Coming off last weekend’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Tennessee Titans (1-1) will be in search of a bounce-back victory as they travel to Gotham City to face the New York Giants (1-1).
As I mentioned earlier this week, despite the teams only meeting once every four years, based on the trend of recent history, we should expect a closely-contested battle where the outcome is decided in the 4th quarter or beyond.
Up next…a preview of this weekend’s Titans/Giants matchup.
Make or break game for VY?
Unless you don’t get out much, there’s a good chance you’ve heard about or witnessed the talk this week surrounding Jeff Fisher’s seemingly baffling decision to pull starting QB Vince Young as the Titans faced a 13-3, 4th quarter deficit against an offensively challenged/Roethlisberger-less Pittsburgh Steeler squad.
VY and Head Coach Fisher have done anything but kiss and make-up, but for the foreseeable future, Fisher has announced that despite Young’s benching, he’ll continue to man the fort at the starting QB position.
With this week’s battle with the Giants taking place in the media capital of the world, a ton of attention will be focused upon how Vince Young performs as he attempts to quiet the naysayers with a stellar performance.
If he plays well, that’s great. If he doesn’t, expect a heap of criticism either regarding his poor play or the impact of Fisher’s decision to pull him last weekend playing a role in the damaged pysche of VY.
In the words of Terrell Owens, “Get your popcorn ready!”
Bounce-back game for CJ?
CJ2K’s goal of rushing for 2,500 yards took a hit last weekend as he was held to a measly 34 yards on 16 carries against a traditionally tough Steelers defense (with special thanks to Eugene Amano). The abysmal effort also meant the end of his 12-game streak of rushing for over 100 yards.
CJ will be seeking a bounce-back performance against a New York Giants run defense that’s ranked #24 heading into this week’s game.
If I were a betting man, (sorry Keith Bulluck) I’d wager that CJ will be able to start a new streak by surpassing the century mark in rushing yards against an anything-but-stout Giants rush defense.
Pressure Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde a.k.a. Eli Manning
He’s no Peyton, but to his defense, Eli Manning has carved his own niche as one of the league’s better signal-callers. Of course, making some clutch throws and leading your team to a memorable Super Bowl victory will do that for you.
Taking a page out of the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde playbook, Eli typically has his good moments and his bad ones. As likely as he’ll make a good throw, there’s always the chance of him making a bad one that results in a turnover.
In order for the Titans to succeed against New York’s Manning, they’ll need to continue their trend through the first two games of getting solid pressure on the opposing quarterback. Making life uncomfortable for Eli in the pocket should lead to the “Bad Eli” rearing his ugly head.
Prediction Time!
Both teams should be motivated by humbling losses last weekend, so I’m expecting your typical, Titans/Giants topsy-turvy tussle.
In the end, I’ll take the Titans on a last-minute Rob Bironas field goal.
Titans 20 Giants 17
Any thoughts/predictions for this weekend’s Titans/Giants matchup? Feel free to contribute your opinions below.
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