A Giant fans recollection on SuperBowl 46 and a hopefull look to the future: the Giants 2012 NFL season and Playoff hopes

During the two weeks leading up to Super bowl 42 (Feb 3, 2008) in Glendale, Arizona, Super bowl 42’s official motto was, “Who wants it more?” During Super bowl 42, the New York Giants shocked the undefeated 18-0 New England Patriots. Eli Manning , Plaxico Burress, David Tyree and the Giants’ defense, came alive in the 4th quarter and shocked the Patriots. Eli Manning won the Super bowl MVP, and the Giants were victorious 17-14. Now, after 4 years, they meet again in Super bowl 46. However, this time it is different. Eli Manning is a much better quarterback, New York’s receivers and New England’s Tight ends are dominant, New England’s defense is not as good as their 2007 squad and New York’s running game is productive. But, both teams come charging into Super bowl 46, appearing as teams of destiny.


Flash back to week 9 of this 2011 NFL season: the New York Giants played the New England Patriots in Foxboro on November 6, 2011. The first half of the game went scoreless, as each of the offenses could not get in a groove. However, with just minutes to go in the game, the Patriots lead 20 to 17, and looked to be in control; however, Eli Manning had the ball in his hands and put together another 4th quarter comeback, and won the game on his final drive. With just 15 seconds left in the game, Eli Manning hit Tight end Jake Ballard on a one yard touchdown pass which won the game for the Giants, 24-20. This week 9 matchup, was the first regular season game between the Giants and the Patriots since Super bowl 42. This game was known as “The rematch”. On the other hand, sports casters are calling Super bowl 46 the rematch of a rematch. Since New England’s win week 17 win (in 2007) at the Meadowlands over the Giants, 38-35, the Giants have won the last two meeting between the two teams. However, the past two games the two teams have played will not help either side.


The great players in Super bowl 42 such as Michael Strahan, Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer, Mike Vrable, Tedy Bruschi and many others, are not even on their respective teams anymore. Things have changed since February 3rd, 2008. However, one thing is certain, this will be a game for the ages, as it pits Tom Brady against Eli Manning. They are both Pro-Bowlers, former Super bowl MVP’s and super bowl champions. They both have prolific offenses, and their defenses are playing well at the right time. Both teams are clicking. On the other hand, perhaps the team that best covers its weaknesses will be the Super bowl Champion. The Giants during the season were 32nd in running the football and 29th in opposing passing yards. Eli has had to carry the team to this point. On the contrary, if the Patriots can take away the run and make the Giants one dimensional, only with the pass, then Eli will have to win the game. Tom Brady threw for just over 5,200 yards this season. The Giants had one of the worst pass defenses this year and Brady will be looking to light them up. On the other side, the patriots have the 31st worst passing defense. Eli manning has been playing sensational the past month, and with a porous pass defense, the Patriots could be in trouble.

Leading 21-20 in the fourth quarter, the Giants go ahead on an Eli Manning to Hakeem Nicks touchdown. Giants stop Brady on his last possession.

Post-Game: The Giants prevailed 21-17. Even though Mario Manningham wasn’t the MVP like I first predicted, he did have a crucial catch down the sideline which put the Giants in Position to win the game. Eli Manning won the MVP and led the Giants to another super bowl title! His 2nd in four years! Even though Tom Coughlin now has 2 super bowl rings with the Giants and the fact that he is 65 years old, (The Oldest Coach to ever win the Super bowl) Coughlin will come back and coach the team for a few more seasons. Now the point comes to the Giants potential players leaving in free agency. Manningham, Brandon Jacobs, Aaron Ross, are just some key free agents which the Giants will have to make decisions on. The Giants key additions they will have to make if they wish to defend their title in 2012, is at Linebacker, Running back and offensive line. Which they addressed for the most part in the Nfl Draft. With speed at linebacker and running back and youth and strength on the offensive line, the Giants will be lethal next season. Add these things to the amazing wide receivers and ELI-te quarterback, I believe the Giants will do a good job defending their title. I predicted the Giants will finish 11-5 and win the NFC East. The Giants will begin to defend their title on Sep 6th against the hated Dallas Cowboys. The Giants play New Orleans, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, Green Bay, Philadelphia, Washington and Cleveland also at home for the 2012 season. Sep 6th can’t come soon enough!

