Plax hurts Jacobs but helps Eli, how is this possible?

[InsertNameHere]

If you took notice during the Washington game last week, w/o Burres in Washington dared Eli to throw the ball more by taking the man they would usually have doubling Plax and stacking the box with him, which hurt Jacobs in the first half of the game. Eli proved that if given the oppurtunity he could pass well and threw for his first 300+ yard game of the season which luckily opened the game up for Jacobs towards the end of the game. What does everyone think about Eli and Jacobs's value in the long run?

[Amazinz]

I don't think it will make a big difference because Plax hasn't been the same WR he was last year and I think that all the media talk of the double-teams he drew this season is highly exxagerated. He hasn't been double-teamed all that much.

The Giants have been facing eight men in the box to some degree in almost every game although it has ramped up recently. Arizona played eight men at the line almost the entire game (which was a little odd to me since Jacobs was out) and Eli had a fine game (240 YD, 3 TD) without Plax (except for that first play). Washington was even more severe because they were playing with nine men at the line a lot.

[bagobonez]

THe key to beating the Giants is to get a big lead early, and force them to abandon the run. Then the pass is predictable. As it is, that offense is too balanced to stop unless you've got an offense of your own that can put major points up and force the Giants to be one dimensional.

[TheDiplomats]

I think it hurts both of them to an extent. Plax was such a huge threat going deep because of his size and speed coupled with the fact that the Giants are one of the best playaction teams in the NFL. Hixon is good, but he wont demand the double coverage that Plax did. The main area this hurts the Giants is the red zone. From the games I've watched without Burress, they have struggled in the red zone when he wasn't there.

[fantasizing]

Absolutely it hurts. Imagine the Dallas running game without TO or NE's without R. Moss. I'm not suggesting Burress is the same calibre reciever as those two, but the very big play threat he brings to the offense keeps safeties honest.

That "old school" mentallity that you win championships by running the ball and playing good defense is a load of crap in today's game. You must absolutely have a good balance between run and pass to be successfull on offense.

[dgan]

Absolutely it hurts. Imagine the Dallas running game without TO or NE's without R. Moss. I'm not suggesting Burress is the same calibre reciever as those two, but the very big play threat he brings to the offense keeps safeties honest.

That "old school" mentallity that you win championships by running the ball and playing good defense is a load of crap in today's game. You must absolutely have a good balance between run and pass to be successfull on offense.

Just because you have to have good balance doesn't make that mentality a 'load of crap', as you say. Look at predominant passing teams in recent memory and they have not faired well. Look at teams that CAN run when they want or need to, and they have been much more successful. And I don't remember the exact stat, but something like no team without a top 10 defense has ever won the Superbowl....or something like that.

So I think argument has a fundamental flaw - the Giants can still do the MOST important things. They may not be able to do the other thing (pass) quite as well, but that is a much easier challenge to overcome than if you have a porous defense or can't run the ball. I don't think they miss Burress hardly at all...they are very accustomed to playing without him at this point anyway.

[Kensat30]

Toomer, Moss, Smith, Hixon are a better 4 WR set than most teams in the NFL can sport on any given Sunday.

[Azrael]

THe key to beating the Giants is to get a big lead early, and force them to abandon the run. Then the pass is predictable. As it is, that offense is too balanced to stop unless you've got an offense of your own that can put major points up and force the Giants to be one dimensional.

The same could be said for beating just about any team.

They won't really miss a beat w/o Plax. Who did Tom Brady have to throw to when he won 3 SBs? The Giants WRs are still better than what Brady had to work with. Their D is great and they have the best O-line in the NFL. That's what is going to carry them. If they lose, it's because they beat themselves with stupid penalties and turnovers. They are the best team in the league no question.