Are the Giants ready for Manning-Manning Opening Matchup?
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by Jeff Barett (still Giant's #1 Fan)
The Giants will open the 2006-07 season Sunday night @ Giants Stadium (not the Meadowlands, Jets fans) with a very tough opener versus the Indianapolis Colts. The storyline will be younger brother Eli Manning verus older brother Peyton Manning. Here are my 10 reasons why the Giants starting 1-0 will not come easy for them:
1. The last game Eli Manning started (for real) was 23-0 drubbing at the hands of the Carolina Panthers in a wildcard game. How will Eli Manning fare in the first game since that debacle?
2. The Gints are playing a team that started (11-0) last year. The Colts players will be riding a lot of momentum trying to going even farther undefeated in the 06-07 season.
3. Regardless, how good LaVar Arrington, Michael Strahan, Osi Umeniyiora and the Rest of the Giant's defensive line is, no defense matchs up to Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison. The Giants defense will have their hands full throughout the game.
4. WR Plaxico Burress struggled down the stretch of last season. Will he be back to his old self for the opener?
5. Eli Manning reportedly called his brother to tell him the offensive game plan for the Gints Sunday night. That's probably not a good sign.
6. Eli will have even extra pressure playing in front of the home crowd.
7. Usually teams that have good preseasons in the NFL, stink in the regular season just like in Major League Baseball. The Gints went 4-0 in the preseason.
8. The last time Tom Coughlin coached versus the Colts, it was a much different football team.
9. The Colts defense has been said to be "super fast" by Jeremy Shockey. TE Jeremy Shockey is probably the third-fastest Gint behind Plaxico Burress and RB Tiki Barber.
10. Tiki Barber had a shaky preseason despite playing regular time.
Regardless of these reasons, I will be picking a Gints win Sunday night, but I'm not that confident about it.
Comment on this NY Football POLL
Which of these NY Football players will be the first to be released this season?
- RB Kevan Barlow
- QB Patrick Ramsey
- QB Jared Lorenzen
- P Jeff Feagles
Date
Fri 09/08/06, 2:31 pm EST
