UPON BIG BLUE THATS WHO!!!

 18-1 Suckers!!! Go ahead and read my preview. Steve Smith? YUP!  Offensive Line of the Pats sucking? Double YUP! Giants win….OH HELL YEAH!!!!!

Upon Giant Thoughts (with some help from Sherm)

 Why should the Giants have a chance in the Super Bowl? What makes them deserving of being on the same field as a team with a chance to go down as one of the (if not the) greatest of all-time? You are talking about a team on the verge of a perfect season vs a team who many gave up on several times this year. 

If you are a New Yorker, don’t be fooled by the swell of support for the Giants. The band-wagon jumpers are out in force. Just ask any true Met fan how many compatriots they suddenly had when the team got hot, and how quickly those fairweather fans departed when the team broke down.   

 So why should fans believe that the Giants have a chance? 

1. The Patriots’ Offensive Line- Much was made of the fact that two members of the Pats’ line were down with injuries during the Week 17 game with the Giants, as well as TE Kyle Brady, and all three will be back this week. However, what flew well below the radar was a comment made by Charger’s DE Igor Olshansky  on the Michael Kay radio show. In their playoff loss to New England, the Chargers’ defense forced Brady into an uncharacteristicly bad game, where he threw 3 interceptions and was sacked twice. In a radio interview, Olshansky indicated that the Giants could take similar advantage of the outlide linemen of the Pats. The matchup with Strahan and Umenyiora is not fun for any o-line, but in a game where the Giants need to get to Brady, a vote of confidence from a defensive player whose team was very successful against Brady is a big bonus.
2. Stephen Gostkowski- I know its different years and different teams, but the Patriots have yet to win a Super Bowl withoud Adam Vinateri, whose leg was instrumental in all three of their wins in the recent past. This kid is no sure bet, and has never kicked on this stage before.
3. Steve Smith- The slot receiver is a position of strength for the Pats, as Wes Welker has been instrumental to their success this year.  Well the Giants have a 3rd receiver who is fast becoming a weapon on offense. The numbers are not there yet, but this rookie is a burner and has made key plays in the playoffs. Plus, he has the experience of the big game after spending 3 years at USC during their juggernaut days. With Plaxico and Toomer on the outsides, and the two-headed RB game, Smith figures to see space. In college, Smith made many first-down earning and QB bail-out catches and this will be crucial in Sunday’s game.

 I also inquired with commenter Sherm re: some thoughts for the Giants-Pats game, as he is a huge Giant fan. Here are his thoughts on the keys to the game:

 ”As for the G-Men — the keys to victory are as follows (without stating the obvious, i.e., no turnovers, etc.):

1. Hit Brady. Getting pressure on him is not enough. He does not get rattled by pressure. He just gets rid of the ball faster and completes the passes anyway. They gotta hit him over and over again to stand a chance. Need to blitz him up the middle with the linebackers, and Tuck must be on the field at all times. If they want to run the ball b/c we have Tuck at tackle rather than Cofield, let them. I’d rather see Mauroney getting 5 yard runs than Moss, Welker and Stallworth making big plays in the passing game. They will pressure Brady. But I’m not so sure that they will hit him enough to make a difference.

2. Hit Moss. Take some chances with press coverage and try to hit him as much as possible. He can get frustrated (and disinterested) by physicial play. Who gives a crap about 5 yard illegal contact penalties. Play as physicial with him as you can. The refs will not throw 5 yard penalties on every pass play. It gets tedious.

3. Hold them to field goals. Can’t let them get td’s on each trip to the red zone. Need to make them kick field goals on 50% of the trips to the red zone. They’re gonna move the ball on us — can’t stop that. Just try to limit the scoring.

4. Get Ahmad Bradshad involved in the passing game. They have yet to utilze him in this manner — now is the time. No linebacker or safety on the Pats can dream of covering this kid out of the backfield. Nor can they deal with him in the open field. Throw him screens. Put him in motion. Line him up out wide. Give it to him on draws out of a spread formation. Do whatever you gotta do to get him the ball in open space. Gotta get him 7 or 8 passes plus 10-12 runs. With the lack of speed the Pats have at linebacker playing in a 3-4 defense, I want to see more Bradshaw and less Jacobs. This is not the time for smashmouth. Its time for speed.

5. Short field. Need some nice returns from Hixon. If we are gonna play ball control with runs and short passes to try to keep the Pats’ offense off the field, we are gonna need short fields to score with any consistency. It’s hard to go 80 yards to score without big plays. If Hixon can routinely get the ball up close to the 40 after the Pats’ score, we’ll be in business.

As for a prediction, I just don’t know. Beating that Pats in a super bowl is a monumental task. They are the better team, and they have the best coach of his generation. But something tells me that this is the Giants year. That’s its time for some come uppance. And that New York is due to beat Boston. And I am a Giants’ fan after all. G-Men 30-27, on a last minute field goal by Tynes.

Upon the Clock Ticking

Santana deal has 5 hours and counting until free agency. Not a done deal yet.