N.Y. Giants ~ Purple Daze ~ Week 14 Preview

NEW YORK FOOTBALL GIANTS:  It's Time Big Blue Helps Brett Favre Come To Grips With Retirement...
(If The Vikes Don't Do It First).


Brett Favre is not only compromised, he's old hat.  I don't know what steps he's taking to get his shoulder in game-shape for Sunday, but he may be just what the doctor ordered for the Giants.

Captain Kronos' shoulder is hurting and he remains questionable for Sunday's game.  He has said putting on a shirt and his socks is a struggle for him.  Friday, he threw very lightly at practice for the first time this week.  But then again he never needed Training Camp, did he?  And as always with him these days, questions swirl regarding his retirement.

Yea right!

Minnesota continues to willingly hold themselves hostage to Brett Favre's whims. This week that means continuing his consecutive games played streak, which is up to....# Who Cares...!  Brett Favre will have his way because it's all about him and therefore will play. I relish the opportunity against the Old Goat. Silver Chin is an interception or two waiting to happen if he plays Sunday.


It's time for the Giants to knock another QB out of commission and particular to this game, finally send Brett into retirement, to battle Jenn Sterger in court, back to Mississippi, or to go play Football back on the ranch with his Wrangler Jeans Posse.

But Favre playing Sunday remains a very big IF.  The Vikings are not only in the midst's of internal chaos, they are a wounded "Viking" hemorrhaging Purple Ooze everyday they allow Brett Favre to keep killing them.  The Vikings might decide to sack Brett before we can get to him first.

It's time someone sent this NAG to Ye Old Glue Factory for Aged Football Players.  This job falls on the Vikings and is owed to all Football organizations in the known universe.  If the Vikings won't, the G-Men should.



BIG BLUE: Teams In Turmoil Are Usually A Big Problem.
*Tarvaris Jackson and Adrian Peterson can leave us in a PURPLE DAZE.

If the Vikings have a backbone they will start Tarvaris Jackson who changes things a little bit and in my view, makes this a tougher game for the Giants to handle.  With Brett Favre dropping back in the pocket, the toughest thing we'll have to contend with on their way to sacking him are pigeons.

Tarvaris Jackson gives the Giants something else to think about besides trying to stop Adrian Peterson from running wild, which is a mobile quarterback.  Jackson can move the pocket on the Giants' D and create all sorts of broken play dilemmas for us.  You won't find any pigeons on Jackson like you will on Favre the Statue.

Favre inspires jokes now-a-days, but I'm taking a Tarvaris Jackson/Adrian Peterson combo very seriously.  To me, the Vikings are similar to the Cowboys; skilled teams who's seasons went awry.  I still think Minnesota is very dangerous and capable of quick strikes and many points.

To that point, the Giants secondary concerns me this game.  Last week, when it was clear the Redskins running game was going no-where, everyone knew Donovan McNabb was forced to throw the ball the rest of the day.  The Skins' receivers dropped so many passes and McNabb still threw for over 300 yards.

Jokes aside, Favre can still find 60 more minutes in his fading career to be great and/or Jackson can wind up being very disruptive for the defense much in the way Michael Vick is and McNabb used to be.  There's a silver lining to that however.  Even though we lost to the Eagles, Michael Vick was contained well enough and with McNabb, the (defense) secondary still held the Skins and McNabb to 7 points in a Bend-Don't-Break kinda way.  I just refuse to take-on the troubled but still very skilled Vikings team without due caution.  We can't afford to let a team in disarray knock us off our game.  There is something about teams in the midst's of internal conflict that make them reckless on the field.  In turn, reckless teams are very unpredictable. 





BIG BLUE:  The Running Game Is In Gear.  Time To Get Pass Attack Back In Order After Injuries.

The O-Line is now getting healthier with every passing day.  Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw have been running towards all kinds of daylight because of it.  But somehow, I still envision the Giants having to win this game in a mini shoot-out.  Hakeem Nicks and Steve Smith are returning this week.  While Derek Hagan did an admirable job last week, hearing Nicks and Smith will be back is most welcome news.

Now that Nicks and Smith are back, along with O'Hara and Diehl, while they may not be 100% yet, they are reunited with the Offense none-the-less.

Now finally, Coach Gilbride, your time has come.  Get the passing attack back up to snuff and in harmony with the running game.  I'm not looking to alter the ground game as we've run it the last few weeks, but for a game, this game against the Vikings, I'd like to see Coach air things out.

There's a time and a place for everything and right now, a good airing-out is needed.  The Eagles and Packers are coming up.  So, go ahead Coach Gilbride, this week, without any flack from me....,

LET THE PIGEONS LOOSE!!



Mike.BTB