InReeseWeTrust.com Week 3 Game Preview: New York Giants vs. Tennessee Titans

Tennessee Titans (1-1) at New York Giants (1-1), 1 p.m. Sunday at New Meadowlands Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

By Ben Kelly - InReeseWeTrust.com 9/24/10

What happened last week?

Tennessee lost a defensive battle at Pittsburgh, coughing up seven turnovers in the 19-11 loss. Quarterback Vince Young was benched in the fourth quarter for Kerry Collins, but Young will start against the Giants. Last season’s 2,000-yard rusher Chris Johnson rushed for only 34 yards on 16 carries against Pittsburgh’s defense. The only positive for Tennessee was allowing zero offensive touchdowns despite the seven turnovers, with Pittsburgh’s only touchdown being the opening kickoff return.

What to expect from the Titans:

Chris Johnson should return to the 100-yard club after missing the mark against the Steelers to break his 12 game streak. New York allowed 161 yards on 36 carries to Indianapolis running backs Donald Brown and Joseph Addai, who produced 44 yards on 10 carries in week 1. Tennessee will rely on its run game and efficient passing from Vince Young to control the ball.

What to expect from the Giants:

After last week’s humbling defeat against the Colts, the Giants need a strong offensive performance out of Eli Manning and company. The Titans have contained quarterbacks Dennis Dixon, Byron Leftwich and Jason Campbell in the first two weeks, so it will be interesting to see whether they can handle a quarterback of Manning’s level. Vince Young will not have the type of success that Peyton Manning had last week, and the Giants should pressure the pocket again as they did against Carolina, to stifle the pass game and make Tennessee’s offense one dimensional. Of course, that one dimension is offensive MVP Chris Johnson, who carried Tennessee to a late playoff push last season on his own.

Prediction:

The Giants gladly return after the Indy debacle to a warm home crowd and should throw the ball all over the field. The Titans have not been tested by a veteran quarterback yet this season, and Eli should be able to carve the Titans defense better than Pittsburgh and Oakland’s rotation of quarterbacks. The game will be won by the team hungrier for victory; Tennessee needs to keep pace with the 2-0 Houston Texans and Colts in the AFC South, while the NFC East’s forecast remains cloudy until a team emerges. Tennessee wins, 33-24.

Week 1 prediction: 28-16 Giants (Actual: 31-18 Giants)

Last week’s prediction: 21-17 Giants (Actual: 38-14 Colts)

A Receiving Rivalry is Born

Giants WR, Hakeem Nicks

By Aditi Kinkhabwala - Wall Street Journal 9/24/10

Time for Koets to take center stage

By Ralph Vacchiano - NY Dailynews 9/24/10

Just Sayin Week 2: New York Giants vs. Indianapolis Colts

By Rachel Swett - InReeseWeTrust.com 9/24/10

So I think the question on everyone’s mind after Sunday’s embarrassing Manning-bowl is this: Is Matt Dodge out of dodge?  OK so maybe it’s just me.  While everyone else is concerned about the major breakdown in the defensive secondary and our abysmal ground game, I’m of course concerned over the gorgeous punter who can’t actually punt.  Call me a chick, but nobody can deny that the all-mighty Feagles had a LOT to do with Big Blue’s success in ’07 -’08; MUCH more than we give him credit for, even now that we’re missing him something awful.  The devil is in the details when it comes to having a successful season, and this is a detail that CANNOT be overlooked.  So while everyone else is beating the hell out of offensive and defensive stats, racking their brains making predictions, I’ll shed light on the detail that I think will make a serious impact on our season.

To answer my own question, “Is Dodge out of dodge?”  I don’t think so.  I’m not sure what everyone else was watching, but I saw a touchback that wasn’t actually a touchback because of a heads up play by DJ Johnson.  Dodge was on the sideline celebrating his first decent kick and even the commentators were all “yyyaaaayyyy for the new kid.”  Um, was I the only one that saw the whole game?

Without that single 64 yard punt, a CLEAR outlier on the stat sheet, Dodge’s average for the rest of the game was 27 yards.  No that is not a typo, you read correctly the TWO followed by the SEVEN.  Ouch.  Matt… Buddy… With a 64 yard punt, and a total of 6 punts, you STILL only come up with a 45.5 yard average?  Perhaps we should hold the celebration until your stats are at least up to the par with your college sheet. 

