As any NFL fan is aware, the game of the week is my Giants against the hated Dallas Cowboys, who stand for everything that is evil and blighted in the league, no matter what Gregg Easterbrook says about the Patriots. All the talking head shows on ESPN this morning have talked about the game, and none of them have missed a chance to slag Eli Manning
Of course, this is foolish. Not that Eli is suddenly Tom Brady, or anything; but it reflects a deep ignorance of the first same this season.Yeah, the Giants lost to the Cowboys earlier this season, but it wasn’t Eli’s fault. Not by a mile.
In that game, the rent collapse for the Giants was on the defensive side of the ball. They couldn’t stop the Cowboys at all. On offense, though, they moved the ball just fine, at least until Brandon Jacobs and then Manning got hurt. They scored enough to be competitive, had the defense been halfway competent.
The defense has been better– Not against great competition, granted– but they’re looked like a professional team, Manning is healthy, Jacobs is healthy, they’re coming off a bye week. I would expect this to be a good game, and I’m not terribly worried about Manning.
So, cut the kid some slack.
And, I suppose, consider this an open thread for NFL commentary. Will the Pats so 19-0? Are the Lions for real? will the Buffalo-Miami game be the most unmatchable sack of crap ever broadcast?