It's not the fact that they lost. Truth be told, even though I am a Giants fan, there were no serious expectations on my part of them beating the Broncos today. I think Denver is Super Bowl bound - they were not only my Super Bowl pick for the AFC in my preseason predictions, but my projected Super Bowl champions, to boot! They are playing some phenomenal football, and the Giants, on the other hand, are having problems, to say the least. So, I did not really expect the Giants to pull it off.
But it is the way that they lost the game. They got blown out, 41-23, in their home opener. The fact that the defense gave up 36 points against Dallas in the opener, and then gave up 41 the next week. Average that out, and they have allowed 38.5 points a game, an absurdly high number. The offense has no shortage of problems, as well. I don't even blame Eli Manning, like so many people will at this point. he is trying to make things happen, and he just threw a few bad passes. But he is not getting adequate support from the struggling running game, and too much pressure is squarely on his shoulders to get something done, while defenders are racing each other to get to him, to pressure him, in a collapsing pocket. He has not exactly had a memorable game either week, but this is a quarterback who has proven he can get the job done. After all, he not only won the Super Bowl but he did so twice, earning game MVP honors both times! He can get the job done.
Yet, it seems to me, this Giants team cannot. As a result, they are now in an 0-2 hole.
As for their opponents? Well, the Broncos were many people's favorites going into the season. They certainly is not about to change after the last two wins. They not only defeated the last two Super Bowl champions, but they humiliated each of them. Peyton Manning has already thrown for nine touchdown passes. He completed 30 of 43 passes today for 307 yards and no interceptions. His passing game was complimented by a very strong running game, as well, with Knowshon Moreno gaining 93 yards on 13 carries.
And let's not forget the Denver defense, which was more than up to the task of not only protecting the Broncos lead, but of assuring that the game was a blowout, to boot.
Bottom line, the team that everyone expected to win the game won, and so no surprises. It's the way that they did it that will have people talking right now. As for the Giants, the way that they lost will have people talking, as well. Mostly, it will be their fans, and the talk will be more like grumbling. If they keep playing like this, you can expect the boo birds to become more prominent in a hurry.
Some mention was made that the Giants had begun their 2007 Super Bowl championship season 0-2. That, and they had fallen well behind Washington in week 3, before coming back in that game to win it, and eventually enjoying a superb, championship season That was the third team in NFL history to have won the Super Bowl, after starting the season 0-2. The 1993 Dallas Cowboys did it, after losing their first two games of the season sans Emmitt Smith (something definitely worth mentioning when discussing their seemingly poor start). Also, the 2001 New England Patriots had started off 0-2, with a new quarterback, soon to make a name for himself, by the name of Tom Brady taking over for the injured Drew Bledsoe in that second loss against the Jets. I should note, too, that the Giants in 2007 got blown out at Dallas in Week one, and then at home against the Green Bay Packers in Week 2. Be that as it may, this team did not look good at all so far this season, and it would take another small miracle for them to recover and reach that kind of level again. Giants fan though I might be, I'm not exactly going to put money on it.
Of course, that was not the only game this weekend. There is still one to go, tomorrow night, when the Steelers visit the Bengals in Cincinnati. But I thought it would be fun to make predictions, and then see how I did. This is what I predicted for this weekend: (taken from Predictions for 2013 NFL Season Week 2, September 13, 2013):
I like the Falcons to beat the Rams fairly soundly, and the Ravens to pounce on the Browns. The Panthers will outlast the Bills in Buffalo, and the Bears should be able to hold off the Vikings at home. The Colts will win against Miami, although the Dolphins will continue to show improvement. I like the Eagles big over what is likely a demoralized San Diego Chargers squad, and the Cowboys should beat the Chiefs, although Arrowhead is always a tough place to play. The Packers will take care of Washington, while the Titans will fight hard and come close, but ultimately will fall short against the Texans. I like New Orleans at Tampa, and the Raiders will likely crush the Jaguars, who are probably the worst team in the NFL right now. The Broncos and Giants is a tough game, and probably the game of the week, and it is hard to go against my Giants. But I just think this is Denver's year, and big brother always seems to beat little brother in these meetings. I think the Lions will continue to roar in Arizona, and in another big showdown, I like the Seahawks at home to take care of the 49ers. Finally, for Monday Night, I think the Steelers will continue to sing the blues, as this season proves to be their demise (for now).
