Hump Day! The Giants are catching all the breaks in the midst of their three-game winning streak, but there’s still some concerns over a couple Giants stars. Let’s get to it.
JPP’s Maladies Continue: Just when Jason Pierre-Paul appeared to finally be rounding back to his usual self with a sack against the Raiders, he was hurt on the next play. While he finished the game on Sunday, his availability for the Packers is questionable with a shoulder injury. He’s also saying he will not play until “it feels better,” which might be a by-product of knowing the Giants are facing Scott Tolzien rather than Aaron Rodgers. The good news is that JPP’s back doesn’t appear to be an issue at the moment, but it is disconcerting that he’s still struggling to get out of the blocks when the Giants defense is starting to become the backbone of the team as they continue their climb back into the playoff picture. When he’s healthy, he’s a game-changer on every play. It appears that the Packers quarterback situation has afforded him some more time to get back to that standard.
Facing Tolzien is Nice, But…: The Giants have to get their quarterback figured out. To whit: Manning is 31st in passer rating. 21st in touchdown passes. 30th in completion percentage. First in interceptions. And an incomprehensibly woeful 29th in ESPN’s Total QBR rankings. There are bad years, outliers and anomalies, and the Giants certainly hope that this is all it is. You have to wonder if he feels “ghosts” due to the awful offensive line he has been saddled with. One can only hope that Andre Brown can be the tonic needed to help Eli relax, because right now the Giants are winning in spite of Manning, which is a stark change from the last six years.
Final Word: The Giants have concerns, but let’s face it, the Packers are on their third-string quarterback. A quarterback who hasn’t really been a factor since being a Wisconsin Badger. The Giants defense should be able to force him into a couple of mistakes that could lead to extra possessions. Eli just needs to stay out of the way and not try to force things (if he can; it’s not a given). The Giants can use Andre Brown and Brandon Jacobs to “shorten” the game. The Giants will win their fourth-straight, 21-17.
Thanks for Reading. You can follow @CMB1979 on twitter for your NFL needs, and the follow the site @lastwordonsport while you are at it and please take a moment to like our Facebook Page.
Interested in writing for LastWordOnSports? If so, check out our “Join Our Team” page to find out how.
Football fans…check out our two partnered NFL podcasts – Thursday Night Tailgate Radio and Overtime Ireland. Both shows bring you interesting commentary, critical analysis and fantastic guests including former and current NFL players, coaches and personalities.
Main photo credit: Mike Morbeck via photopin cc
