Who, Again, Was The Rookie?
Vince Young is badass. Eli Manning is just bad.
Remember how the Giants were supposed to make the Super Bowl? Remember how the Titans were supposed to be, like, 4-12 this year? Distant memories, I tell ya.
The Giants' fourth quarter collapse yesterday, their worst since 1996, was embarassing. Not only did they give up 24 points in 10 minutes to erase a 21-0 lead, they looked like a D-III team in the process. They look like a team that has obviously lost respect for Tom Coughlin and his staff. They look like they don't get along. And they just look inept. Three plays represent the ineptitude. At 7'4'', or however tall Plaxico Burress is, there is absolutely no excuse to let tiny Pacman Jones intercept that pass. As a receiver, your first job is to catch the ball. If you can't do that, your second job is to knock it down so the other team can't catch it either. Plax did neither of those things and looks every bit the malcontent he was made out to be in Pittsburgh. On 4th & 10, Kiwanuka could have ended the Titans' comeback by dropping Vince Young behind the line. Instead, he weakly held onto Young's ankles and the young phenom easily broke free for a 19-yard run to keep the drive alive. And, of course, there was Eli Manning's interception with 40 seconds left, after the Titans had tied it, that gave Tennessee the chance to win the game before overtime.
First, on the ropes, as the Giants were, play for overtime. There's only 40 seconds left, you have to drive the length of the field. Be smart, run the ball. Second, there were no Giants in the vicinity of where Manning put the ball. It's almost indescribable how bad of a decision that pass was. But completely predictable. As a matter of fact, at our respective homes, Kyle AND I predicted the interception. It's an indication that Manning is gaining a reputation as someone who blows it in big spots, and he's reinforcing that image.
My friend Dylan, later last night, had this to say: "He doesn't look rattled, or like he's confused. He just does stupid things." Bring on Jared Lorenzen!
