The New York Giants have been a rather composed team. Following some less-than-ideal-games and then a string of decent performances, the team returned for a practice game with the Detroit Lions. And while you may expect a practice game to quickly turn into a tit-for-tat and a bragging contest, the practice meet-up was quite relaxed, even if the athletes were trying to outmaneuver their opponents. The practice game between the Giants and the Lions was announced quite a while back.
The competitiveness that was displayed during the practice wasn’t based on animosity or past ills. Rather, the teams used the opportunity to spot chinks in their own armor and work on removing those. According to Rhett Ellison from the Giants, the coaches of both teams quickly managed to communicate to their teams that the game is a practice and as such, mutual respect and consideration should be uppermost in the minds of their players.
Apparently, the words of Pat Shurmur (Giants) and Matt Patricia (Lions) rubbed off well on their players who avoided any spats on the field and even extended each other common courtesies. The rhythm of the game was good, colleagues reported, saying that both teams were neither too pressed nor slacked and they were trying to keep themselves on par with the opponent.
The coaches repeated that there were no bad bones between them and that their goal was to train an army of players who are either working to retain their top-form or working towards it. To both Shurmur and Patricia that was important. The only necessary condition that needed fulfilling here was that players avoided injuries, played clean and listened to their coaches.
A Practice Sessions That Has Paid Off
Looking at the game, it could be deduced that it’s been a fruitful exercise for both teams. Lions recognized the weak spots in their defense which yielded before the Giants. And even though they couldn’t patch up their defenses during the game, it was a useful indication that things merit improvement. Meanwhile, the Giants were learning how to organize a solid attack and home in on the weakness of their bodies, too!
But do the New York Giants owe their stellar plays to Lions’ defense? We don’t think so. In fact, it’s largely the doing of Patricia who was one of the most sought-after coaches and he finally made it as the Giant’s go-to guy. But the success is not contingent only on athletic prowess alone. Patricia has been a uniting figure as a coach.
His partnership with the Lions’ coach and the mutual respect both have shown each other has definitely affected the players. On the one hand, Lions had a much easier time stomaching the rather strong attacks of their opponents and then again, the Giants had a much more humbled approach to their victory.
They weren’t out for blood, as it is, they were playing against athletes and fellow players who have allocated at least as much time into honing their skills as they had. And this, in turn, entails respect.
Giants’ Stronger Game
Naturally, respect is all very fine, but if this game is any indication, Giants are the stronger team presently, and if Lions don’t manage to patch up their defenses, you will see a repeat of the same scenario we did in the practice game. If you were to take a punt, Giants would be your top pick and the best NFL sports betting sites would be your go-to place to commit your wager.
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Teams have been largely quiet on the matter and not really taking a stance on anything that has to do with the activity itself. Sports betting may be coming, but the main focus of the teams will be to streamline their game.
Giants have been clearly performing far better than their practice buddies. But even then, this is just a single game, which will not shed much light on the upcoming performance of the team. With Patricia coaching the team, though, the hopes have been that Giants will quickly put themselves apart from the other teams in the competition.
The Ponderous Lions
Lions still have a lot of hard work to do if they want to be Season ready, and with the clock almost striking the hour, it will be difficult. Connor Barwin who plays as a linebacker, has said that it would be futile to overanalyze. As to his own decision to opt out of the practice session, it was due to a soreness he had been feeling for a long while now, or in the very least – that has been his team’s official position on why Mr. Barwin has been missing some events.
With their hands full, Lions now have to work on brushing up their defenses by quite a bit. Their offensive may merit some examination, too! Even though the Lions didn’t quite get in the swing of things, having to deal with the continuous assault of their opponents, the attacks they organized on their own were stopped more often than the ones Giants launched back.
Still, on average, Lions’ offensive performed well. Concerned about their own ranks, the offensive players were a little too cautious perhaps, trying to overcome the Giants’ defenders. Nothing too serious, though.
Should we see Lions sort out the mess in their back ranks, we can just as well expect them to perform well in the upcoming season. The next time these two teams meet will be during regular play and we are convinced that they will be a bit more determined to win.
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