I wish I could write here more often. Hell, I wish I had the ability to move things with my mind but we all don't get what we want. Even though there has been a paucity of posts it has not mean we have stopped watching sports. In fact, due to the recent acquisition of DVR in my place there has been even more viewing going on. That's right, I finally joined the rest of civilized society and it was as wonderful as I had hoped for. I've been paying attention to the baseball races winding down but of course especially on football. We're not here to give you late breaking news, just to add our perspective on some of the stories. With that said, here is a story from each division in the NFL that has grabbed attention this so far after week 4.
When your a Jet, you blow .16
I think the Braylon Edwards ordeal has helped the Jets rather than hurt them. They sit at 2-1 and atop the AFC East at the moment. All the focus in the local media shifted from Darrelle Revis' burnt hamstring and Mark Sanchez's quarterbacking to philosophical discussions on whether Edwards should have been suspended and the proper way to calculate alcohol intake. Seriously, on sports radio up here they spent more time discussing how police measure BAC and how Braylon would be more adept at handling that amount of intake than the actual games on the field. It worked. Well kind of, that just kept Jets other than Rex Ryan from having to discuss whether Braylon would be suspended.
I root against rival teams of my own but I also call it like I see it. Mark Sanchez has played well the last two weeks. The turning point came against the Patriots when the Jets were shut down in the first quarter. A chorus of boos rained down from many a bro in the stadium. At that point Brian Schottenheimer finally decided to turn Sanchez loose. Thanks to the Patriots secondary, it worked. If the Pats had held the clamps on El Sanchupaquatal, confidence would not have emerged. The offense would have remained as tight as a horsehair knot on a catapult. Amazingly I think the Pats offense was at fault for this turn of events. They were unable to sustain any drives in the second half, allowing the Jets to dominate the TOP. A big win over their division rivals invigorated the Jets and the Braylon incident dominated all headlines and questions. The joke turned out to be on the media; Edwards sat out one quarter, came in and scored a go-ahead 60-yard touchdown. Nobody cares about your moral high horses and sadly no one cares that Braylon could have easily killed someone, himself, or his two teammates. Everyone just wants to talk about him doing the Dougie in the end zone. The Jets went on to torch the Bills (not the biggest accomplishment but still) this past Sunday.
The Jets have weaknesses yes, but it appears as of now they will live up to the playoff (not willing to say Super Bowl yet) hype that they built up for themselves through their talk and HBO. Hell, LT is abusing defenders again.Laser-Rocket Slingshot arm
I saw a lot, pretty much all, of Tennessee's 29-10 win over the Giants in week 3. What caught my eye aside from the Eli Manning Lamar from the Revenge of the Nerds-esque shotput interception and multiple personal fouls was Vince Young's delivery. I guess you can say VY bounced back from his nightmare performance against the Steelers in which Kerry Collins was exhumed to take his place. Young went 10-16 for 118 yards and a touchdown. He did not turn the ball over. However, I just can't watch him sling the ball like a wad of pizza dough and feel he is going to be a great passer in the league. This past Sunday he went up to 28 attempts and completed 17 for a very pedestrian 173 yards.
Vince Young has gone from Vick 2.0 prodigy to walking disaster to redeemed QB to game manger. His job is to keep the defense honest while Jeff Fisher runs the tires bald on Chris Johnson. Phillip Rivers will tell you unconventional throwing motions don't mean anything if you can get the ball there. Yet I don't think Vince can get the ball there consistently with the way his ball is slung out from his hand. The Titans sit at 2-2, tied with the Jags and Colts and looking up at the Texans in the AFC South. At this point you can't change Young's mechanics, and the only viable alternative is Crazy Heart himself Kerry Collins. So it is Vince's team to manage.
Men of Troy
The homeristic Hurricane fan wants me to argue that Ed Reed is the best safety of this generation. Realistically, you have to include Troy Polamalu in that category. He and Reed have been head and shoulders above the rest of the league the past few years. Reed won't return until later the season and may not even play past this year due to injuries. Polamalu is back from injury and making spectacular plays.
