The NFL Season Begins For Real This Weekend
by JasonB on Nov 19, 2010 12:32 PM EST
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PrintThe NFL season, compared to virtually any other team sport, is incredibly short. That's really a large part of what makes it so great, that every game is meaningful. That said, there are two distinct halves of the season. There's everything leading up to around Thanksgiving and then what comes after. The pre-Thanksgiving period serves mostly to just separate the wheat from the chaff. We've now finally got an idea of who stinks and who is a real contender. I think Jimmy has done a nice job illustrating this with his weekly NFC obituary.
Now, a second season begins. It's now time for the teams that survived the first half to make their run. The interesting thing is that we've seen the NFL really emphasize this second half in recent seasons with their scheduling. Every team has division games packed at the end of their season. It's no coincidence that we seem to end every season playing Dallas. This stretch run of the season has basically become a tournament where, for the good teams, every game becomes about playoff positioning and tiebreakers.
Sunday night's game is for all intents and purposes a playoff game between the Eagles and Giants. For one, it's literally for first place in the NFC East... but it also gives the winner an improved division record, conference record, a head to head win, improved strength of schedule. Aside from the tangible effects, think of all the intangible things that are at stake this weekend.
An Eagles win gives them their 3rd victory over a legit playoff contender and will be seen as proof that the Eagles are looking like an NFC juggernaut. The Giants loss to the Cowboys will be seen as the start of a tailspin in which the Giants "choke" away the NFC East. They'll be peppered with questions & speculation all week about how their season is slipping away. On the other hand, if the Eagles lose then their beating of the Redskins will retroactively seen as just a big win over a bad team. Sure, the Eagles can whip up on the Redskins but when the Giants came to town they folded. For the Giants, the loss to Dallas was just an aberration and after slaying the great Michael Vick they're back on track and seen as one of the NFC's elite.
I really can't overstate how important this weekend really is.
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They just need to play THEIR game
The Eagles A game is better than the Giants A game. Limit mistakes on our side of the ball they should win. Im not taking this game lightly though, the outcome of a possible lost here, being such an important game, makes me nervous…
FLY #7 FLY !!!
first let me say the eagles will win this game .
but to say" The Eagles A game is better than the Giants A game."is highly debatable. they do have the 2nd ranked O and 1st ranked D.
I may not be the most noble of men but in a town of lepers, im the one with the most fingers.
That is true…..but the Eagles A game consists of Michael Vick playing. Had he played his A game all year (ie not being injured), the Eagles would definitely have the #1 Offense. The Eagles Defense has been on and off, so there is potential there for the Giants, but they would have to score and many points as the Eagles to keep up. I do understand that the Giants Defense is #1, but again, if the Eagles offense is playing their A game, it would most likely be better than the Giants D.
As I do understand that it is highly debatable, I still think, IMO that the Eagles game is better than the Giants A game…but its definitely closer than some might think…
FLY #7 FLY !!!
by BWestFactor on Nov 19, 2010 12:52 PM EST up reply actions
1st ranked D
is debatable.
Yes, They’re first in yards allowed, but Ike Reese said it best. You can’t judge a defense on yards allowed. The most important statisitic is points allowed and 3rd down defense.
To call them the “1st ranked D” is a little misleading.
Turnovers are SUPER important as well to judge "A" games
Eagles differential +12
Giants differential – 5
Thats huge!
FLY #7 FLY !!!
Sorry an A game
Would most likely mean, no turnovers….my bad…
I just thought it was an interesting statistic for the matchup
FLY #7 FLY !!!
true
but the Giants rank #1 in 3rd down D. and special teams has been less then that. allowing teams great field possession putting the D in a bad way.
I may not be the most noble of men but in a town of lepers, im the one with the most fingers.
i'd usually tend to agree
but this year’s special teams made me change my stance on that PA statistic. i can’t count how many times the Giants D have come onto the field starting to defend in there territory, or red zone, because of what our special teams has done. the amount of field goals this team has forced after such occurences and holes they’ve had to dig out of make me realize that there is more to the picture than points allowed.
Yes, I am a Giants fan. Now that we got that out of the way....
IMPEACH DOLAN!!!!
As you said, Troy, it truly is debatable.
What makes you think the Giants will lose?
I’m thinking they will bring as close to their “A” game as a team can, coming off the division loss. And the Eagles might have some hangover from Monday night.
Is it the injuries?
"What a gorgeous dog. What do you feed him?"
healthy we are the better team. IMO
I may not be the most noble of men but in a town of lepers, im the one with the most fingers.
