Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants will to go down to the wire
Clayton: 1st and 10...
Scouting report
Figure this game to go down to the wire and be determined by a field goal. That can't be a comforting thought for either Bill Parcells or Tom Coughlin. Both coaches have watched their teams win and lose at the mercy of field-goal kickers. The Cowboys beat the Giants earlier this season in overtime, 16-13, thanks to a 45-yard game-winning field goal by Jose Cortez. But Cotez struggled, and Parcells is on his third kicker since that game. How's the new kicker working out? Billy Cundiff missed a 34-yard field goal that could have won last week's game against the Broncos. Coughlin is coming off a loss to the Seahawks that saw Jay Feely miss three field goals that all would have won the game for the Giants. But both coaches have done great jobs with their teams this year. After a slow start on defense, Giants defensive coordinator Tim Lewis has turned his team into one of the best run-stopping units in the NFL. Linebackers not only flow to the ball well, but they hold their gap responsibilities. The Giants are only giving up 93.7 yards a game on the run. Parcells has shaped the Cowboys into a tough 3-4 defense that only allows 99.5 yards a game on the ground. Ultimately, this game comes down to the quarterbacks. The Giants have a favorable matchup with ends Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora going against Cowboys tackles Torrin Tucker and Rob Petitti. That will probably force Parcells into more two-tight end, maximum protection schemes. The Giants also will have an advantage if wide receiver Anthony Henry misses his fourth straight game with a groin injury. Henry has been been a big key to the Cowboys' defensive turnaround this year.
Scouting report
Figure this game to go down to the wire and be determined by a field goal. That can't be a comforting thought for either Bill Parcells or Tom Coughlin. Both coaches have watched their teams win and lose at the mercy of field-goal kickers. The Cowboys beat the Giants earlier this season in overtime, 16-13, thanks to a 45-yard game-winning field goal by Jose Cortez. But Cotez struggled, and Parcells is on his third kicker since that game. How's the new kicker working out? Billy Cundiff missed a 34-yard field goal that could have won last week's game against the Broncos. Coughlin is coming off a loss to the Seahawks that saw Jay Feely miss three field goals that all would have won the game for the Giants. But both coaches have done great jobs with their teams this year. After a slow start on defense, Giants defensive coordinator Tim Lewis has turned his team into one of the best run-stopping units in the NFL. Linebackers not only flow to the ball well, but they hold their gap responsibilities. The Giants are only giving up 93.7 yards a game on the run. Parcells has shaped the Cowboys into a tough 3-4 defense that only allows 99.5 yards a game on the ground. Ultimately, this game comes down to the quarterbacks. The Giants have a favorable matchup with ends Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora going against Cowboys tackles Torrin Tucker and Rob Petitti. That will probably force Parcells into more two-tight end, maximum protection schemes. The Giants also will have an advantage if wide receiver Anthony Henry misses his fourth straight game with a groin injury. Henry has been been a big key to the Cowboys' defensive turnaround this year.
posted by The Gryphon at 9:26 PM
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