A Look at the Giants: Eagles Flying High Heading Into Giants Match-up

In an episode of Season 5 of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia Charlie, Mac and Dennis debate the merits of being "birdmen". These are sort of like eagles, but as the song they end up singing states "'Cuz we're birds of war now, but we're also men!" In some ways, this is Michael Vick too. As an Eagle he's been  a bird (attacking through the air) as well as a man (attacking on the ground). It is with that convoluted story that I bring you to the greatest challenge for the Giants defense: how to contain Michael Vick.

The Giants want to see Vick on the ground a lot Sunday (SI)

Justin Tuck tells SI's Peter King that the Giants gameplan is to pressure Vick. After watching Vick pick apart a passive Redskins defense, the Giants have decided to disrupt Vick's timing which makes a ton of sense. I think with Vick's ability now to be a pocket passer (and also the fact that the Eagles very wisely play Vick out of shotgun to keep him away from the line) makes him too dangerous to just sit in the pocket. When Vick was with the Falcons, the Giants would basically allow Vick to run around the pocket with a "shadow" designed to watch him from the linebacking position. With Vick's passing ability, you can't do that anymore. Especially not with the Giants' serious issues on deep throws.

The real issue for the G-men on Sunday may actually not be Vick--it may be themselves. Already with injuries at the offensive line and wide receiver, the Giants saw Ramses Barden hit Injured Reserve and now Shawn Andrews isn't even a definite for Sunday. If Andrews can't go, Will Beatty will get the start at left tackle with Kevin Boothe at left guard. This normally wouldn't be such an issue if Eli Manning had his best short yardage receiver, Steve Smith, to go to. But with Smith out until at least early December, Manning will have to find some way to gain time to throw the ball (more tight end sets? more shotgun? more bootlegs? more playaction?). Or the Giants will have to win the game on the ground with Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs leading the way to victory.

I don't see that being so easy. The Eagles are flying high right now and although Tuck talks a good game about how the Giants love being the underdog and how this Eagles team is being talked about as unstoppable as the Patriots in 2007, I'm not sure the Giants have the healthy personnel to beat the Eagles. The Eagles one soft spot is on special teams--but the Giants may be worse in that department. It's amazing to think that the Giants could go from Super Bowl favorite to fighting for a Wild Card in two weeks, but I think that may be where we're heading now. A little déjà vu of last season? I hope not.

Eagles 25
Giants 20