The 2012 NFL Draft Dilemma: Welcome to Prime Time

April 18, 1998, the first round of the 1998 NFL draft is about to begin. Radio City Music Hall is filling up with hundreds of fans wearing their NFL team’s garb. The lights are on; excitement is in the air. Commissioner Paul Tagliabue approaches the podium ready to speak.

The audience is energetic; the moment has finally come for the draft prospects in the green room and around the country, who are watching with their families and friends, to finally find out the drafting results in which the anxious college prospects will finally find out where they are going. As Commissioner Tagliabue is about to speak, the crowd grows quiet in anticipation. The most crucial eight words are then uttered from Commissioner

Tagliabue’s mouth, “The Indianapolis Colts are now on the clock”. It is time for the most vital decision to be made. Soon to be NFL players, welcome to prime time.
The Colts have been on the clock since the regular season ended for them at the end of December. With the NFL’s worst record at 3-13, the Colts have the first pick in the draft. For 4 months the Colts have evaluated countless prospects, and have finally decided on their top two: Tennessee’s, Peyton Manning and Washington State’s, Ryan Leaf.

While enduring poor quarterback play during the season, the Colts decided that they need a franchise quarterback, so Manning and Leaf were the Colts top two options. The San Diego Chargers, who have the 2nd pick in the draft, decided that they will take the Quarterback that the Colts pass up. Ryan Leaf was viewed as the quarterback with the most potential to become a star NFL Quarterback, while Manning was viewed as the safer pick who was NFL ready from day one. Leaf was athletic, a great passer, and a proven winner, while Manning was more of a pocket passer and a great leader.

However, Manning had much more knowledge of defensive game plans and had the intangibles, which great quarterbacks possess. These intangibles include composure under pressure, the ability to be clutch in adverse situations and to have total governance over the offense.

Both Manning and Leaf were viewed as franchise quarterbacks for teams to build around and quarterbacks who would lead the organizations who picked them to future football glory.

The Colts made the right pick by taking Manning, who won the NFL MVP 4 times, made 11 Pro Bowls, became a Super Bowl champion and MVP in Super Bowl 41, and who is a lock to be a future Hall of Famer. Leaf, who was taken second by the San Diego Chargers, turned to be immature and selfish, a terrible teammate and leader, as he blamed his teammates for his poor play throughout his career.

He was out of San Diego by 2001. He was plagued by injuries and won a total of 4 games in his career as a starter, throwing only 14 touchdown passes. Manning has won 141 games and counting, thrown for 399 touchdowns and counting and at one point had not missed a game in 12 straight seasons. Leaf is now in jail because of theft and drug abuse, while Manning is continuing his stellar 14 year career with the Denver Broncos. The Colts made the correct pick back in 1998 taking Manning; however, they were in the same situation recently in the 2012 NFL draft.

They held the first pick in the draft, and had to choose between two potentially future star quarterbacks. The Colts have had four months to decide on the pick and it has been a grueling process of evaluation, including interviewing and ranking top prospects. April 26th has already passed, and the Colts have already made their pick. Only time will tell if the Colts again made the right pick, and chose the quarterback who will bring the Colts a Super Bowl championship, a ten plus year career as the starting quarterback and a Hall of Fame resume.

During the last few weeks leading up to the draft, the player who should be the first pick in the draft had been debated on countless sports shows, radio shows, and sports websites. The only thing that was definite was that the Colts were going to take a quarterback. This brought the debate to Robert Griffin III (RG3) of Baylor, against Andrew Luck of Stanford. Both Quarterbacks have great futures ahead if the teams they join can hone their skills.

