Sun Nov 4, 1:00 pm (FOX) - Dallas at Giants
Which team will rise up out of the sludge known as the NFC East?
With the current season just about at the halfway point, the NFC East is the only division without a team over .500.
Against teams outside the division, this lot stands at an unrespectable 5-13. Unfortunately, you don't have to go far back in history (1999) to find a season where all the NFC East teams, except one, ended up at .500 or below, and it was a 10-6 record that gave Washington the division title.
And so, the division race is on.
The Cowboys, who lost their first four games in a row, have put together back to back wins. Since they're in the NFC East, they're right in the thick of things even with a poor 2-4 record. A win against the (3-4) Giants this week, and they could be in first place if the (2-4) Cards beat the (3-3) Eagles again.
A division with all the teams in either first or second place.
It would be a three-way tie with all these under .500 "first place" teams sporting 3-4 records. The Giants would be 3-5, possibly tied for second with (2-5) Washington if the Redskins go on to win their game against Seattle. With win / loss records like this, a wild card is unlikely for this division, so the games take on even more importance. The Giants and Redskins already
have two division losses, and either Arizona or Philadelphia will be joining them in that loss column when the week is over.
More about the NFC East teams.
If you think the Giants don't score enough points, you can't complain to the other fans in this division. The Giants with 121 points, are neck and neck with the Eagles, who lead with 124. Arizona, Dallas and Washington have 92, 92, and 84 points.
How about defense? Giants fans who worship their defense won't like to hear this, but the Eagles have given up only 92 points to the Giants 116. Dallas is close here with 120.
The hot hand.
Dallas has the hot hand, having won their past two games, while giving up just 7 points to the Redskins, and 3 to Arizona in the process. Meanwhile, the Giants have lost their last three in a row. The first two were closely contested games, but the Giants looked foolish in the last loss to Washington, exposing all their weaknesses in that one game, namely, poor special teams, coverage,
an inability to run the ball, and defensive breakdowns as injuries mounted.
Giants on defense.
The Giants defense will be watered down, as it looks likely that starting linebacker Jessie Armstead won't be able to play. He will be replaced by the inexperienced Dhani Jones, who missed all of last season because of a knee injury. Jones jumped in last week when Armstead had to leave the game, and found out, just as any rookie would, just how hard it is to fill Armstead's shoes. There's
something to be said about playing in those 135 straight games as Jesie Armstead has done.
With Armstead out.
Last week when Armstead was in the game, the Redskins rushed nine times for 14 yards, for an average of 1.6 per try. When Armstead wasn't in the game, the Redskins rushed 26 times for 143 yards, or an average of 5.5 per carry. By games end, Stephen Davis ran for 107 yards, the most against the Giants this season.
Keith Hamilton out again.
Also, trading off on experience level this week, the Giants will be replacing right defensive tackle Keith Hamilton with rookie Ross Kolodziej who is actually the third string backup. Second string backup, Lance Legree, started last week against Washington for the injured Hamilton, but he pulled a pectoral muscle during the game. Although Lance continued to play, he has experienced soreness
all week. For his first NFL start, Kolodziej, the Giants seventh-round draft pick out of Wisconsin, will be matched up against six time Pro Bowl guard Larry Allen, not the easiest way to break into this game.
On the plus side, cornerback Will Allen will be returning after missing two games with a sprained ankle.
Dallas missing Aikman.
The Cowboys have already used three starting quarterbacks over their six games, with second-year player Clint Stoerner getting his first NFL start in last Sunday's 17-3 victory over Arizona. This week he gets his second start against the Giants, but likely will be without running back Emmitt Smith carrying the ball for him. That might not make a difference as second-year pro Troy Hambrick
has been averaging 7.8 yards a carry (30 carries for 233 yards), and he's going up against a weakened Giants defense. Smith's numbers - He has missed just two games because of injury during his 12-year career, one in 1994 and one in 1999. Smith ranks second to Walter Payton (16,726) on the NFL's all-time rushing list with 15,564 yards.
Michael Strahan.
One way for the Giants to win this game would be with a good pass rush against an inexperienced quarterback Clint Stoerner. Defensive end Michael Strahan will be a big factor here, but how many good games does Strahan have to string together until the Giants get a win? Strahan set a record for most sacks over a five-game period, with 8 coming over the Giants last three losing games. Anyway,
if Stoerner gets rattled, the more experienced Ryan Leaf might see some game time, although his career numbers aren't impressive. Leaf was 4-14 as a starter with the Chargers and this past summer was cut by the Buccaneers.
As for Strahan's numbers, he has 12.5 sacks, three more than he had all of last year. His career best was 15 in 1998, and he's on target for the NFL single-season sack record, which is 22 set by the Jets’ Mark Gastineau in 1984.
Lawrence Taylor holds the franchise record with 20.5 sacks. Strahan has a total of 74.5 career sacks, only five short of the second-place team career leader, Leonard Marshall with 79.5.
Michael Strahan was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Month for October with 9½ sacks, 10 tackles, and two forced fumbles in four games.
Special teams.
It's not even worth talking about. It's been bad for a long while now, and not getting any better. Kickoff coverage is one of the big problems and last week, Eric Metcalf made a return to football. He was signed by the Redskins to shore up their special teams, and he had a first-quarter 89-yard punt return against the Giants that went for
a touchdown.
Notes:
Morten Andersen will become only the third player in NFL history to play in 300 games.
Hall of Famer George Blanda holds the record with 340 games.
Minnesota kicker Gary Anderson, who has scored more points than anyone in league history, played his 300th game last week.
Kerry Collins threw 52 passes last week in Washington.
It was the 13th time in franchise history the Giants threw at least 50 passes in a game.
The Giants are 0-13 in games in which they attempt at least 50 passes.
Giants tight ends have only three receptions this season.
Michael Strahan set an NFL record with 12.5 sacks in his last 5 games, the most in a 5 game stretch in league history.
The record for sacks in a 6 game period is 13.
Chicago's Richard Dent compiled that many sacks in a six-game stretch from Oct. 14 to Nov. 18, 1984.
Giants Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor did it in two overlapping stretches in 1986 when he set the franchise record with 20.5 sacks. He had 13 sacks in the six games from Oct. 5 to Nov. 9 and Oct. 12 to Nov. 16..
Next Game
Nov 11, Giants at Arizona at 4PM.
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, game 7 - Washington 35 - Giants 21
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