Ladies and gentlemen, the thing we'll take away...

[patsox23]

Plaxico Burris.

I don't know that we'll do so successfully, but from the looks of things, Play pretty clearly seems to be Eli's security blanket (not to mention the Giants biggest offensive threat). So then what, the Giants ask?

Run the ball with Jacobs and Bradshaw? Okay, that could work. We didn't have to deal with Bradshaw last time, but given our offense in pristine conditions on a fast track, I'll let them run all day.

Throw the ball to Toomer? Go for it. He's a very good player, he'll get his catches and YAC, but he'll also drop every 4th ball.

Dump it to the Tight End? PLEASE DO. Get Steve Smith involved? Go for it, he's not taking over a game.

But Plaxico is a terrific player, who Eli clearly trusts and depends on. He is coming off a historically GREAT performance, he is the single-biggest reason the G-Man took down Favre. If we can shut down Burris - obviously a big IF and no small feat - or if we can even limit him, that puts Eli in a very difficult, iffy spot that I'm quite sure he can't handle.

That's my theory and I'm stickin' to it. Thoughts?

 

[BelichickFan]

Plaxico Burris.

I don't know that we'll do so successfully, but from the looks of things, Play pretty clearly seems to be Eli's security blanket (not to mention the Giants biggest offensive threat). So then what, the Giants ask?

Run the ball with Jacobs and Bradshaw? Okay, that could work. We didn't have to deal with Bradshaw last time, but given our offense in pristine conditions on a fast track, I'll let them run all day.

Throw the ball to Toomer? Go for it. He's a very good player, he'll get his catches and YAC, but he'll also drop every 4th ball.

Dump it to the Tight End? PLEASE DO. Get Steve Smith involved? Go for it, he's not taking over a game.

But Plaxico is a terrific player, who Eli clearly trusts and depends on. He is coming off a historically GREAT performance, he is the single-biggest reason the G-Man took down Favre. If we can shut down Burris - obviously a big IF and no small feat - or if we can even limit him, that puts Eli in a very difficult, iffy spot that I'm quite sure he can't handle.

That's my theory and I'm stickin' to it. Thoughts?

I generally agree. The other receivers are journeymen. They'll make some catches but they aren't threats. The running game is a threat but as long as we hold them to good runs, not great (by that I mean when they break one, make the tackle to keep it to 15 yards, not 65 yards) we'll be OK. We can't have Burress have more than 120 yards or so, though.

Honestly, though, as long as we protect Brady and play good red zone defense, it doesn't really matter. Problems with the two aforementioned areas and we could have a concern.

 

[Grogan's neck roll]

I generally agree. The other receivers are journeymen. They'll make some catches but they aren't threats. The running game is a threat but as long as we hold them to good runs, not great (by that I mean when they break one, make the tackle to keep it to 15 yards, not 65 yards) we'll be OK. We can't have Burress have more than 120 yards or so, though.

Honestly, though, as long as we protect Brady and play good red zone defense, it doesn't really matter. Problems with the two aforementioned areas and we could have a concern.

I also agree, CHFF states that the Giants need to establish the pass, and their best alternative for doing so is Plax. Plus, he's Eli's security blanket.

 

[Deus Irae]

My guess is that New England will start the game much as they did in the first meeting, and focus on stopping the run. Manning is still the weakest link in the chain, and they'll likely want to see how he handles the pressure of the Super Bowl before doing anything more than sending an isolated blitzer or two.

 

[patsox23]

Would love to see them completely take away Plax, but our secondary this season has been oddly iffier than they seemed to be last year.

 

[Mangold74]

In the first matchup they had A Thomas matched up at the LOS on passing downs bumping him. I expect they will do more of the same. Plax can be taken out of a game early if he doesn't get some catches early on.

 

[tailwind]

Easier said than done, considering he'll also likely be matched up with Hobbs (who I like, but chances are he's not going to completely shut down a receiver of Plax's quality.)

They're going to have to have safety help on him all day if they want to take him completely out of the equation, hopefully Meriweather's improved play makes this a little less painful.

What I'm hoping for is Eli getting locked in on Plax and making bad throws attempting to force the ball to him. He'll likely make some plays, but if Manning makes repeated bad throws, they'll (hopefully) eventually become turnovers.

 

[Flying Fungi]

Easier said than done, considering he'll also likely be matched up with Hobbs (who I like, but chances are he's not going to completely shut down a receiver of Plax's quality.)

doesn't anyone remember Hobbs covering Plax in the playoffs a few years back? 3 catches for 37 yds and 1 TD--i'll take that again.

 

[tailwind]

doesn't anyone remember Hobbs covering Plax in the playoffs a few years back? 3 catches for 37 yds and 1 TD--i'll take that again.

I think Plax is better than he was then. Either way, I'll take anything short of him absolutely killing us, and I believe Hobbs is capable enough to do that.

 

[bradmahn]

doesn't anyone remember Hobbs covering Plax in the playoffs a few years back? 3 catches for 37 yds and 1 TD--i'll take that again.

Hobbs has never played against Burress in the playoffs (Burress has been with the Giants since 2005, Hobbs's rookie season). But I do remember Hobbs covering Burress in the final game of the season and allowing two receptions for 62 yards, 0 TDs and a pick. If Hobbs is covering Burress for the majority of the game and that's the stat line at the end I'll be more than happy.

 

[JR4]

Hobbs talks on this topic.
Says they saw something in film study. Hope they're right.