A little less than a week before the draft, the Colts announced that they would take Andrew Luck with the first pick. Since the Redskins decided that they would take the quarterback the Colts pass on. The Redskins took RG3 with the 2nd pick. The Redskins pulled off a colossal deal to move to the second pick to get RG3, by swapping first round picks with the St. Louis Rams (6 overall for 2 overall) and gave the Rams their next two first round picks for the 2013 and 2014 drafts, and their second round pick for this years draft.

They believed RG3 was their guy; hopefully he will be worth the massive price they paid for him in draft picks. This is almost the same situation which occurred in the 1998 draft, when the team behind the Colts, the San Diego Chargers, took the quarterback that the Colts passed on, Ryan Leaf. Luck is the more complete and safer pick, as he ran a pro-style offense at Stanford during his entire career as a Stanford Cardinal. He was rated as the best Quarterback prospect since Peyton Manning.

Todd McShay, who has evaluated NFL draft prospects since 1998, said that Luck was the most complete prospect that he had ever seen. He explained that Luck has no glaring weaknesses. Even with Luck’s intriguing physical skills, which will someday make him an elite quarterback, Luck scored a 37 on the Wonderlic test, which measures intelligence, and demonstrates that the quarterback from Stanford has all the physical skills and mental capacity to succeed in the NFL (Wonderlic test is out of 50 points.

A 20 is average intelligence and scoring a 10 or below suggests a player is illiterate). On the other hand, RG3 scored a 24 on the Wonderlic. A 23 is the average for a quarterback going into the NFL, so RG3 is no dummy either. As Luck may be the greater quarterback taken in the draft right now, RG3 is looked at as the player with the most upside.

He is viewed in this way, as he is extremely fast (4.4 in the 40 yard dash) and is able to make amazing plays out of the pocket, with his speed and his arm. He has been compared to Mike Vick, when Vick was coming out of Virginia Tech in 2001 (By the way, in the 2001NFL draft, Mike Vick went number one to the Falcons). RG3 is viewed as a better prospect then Vick because of three main reasons.

The three main reasons are: stronger arm strength coming out of college, comparable speed and scrambling ability to Vick, and great quarterback intangibles. In the passing game, Vick would look for his first option during a passing play while playing at Virginia Tech. If his number one option on a play wasn’t open, Vick would scramble. RG3, on the other hand, would look at all the options, and if no one was open, then RG3 would run. In other words, RG3 is more developed in the passing game then Vick when he was picked number one overall in 2001.

When comparing both quarterbacks, most of their physical skills are very similar, with the speed advantage going to RG3, and the height and passing ability going to Luck. However, the main difference between the two is that Luck has had more experience in the Pro-style offense, which he will run in the Colt’s system. RG3 ran the spread in college, which is taking a lot of snaps from the Shotgun formation and using many different formations. He will have to adjust to the pro-style offense which he will run in Washington as a Redskin.

The biggest challenge for RG3 is that he will have to learn and perfect the art of taking the majority of the snaps directly from the center, learn to read much more complicated defensive schemes and learn how to protect his body while scrambling down field. Both quarterbacks are elite passers and can make plays with their feet.

However, in college, RG3 was much more aggressive in making plays with his feet. Due to this, RG3 took a lot of shots to his body. Luck was much more conservative and played much of his game while in the pocket and throwing on the run. He did not take the vicious hits RG3 took during his career at Baylor while scrambling. Luck is truly an elite pocket passer. Another factor contributing to success is that RG3 is 6’ ‘2 and Luck is 6’ 4’. Luck has the height advantage, but RG3 is more explosive.

A main decision why the Colts selected Luck was because he has only missed one game due to injury during his career at Stanford. RG3, on the other hand, missed the majority of his sophomore campaign due to an ACL tear while playing at Baylor. The media, sports analysts and Colts fans, believe the Colts took the safe pick with selecting the more polished player who has had more experience running an NFL based pro-style offense.

