The Giants' rush D is 10th-ranked among the 12 teams that qualified for the playoffs, averaging 121.2 rushing yards allowed per game, with the highest total of rushing scores allowed among the playoff qualifiers, with 15 surrendered during regular season. However, Dallas was limited to 16/49/0 rushing at New York last week, after the Jets posted 25/105/1 rushing at MetLife Stadium two weeks ago. The Giants have tightened up in this phase of the game during the final month of the season, but aren't a shut-down unit yet, either.
Ahmad Bradshaw scored twice vs. Dallas last week (16/57/1 rushing with 3/12/1 receiving), while Brandon Jacobs ground out 7/16/0 tough yards and D.J. Ware posted 2/19/0 rushing in a bit role. The team averaged 3.4 yards per carry last week (31/106/1 rushing as a team) - no surprise, considering the Giants are dead last in the NFL this year in terms of yards per carry average, checking in at 3.5 per tote on average.The Falcons' rush D is well above the NFL average this year, checking in at sixth during regular season averaging 97 yards rushing allowed per game, with 10 rushing scores surrendered to date. Tampa Bay was awful running the ball at Atlanta last week (14/35/0), but New Orleans slashed them for 23/164/1 on the ground two weeks ago. The Falcons have been up and down in this phase of the game to close out regular season, but generally they are tough on opposing backs.
The Giants' rushing attack is ho-hum, while the Falcons' D is usually stout - just ask LeGarrette Blount (6/12/0 rushing for Tampa Bay last week). Advantage, Atlanta.
Falcons TE Tony Gonzalez posted just one grab for eight yards in the Week 17 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (he was targeted just once, though). Gonzalez had just seven grabs for 63 yards over the final three regular season games (12 targets for 7/63/0). Nonetheless, the Falcons signed the 15-year veteran to a one-year, $6.9 million contract extension Sunday, hours before the regular-season finale against the Buccaneers - he had the most receiving yards and TDs during his time in Atlanta in the 2011 regular season, with 116 targets for 80/875/7. Roddy White (4/69/0 receiving last week) posted another 100-reception season with 100/1,296/8 receiving and Julio Jones (4/76/2 receiving last week) posted 54/959/8. Harry Douglas is a key backup to Jones, with 39/498/1 receiving (mainly during games when Jones was sidelined due to injury).Gonzalez, White and Jones are the main targets for Matt Ryan (6/9 for 106 yards and two TDs vs. Tampa Bay last week - he was pulled for precautionary reasons after the 42-point first half last week), and Ryan ran up 347/566 for 4,177 yards, 29 TDs and 12 interceptions during 2011. The Falcons' passing attack is capable of both methodical play-action based drives and sudden, lightning-strike long balls entering the 2011 playoffs. They are tough to defend. Ryan is also well-protected by his offensive line, with just 26 sacks taken by the Falcons' QBs during 2011 (6th-best mark in the league).
DE Osi Umenyiora is now acting as Jason Pierre-Paul's backup. He threw down for two sacks while on the field last week, though, despite his lingering ankle injury: 'It was hurting a little bit,' he said. 'But I wasn't coming out of the game.' LB Mathias Kiwanuka said of Umenyiora: 'You could see it today,' Kiwanuka said. 'You could see it even Wednesday. When he was out there, he had his old explosiveness. That's Osi.' The Giants finished regular season ranked third in the NFL with 48 sacks generated, and they enter the wild card round with Umenyiora, Justin Tuck and Pierre-Paul all revved up and ready to rumble. Tony Romo was sacked six times all told last week, with Tuck and Pierre-Paul both credited with one apiece. Even with the fierce pass pressure, Romo still managed 29/37 for 251 net yards, two TDs and one interception - which has been the story for the Giants' injury-riddled secondary all year. They finished regular season ranked 29th in the NFL averaging 255.1 net yards allowed per game, with 28 passing scores given up vs. 20 interceptions generated (tied for sixth in the NFL). This is a gambling, attacking unit that is nonetheless vulnerable to opposing passers.
Ryan and company got hot during December (Ryan threw six TDs and zero interceptions in his last three games, with 59/87 for 703 yards passing) - though the Giants' pass rush is fearsome, they don't translate the pressure into solid play across their entire defense (and Atlanta's pass blocking is solid entering January). Advantage, Atlanta.
Eli Manning finished regular season tossing 359/589 for 4,933 yards, 29 TDs and 16 interceptions over the 16 games played. Victor Cruz was the surprise star of the year at wide receiver, ranking third with 82/1,536/9 receiving, and Hakeem Nicks checked in with 76/1,192/7 to his credit - this attack is high-octane, folks. Last week, Manning flayed the Cowboys for 24/33 leading to 346 yards, three TDs and zero interceptions thrown - Cruz led the team in receiving with 11 targets for 6/178/1, followed by Nick's six for 5/76/1. The team hopes to get their top tight end, Jake Ballard (38/604/4 receiving over 14 games played), back in action for this game, too - after the game on Sunday Ballard said there was a 'great possibility' of him playing in the wildcard round vs. Atlanta. The Giants' passing attack is all-systems-go for this home game, folks.
Nice, i hope it hits 3.5
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