Indianapolis 26, NY Giants 21
It’s fair to say that this game lived up to the hype, considering the Giants had a shot to win the game on their final drive. I wrote in my NFL Game of the Week on Bullz-Eye.com that Peyton Manning would limit New York’s pass rush with his quick throws. Despite one sack in the first half, the Colts kept the Giants out of their backfield all night and that proved to be huge with Indy only netting 55 total rushing yards.
This game came down to the Giants shooting themselves in the foot with penalties and turnovers. The Colts capitalized on New York’s miscues all night and really, Indy was lucky to win a game in which they only got a 2.4 YPC average from its running backs. Twenty-nine yards on 16 carries Dominic Rhodes? Ouch.
Most impressed with: Eli Manning actually. The interception he threw near the end of the game was hideous (but so was that pass interference call on Tim Carter the play before it), but he looked comfortable for the most part in the pocket and out-dueled bigger brother Peyton as far as QB-rating is concerned. He also distributed the ball around to all of his weapons and threw two touchdowns to go along with 247 yards passing.
I was also impressed with Tiki Baber. How could you not? All the talk about Barber not being able to be the everything-man again this season just sounds ridiculous now. First game right? I know, I know, but he looked fresh, ran the ball hard, displayed nice hands on dump-offs from Eli and that leap over a Colts would-be tackler in the second half was just down right sweet.
How about Marvin Harrison too? Nine catches for 113 yards and stays in the game after he gets shaken up late in the fourth. Consummate pro all the time.
Least impressed with: Dwight Freeney had one assist tonight tackling – that’s it. I know that Freeney was battling with a lower leg contusion, but Giants’ tackle Luke Petitgout owned him all night.
Hey Mike Vanderjagt, Peyton wants you to see one stat line from tonight:
Adam Vinatieri: 4 for 4 in field goals with a long of 48.
How’d you end up today?
