Giants are World Champions
Congratulations to the New York football Giants for their Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday night. The Giants haven’t exactly had the easiest road to the top but in the end found a way to make it happen. After 14 games this team was 7-7 and fighting for their playoff life. Following the Battle of New York, the GMen took the victory over the Jets and never looked back. It seems that each and every year the New York media wants to fire Tom Coughlin and wonders when Eli when become “elite”. Well all that talk is put to bed as the New Giants have now won their 4th NFL Championship and 2nd in 5 years.
It was a season of peaks and valleys, a season of leadership, a season of Salsa, a season of confidence and in the end a season to remember. From the vaunted Defensive Line, to the some of the breaks along the way it indeed is a season to remember. After starting off the season on a good foot, 6-2 record after the first 8 games, the Giants then lost 5 out of their next 6 and were in deep trouble of missing the playoffs.
Antrel Rolle was critical of them after the Redskins loss and when it seemed like they needed to get their act together they did. The Jets game comes along and after Victor Cruz goes 99 yards and Ahmad Bradshaw runs over guys on their way to a win it seemed as if this team had found their swag.
All they had to do was beat the Cowboys again and the Giants would be in the playoffs. In a game that was as close as you could hope for, a wide open Miles Austin is missed by Tony Romo in crunch time, and the Giants beat goes on.
Next up is the Falcons in the Wildcard and boom goes the dynamite as the Giants Defense shuts the Dirty Birds down, holding their Offense to 0 points. Then comes the vaunted Divisional Round vs the 15-1 former Champion Packers. That, along with traveling out West to face the Niners is no problem. They get two tough road Wins in the Playoffs and are off to face the Patriots.
From Eli Manning to the talented Wide Receivers to the D-Line and Defensive Backs this was a team effort. The Punter had a good a Super Bowl as we can remember too, the Giants came together when they needed to and that is how they’re back in the Winners circle hoisting up the Trophy for the World to see!
Keys to Tiffany!
By Steve O’Reilly
The Super Bowl is American tradition, one that his engrained in our history and has become quite the media mayhem. Sometimes lost in the “party” of the big game is that there is actually a game to be played. In this segment I’m going to break down the most important factors to this game as I see it. The key points for each team to win the Tiffany Trophy and bring a Championship back to their respective city.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS:
First of all throw all the stats out. Forget the “31st Ranked Defense” talk! Why? Because the Patriots, like most teams with great Quarterbacks are a Defense that is built to get the ball back in his hands. When it comes to turnovers, the Patriots are 3rd in the NFL and while they do give up a ton of yards they also get the ball back and limit points in key times.
1st Key – Get turnovers
Next up is protection! The Patriots have faced elite pass rushers thus far in the Playoffs but as many NFL players are quick to remind you, you’re only as good as the Offensive Line, and so far so good. 1 sack vs great rushers like Elvis Dumervil, Von Miller, Terrell Suggs and the rest of the Ravens Defensive front. Against New York, the Giants honestly believe they are in Brady’s head. Jason Paul Pierre said this in regards to phantom pressure … “Yeah, he was. Yeah, he was reacting to pressure that didn’t exist and he was just throwing the ball places that there wasn’t a receiver there. So imagine us just getting there even faster and we’re actually doing our jobs and getting there and getting hits on him.”
2nd Key – Keep Tom Brady off the ground
Finally is execution. New England is going to be put into situations to succeed, that is a given due to their Head Coach and the time he has to prepare this team. They will get guys open in the passing game and will use the run game to keep the Giants off balance. When the opportunities to present themselves the Patriots must capitalize. That means no dropped balls, no bad passes and no penalties when you do get a big play.
3rd Key – take advantage when opportunities present themselves
NEW YORK GIANTS:
The Giants Offense begins with their running game. As much as everyone wants to talk about Eli and his great season, with due cause, but this team’s rushing attack has heated up as the team made the Playoff push. 115 vs the Jets including the Bradshaw bulldozing TD that capped the Battle of NY. Against the Cowboys they ran it 31 times for over 100 yards again and in the Postseason the Giants aren’t slowing down. The key to deep balls and big plays for the GMen is off play action so look for them to establish their ground game early. If they do New England’s Defense will that much more pressure to defend the entire field.
1st Key – run the ball!
Next up for New York is found in their Secondary. The Safeties for the Giants give New York advantages in this game and they need to make sure they capitalize on them. With Rob Gronkowski a little banged up it’s imperative that the Giants take the Tight Ends out of the game for New England. If Kenny Phillips and Antrel Rolle can cover the Tight Ends with little or limited help the Giants will be in a great spot to frustrate Tom Brady. However if the Giants can’t come up with a combination to slow down the Tight Ends then all the other Pats weapons become that much harder to stop.
2nd Key – Safeties need to limit the Tight End attack
Finally for the Giants is a key that is the first key for the Patriots, turnovers. The Giants have allowed 9 sacks this postseason but some of that is Eli realizing that sack won’t kill you but a Interception will. New York can not afford to give the ball back to New England, possessions are sacrosanct right now and it’s vital to make the most of every one. The GMen will look to run the clock down (so look for 03, 02, 01 on almost every snap) and will look to dictate the pace of the game. If they turn the ball over, that could be enough for Brady and Co’ to escape Indy with a win.
3rd Key – don’t give Tom Brady any more chances then he’s entitled too
In the end this should be a fantastic game. Styles make fights in the NFL and these two teams styles should mean a fantastic game. We’ve seen these Coaches face off before and the game within the game has begun to see who can hoist that Tiffany Trophy and bring to the parade next week!
Super Bowl Skinny!!
The Weekly Skinny is all about the Big Game in this week’s podcast!! We break down the match-up between the Patriots and Giants and talk a little Peyton Manning as well. Sit back, relax and enjoy the Super Bowl Skinny Podcast!