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2008/01/30/hobbs_turning_corner/

 

[MoLewisrocks]

First and foremost you take the run away from Eli and make him one dimentional. Then you see what he can do with that in this setting. If he's doing more than you can allow, you dial up the pressure and tighen the coverage. But it all starts with taking away the run and forcing him to pass more than they honestly hope to have to.

Belichick vs. young QB's is always a mismatch though somewhat dependant on the amount of film Bill has to work with. We have lots of film of Eli vs. us as well as the new Eli vs. two pretty good defenses. With Bradshaw back Coughlin is almost bound to have to try to establish the run both to limit potential turnovers and keep drives moving to keep our O off the field. We will certainly see some of the balls to the wall nothing to lose air it out approach that surprised us last time, but he knows it won't surprise us this time and the pressure will be there for the Giants to not dig any holes for their D. Eli and Plex didn't beat the Cowboys and Packers. They beat themselves and Eli didn't bail them out.

Despite what he did in week 17, most of which he did in the first half and in relative garbage time in the 4th, Eli can't win a shootout with this offense under these conditions. We put 38 up on them on a night when we were down two starting Olinemen, missing our blocking TE and Watson was just returning to action from an injury, and Tommy was thinking about unfinished statistical business to boot. If we bring our A game on both sides of the ball, the Giants simply have no counter. To win they would have to play mistake free on offense and capitalize on a turnover or two on defense and score on ST.

 

[Flying Fungi]

Hobbs has never played against Burress in the playoffs (Burress has been with the Giants since 2005, Hobbs's rookie season).

well damn...that's a rare mistake on my behalf...i must have been thinking of duane starks

 

[Horace's Ivories]

I think Plax is better than he was then. Either way, I'll take anything short of him absolutely killing us, and I believe Hobbs is capable enough to do that.

Hobbs should be able to do a better job than Green Bay did.

 

[tailwind]

Hobbs should be able to do a better job than Green Bay did.

Al Harris is a better player than he showed on the field that day. Burress just flat-out abused him.

If he pulls that same act on Hobbs and Eli can get passes to him all night, it'll present some trouble.

 

[billikens]

If we bring our A game on both sides of the ball, the Giants simply have no counter. To win they would have to play mistake free on offense and capitalize on a turnover or two on defense and score on ST.

I have said something similar, and is why I think the Pats have a good chance to win. For the Giants to win, the Pats have to play a stinker. If the Giants play well and Pats play well, Pats win. If Giants play poorly and Pats play poorly, Pats win. Obviously, if Giants play poorly and Pats play well, Pats win. So I think the Pats have the advantage of 3 of the 4 options.

I also think that it benefits the Pats more than the Giants that we played them recently. Before, the Giants prepared for a great Pats team, and our best team didn't show up that day (although we still beat them). We did not prepare for the "new" Eli and Giants, but the old Eli and Giants. We won't be surprised again. So, again, I think we win the match-up between the preparations and expectations for that game to this game.

 

[Wildo7]

I disagree with the Plax thing. I think they will do what they did last time, concentrate on taking away the run. I think this for several reasons:

1) The largest Pats advantage over the Giants is the passing game, so if they are forced into a game where it's the Pats passing game against the Giants passing game, the Pats will score more than the Giants.

2) This idea worked last time, even though the final score wasn't pretty, and it's been the strategy they've used in the playoffs so far. The Chargers game was a little less obvious but the Jax game was forced into a shootout where the weaker passing team inevitably folded when it mattered.

3) The last game the D probably played as poorly as it could have. If they can play the same way, without giving up those few big plays, maybe make a few more stops, and not give up the Kickoff return for a TD then the game is a blowout.

The Plax idea is too obvious. I think BB would still be happy if the Giants are forced into a situation where they feel they have to pass it all the time, so it's sort of the opposite of what BB did with the Giants Defense against the Bills when he was their Defensive coordinator. He knew that if the Bills passing game was shut down, but they felt they were making ground by running it, then the Giants would win.

Well if Eli feels like he's keeping up with Brady for a while, but the Giants have failed to establish the run, they will get seduced into a situation where they feel like they are comfortable in the game. As the defense slowly adjusts and tightens up over the course of the game they will choke out the Giants and the Pats offense will emerge victorious.

I think they gameplan to where their strongest traits shine and the Giants have to match up with the Pats, without making it too unnecessarily complicated.

 

[IcyPatriot]

I think they will pressure Eli real hard from the left side. Now, that's not usually what teams do because that means the rusher is in eli's sights nut Eli absolutely cannot move to the left side. He resists every attempt to make him move to his left and instead takes a sack. he's a pocket passer who like his brother has nervousness in there.

anyways ... that's my prediction ... they will force him to the left of the pocket ... not so much by blitzing but just by loading up on our left side...which will hurry his throws leading to at least 2 INT's.

 

[spacecrime]

Easier said than done, considering he'll also likely be matched up with Hobbs (who I like, but chances are he's not going to completely shut down a receiver of Plax's quality.)

They're going to have to have safety help on him all day if they want to take him completely out of the equation, hopefully Meriweather's improved play makes this a little less painful.

What I'm hoping for is Eli getting locked in on Plax and making bad throws attempting to force the ball to him. He'll likely make some plays, but if Manning makes repeated bad throws, they'll (hopefully) eventually become turnovers.

Eh.

If Moss can be taken out of a game, so can Plaxico.

Good trade off if both are ineffective. We have more depth at WR.

Whatever our secondary is, it is better than the Giant's. And whatever our offense faces in the Giant's secondary, it won't be as stiff as the Charger's secondary.