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Apologies if this has been covered elsewhere, but I wanted to get these together in one place. Plus, I want to analyze something other than frostbite and Seinfeld.
Here are some key matchups I see. Feel free to add your own or comment on my analysis.
GB Passing Offense vs NYG Passing Defense - Favre and the "Fab Five" receivers matched up against the wounded Giants secondary. Significant edge Packers
GB Rushing Offense vs NYG Rushing Defense - The Giants have a couple able run stuffers in DTs Fred Robbins and Barry Cofield. The LB corps of Antonio Pierce, Kawika Mitchell, and Reggie Torbor is playing better now than earlier in the season, but isn't in the same class of the Seattle LB corps. Strahan, Umenyiora, and Tuck prefer to pursue upfield. If Grant can get some blocking upfront, he should have room to run after his first cut. A key to running successfully outside will be containment on the edges. Edge Packers
NYG Rushing Offense vs GB Rushing Defense - A healthy Ryan Pickett makes a world of difference on the inside rush defense. He frees up Williams, Hawk, and Barnett to make plays on the ball carrier. Sound tackling and good games by safeties Bigby and Collins will be key to successfully containing the run. Jacobs is a power runner with some speed who can wear down a defense if given the opportunity, and Bradshaw has the speed and shiftiness to break a long run. Considering the Giants opted to keep both RBs over Grant, there is some talent here. Still, GB has faced better backs and has consistently been able to stop the run when Pickett has been healthy. Slight edge Packers
GB CBs vs NYG WRs - In terms of matchups, Harris and Woodson match up well with Burress and Toomer, who are physical receivers but not terribly fast. NYG will get their yards, but should have a difficult time burning the GB CBs deep. Edge Packers
NYG TEs vs GB Pass Defense - GB has struggled all season with good TEs. Fortunately for GB Shockey is injured, and while replacement Kevin Boss has gotten a number of looks, I don't see him being a major exploitable matchup for the Giant passing game. Edge even
NYG K Lawrence Tynes vs GB K Mason Crosby - At the time of the Ryan Grant trade, many Giants fans wanted K Dave Rayner in return instead of the 6th round pick. Tynes was very inconsistent in training camp, and many fans wanted to go in a different direction. Tynes ended up with pretty good numbers this year, going 23-27, an 85.2% completion rate. Yet his longest successful kick of the season was only 48 yards. Crosby proved his ability to make pressure kicks early by booting a game winning 42 yarder to beat Philly in the first game of the season. Still, Crosby is a rookie and the conditions will likely make things difficult for both kickers. Edge even
QB Brett Favre vs Brett Favre - this could be the most important matchup of the game. Will we see the laughing, fun loving, deadly accurate, snowball throwing Brett Favre? Or will we see the scowling, inaccurate, 6 INT Brett Favre? Ultimately the answer to this question will likely determine the outcome of the game.
Here are some key matchups I see. Feel free to add your own or comment on my analysis.
GB Passing Offense vs NYG Passing Defense - Favre and the "Fab Five" receivers matched up against the wounded Giants secondary. Significant edge Packers
GB Rushing Offense vs NYG Rushing Defense - The Giants have a couple able run stuffers in DTs Fred Robbins and Barry Cofield. The LB corps of Antonio Pierce, Kawika Mitchell, and Reggie Torbor is playing better now than earlier in the season, but isn't in the same class of the Seattle LB corps. Strahan, Umenyiora, and Tuck prefer to pursue upfield. If Grant can get some blocking upfront, he should have room to run after his first cut. A key to running successfully outside will be containment on the edges. Edge Packers
NYG Rushing Offense vs GB Rushing Defense - A healthy Ryan Pickett makes a world of difference on the inside rush defense. He frees up Williams, Hawk, and Barnett to make plays on the ball carrier. Sound tackling and good games by safeties Bigby and Collins will be key to successfully containing the run. Jacobs is a power runner with some speed who can wear down a defense if given the opportunity, and Bradshaw has the speed and shiftiness to break a long run. Considering the Giants opted to keep both RBs over Grant, there is some talent here. Still, GB has faced better backs and has consistently been able to stop the run when Pickett has been healthy. Slight edge Packers
GB CBs vs NYG WRs - In terms of matchups, Harris and Woodson match up well with Burress and Toomer, who are physical receivers but not terribly fast. NYG will get their yards, but should have a difficult time burning the GB CBs deep. Edge Packers
NYG TEs vs GB Pass Defense - GB has struggled all season with good TEs. Fortunately for GB Shockey is injured, and while replacement Kevin Boss has gotten a number of looks, I don't see him being a major exploitable matchup for the Giant passing game. Edge even
NYG K Lawrence Tynes vs GB K Mason Crosby - At the time of the Ryan Grant trade, many Giants fans wanted K Dave Rayner in return instead of the 6th round pick. Tynes was very inconsistent in training camp, and many fans wanted to go in a different direction. Tynes ended up with pretty good numbers this year, going 23-27, an 85.2% completion rate. Yet his longest successful kick of the season was only 48 yards. Crosby proved his ability to make pressure kicks early by booting a game winning 42 yarder to beat Philly in the first game of the season. Still, Crosby is a rookie and the conditions will likely make things difficult for both kickers. Edge even
QB Brett Favre vs Brett Favre - this could be the most important matchup of the game. Will we see the laughing, fun loving, deadly accurate, snowball throwing Brett Favre? Or will we see the scowling, inaccurate, 6 INT Brett Favre? Ultimately the answer to this question will likely determine the outcome of the game.
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