Giants have their hands full with speedy Falcons

By Andy Targovnik  |   Wednesday, October 11, 2006  |  Comments( 0 )

New York Giants
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When the New York Giants play the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, they will have to deal with speed - a lot of it, on both sides of the ball.

On offense, the Falcons have the No. 1-ranked rushing attack in the entire NFL. Warrick Dunn, their featured back, is averaging an impressive 4.5 yards a carry, while his understudy, rookie Jerious Norwood, is averaging 8.8 yards per rush, including a 78-yard touchdown run against the Arizona Cardinals two weeks ago. But the Giants also have to contain Michael Vick, who is averaging 83 yards a game on the ground. That's a task much easier said than done.

So how can Big Blue's defense slow down Atlanta's deadly attack?

Just as the New Orleans Saints did when they beat the Falcons three weeks ago, the Giants should keep a bunch of defenders in the box to contain the running backs.

And Vick?

Because dropback passing is the weakest part of his game, the Giants shouldn't let him leave the pocket. To that end, they should throw a token pass rush at Vick and have the linebackers stay in their assigned rush lanes, because if Vick sees any daylight, he'll take off. Once that happens, he's not only a dangerous runner but he throws much better when moving.

The Giants' offense faces a Falcons defensive unit that is ranked second in the NFL against the run, and has allowed only one touchdown all season. To make matters worse, pass-rushing machine John Abraham looks like he'll return Sunday after missing three games with an injury.

So how can the Giants move the ball?

Very early in the game, they should attempt to back up the Falcons' aggressive run defense by stretching the field with a long pass or two. They should also try running some short passes in the form of play action, and possibly throw some quick fades to Plaxico Burress. The shorter the patterns, the less the Falcons can tee off on Eli Manning.

And the Giants can't be predictable. They should run when conventional wisdom says pass, and vice versa. Keeping the Falcons guessing will negate some of their speed.

Can the Giants go into Atlanta and win the game? Without a doubt - but it sure as heck won't be easy.

Get weekly New York Giants insight at RealFootball365.com.
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