Thanksgiving Day
NFL Primetime Game:
NY Giants vs. Denver Broncos
November 25, 2009 by Marc Jerbs
It's Week 12 in the NFL and we got three exciting games scheduled for Thanksgiving Day. But let's talk about the primetime match up between the NY Giants and Denver Broncos.
The NY Giants started the season strong with 5 straight wins but succumbed to 4 consecutive losses before putting a stop on their losing streak last week with a tension filled OT win against the Atlanta Falcons. The Giants are playing poorly in defense during their losing streak; they have allowed their opponents to score inside the red zone with an astounding 74.3% completion. With this stat, don't expect to win by giving this huge advantage to your opponent.
In their last game, the Giants were playing perfectly in the 1st half but the 2nd half almost turned into a nightmare as they allowed the Falcons to inch closer and eventually send the game into overtime. To cure the Giants' defensive problem, they must exhibit consistency from start to finish in every game. Don't deviate from what's working from what's not working. Don't fix what's not broken. They do have lots of defensive plays but it's quite easy to choose 3 or 5 of it that could work against each opponent they face.
Likewise, the Denver Broncos haven't cured their 4-game tailspin after winning their first six games. The Broncos main problem is with their offensive sets. They only scored 37 points in their last four games which resulted into a loss in each game. The Broncos only averaged 17 point per game which is a very low offensive production for a team like them. QB Kyle Orton once again is in the pressure cooker to lead his team. He already experienced this type of thing while he was with the Bears. He knows how to bring his team back from oblivion and rack up consecutive wins.
It was no coincidence that this match up was scheduled during Thanksgiving Day. And, a lot of fans will have a grand feast watching these two teams turn each other fortunes around. The sports book handicappers have picked the NY Giants as a 7-point favorite to beat the Denver Broncos.
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