American Sports Thread

Started by magickingdom, October 28, 2007, 06:02:17 PM

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MaroonAndWhite

Quote from: heganboy on January 22, 2008, 06:44:20 PM
the Brady picture has the press going mad here- some speculation that its a grab the headlines ploy to make the Giants complacent. He did have an off day Sunday, but whether it was down to injury is anyones guess

Complacent????......Belichick has two weeks to suss out out the Giants and no better man to do it. It would be a serious dim-witted coach or team that went into a game against the Pats complacent! Brady had a bad day Sunday alright (bad by his standards.....) but even on one leg and with a broken arm, Id take him ahead of Eli. Anyone think Eli will implode Super Bowl Sunday?

AZOffaly

I wouldn't think that Manning will implode to be honest. It could happen alright, it's happened to better QBs than him, but if the Giants give him protection, I don't think he'll implode. I think it's equally unlikely that he will beat you either, I can't see him throwing for 340 yards and 4 TDs if the running game collapses. The only way I can see the Giants coming close to winning this game is to rack together TD SCORING drives taking 8-12 minutes a time.  They need to run the ball, and keep running it. Let Eli pick up the 3 yard 3rd down conversions with swing passes to Burress, Boss or Toomer, and keep everything conservative.

If they can do that, their own defense will get a chance to rest, even if the Patriots score when they come out, and the Patriots may start trying to go for the big one too early, which is dangerous too.

I'm waiting to see the spread, but if it's anything like the Chargers (+14.5) I'll be all over the Giants.

MaroonAndWhite

Eli's lucky to have Brandon Jacobs.....a solid runner who will take alot of the pressure off him. He's kept it simple in the play-offs and its served him well but I reckon the Patriots will get at him like no team has in the post-season. Will be interesting to see if he handles the pressure of the occasion as well as that of Pats. You're right....the only way to stop Brady, Welker, Moss & Moroney is to keep them off the pitch.

AZOffaly

I suppose it depends on whether the running game works. If Jacobs, Bradshaw and Ward can do a bit of damage on the ground, then chances are the Pats will have to pull in their horns whenever the Giants use playaction. There'll be less all out blitzes. If the Giants can't run the ball, Eli will get savaged, but I still wouldn't call that an implosion.

IolarCoisCuain

There's a good preview of the game, and of the two teams' seasons, here:

http://www.sportsinteraction.com/sportsbook/index.cfm?section=sb08preview

I stuck a few notes on the Giants on Monday - very impressed with how they won at Lambeau. But you know, that offensive line of New England is so strong, and Belichick has a full fortnight to do his scheming - it looks like I might as well have sent me twenty sheets to the Missions. :( Maybe I'll change my mind again before Sunday week.

AZOffaly

What's the spread? I can see the Giants making it awkward, but I can't see them beating the Pats, at least not at the moment. I know what they'll have to do to win, but I doubt if they can pull it off 100%

Puckoon

Right now the spread is -12 and the over/under is 54.

stew

Quote from: MaroonAndWhite on January 24, 2008, 09:00:38 AM
Quote from: heganboy on January 22, 2008, 06:44:20 PM
the Brady picture has the press going mad here- some speculation that its a grab the headlines ploy to make the Giants complacent. He did have an off day Sunday, but whether it was down to injury is anyones guess

Complacent????......Belichick has two weeks to suss out out the Giants and no better man to do it. It would be a serious dim-witted coach or team that went into a game against the Pats complacent! Brady had a bad day Sunday alright (bad by his standards.....) but even on one leg and with a broken arm, Id take him ahead of Eli. Anyone think Eli will implode Super Bowl Sunday?

If as I suspect the Pats try and rattle him by going after him all day long he will be complete and utter shite, he hears footsteps, has wing mirrors and is a very average quarterback, he has had a good post season thus far but he will be shite on the biggest stage of them all. I expect the pats to blitz all night long, if you give him no time he will be worse than useless,

Prediction.

Pats 35 giants 10.
Armagh, the one true love of a mans life.

heganboy

Stew,
I respectfully disagree, Eli is playing some fantastic stuff at the minute and their O-Line is fit and playing very well. Look at the game last Sunday for example Eli had a hell of a game, and there were 4-5 dropped passes plus another 3-4 that weren't viewed as dropped but really should have been caught. Manning doesnt panic- he's too laid back, and I feel since Shockey has left the huddle the team is looking to Eli as the leader and they have now responded to his civil, calm methodical approach, rather than Shockey's blood and thunder approach.
If the Pats start going after Manning from the get go, Jacobs will start plugging those holes very quickly. and dont forget Bradshaw hasn't been seen by the Pats D yet.

Now does all this add up to a Giants win- I don't think so, but the spread is coming down, 9 is offered most places today and thats down from 14 on Sunday. I'm actually looking forward to the Superbowl for the game rather than the ads for the first time in years. New York is buzzing there is a sense of possibility, the week 17 game was a belter, NE had a lot on the line and won, the Giants playing for nothing scared them. You would expect that Belichick learned more than Coughlan, however the most interesting guy may actually be Steve Spagnuolo the Giants Defence coach. He has really brought that team along well over the last 6-7 weeks and could have learned his lesson. Based on last weeks games, Manning played a better more measured game than Brady, and he has stepped up against all the big names in the last 4 weeks, I think that the Giants will fall down based on receivers. Plaxico even if he has a game like last week is not enough to match up against Moss, Stallworth and Welker. The weak spot in the Giants D is the middle of the D 8-9 yards behind the line, Welker's specialty area.
My brain says Patriots by 6, hoping for a Giants 3 pointer in OT...
Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity

bridgegael

i think Eli will finally step out from his big bros shadow at the superbowl,  leading them to a  six point victory!  hopefully!!
"2009 Gaaboard Cheltenham fantasy league winner"

Minder

What do the Chargers fans on here think of Eli, i take it you are all on for the Pats after Eli fucked youse over at the 2004 draft. I saw footage of it earlier today on NFL Total Access, when he was called out with the Chargers jersey he stood shaking his head like a spoilt wee pussy.
"When it's too tough for them, it's just right for us"

J70

I've heard that it was his auld fella that was the big influence in Manning being swapped with Rivers. Apparently he didn't want his son ending up at a dead-end team like he himself did back when he played in New Orleans. The Chargers didn't turn out too bad in the end though!

Carmen Stateside

What the latest on Brady are they just hiding him from the media or has he an injury problem?

Gabriel_Hurl

it's all mind games

anyhow - it looks like O'Neill will be happy - it's San Diego and New Orleans at Wembley in Ocotber

http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/chargers/20080126-1632-london.html


thejuice

#764
Quote from: Minder on January 24, 2008, 09:24:36 PM
What do the Chargers fans on here think of Eli, i take it you are all on for the Pats after Eli fucked youse over at the 2004 draft. I saw footage of it earlier today on NFL Total Access, when he was called out with the Chargers jersey he stood shaking his head like a spoilt wee pussy.

Well, surely he should be allowed have some say in what team he ends up with. I wouldnt have said he was acting spoilt, what was he meant to do anyway. Join the Chargers even if he didnt want to.

Quote from: Carmen Stateside on January 26, 2008, 05:08:28 PM
What the latest on Brady are they just hiding him from the media or has he an injury problem?

I'd say he'll be be playing either way, he'd have to be fatally wounded before he would consider not playing.
It won't be the next manager but the one after that Meath will become competitive again - MO'D 2016