NY Giants: Keys to Success Against the Colts
The time is drawing near, there are only four days left until the first Sunday of the NFL season. The season actually starts on Thursday, but with Ben Roethlisberger injured, that showdown is far from intriguing. With a healthy Roethlisberger, I’d say this game would be on the Steelers bag, but I can’t say I have much confidence in Charlie Batch. I’m not buying all the hype about the Dolphins at the moment, but this is a good game to make a statement, especially considering they play a poor quarterback in Batch. Anyway, let’s get back to the Giants: the team that matters the most. The “Manning Bowl” has finally arrived, in what appears to be the most hyped regular-season game in recent history. Let’s take a look at what the Giants have to do to defeat Super Bowl favorite the Indianapolis Colts.
1. Establish the running game early and often.
The Giants must engage Tiki Barber and Brandon Jacobs on offense, immediately from the start. With a mediocre and injured Luke Pettiguit blocking Eli’s blind side, it’s important that the Giants don’t let Dwight Freeney and company take on Eli. If the Giants have a successful running game, there’s no way the Colts can cover all of our guns on the field. Remember, Tiki was by far the MVP of this team last year. Let’s take the ball from him and go from there.
2. No stupid penalties, on either side of the ball.
Last season, there were numerous units killed by penalty kick shots on both sides of the ball, particularly on the offensive line. Luke Pettiguit needs to stay in play, and if he doesn’t, I’d like to see Coughlin immediately on the bench and place Whitfield. Bob Whitfield may only have one working eye, but at least the guy can stay on his side. I’m sick of the excuses that stadiums are loud and it’s hard for these players to hear the quarterback’s cadence. Luke Pettiguit, and many of his teammates, played in arenas with over a hundred thousand people in them. In addition, they go offside both at home and away. This game will be difficult enough to win if we play a brilliant game; Let’s not shoot ourselves in the foot and push the ball back.
3. Give Jeremy Shockey the ball!
This guy brings this team to life. Throw the ball to Shockey, let him dance and his trash talk, and let him cheer on the rest of the boys. We can’t be flat at any point in this game, and for the team to work, we need Shockey to be fully involved. Shockey isn’t a very good blocker, so Coughlin must let him split or run routes down the middle and let him catch the ball downfield.
4. Play solidly between the wingers on defense.
With all of our defensive weapons, the only thing that can and will likely stop the Giants at some point this season is defensive tackles. It’s important that these guys get stuck in the middle and allow Strahan, Umenyiora, Pierce, and Arrington to do their damage. Pierce and Arrington will be tied up the entire game if the big men in the trenches don’t hold their ground on the offensive line. Jam the line, stop Indy from setting up any kind of running game, and let our defense take on his older brother Peyton.
5. Give the crowd something to cheer for.
After an absolutely embarrassing home loss in the playoffs last season, fans have been yearning for some kind of redemption. Hey, these aren’t the Panthers, but give the fans at least something to brighten up this game. This is the opening weekend, in a clash of two brothers, with two teams with aspirations to the Super Bowl. The Giants owe it to their fans for getting the crowd started early and often, especially after their fans haven’t given a moment in the last game to get excited. Some say the Giants crowd is relatively tame, but I call that mischief! The opening game is always great, and considering the opponent and the primetime showdown, the crowd will be at full blast. Let’s hope the Giants give us in the game and at home something to be happy about.