Pittsburgh was just supposed to hold on until Gray Dong the Magnificent returns this week but they went 3-1. They did lose a tight one to the Ravens but many thought the Ravens would put distance between them and the Steelers in the AFC North with Big Ben out. Not to go ESPN analyst on this situation but I definitely think there is a psychological edge Polamalu gives to the rest of the defense. Pass rushers and cornerbacks know he is back there keeping watch over the deep balls and he will come up and make a play in the running game. Think back to last year and how awful the Steelers defense was without him. When you talk about a guy like that, it is pretty much what the phrase MVP is supposed to mean.
Somewhere They Belong
A little divergent allusion to music for the AFC West's note. I'm not all about Linkin Park. In fact, I wouldn't even call myself a fan. I first heard of them driving to practice in college with a teammate and I was not a fan of their screaming (which they did more of in their earlier work I think) at 5:30 in the morning. Then they became much more mainstream and everyone has heard of them. Look, the transformers movies have their suck amplified by the Linkin Park themesongs, especially the 2nd one but I won't lie, I have a few of their songs on my mp3 player. When I'm at the gym, I'm the kind of mind monkey that will use a rush I get from a song to finish up a run, erg session, or lifting set strong. Sounds lame? It probably is but whatever gets the job done. A few Linkin Park songs do that for me, but 'Shadow of the Day' is not one of them. I can get pumped by 'Somewhere I Belong' and I that song came on my mix yesterday. When considering my AFC West focus which are the Chiefs, I think of Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel.
These guys both would be considered failures at their respective head coaching ventures, but damned if I don't think they know a ton about football. A lot more than you or me. It is not a new addage but some coaches are better as coordinators than head coaches. Neither of these guys are likely to run the show again but as far as implementing a game plan, they are on par with just about anyone in the league. Most people that think of the Patriots now are the way they were during their Super Bowl run. Present perception does not equal past reality. When the Patriots were winning their Super Bowls they had a dynamic pass attack that included play action and a variety of screens that was complimented by a pounding run game. When Weis left and the Pats got Moss and Welker, Josh McDaniels changed the scheme. The defense a strong up front 3-4 with linebackers capable of pass rushing or dropping into coverage and veteran secondary players. Crennel and Belichick put the clamps on teams so bad they changed the rules..I mean they emphasized rules already in place (/Polian'd). Once those players left Belichick created a new identity.
The bottom line is that the Chiefs are not the most talented team in the league, but they have a lot of potential and having those two guys guiding the offense and defense bodes well for the future.
As a Patriots fan it is my everlasting shame to be reminded of Super Bowl 42. The Patriots bid for a 4th title went up in smoke for a variety of reasons but the most painful of them was Eli Manning's desperation heave that was caught by David Tyree and his helmet. Now living in New York I get to listen to Eli on the radio. He does an interview with Michael Kay every week. Despite the fact that I think Michael Kay is a sack of crap, he does get good guests. So on my drive home from the gym yesterday I listened to the sack interview Eli.
Now Eli's interview is a good get because he is the QB of the New York Giants. The Giants beat the Bears 17-3 in a game Sunday Night that brought shame to the game of football. The Giants who have been **cliché alert** much maligned so far this year for their sloppy play sit at 2-2 and tied for the lead in the NFC East. Eli giving an interview over the phone sounds like a cross between the Waterboy and Gomer Pile. There are lot of clichés like "We need to execute" and "He's been working hard and preparing" but most of the interview is Eli saying "Uh" and "You know". When Kay asked him about the reception Tiki Barber got at the ring of honor ceremony (hint: it wasn't warm and fuzzy) Eli downplayed it. Kay tried to provoke him into a response considering the shots Tiki took at Eli in the past. Since this flustered Manning it took about 4 minutes of "Eahhh Ya know" before he said a coherent sentence. Eli of course took the high road. It is the right thing to do, when he easily could have mentioned how he got his ring while Tiki missed out or the fact Tiki has become a joke and cheated on his wife with some random college chick.
Are they who we thought they were?