How did I do? Well I managed to get nine picks right, although the five wrong kin of stings. But there were some games that really surprised me. I mean, who saw San Diego recovering from the stinging loss against the Texans, to upset the Eagles in Philadelphia? I was a bit surprised by the Bills beating Carolina, who I thought were tougher than to start 0-2 this season. And I expected a slugfest at Arrowhead, with Dallas eventually outlasting the Chiefs, but in fact, it was Kansas City that won. Finally, I thought Indianapolis would have enough to handle the Dolphins at home, but I was wrong. I am starting to wonder if Miami might not indeed be ready to take over the AFC East, with the Patriots, who are a rather weak 2-0, seeming to struggle, despite their perfect record so far.
There were a few big games that I got right, but the one really huge showdown today ended not long ago, after my writing this. The Seahawks hosted the 49ers, in a bitter division rivalry that just might be, at least at the moment, the best rivalry in the NFL right now. There was plenty of tension going into this one, as I could not remember any game this early in the season having quite the amount of the trash talking leading up to this game. Running Back Anthony Dixon of the 49ers had referred to the Seattle franchise as the "She-Hawks". Seattle Linebacker K. J. Wright responded in kind, referring to San Francisco as the Forty Whiners.
It was on.
The game was delayed for a while because of severe thunderstorms, but once it resumed, it seemed to be a tough, defensive struggle. That is, until the second half, when the Seahawks wound up completely dominating the game. Kapernick had his worst passing game as a starter, completing 13 of 28 pass attempts, for 142 yards, and the 49ers could not get much of anything going on the offensive end. San Francisco had five turnovers and scored a total of 3 points, a rarity for this franchise.
To be sure, Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson hardly had a memorable performance on his end, either, going 8 of 19 for 142 yards. But Seattle had the strong running of Marshawn Lynch, who ran for 98 yards on 28 carries for two touchdowns. He also contributed in the passing game with 3 receptions for 37 yards.
Ultimately, the Seahawks dominated the Forty Whiners, 29-3, sending them back to the drawing board after a stinging loss.
The Seahawks, at 2-0, are one of three remaining NFC teams to remain undefeated.
In other games, the New Orleans Saints hung on in a tough divisional battle in Tampa Bay, keeping it close, and managing to kick a field goal in the final seconds of the game to clinch a 16-14 win, to remain undefeated and alone atop the division at 2-0.
And the other undefeated NFC team is the Chicago Bears. They had a see saw battle at home in Soldier Field, but managed to find a way to put together a miracle drive at the end orchestrated by Jay Cutler, culminating in a touchdown to secure a come from behind victory.
The AFC has a few more undefeated teams. I already mentioned the Patriots, who remain unbeaten, although they are hardly playing like it. I also mentioned the Chiefs, who upended the Cowboys and got an important victory in KC, to keep pace with the 2-0 Denver Broncos.
The Houston Texans also remained undefeated, barely holding off the Tennessee Titans at home in Houston in overtime. So far, they have not looked nearly as dominant as some had expected them to.
The defending Super Bowl champion Ravens are not undefeated, obviously. But they had a strong day yesterday at home against the Cleveland Browns. Notably, Joe Flacco stayed in the game despite the birth of a second child with his wife just before the game. It was a boy!
The Raiders defeated the Jaguars, predictably. They did not blow them out and embarrass them, as their division rival Chiefs had done the previous week. But Jacksonville still looks as bad as ever.
The Cardinals surprised me in upsetting the Lions, who I thought would win to remain unbeaten. Maybe the Lions are not as improved as I thought they would be. Or, maybe the Cardinals, with their new quarterback Chris Palmer, are better than I expected them to be. Or, perhaps, a little bit of both.
Atlanta got it's first victory of the season, defeating the Rams at home, 31-24. No surprises there.
Finally, if there is a team that rivals the New York Giants in the NFC East for an alarming start, it would have to be the defending division champion Washington. They have effectively gotten blown out in both of their games, mounting late comebacks to make the score seem more respectable than it actually was. Their offense is in turmoil, and RG3 is struggling. The defense is not sharp, and the offense is not in sync. True, the got burned by a much improved Eagles team unveiling some surprises, and they also then had to go to Lambeau Field, never a hospitable place to play, and take on a red hot Rodgers and Co. at their best, and itching for a victory. Still, the way that they lost has to be alarming for their fans!
So, that's it for this blog, but I will try to follow up with a Monday Night recap, and some predictions for the upcoming week. Until then!
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