NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest

With his punishing running style, LeGarrette Blount is “punching” opposing defenses in the mouth

Week 8 Results ATS: 6-7

Season Record ATS: 52-60-4

Week 8 Confidence Meter Points: 33 out of 91

Week 8 one-star games: 1-2, 2 for 9.  Two-star games: 1-0, 5 out of 5.  Three-star games: 1-1, 8/15.  Four-star games: 1-2, 4/29.  Five-star games: 2-2, 14/33

Week 9 Power Rankings

1-star game, 11 on the confidence meter: Chicago Bears (-3) @ Buffalo Bills – One of those rare games Mike Martz hands the keys of the offense to Matt Forte, and not Jay Cutler.  Balance, more Forte, and timely defensive stops will propel the Bears and keep the Bills winless.  Chicago Bears 23 Buffalo Bills 19

4-star game, 2 on the confidence meter: San Diego Chargers @ Houston Texans (+3) – Undoubtedly, the most puzzling spread of Week 9.  Do they still expect San Diego to turn it around?  I don’t.  Arian Foster and Andre Johnson will electrify the Reliant Stadium crowd.  San Diego Chargers 27 Houston Texans 34

2-star game, 8 on the confidence meter: New Orleans Saints (-7) @ Carolina Panthers – I was a sucker for taking the Chiefs and 7 at home against Buffalo last week, and I’ll be a sucker once again this week for taking an inconsistent favorite giving 7.  This game yells for me to take the underdog, although it’s Carolina.  I guess I haven’t learned from my past mistakes.  I’m banking on the Saints carrying over their momentum from the Superdome against Pittsburgh on Halloween Night and producing a similar performance like they delivered in Tampa during Week 6.  New Orleans Saints 30 Carolina Panthers 17

3-star game, 7 on the confidence meter: Arizona Cardinals (+8) @ Minnesota Vikings – The Vikings are having trouble winning games, let alone winning games while covering the spread.  However, Chris Wells is hurt, to no surprise, and the Cardinals lack of QB will prevent the Cardinals from notching a win in the super-loud Metrodome.  LeGarrette Blount looked like Christian Okoye against the Arizona defense last Sunday and Adrian Peterson will turn into Bo Jackson this Sunday against that same defense.  Arizona Cardinals 20 Minnesota Vikings 27 

5-star game, 12 on the confidence meter, Upset of the Week: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+8.5) @ Atlanta Falcons – Let the battle, rivalry begin: Josh Freeman vs. Matt Ryan.  Two of the most promising young QB’s will face each other in the Georgia Dome this weekend and I think this match-up has the makings of a classic.  I’m going with Raheem Morris and his playmaking defense to get a signature victory in city of “Peaches”.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24 Atlanta Falcons 21

5-star game, 6 on the confidence meter: New York Jets @ Detroit Lions (+4) –  I’m in love with the Detroit Lions’ stars.  In this contest, Sanchez will be running for his life from Ndamukong and Vanden Bosch and the Lions will jump out ahead to an early lead never to look back.  I don’t think the Lions winning is that much of an upset.  Remarkably, Thanksgiving Day against the Patriots looks magically delicious.  What’s even more magically delicious; watching Stafford throw a jump ball to Calvin in the end zone with the game on the line in the 4th quarter on 4th down to take the lead, eventually win the game.  New York Jets 17 Detroit Lions 25 

4-star game, 5 on the confidence meter: Miami Dolphins (+5.5) @ Baltimore Ravens – This game favors the Dolphins and plays right into their strengths.  Miami has all the right ingredients to bake a win on the road against Baltimore.  Balance on both sides of the ball and toughness in the trenches will keep the visiting team within striking distance.  Miami Dolphins 15 Baltimore Ravens 18   

3-star game, 13 on the confidence meter, Lock of the Week: New England Patriots (-4.5) @ Cleveland Browns – Belichick vs. Mangini: Mismatch on paper, and on the field.  Patriots may be looking ahead to Sunday night showdown in the Steel City.  Green-Ellis/Woodhead duo is running with purpose.  Only way Cleveland stays close, is they force Brady to turn the ball over -not happening.  New England Patriots 26 Cleveland Browns 10

3-star game, 9 on the confidence meter: New York Giants (-7) @ Seattle Seahawks – If Hasselbeck starts, I may take the points.  I have no faith in a QB named Charlie, especially when he’s facing a team that has already knocked out five QB’s on the season.  Giants are coming off of a Bye week and they possess the mentality needed to go on the road and win in Seattle.  New York Giants 28 Seattle Seahawks 14 

5-star Game of the Week, 10 on the confidence meter: Kansas City Chiefs (+1) @ Oakland Raiders – I like the Chiefs passing game more than I do the Raiders passing game.  It’s the only difference between these two teams, other than the coaching advantage which Kansas City’s staff holds.  Jamaal Charles and Darren McFadden are both playing out of this world, this will be a fun division rivalry game to watch.  Slight edge goes to the Chiefs in close games, and this will be a close game.  Kansas City Chiefs 20 Oakland Raiders 16 

5-star game, 1 on the confidence meter: Indianapolis Colts @ Philadelphia Eagles (-3) – Hard to go against the “Greatest NFL QB of All-Time”, but I will when he’s in on the road against a hungry Eagles sqaud led by Michael Vick.  Trent Cole and Brandon Graham will wreak havoc on Peyton and LeSean McCoy will post over 150 total offensive yards.  Indianapolis Colts 27 Philadelphia Eagles 31

2-star game, 3 on the confidence meter: Dallas Cowboys @ Green Bay Packers (-7.5) – Packers defense was stifling in the “City that Never Sleeps” and will continue stifle in the city of “cheeseheads”.  Lambeau will witness a second Sunday night victory this season.  As long as Rodgers’ uni is kept relatively clean, I see Green Bay covering.  Dallas Cowboys 13 Green Bay Packers 23

4-star game, 4 on the confidence meter: Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cincinnati Bengals (+5) – Do the Steelers have more strengths than the Bengals have weaknesses?  Whatever the answer may, I think it’s irrelevant because when you are hosting a hated team within your division at home on Monday night; all things get thrown out the window.  Pittsburgh Steelers 23 Cincinnati Bengals 26 

 

Arizona’s Top Offensive Player Of The Second Quarter

It seems like I just wrote the first quarter awards a few days ago, but an entire month has elapsed.  Since that time, the Cardinals have had a pretty rough go of it, making these awards kind of tough to give out.  We're counting the players' performances from Week 5 to Week 8, which constitutes the second quarter of the 16 game schedule.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE SECOND QUARTER: WR, Larry Fitzgerald.