The Packers are 3-1. They sit in second place only because they lost to the Bears last week. They are still the favorite to win the NFC North. Yet I am not so sure all of a sudden how much of a Super Bowl lock they are. A lot of people out there think they will make it to Dallas. So far this season they have not shown it. Aaron Rodgers is a very good QB, no debate there, but the Ryan Grant injury puts more on his shoulders that were already burdened with not much of a run game. The defense was opportunistic last year, but those chances will not always be there if they play solid teams. The team looks very shaky to me, yet all the "top" NFL teams have glaring weaknesses. Another factor that threw me off was last Sunday night against the Bears. Why did Mike McCarthy challenge that fumble late in the game? Then why didn't he allow the Bears to score to get the ball back? They were not Les Miles level mistakes but it really seems coaches spend a lot of time preparing schemes but not on split-second decisions in games. NFL and college there has been a rash of bad game management.
Letting go
The Carolina Panthers are in disarray but not complete and utter disarray. They gave the Saints everything they had, in the Superdome, following a home loss. They still sit winless and the dregs of the NFC South and it is unlikely they will move vertically in the standings for the rest of the year. The owner of the Panthers, Jerry Richardson is a loyal man. He stood by Julius Peppers and did everything he could to keep him with Carolina. He has kept with his GM Marty Hurney and coach John Fox since 2002 and there has been a lot of success but also lately, a lot of frustration. With rookie (and emu) Jimmy Clausen starting Carolina has not inspired confidence that they are going for the gold this year. They seemed resigned to their fate and that cannot create a lot of bile in the fanbase. House will be cleaned in the offseason.
Some house may be cleaned now. Dwayne Jarrett was arrested for DUI this morning. It is his second arrest for this offense in two years. Jarrett now has more DUI arrests than career touchdowns. He has one more career start than DUIs. It is hard to pinpoint what exactly went wrong with Jarrett but his lack of production on the field and repeated undisciplined actions off it mean he will not be with them much longer. It is hard to figure out why they kept him this long in the first place.
Regurgitate some opinions to sound smart
Hey! Did you hear? The NFC West is bad. No really! Nothing makes blockheads feel smarter about the NFL this year than proclaiming how horrid the NFC West is. The winner of the division might be under .500! You're not breaking new ground. You're not being insightful, you're not productively contributing to football discussion. The teams are not that good, we know, we get it, let's move on.
All that said, why not the Rams? I admit I was down on Bradford but while he has not lit the world on fire, he has inspired his team a lot more than Max Hall(?) in Arizona, Alex "tiny hands" Smith in San Fran or Hasselbeck. Usually pundits tell you to bet on the team with the best QB. In this division, it just might be....Bradford? Holy shit this division sucks.
[I give myself bonus points for avoiding discussing Vick]
Tuesday, October 5
8 NFL Storylines After Week 4
Sunday, February 7
Super Bowl Countdown #6: Super Bowl XXV
During the two weeks preceding the Super Bowl, I will be counting down the best Super Bowls I have witnessed in my lifetime, starting in 1988. I created a ranking system and will go game by game reliving each edition until the top Super Bowl is listed.
With all the aspects of the game of American football that have evolved over the past couple decades, there remains one truth for all teams: your entire season can rest on one kick. This Super Bowl in Tampa was regarded by many as the best chance for the Buffalo Bills to capture a championship. They were favored by 7 points but standing in their way was Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick. The Giants concocted a gameplan that limited the effectiveness of the Bills superior offense and were able to survive a last second kick to to take the Tampa Timestopper.
New York Giants 20, Buffalo Bills 19
Semi-lame Nickname: "The Patriotic Bowl"
Scores:
Historical Significance- 4: This was the last title ride of Parcells in New York. The Giants were the epitome of power football, with a strong running game and punishing defense. The Bills K-Gun offense was a force on the offensive side of the football. Ted Marchibroda introduced the offense with the no-huddle concentration this year and it became very effective.
Game Enjoyment By the Fans- 5: When you include the patriotic association with the game, the underdog story of the Giants, and the exciting conclusion of the game, many consider this game to be one of the top Super Bowls we have seen.
High Profile Element-4: The Giants lost Phil Simms in a 17-13 loss to the Bills during the regular season. Jeff Hostetler came in and thrived however with his ability to scramble make few mistakes. Any discussion of the Giants defense starts with Lawrence Taylor, perhaps one of the greatest ever to play defense in NFL history. The defense was first in points allowed.
