Sun Oct
29, 4:00 pm (Fox) - Eagles at Giants
The
Series.
The
Met fans know that the Mets are a great baseball
team. No one is arguing. The Yankees might have
won the series 4-1, but look at the scores. Game
1: Yankees 4, Mets 3 (12 innings) Game 2: Yankees
6, Mets 5 Game 3: Mets 4, Yankees 2 Game 4: Yankees
3, Mets 2 Game 5: Yankees 4, Mets 2. Each game was
a close battle with one team being just a bit better
this year. Well, the baseball season is over for
now and things do change. Amidst the shouts of "Wait
until next year.", it's time to put the focus
back on football, where the Giants are going into
the second game of their yearly "series"
with the Eagles. The Giants were the better team
when they faced Philadelphia in their first encounter,
coming away with a 33-18 win, and even beating the
Eagles in their own town, same as the Yankees winning
it at Shea. Football fans, however, don't have to
wait until next year, and the big question for this
week is who is the better team right now? Since
that loss to the Giants, the Eagles have gone on
to win 4 of 6, with their defense not allowing any
opponent more than 17 points.
Some
Stats.
By
the way Met fans, the deck was stacked against you
from the start. In the last 11 World Series where
NY teams went up against each other, the Yankees
had won 10 of them. This last one makes it 11 of
the last 12. We present the total record of all
games, mostly because it's so amazing (no pun).
One thing you'll notice is that the Yankees lost
the first two of these things, and maybe that's
where the current Mets team is now. Getting their
feet wet in these NY World Series battles before
they embark on their own amazing dynasty.
Results of the 14 World Series
games between New York teams:
1921: Giants 5, Yankees 3
1922: Giants 4, Yankees 0, 1 tie
1923: Yankees 4, Giants 2
1936: Yankees 4, Giants 2
1937: Yankees 4, Giants 1
1941: Yankees 4, Dodgers 1
1947: Yankees 4, Dodgers 3
1949: Yankees 4, Dodgers 1
1951: Yankees 4, Giants 2
1952: Yankees 4, Dodgers 3
1953: Yankees 4, Dodgers 2
1955: Dodgers 4, Yankees 3
1956: Yankees 4, Dodgers 3
2000: Yankees 4, Mets 1
Giants
stats.
The
amazing stat that Giants fans are looking at right
now, is that the Giants have won 7 straight games
against the Eagles. It's the longest winning streak
the Giants have had against the Eagles since winning
9 in a row from them in the 1938 to 1942 years.
There is also the amazing bye week stat. The Giants
hold the best record going into it, (11-1) and the
worst, in the week following it (2-9). Head coach
Jim Fassel (0-3 after bye weeks), decided to do
something in practice to get his team going for
this week's game. "We put the pads on and came back
strong Monday. I increased the intensity." Fassel
said.
How
Jim Fassel is sort of like Al Gore.
Just as the VP running for president, has promised
to put Social Security in a "lockbox",
to insure that the country will have it down the
line when we need it, the coach has put Joe Montgomery
in a "lockbox" in case he needs his services
down the line. The running back the Giants used
as their main man last year, is fine and healthy
but hasn't played in even one game so far. Joe is
so far removed from playing, that he's only been
activated and suited up for one game to date. Fassel
says that they can't find a way to get him on the
field in any other capacity, like special teams
or subbing for anyone or being used as a blocker
for the running game. They feel he's not good in
those areas, and others are.
There is this other thing. Joe has this history
of getting hurt a lot. If they do let him on the
field and he gets hurt, there goes their backup
plan. You see, if Ron Dayne or Tiki Barber get hurt,
they'll make do for that game, and then activate
Joe for the next one. They must really believe in
this, because they could have traded Joe before
the trading deadline, but chose not to.
Jack
in the box. Wait, we mean Joe in the box.
You can guess that Joe Montgomery is not the happiest
player on this team right now. Being preserved for
some future use while everyone else around you gets
to play, is not the ideal situation for a football
player to be in. Some of this frustration might
be showing up in practice. Joe
Montgomery, working with the scout team, was involved
in two minor scuffles this week. On Monday, after
he was flung aside by defensive end Michael Strahan,
he turned around and fired the football back at
the defensive group. Ryan Hale got hit, and he went
after Montgomery. On Thursday Joe and safety Shaun
Williams tumbled to the ground along the sidelines
and began fighting after Shaun tried to strip him
of the ball. Jim Fassel came over and ordered them
to cut it out. Effectively, Jim Fassel has Joe in
a lockbox, and he seems to be trying to pop out
in any way he can.
The kickers on this team are in and out of Fassel's
lockbox every other week, as they duel it out in
practice for the start. This week Jaret Holmes is
nursing a soreness in his right ankle, and consequently
didn't kick for two straight days. This should make
Brad Daluiso a 'shoe-in' for this Sunday's game
against the Eagles. Holmes could be the successor
to Brad Daluiso if Brad, after eight seasons with
the team, decides not to re-sign
as a free agent after this season.
Also
in the lockbox is Mike Cherry. Remember him? He's
the No. 3 quarterback on this team, and will also
be a free agent after this season. Maybe he will
have to look elsewhere for a chance to actually
play in a game.
Amazing
Quarterback
The Eagles have won four of six games since playing
the Giants, and they lost those two games by just
three points to Green Bay and Washington. Donovan
McNabb has been coming along strong since that first
game, where the Giants defense hit him with a variety
of blitz packages he had never seen before. He'll
be ready for the Giants this time. Also without
cornerback Jason Sehorn in the secondary the Giants
won't be able to do the things they did so well
in that first game. The Giants pass defense that
has allowed an average of 237 yards per game, with
cornerback Jason Sehorn playing. Emmanuel McDaniel,
starting for Sehorn is only 5-9, and he will have
to defend against 6-3 receiver Torrance Small. That
could spell trouble.
