April 23, 2006
New York Giants Second Half Schedule Analysis
Well looks like the Giants signed Arrington today, boosting their defense and their chances at winning more games. With that said I stand by my proclamation that this team will not win more than seven games this season. In my previous post I outlined the first half of the season, in which the Giants start 4-4. Here is the final half of the season done in a game-by-game analysis.
Week 10 – The Giants will by flying high into this week, coming off the two consecutive wins to push them to 4-4. Unfortunately the Chicago Bears are good enough defensively to stop the Giants and hold them to a minimum in points. With their new passing playmaker in Griese, the Bears should be able to post enough points to win this game.
My Final Prediction: Chicago takes a stab at the confidence of New York and shows them up at home.
Week 11 – Jacksonville was a very good team last year. Led by a solid defense and a well-coached quarterback, they were able to win double-digit games in the tough AFC. Playing in their home will be a tough game for New York to win. Coming off of last week, the Giants should find themselves down early and lose their second game in a row.
My Final Prediction: Leftwich and the Jaguars make enough plays and take the game away from the Giants.
Week 12 – The Titans probably won’t have McNair and won’t have much anyone else either. Seriously what happened to this team, they went from a playoff regular to a team full of nobodies in no time. Look for the Giants to take out all their frustrations from the season so far on a terrible defense, I’m talking about forty points plus.
My Final Prediction: The Titans are not a good team and that doesn’t look like it is going to change. Easy win for the Giants.
Week 13 – The Giants are going to come back from their two-game road trip and find Terrell Owens and the Dallas Cowboys waiting for them. The Cowboys were a good team last year, and with Owens they should be great. New York is a good home team but this is just plain a tough draw. Dallas should pull this one out as Owens catches multiple touchdowns.
My Final Prediction: This loss is really going to be the beginning of the end for the Giants playoff hopes.
Week 14 – If last weeks game was bad for the Giants, this weeks will plain devastate them. The Carolina Panthers have been a solid team for quite a few years, even almost making the playoffs after losing many key players and starting 1-7 two seasons ago. Playing in Carolina is not a game many teams are going to succeed in, and the Giants simply don’t seem to be a team that will be able to match the task.
My Final Prediction: Road loss to the Panthers should knock the Giants out of the playoff hunt for good.
Week 15 – Now that they are out of the playoffs, the Giants will be steaming and looking to get out of their hole. The Eagles will come into town looking to win a road game, and will lose a close one. Eli should show his poise and make all the big plays down the stretch in this one, showing he is indeed developing.
My Final Prediction: The Giants are a good home team and they have enough firepower to win this game in New York.
Week 16 – Playing another game against a porous team, the Giants should be able to beat the hapless Saints. Drew Brees should keep this game close, but the Saints defense is simply terrible. Eli should have a second straight great game this week, with Burress getting multiple touchdowns.
My Final Prediction: The second straight win at home pushes the Giants one game closer to finishing 8-8 on the season.
Week 17 – Washington is another team that has a good defense and just plays well at home. It is hard to go into their stadium and take a game when they are still fighting, in my opinion, for a playoff spot. I think the Giants will get close, but lose in the closing minutes to a team that just wants it more.
My Final Prediction: A final loss should end a very disappointing year for the Giants and their fans. 7-9 is not what was expected from this team, but the schedule was just against them all season long.
So there you go, my analysis game-by-game is complete. Let me know what you think, feel free to leave comments and your own predictions!
Posted by cochise at April 23, 2006 5:33 AMYou got to be an idiot to believe that a hard schedule means a 6/7 win season. This team is a force to be dealt with in the NFC and will finish with 10/11 wins again this season. You are really short changing the Eli progression that is taking place right before our eyes.
Posted by: Ivan at April 23, 2006 6:55 AMok, here's my rebuttal, again... with the Giants coming off 5-3 start and still in the hunt loosing only 1 division game so far (at Dallas, and I think it's possible but not probable that they can win that) they should still be in the hunt for the division.
Week 10 - Chicago - If the Giants once again turn what should be a blow out against Houston in week 9 into yet another close game, look for them to come out (at home) looking for blood. Giants new D keeps Chicago kicking FGs. Giants and the Under in a low scoring game.
Week 11 - At Jax - after 3 cold weeks in NY the Giants get a monday nighter in at warm Jax. The Giants will think they're on vacation and play like it. Jax in a shootout
Week 12 - At Tenn - After loosing to Jax Giants come out swinging, and blow out (a minus McNair??) Tenn on the road.
Week 13 - Dallas - Still in the hunt but after losing one on the road to Dallas, the Giants will need this game at home. They'll come out from the start posting a good score by halftime and only keep stretching their lead. Giants all the way.
Week 14 - At Carolina - The Giants will have something to prove here after last years playoff melt down, look for the Giants to come out swinging, they'll regain their respect after last year but still drop the game. Giants loose a squeaker in the last 5 minutes of the game.
Week 15 - Philly - Another division game against a team that has to rebuild. Not even close. Giants 1st half outscores Philly for the game, this could signal the beginning of the end for McNabb.
Week 16 - New Orleans - even with the dome open again and Brees at the helm, it won't be enough. Giants by 2 scores.
