If we lose to this Giants team at home..

[lukerguy]

I agree 100%. I'm not even sure the Giants would be the Raiders at this point in the season. Since the Raiders fired their coach, they've played some tough teams and looked good.

Here's a few match ups I think we'll be able to exploit:
1) Andre Williams/Hillis versus 2nd/3rd and long. Neither of these two are explosive, and only one of the two can catch the football. Teams need to use screens to slow down the pass rush at home. NY is short that feature back who can block, run, catch with jennings out. Because Williams can't catch, they'll be forced to use Hillis, who is strong, but slow.
2) NYG secondary: TM3 is out for the season. Prince A is done for the season with a torn bicep and DMC has been battling injuries all season not 100%. So, NYG will need to sign a few players who are on their practice squad or FA. It will be the equivalent of players worse than Marcus Burley starting at 2/3 nickel CB positions. Put Dougie in the slot Norwood, Kearse, and Prich outside, and let them do work.
3) It's not really a match up per say, but it's a factor. Giants coming off a dreadful MNF loss at home, short week, have to fly across the country and play in the most hostile building. They'll be tired. If we can get a quick lead like last week. I see them folding.

 

[Ad Hawk]

So far we are not "very good".

This is more true than your original statement.

But we're good enough to have a winning record. We're not playing like a championship team, but no game has been a blowout loss (See Chargers in Miami) that happens to teams that are "not very good." We're playing 3rd string players. Should we expect to win decisively? No, but we are "good" in the sense that we have more wins than losses, and have won our last two games; one was an early east-coast game that has a history of being close and we have beaten teams with winning records. Young guys are getting experience, and that will make them "good" for the future.

 

[scutterhawk]

Why does it always seem, that the week before we play a team, they look like crapola.
The following week they play like gangbusters.
We must bring out the best in teams.

So, get ready for extreme effort from the Giants, even on a short week.

What other choice do they have but to give it their all?
The only hope they have, is to have the ball start bouncing their way on every single play, or that the Referees want to keep them in the game.

 

[scutterhawk]

It will be a close game because frankly we are not very good.

You forgot to add..."In My Best Debbie Downer, or Pat Paulson Voice", "It will be a close game because frankly we are not very good"

 

[Largent80]

What is "very good"?...Getting 35 plus points a game?......Shutouts?

We have a winning record after the hideous early schedule with all those days off between games, the early bye.

This team does not even resemble ANY of those teams that you mentioned Dom. This team is playing with scrubs and that is about to change. As far as "ringing a bell" about last year....we lost a LOT of key players and depth players, you simply cannot say that we are the same team, but is certainly does not say to me that we aren't good.

We allowed the Rams ST plays all over the field which is NOT normal for us. They fooled our coaches with trickery, does that make us bad?...No. Giving up a 3rd and 20 to close the Dallas game out was bad, but it wasn't the entire team being "bad", it is having practice squaders and pickups playing because of injury.

 

[scutterhawk]

2 plays made and we are 7-1. I don't think we are bad.

When we were mired in mediocrity for years and years we always said that. There was always a play here or there that we didn't make that would have changed our season and got us into the playoffs. Guess what? All mediocre teams can say that and we sure did for years.

The difference between those teams and good teams is that good teams manage to make those plays (last year ring a bell?).

What kind of team we are will be answered in the second half of the season. So far we are not very good.

Truth of the matter?, we're just good enough to win.....Just good enough to WIN.

 

[Chukarhawk]

Were not losing to these guys. Were going to beat them up. We'll have 3 starters back and some of the young guys are really starting to look promising.

 

[Hasselbeck]

What kind of team we are will be answered in the second half of the season. So far we are not very good.

Congrats, you just described 85% of the NFL

 

[dumbrabbit]

So if we lose week 9 we're out of the playoffs even with 7 games left. Yeah that makes sense.

 

[AgentDib]

I've been watching the condensed version of the Giants' games this season and it is painfully obvious that their transition to the West Coast offense is not going well. Eli isn't turning the ball over as frequently with the emphasis on the short passing game but he and the receivers must have two different versions of the playbook this year. Crowd noise will be a huge factor if fans are concerned enough about the outcome to be loud.

 

[chris98251]

For those of you that missed the Smothers Brothers this is Pat Paulson.

