The Giants finally won that first game of the season, even if they had to hang on late to do so.
Still, it is always nice to be able to enjoy that first win, especially when it comes in the latter part of September (or sometimes even beyond), rather than early in September.
New York almost won their first two games, and probably should have won at least one and, frankly, both of those games. But against Washington, as hosts, the G-Men absolutely had to get it done on Thursday - and did. After all, their backs were again the wall.
I hesitate to say that the game was a "must-win" while still in September, but it certainly was as close to that as possible if it did not outright qualify. Had the Giants lost, Washington would have been two games up on the Giants, and Dallas would have been 2 1/2 games up, with both teams owning wins over New York. In other words, most likely, the season would have been done, for all intents and purposes.
But the Giants won, and in so doing, they have the temporary tie-breaker over Washington, who now has the same record as the Giants. Both teams are ahead of the Eagles, at least briefly, before Philadelphia takes on that other New York team, the Jets. And while Dallas is still ahead in the division, they look to be on shaky ground, with their starting quarterback and star wide receiver out for some time in the future.
It might not happen that the Giants could rally to contend for the division title, but at the very least, this win prevents such a notion from being laughable, which it really would have been if they were now sporting that 0-3 record, securing a winless September.
So, for us Giants fans, there is still hope, thanks to their big victory on Thursday.
Now, onto Cincinnati.
Well, no. Not really. But they do have a tough game up at Buffalo coming up, and they are clearly a team that cannot overlook any opponent. So let them prepare for that game with the extra time off that they got to enjoy, and hope that they make the most of their opportunities.
For now, let me focus on predicting what teams will win this weekend:
Arizona defeats San Francisco - I see Arizona putting together a solid game plan, and executing well, leading to an early lead that they continue to expand. A convincing win for the Cards.
Philadelphia defeats NY Jets - As much as I would like to pick the Jets here, it is still hard for me to picture them going 3-0, at the expense of Philly going 0-3. Sooner or later, the Eagles are going to get back into this thing, and I suspect that it starts right now. This is as urgent a game for them as could be this early, while the Jets could probably afford a loss right now, with the hot start, and the rest of the season to recover.
Seattle defeats Chicago - Everyone is talking about the Seahawks slow start. But you will not see that too much this weekend from a determined Seattle team ready to get their awful start, as well as memories of 2nd and 1, behind them. It is hard to see Chicago even being able to compete in this one. Look for Seattle to blow them out of the water.
New England defeats Jacksonville - It looks like the Jaguars might be headed in the right direction overall. But one direction that you really never want to head in the NFL is towards Foxboro, for a road game against Brady and Belichick. This is a loss for them, and could potentially get ugly if the Patriots are running on all cylinders.
Miami defeats Buffalo - This should be a tight, tough game. I could see it going either way, but will lean towards the home team. That said, the Finns have looked sloppy so far this season, so I am not fully comfortable with this one.
Indianapolis defeats Tennessee - The Colts defense is a bit wobbly, but I suspect that their offense gets into gear against the Titans. Again, like was the deal with the Giants and Eagles this weekend, the Colts are entering as close to a "must win" situation as you can get, without officially being there. They cannot afford to lose, and that is why they will not. It is entirely possible that the Colts will jump to the lead in the division with a 1-2 record after this game. Sad, but true.
Carolina defeats New Orleans - Yes, I am basically giving up on the Saints. If they do not win this one, it is likely season over for them. And it is hard to picture them suddenly getting everything right enough to knock off the Panthers in Carolina. Tough defense, which the Saints likely cannot handle, and certainly cannot match with their own deteriorating defense. These are two franchises headed in opposite directions.
Pittsburgh defeats St. Louis - Pretty soon, if the Rams lose a lot of games, people are going to suggest that the victory over the Seahawks was a fluke. The Steelers should prove too tough for them this week.
Baltimore defeats Cincinnati - Knowing that football is a game of momentum, this one made me feel a little uneasy. Still, I cannot picture the Ravens simply lying down and letting the Bengals take a three game lead over them in Week 3. As good as the Bengals have been thus far, they likely stumble in Baltimore.
Houston defeats Tampa Bay - Two mediocre teams square off. But the Bucs earned a win last weekend, while Houston needs that crucial first victory of the season. I think they get it today.
Atlanta defeats Dallas - The Cowboys got off to a hot start for the season, and considering the problems that they are facing right now, they certainly will need it. The Falcons are on a roll, and they should earn a big win in Big D today.
Cleveland defeats Oakland - Both teams have shown glimpses of being on the rise and heading in the wright direction. But the Browns are at home, and that helps - a lot - in this one.
San Diego defeats Minnesota - Tough game. Could go either way. But the Chargers have some weapons, and I think that makes a difference later in this game. The Vikings fight for it, which they did not in their first loss at San Francisco. But ultimately, they fall short against the Chargers today.
Denver defeats Detroit - Yes, the Broncos add to the growing woes of the Lions. Detroit's defense looks nothing like last year's unit, and the Broncos should exploit that this time around. The Lions just cannot keep up in this game, and lose at home to start off 0-3 on the year.
Green Bay defeats Kansas City - The Chiefs lost a painful game that was nationally televised to the Broncos, but Lambeau is a tall order to ask for a bounce back. Look for the Packers to put the pressure early, and earn a convincing win in this one.
No comments:
Post a Comment