Week 17 - At Wash - If the Giants loose the game against Chicago, the division could come down to this game, look for this one to be the prime time switch, unless Fox saved one of it's vetoes. I'm thinking whichever way the Chicago game goes, this goes the other, if they beat Chi, they lose but they'll already have the division, if they lost to Chi, they'll need this and get it.
season part 1, 5-3, season part 2, 5-3. season total 10-6, and they'll hold the tiebreakers
How in the HELL can you give the Ginats a 7-win season before injuries and call yourself a fan. Right now, the Giants are one of the deepest teams in football. Young, talented, and deep. I just don't feel like arguing about this anymore...
Posted by: b CO at April 23, 2006 3:08 PMSome of us are optimistic fans (like me). Some of us are not. Personally, I'll be amazed if the Giants win fewer than 10 games in 2006. I think they win the NFC East.
Posted by: James Trotta at April 23, 2006 8:42 PMI think you guys are taking this too personally. I would love to see the Giants win double-digit games again and I think they will probably be a little better in the first half of the season now that they added Arrington. My second half analysis, however, depended on how I picked the first half to go. I am huge on momentum in the NFL.
There is PARITY in the NFL. Good teams can easily lose the second season. I would rather keep my expectations lower and be pleasently surprised than expect a dynasty and see the team miss the Super Bowl.
I don't think that makes me a bad fan or an idiot. Like I said if the Giants win 12 games and prove me wrong I'm not going to be unhappy. I would be thrilled to see that.
If you want I can relook at my prediction after the draft when the Giants roster looks more clear.
Posted by: cochise at April 24, 2006 3:41 AMthis is exactly why i don't involve myself with predicting games to be played in december in APRIL. even before the giants signed arrington anyone who thinks this team won't be right in the thick of the playoff picture again is just not paying attention. WAKE UP! and......can we wait until the week before games are played to try and predict an outcome. Jesus, have a clue.
Posted by: brian at April 24, 2006 9:37 AMAll this far off predicting is revealing, as it sheds light on supposed fans who have little dedication and commitment to Giant football. The "we suck" fans who predict losing seasons right after winning the division title, regardless of who's signed in free agency to shore up weaknesses, or regardless of who's drafted, are most likely either not Giants fans at all, or they're the type of people who go through life protecting themselves from dissapointment by predicting the worst but secretly and privately hoping for the best. They like the Giants, so as is the case with anything they like, the Giants will suck. Signing LA and other solid players on defense means absolutely nothing. We're doomed, and we're lucky to play 500 ball. That's just how it goes in life. It doesn't hurt so bad when you can predict failure and follow it up with an "I told you so." In the odd chance that the Giants do great this season, hey... that's a bonus! But don't count on it.
Posted by: Joe in San Diego at April 24, 2006 1:14 PMLook don't get me wrong, I AM a fan of the Giants. My second half analysis was based on the start I predicted in my first half. I do think the addition of LaVar should get the Giants a better defense and a few more wins.
But at the same time look at a similar team like the Chargers of last year. They too returned a double-digit win team that relied heavily on a good offense. They too added a playmaking linebacker to their defense in the offseason, though theres was a rookie. And they ended up 9-7 out of the playoffs because of an impossible schedule.
I don't understand the sentiment that predicting losses is the same as not being a good fan. Why should I pretend to believe the Giants are a dynasty when that isn't how I feel?
You can have your own opinions, but please allow me to have mine as well.
Posted by: cochise at April 24, 2006 1:23 PMI think it is quite disheartening to look at the current schedule right now. I am also aware that being a Giant fan tends to make you jaded after awhile. However, it is only April and the draft is still yet to take place.
All that being said, I believe the Giants (depending on the draft, and LaVar staying healthy) have a legit chance of being the top-rated NFC defense. Granted they have to play a lot of tough games, but I still believe in the offensive progression of Eli and find it hard to believe they could finish under .500.
Eventually, Giants fans have to stop thinking the worst but unfortunately that's our nature. I always laugh at all the people who predict how ANY team will do during any given season, especially us. Injuries will be the key. Look at the Bears last year. They were relatively injury-free and had a great year. The Giants can certainly do the same. I'll check back here after the first quarter of the season.
Posted by: Greg at April 25, 2006 2:02 AMOff the subject a little... Anyone remember the last year the Giants went to the Superbowl? Ofcourse you do as it was only 5 years ago. Now who expected that team to go that far, let alone make the Playoffs? Not too many I'm sure. When Jim Fassel said he guaranteed his team would make the Playoffs that year I thought he was crazy! Kerry Collins was just awful in my oppinion. Yes he did have some good games (Minnesota Conference Championship game 42-0). It was Kerry, not the Giants who lost that Super Bowl. We rode Tike that year, or should I say every year. The bad news is we're near the end of the Tiki era and that scares me. Eli needs an effective runner to even be close to Payton standards. I think Brandon Jacobs is a beast but could he be a starter? That said, every season is as unpredictable as the last, but after following the Giants since 1987 I think us G-Men fans are pretty lucky. In the last 20 years the Giants have done some good things. The problem was stability. They are an up and down team. Well guess what... we're headed for the upside people. Giants win 11+ games this year and go deep in th e playoffs if not the big one S.B.! That is if everyone stays perfectly healthy all season... catch my drift?
Posted by: NYRobAZ at April 25, 2006 4:29 AM