The team leader is really starting to step up his game, despite shoddy quarterback play.  He's logged 16 receptions for 195 yards (12.2 yards/catch) with 3 touchdowns in his last three games.  In addition, Fitzgerald has recorded plays longer than 20 yards in two games.  These numbers may seem a bit un-Fitzgerald-like, but Larry needs a quarterback to consistently deliver the ball for him to rack up huge stats like he's capable of doing.  Beyond stats, Fitzgerald has been creating opportunities for points on a weekly basis.  Not only has he been getting open every game, he's been getting wide open for easy points, but the quarterback (either Hall or Anderson) hasn't been able to connect.  At some point, Anderson or Hall will be able to take advantage of at least some of the scoring opportunities Fitzgerald creates.

• Honorable Mention: RB, LaRod Stephens-Howling.  Hyphen, the Little Cardinal that Could, whatever you want to call him, when he touches the ball he makes things happen.  He's been given limited opportunities, but he's capitalized on them.  Since Hightower's fumbling struggles have continued, Stephens-Howling has seen a slight uptick in his touches after Week 4.  He's recorded 4 rushes for 41 yards, including a 30 yard touchdown.  In addition, he caught two passes for 21 yards.  As the Cardinals try to pump life into the offense, Whisenhunt should make Stephens-Howling an integral part of that effort.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE SECOND QUARTER: FS, Kerry Rhodes

I don't think there really can be any debate about this one.  Rhodes has been making plays on a consistent basis this year, especially in the second quarter of the season.  Since Week 5, Rhodes has a fumble recovery for a touchdown (on top of another fumble recovery for six the week before), 22 tackles, and a blocked field goal.  Although he's clearly produced, it's too bad defensive coordinator Bill Davis hasn't gotten Rhodes more involved in blitzing; Kerry is yet to record a sack.  In addition, Rhodes hasn't recorded an interception since Week 1, but he's no doubt been doing a fine job.

• Honorable Mention: LB, Paris Lenon.  The veteran got his name mentioned in this category for the second straight time.  Lenon recorded 15 tackles, 1 forced fumble, and 1 interception since he last won the award for defensive player of the first quarter.  Rhodes' impact plays beat him out this time.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE SECOND QUARTER: RB, LaRod Stephens-Howling.

Second straight win for Stephens-Howling in this category.  He's such an asset to this team.  Not only does he produce when given the chance on offense, he continues to dazzle as a kick returner.  This year he's racked up 862 yards on 32 kick returns for a 27 yard average.  Although he hasn't taken one back for a score again, he constantly sets the Cardinals up with great field position.  Every time he fields a kick, you get the sense that he could break one.  Again, Whisenhunt must find a way to get Stephens-Howling more involved in the offense.

SURPRISE PLAYER OF THE SECOND QUARTER: DT, Alan Branch

I'm not sure that anyone saw this coming from Branch.  Since Week 5, he's recorded 8 tackles, 1 forced fumble, and 2.0 sacks.  He's been slowed as of late due to a back injury, but he's been getting as many snaps in as possible by playing through the discomfort.  Hopefully Branch can keep his surprise season rolling and his production up.

PLAY OF THE SECOND QUARTER: FS, Rhodes' fumble recovery for six in Week 5.

With 11:39 left in the fourth quarter and the game still in the balance, Kerry Rhodes made Cardinals' history when he returned a Ladell Betts fumble (forced by Darnell Dockett) 27-yards for a touchdown, staking the Cards to a 23-13 fourth quarter lead. Rhodes returned a fumble for a touchdown for the second straight week, which no other Cardinal had ever accomplished.  That win pumped aired into the Cardinals' sails.  Without it, things would be so much worse.

• Honorable Mention: LB, Gerald Hayes' fumble recovery for a touchdown in Week 8.  Although it was in a losing effort, Hayes' defensive touchdown put a stamp on the veteran's long awaited return to action.  At the time, the play was huge and put the Cardinals right back into the game against the Bucs.  Paris Lenon forced a LeGarrette Blount fumble, which was scooped up by  Hayes.  Hayes, showing great veteran awareness, rumbled 21 yards for a touchdown.  The play brought the Cards to within three points of a comeback that never happened.

BIGGEST UNDERACHIEVER OF THE SECOND QUARTER: DT, Darnell Dockett

Although Dockett  gets great penetration, he's not getting to the quarterback enough, which is evidenced by the fact that he hasn't recorded a sack since Week 3.  Dockett has, however, recorded 9 tackles, a forced fumble, and 1 tackle for a loss since Week 5.  Although Dockett often draws a double team, he considers himself (as do the Cardinals) a superstar, so more is expected.  With a team that's really struggling to keep pace in a weak division, Dockett has to do more to help the team; he has to bring the quarterback down.  One sack in eight games is an underachievement for Dockett.

Can Favre, ice cold Vikings rebound against a slumping Cardinals defense?

Despite the overwhelming drama and never ending supply of storylines surrounding the Vikings in 2010, the games still have to be played.  With the Vikings currently sitting at 2-5, every game from here on out will have a "must win" feel to it, and Sunday's game against the 3-4 Cardinals is no different.

Here is a look at how I break down Sunday's match up.

THE PASSING GAME

In the wake of Randy Moss' departure from Minnesota, the spotlight has taken a momentary break from shining on Brett Favre, which may be a good thing for the quarterback who is enveloped with injury concerns and off-the-field turmoil.

However, with Moss no longer available and Percy Harvin very possibly sidelined with an ankle injury, Favre may be forced to make do with the receivers that remain.  That group includes Bernard Berrian, Greg Camarillo, Greg Lewis, and Hank Baskett.

As a check down option, rookie running back Toby Gerhart seemed like he may have come into his own last Sunday, when he saw extensive third down play on his way to 5 catches for 67 yards.  Adrian Peterson, who has 22 catches for 194 yards on the year, may also see even more targets than usual.

