The final game of week 12 of the 2011 NFL betting lines
season could foreshadow the NFC Championship game if all goes according to plan. Featuring the New York Giants travelling to New Orleans to play the Saints, the Monday night game represents one of the more important games of the season. After all, it was only three weeks ago, that price per head football enthusiasts were led to believe that the Giants were for real this season. Now three weeks later coming off back to back losses, the Giants enter the confines of New Orleans, to face a Saints team coming off a bye week and are undefeated at home this season. Here is a preview of one of the biggest games of the season.
In what can be best described as a must win game for the New York Giants; tonight’s matchup with the New Orleans Saints will be no easy feat. As we noted, the Giants are losers of their last two contests, meanwhile, the Saints are not only undefeated at home, but also winners of their last two contests. The Giants are one game back of the Cowboys for the division lead, but overall are eighth in the NFC standings. Meanwhile, the Saints are first in the NFC South standings by one game over the Atlanta Falcons.
Entering tonight’s game, the Saints are a seven-point favorite, and quarterback Drew Brees leads the NFL with 3,326 passing yards through the first 10 games of the regular season. To put that number into perspective, consider, that it is the most passing yards through the first 10 games of the season, since the AFL NFL merger in 1970. Brees favorite target this year has been tight end Jimmy Graham. Through the first 11 games of their season, Graham has passed Jason Witten as the top tight end in the bookie software league, as he has 62 receptions and 873 yards.
On the Giants side of things, look for quarterback Eli Manning to go to the air often this game, as the run game has all but dried up. Ahmad Bradshaw is done for the year after breaking a bone in his foot, and backup Brandon Jacobs has shown, that he is not an all-purpose back. While Brees favorite target is a tight end, Manning’s favorite target is a fourth string wide receiver in Victor Cruz. Despite being picked off four times in hi last two games, Manning and Cruz have connected 25 times.
What’s more, this game could turn into a gunfight, as both Brees and Manning love to take to the air. Manning is showing this season, that he is far and away the best quarterback the Giants have ever had. His 120.5 passer rating in the fourth quarter, shows that there is no better pivot when the game is on the line. But hopefully, the Giants won’t need Manning to show off his skills in the fourth quarter of tonight’s game.
