GIANTS 24
FALCONS 2
FALCONS 2
It is beginning to feel a lot like January 2008, as the New York Giants thoroughly dominated the Atlanta Falcons 24-2 to advance to the divisional round of the playoffs to face the Green Bay Packers next Sunday.
The Giants came into this game with one of the worst defenses, and even worse running attacks in these playoffs, and, for the first time this season, the Giants had their most complete effort of the year with every phase of their game clicking on all cylinders.
Granted, the early going was not pretty. The Giants were having a difficult time moving the football, and the extra-conservative play calling by Kevin Gilbride resulted in zero Giants point through one and half quarters.
On the flip side, the Atlanta Falcons were having some success in moving the ball. Late in the first quarter, the Falcons started to move the ball swiftly up field on an impressive 14 play, 68 yard drive. Highlighted by a 20 yard pass from Matt Ryan to Julio Jones and methodical running by Michael Turner and Jason Snelling, the Falcons brought the ball up to the Giants 25 yard line; however, while facing a fourth and one at the Giants 24 yard line, the Falcons decided not to kick the football and take a 3-0 lead. Instead, Atlanta went for it, and Matt Ryan came up a yard short on the quarterback sneak.
For those who remember, Atlanta head coach Mike Smith made a similar decision to go for a fourth and one against rival New Orleans, and it cost the Falcons the game. This decision would be no different.Still, all the momentum was on Atlanta's side. With New York facing a second and 21 at their own 13, a quarterback pressure of James Sanders forced Eli Manning to throw an intentional grounding penalty for the safety and a 2-0 lead.
Then, it was all Giants.
After an entire regular season that saw the Giants struggle to run the football, they morphed into a running team, virtually over night. On a crucial third and two, Eli Manning, understanding that he had nobody open down field, tucked the ball underneath and ran for 14 yards to set up a Giants first down near the 40. A few plays later, Brandon Jacobs rumbled down field for 34 yards to the Falcons 15 yard line. After a nine yard run by Ahmad Bradshaw set up a first and goal for Big Blue, Manning hit Hakeem Nicks in the back of the end zone to give the Giants a 7-2 lead.
With the lead, the Giants defense smothered the Falcons. They held the dangerous Michael Turner to only 41 yards rushing and pressured Matt Ryan all afternoon, holding him down to 199 yards passing. Even though the Giants recorded only two sacks of Ryan on the afternoon, the quarterback was clearly rattled. He couldn't handle the pressure up front, consistently delivering floaters over his receivers' heads.
Offensively the Giants kept on cruising; Victor Cruz finally had his impact on the afternoon. His 22 yard catch moved the football to the Falcons 35 and helped set up a Lawrence Tynes field goal to make it 10-2. Later in the quarter on third and three, Manning hit Nicks in stride near mid-field and the speedster took off on a 72 yard touchdown giving Big Blue a 17-2 advantage.
The ground game did the rest for the Giants: as Jacobs ran for 92 yards, and Bradshaw 63 yards as New York tallied 172 yards rushing on the afternoon, and Big Blue prevailed 24-2.
The Falcons could never avoid shooting themselves in the foot. At one point, they were trailing 10-2 and were in field goal range, and, once again, faced a fourth and short. And, once again, Mike Smith decided to go for it, and quarterback Matt Ryan was pushed backwards on the turning the ball over. The Giants, of course, made the Falcons pay when Manning hit Nicks on the back-breaker to make it 17-2, all but ending the competitve nature of this game.
For the Giants are rolling into Green Bay. They have found a running game, and their defense is creating a lot of havoc up front. The last time the Giants faced the Packers, Big Blue had the 11-0 Packers on the doorstep of their first loss, but Green Bay pulled it out in the waning seconds.
Some will cite the Giants 2007-2008 Super Bowl run as a case in point that this team can do the same. Remember that Giants team hung tough with the 16-0 Patriots in the regular season finale, and lost that game. The Giants felt that game was the boost of confidence it needed to make a playoff run, and they did, winning the Super Bowl over the Patriots.
Will lightning strike twice? There are players and coaches on the Packers who remember that Giants playoff run because New York knocked Green Bay out in the NFC title game that season. Only difference this time: it will be Aaron Rodgers at quarterback for the Pack, not Brett Favre. That constitutes a huge difference. This is shaping up to be an incredible week for Big Blue.
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