The Bills had 9 pro-bowlers on their roster, including Bruce Smith who recorded 19 sacks. The offense included the usual cast of characters with Kelly, Thomas, Reed, and lest we forget tight end Keith McKellar for whom the K-gun is named.
Venue/Atmosphere- 5: There was a lot security(for that time) in Tampa and a lot of flag-waiving due to the conflict that had erupted in the middle-east. The national anthem as sung by Whitney Houston is among the most heralded of all versions of the song. It reached number 20 in the Billboard charts.
Damn, that woman can blow, when she isn't snorting it.
The Halftime show was again taken over by Disney, damn you ABC! New Kids On the Block performed, and don't lie, in 1991 you thought they were damn cool.
Personal Enjoyment- 4.5: The game was a great contest of wills, and despite the Giants executing a great gameplan the Bills had a final drive to win the game. Did they get close enough? In hindsight you could say no but the Bills did the best they could to get in position.
Cleet's Rating Index: 22.5
Where I Was: Quick note on Desert Storm. As a family we started a pen pal program with a soldier stationed over in Iraq. I don't know if we gave him any aid but I hope it helped just one iota.
What Happened in the World: Ten days after the game a Michigan court barred Dr. Jack Kevorkian from performing any more assisted suicides. Bad news for Bills fans after the game.
Record of Note: The Giants time of possession for the game was 40:33.
Game MVP: Otis Anderson captured the MVP with 102 yards and a TD on the ground.
LVP/Most Memorable Play: I'll let Alec Baldwin narrate this:
NFL Fallout: The Bills would get 3 more shots at the big game, but as captured in this countdown already, they were denied each time. The game was the last one for Parcells as Giants head coach and ended a successful era for the franchise. By 1993, Simms and Taylor retired and the Giants would not achieve playoff success again until 2000.
Saturday, February 6
Super Bowl Countdown #8: Super Bowl XLII
During the two weeks preceding the Super Bowl, I will be counting down the best Super Bowls I have witnessed in my lifetime, starting in 1988. I created a ranking system and will go game by game reliving each edition until the top Super Bowl is listed.
It is time to take my medicine. This Super Bowl was the worst I have ever had to endure. While I can say that I live a blessed life when I can say that this February day was one of the worst I have ever seen, it just plain sucked to be a Pats fan for a long time after this game. I understand the incredible joy and release other fans had for this game but it was Super Bowl I would like to forget although I never will. As a disclaimer, this will not be a Simmons type of post where I complain about officiating or blame the loss on extraneous factors. The Giants deserve the win and it belongs to them. The Phoenix Pounding out of Perfection is next.
New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14
Semi-Lame Nickname: "Who Wants It More?"
Scores:
Historical Significance- 5: While the biggest focus was on the Patriots trying to become the first team to go 19-0, the Giants had history oftheir own right. This was the Giants' 4th Super Bowl, all with a different QB and they became the first NFC Wild Card team to win the Super Bowl, winning each playoff game on the road. The Patriots completed the first ever 16-0 regular season. The team was mired in controversy after the Jets complained to the league about the videotaping on the field of a Patriots assistant in week 2. After that the Patriots made their mission to go Cobra Kai on the league, showing no mercy as they won every game en route to the playoffs. The two teams played each other in the final week of the season, with the Pats escaping 38-35 as Brady and Moss broke the record for TDs at their respective positions on the clinching TD.
Game Enjoyment By the Fans- 5: All fans united against the Patriots, it was like nothing the league had ever seen. After the Spygate business and the arrogance of the Pats, fans were fervent in hoping for someone to stop their march to perfection. The story came to dominate the NFL during the season. When the Patriots failed to win the Super Bowl, it was more than the '72 Dolphins rejoicing, it was a legion of fans realizing they never had to deal with Patriot fans using this season to attempt to trump any sports argument from now until eternity.