One big question that remains is if tight end Visanthe Shiancoe, who has not been real productive since injuring his hamstring in week three, can regain his usual form and help make up for the absences in the receiving group.

If Favre wants to improve upon his 69.8 quarterback rating, the Cardinals run-of-the-mill defense might just be the opportunity he needs.  The rank 21^st against the pass, allow more points scored than all teams in the NFL but one, and have a very pedestrian pass rush (15 sacks on the year).

The Cardinals are a decent team when it comes to forcing turnovers, as they have 9 forced fumbles and 7 interceptions this year, so Favre will need to focus on taking care of the football to avoid disaster.

Obviously, how the game goes will dictate how often Favre is asked to throw the ball, but I would expect to see him throw 25 or fewer passes on Sunday, a majority of which will be high percentage and "safe" throws.  Don't be surprised if the offense relies on yards after the catch instead of airing it out.

Player To Watch: Mark Clayton, Louis Murphy, Antonio Gates, and Mike Williams (Bucs) have all been able to top 100 yards when facing the Cardinals.  With Randy Moss in Tennessee, Bernard Berrian will likely assume his position as the top receiver until Sidney Rice gets activated and, with Percy Harvin also a possible scratch, he might be able to finally regain some of his status after an awful beginning to the year.

THE RUNNING GAME

This has to be the Vikings bread and butter on offense this Sunday.  The Cardinals rank a dismal 29^th against the run and have allowed 100 yard games to Jason Snelling, Darren McFadden, Mike Tolbert, and LeGarrette Blount this season.

The Vikings should be able to rack up the rushing yards since they have the league's leading rusher in Adrian Peterson on the field.

The Cardinals have struggled with all running backs, but particularly with big powerful backs like Peterson and rookie Toby Gerhart.  If the offensive line can get these two into the second level on a consistent basis then it is possible that we see them both have career days.

Even if Harvin plays on Sunday don't be surprised if his ankle injury prevents the coaching staff from putting him in the backfield.  After he hurt his ankle on his first catch against the Patriots, the Vikings didn't hand the ball off to Harvin once, which is probably for the better.

Player To Watch: While it should be obvious to you that I think both Peterson and Gerhart could have a big day on Sunday, there is one player who received plenty of offseason criticism this year that has really stepped up and played well.  Watch for Anthony Herrera to have Peterson running behind his blocks more and more if he continues to play with the drive and burst that we have seen over the last few weeks.

THE PASS DEFENSE

The Vikings pass defense is ranked 14^th this year, which isn't too bad, but they were ranked much higher a few weeks ago and many factors have contributed to the slip in production.

The Vikings have yet to record a sack in the last three games which adds pressure to a secondary that has, at times, looked awful.  The fact that Antoine Winfield is team's only truly healthy player this week only adds to those concerns.

This might just be the week that the Vikings pass defense gets their mojo back, however.  The Cardinals offense is ranked 30^th in the passing game and a big reason for that is their inability to protect their various quarterbacks.  They are tied for third worst in the NFL when it comes to sacks allowed, as they have given up 22.

The Cardinals have already declared Derek Anderson as their starter for Sunday who has been sacked 10 times this season on his way to a quarterback rating of 62.8 (ranked one spot below Favre).  The pressure has resulted in him throwing only four touchdowns and throwing away seven picks this season.

The Vikings have yet to produce big numbers in terms of sacks and turnovers this year, but the Cardinals are a team that will present the Vikings with opportunities to do just that, and now it is time to step up and follow through instead of allowing "almost" to be good enough.

I truly expect the Vikings to be able to get back to playing the game on their terms meaning that they will be able to apply pressure with a four man rush which will allow them to better scheme against the talented receivers of the Cardinals such as Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston.

Player To Watch: Outside of Antoine Winfield, Asher Allen is the healthiest cornerback on the roster and is expected to start opposite on Winfield.  Allen has had a terrible go of it over the last few weeks and his coverage and tackling performances have been hard to watch at times.  He appears to be the biggest liability in terms of matchups in this game as he will be tasked with lining up across from Fitzgerald or Breaston on most snaps.  This could be a defining moment for Allen, in terms of his long term prospects, as he can either add to the belief that he is not of starter quality or he can step up and put some film out there that shows he has what it takes.  Keep an eye on the youngster and hope that he can pull through and improve his game.

THE RUN DEFENSE

It pains me to have to consider the Vikings run defense as anything less than stellar, but they have been mediocre this season as represented by their 13^th ranked position.  While a lack of recent dominance by the defensive unit as a whole, coupled with an offense that has been prone to turning over the ball of late, might add to the yards piled up by opposing rushers, there is no doubt that they have been surprisingly leaky up the middle this season.

A lot of that might also have to do with the fact that very few teams have been in a play-from-behind position when facing the Vikings this year, and thus were more willing to be patient with their run game.  If the other three aspects of the game go as I suggest they'll go in the above sections of this post, then the Cardinals may be forced to abandon the run and play from behind.

They may be one of those teams that abandon the run quickly regardless of how the game is going.  Despite some talented runners in Beanie Wells and Tim Hightower, the Cardinals rank 25^th in rushing so far this season.  Their offensive line is quite miserable.

None of their runners have reached 300 yards rushing on the season yet, and the team only has five rushing touchdowns on the year.  As is the theme of this preview, the run defense of the Vikings has a chance to regain some confidence against the Cardinals by being completely dominant.

Player To Watch: Is it just me or has linebacker Chad Greenway been a blast to watch this season?  He has been flying around the field making plays with an intensity we had yet to see out of him.  He currently is fourth in the NFL with 74 tackles and looks like he's bound and determined to get a hefty contract extension at the end of this year via solid play.  Greenway's excellent playmaking abilities should be even more on display against a weak Cardinals running offense this Sunday.  Enjoy the Show!

SPECIAL TEAMS

While the Cardinals have yet to find themselves an established punt returner, LaRod Stephens-Howling has really broken through as a kick returner.  He averages 26.9 yards per return and has taken one to the house already this year.  Since I expect the Vikings to punt very few times and kick off many times (i.e. the offense scores a lot) Stephens-Howling is enemy number one on special teams.

