The New York Giants will host the Tennessee Titans in Week 3 of the NFL season. This game features two teams with unclear identities. However, these two situations are completely different.
The Titans started the 2009 season at 0-8 with Kerry Collins at QB. Once Vince Young was reintroduced as the starter after his supposed mental breakdown, the Titans made one of the most incredible runs in NFL history and nearly made the playoffs. After destroying the Raiders in Week 1, the Titans had a lot of trouble moving the ball vs a stout Steelers defense. Many teams have this problem against the Steelers D, which is why it was so interesting to see Kerry Collins enter the game. Was it the right move to have a better chance at winning that game? Yes. Was it the right move in the long run? Probably not. Vince Young is a comfort guy, and if he knows he will get pulled after a few mistakes, he’s not going to be very comfortable. Jeff Fisher has stated that there is no QB controversy, but Young will certainly be looking over his should more than before. On the other hand, he might take advantage of an undersized and worn out Giants defense and prove he is the best option and should be treated as such in all situations.
The Giants started the year strong versus a poor Panthers team, but they were exposed vs the Colts on Sunday night football. Manning vs. Manning II was more about the running game and defense than throwing the ball. The Giants came into the game playing a nickel defense, which meant they wanted to make the Colts running game beat them. That’s exactly what happened. To make matters worse, RB Brandon Jacobs threw his helmet into the stands due to frustration and will now face a several-game suspension. The Giants are one of the most difficult teams to figure out. You never really know what you’re going to see from week to week. A lot of this has to do with Eli Manning’s unpredictable play and a small yet fast defense. As far as the latter is concerned, if an opposing offensive coordinator comes up with a good game plan, the Giants defense will be exposed. If the opponent uses a vanilla offense, the Giants D will win the battle.
One of Vince Young’s best weapons is his speed. One of the Giants defense’s best weapons is speed. However, the Giants will also have to contend with stud RB Chris Johnson, who seems to rush for at least 150 yards every week. On the other side of the ball, Eli Manning should get back on track and find one of his many weapons in the receiving core. The Giants might have a reputation for strong defense, but their greatest asset is really their offense. Losing Jacobs might hurt at RB, but it will also give Ahmad Bradshaw more carries, and he is very explosive.
This is a non-conference game. Both teams are 1-1, which means they will both be playing at peak levels to get above .500.