This may sound a little strange, but at East Carolina Matt Dodge was actually kind of a stud ON the field also.  Kinda.  During his two seasons with the Pirates he averaged almost 44 yards per punt with a 6 game streak of an over 50 yard average, dropped 20 punts inside the opponent’s 20 yard line and he absolutely crushed at least three punts that were 70+ yards.  If that isn’t slightly above average enough for you, wait until you hear that in 2009 the Consensus Draft Service elected Dodge to the All-Underappreciated team!  If you’re not already impressed, hold onto your hats because there’s even more!  Matt Dodge himself was the SECOND ranked punter in the Conference USA… conference.  Department of Redundancy Department strikes again apparently.  Now I may barely have ever heard of Conference USA and probably couldn’t name you one single starter in the entire conference, but come on, he was SECOND!  Ok, so maybe it’s a bit like being the second best grocery bagger at a Price Chopper where they don’t discriminate based on IQ or drooling, but hey, it’s something.  It’d be better than what he’s shown us so far, anyway.

I may be a little less than delighted that Matt Dodge is the man doing our punting, but come on buddy… even MEDIOCRE would at least make your cute face worth looking at.  Do I enjoy watching your butt in those pants? Sure.  Do I find some slight enjoyment in the fact that you stay on the field twice as long as any other NFL punter because of your strange 63 step approach and overall sluggish demeanor because you look damn good doing it?  Sure.  Would I trade all that for the flat-assed big-eared 44 year old who was one of the best punters in history?  You bet your cute butt I would.

In this league, field position is a big deal.  It’s often the difference when two teams are playing their hearts out.  And for Big Blue, it has, on occasion, been our only redeeming factor.  So Matt can thank D.J. Johnson for saving his career for another split second, but absolutely must get it together.  Yes, he has HUMUNGOUS shoes to fill; perhaps the biggest in history.  But as long as he can’t at least put them on like a 3 year old girl puts on her Mommy’s shoes, and walk around in them without falling on his face, the Giants have some calls to make.  And Blue, for the love of Feagles, if Dodge does end up getting cut, can we stay away from Mediocreville during our new punter search?  Just sayin’.

WFAN Giants Blog: Giants/Titans Preview

By Paul Dottino - WFAN.com 9/24/10

ESPN Countdown Daily Insight Center: Giants

Countdown Daily Prediction:Titans-Giants

NY Giants: Why the G-Men Must Find Their Running Identity To Make Playoffs

By Danni Santana - Bleacher Report 9/24/10

Giants pleased with Adam Koets' development, believe he's earned right to start on offensive line

Giants offensive tackle Adam Koets prepares to snap the ball against the Steelers during a preseason game last month.

By Zach Berman - Star Ledger 9/24/10

Giants' Antrel Rolle, Justin Tuck clear air over Rolle's 'so-called leaders' comment

'I’m not going to sit here and tell you I’m the best leader. When I make a mistake, I own up to it ... against the Colts, we didn’t do a good job in leadership because the score reflected that,' says Justin Tuck.

By Mike Garafolo - Star Ledger 9/24/10

Giants try to rebound from stinker vs. Colts

Rodney Harrison

By Justin Terranova - NY Post 9/24/10

Plenty of kinks in Giants' armor

Tom Coughlin

By Jay Greenberg - NY Post 9/24/10

Tuck's vow: I will be a better leader

TALKING TOUGH: Justin Tuck, still smarting over criticism after Sunday's 38-14 loss to the Colts, vows his teammates will be led in the "Giants way" in Sunday's game against Tennessee.

By Mark Hale  - NY Post 9/24/10

Giants' Koets could start at center if O'Hara can't go

By Paul Schwartz - NY Post 9/24/10

Justin Tuck plans to let Antrel Rolle know about the 'Giant Way'; Shaun O'Hara's ankle still hurting

New York Giants defensive end Justin Tuck says that there isn't a crisis in the Big Blue locker room, despite Antrel Rolle's radio criticisms.

By Hank Gola - NY Dailynews 9/24/10

Keith Bulluck, Giants know the key against Titans' Chris Johnson is to not allow 'home run' rushes

Titans RB Chris Johnson

By Hank Gola - NY Dailynews 9/24/10