The Vikings coverage unit has been pretty solid on all accounts this year and I don't expect that to change on a consistent basis, but the Cardinals, at the very least, present a threat on special teams via Stephens-Howling.

When it comes to kicking and punting, the two teams are fairly equal.  Both are proficient.

Player To Watch: The biggest storyline on special teams this week will only come about if the Vikings truly decide that Percy Harvin cannot return kicks because of his ankle injury.  If that is the case, then rookie running back Toby Gerhart is expected to take over those duties.  Gerhart has some college and preseason experience in kickoff returns, but I have a hard time imagining him having the same impact in the return game as Harvin.  None the less, it will be interesting to see how he does if given the chance.

CONCLUSION

A loss at home to the Cardinals would all but end the Vikings season, especially in the eyes of the fan base.  But what would a win do?

The Vikings are expected to win this game so a win would do very little to increase the forecast on the their playoff chances, especially if it is another win riddled with mistakes and lucky breaks.

However, if the Vikings can return to the Metrodome and put up a knock out performance in front of the home crowd then a sense of confidence will reemerge amongst fans, and hopefully the players.  Not only a win, but a devastating blowout, needs to be the goal of this team.

Look for the Vikings to play dominating on defense and efficiently on offense against a Cardinals team that just doesn't have the talent to compete with a Vikings team firing on all cylinders.

PREDICTION

This is the week that faith is restored.

30-10, Vikings

One of the three tantalizing receivers at Eli’s disposal

Here are the three biggest matchups I see for the Seahawks vs Giants game on Sunday.

Before I start here's an interesting side note I noticed while looking at some statistics

the Giants have faced the two best pass defenses (yards per pass) in the league this year in the Chicago Bears, and the Carolina Panthers and four top 10 pass defenses (the Colts) and Titans as well as two of the top four worst pass defenses in the league (yards per attempt is a better and more reliable stat than yards per game) in Dallas (2) and Houston (4).

Just interesting that 6 of their 7 games have come against the very best and very worst of pass defenses.

Adam Koets and the Oline vs the 12th Man

The last time the Giants played in Seattle they had 11 False Start Penalties.

Eli Manning vs Pressure Packages.

Surprisingly, despite a dominant pass rusher the Seahawks have been beating up on Quarterbacks all year.

Chris Clemons has 5.5 sacks, and then there are a number of other players with sacks.

Lawyer Milloy, Aaron Curry, Jordan Babineaux, Will herring, Roy Lewis, Kim Chancellor,  are all players that have sacks this year.

And None of those players play on the defensive line, this obviously indicates that the Seahawks are blitzing, and from everywhere.

They have 21 total sacks on the season.

What is good about the Giants is that they have a few different receiving options that can take a short pass for a long distance. Obviously Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham are two players, but so are Bradshaw (on an outlet pass) and I think Travis Beckum has that ability as well if he can get it in the open field.

Giants vs West Coast Trip

Maybe this is a cop-out answer, but I think it is important. It is tough to travel across the country regardless of which team you play for.

I think the Giants are clearly the more talented team between the two, especially considering the Giants are finally relatively healthy, while the Seahawks are beat up beyond belief.

If you want me to go X and O's and not saying the crowd noise and the traveling then the other area that needs to be highlighted (other than Seattle's blitz packages) is the matchup of the talented

Seahawks Special Teams vs the Giants awful Special teams.

The Giants Special teams has left a lot to be desired this season in all phases.

The punter, Dodge, has turned the ball over more than any punter should ever.

The Giants are also at the bottom of the league in return yardage per game in both Punt and Kickoff returns.

And their coverage  has been terrible.

Leon Washington has averaged 33.7 yards per kick return with two touchdowns.

With the Seahawks being 28th in the league in points per game (17.6), 30th in yards per game, 25th in pass yards per game, 21st in rush yards per game on offense.

With an offense that has played so bad the Giants need to be cautious about how much room they give the return game to make plays.

Giants Vs Seahawks Unit Advantages

Quarterback

Eli Manning vs Charlie Whitehurst

139 career Touchdown Passes, 20,000 career yards vs NO Passes Thrown in a live N.F.L. Game. (Matt Hasselbeck is out with a concussion for those who do not know that yet)

Advantage Seahawks

Running Backs

Ahmad Bradshaw, Brandon Jacobs, and Bear Pascoe vs Marshawn Lynch, Justin Forsett, Leon Washington

Bradshaw has the most runs of more than 10 yards on the season. He's also in the top 5 in yards per game and has a good yards per rush. Jacobs has been running with authority of late and has 5 touchdowns on the season.

Marshawn Lynch is a player. He is. Seriously. He's a beast of a running back, you don't get to see it for those who don't watch Buffalo (as I've mentioned many times my wife is a die-hard Bills fans so I do watch every Giants and Bills game). He doesn't  go down on first contact and he's fun to watch. He's a douche, but a strong runner, even though his 2.8 yards per carry make it seem as though he is not.

Justin Forsett has had a decent N.F.L. career, but not as good as Jacobs as had and he's not as had any seasons as productive as Jacobs.

Leon Washington is a gamer and a player every team would love to have on their team. He's smart, athletic, and just knows the game of football.

He's only had 17 carries this season, but he's been one of, if not THE best return man this year.

Advantage Giants. (by the way before anyone rips me, I'm obviously kidding about the Seahawks having the QB advantage if you're still fuming about that).

I don't love the Giants depth at running back, and I think Lynch would be a very good player on a team with a good offensive line (not the crap he has dealt with in Buffalo and now in Seattle), and I think this is closer than almost everybody thinks because I think you have to take into consideration the abilities of Leon Washington on Special Teams into consideration. But the Giants have the more productive running backs.

Advantage: Gmennnnnnnn!

Wide Receiver

A few years ago if you said the Seahawks best WR was former USC Star Mike Williams you'd laugh this team right out of the league, but it turns out Matt Millen knows a little bit about Wide Receivers (just not much about anything else) as Roy Williams and Mike Williams have combined for 700 yards and 6 touchdowns throughout this season, which is really not terrible.

