Giants two major mistakes.
One Tom Coughlin admitted to. With only 28 seconds left in the half, and the ball at the Giants 21 yard line, Coughlin says, "I thought we had enough time to maybe throw the ball to the sideline, make a couple of plays, and maybe get a shot at a field goal. That is what I was looking for. We had the timeouts. It didn't turn out that way, so I take responsibility for the play call." Manning's first pass was intercepted and the Jets tacked on a fieldgoal.
The other mistake Coughlin didn't admit to, and he will never recognize as a mistake. You see, the opposing team plans on how to cover your best players to effectively 'take them out of the game', but sometimes Coughlin beats them to the punch. This time, he benched cornerback Aaron Ross for the first half of the game. Jets quarterback Chad Pennington went 12 of 19 for 142 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception for a QB rating of 81.5.

Tom Coughlin - Why?
"Aaron violated a team rule," Coughlin said. "That is between he and I. It is my call. Down the road that will be the best thing that will have happened for Aaron. He will learn from that and he will go forward." Now don't you wish that Tom Coughlin was your high school football coach teaching life lessons to the kiddies, making them all into better people? I mean right now. Don't you wish that Tom Coughlin was your high school coach instead of the your current NFL football coach? He has done these benchings before and hasn't been as lucky as he was last week
Tom, it is your call, but don't make this same dumb call time after time. Find a better way to teach lessons that doesn't also affect the other players who work hard as hell to win, the fans who spend their time and money and hope to see a win, and the owners who want to see their team make it all the way. Tom, don't you want to win?

Atlanta - Offense.
The Falcons offense ranks 26th in yards per game (291.4) and 28th in points (13.8). If ever there was a game that they needed a scrambling quarterback like Michael Vick, this would be the one. Atlanta has allowed 18 sacks, and in the game last week, they lost their starting left tackle Wayne Gandy. Starting right tackle Todd Weiner (knee surgery) is out, replaced by converted guard Tyson Clabo.
Despite the fourth quarter substitution last week to Byron Leftwich (signed about three weeks ago to a two-year, free-agent contract), Falcons coach Bobby Petrino said that Joey Harrington would remain as the team's starting quarterback, "It's in our best interest and gives us our best chance to succeed to stay with Joey. Harrington has thrown only three interceptions this season, but all have been returned for touchdowns. Running back Warrick Dunn gets it done. He's rushed for more than 1,000 yards for the third consecutive season in 2006. Last week his 18-yard run, his longest of the season, placed them within a yard of the game-tying touchdown. Jerious Norwood can make game breaking plays.
Tight end Alge Crumpler is dangerous with three Pro Bowls under his belt. He has 18 catches this year. Wide receiver Roddy White leads the team with 21 catches and a 17.0-yard average. Ex-Saint Joe Horn is a four-time Pro Bowler. Michael Jenkins is a big target in the endzone and had 7 touchdown receptions last year. He has two this year, and 12 of his 16 catches went for first downs.

Giants - Defense.
They have 17 sacks on the season tying them for first in the NFL. Running back Warrick Dunn will help with the pass protection as well as the tight ends. The Giants went from twelve sacks in one week against the Eagles, to just one sack in the next game against the Jets. Could the former success be attributed to defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo being so familiar with the Eagles operation or is this defense for real?
Even a good showing here won't prove much with Falcons undrafted rookie Renardo Foster making his first NFL start opposite Osi Umenyiora. Michael Strahan will be going up against another untested player, converted guard Tyson Clabo. Still if they get passes off, remember the Jets were effective in the air against the Giants until Aaron Ross was allowed to play.

Giants - Offense.
Talk about slow starts. Total the Giants first quarter points over their first five games, and you come up with only 9 points. The Giants have scored 43 points in the first halves of their games and 80 in the second. Last week after completing just 3 passes out of 10 for only 22 yards and with 1 interception, Eli Manning's QB rating was sitting at 0,0 at the end of the half. Top target Plaxico Burress had no receptions at that point. Manning and Burress have been out of step with lack of practice due to Plaxico's sprained right ankle, but how about Amani Toomer with no catches for the entire game, and Shockey with just two? Manning is getting good protection from the line, and he has to pick up his game.
The rushing duo of Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward came into the spotlight last week. Jacobs finished up with 20 carries for 100 yards, and Ward had 13 carries for 56 yards. Coming back after missing three games, Jacobs lost the ball on his second rushing attempt. He said, "At some point in that game I knew I was going to fumble because I wasn't used to carrying the ball. So when it came, I'm glad I got it out of my system." We would have loved to have seen Coughlin's reaction to that statement.

Atlanta - Defense.
They rank 15th in the NFL, allowing 325.2 yards a game. They did their job last week with 3 interceptions and 1 forced fumble, and can you say "Pro Bowler?" John Abraham, a three time Pro Bowler, is their top pass rusher and he has 4 sacks. Linebackers Keith Brooking (Five-time Pro Bowler ) and Michael Boley command attention. DeAngelo Hall (Two-time Pro Bowler) is a top cornerback who plays an aggressive game. Manning and Burress better be on the same page when they go his way. Lawyer Milloy, at strong safety, has 12 years under his belt and is a four-time Pro Bowler.

Giants - Watch out for:
Atlanta passing to Alge Crumpler. The Giants have been beaten by tight ends earlier in the season. Crumpler is needed catching more than blocking in this game. If they can afford to, they'll be turning him as much as they can.
Atlanta's Warren Dunn, and Jerious Norwood, as they try like heck to establish a running game.
Atlanta using their defense to the max. They know the Giants are notorious slow starters against all teams so far this year, and they'll try to keep them from ever getting started.
Atlanta on special teams play with Jerious Norwood. The Giants have been slipping in this area even with David Tyree healthy and the Giants currently rank 29th in the NFL in kickoff coverage. They are 31st in the league in opponents' average starting field position.

Notes.
Falcons Warrick Dunn scored on a 90-yard run against the Giants last season.

Falcons Jerious Norwood is the first player in NFL history whose first 2 touchdowns were on runs of 69 yards or more.

Falcons Morten Andersen, who once played for the Giants, is first in NFL history in games played (371) and points scored (2,463).

In the Giants-Falcons series, the visiting team has won the last 11 games.
That's the longest streak in NFL history

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