New York Giants (6-4) at New
Orleans Saints (7-3) on Monday Night Football at the Superdome in New Orleans
By Ben Kelly - InReeseWeTrust.com 11/28/11
What happened last week
New Orleans had the week off
with a bye, during which Sean Payton gave his players eight days off before
beginning prep for the Giants on Monday. New Orleans’ last game was played on
the road in Atlanta, where the Saints were aided by a gutsy overtime call by
Falcons coach Mike Smith that backfired. Smith’s Falcons failed to convert a 4th and inches from their own 29-yard line and
watched John Kasay kick a chip shot to give the Saints a 26-23 victory against
their division rival.
The Jimmy, Pierre and Darren
Show
The Saints present a nightmare
matchup for New York’s young linebackers. Rookies Mark Herzlich and Greg Jones,
along with Mathias Kiwanuka, are tasked with covering the Saints’ tight ends
and backfield options- assignments the Giants have handled poorly the past two
weeks. In the Philadelphia loss, LeSean McCoy was mostly held in check until a
60-yard run in the final two minutes put the game on ice. Philadelphia tight
end Brent Celek caught six passes for 60 yards, and 6'3" target Riley
Cooper had a breakout performance with five catches for 75 yards and a score.
The week prior New York yielded 109 yards on nine catches to San Francisco’s
tight ends. Enter New Orleans’ Jimmy Graham, the NFL leader in receptions and
yardage for tight ends. The second-year player is fifth overall in receiving
yardage among all players, to go along with six touchdowns and another
league-best 47 first down conversions. Not bad for a guy with only one year of
college football under his belt. The former Miami basketball player stands at
6'6", 260 pounds, and would be covered by the speedy Michael Boley if he
weren’t injured. Giants linebackers will also have their hands full with
running backs Pierre Thomas and Darren Sproles, both in the LeSean McCoy-mold
of being strong receiving threats. Like McCoy, the Saints backs have gashed
opponents for big gains; Sproles with three rushes over 30 yards and two
receptions over 20 this season, and Thomas with a 33-yard rush in week nine and
a 57 yard completion against Indianapolis this season.
New York offensive line takes a
hit...
But this will be the week the
Giants’ run game redeems itself. After posting two uninspiring rushing totals
in the past two weeks (18 carries/55 yards for Brandon Jacobs in San Fran, 29
total rush yards at home against Philly), reshuffling on the offensive line
will provide a spark in the run game. Will Beatty is out with an eye injury and
coaches decided to shift David Diehl to left tackle and promote Kevin Boothe to
left guard. With Diehl and Boothe in, the Giants offensive line has a new look
without losing its veteran presence. Diehl returns to the position he started
the past four seasons and Boothe has made three starts at guard this season-
two of which the Giants rushed for over 100 yards and won (Buffalo and New
England). The Giants are 4-0 when rushing for over 100 yards this season. Now
they face a Saints defense that ranks last in the NFL in yards per attempt at
5.2 and has held opponents under 100 yards on the ground only twice in ten
games. The matchup between Saints defensive line versus Diehl and company tilts
in New York’s favor, especially when Diehl had this to say this week: “We had two days off. Guys were in here
watching film. Guys were in here lifting. It was actually good to see everybody
in that little pissed-off attitude, getting ready to get back on the field.
Since we’ve started, since we prepared this week, guys are fired up. Guys are
flying around on the practice field. Guys are holding each other accountable. I
know this, I know that we’re going to go out and fight on Monday night.” If
the line performs the way he says it will, New York will impose its will
against New Orleans’ front four.
Predictions
Every trend in this game points
toward an offensive shootout. In two of New Orleans’ losses they outgained
their opponent, gaining more than 450 yards in Green Bay and Tampa Bay. The
Saints’ offense has been slowed only once this season... to familiar face Steve
Spagnuolo and the St. Louis Rams. Undoubtedly, the fact that the Saints only
losses are to teams from two-name cities- St. Louis and the Bays- will be the
deciding factor on Monday night. But if the Saints are to overcome that trend,
they will have to do a better job in the turnover battle. The Saints haven’t
taken more than one in a game this season while posting a paltry minus-5
turnover ratio. For the Giants to stay in the playoff hunt, they have to match
New Orleans with early scores and win the turnover battle. To slow down Drew
Brees, New York has to hope they can soak up the spirit of Spagnuolo from St.
Louis for a night. In a packed Superdome on Monday Night Football it still
might not be enough. Saints win, 30-27.
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