Anyway, along with Mike Williams (hurting, but will play) the Seahawks also employ Golden Tate (will miss Sunday's game), Brandon Stokley (I think also out for Sunday's game), Ruvell Martin (no catches this season), and someone named Ben Obomanu.

The Giants have Mario Manningham, Ramses Barden, Duke Calouhn, and Darius Reynaud.

Advantage Giants I think without mentioning two of the Giants WR (their two best) the Giants bottom four Wide Receivers have more talent and production (per playing time) then what the Seahawks are bringing into the game this weekend. They are really beat up at WR and the Giants WR corps is much, much greater than the Seahawks pathetic group (minus Mike Williams)

Tight Ends

Kevin Boss, Travis Beckum, and Shawn Andrews (as a blocking tight end)

John Carlson, Chris Baker, Cameron Mooreah

John Carlson's stats this season: 20 catches 231 yards 1 touchdown

Kevin Boss stats:  12 catches 200 yards zero touchdowns.

Chris Baker: 3 catches 29 yards

Cameon moorah 1 catch 11 yards

Travis Beckum: 8 catches for 69 yards.

And Shawn Andrews is the best blocker of the three.

Advantage Giants People complain about the drafting of Travis Beckum, without realizing what #2 TE do. Beckum in his second year as a #2 TE (with limited playing time) has more catches and receiving yards then at least one teams two backup tight ends. In fact for tight ends, Travis Beckum is 4oth in the league for receptions by a Tight End (32 teams have one primary tight end + injuries meaning some teams have had two primary Tight End targets this year) means that Beckum is one of the most productive #2 Tight Ends in the league with his 8 catches. Just a statistical fact I want to point out. And I think Beckum is still improving, the last game was the first game he played without a catch this season.

Offensive Line

Again, this unit is decimated by injuries along the offensive line.

They just placed starting guard Ben Hamilton on Injured Reserve.

Russel Okung has faced injuries all season and seems to be very questionable for Sunday (did not practiced yesterday or today)

Okung's backup, Tyler Polumbus also did not practice today.

Advantage: Giants. Even with O'hara out the Giants line is superior. Russel Okung might be a pro bowl player in this league at some point, but if he's  not playing this weekend it doesn't matter to this analysis. They are devastated along the line and do not have the depth of the Giants who have at least two viable replacements with Shawn Andrews and  Koets (Petrus,maybe) and are actually getting healthier because Kevin Boothe might be back next year.

Defensive line

What people haven't realized is that Pete Carroll is getting a lot out of his defense. They fly to the ball and have created a lot of sacks and turnovers, but that has come from blitz packages and the ball hawking skills of Earl Thomas.

The defensive line is also facing some big injuries (theme of the week). Their best run stopper Red Bryant was placed on IR this week. Their best sacker on the Dline Chris Clemons is a Redskins, Eagles, and Raiders cast off. They have Raheem Brock as depth (former Colt, not a bad player). Another player on the line, Colin Cole (4th on team in tackles) has missed the last two days of practice.

The Giants meanwhile are healthy and talented, where as many sacks of the Hawks have come from blitzes (sacks are happening by the Safeties, LB, and cornerbacks), the Giants Defensive line has had almost of the teams' sacks(20.5 of the 24 sacks have come by players on the defensive line).

The Giants have also been great at run stopping and are healthy minus Kiwanuka. They also have young players improving, compared to the Seahawks who are using cast off gentlemen.

Giants win again!

Linebackers

A couple of years ago the linebackers were the strength of the Seahawks, and they had some really good ones.

Since then Lofa Tatupu has not been the same player, where he was once the most promising middle linebacker in the league.

The Seahawks have no depth at linebacker either, they have four linebackers listed on their roster depth chart at NFL.com

Two of the linebackers though are talented Tatupu, though not the same player he once was has been above average (just not destined for excellence). They also have Aaron curry, the very well touted linebacker in the 2009 NFL Draft.

He's been very solid, but has not been spectacular. He had 61 tackles last year.

Where Curry does excel though is pass coverage. Last season he had 12 passes defensed.

Now I'd take curry on the Giants in a heartbeat because he can be an all around player, but he has not been as good as either Brain Cushing or Clay Matthews drafted later than Curry.

Third year David Hawthorne had a good season last year with 117 tackles in only 11 starts.

He's bene productive.

the Giants on the other hand have the improving Jonathan Goff, the good Michael Boley, and the aging Keith Bulluck. I still maintain the Giants have better depth, but who cares when the starters are excellent. The Giants linebacker corps might be underrated with how much trash talking they get, but the Seahawks linebackers are legitimately good.

Advantage: Seahawks. It's not really that close. They have a ton of speed at linebacker, and have three very solid players. Lofa Tatupu was once on his way to becoming one of the best linebackers in the league, that time has passed, but Aaron Curry is still emerging and if Hawthorne improves off his good season last season he could be a good starter for years to come.

I'm interested to watch Curry play pass defense personally.

Secondary

The Seahawks have the ancient Lawyer Milloy, who at age 36 has been a revelation in run support and in pressuring the quarterback (three sacks this season-2 vs Chicago).

They also have the very talented and good (and I'm jealous) Safety Earl Thomas. Who is undersized blah blah blah. This guy can play.  He already has four interceptions this year and leads the team in tackles. He's not getting any play yet for Defensive rookie of the year, but he should be number 2 is in the conversation. The player who has been better is Mr. NDominant Suh (heard that first from Russ Tucker, lame, but kinda catch and easier to spell) who has been excellent.

Thomas is 9th in rookie tackles and 1st in Interceptions.

The Cornerbacks for the Seahawks have not been productive this season: they only have 1 interception and that was Marcus Trufant.

Even though the Seahawks have been proficient with getting sacks, they are 29th in the league in pass defense in yards per game, which is another telling statistic.

I have a feeling that Lawyer Milloy, although he has been great in run support and pressuring the Quarterback might be a liability in coverage (haven't watched enough games to know for sure though).

I think part of the problem is that they have to blitz to get to the quarterback which leaves them exposed to big pass plays.

Advantage Giants

You can say that the Giants benefit greatly from the front four's pass rush, but in terms of efficiency and production few teams can keep pace with the Giants.

