Scottemojo":2v6gm8jl said:
I heard some crazy stat that Coughlin is 6-2 on west coast road trips since 2007.
Agreed on the blitzing, it reeks of desperation from a team built around the concept of send 4 and cover.
As a Niner fan, the Giants have been my hated team of choice in the NFL. Anyone who has watched the NFL since 1981 at least would understand why. From 1992 till 2000, the two teams were not on the same page with being great/sucky together, then had a nice battle for two seasons before the Giants got decent and the 49ers faded for a decade. The 2011 season re-ignited an old rivalry that picked up immediately where it left off.
I also happened to live in NYC after leaving SF from '85 to '10, so I know quite a bit about the NY Football Giants.
The '08 Giants were a strong team, well built like the recent 49er/Seahawk teams -- strong OL, RB, and defense with a good but not spectacular QB. They had the Plax incident, and Eli played like crap against the Eagles in the playoffs, one and done in a fashion very similar to his brother.
'09 missed playoffs.
'10 a decent team that had a strong offense, strong defense, knocked out a lot of QBs. Missed playoffs after dropping last two games against Eagles (huge blown lead and Desean Jackson punt return), and then crushed by Packers.
'11 was a hot/cold team. Not built very well as a TEAM, but had 3 great WRs, Eli playing top football in stretches, and a sick pass rush. With some good coaching and game planning they were able to beat good teams on the way to a championship.
But that team had flaws, and each year since they've gotten exposed more and more. Losing Manningham and Jacobs the first year. JPP no longer a dominant player. Tuck and Osi not quite the same players. Post SB hangover? Probably.
Nicks got hurt early in that season and was no longer the great Hakeem Nicks. He switched spots with Michael Crabtree who was drafted the same year.....suddenly NIcks was very mediocre and Crabs had a dominant run.
No Manningham, a hobbled Nicks.....Cruz was focused on and taken away. A great deep threat and fast in space Cruz is, but he's not and never was a true outside guy that could carry a team.
The next year Bradshaw is gone and now that last piece of that old offensive core is gone. Osi gone too. Offensive line was close to being subpar in 2011 and had gotten worse the last two years.
Team just got shell shocked and regressed. Last good teams they beat were in mid 2012....49ers and Packers. But since then nothing.
As far as your comment about "send four and cover", their last great pass rush died after their last super bowl appearance, temporarily revived in those 49er and Packer games.
Enough of a struggle, and players start to question things (hmmm, sounds familiar).
Biggest issue there is that this team is a lot more fractured than the 49ers and Seahawks are, locker room wise. The old Giants could be 4-4 like the 49ers are now, with a bunch of games that could have gotten either way.....now they are just uncompetitive in these big games. They were starting to look tough prior to the Eagles game and got slapped around in shocking fashion.
I don't see Eli getting picked off 5 times this weekend and shut out because I do feel this team is definitely better than last year. But a return to the playoffs? Tough sell this year with SEA, SF, and DAL awaiting.
Of course I fully expect the Giants to play the 49ers tough, even if the 49ers were 6-2 this year and Kap playing like an MVP, because the football gods always arrange for that to happen.
The Giants haven't had the Seahawks # in awhile, so I'd imagine they lose this weekend in a better effort than last year. Say 23-10.