Belichik makes me nervous...

[BlueMoshik]

The Giants entered the week seeming favored by everyone except Vegas, but the tide seems to have turned against them over the course of the week leading up to today. With the exception of Peter King, the entire staff of CNNSI likes the Patriots to win. (27-24 seems to be the favored prediction). On ESPN and the NFL network, almost everyone seemed to be going with the Patriots.

The main rationale for the shift, as far as I can tell, is the Belichik vs. Coughlin matchup. While all the articles about TC stress his principles, his upstanding manner, his having "softened" over the years, the way his players respond to him, etc., the sportswriters and ex-jocks all seem to think Belichik has the smarts advantage. Or to put it another way, they seem convinced that he is so creative, so crafty, so brilliant, that he must have come up with a way to win this game before it has even started. The fact that Belichik has seemed so happy and loose this week has confirmed this impression for many of the media types, and fans.

I'm in Boston, and believe me, this is the common thinking around here - that the hoodie will find ways to frustrate the Giants and win. That where Belichik is crafty and shifty and ruthless, Coughlin is predictable, staid, conservative, and will be outsmarted.

So two questions for my fellow Blue Fans: is this perception correct in your view? Does Belichik have a craftiness and smarts advantage? After all, it would never occur to TC to have a LB catch TD passes, or to improvise by using a WR as a DB, or play around with formations and lineups that way BB has.

Second question: there seems to be consensus that BB has something wild up his sleeve, while the Giants are just going to play their expected game. If so, what do you think the Pats will show? What will BB's brilliant plan be, and will it succeed against our heroes?

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[andrew_nyg]

I think Tommy is the one coach that no matter what BB does, he can't rattle.

Additionally, he cannot outsmart a coach who is an absolute maniac about the details.

Tommy will be ready for whatever BB puts out there...the only question that remains...Will the players?

[T200]

I don't think it's BB vs TC. I think the issue is whether Fewell and Gilbride can adjust to whatever BB comes up with and the players executing.


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[Jmr56]

At the end of the day youn can draw up the greatest game plan in the world , but if you don't have the players good enough to execute it then it doesn't matter. The pats just don't have the personal on D to stop the giants , great d scheme or not.

If teams are evenly matched then yes a coaching game plan will be the difference , but these teams are just not evenly matched. Brady is the only advantage they got but it doesn't matter cause it's not Brady vs Eli. And with the way Eli is playing the advantage isn't even that much.

[Rambo89]

I think it comes down to more to the players adjusting than the coaches.  Especially on the defensive side of the ball, I think the Pats will do so many different things to try to keep the Giants off balance that it will be up to the players to react on the fly.  But I expect Fewell to take the blame as he always does if things don't go well on the defensive side of the ball for the Giants.

[MightyGiants]

I am nervous to be facing one of the smartest coaches of all time and giving the guy 2 weeks to prepare.

However while all the talk has been on TC softening, the fact of the matter is TC is a pretty damn good Xs and Os coach as well.  In fact at one point the Giants wanted TC to take over the play calling because of his abilities in that regard.

Secondly Kevin Gilbride, love him or hate him has a crap load of experience as an OC.  He has been doing the job for decades.  At this point in his career there simply isn't a wrinkle or trick you can throw at him that he hasn't seen before.   

Finally while some question Fewell's Xs and Os ability, the guy has gotten it done for the past 5 weeks.  That doesn't happen by accident.  In addition Fewell is a guy that will listen to the ideas of his players and I would assume his assistant coaches.   Bill B doesn't strike me as the sort of guy you offer up ideas and suggestions to.  So on the Giants defense vs the Pats offense you are going to have nearly 30 minds and sets of eyes going against one very brilliant man.  The numbers favor the Giants.

[Rambo89]

At the end of the day youn can draw up the greatest game plan in the world , but if you don't have the players good enough to execute it then it doesn't matter. The pats just don't have the personal on D to stop the giants , great d scheme or not.

If teams are evenly matched then yes a coaching game plan will be the difference , but these teams are just not evenly matched. Brady is the only advantage they got but it doesn't matter cause it's not Brady vs Eli. And with the way Eli is playing the advantage isn't even that much.