The Chargers are the only team that allows less yards per game through the air, but they allows more yards per pass (barely) 6.3 to 6.2, a higher completion percentage 56 percent to 54 percent and more plays over 20 yards (18 to 12). They also have the same amount of INT (in one more game played).

The Giants defense has been very good vs the pass this year. Though I'd like to see them come away with a few more interceptions.

Advantage: Giants As far as productive safety combos go the Seahawks might actually have the most productive pair in the league this year with Thomas's 4 INT and Milloy's three sacks and both of their high tackle numbers. But that doesn't mean the secondary is as good. They are getting gashed through the air teams have thrown on them 39 times a game (5th most in the league) and in total the Seahawks only have 6 interceptions despite many opportunities, while the Giants have on 32 times a game (near the bottom of the league) but dont mistake that as the reason they rank so well in pass yards per game because their average of 6.2 yards per pass is also third in the league.

Special Teams

I refuse to dignify this question with a response until the Giants play the Chargers or another Godawful Special teams.

(by the way Seattle is averaging a walloping 31 yards per kick return this year, best in league)

Coaching

Pete Carroll and USC North have played better than anyone thought they would this year and I was wondering to myself if the next few drafts if Pete will clean up much like Jimmy Johnson did after he came from college.

Obviously he knows the players by stealing Russell Okung and Earl Thomas (at 6 and 14 respectively).

We'll know more if Pete can clean up in this year's draft as well.

Anyway, he's coached this team very well even though he's made 2 zillion transactions, but still what's he proved?

Nothing.

I saw ESPN Scouts INC list Carroll as the winner in this matchup advantage and I just thought it was crazy.

Advantage Giants: Carrol might become a very good head coach in his second go-around, but Coughlin already is.

Final Thoughts

The Seahawks have struggled to run the ball this year. They have struggled to throw the ball this year.

They have struggled to stop the pass this year.

And they've done well to stop the run, but coming into this game the Seahawks looks like a team full of mummies. Everyone on the team is beat-up, banged up, or not even on the active roster anymore.

Their Quarterback. Out

Their Starting Guard: IR

Their best run stuffing Defensive linemen: IR

LB Leroy Hill: IR

Their Best WR: Severely Hampered by Injuries

Their Young Stud OT: Most likely Out

His backup: Most likely out.

Man, this team is beat up.

Sure they play great at home, but the Giants have played very well on the road, even last year they were as consistent on the road (4-4) as they were at home (4-4).

Sure it'll be loud, but I imagine it was loud in Dallas when they started off with 10 quick points.

The fact is this: the Giants are relatively healthy and going to play a team that is playing backups to backups in numerous positions, including a First CAREER start for a player that no one has seen play any real time in the N.F.L. at Quarterback!!!!

Fewell MUST Dial up the pressure at some points and see how he reacts to some blitzes.

This is against an already porous line missing two of its starters (most likely).

The Giants should win this game. I don't care about the travel, I don't care about anything else.

The biggest weakness of the Giants team is maybe their offensive line and their linebacker corps, but neither of those can be exploited by the Seahawks.

The Seahawks don't generate front four pressure they have to blitz, which will expose them to Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham who are two of the better Y.A.C. guys in the league. Along with Bradshaw.

They lost their best run stopping defensive tackle  already this year and the Giants happen to run the ball very well.

The Giants have a golden opportunity here.

The Eagles are playing a very loseable game to the Colts at 4 o'clock and if the Giants can go out to Seattle and handle their business and the Colts can continue their surge towards first place in the division (despite their depleted roster) then the Giants could be two games up by the end of the weekend with a nice cushion heading into their division battles. And with the pathetic play of the N.F.C. this year might need only 3 more if they win this week to make the playoffs at 9-7.

If the Giants can't win this game I'll be very frustrated, but hope will not be lost.

“The Most Interesting Man In The World”

On Wednesday, Tarvaris Jackson was being interviewed by a group of reporters when a loud voice broke in during a silent moment and asked Jackson how his hamstring felt after his 33 yard run against the Patriots.

The question drew some laughter, as it was asked by none other than the battered and bruised Brett Favre.

This moment might be insignificant and won't help the team win games, but if you are like me and follow the Vikings every move, it provided a glimmer of fun and humor in a season that has lacked exactly that.

From a rather boring free agency period, to a somewhat disappointing draft weekend, to Favre's annual dance with retirement, to Sidney Rice's hip surgery, to Favre's sexting scandal, to the recent Moss fiasco, to the seat of Brad Childress getting suddenly toasty… this season just has not been very fun as the Vikings stumbled their way to a 2-5 start.

That is why I am writing this, to let all of you know that while there is plenty of negativity on the minds of Vikings fans, and on this site too, that I don't think the ride is over yet.

Sure the "ride" so far seems like one you would find at an amusement park themed after the complete works of Henrik Ibsen as opposed to Disney World, but it isn't over yet.  With the hapless Cardinals on the horizon it is time for not only the players, but the fans, to enjoy what is now the easier stretch of the Vikings "ride."

I'm not sure how encouraging this post might be, but please join me in trying to enjoy football again, starting by having a little fun during Sunday's butt-whooping of the Cardinals.

• In other news, I linked to a story over at Access Vikings in the post below this one.  However, thanks to faithful reader "Fran the Man" it has been brought to my attention that one very interesting detail has since been added to the story.

According to Judd Zulgad and Chip Scoggins, Vikings Owner Zygi Wilf got an earful from Randy Moss following the loss to the New England Patriots.  Here is what Zulgad and Scoggins wrote:

"Wilf is believed to have seen just how volatile Moss could be. After catching only one pass for 8 yards in the Vikings' 28-18 loss to the New England Patriots, Moss walked into the visitors' locker room where Wilf and other executives stood. According to an NFL source familiar with what transpired, Moss told the Vikings owner in no uncertain terms that Childress wasn't a good coach and should be fired."

And the story just continues to get more and more bizarre.

At least Moss knew to go to the owner before calling for someone to be fired, something which Childress reportedly failed to do the following day.

Wilf has declined all interview requests following the sudden waiving of Moss but has reportedly been speaking with Brett Favre, Steve Hutchinson, Jared Allen, Kevin Williams, and Pat Williams.  In some of those conversations it is thought that Childress was a topic of interest.

