Nov 24, 9:00 pm (ABC) - Giants at Tampa Bay
NFC East Offense - Defense.
When it comes to scoring points, the Giants are in the right division. In the NFC East, 182 points is right up there with the rest of the group. In fact,
the team with the lowest points, 181 (Dallas) is actually in first place, and the one with the highest, 193 (Washington) is in last place. The Eagles are in second place with 187.
This narrow 12 point range of total points scored over 10 games is the closest in all eight NFL divisions. So each team has done pretty much about the same on offense. The big problem has
been the defense. Washington, which has scored the most points, has given up the most as well (232), and so it runs down the line with Dallas giving up the least (148) and that accounts for
the standings and win-loss records. That's a much bigger range of points which helps explain the difference of being a 7-3 team with a shot vs a 4-6 team that's just hanging on.
Giants offense.
None of the above excuses the Giants offensive unit, and you can just imagine where they'd be if they had lived up to their potential, Now it may be too late, because injuries have set in.
There have been too many games where points were left on the field, where seven should have been made and only three produced, and sometimes none. Things hit their worst last week against
the Eagles when Jim Fassel, the head coach / offensive coordinator, was afraid to even attempt a quarterback sneak on 4th down and one inch from the Eagles 13 on the very first drive of the
game.
His head, or should we say two heads from trying to do two jobs, must have been reeling at the end of the half. Down by 11 points and 1 yard from the goaline, Fassel picked three straight
plays that went nowhere, and the fourth, with all the chips on the line and ignoring the 3 easy points this time, actually lost 2 yards.
Giants defense.
All the talk about what could have been with the Giants offense hitting on all eleven, but wait, we gave the offense a pass (so to speak), just for this article based on the fact that they
enjoy being in the NFC East.
The defense that used to be the mainstay of the Giants, and was used to the offense putting up a bare minimum of points, is broken. In the last six games, teams have scored a touchdown on
12 consecutive tries inside the 20 yard line. In the last 3 games, teams like the Jets, Atlanta and Philadelphia have exceeded their season average of points scored per game by about 9 against
the Giants defense.
Giants vs Tampa Bay.
The Giants get to play a 4-6 team. Normally that would be a good thing, but this time, the 4-6 team is the defending Super Bowl Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Both
teams have won only one game at home and lost 4. Both teams commit a lot of penalties, and both teams have Barbers (Tiki and Ronde).
The Bucs have lost three consecutive games, and head coach Jon Gruden shook things up by deactivating WR Keyshawn Johnson for the final six games of the season. The 4-6 Giants have lost the
last two games, and head coach Jim Fassel didn't give a shake, by letting the team have two days off after their 28-10 loss to the Eagles. Winning this game would give a team a 5-6 record
and a long shot chance to finish the season at 10-6, which could mean something. Losing would get you a 4-7 record and a remote shot at finishing at 9-7 which should mean nothing.
Notes.
Kerry Collins currently leads the NFL in attempts and completions, and is 2nd in passing yards.
Kerry Collins is on pace to attempt 667 passes.
That would be an NFC record and rank 2nd in NFL history behind Drew Bledsoe's 691 with New England in 1994.
Giants are 2nd behind the Raiders (94) with 87 penalties.
Giants have committed 20 penalties for 183 yards in their past two games.
Bucs lead in most penalty yardage with 792
Next Game
Buffalo at Giants Nov 30, 1PM.
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