Two different teams

The headline this week could be a bit misleading.

What I'm not saying, is that the Giants seem to be two different teams: the one that shows up to beat teams like Dallas, New England, or almost beat Green Bay, when they came in as underdogs...and the one that loses to Seattle, the Eagles at home, or got embarrassed on a Monday night in New Orleans.

Nor am I saying Jason Pierre-Paul and most of the rest of the Giants' defense, belong on two different teams - or even, in two different leagues. Though that does often seem like the case.

It's yet a third description: Over the past three games, it's as if the Giants' offense, and the Giants defense, are two different teams, playing against each other. The offense has got to score enough to overcome the defense's ineptitude. Against the Cowboys, this formula worked. Against Green Bay, it almost did but fell just short. Against the Saints, it wasn't even close. This week, a lot of the focus is on the repeated problem of blown coverages.

And looking at the front seven again, I just haven't seen any imagination from Perry Fewell in the way of blitzes - or more specifically, disguising them - all year. I realize not everyone is Dick LeBeau. And many might point out that all the injuries have limited what Fewell can do. However, to that I would say, that creates even more need to be creative and deceptive. And that's when he blitzes at all, which has been rare this season. He finally blitzed when he brought 7 or 8 on that Dallas 3rd down with just over two minutes remaining, when Tony Romo overthrew a wide open Miles Austin, who had torched Aaron Ross in single coverage. The Giants really dodged a bullet there. I did still like the blitz call, though I don't quite understand why he can't just bring one extra guy for the blitz; why do they have to rush either 3 or 4, or 7 or 8...and nothing in between? Like most things in life, the sweet spot is in moderation. Bring the front four plus Kiwanuka (a great pass rusher playing linebacker) sometimes. The opposing QB won't have forever to throw (unless Pierre-Paul beats a double team) and you'll still have 6 in coverage.

It's not all gloom this week, of course. Pierre-Paul is force. Eli Manning is truly a great quarterback, and the Giants are never out of a game with him under center. (Or with him in the shotgun, with inconsistent snaps from otherwise solid Kevin Boothe.)

Speaking of the offensive line, whenever starting center and big money free agent signing David Baas is healthy, I'd like him to stay on the bench - the combination of Boothe at center, Mitch Petrus at guard, and David Diehl at tackle on the left side, has really sparked the run game, which had flat out stunk until two weeks ago when this change was made.

And to take a step back...what a game. One for the ages, and the Giants have bought themselves three extra weeks to get their act together on defense so they could actually make some noise in the playoffs if they can get there. Next up, a Redskins team that has nothing to play for, but is still playing hard. On paper this should finally be a game the Giants win big. But I know better than to expect that. And John Mara said it best: “It’d be nice to have an easy one, but I don’t think that’s in our DNA.”