DeSean, blazing speed will return to the gridiron Sunday against Indy

As the Eagles make their return from the bye week, they won't be greeted with a very easy task. The Colts will be coming to town, led by their high powered offense and quarterback Peyton Manning.

On the Eagles side of the ball, we will see the return of Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson, two electrifying players that will surely help the Eagles on offense.

The Eagles could really use a win in this game, so let's take a look at the key match-ups that will have a large impact on the game.

Peyton Manning vs. Dimitri Patterson
Patterson will be making his first start for the Eagles and he's going to see a lot of action from Manning. With a guy like Asante Samuel opposite him, Patterson will see a lot of balls thrown his way.

It doesn't matter who lines up on Patterson's side, Manning is going to look to throw to that side early and often. Patterson will have his hands full and there's no doubting that he's going to allow some catches. However, he's going to have to prevent big plays and do his best to not let Manning pick him apart.

At the end of the day, Patterson's play will have a big impact on the game.

Eagles Running Attack vs. Colts Run Defense
The Eagles will need to run the ball effectively in order to win this football game. It is a big weakness for the Colts and the Eagles will need to exploit it.

It will all start with LeSean McCoy, but look for Vick to contribute as well. McCoy has been an absolute bull this season and has looked great running the ball. I'd like to see the Eagles give him a solid 20 carries on Sunday and see if he can't get something going. It will also be interesting to see if the Eagles call any designed runs for Vick.

If the Eagles can run the ball well, it will open up some things through the air. Which brings me to my next match-up.

DeSean Jackson vs. Colts Secondary
Jackson will be back in the line-up and will be looking to hook up with Vick on some big plays come Sunday. He seems to have the knack to get open down the field when plays break down, and with Vick's ability to extend plays, he should have plenty of opportunities to make plays.

Vick loves throwing the ball deep down the field and who better to look for than Jackson. If the Eagles can run the ball, and force the secondary to play closer to the line, Jackson should be able to use his speed to get behind defenders and make a play.

Five Quarterbacks and counting for the “New York Hitmen”

“Poise in the Noise is a Big Factor”

Giants head coach Tom Coughlin, on what the Giants need to do to survive the hostile conditions at Qwest Field.

In 2008 after their bye week, the Giants went out to the West Coast and torched the Seattle Seahawks to the tune of 44-6.

They amassed more than 300 offensive yards in the first half, more than any other team that season. Everything Kevin Gilbride dialed up was working. Eli Manning gave eight different recievers his attention and threw for 267 yards and 2 TDs, no INTs. Brandon Jacobs averaged 9 yards a carry for 136 yards and had 2 TDs while Ahmad Bradshaw was the backup and had 11 carries for 61 yards. The offensive line gave up only one sack, the Giants defense had two sacks of their own. The Giants dominated time of possession with more than 36 minutes of control, went 100 percent in goal-to-go situations, and held the Seahawks without a touchdown in a tremendous defensive effort.

Will the Giants emulate their win in Seattle from two seasons ago? The funny thing is when you compare that 2008 Giants team to this year’s team, the 2010 Giants look SO MUCH much more dangerous heading into this game.

Eli Manning is a better passer. He has matured, he’s managing an extremely dynamic offense that has multiple dimensions and he looks like a top QB in more than fans eyes right now.

Eli has even more quality targets this year than he had back then for this game. Nicks/Smith/Manningham are perhaps the best young WRs in the game. That was on full display in Dallas two weeks ago against the much hyped Dez Bryant and Cowboys receiving crew.

Kevin Gilbride has been tremendous. Give credit where it’s due. In the past, the Giants have gotten all too predictable and one dimensional. This year the Giants have cultivated a dynamic game plan for their offense each and every week, and when they’re not beating themselves, they are beating their opponents, dominating them in fact with their many weapons. It may simply be they have more weapons to work with this year than they’ve ever had as a unit. Gilbride with Manning at the helm have been stellar at isolating where the defensive weaknesses are, calling the right plays and then mixing it up to stay deceptive.

Ahmad Bradshaw starting with Brandon Jacobs as the complement has proven to be a dynamite combo… potentially by seasons end they will be rivaling the league-leading trio of 2008 with just two running backs. The Giants have shown with their balanced attack they can run or throw on just about anyone right now.

The offensive line is back to form finally this year, and with the addition of TE/FB Bear Pascoe and OL Shawn Andrews the Giants in 2010 have depth and are more versatile in their line than they’ve been in years.

Kevin Boss and Travis Beckum make quite the tandem at TE. Beckum is the smaller H-back style TE that even lines up as a WR at times. Boss is a consistent blocker and has great hands and comes up with big catches seemingly all the time.

Perry Fewell’s defense looks as good right now as Steve Spagnuolo’s unit. They stay deceptive and get pressure, they stop the run, they shut down the opposing No. 1 receivers well. Back in form without question and perhaps better than they were in 2008 with depth all around.

There is a push up the middle from the defensive tackles, something that just wasn’t there in 2009. Gaps and running lanes are stuffed, but in terms of pass rush Chris Canty and Barry Cofield have been tremendous at collapsing the pocket and allowing Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck to work the outsides, get sacks and create turnovers. Outstanding pressure in 2010 for one of the league’s leading defenses.

The secondary is downright good. Antrel Rolle, Deon Grant and Kenny Phillips have all had a tremendous year. Help for stopping the run has been an asset all three have shown they can handle, and I haven’t seen a deep ball over the top go for a TD yet.

Corners Terrell Thomas and Corey Webster have a good job in coverage. Webster’s health has returned and may end up being one of the best shutdown corners in the league again this year.

Linebackers Jon Goff, Michael Boley and Keith Bulluck look dangerous. Great tacklers, great rushers, good in coverage so far … impressive.

Tynes and Dodge vs. Carney and Feagles… time will tell but I think Dodge has a good upside for the Giants. He kicked a 70-yard punt last week, that’s double what Feagles was getting last year. Tynes looks better than he has in recent years too hitting that 53-yarder right down the middle against the Cowboys.

Returner Darius Reynaud vs. R.W. McQuarters. It’s a wash. Domenik Hixon is clearly missed here as the return man, never mind his receiving skills.

