Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Week 1 in the past

It's not too early in the season to say that this week 2 game coming up against Tampa Bay is a critical game for the Giants. In general, there is no game in sports that seems to loom larger than week 2 in the NFL season, especially when your team has lost the opener. When you lose in week 1, all of the expectations, hopes, plans of the off-season are tested when your team loses. Maybe the team isn't so good; maybe the personnel was overrated in preseason; maybe the proven players, the veterans are slowing down. Then, if your team also loses game two, you are practically suicidal. Your worst fears, if not confirmed, at least are worsened. You think your team will go 0-16; they never have a chance to win. But if you win week 2, you can throw the week 1 loss aside as an aberration or as your team just finding its sea legs. That's for all teams and their hysterical fans.

For the Giants this week, there certainly is that sense of urgency. The back end of the Giants schedule seems so tough - filled with playoff teams from the 2011 season and apparent contenders in this year's season, they can hardly afford a bad start to the season. It was for this reason that I thought they had to win the Cowboys game, but now that week 1 is in the rear view mirror, they can do nothing but look forward and get on a roll before the tough part of the schedule arrives. Teams that go 0-2 rarely make the playoffs or do well when they get there. Oh wait a minute.... Giants in 2007 were 0-2 coming out of the gate, losing to the Cowboys and Packers, giving up 80 points on defense and looked to be dead after being dominated in the first half of game 3 against the Redskins and trailing 17-3 at halftime. Giants defense rose up and stopped the Redskins cold in the second half and won 24-17 with a stirring goal line stand to win the game at the end. They seemed to do pretty well that season. Every season is different, I guess and the Giants should help themselves by not letting themselves get in that 0-2 hole.

Buccaneers had a very good week defensively stopping Cam Newton and the Panthers. They held Panthers to 10 yards rushing for the entire game. Panthers only attempted 13 running plays, but still .... 10 yards is impressive job by Bucs defense. Newton threw for 303 yards, but they did intercept him twice, so overall that was a strong performance by their defense. Bucs offense is not great, so let's see if Giants can rebound from their weak overall performance against the 'Boys.

I keep hearing that Beatty is practicing and feeling better, but the Giants have not announced if he will start.

Looks like Amukamara is practicing and has a chance to play. Hosley and Coe seem to be recovering from injury also.

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