High Profile Element-4.5: The Patriots had lost the 2006 AFC Championship to the Colts, largely because Tom Brady had receivers make critical errors on key plays. The bug-eyed drops that prevented them from clinching that game so the Patriots dealt a 24th round pick for Randy Moss(LOL Al Davis) and 2nd and 7th round pick for Wes Welker. The addition of Dante Stallworth as a 3rd receiver and Adalius Thomas at linebacker finished the best personnel the Patriots had produced. Early on in the season New England was in the zone; they beat the Chargers at home, Dallas and Indy on the road and blew out weaker opponents. Toward the end of the season the Patriots had to hold on in games against the Eagles, Ravens, and Giants but still prevailed. They ultimately failed but when you take a step back the team was incredible:
The Giants on the other hand began the season in turmoil, losing their first two games. Eli Manning's leadership came into question, but the Giants were able to bounce back and win 10 games. After dispatching Tampa in the Wild Card round, they upset Dallas and Green Bay in overtime. The strength of the team was in their defensive line, with Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, and Justin Tuck.
Venue/Atmosphere- 5: The scene at the Super Bowl was crazy. Both teams had fans that travel well and the element of the undefeated season provided extra excitement. Glendale provided a great backdrop and stadium for the event. Even Joe Buck seemed a little excited for the game. Jordan Sparks performed the national anthem. Tom Petty sang the halftime show. At this point the game was 7-3 so there was much left in doubt. Musical taste is extremely personal in taste but I will say I am a huge Tom Petty fan so I thought the choice was a huge home run.
Personal Enjoyment- 2: It was pretty hard for me not to put a "1" in the column for this game. It goes without saying that I did not enjoy this game, but the historic nature of it allowed me to (sort of) put it in perspective.
Cleet's Rating Index: 21.5
Where I Was: I was in my final semester of grad school when this game took place. I was toughing it out by living at home and working the graveyard shift stocking shelves at the local store to pay my bills. I had to work the night of the Super Bowl and it took near begging to let him allow me to come into work an hour late so I could watch the full game. I made a deal that I would stay later into the morning.
My parents came into the room to watch the 2nd half while I paced the floor after the Giants took a 10-7 lead. When Brady went to Moss with 2:42 left I thought it was in the bag, but it was not to be. On the play when Manning hit Burress for the winning TD my Mom saw the play unfold before the pass even came close to Plaxico. She saw Plaxico had Hobbs beat and screamed out "Oh no!" That was the worst night of work I ever had. Aside from being in a bad mood, the store was in a mess and the trucks had not been unloaded properly so I was there until after 8 am. I had plenty of time to relive the game instantly in my mind.
What Happened in the World: A day after the game Iran launched a rocket into space after it opened its first space center. I'm a believer making your country economically feasible before you try to enter space but maybe that's just me.
Record of Note: The 3 lead changes in the 4th quarter were a Super Bowl record which brought the excitement to an otherwise dull, sloppy, defensive battle.
Game MVP: Eli Manning's two 4th quarter touchdowns earned him the MVP. For all the scrutiny that was piled on ELi throughout the year, he played lights out in the playoffs that year.
Most Memorable Play: No quips, no comments, no complaining of holding or dissertation on lucky catches, this play will be replayed even after I am long gone.
NFL Fallout: After a wedding Catfish and I attended for our friend K-man this past summer we went to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton. In the modern wing of the building they had an area set-up with this Super Bowl on replay. I will never escape this game, because it was a great Super Bowl and provides a chance for people to always throw out the 18-1 tag and there is nothing I can do. It is what it is. The Patriots were a great team, the team of the decade, but when it was their time to make history, they failed.
Tuesday, February 2
Super Bowl Countdown #16: Super Bowl XXXV
During the two weeks preceding the Super Bowl, I will be counting down the best Super Bowls I have witnessed in my lifetime, starting in 1988. I created a ranking system and will go game by game reliving each edition until the top Super Bowl is listed.
Every Super Bowl is memorable, but some have components that put them in the "all-time" category. This Super Bowl was all about the Ravens' defense which been the key to success all season long and was in this game. It may be hard to call them definitively the best NFL defense of all time, but they are in the discussion. The Tampa Tear-up is next.
Baltimore Ravens 34, New York Giants 7
Semi-Lame Nickname: "Festivus Maximus" Brian Billick had imposed a no utterance of the words "playoffs" or "postseason" so Baltimore started using the term Festivus instead. While that is fine, going the next step and calling the big game your own twist on the nickname, not so much.
