NYG ~ GIANTS vs. COWBOYS

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

OCTOBER 25, 2010

New York Football

GIANTS

vs.

Dallas

COWBOYS

Jerry Jones' Playhouse, TEXAS

Pre Game Thoughts:

First you have to know this; I hate when the Giants play on Sunday Night, Monday Night, Thursday Night or Sunday Late Afternoons.  I want all my Giants Football on Sundays at 1:00pm Eastern Standard Time.  Period.   OK.

Will the Giants win this game?  I feel the Giants have the personnel and ability to win the NFC East, and yes, I believe they can win this game.  But will they win?

The Cowboys are in a very bad way right now with a 1-4 record.  They can effectively slam the door on their season with another loss tonight.  However, the Cowboys have played in close games.  They aren't as bad as the record indicates.  What the Cowboys suffer from is well within their control to correct.  They keep doing stupid things, shooting themselves in the foot and accumulating penalties at a horrific rate.  All that can be corrected in a blink.  The reality of a lost season can trigger a response from this still, very talented team.  I'll even say the Cowboys have the most talent in the division.  It's just a good thing for me Jerry Jones is a clown and Coach Phillips is so ineffectual as a coach I can't begin to explain.  Otherwise, the 'Boys would be playing with more discipline.  But make no mistake, they are a dangerous team and I'm through taking obligatory shots at them.

So will the Giants win this game?

My answer has everything to do with tonight...AND...December.

In a nutshell, this is what I've been snivelling about this season.

Coach Gilbride sets up the run with the pass.  He's playing a guessing game with defenses utilizing balance and deception via the play action (when did we stop saying "fake"?  Anyone?)  But I keep asking myself what defines this offense?  - The running game or the passing game?  Is it the "Eli and Nicks Show" moving forward, with Bradshaw and Jacobs used as props for the pass?  It seems so.

But what do we turn to when we absolutely need 3yds, 4 yds, 5 yds or 2 yds?  What is Gilbride's idea of the surest fire play call?

Gilbride is a TEASE and FOOL run game play caller.  And this is what I want.  I want the Giants pounding the ball against the Cowboys all game long.  I want the Cowboys worn out by the fourth quarter.  The offensive line is gaining it's health and I want this team imposing their will on teams through a triumph of strength.  I will not waver on this.

I want the Giants handing off the ball to Jacobs and Bradshaw 35 to 40 times and pounding out yardage on the ground.  Draw the defense in, then pass if you want.   I GET....The Cowboys like to play man coverage and Gilbride is smart enough, and Eli is good enough to find a way to pick 'em apart.

What I'm saying is I want Gilbride to establish a Bread and Butter run game before it gets cold.

I GET....Eli threw in -24 degrees up in Green Bay that night several years ago.  And I also get the passing game passed us to a Super Bowl against the Patriots.  I get it.

But do not let it get lost on us Giant fans how Brandon Jacobs ran that year.  He has been playing good soldier.  His effectiveness is on an up-tick.  It's time to let him run the ball; get warmed up for 10 to 12 rushes, and then let him pound down the Cowboys "D".  We need to do that tonight and in preparation for DECEMBER.

That's where I'm coming from!

So I'll be blunt.  After everything said, the Cowboys are a better team than us Giants.  I don't think we'll win if Eli is throwing the ball 40-some times.

In a completely different thought,  The Giants defense can continue surging and really make a statement in the conference tonight by dominating the Cowboys, which they very well can.  That's without a doubt in my mind.

And so, the Giants are supremely positioned to solidify their grip on first place and effectively make Dallas disappear.  Everything is all set up beautifully for the Giants tonight.  The milk bottles are stacked up neatly waiting for us to knock em down.  Tonight signifies one of those Seasonal moments.  It's a game containing potentially devastating ramifications for one team and the ability to catapult another team to  being the toast of the Division, if not the Conference.

That's why I think we'll lose.

What can I tell you?  I already told you I root scared.

It's game time.  Go Big Blue!

Mike.BTB