Cardinals post mortem I (big picture)

Perhaps the spectacular is becoming somewhat mundane to us, as Giants fans are getting accustomed to these kinds of superior performances from our team, where the Giants show how good they really are. Before I start analyzing in detail, let's take a big picture approach and consider the following:

• Cardinals are putting up piles of points and gobs of yards in the passing game with a revived two-time MVP qb and probably the best WR group to ever play on one team.
• The climate conditions are perfect for a pass oriented team in the desert and to make it even more perfect, the dome was closed. No wind, no sun, no cold weather to worry about.
• Cardinals have won 6 in a row at home dating back to last year
• Giants are (at least statistically) a run oriented offense and are going against a team that stops the run very well.
• Giants are missing their star RB, Jacobs
• Giants are missing their star WR, Burress.

Sounds like trouble. So what happens? Giants put the ball in Eli's hands and he has a masterful game throwing the ball, maybe his best game of the year. Derrick Ward steps in capably and runs the ball fairly well, but the big boost comes from special teams where Hixon has a monster game and has 180 return yards. Giants win comfortably.

Giants were missing their best RB and their best WR and they still put up 37 points. Let me re-emphasize how good this was by way of a simple example. Consider our upcoming opponent, the Redskins, currently 7-4 and in good position to make the playoffs. Now remove Santana Moss and Clinton Portis from their team and put the game in the capable hands of qb Jason Campbell. Are they scoring more than 10 points? Actually, they only scored 20 against a pitiful Seatle team with both of those stars in the game. It's a gross understatement to say that the Giants have good depth. It's much more accurate to say that many of the substitutes on the Giants would be starters and perhaps stars on most other teams. In fact, I can not understand why Toomer is playing ahead of Hixon right now. Hixon is an absolute stud and it is almost inexcusable to have him sitting on the bench. He is a speed guy, who has great moves and never drops the ball. Toomer is a possession guy who occasionally drops the ball. I like Toomer - he's tough, he's clutch and he's well dressed. But - Hixon is a star waiting to happen and he has to get on the field more.

Burress missed two games this year: Seahawks (suspended) and Cardinals (injured). In both games, Hixon starred and Eli had his two best games of the year. Actually, I thought Eli was spectacular in the Steelers game also and come to think of it - Burress didn't start that game and was fairly invisible. Maybe there's a pattern that we can figure out. NFL analysts still think that Eli is an efficient, capable, unspectacular qb who is slightly above average. They don't have a clue. I don't care what kind of numbers Brees puts up, how many tackles Roethlisberger breaks, what Rivers qb rating is, or how many starlets Romo goes out with, Eli is the top qb in the game today. OK, maybe he's a hair behind brother Peyton, but I am not so sure about that and considering his age and his future, I certainly would not trade Eli for any player in the league.

More on the game itself in later posts.