Comparisons can be made to the 2007-2008 Giants, certainly when the Giants are playing the same team after their bye week. But I think if you look at where the Giants were a few years ago, you absolutely have to agree that the 2010 Giants are a better team.

I think the Giants can emulate themselves this week against Seattle, offensively and defensively — and dominate this game and move to 6-2 when they head back home to face the Cowboys. I don’t want to run the risk of overlooking this game, but if the Raiders torched them by 30 points and held them without a TD, I simply have to think the Giants are going to rout them as well. Disagree? Let me know!

For Giants news on Twitter, follow @NYGiants_Live.

For more on the New York Giants, check out FanSided’s GMenHQ blog.

– ANDREW ILNICKI
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Miami’s defense has been impessive on the road

I recenetly had a chance to send the good folks at Dolphins Gab a few questions about this weekend's match-up. Site editor Brant Houghton was happy to oblige as he gives us his insights into his favorite team.

The quiet one has spoken.

Troy Polamalu plays like a player with reckless abandon each and every week, and is speaking up about the latest fine of his teammate – James Harrison. The Steelers LB was hit with his third fine, this time for $20,000 for a hit on Drew Brees in the Steelers 20-10 loss to the Saints Sunday night.

Polamalu’s take is that the guy in the end handing down the fines – Commish Roger Goodell, has a little too much power and needs to take a step back and not be so quick to handing down fines.

“It’s football, you know. If people want to watch soccer then they can watch soccer,” Polamalu said to the Post-Gazette. “But, honestly, overseas when people are attracted to this game, they’re going to see the big hits, they’re not going to care about touchdowns and different things. So you’re also taking apart what attracts people to this game.”

No kidding. With the fines and week after week examining of players hitting hard, the league is starting to play more and more “Big Brother” on players instead of doing the thing they do best – play.

Polamalu said to the paper he would have loved to have sat down and talked to Goodell, just like Harrison did when he was hit with the fine.

“Sometimes I think it just falls on deaf ears,” Polamalu said. “I think a lot of players have said a lot of things and I guarantee you he heard everything everybody said. But, you know, he’s got all the power; that may be part of the problem, that there needs to be some type of separation of power like our government. There should be some type of players involved in decisions over how much people should be fined or what they should be fined for, as well as coaches, as well as front office people.

“I don’t think it should be just totally based on what two or three people may say who are totally away from the game. I think it should be some of the players who are currently playing.”

No one has to wonder if Polamalu is going to get fined, or if the commish is finally going to listen.

Here at Steelers Gab, we try to get to know the enemy of who we are playing Monday night. So with that, we present 5 questions with BengalsGab.com editor Eric McMackin.

1. This team has not gotten off to the fast start like a season ago – why?

That's what the entire Bengal community is trying to figure out right now. "Who is to blame?" has been a recurring theme throughout Bengal nation these past few weeks. Some say Palmer just doesn't have it anymore. Others say it's the running game, or penalties, or that the defense has underperformed. Then there's the predictable blame placed on the arrival of T.O., and as always, Mike Brown, who gets blame from some rabid fans for everything. The fact is that all of these may have particular merit, but the real reason the Bengals have struggled has been simply a lack of heart. They were overconfident in losing to New England in week one, then gutted out solid wins against Baltimore and Carolina before getting overconfident and undisciplined in losses to Cleveland and Tampa Bay. They had both of those games in hand but gave them away late. They had opportunities to win at Atlanta and versus Miami, but again failed to deliver at crunch time. When the game is on the line, they just don't make the plays. The team lacks heart, discipline, and killer instinct—things that Pittsburgh always has in abundance.

2. At 2-5, is this truly a "do or die" game for the Bengals, or even with a loss do you think they can rebound?

This is definitely a "do or die" game for Cincinnati. At 2-5, they have to hope for 3-5 at the turn, and then will need to finish 6-2 down the home stretch just to secure a winning record at 9-7—which many not even get them into the playoffs. They still must face Pittsburgh twice, Baltimore once, Indy, New Orleans, and the Jets during that stretch. Seems like too tough mountain to climb—especially when lacking those essential qualities I mentioned earlier.

3. Do you think the team is running the ball enough? Ced Benson's rushing per game is down from 96.2 to 77.9, and they don't seem to have the same success rushing in 2010

I think they are committing to the run, but they aren't getting enough out of it. The offensive line, which was the biggest surprise in 2009's success, has faltered mightily. They are having difficulty maintaining blocks, which has absolutely killed the run game. They've tried to go more no-huddle, and in my mind at least, the run game is more effective in that environment where the defense is on their heels and has to play base schemes due to lack of time for substitutions and play calling.

4. Is Marvin Lewis a coach on the hot seat? If the team finishes say 3rd or last in the North, will he be back in 2011?

Lewis is unsigned for 2011, so in essence he's a lame duck coach. Owner Mike Brown has apparently approached him about an extension, and Lewis has rebuffed those efforts to date. Speculation is that he's either ready to hang it up, or he's vying for more control over personnel decisions. Either way, Lewis was certainly in a better negotiating position in July than now. It might be easy enough now for Brown to just let Lewis walk. Marvin Lewis will always hold a special place in my heart for helping the Bengals become competitive after almost two decades of non-stop failure under the likes of David Shula, Bruce Coslet, and Dick Lebeau. He brought in a fresh perspective and challenged the old-school establishment in Cincinnati in a positive way. Having said that, his overall record is now under .500, and in seven years there have only been 2 playoff appearances with no playoff victories. It might be best for both the team and the man to move on at this point.

5. Final score prediction and why

The Bengals can beat Pittsburgh, and being at home, with their backs against the wall on Monday Night Football will help them a lot. They've found their greatest offensive success using the 3-wide receiver sets and the no-huddle offense, which has always been their most effective way of attacking the Steelers. However, for the upset to happen the offensive line will need to play its best game of the year in containing the Steeler pass rush, and the defense must get better pressure on the quarterback. Big Ben will slice them up without a consistent rush. While I think the Bengals can win this game, and could breathe some life into their season, I wouldn't bet on it. I'd say the Steelers win this one by ten to fourteen points, pulling away in the fourth quarter after a competitive first half. Call it 31-20 for the black and gold.