The Baltimore Ravens came into the Meadowlands Sunday sporting the best run defense in the NFL. They left with the full understanding that there is no defense for what they had gone up against.
The New York Giants have one of the most proficient and powerful running attacks in NFL history. Their 5.3 yards-per-carry is the highest in the NFL by nearly a full yard and the highest since 1963, when Jim Brown was running over people in Cleveland.
That being said, it was no surprise when the Giants shredded, mowed, and flattened the Ravens' defense for not just 100, but 207 yards. That was the most surrendered by Baltimore in 11 seasons. It was a TKO of the highest order. This Giants' running game is something special, even if you know beforehand what's coming.
Before we break down the group that has become known as Earth, Wind, and Fire let's examine the whole package:
The Giants' running game starts with their offensive line...where else? They have had great consistency from their front five for nearly four seasons now. Teams kill for this kind of O-line play. C Shaun O'Hara, G Chris Snee and Rich Seubert, and OT Kareem McKenzie and David Diehl have become the league's most formidable group. To date, none of them have been to a Pro Bowl. That's about to change, no doubt.
The fullback is Madison Hedgecock, a huge body that slams linebackers and secondary personnel like pinballs. The tight ends, Kevin Boss, Darcy Johnson, and Michael Mathews have all been tutored in the fine art of TE blocking by guru/coach Mike Pope and all do their job well.
Complementing the running attack is one of the NFL's most explosive passing games. Eli Manning has a great cadre of receivers at his disposal: Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer, Steve Smith, Sinorice Moss, and Mario Manningham are as good as group you will find. Add Boss, who can get the yards-after-catch that teams hope for when they draft a TE, to the mix and you have one more guy to worry about.
The running game strategy is simple. Brandon Jacobs, a 6'4", 270 lb monster, starts the game by ramming towards your secondary. Once he gets the line of scrimmage, you are on the wrong end of the league's biggest mismatch.
When he gets tired, Derrick Ward, an excellent inside runner with several gears, comes in to slice away at your tired front seven. When he's done, Ahmad Bradshaw, a runner from the Terrell Davis/Emmitt Smith/Barry Sanders school, comes in and begins to fly through the cracks in your defense gaining huge chunks of yardage.
Should you by some divine intervention put a halt to this downhill parade, the Giants will gladly test your secondary with that receiver corps of theirs.
If a defensive coordinator, how do you prepare for this team?
The answer is you don't.
You would need 14-15 players on the field to shut it down completely. You can't out-physical them or out-finesse them. You can't shut it all down, you just have to hope Eli coughs it up a few times. If that dosen't happen...you're gonna lose.
Good luck everyone.
19 comments Last one added 7 months ago — Leave a Comment
Angel Navedo 7 months ago
Not even a Gants' fan, but I have to appreciate great football when I see it. It really is a pick-your-poison scenario for their opponents. Watching them dominate the Ravens the way they did was truly a sight. Great write-up.
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John Fennelly 7 months ago
Thanks...I'll be rooting for your Jets to make the playoffs this season...
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Dan Boone 7 months ago
One of the endless stream of TV talking heads said yesterday that only the Giants and the Titans have improved each week... and he's right.
Brandon Jacobs is a dominant force who will be a brutal in the cold weather during the playoffs...and the change up backs help the big guy.
Most of the league is moving to mid season mediocrity, a bizarre blender of bad turnovers, luck, and injuries the deciding factors on their games outcomes, and a portion of the league is packing it in for the year..
Giants over Carolina 1st round...
Giants over Tampa Conference Championship...the AFC has some tough outs so the SB pix must wait...
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John Fennelly 7 months ago
The AFC is far from over. The Colts and Steelers are both seasoned playoff teams and the Jets - although they have a lot of new faces - are chock full of post season experience...
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Michael Schlossberg 7 months ago
great article- Rivals some of the stuff Lupica of the Daily News and Steve Serby of the Post put out.... but you are right about what the Giants are able to do on offense- which is whatever you want, to beat them you must look at the Browns tape because they made Eli feel uncomfortable and held the run in check except late in the game on draw play to Derrick Ward...