Call me a crazy homer but I don't think either team has an advantage over the other at the QB position going into this game.  Over the courses of their careers no doubt Brady is better.  But right now Eli Manning is just as good as Tom Brady is.

[Rocky56]

Which ever team wins the battles in the trenches and the turnover battle will win. Neither coach will out there blocking and making tackles.

[Painter]

I think that Tom "Humble enough to prepare; confident enough to perform" Coughlin should worry Pats fans even more than "Hoodie" ,who hasn't exactly dominated this "rivalry", should unnerve Giants fans. That is unless we look for reasons to worry. Then it's as good as any, I suppose.

Cheers!

[LennG]

 BB does worry me. I think he takes a much more hands on approach to preparing his team and their game plans than TC does. I beleive TC leaves it all to his coordinators.
 My one worry is what BB WILL throw out there to disrupt the Giants and will KG and PF make the necessary adjustments. KG isn't known for making a lot of in game adjustments, so let's hope what he has lined up will work well.

 I haven't made any predictions on anything since the Giants started winning. But one thing worries me in this game. I truly beleive the Pats will use Ocho Cincho as a big time target. he hasn't done squat for his team all season long,  and maybe the Pats feel the giants will sort of overlook him, but he is still a dangerous WR and can make the big play. Me thinks BB and the Pats are planning on showcasing him, as the Giants are susceptible for the deep ball. The Pats have shown they are now a sort of move the chains type of team and really do not go deep that much. The Giants had better prepare for Ocho and the deep ball. That might be a good surprise from BB, to sort of catch the Giants unaware.

[Rambo89]

 BB does worry me. I think he takes a much more hands on approach to preparing his team and their game plans than TC does. I beleive TC leaves it all to his coordinators.
 My one worry is what BB WILL throw out there to disrupt the Giants and will KG and PF make the necessary adjustments. KG isn't known for making a lot of in game adjustments, so let's hope what he has lined up will work well.

 I haven't made any predictions on anything since the Giants started winning. But one thing worries me in this game. I truly beleive the Pats will use Ocho Cincho as a big time target. he hasn't done squat for his team all season long,  and maybe the Pats feel the giants will sort of overlook him, but he is still a dangerous WR and can make the big play. Me thinks BB and the Pats are planning on showcasing him, as the Giants are susceptible for the deep ball. The Pats have shown they are now a sort of move the chains type of team and really do not go deep that much. The Giants had better prepare for Ocho and the deep ball. That might be a good surprise from BB, to sort of catch the Giants unaware.

Again I think Belichick is going to be unpredictable so its going to have to come down to the players making the adjustments.  The Pats D will mix things up with which WR they double or take out of a play.  Its not going to be something that is consistent.  Its going to be up to Eli to recognize these things on the fly and make the right decisions.  The Pats O is also going to mix things up its going to be up to guys like Boley, Kiwanuka, Rolle, Phillips and Grant to recognize the different situations on the fly.  I still believe the Pats will be very unpredictable using a lot of short passes from play to play which will make the Giants pass rush a non-factor in this game.

To me both teams have excellent coaching staffs.  Even in the last game, I don't think it was a matter of one group outcoaching another.  It was a matter of the Giants making plays when they needed to and matching up well against the Pats.  If they win this game it will be because of that.  If they lose it will be because of things the other way around.

[Jim143]

With the exception of Peter King, the entire staff of CNNSI likes the Patriots to win. (27-24 seems to be the favored prediction). On ESPN and the NFL network, almost everyone seemed to be going with the Patriots.

 

That makes me feel better.  I was not happy when everyone seemingly jumped on the Giants bandwagon.

[Painter]

Big Blue Worry Worts. If it's not one thing, it's another.  Win and I guess we'll take credit for worrying them to victory. Lose and we'll say, I told you so. Yuck!!

Cheers!

[ozz]

Maybe he'll have an equipment manager videotape the other team's play calls or something.

[UniHamachi]

Everytime they talk about Belichick the genius and the two weeks to prepare, they are essentially dissing Coughlin and his staff. BTW, that's the same coach that has won the past two games against the unbeatable Belichick.

How good has he been in big games since Spygate?  Hint: he's lost all of them.