against Baltimore, I was sure the Giants were ready for a big let down game. The Giants were coming off an emotional, rugged, hard earned, albeit defensively lacking, win at Philadelphia.
I thought the Ravens defense against the run was stellar. Shows what I know: third stringer Ahmad Bradshaw alone rushed for 95 yards! Brandon Jacobs scored two touchdowns and ran for 73 yards. The Giants as a team rushed for 207 total yards. Goodness gracious great Earth, Wind, and Fire!

I don't think Joe Flacco is a bad quarterback for the Ravens, but boy did the Giants pass rush make him look silly. The signature moment in today's game was when Aaron Ross returned a Flacco interception 53 yards for a score to put the game away.

I still can't believe, in a year rampant with mediocrity, that the Giants have played so well, so hard, and so consistently. Not only that, but the Giants do all this against stiff competition. You try playing the Steelers, Cowboys, Eagles, and Ravens all in a row and come out 4-0. It's as if the Giants are on a mission to prove last year was not a fluke.

Well let me come out and say: mission accomplished!

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Meanwhile, in the Music City, the Titans did a good job coming from behind, but I noticed in highlights that on two of Collins' touchdown passes, Justin Gage was WIDE OPEN. There wasn't a defender within 20 yards of him.

To be honest, both the Giants and Titans have played their fair share of cupcakes. A big test for the Titans will be the Jets next week, just as the Ravens were a big test for the G-Men. The Titans' big gauntlet is coming up. First the Jets at home, then in the last two weeks of the season they play Pittsburgh and Indy back to back.

Color me skeptical, but Tennessee's lack of wins against quality opponents sways me as a non-believer. The Giants, after playing some easy teams, imposed their will over the last month. I've been waiting for them to lay an egg versus a big-time team. I'm still waiting...

I think the debate will continue until both teams settle it on the field.

...in the Super Bowl!

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