But anyway, they say to start by stopping the run. Which is interesting because that’s what San Francisco did. And they still lost. So is the right strategy really to force Eli Manning to beat you?

Sure, sometimes he’s inconsistent. But he’s playing well now and if I’m the Patriots, I’m not making the run game my top priority.

Is Manning as good a quarterback as Brady? Of course not. In eight seasons, Manning’s made two Pro Bowls. He’s completed just 58.4 percent of his passes in his career and has an 82.1 passer rating. Twice he’s led the NFL in interceptions, and twice this season he lost to the Redskins. But he is that rare athlete who gets better when the games get bigger. You might even call him the anti-Peyton. The only MVP trophy he has is the one from Super Bowl XLII, which is the one that really matters.

Yeah, Hakeem Nicks is hot right now. They mentioned on Numbers Don’t Lie that Nicks is only the 3rd receiver in history to have 2 playoff games of 100 yards and 2 TDs in the same season. Jerry Rice and Larry Fitzgerald were the other two.

But let’s not forget, Mr. national football league media people, that Nicks was pretty good last year and everyone in New York knew he was becoming something special.

Last year 79 catches 1050 yards 11 touchdowns in 13 games
This year 76 catches 1100+ yards 7 touchdowns in 15 games (not playing at 100%)

Now Hakeem Nicks is no Andre Johnson, Calvin Johnson, or Larry Fitzgerald. But even if you don’t watch him play, he’s a consecutive 1,000 yard receiver. You gotta know he’s a bit more then decent.

1 – Marcellus Dareus had Boothe beaten badly with a great swim move, ‘Shaw came up and cleaned up the mess allowing Eli a chance to step up and make the throw.

2 – Bradshaw stones a blitzer charging right into Eli’s face, allowing time to make the throw.

3 – Wilson coming in as a free blitzer, Bradshaw gives Eli enough time to get the ball away.

4 – George Wilson coming in on Eli’s right again.

5 – Huge chip on Spencer Johnson. Beatty needed the help.

6 – Big blitz pickup against Byrd to allow a long completion. I think Garafalo pointed it out in his game review.

So far we have on replacement – the 6-foot-4, 330-pound David Baas. He is 29 and doesn’t have the injury concerns (the 3 linemen we’re losing – none of them would be likely to play a 16 game season due to injuries) the Giants we’re losing have.

He has more experience at guard then at center but he is projected to start at center for New York. He was the 49ers best offensive lineman last year despite the position change so he should come in and play at a very high level in NY.

Schefter quotes Osi’s legal affadavit from the player’s anti-trust case vs the NFL but he never actually talk to Osi. I call that some shitty reporting.

Mike Garafolo did talk to Osi. I call that good reporting, you know, when you talk to the person you’re writing an article about. Osi says he’s not mad at Reese or the Giants – the affadavit is evidence of how the lockout is hurting him – the lockout is preventing Reese (not Jerry’s fault of course) from making Osi’s new deal.