1st ranked D in yards, but middle of hte pack in points?
sounds like their offense gives a lot of turnovers and forces their defense to defend a short field.
the other team doesnt have to go very far to get points….not many yards accrued.
Hahaha:
“that’s why Roger podacter is dead, they found captain winkie!”
"If I can get you to think twice, I'm in your head."
-Brian Dawkins
"Yeah, I like to hit people"
-Brandon Graham
by immynimmy on Nov 19, 2010 2:51 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
it is a good point
here’s how i’d rebutt that. instead of looking at total yards allowed, let’s look at avg. per(all numbers are from NFL.com):
Yds/P(i’m assuming that’s the avg yards of each play, run and pass combined) – Giants are tied for 3rd with 4.8
1st dwns per game – Giants are far and away number one, with an avg. of 13.9(Chargers are next at 15.7)
Yds per pass – Giants are tied for 12th, giving up 6.8 per pass.
Yds per rush – Giants are tied for 3rd, giving up 3.5 per run.
so as far as averages of yards as compared to plays run, the Giants do pretty well, ranking in the top 15 in all of the ones i highlighted above. not too bad, i would say.
Yes, I am a Giants fan. Now that we got that out of the way....
IMPEACH DOLAN!!!!
If we’re arguing against a short playing field being a factor then your rebuttal doesn’t make sense. When you’re in Giant’s territory you’re not going to get the 60-70 yd pass play attempts.. if you don’t give up the big plays as often your Yds/P is going to be significantly lower. Even one big pass play throws off that Yds/P by a lot!
it still shows that the D doesn't give up big chunks of yards
no matter where they start to defend from. and you can still hit a play of 20+ yards anywhere before you hit the redzone. to me it’s the best stat to look at to get a full understanding of how stingy a D is.
if you have a better stat then i’m all ears.
Yes, I am a Giants fan. Now that we got that out of the way....
IMPEACH DOLAN!!!!
Ouch!
Doesn’t reflect well on their offense.
by AlwaysHopeful on Nov 19, 2010 1:40 PM EST up reply actions
not necessarily the offense
more special teams.
Yes, I am a Giants fan. Now that we got that out of the way....
IMPEACH DOLAN!!!!
Tons of turnovers from the offense though. Doesn’t Eli lead the NFL in total turnovers?
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There's a Carribean proverb that says:
“Fry the fat and see what’s left.”
This begins the frying portion of the season.
This is a young squad, let’s see how they handle the fire.
I consider 3rd down defense, RZ defense and forcing turnovers the most important defensive measurements. Any respectable team in the NFL is going to move the ball between the 20s like a hot knife through butter with the way the NFL rules are now. The reality is that against a good offense you need to end drives on 3rd down if they give you a chance or force a turnover. At the very least give them FGs and hope your O scores TDs. Yards and points can both be horrifically misleading stats.
Is a pick 6, blocked FG return, or safety the fault of the defense? No, but it goes towards their points against.
Obviously yards can be incredibly misleading too. That said, anyone who doesn’t think this is the best defense we will have faced thus far is nuts. The athletes they have on the DL aren’t found anywhere else is football, it is scary. I still think we can beat them deep a couple times because of Vick’s mobility and ability to buy time. We might see a very 2009ish offense though. 3 and out, 50 yd TD, 3 and out, 50 yd TD, etc. etc. etc.
Our defense is the key to this game IMO.
Formerly... "You don't have to be sweet, to be good"
I don't think I'm nuts, mabe you are? :]
Sorry, Packers Defense wins hands down over the Giants. The Packers haven’t given up more than 26 points all season. The Giants gave up 38, 29, 35, and 33 points in 4 of their games. Packers have more INTs and Sacks than the Giants as well.
Good point. Guess I shoulda emphasized athletes on the DL more. I have never been a big sack guy simply because one game can skew the numbers so much that it isn’t always indicative of pressure. Although Clay Matthews is the clear DPOY right now IMO.
Formerly... "You don't have to be sweet, to be good"
by Ed Van Chimp on Nov 19, 2010 7:45 PM EST up reply actions
Though I should mention that the Giants are the perfect example of one game skewing sack #s
Formerly... "You don't have to be sweet, to be good"
by Ed Van Chimp on Nov 19, 2010 7:48 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah, I’m just not a fan of the Giants this year.. I think their stats are incredibly inflated vs some really bad teams. So I’m ready to trash-talk them all week long but in the end it’s a division game so Eagles better be prepared!
both teams are 2-2 against playoff teams. sooo
I may not be the most noble of men but in a town of lepers, im the one with the most fingers.
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