Friday, October 28, 2011

InReeseWeTrust: New York Giants vs. Miami Dolphins Week 8 Game Preview


Miami Dolphins (0-6) at New York Giants (4-2), 1 pm Eastern at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey
By Ben Kelly - InReeseWeTrust.com 10/28/11

What happened last week?
The Miami Dolphins honored the 2008 Florida Gators National Championship team at home on Sunday by allowing Tim Tebow to earn a fourth-quarter comeback victory in his first start of the season for the 2-4 Denver Broncos. The Dolphins led 15-0 with as little as three minutes left in the game, but Tebow rallied the Broncos to two touchdown drives sandwiched around a successful onside kick for an overtime win. Dolphins journeyman quarterback Matt Moore threw for 197 yards and a touchdown on 22/33 passing, but his strip-sack in overtime led to the final three Denver points in the 18-15 loss. Miami now owns the NFL’s longest current losing streak at nine losses in a row.

Moore is less
Since Chad Henne’s shoulder surgery put the quarterback on injured reserve, Miami’s hopes to revive their season to playoff contention have flattened. Matt Moore became the starter for an 0-4 team, and he’s produced one touchdown drive in the team’s last eleven quarters. Miami is averaging 10.5 points per game and less than three hundred total yards in Moore’s two starts. Moore’s offenses average exactly one hundred yards less per game than in Chad Henne’s three full games (287.5 to 387.7). One constant for the Miami offense this season has been turnovers. The Dolphins are yet to play a turnover-free game, and feature -7 turnover ratio. Their four turnovers on defense are the second fewest in the NFL. Matt Moore’s last appearance against the Giants came in week one of last season, when he opened for the eventual 2-14 Carolina Panthers. Moore threw three interceptions while completing 42% of his passes in the 31-18 loss to the Giants.

Brandon Jacobs returns
The bye-week has allowed several key Giants a return to the lineup. Brandon Jacobs is healthy again after sitting out the past two games, including one that saw backfield mate Ahmad Bradshaw break out for 104 yards and three touchdowns. Offensive linemen Chris Snee returns after a concussion prevented him from playing against Buffalo. Justin Tuck will probably see the field on Sunday in a limited role, having not played since week three with a groin injury. Rookie corner Prince Amukamara will not make his career debut this week despite limited participation in practice. The Giants need a healthy roster heading into a murderer’s row of a second half schedule that features upcoming games with New England, San Francisco, New Orleans and Green Bay.

Predictions
Miami will win if the team can focus on football this week and ignore the team’s off-field drama in recent weeks. New York will also have to have a Seattle-type game again and turn the ball over five times in spectacular ways. Miami right now is facing a media offensive speculating on coach Tony Sparano’s future, Brandon Marshall’s media taunts of the Jets and Giants and Reggie Bush’s commenting and reaffirming that his team stinks. Other players in Miami’s locker room fired back, saying Bush stinks. Miami is a mess at 0-6. Still, the Giants can’t be caught looking ahead in the schedule, despite monster matchups looming. The Dolphins have no advantages over the Giants in this game, having yielded big passing days to good quarterbacks (Tom Brady, Philip Rivers, Matt Schaub) and bad quarterbacks (Tim Tebow, Mark Sanchez), and also for having given up 100+ yards on the ground in five out of six games this year. The Giants will take care of business, through the air, on the ground and by pressuring Matt Moore into turnovers. Miami doesn’t have the run game to relieve Moore. Giants win, 28-13. 

Travis Beckum's chances to form connection with Eli Manning in NY Giants' offense running thin

Travis Beckum is supposed to be having a breakout season, but it hasn't happened so far.
Travis Beckum is supposed to be having a breakout season, but it hasn't happened so far.
By Ebenezer Samuel - NY Dailynews 10/28/11

Osi Umenyiora not paying attention to Brandon Marshall's tweets

By Ebenezer Samuel - NY Dailynews 10/28/11

Tittle on being Eli's backup: 'Backup? Hell!'

By Mike Mazzeo - ESPN.com 10/28/11

Marshall wants no excuses 'when' Dolphins win

Brandon Marshall
By Ralph Vacchiano - NY Dailynews 10/28/11

Giants-Dolphins: A look ahead to Sunday's game

20111023_jla_an5_199.JPG
The Giants shouldn't fear the downfield passing attack of the Dolphins and quarterback Matt Moore.
By Mike Garafolo - Star Ledger 10/28/11

Dottino: Giants Vs. Dolphins Preview

Giants (credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Images) vs. Dolphins (credit: Eliot J. Schechter/Getty Images)
By Paul Dottino - WFAN.com 10/28/11

Prince Amukamara’s debut put on hold for Giants

By Paul Schwartz - NY Post 10/28/11

Brandon Jacobs unsure of future with Giants

Jacobs can't see future with Giants
By Paul Schwartz - NY Post 10/28/11

Brandon Jacobs needs big finish for Giants

By George Willis - NY Post 10/28/11

Justin Tuck’s ‘plan’ is to suit up vs. Dolphins

Tuck’s unsure he'll play for Giants against Dolphins
By Paul Schwartz - NY Post 10/28/11

Brandon Jacobs happy to return with NY Giants, unhappy about limited role in Big Blue rushing attack

Brandon Jacobs would consider leaving the Giants next year to end his career 'in the right way.'
Paul Sancya/AP
Brandon Jacobs would consider leaving the Giants next year to end his career 'in the right way.'\
By Ralph Vacchiano - NY Dailynews 10/28/11

Preview: All American

Beating the odds in a fight against a deadly cancer for most people would mean staying alive. For Mark Herzlich, who was diagnosed with bone cancer while he was a football star at Boston College, living meant playing football in the NFL. Byron Pitts reports on Sunday, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

Should the Giants Just Pass More?

[SPRTS_FEATURE1]
The Giants' Eli Manning has a quarterback rating 20 points higher than his career average this season.
By Aditi Kinkhabwala - Wall Street Journal 10/28/11

Justin Tuck's role undefined for NY Giants entering Sunday's matchup against Miami Dolphins

Whether he starts or not, Justin Tuck will find his way back into the Giants' rotation against Miami.
Whether he starts or not, Justin Tuck will find his way back into the Giants' rotation against Miami.
By Ebenezer Samuel & Ralph Vacchiano - NY Dailynews 10/28/11

Dolphins vs. Giants: How New York Can Put Tony Sparano Out of a Job This Weekend

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - NOVEMBER 14:  Justin Tuck #91 of the New York Giants reacts against the Dallas Cowboys on November 14, 2010 at the New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Cowboys defeated the Giants 33-20.  (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
By Jeff Shull - Bleacher Report 10/28/11

Pro Football Talk