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Giants - Jets
1999 Game 12 - 1PM ET

It's All Attitude

The 4-7 Jets play the 5-6 Giants.
At the end of this meeting both teams could easily be sitting with equal 5-7 records with four games left to play. All the upcoming competition will be tougher then what they will each face this Sunday in each other, so there is a lot of incentive to win this game.
Both teams have plenty of 'attitude' but have failed to make it work for them on the playing field.
The defensive unit of the Giants is the best of the four units.
They allowed just 69 rushing yards last week, and were hurt in the air, mostly because Phillippi Sparks was playing hurt. They are nearing the end of a possible losing season and it has started to take it's toll. These proud players have become all too eager to pick fights and this has hurt their normally superior gameplay.
This could play right into the hands of the Jets offensive unit which is starting to come together under their new quarterback as they have shown that they can play smart and hurt an overeager defense.
In fact, Parcells broke in his rookie QB Ray Lucas in the preseason game between these two teams. The result was that Ray completed 4 of 4 passes for 26 yards in the 77 yard opening drive of the game, cutting through the Giants defense like butter for a touchdown.

The Jets defensive squad is also on an upswing. In the last 8 games the Jets have allowed 14.1 points per game, and that's bad news for the Giants offensive unit which has never even established a running game this year. Last week, their ground game was 52 yards on 20 carries. They are also trying to get some consistency going with a new starting quarterback running things.
They are the weakest link of all with the exception of maybe being able to make some big plays here and there to counteract the turnovers and penalties.
For example, last week QB Kerry Collins threw for 298 yards, but had three INTs to go with the one TD.

The Fassel Strahan thing
Michael Strahan made some strong statements a few days after losing to the Cards. Jim Fassel was out of town at the time due to his mother's death and Strahan's remarks, directed at the head coach and the offense, got some big press. He later apologized claiming that the press focused on one or two comments which distorted the tone of his remarks.
Another defensive leader, Jessie Armstead criticized the offense the previous week and Fassel asked him to hold his tongue. After the next loss, Strahan did his own thing criticizing the offense and Fassel for quieting Armstead.

Attitudes
The defensive unit of the Giants is very frustrated. They have played well enough to win many of the games if the offense had only put some decent points on the board. Defensive players come back to the huddle embarrassed to face their teammates if they screw up or mishandle a play.
The Giants offensive unit doesn't have anything like that going for it.
Everyone on the offense is either a rookie, just getting back from injuries, is too new to the team, or struggling too much to set any kind of example for others, let alone take anyone to task for messing up.
Concentration and focus are a big part of this game, and
unfortunately, it seems it doesn't come easy to everyone. Being held accountable by your teammates is a big motivation for those who can't do it on their own.

Leaders and Attitudes
Maybe Kent Graham should have got that going, but then again, it's not easy to do it when you know they want to bench you the first chance they get.
Collins also has the same problem right now as he is trying to be accepted while replacing a popular player. Maybe that's why the defense was speaking up.
It's a necessary factor and someone has to do it.
It probably kills guys like Armstead to see the offense playing without the fire they should have, that he and his defensive team members have.
This is not a knock on Fassel, but imagine if Parcells was the head coach. Would there be the same amount of dropped balls, penalties and poor blocks? Does Bill Parcells have a stronger no-nonsense attitude than Jim Fassel?
The reason this is not a knock on Fassel, is that Parcells is head and shoulders over at least 25 other football coaches. It's also the reason we have to worry about the game this week against the Jets.

King of the hill and all that stuff
A few of the players on both these teams come from this area, Bernie Parmalee, Eric Ogbogu, Quinn Early, Wayne Chrebet, Frank Ferrara, Sam Garnes, and even Bill Parcells rooted for either the Giants or Jets as they grew up.
Ray Lucas and Jumbo Elliott liked the Dallas Cowboys. It is only fitting then, that as a Jet Elliott is 0-1 against the Giants, and while with the Giants, he was 0-2 against the Jets.

While they may deny it to the press, this is a big bragging rights event for all the players who love the game, and live and work in the same Meadowlands playground. It is important that the players remember that good game attitude should preside over emotion if they want to win on Sunday.

The fans are another matter
Jason Sehorn said, "I understand there are some die-hard people around here, something I'm not accustomed to in California. People don't follow teams there like they do here. They follow you when you win. Out here they just follow you. Regardless of whether the two teams are struggling, there's still going to be a lot said about who wins this game. That's why I enjoy playing for New York."

Last Notes
Fassel is 2-9-1 in November and 7-0 in December.

Bill Parcells 35-19 in December regular season games.

Jets play Miami twice in the last four games.

Jets and Giants both play Dallas once in the last four games.

Jets and Giants won't meet again in the regular season until 2002.

Defense
Jets - 20th overall, 16th against the rush, 24th against the pass
Giants - 9th overall, 11th against the rush, 13th against the pass.

Offense.
Jets - 24th overall, first in rushing, 29th in passing.
Giants - 19th overall, tied for 26th in rushing, 15th in passing.

Next week
The Giants play at Buffalo on Sunday Dec 12, at 1 PM.
The Jets host Miami on Sunday Dec 12, at 4 PM.

Click on the Team Giants logo to be informed of all Giants game previews and reviews.

Previous Stories
The Quarterback Spot click here
Round 2 - The Rematch click here
The Bratzke Meadowlands Curse click here
No Giants Game - What to do? click here
Eagles Can Fly click here
Obscene Gestures click here
Keeping it Simple click here
Quarterback Respect click here
Bring on Brown click here
Focus on Defense click here
Will the offense please take the field? click here
Opening Day at Last click here
The Last Preseason Game click here
Subway Series click here
Who are these Jaguars anyway? click here
We don't need no stinkin' Running Backs!! click here

1999 NFC EAST - Week 12
Team W L T PCT PF PA Home Away AFC NFC DIV Streak
UP Washington 7 4 0 .636 330 287 4-2 3-2 1-1 6-3 4-3 W2
UP Dallas 6 5 0 .545 255 182 5-0 1-5 1-1 5-4 3-3 W1
UP Arizona 5 6 0 .455 162 220 3-3 2-3 0-3 5-3 4-2 W3
NY Giants 5 6 0 .455 194 222 3-3 2-3 0-2 5-4 3-4 L3
UP Philadelphia 3 9 0 .250 183 276 2-4 1-5 0-3 3-6 2-4 L2

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