NYG ~ A Closer Peek at Week 9 ~ Giants

Seattle Crowd Noise Calls for Brute Force and Ignorance:

Center Shaun O'Hara is going to sit; bad peg.  That's a big blow because of the surge we've been getting from the O-Line as they've been getting healthier week by week.  But that's OK.  Kid Koets has my confidence as he's surrounded by the most veteran of O-Lines in the biz.

Sit Shaun, and get healthy for the cold weather's arrival.  It's OK.  Really.

What? 

I'm the one who's been talking up the Offensive Line and Brandon Jacobs all year right?  Yea, I have been, because I felt they were and still are pressing matters in my opinion.  My mind is on December and that's why I'm so preoccupied with them.

All the unnecessary passing Coach Gilbride calls for, some of those high pass attempts Eli lets off, and  resulting tips and in many cases interceptions.....are play calls that can be invested a little more wisely into getting Brandon Jacobs more carries.  You understand my problem is with unnecessary pass attempts and Coach Gilbride and not with Eli, the receivers and such....don't you?  Good.

If Coach Gilbride can find it within his Pigskin to invest some more of the play calling into a concerted Brandon Jacobs pounding attack (which by the way just makes life that much more easier for the NFL's leading rusher; Ahmad Bradshaw), not because that's been my want, but because that crowd will render Eli inaudible at the line; That's why.  This game should be 'Pound Away'.  I know I've been saying it a lot this season, but this week I say it because it just gets too damn loud in Seattle's place.

But I'll play into Gilbride's ego for a second and offer him some advice.  The last couple of games he's been employing some hocus-pocus using two and even three tight-end sets.  Well, if I'm hip to his jive, doesn't it stand to reason Defensive Coordinators are light years ahead of me?  Before you get too predictable Coach, try rediscovering and loading up a steady diet of Kevin Boss.  Fool me once fool me twice Coach; teams will adjust to what you've been doing; which has been brilliant by the way.  It's just that some of it has been unnecessary.  If he didn't try getting too cute, I'd leave him alone more.  He conflicts me.  He's the best Offensive Coordinator we've had since Ron Erhardt but so different in methodology.

However, less so this week than any other week so far, I am not so preoccupied with said Line, Running Game and Coach Gilbride.  Week nine in Seattle is all about Big Blue's Defense.

I have spent very little time talking about them because they haven't been a concern for the most part.  But let it be known I am an Old School Giants Fan in that I believe in Defense, a Running Game, and don't screw up, in that order; Just like Coach Parcells programmed me.

Coming into the season I thought, like many, Linebacker would be our soft white underbelly.  They have put in solid, lunchbox efforts.  There have been injuries to contend with; A Kenny Phillips knee here and an Osi knee there.  Now we learned we'll be without the services of Mathias Kiwanuka for the rest of the season suffering from neck/disk complications.  In a Football context, we've been dealing with that all season; no change.

Perry Fewell seems to have the Defense's attention and they are responding with dominating efforts.  The scores have been a little skewed lately but make no mistake, Big Blue has been laying the smack-down in an impressive manner.  More importantly in the Giants grand scheme of things, they've been getting it done with the front four.  I'll forgive the D for the lapses in judgement and spotty play if they set themselves right Sunday by playing four quarters of consistent rabid defense.

I believe the Giants' body count stands at five (?) ~ Five quarterbacks the Giants have knocked out of commission.  Now I hear Hasselbeck might miss Sunday's game? ~  Malingering trying to avoid...Pain?  Shhhh.  Nonsense.

But if there is a game I am calling on the Defense to dominate, I'd ask them to do it this game.  It just gets too damn loud in Seattle.  The crowd cranks up the noise when they need to and it's deafening; even on TV.  I just don't want Blue to take the crowd out of the game.  That's the easy thing to say.  I want them making the day easier on the Offense.  Like I said, it gets too damn loud in there.  And losing the last time we visited Seattle still speaks to me from the back of my mind.

So, what I need this week is for Brandon Jacobs to pound out first downs and for the Defense to dominate a compromised Seattle offensive line.  Seattle's Hasselbeck (head/poss-concussion) may not play which further hammers home the notion the Giants need to seize the moment this week against the Seahawks and grab the NFC Conference by the neck.

The Defense needs to lead the way and the Offense needs to pound it home because it gets too damn loud in there.  That's the way it needs to go down.  It gets so damn loud you can't even hear yourself think sometimes.  That's why this game calls for some brute force and ignorance and Big Blue are just the guys to do it.

...too damn loud!



Mike.BTB