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John Fennelly 7 months ago
Thx Michael....these Giants have got me fired up again. I watched with apprehension the first 10 weeks, but now that the season is winding down, the excitement has begun to build again
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RedSox Maniac 7 months ago
This may be crazy to say, but this team looks a tiny ( just tiny, but I could change more in favor of Giants ) bit more dominant the 2007 Patriots.
The Patriots offense was amazing, but as the season progressed, and against certain teams ( Colts, Ravens, Dolphins, Jaguars, Giants, Chargers ) you could see they had to pull back for their best stuff to win.
The Giants, on the other hand, seem to me that certain parts of their system are erratic, but they have so much talent and balance on both sides, they are such a tough beat.
Jacobs and Bradshaw, Eli and his deep wide talent, the D-line, special teams; that SB win has given them a great swagger, and their talent along with it can bring them back.
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John Fennelly 7 months ago
Believe it or not Eli is the weak link and the key at the same time. As he goes, so go the Giants. If he plays mistake-free...its over
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Alex McVeigh 7 months ago
Except for a stinkbomb against Cleveland, where every part of their game failed, I would say the same thing.
But Tony Romo has taught us, that all it takes is one stink bomb in January, and the whole season is wasted.
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Brian Gaylord 7 months ago
You're on target, John. I didn't predict a repeat, but I'm starting to tell my Giants-hater friends that I passed up buying G-Men memorabilia after last year's Super Bowl because I thought this year's repeat memorabilia would be sweeter.
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John Fennelly 7 months ago
A repeat would be nice. Thx for reading
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Alex McVeigh 7 months ago
Great article, finally someone gives love to Madison Hedgecock.
I can go to so many of those long runs, especially the ones to the corner by Jacobs, and you see a HUGE block from Hedgecock which gives Jacobs time to get a head of steam and Ward and Bradshaw some space to maneuver.
And unlike Shockey, Boss isn't complaining when he's used to block, even though he's a great reciever as well.
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Stephen Urbaniak 7 months ago
Okay now I'm a Cowboys fan maybe I'm being a bit delirious here but did someone say that TAMPA BAY is going to the NFC title game? be real. Earnest Graham is the workhorse of that team, and he might be shelved for the season. Now I'm not saying the Cowboys will make it, because of course Sheli Manning and the G-Women beat us pretty handily, but if the game last night was any indication, which we beat the team that everyone was willing to crown the 2nd best team in the NFC, and we beat them pretty well in the 4th quarter, Romo and the 'Boys will be looking foward to that rematch in early December.
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Stephen Urbaniak 7 months ago
and...Eli Manning is AVERAGE when you pressure him. When you contain Jacobs (who is the only real threat due to his size and his speed like a running back) and dont give Eli time to find his receivers, he will make mistakes. The Giants arent good when playing from behind..even though they havent had to but once, see Cleveland washout. I definitely think that the Giants are the number 1 team in the NFC but I dont think they are unbeatable
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Osi Umenyiora 7 months ago
Just in the last month they came from behind in the second half on the road in both Pittsburgh and Philly.
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Michael Schlossberg 7 months ago
ok calm down with the sour grapes... have you seen any team stop Jacobs since he has been a starting running back? i do agree this go around of the Giants vs. Boys in Irving will be a lot closer than the first meeting in Jersey... but your cowboys are definitely not out of it
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SkateNY Panopoulos 7 months ago
The Giants aren't used to playing from behind? Jacobs is the only real threat? Did you miss the 2007 season? The post-season? The Super Bowl?
I imagine that when one is a fan of a flawed team, being delusional is one way of defending yourself against reality. Just don't expect the rest of us to live in your private football world.
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John Parker 7 months ago
MAybe we will see the manning bowl if peyton delievers
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David Geller 7 months ago
As excited as I am I just can't imagine this type of production keeping up. Eventually we'll have to win a couple of games through the air.
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