Scores:
Historical Significance- 3.5: The Ravens had the chance to put the exclamation on their record setting defense, which allowed a record 165 points in the regular season. The city of Baltimore was also after their first Super Bowl since the Colts won it 30 years prior before hopping the Mayflower out of town. The Giants went from mid-season flubs to winning 7 in a row on the way to reaching their 3rd Super Bowl.
Game Enjoyment by the Fans- 3: There were fireworks early in the 2nd half, but the Giants were only close once and after the 2nd quarter were never within one possession.
High Profile Element- 4: The Ravens defense was coached by Marvin Lewis, with Rex Ryan a defensive assistant. The line was anchored by Sam Adams and Tony Siragusa, who beached himself onto Rich Ganon in the AFC Championship game. Peter Boulware, Jamie Sharper, and Ray Lewis were at linebacker and the backfield had Chris McAlister and Duane Starks before they became stale and Hall of Famer Rod Woodson. The offense was much less to write home about even though Brian Billick came in as an offensive "guru" from working with the Vikings during their record-setting points scored season in 1998. Trent Dilfer, who became the go-to reference for a game-managing Super Bowl QB, lead the 16th ranked offense. Shannon Sharpe was galloping around at tight end in the passing game. The Ravens were run-oriented with Jamal Lewis and Priest Holmes at RB. The Ravens entered the game as a wild-card winner in the AFC yet they were 3 point favorites, because of the defense.
The Giants came out of nowhere 3/4 of the way through the season. Sitting at 7-4, Jim Fassel went to the podium after a loss to the Lions and gave his poker euphemism about making the playoffs. It is at 1:20 in the video below but the whole video is great, although Coors commercials have tainted the fun.
Man I love that Ditka sound bite, "What do you care?!" Either the reporter baited him by asking why he was in a bad mood or the dude was an idiot.
Kerry Collins arose from the ashes to lead the Giants during the season. At this point, years before he took over for Vince Young, Collins was considered a wash-out. He had documented drinking problems, clashes with teammates and innuendos of racism with Carolina and was considered a semi-pariah. Collins was aided by Tiki Barber in the backfield and Amani Toomer no the outside. Strahan and Ken Hamilton anchored the defense and Jason Sehorn helped contribute to the teams' 14 interceptions. In the divisional round, Sehorn had this memorable pick of McNabb that helped the Giants to a 20-10 win.
The Giants then roasted the Vikings 41-0 in the championship game.
Venue/Atmosphere- 3: The pregame show was titled "Life is Super in Central Florida". The only thing I can say on that is that of all the places in Central Florida, which I find detestable overall, Tampa is the least offensive. Who better to convey this message than Sting, Styx, and PYT? Ray Charles celebrated 225 years of America by singing his sweet version of 'America the Beautiful'. The Backstreet Boys sung the national anthem.....no comment. The halftime show was what most people remember about the entertainment. Aerosmith was the headline band, with Mary J. Blige, Nelly, Brittney Spears and NSYNC. Bonus, this was when Brittney was still smoking.
Personal Enjoyment- 3: The game was a semi-snoozer but if you were a fan of defense as they say, and I was of this Baltimore defense, it was a dominating performance.
Cleet's Rating Index: 17.5
Where I Was: While I was in college at Miami, this was the Super Bowl I remember the least. Many people were discussing Ray Lewis, because of his legal problems and his association with the U.
What Happened in the World: Two days before the game an earthquake hit Gujarat, India which killed 12,000 people. Not Haiti-like numbers but tectonic plates are not be messed with.
Record of Note: The Giants had every single offensive possession end in failure. Collins threw 4 picks, there were 11 punts, and one fumble was lost.
Game MVP: Ray Lewis. How fun is it for people to make stabbing jokes! The truth is that Lewis was seen as a peacemaker who tried to restrain his friends that night after Super Bowl 29 in Atlanta. His testimony was never refuted with any proof and his guilty charge was obstruction of justice for initially not cooperating when his two friends got arrested. Lewis has admitted he was not living on the straight and narrow, but the close call with incarceration put him on the path to better living and better play on the field.
