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Shutdown Corner on the Giants

  • Yesterday's five most valuable players: Lions, Raiders and Cheifs

    Matthew Stafford(notes), Quarterback, Detroit Lions. Is there any better scenario for a rookie quarterback? In just one play, he labels himself as tough, clutch, poised, a gamer and possessor of any other vague, non-quantifiable quality a quarterback can have. At the very least, that play earns him a pass from the media for the rest of the year. He can go totally JaMarcus over the next six games, completing 19 percent of his passes, throwing zero touchdowns and 27 interceptions, and everyone will still say, "Yeah, but did you see that Cleveland game? This kid is destined for greatness."

    Nnamdi Asomugha(notes), Cornerback, Oakland Raiders. Someone from Oakland deserves to be in here. I could go with Bruce Gradkowski(notes), but I figure JaMarcus Russell(notes) doesn't need another swift kick to the self-esteem right now. I'll take Nnamdi, who shut down Chad Ochocinco(notes) yesterday. Chad had four catches on the day, with only one of them coming against Asomugha. It was a fantastic day all around for the Oakland defense, as Carson Palmer(notes) was held easily in check, and the Raiders got more pressure on the quarterback than they usually do.

    Eli Manning(notes), Quarterback, New York Giants. Welcome back, young man. Instead of a big explanation, here's a handy graph illustrating Eli's quarterback performance by game this season:

    Graphs are fun and educational.

    Andy Studebaker(notes), Linebacker, Kansas City Chiefs. Studebaker's two interceptions of Ben Roethlisberger(notes) yesterday were the biggest factors in the Chiefs' shocking upset of the Steelers. The second-year man out of Wheaton College made the first start of his NFL career yesterday, and I'm predicting that he'll keep his two-interceptions-per-game pace up for the next ten years or so. I don't think that's unreasonable to expect at all.

    Leigh Bodden(notes), Cornerback, New England Patriots. His last name might be as fun to say as Studebaker's, but Bodden actually topped him with three interceptions yesterday against the Jets. As a sidenote, how insane was yesterday? This was probably the most talked about game through the week, and we had so much other crazy stuff go down yesterday that no one's even talking about the Patriots' spanking of the Jets.

  • Overtime provides relief for Giants, Chiefs

    The New York Giants needed their overtime win far more than the Kansas City Chiefs did theirs, but both teams came away with victories past regulation today. In the Giants' case, their 34-31 win over the Atlanta Falcons ended a four-game losing streak that had them in third place in the NFC East, and at risk of missing the playoffs if they didn't turn it around. It wasn't pretty -- Eli Manning(notes) looked a bit off at times and New York's formerly dominant rushing attack couldn't put anything together with consistency -- but the G-men rode Mario Manningham's(notes) six receptions for 126 yards to the close win.

    New York's defense raised considerable question marks by allowing two touchdowns from third-string running back Jason Snelling(notes), and Matt Ryan(notes) didn't throw an interception for the first time since Week 3. The Falcons were allowed to erase a two-touchdown lead in the fourth quarter to tie the game. But the Giants made it academic in the extra period by driving 49 yards on eight plays, setting up Lawrence Tynes'(notes) 36-yard field goal.

    As for the Chiefs, coming into their game against the Pittsburgh Steelers with a 2-7 record meant that any win would be nothing more than a feel-good story. But KC held up tough, exploiting Pittsburgh's weaknesses for a 27-24 win the extra frame. This game was the eighth straight in which Pittsburgh allowed a return touchdown, giving up a 97-yard kickoff run from Jamaal Charles(notes) on the opening play. There was also a 94-yard interception return of a Ben Roethlisberger(notes) pass in the end zone by linebacker Andy Studebaker(notes), but that wasn't a score. The Steelers have now gone more than 100 carries without a touchdown from their running backs, and the constant attacks on Roethlisberger finally caught up when Big Ben was kicked in the head in overtime and came off the field with what coach Mike Tomlin later classified as a "concussion-oriented thing".

    Backup Charlie Batch(notes) couldn't seal the deal in OT, and the Steelers gave up some big passing plays in the second half without Troy Polamalu(notes) to cover deep. It was Matt Cassel's(notes) 61-yard play to Chris Chambers(notes) that put Ryan Succop(notes) in position to win the game with a 22-yard field goal. The only good news for the Steelers is that the Ravens also lost, which keeps Pittsburgh a game ahead of Baltimore at 6-4. The Steelers and Ravens go at it for the first time this season next Sunday night.

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