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Take that Cancer!
Mark Herzlich has come a long way in the last few years. The rookie Linebacker from Boston College is set to embark on the Super Bowl just two years removed from Cancer where doctors told him he would never walk again.
After a rod was surgically implanted into his femur and it appeared his football career was over. Diagnosed with a rare type of bone cancer at the age of 21, Herzlich decided to embark on a risky procedure to not only beat cancer but one that would also allow him to continue to play football.
2 years later not only has Mark beaten cancer he is playing for the New York Giants in this weeks Super Bowl. When he walked into the stadium he tweeted “”Just WALKED off plane in Indy to play in (the Super Bowl). Take that (expletive) cancer.”
Hat’s off to Mark for being such a fighter and beating the odds!!
Peyton Plans to Play!
All the recent talk about the future of Peyton Manning has cleared up a little bit as the future Hall of Fame Quarterback has shared that he has no intentions of retiring.
“I have no plans on doing that,” Peyton said yesterday “All the other talk, it is what it is. But my plan hasn’t changed. I’m on track with what the doctors have told me to do. I’m doing that, I’m rehabbing hard and I’m enjoying this week.”
Everyone is well aware that the Colts hold the #1 overall pick and have a large bonus due to Peyton in March. Many have speculated about Peyton’s future and where he will play and at least now we know he has full intentions of playing. Where it will be we will just have to wait and see.
Panthers change Logo
The Carolina Panthers have decided to make a logo change, mainly to the eye and mouth area of the Panther. The Panthers, who are making their first change since 1995 when they entered the NFL, are looking to modernize their look.
“more aggressive, contemporary look to the logo while making it more three-dimensional for ever-increasing digital use.” according to a team press release.
The team looks to integrate the logo into next season. Said team President Danny Morrison “we have one of the finest and most recognizable logos in the NFL and wanted to make it as modern as possible without losing the dramatic essence of the mark.”
Raiders hire Allen for Head Coaching job!
In one of the more interesting moves of the week, the Oakland Raiders have hired former Denver Broncos Defensive Coordinator, Dennis Allen to be their new Head Coach.
It’s not an interesting move in the sense that there is anything wrong with Allen, he is a good coach who’s been around long enough to run a team, but rather they didn’t hire someone from the Packers tree.
Reggie McKenzie, the new Oakland GM, is a former Packer and many in the media world felt the reasoning behind the firing of Hue Jackson was largely due to the fact that McKenzie was hired. The rumor mill was swirling that Winston Moss was going to be named the Head Coach, but he wasn’t.
Dennis Allen comes with a good football resume but this hire now leads me to believe their might have been a clash in personalities or direction out in Oakland. Perhaps it was the trade for Carson Palmer, or that they lost their way out of the postseason. Perhaps there is a master plan for direction of the organization that we don’t know but we wish Allen the best of luck with his new job as the Oakland Raiders Head Coach.
In Memory of Joe Paterno
Skinnypost.com is a website predicated on the NFL game and that bears our focus. However when a pure football legend, such as Joe Paterno, passes away we feel it is fitting to have a brief moment to acknowledge all that he has accomplished in the game of football. At 85 years old, JoePa gave a lifetime to this sport and to improving the lives of America’s young men.
Joe Paterno
Born on December 21st, 1926 and passed on January 22nd, 2011. Rest in Peace Coach.
Peyton talks Colts!
By Steve O’Reilly
One of the reality’s of this business is that time waits for no one and neither do NFL teams. While many people believe that you shouldn’t lose your job to injury, each case is different in and of itself. When you combine the magnitude of factors surrounding Peyton Manning you can see how this needs to be handled with kit cloves.
First you look at what he has accomplished and what he means to the organization, next you look at his physical health and what he can still bring to the table. After that you have to notice the 28 Million dollars he is due in March then the fact the team does have the 1st Pick in the NFL draft and the best QB prospect to come down the pipe in a long time. So what do you do?
So far the Colts have cleaned house, firing the VP and GM in the Polian father & son combo. Next the fired the Head Coach letting Jim Caldwell go. Is it a sign of what’s to come? Whatever it is Peyton doesn’t seem to like what he is seeing.
“I’m not in a very good place for healing, let’s say that,” he told an Indianapolis newspaper. “It’s not a real good environment down there right now, to say the least. Everybody’s walking around on eggshells. I don’t recognize our building right now. There’s such complete and total change.”
Peyton was asked if he has spoken with owner Jim Irsay and replied… (it) “is going to happen at some point, but we haven’t had that conversation yet because we really don’t need to have that conversation yet.”
Manning acknowledged that Irsay is going to make the ultimate decision about his future and not the newly hired General Manger, Ryan Grigson.
“I don’t want to get into some kind of fan campaign with the owner, but I think it’s well documented that I want to play in the same place my whole career,” Manning continues to say, “It’s been a privilege to play here. I love the fans, the city, the transformation of the fans, how our place has become the toughest stadium to play in, the fact our fans wear more jerseys to games than anybody else. It’s been fun to be a part of that.
“But I understand how it works. I understand tough decisions have to be made. There’s personal and there’s business and that’s where we’ve got to separate the two. I’ve seen other guys leave places and it was personal. I’ve invested too much into this city for that to happen. We live here, we’ve given lots of time and money to the community and our church, and that’s never going to change. Nothing changes that.
“Whatever happens, happens. I can’t give you a prediction because Jim and I will sit down at some point and he’ll get a feel for where I am and I’ll get a sense of what direction he wants to go. Right now, I have no idea.”
To see the full article check out The Indianapolis Star
The Weekly Skinny – Championship Round
The Skinny Post Crew breaks down the Championship Round of the NFL Playoffs and much more!!
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