2012 Divisional Preview: New York vs. Green Bay

January 15, 2012January 14, 2012Danny Vinik Leave a comment

This is the final post this week examining the Divisional matchups in the NFL Playoffs. Thanks for reading!

The final matchup of the NFL Divisional playoff pits the New York Giants against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field at 4:30 ET on Fox today. The Giants are coming off a big home victory over the Falcons in a game many expected Atlanta to win. Instead, New York demolished the Falcons by a score of 24-2. Now, the Giants face an even bigger test as they face the NFL’s top team. The Packers lost just one game this year, at Kansas City, and put up a huge number of points along the way. The Packers and Giants faced off once before this year in the Meadowlands, with Green Bay narrowly escaping with a 38-35 victory. Here’s a look at the matchup:

Offense: Quarterback Aaron Rodgers leads Green Bay’s offense, throwing for more than 4500 yards and 45 touchdowns this year. Green Bay was third in the NFL in passing and total yards per game as it put up offensive numbers at an impressive rate. Rodgers’s favorite target was Jordy Nelson, who caught 68 passes for 1263 yards and 15 touchdowns. Wide receiver Greg Jennings also racked up almost 1000 yards and nine touchdowns himself. On the ground, the Packers are led by running backs Ryan Grant and James Starks. Neither back put up a tremendous stats but they combined for more than 1100 yards on the year.

The Giants’ offense continued to perform at a high level last week and it was led by quarterback Eli Manning. Manning completed 23 of 32 passes for 277 yards and three touchdowns without throwing an interception. Hakeem Nicks caught six of those passes, two of them for touchdowns while Victor Cruz was held to just two catches for 28 yards. Running back Brandon Jacobs rushed for 92 yards on 14 carries while Ahmad Bradshaw chipped in with 63 yards. Continue reading “2012 Divisional Preview: New York vs. Green Bay” →

2012 Wild Card Preview: Atlanta vs New York

January 4, 2012January 4, 2012Danny Vinik Leave a comment

This is the third of four posts this week examining the Wild Card matchups in the NFL Playoffs. Check back tomorrow for the final preview:

Sunday’s Wild Card games get going when the Atlanta Falcons head up to New York to take on the Giants at 1 pm ET on FOX. The Giants ended the year with a huge win-or-go-home victory over the Dallas Cowboys to the NFC East and earn a playoff spot while the Falcons have won five of their past seven, with their only losses coming at New Orleans and at Houston. However, they haven’t beaten anyone that good in that stretch either. The teams did not face each other during the regular season so both will be preparing using lots of video team instead of analyzing a previous meeting. Here’s a look at the matchup:

Offense: Eli Manning has had a much better season than experts have given him credit for. He threw for just under 5000 yards with 29 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. The interceptions number is a bit high, but he’s had one of his best years this season and has come through in pressure situations. The emergence of star wide receiver Victor Cruz has helped Manning tremendously as well. Neither Ahmad Bradshaw or Brandon Jacobs were particularly adept at running the ball this year (the Giants as a team were dead last in the NFL in yards per carry) so the onus will on Eli Sunday to lead his team to victory.

For Atlanta, quarterback Matt Ryan and running back Michael Turner offer the Falcons a two-headed offense that can beat both through the air and on the ground. Ryan through for over 4000 yards and 29 touchdowns and threw just 12 picks while Turner rushed for 1340 yards and 11 touchdowns himself. The Falcons will show the Giants a couple of different looks and have the luxury of attacking New York’s secondary or trying to wear down its defensive through a hard-nosed running game. Continue reading “2012 Wild Card Preview: Atlanta vs New York” →

Problems with Plaxico

April 7, 2009May 23, 2010Danny Vinik Leave a comment

Plaxico Bur plaxico-burress ress, what is wrong with you? Just listen to this statement:

In the last month, Burress has received 5 traffic violations in Florida while he is under arrest in New York for carrying an unregistered firearm after shooting himself in the leg.

Wow. He is without an NFL team after the New York Giants cut him last week and yet he continues to act immaturely. In his most recent traffic stop, Burress cursed out the officer, told him that he knew the sheriff personally and swore at the arresting officer multiple times.

Plaxico Burress, what is wrong with you?

As your NFL career hangs in the balance, all you are doing is making it harder and harder for you to return to the NFL. You are trying to avoid jail time for a charge that carries a three and a half year sentence. Your lawyers are working constantly, appealing to the district attorney for a plea bargain that keeps you out of prison. How exactly are these traffic violations going to help? How is cursing out a police officer, who was doing his job, going to help? Continue reading “Problems with Plaxico” →