Luck is currently the most ready to be an NFL starter from day one. When we look back on this draft in 10 years, we will be able to see if the Colts made the right pick with taking Luck, or if they should have taken RG3. The Colts made the right decision when they chose Peyton in ’98, but did the Colts make the right choice by taking Luck? Only time will tell.

The Top 5 reasons why Aaron Rodgers is and will be a better NFL quarterback than Brett Favre

Flash back to September 27^th 1992. The then 23 year old Brett Favre took over as starting quarterback for the Green bay Packers, for the injured Don Majkowski. Favre went on to win that game in the last few seconds and then never looked back. He remained the Packers starting quarterback from week 4 of the 1992 NFL season, until the NFC championship during the 2007 season. His last start as a Packer, was a loss to the eventual Superbowl champion, New York Giants, in the NFC championship at Flambeau field. Aaron Rodgers took over the following season for the Green bay packers, and has not looked back since then. Even though Favre and Rodgers have the same number of superbowl wins, Favre has all the major records for a starting NFL quarterback. This list excludes other reasons such as Brett Favre’s betrayal and the drama he has put into Packer’s fans lives. Below are the top 5 reasons why I believe Aaron Rodgers will be a better Packers quarterback than Brett Favre. These top 5 reasons are based on stats and wins.

1. Aaron Rodgers is not a gunslinger. If you were in your teens or older during the 90’s and early 2000’s and are a football fan, you can remember vivid images of Brett Favre running around the pocket dodging Lion defensive linemen, only to throw up a dangerous pass and have it be intercepted. This was a usual image in the minds of Packers fans for Favre’s whole career. However, Favre had those magical moments where he would complete a pass in triple coverage and throw a miraculous touchdown pass to win the game. Brett Favre sometimes would often baffle his coaches and fans as to why he would throw a dangerous pass, but also amaze them as, while throwing the ball away would be a safe option, he would throw the most spectacular touchdown passes, while on his back foot or just flipping the ball to his running back while out of the backfield. Since Rodgers has been starting for the Pack since 2008, he has been anything but a gunslinger. He has been consistently accurate and has amazed Packers fans. Rodgers has only thrown 37 interceptions to 124 touchdown passes, and has never had a season when he has thrown 15 or more interceptions, compared to Brett Favre who had had many seasons while throwing 20 or more interceptions. I think we all can agree on one thing; while playing the quarterback position, Aaron Rodgers makes better decisions.

2. Aaron Rodgers has the most consecutive games with a touchdown pass at Flambeau. When you think of who has had the most consecutive games with a touchdown pass at Flambeau Field, we all automatically believe that the record is held by Favre. However, it is not held by Favre but Rodgers! It is amazing to think that Brett Favre, who played from 1992 to 2007 in Lambeau field as a Packer, doesn’t have that record. Aaron Rodgers, who has been a Packer from 2008 to 2011, holds the record. Rodgers has thrown a touchdown pass in 29 straight games a Lambeau field. It’s unthinkable that Brett Favre, who has thrown more than 500 touchdown passes and is a 3 time NFL MVP! Also, over 200 hundred of his 297 starts came at Lambeau field!

3. More Super Bowls, less time. Aaron Rodgers won his first superbowl in his 3^rd season as the starting Quarterback of the Green Bay Packers. It took Brett Favre five seasons to win his first superbowl. Rodgers has already matched Favre in superbowl victories, and it looks like the Packers are on to their way to their 2^nd straight superbowl victory. With the weapons Rodgers has at receiver and tight end, and the great offensive line that Coach McCarthy and the Packers organization has put together, it looks as though Rodgers will be able to carry the Packers to many more superbowls in the future, as Brett Favre is at home in Mississippi sitting on his couch. I do not think Brett is going to be coming back anytime soon.

