Saturday, September 24, 2011

InReeseWeTrust: New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles Week 3 Preview


New York Giants (1-1) at Philadelphia Eagles (1-1), 1 p.m. Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia
By Ben Kelly - InReeseWeTrust.com 9/24/11

What happened last week?
The Eagles and Giants both played primetime contests. Michael Vick made his first start as a visitor in Atlanta on Sunday night, followed by the Giants spoiling Steve Spagnuolo’s return to the Meadowlands as head of the Rams on Monday. In both games, key defensive efforts spurred the home team to victory. The Falcons beat the Eagles with fourteen unanswered fourth quarter points, while Vick sat helpless in the locker room nursing a concussion. As of Friday, Vick is cleared to start against the Giants.
The key in the Eagles loss was turnovers. Vick coughed up three, leading to short scoring drives and two touchdowns by Matt Ryan and company. At the Meadowlands, Michael Boley’s 65-yard fumble return deflated another St. Louis drive. St. Louis faced a 21-6 halftime deficit and didn’t score a touchdown until the end of the third quarter. The New York defense made key stops throughout the night in the red zone, limiting the Rams to three field goals on their first three red zone attempts.

What does it take to beat Philadelphia?
Containment, containment, containment. The Eagles have playmakers across the board, and it starts at quarterback. No player in the league is as dynamic as Michael Vick, but Vick’s distracting concussion symptoms and treatment could play to the Giants’ advantage. Containing Vick will be easier if Andy Reid takes concern in limiting designed runs for his quarterback. Still, Vick is always a threat to take off from the pocket.

Running back LeSean McCoy is an NFL top-five rusher in yards and per carry average, exploding for two 20+ yard bursts and a 49-yard touchdown in week one. On the outside, the Giants depleted secondary will again have their hands full covering Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson. Maclin caught 13 passes for 171 yards and two scores against Atlanta last week, but is known for following good games with bad games.
Giants’ management (looking at you, Jerry Reese) is keeping their fingers crossed in anticipation of Steve Smith’s performance. Smith’s free agency debacle in signing with Philadelphia has many Giants fans restless with Reese. He’ll have to answer to agitated supporters if Smith finds his way to the end zone and lends his hands to the Eagles’ seventh straight victory over the Giants.

Game Plan Giants
The game plan against the Eagles is going to resemble just what the Giants did on Monday night: ball control through the run game and efficiency from Eli Manning. This time around, instead of Hakeem Nicks being the lone questionable receiver (listed as questionable last week, he caught four passes for 38 yards and a score), New York has two on the injury report. Domenik Hixon will be a weekly fixture injury report this season, tearing his ACL against the Rams. Hixon is lost for the second consecutive year with an ACL. Mario Manningham is doubtful due to a concussion. If he can’t go, it’ll be up to rookie Jerrel Jernigan, perennial preseason star Victor Cruz and veteran signee Brandon Stokley to break out against Philadelphia’s loaded secondary.

What is more likely is the Giants pounding the rock through Philadelphia’s vulnerable defensive line. The Eagles are 30th against the run through two weeks, giving away 146 rushing yards against per game. The Eagles also got burned early by Steven Jackson with a 47-yard touchdown run in week one, and late by Michael Turner last week with a 61-yard run. Fatigue is not the only factor in letting running backs gash their defense.

Prediction: the streak will end
It’s been six straight for Philadelphia, the last Giants win coming on November 9, 2008, in Philadelphia. That day the Giants rolled up 219 yards on the ground, coming on 45 rushes compared with 31 passing attempts in the 36-31 victory. The Giants offense also ran nineteen more plays than the Eagles did, 76 to 57. This is the kind of formula the 2011 Giants need against Philadelphia, to keep the Eagles’ speed demons out of rhythm and Michael Vick on the bench. More than ever, the Giants need to get the ground game hustling on all cylinders behind Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. Expect the Giants backfield tandem to expose the Dream Team deficiency in run defense. Giants win, slashing through the fourth quarter behind Jacobs and Bradshaw. 34-25. 

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