Tag archives for new york giants

NFC East at the halfway point

9th November 2009 by SportsFags under NFL     

What many saw as the best division in all of football prior to the season has been just slightly above average through the first half of the season. I thought the Eagles and Giants would finish 1-2 with the Cowboys finishing a close third, and while I may have gotten the teams right at the midway point, my ordering was out of whack.

Dallas Cowboys 6-2

Tony Romo is flourishing with Miles Austin's emergence

Tony Romo is flourishing with Miles Austin's emergence

Big Surprise – Pre season expectations were dampened a bit after the team folded at the end of last season. For the Cowboys to be a full game ahead of Philadelphia and in sole possession of first place in the NFC East is the biggest surprise for this team.

Good news - The emergence of Miles Austin as the best receiver on the team is primarily due to Austin being the best route runner on the team. It’s amazing how much of a better quarterback one becomes when his receivers are where they’re supposed to be when the ball is thrown. So, as Austin emerged as a reliable receiver, quarterback Tony Romo’s decision making suddenly improved as well.

Bad news – Roy Williams’ inconsistency and poor workout habits have been a distraction. He leads the team in dropped passes and media coverage, not a good combination, just ask Terrell Owens. The Cowboys recent history suggests they fall apart in the second half of the season.

DeSean jackson is one of the young weapons McNabb has in his arsenal

DeSean jackson is one of the young weapons McNabb has in his arsenal

Philadelphia Eagles 5-3

Big surprise – How little of an impact, both on the field and off, that Michael Vick has had in Philadelphia.

Good news – Young offensive weapons DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and LeSean McCoy have progressed nicely, giving McNabb some talent around him. Even with the loss of their Defensive Coordinator prior to the season, the defense is just as physical and tough to score on as last year. The 20 points put on the board by the Cowboys this week was only the second time a team has scored more than 17 points on the Eagles all season.

Bad news – The eagles have only beaten one team with a winning record, that coming against the Giants, a team in the midst of a four game losing streak. They also have an unexplainable loss to the Oakland Raiders, good teams should not lose to the Oakland Raiders of 2009. The remaining schedule which includes road games against San Diego, Chicago, Atlanta, NY Giants and Dallas, and home versus the Broncos, is brutal.

New York Giants 5-4

The Giants defense has failed them in the first half of 2009

The Giants defense has failed them in the first half of 2009


Big Surprise – The Giants find themselves on a four game losing streak and just a half game ahead of the Atlanta Falcons for what would be the final playoff spot.

Good news – The Giants finally get their bye week and have two weeks to prepare for the Falcons at Giants stadium. At times, the offense has gotten on a roll but they’re inconsistent at best.

Bad news – In the four game losing streak the defense is giving up an average of 33 points per game and the once vaunted pass defense has given up 11 TDs in the last four games, including three to Phillip Rivers this past Sunday. Like the Eagles, the Giants have beaten only one team with a winning record and the schedule gets much tougher in the second half.

Redskins GM Vinny Cerrato can't even pick out nice pants to wear.

Redskins GM Vinny Cerrato can't even pick out nice pants to wear.

Washington Redskins 2-6
Big Surprise – Fans, current players and former players alike, all publicly pointing to the front office and ownership as the reason for the Redskins 2-6 record.

Good news – Defense has kept the Redskins in every game this year. Atlanta’s 14-point victory against the Redskins on Sunday was the first game the Redskins have lost by more than 10 points this season.

Bad news – Whether it’s been Head Coach Jim Zorn or newly appointed Offensive Coordinator Sherm Lewis calling the plays, the offense has failed to score more than 17 points in a single game this season.

Yet, looking ahead, the really bad news is that Redskins Owner Dan Snyder seems unwilling to do anything about General Manager Vinny Cerrato. Under Cerrato’s stewardship, the Skins are approaching levels of futility not seen since Matt Millen left the Detroit Lions for the broadcast booth.

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Five pivotal football games with five big questions

6th November 2009 by SportsFags under College Football, NFL     

Five games across the football world this weekend will go a long way in separating the good from the mediocre and each game has a big question that must be answered.

Can LSU keep the ball away from Mark Ingram?

Can LSU keep the ball away from Mark Ingram?