4. A Great Season vs. The Best Season- Aaron Rodgers to break Brady’s td record. Marino’s yards in a season record. Peyton manning’s qb rating in a season rating, Brees’ completion percentage in a season record. In 2009, Brett Favre arguably had his best statistical season and was one field goal or touchdown away from leading the Vikings to the superbowl. Favre had his highest ever completion percentage at 68 percent and he had one of his best passing yard seasons, with 4,200. He also had 7.9 yards a completion, 33 touchdowns, and he had the least interceptions of his career at 7. It was a magical season as the 39 year old Favre led the Vikings to the NFC championship which they lost, to the Saints, who went on to win the SuperBowl. Brett Favre’s 2011 season is known as a great season and the best of his career, however, it doesn’t compare to Aaron Rodgers 2011 season. Now in 2011, Aaron Rodgers is off to the best season of his career. It is considered to be the best season ever, compared with Tom Brady’s 2007 season. While leading the Packers to 13-0, he has thrown for 4,125 yards, 39 touchdowns, has averaged 9.42 yards per pass and has only thrown 6 picks. He also has the highest QB rating 123 and the highest completion percentage 69.6 or his career. These numbers are so prolific, that he is on pace to break Tom Brady’s 50 touchdowns in a season record (Needs 11), Dan Marino’s Passing Yards in a season record, 5,084 (needs 884 yards), Peyton Manning’s QB rating in a season, 121.1 (needs to keep at above 121.1) and Drew Brees’ completion percentage in a season record, 70.62 (is two percent off).

5. Aaron Rodgers is a better playoff performer. The name Brett Favre, is linked to playoff losses. Favre has lost 11 playoff games(Including the superbowl loss to the Broncos) in his career; the most by a quarterback in NFL history. Brett Favre has also won 13 games (including a superbowl victory over the Patriots). In those 24 career playoff games, Favre has thrown for 5,855 yards, 44 tds and 30 interceptions. Favre has also had some major meltdowns as in the 2007 and 2009 NFC championships where Favre threw interceptions in overtime to set up the Giants and Saints to go on to kick field goals and clinch Superbowl Berths. Aaron Rodgers has dominated in the playoffs. He has played in 5 playoff games and has won 4 of them. Aaron Rodgers has already thrown for 1,517 yards in only 5 playoff games. He is on pace to have almost the same amount of Postseason yards when he gets to win 13, however I believe that he will have less loses than Favre’s 11. Rodgers 13 touchdowns to 3 interceptions in the playoffs are also an incredible feat. Also, his 112 Quarterback rating is superior to Favre’s 87.7 rating, while in postseason play. That being said, I rather have Aaron Rodgers as my quarterback in the playoffs than Brett Favre, who always happened to make a mistake in big playoff games (excluding his superbowl win).

New York is A Giants Town. Not a Jets town.

3 Superbowls, 4 NFC championship wins, an historic defense and a long storied history, are just pieces of what the New York Football Giants franchise has done since its emergence in 1925. The Giants  have the history and superbowl wins to back up their claim that New York is not a Jets town! AsGiants FS Rolle stated during the past season before facing the Jets in the Giants first must win game, "This (New York City) is a Giants town". This is why the NYC bleeds Blue and White.
1. Superbowls: The Giants have a 4-1 advantage in superbowl wins against the Jets. The Jets havent been to a superbowl since 1967 (ouch). The G-men have been 5 superbowl and have won one in the last four decades. 80's (Broncos),90's(Bills), 2000's(Undefeated Pats) and 2010's (Pats, again).
2. Relevant?: The Giants have been able to make alot of noise through most of the 70's, 80's, 90's and 2000's, by boasting a great defence and a powerful running attack. They have had great playoff success and have had a great following from their fans. The jets on the other hand, have lost 4 Afc championships, and even had an early lead in some of those games.
4.  I would much rather have Eli Manning, L.T, Tiki Barber and the other countless Giants greats then Joe Namath and the Jets greats, who only were able to win one superbowl. I guess that is better then the Eagles 0-2 record......