Wow what a great match-up between two undefeated teams. The NY Giants vs the New Orleans Saints on Sunday 10/18, week 6.

The G-Men have a 5-0 record and take their number one ranked defense to the Superdome. The Saints 4-0 who in the early 1980's were referred as the "Aint's" are no longer the bottom dwelling team from the past, they are considered an offensive juggernaut and will be the toughest test Big Blue has faced this season.

This game should be a very entertaining one. New Orleans is favored by 3 points as per the odds makers and come well rested off a bye week. New York on the other hand comes in very banged up with one of the longest injury lists you have ever seen for a football team. They have been missing key players especially on defense all year long and have been able to overcome injuries and win. The wins however have come versus considerably easier teams than the Saints.

Dru Brees is one of the best quarterbacks in the league and has the ability to pick apart teams especially teams that are blitz happy like the Eagles, but he can also have bad games just like any other QB. This season he has had two games which were pretty regular, versus the Jets he threw for 190 yards and against Buffalo he threw for only 172 yards not the typical 300 yard games we are used to seeing from this excellent quarterback.

I believe the key for victory lies with the defense creating controlled mayhem, Brees has yet to see a defense as talented as the Giants. Most people will right away talk about good defenses he has faced such as the Eagles and Jets. He has in fact beaten both teams but had a hard time with the Jets who have an above average defense but in no way are as good as the G-Men. As a matter of fact the Jets lost yesterday against the 1-3 now 2-3 Miami Dolphins and the defense was what failed them. The Eagles once again are a very blitz oriented team, they are very predictable on defense and an intelligent QB like Dru Brees can read the defense and pick it apart which he did in week 2. The Giants bring the complete package on the defensive side, a very talented, strong and athletic line which will put pressure all day on him and despite key injuries Big Blue has the number one ranked pass defense. The combination of pressure and good coverage will not be easy to overcome by New Orleans.

The Saints have also become a very good defensive team but still not an elite squad. They will create some pressure but unlike most teams New York has a very experienced and talented offensive line. Eli Manning has developed into an excellent QB who can also read defenses and create opportunities for Big Blue. I can already see a screen pass to Bradshaw like the one we saw this past week that went for 55 yards. New Orleans players tend to over pursue when rushing and are very susceptible to short plays for big gains.

This game will indeed be a very tough match-up for the G-men but it is not impossible to beat New Orleans even at the Superdome. New York is one of the best road teams ever with an 18-3 record over the last two and a half years, that's incredible. It will be interesting to see which players suit up for the Giants, this can be the week where the injuries finally catchup to us.

Here is how they stack when it comes to stats, keep in mind Big Blue has an extra week of play.

Total Offense:
The New York Giants rank 2nd in total offense with 417.4 yards per game and score on average 30.2 points.
The New Orleans Saints rank 3rd in total offense with 414.2 yards per game and score on average 36 points.
Both teams average 6.2 yards per play.

Total Defense:
Big Blue ranks 1st in total defense allowing only 14.2 points per game and 210.6 yards of total offense to opposing teams.
New Orleans ranks 6th in total defense allowing 16.5 points per game and 295.2 yards of total offense to opposing teams.

Passing:
This is a toss up as of now, the G-Men rank 9th and the saints rank 11th.

Passing Defense:
The Giants rank 1st in total pass defense and this will be a huge against a great passing team like New Orleans.
The Saints rank 11th in total pass defense, not bad at all but beatable!

Rushing:
New York ranks 4th with 160.4 yards per game on an average of 4.5 per carry.
The Domers rank 2nd with 166.2 yards per game on an average of 5.0 per carry.

Rushing Defense:
The G-Men rank 15th overall which is very surprising as they have always been known for being able to stop the run. This is a worrisome stat as New Orleans has an excellent running attack.
The Saints rank 7th and have faced teams with good running attacks in the eagles and Jets.

As you can see these are two very good teams and that is why the game should be action packed and a nail biter. I still believe the NY Giants will find a way to win!

Carlos Caicedo
GiantsKickoff.com - Copyright 2009

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