Can LSU run the ball effectively enough to upset Alabama?
Both teams have first year quarterbacks, in Jordan Jefferson and Greg McElroy, who’ve struggled at times. The key to this game will be whether the surprisingly ineffective LSU running game, which finally broke out last week against Tulane, can keep the ball away from Mark Ingram and the Crimson Tide’s powerful rushing attack. I’ve had LSU all year as my surprise team all year so I can’t jump off the train before it rolls into Tuscaloosa.

Can Terrelle Pryor prove himself in a big game?
Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor has the lowest pass completion percentage amongst all Big 10 QBs at just 54% but the Buckeyes, along with Iowa, have over come his struggles and are in position to win the Big 10 should they win out. A loss at Penn State, who’s getting better defensively, would be another disappointing loss for Pryor and the Buckeyes.

Are the NY Giants for real or real bad?
By elevating the status of this week’s game against San Diego to that of a must win, New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin put some serious pressure on his team. The Giants issues must be bigger than a three game losing streak if the normally even-keeled head coach is resorting to pumping up a mid-season game to get his team motivated.

Can the Eagles defense force Romo mistakes?

Can the Eagles defense force Romo mistakes?

Who’s the team to beat in the NFC East?
Sunday’s night Cowboys vs. Eagles contest is the NFC’s marquee matchup and will go a long way towards determining the winner of the East. Both teams have rolled up some big numbers offensively with some non-marquee players. The difference here will be who’s defense will be able to force more turnovers to keep the ball away from the other team’s offense.

Can the Colts overcome injuries to remain unbeaten?
Earlier this week the Colts lost CB Marlin Jackson for the rest of the season with a torn ACL and late word today is that Safety Bob Sanders will have season ending surgery on his torn bicep. Add that to CB Kelvin Hayden’s knee injury which is expected to sideline him for a month and the Colts have big issues in the secondary. The Texans have been pointing to this game as a chance to prove themselves.

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Explosive Eagles will capture the NFC

11th September 2009 by SportsFags under NFL     

It’s always a tricky proposition to pick conference winners before the season starts and although I wavered a bit with my NFC pick I’m feeling confident now. Predictions are flawed in nature because you can’t factor in injuries and depth only becomes a factor if injuries are a problem. The X factor with me is that ‘been there, done that’ swagger and attitude that comes with experience. When I can’t decide based on personnel alone, I ask myself which team has more experience winning when it counts. Not preseason or regular wins but playoff wins.

eagles dSo when it came down to the final two in the NFC, the Eagles and the Giants, I settled on the Eagles because of their playoff experience. After all, the Eagles knocked what is essentially the same Giants team out of the playoffs last year and McNabb has guided Philly to the NFC championship game five times.

The Eagles led the NFC in defense last year and many have pointed to the loss of defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, who died of cancer in July, as a reason the Eagles will slide. Hogwash! If Philadelphia had decided to change their defensive philosophy then I might’ve subscribed to this belief. Philosophy in Philadelphia is based on the organizations’ culture not on just one coordinator’s beliefs. Even with the loss of Brian Dawkns and Stewart Bradley, torn ACL, the Eagles will continue their aggressive physical brand of defense.

jason_petersIn 2008, the Eagles were one of only three teams to finish in the NFL’s top 10 both offensively and defensively. However, McNabb was benched by coach Andy Reid. Most experts figured the Eagles needed to upgrade on the defensive side of the ball during the offseason and were confused by their draft and acquisitions. Really? What don’t they understand? Only the Steelers and Ravens allowed fewer yards per game last year and the offense was inconsistent and lacked big-play ability.

Adding two-time Pro Bowl tackle Jason Peters to protect McNabbs blindside is a significant move. They also nailed down the right side by signing Stacy Andrews from the Bengals. desean_jacksonIn the draft they looked to add big play ability to complement second-year wideout DeSean Jackson and got just that with Jeremy Maclin who had a great camp and preseason. At running back they drafted LeSean McCoy who feel to them in the second round. Many expected McCoy to go higher and he can fill in nicely for an aging Bryant Westbrook when needed.

And, then you might have heard of this free agent quarterback they signed named Michael Vick. Whether you love him or hate him you can’t deny that Vick’s a big play threat every time he touches the ball. Adding Vick, McCoy, Maclin, Peters and Andrews to McNabb, Westbrook and Jackson is enough to push this balanced Philadelphia attack into the playoffs and beyond.

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