Also, McNabb can really scramble. Running
back Duce Staley is out for the season with a broken
foot, and McNabb has become a team leader in rushing
as well. The elusive quarterback has carried the
ball 43 times and gained 277 yards ( 6.4 per carry)
and has scored 3 TDs, including the first allowed
this season rushing by the Giants. The Eagles have
won two of three games since losing Duce Staley,
showing they can do it using running back Darnell
Autry, but he has averaged just 2.8 yards per carry
in his three starts and fumbled twice last week.
Stanley Pritchett, has 50 yards on 10 carries over
the past two weeks and might get some more time
this week.
Amazing
Quarterback
In
that first Eagles game, quarterback Kerry Collins
completed 21 of 29 passes for 220 yards, 2 TDs and
no INTs for a rating of 117.0. The Giants since
beating the Eagles 33-18
at Veterans Stadium, have averaged just 13.2 points
in their last five games.
Collins hasn't passed for 200 yards in any of the
last three games, his TD-INT ratio has dropped to
8-7. He owns a completion rate of 59 percent, and
his passer rating is just 73.9.
One help for Collins could be wide receiver Amani
Toomer who had his best practice in a month on Thursday,
making several outstanding grabs. If Toomer is completely
over his foot injury which resulted in some missed
practices, he could be a big boost for the offense.
Ike Hilliard could lend an assist here as well.
Both he and Toomer caught deep touchdown passes
in that first game. They also have to work on the
red zone plays. In 20 drives inside the opponents'
20-yard line, the Giants have scored nine touchdowns
and have settled for eight field goals.
Collins will also have to watch out for Eagles DE
Hugh Douglas, who leads the NFL with 11 sacks. He's
up against the Giants LT Lomas Brown, who allowed
one sack to Douglas early on in their first meeting,
but held him for the rest of the game.
Coverage
against the Eagles.
Cornerback
Reggie Stephens turned in a solid performance, filling
in for an injured Jason Sehorn against the Cowboys
two weeks ago, but he hasn't practiced this week
because of a bruised left heel. That means that
Andre Weathers will make his debut this season,
most likely as the nickel cornerback. Weathers made
a dramatic impact when in his first NFL game he
turned an interception of Trent Dilfer into a game
winning touchdown return in Tampa. Andre tore the
ACL in his left knee against the Colts last November
and that spelled the end of his rookie season. He's
spent much of this season rehabbing his left knee,
after undergoing surgery last December. Andre didn't
recover enough to make it into any of the preseason
games, but has shown strong steady improvement in
the practice games.
Emmanuel McDaniel will start in place of Jason Sehorn
(fractured rib) at right corner.
Injuries:
GIANTS: OUT: CB Jason Sehorn (rib). QUESTIONABLE:
LB Brandon Short (ankle). PROBABLE: DT Cornelius
Griffin (concussion); CB Reggie Stephens (ankle).
Philadelphia:
OUT: S Rashard Cook (concussion). QUESTIONABLE:
DT Paul Grasmanis (back); DE Mike Mamula (foot);
DT Corey Simon (knee). PROBABLE: RB Darnell Autry
(calf); LB Carlos Emmons (thigh); QB Donovan McNabb
(forearm).
Notes
A win gives the Giants a 6-1 conference record,
and puts them at 4-1 in the NFC East, which will
help for tie-breaking purposes. A loss sends them
into third place. Fans can watch the Washing Redskins
play against the Tennessee Titans on Monday night.
If the Giants win and the Redskins lose, the Giants
regain a tie for first in the NFC East.
Head
coach Jim Fassel has never lost against the Eagles.
Giants
have won seven straight over the Eagles.
Giants
offensive coordinator Sean Payton once worked for
the Eagles.
Eagles offensive coordinator Rod Dowhower once worked
for the Giants.
RB
Ron Dayne is coming off a career-best 108-yard game
against the Cowboys prior to the bye week.
Last
Game - Sept. 10, Giants 33-18. At Philadelphia,
Collins passed for 220 yards and 2 TDs.
Next
Game
Nov 5, Giants at Cleveland, 1PM FOX
For
those very organized fans.
If you use a Palm Pilot and want to keep
the Giants schedule, and actually, the whole NFL
schedule on it, there is a free download available
here at PFL.
Last
Week's review, Giants
Bye Week Stuff
NFC
East - after Week 8
|
Team |
W |
L |
T |
PCT |
PF |
PA |
Home |
Road |
AFC |
NFC |
DIV |
Streak |
Washington |
6 |
2 |
0 |
.750 |
149 |
115 |
3 - 1 |
3 - 1 |
2-0 |
4 - 2 |
2 - 1 |
W5 |
Giants |
5 |
2 |
0 |
.714 |
120 |
105 |
2 - 1 |
3 - 1 |
0-1 |
5 - 1 |
3 - 1 |
W2 |
Philadelphia |
5 |
3 |
0 |
.625 |
181 |
110 |
2 - 2 |
3 - 1 |
0-0 |
5 - 3 |
2 - 2 |
W2 |
Dallas |
3 |
4 |
0 |
.429 |
174 |
174 |
1 - 2 |
2 - 2 |
0-0 |
3 - 4 |
2 - 3 |
W1 |
Arizona |
2 |
5 |
0 |
.286 |
121 |
210 |
2 - 2 |
0 - 3 |
1-0 |
1 - 5 |
1 - 3 |
L2 |
|