LVP: Giants offense. Even while going up against one of the best defenses, you have to put some offensive points on the board, especially when you just notched 41 points the game prior. Even the Patriots put 10 on the '86 Bears.
Most Memorable Play: In the 3rd quarter after Duane Starks returned a TD to the house making it 17-0, Ron Dixon took the ensuing kickoff 97 yards for a TD which breathed life into the Giants. The glimmer was put out on the next ensuing kickoff that was taken 84 yards by Jermaine Lewis.
Wednesday, December 24
Shackleford Files 003: Special Holiday Edition
Monday, November 3
Take Your Pick: Panthers or Giants
Getting into a debate with some friends, I found myself defending the hometown Carolina Panthers. It has become public perception that the Giants are hands down the best team in the NFC. At the risk of sounding like Rodney Dangerfield, the Panthers are getting no respect. Obviously, there are other teams that are players (Tampa), but this particular argument is solely between the Panthers and the Giants.
Schedule: NYG opponents' record: 26-39 CAR opponents' record: 33-32
In other terms, the Giants have played 5 division cellar dwellers, the Panthers 2. The Panthers have defeated two division leaders, the Giants one. The Giants got Washington's worst effort, they've played against two coaches who have since been fired, Seattle in the dreaded west-to-east cross country 1 o'clock game, and an imploding Dallas team.
Giants pass rush:
The Giants have feasted on bad teams, amassing 18 of their 30 sacks against the Rams, Bengals, and the Niners who are all in the top 5 of sacks allowed. They also feasted on Ben Roethlisberger, who is notorious for holding on to the ball longer than most good QBs. They had four on Sunday against the Cowboys, but the Cowboys have allowed 10 (of 17 total) sacks in the last three games since Brad Johnson took over. Teams the Giants have played have allowed a combined 145 sacks to other teams. Panther opponents have allowed 101 to other teams. The Panthers pass rush is not as imposing as the Giants, but New York does enjoy some inflated stats thanks to their weak schedule. The Panthers have allowed 11 sacks, the same number as the Browns, who the Giants lost to and also did not have a sack against. In the interest of fairness, the most imposing pass rush the Panthers have faced, the Vikings, had 5 sacks. The Cardinals, however, do have the same number of sacks as Minnesota and only had 1. John Abraham has the most sacks (10) of any player that has played Carolina and they held him to 0 sacks and only 1 tackle.
Comparing both defenses in various aspects, the Giants lead in rushing, passing, and total yards allowed. The Panthers, however, have been more effective in holding teams below their average in passing and total yards, and have a distinct advantage in points allowed when compared to the teams averages. You can also see again the mediocrity that the Giants have faced in the first half of the year. Bold indicates the team that has a statistical advantage. The parentheses show the difference between the two teams.
Rush Defense
Giants: 85.4 ypg allowed Panthers: 99.9 (+14.4)
Giants: 5 opponents ranked 18 or lower in rush ypg
Panthers: 5 opponents ranked 14 or higher in rush ypg
Giants hold opp. to 78.2% of their avg. rush yards. Panthers: 87.6% (+9.4%)
Passing Defense
Giants: 175 ypg allowed Panthers: 194 (+19)
Giants: 6 opponents ranked 19 or lower and 4 ranked 26 or lower in passing ypg
Panthers: 4 opponents ranked in top 10 including 1 & 2.
Giants hold opp to 95.7% of their avg. pass yards. Panthers: 82.7% (-13%)
Overall Defense
Giants: 260.4 ypg allowed Panthers: 294.4 (+34)
Giants: 6 opponents ranked 24 or lower including 28, 30, 31, and 32 in offensive ypg.
Panthers: 7 ranked in top 15 and the worst team was 26.
Giants hold opp. to 89% of their avg. total yards. Panthers: 84% (-5%)
Points Allowed
Giants: 16.1 points allowed Panthers: 15.9 (-.2)
Giants: Only opponent team ranked in top 15 for points scored – DALLAS! 5 teams 24 or lower
Panthers: 4 opponents in top 10, and only one team lower than 17.
Giants hold opp. to 83.6% of their avg points scored. Panthers: 65% (-18.6%)