 

[RunTheBall]

Not even reading Sgt. Largent's post since I blocked him...it's probably some negative nancy crap about how it's gonna be a close game or we'll lose.

 

[chris98251]

Not even reading Sgt. Largent's post since I blocked him...it's probably some negative nancy crap about how it's gonna be a close game or we'll lose.

This is a vital contribution to the thread, so happy the in depth analysis and thought that went into it was used for enhancing the subject matter and not going after and baiting another member in a veiled attack. WE know that from experience you would never ever do something like that.

 

[Kansashawkfan]

.. we don't deserve the playoffs

They are really bad.

We won't lose.

 

[olyfan63]

Why does it always seem, that the week before we play a team, they look like crapola.
The following week they play like gangbusters.
We must bring out the best in teams.
So, get ready for extreme effort from the Giants, even on a short week.

^^ This, LOL!!

We made Carolina's patchwork O-line look like all-pros in the first half.
We made Oakland look like the NFL's best special teams.
We Made Dallas' defense look like the '85 Bears. (or 13 Seahawks)

Eli is going to come out with something to prove.
The Giants had a really, really good D last year, but ours was even better. Don't know how good they are this year.

Basically, NYG would need a couple key plays on Special Teams and turnovers for scores to win. So basically a similar scenario to the loss at St. Louis and the narrow win against Oakland.

Gotta say, though, *THIS TIME* I'm feeling more of a 3-score game by the final whistle. Only one score at halftime though. We wear them down in the 2nd half and Sherm and/or someone else gets a pick-6 for the final margin.

Brandon Browner's late-game pick-6 TD at Giants in 2011 is still one of my all-time favorite Hawk plays, easily top-10. To me it's the moment when this team grew up.

 

[chris98251]

Why does it always seem, that the week before we play a team, they look like crapola.
The following week they play like gangbusters.
We must bring out the best in teams.

So, get ready for extreme effort from the Giants, even on a short week.

Because no matter what's going on with a team if they can manage to beat us it's a milestone for their season, they have the We beat the Super Bowl Champs to build on.

 

[olyfan63]

It will be a close game because frankly we are not very good.

You forgot to add..."In My Best Debbie Downer, or Pat Paulson Voice", "It will be a close game because frankly we are not very good"

A Pat Paulsen reference on election day... how awesome!!

Gun control... did you know more Americans are killed by handguns than by all our wars combined? Therefore, if elected, I promise to send every American to war, where at least they'll have a fighting chance.
The Straight Talking American Government (STAG) Party needs a candidate for '16...

Back to football... Honorary coach Pat Paulsen's post-game presser, after the Raiders game...
"About our team's execution today... yes, I'm absolutely in favor of it, and today would be good."

Anyone who needs a laugh, go dig up the old "Pat Paulsen for President" comedy album.

 

[olyfan63]

Because no matter what's going on with a team if they can manage to beat us it's a milestone for their season, they have the We beat the Super Bowl Champs to build on.

What I love about Pete and this team is their clairvoyance. They are actually best at knowing who is going to win the Super Bowl and giving their best effort and beating the team that winds up winning the Superbowl. Giants in 2011, Ravens in 2012. The best part, when they're not doing that, they win it themselves.

 

[jammerhawk]

2 plays made and we are 7-1. I don't think we are bad.

Thanks man! My sentiments exactly.

The recent negativity around here reminds me of the Holmgren days before they actually, you know, started winning.

No team wins by 35 points per game every game, there are two teams playing and the other team comes to play to win. No team save the epic ancient Dolphins team wins all their games. It's hard to win in the NFL.

Is the team perfect? Uh? No! Are there areas that could be significantly improved? Uh? Of course! There is a strong nucleus of young players here and they are well coached, they will show their pedigree as the season progresses. Let's stop believing the drumbeat of negativity. Besides the team is slowly starting to get healthy after a very bad stretch in that regard.

The Hawks are at home, and while us 12s help we haven't been helping quite as much recently. Maybe we need to get better? I doubt the boys lose this game. The team will then be 6-3 and facing the tough part of the schedule not that the already played part has been a cakewalk. If the Hawks can get some help against the Cardinals and concurrently go on a 5 game winning streak suddenly the negativity will evaporate.

Let's keep the faith!

 

[Kansashawkfan]

We won't lose.