The Giants Look To Stay Alive In The Playoff Race And Give The 1972 Dolphins A Reason To Pop Their Annual Bubbly
Well here we are again, Giants fans. We are in a tight spot where we likely have to win out in order to have a shot at the playoffs, with some tough games remaining on the schedule, with this first game coming on a short week. It may not make sense to fans of other football teams, but I am actually happier that the Giants are facing a 13-0 Panthers team instead of a 12-1 Panthers team. Did it make any sense when Kent Graham beat that juggernaut Broncos team back in 1998? Nope. Did the people in the mainstream media give the Giants a shot to beat the Patritots in Super Bowl. Hellll no. But the Giants are ironically a giant-killing team that loves giving teams a one in the loss column late in the season.
Now getting the Panthers after a week where Greg Olsen and Jonathan Stewart got nicked up is a bonus. The Panthers offense has been discounted all year, but they have been red-hot lately, averaging 39 points per game over their last four contests. Olsen is probable to play, but Stewart is out, leaving a committee headed by Fozzy Whittaker to tote the rock. Add in the fact that the Panthers are a team that relies on the hands of Ted Ginn Jr. to catch football in order to make things work, so I feel like the Giants’ ulcer-inducing defense will not be completely overmatched. Obviously Cam Newton is the man that makes this unit click, so trying to contain him are keys 1-100 of the game on defense. I love watching Cam dance and give away footballs while Racist America loses their shit, but for this one Sunday I hope he doesn’t sniff the end zone.
On the other side of the ball, the Giants are going to have to rely on the arm of Eli yet again, as the Panthers run defense is about as good as the Giants run offense is bad. ODB will have to deal with shutdown corner Josh Norman, so players like Rueben Randle and Will Tye will have to step up. Now if you will excuse me, I will take a minute to scream in fear before I finish this blog.
Okay, I’m back. I feel like we will know pretty quickly which Giants offense shows up today. If Rashad Jennings can be patient and find a hole (if there ever is one) and Shane Vereen can do Shane Vereen things, we will be okay. But having our best weapon shadowed by one of the best cover men in the league is going to force Ben McAdoo to get creative. Lets just hope ol’ Benny is better at gameplanning than fashion.
Prediction: Giants 20 Panthers 16 in a game that of course comes down to the last 75 seconds. I fully admit this is a “I can’t explain why the Giants beat undefeated teams yet lose to bad teams” pick, but that’s exactly what I think will happen. Oh yeah, and we will definitely hear from Mercury Morris’ loud ass again as the 1972 Dolphins celebrate being the only undefeated team in NFL history again, while the rest of the world rolls its eyes and Giants fans celebrate that their team and QB are giant killers.
