The best Thanksgiving matchup is the finale, with a couple of teams in the playoff hunt trying to figure out how to return to the level they were at in September and early October.
The Giants at least got a win and a little bit of confidence last week. They beat Atlanta in overtime to snap a four-game losing stre1ak, and another win could keep them heading in a positive direction. The NFC East is bunched up, with Dallas leading Philadelphia and the Giants by a game.
The AFC West is separated by a game as well, but the Broncos are fading fast. They have lost four in a row and are coming off a devastating 32-3 loss to San Diego, a team Denver handled on the road a month ago. Frustration is starting to become apparent. During the Chargers game, receiver Brandon Marshall and running back Knowshon Moreno had words on the sideline after a Moreno goal line fumble, and Moreno shoved Marshall. The Broncos could fall out of the AFC West race fast if they don't pick up a win soon. Both teams might be flawed, but Thursday's result might go a long way in determining which one stays relevant through December.
Giants Keys For Success
1. Get defensive. In their last two games, the Giants' defense has allowed the opponent to march down the field for a touchdown in the final minute. The first collapse led to a loss and the second forced overtime. If the Giants don't find a way to cover downfield, they will find it difficult to be a serious playoff contender. Safeties Michael Johnson and Aaron Rouse have to locate the ball in the air, and there needs to be fewer communication breakdowns -- a problem that has cost the Giants in several games.
2. Get your kicks. Punter Jeff Feagles will boot the ball out of bounds whenever possible with directional punts, as the Giants will sacrifice yards if it means keeping the ball out of the hands of dangerous Eddie Royal. The Giants also use squib kicks by Lawrence Tynes to limit kickoff returns, as they often sacrifice distance to minimize returns. 3. Corral the tight end. Pass-catching tight ends pose huge problems to the Giants, who often struggle in coverage. Michael Boley is the best coverage option among the linebackers, but he could not contain Tony Gonzalez last week. There is no safety on the roster who excels at covering tight ends, so the game plan may have to call for a cornerback such as Terrell Thomas to cover Tony Scheffler, who is a threat.
Broncos Keys For Success
1. Get a full game from Orton. The best news for the Broncos on Sunday -- and perhaps the only bit of good news -- was that Kyle Orton didn't reaggravate his left ankle injury. He gave the Broncos a spark off the bench, and he obviously gives the team its best chance to win. Denver needs to protect Orton and construct a game plan that doesn't ask him to be too mobile.
2. Allow Moreno to run. The Broncos have had good success running to the outside lately, especially with Moreno. Moreno averaged eight yards a carry against San Diego. The problem was Denver fell behind, and Moreno had only 10 carries. Denver needs to keep the game close so it can keep feeding the ball to its rookie tailback. That also will help keep a beleaguered defense off the field. 3. Be physical up front. A month ago, the Broncos were the top-ranked defense in the NFL and wouldn't have been concerned about facing a top running team like the Giants. A lot has changed since then. Denver isn't getting the same push up front, and teams are running the ball well against the Broncos. San Diego broke the 200-yard mark on the ground last week. The Giants will pound the ball the entire game if the Broncos don't match their physical style.
The Bottom Line
The biggest advantage the Broncos have in this matchup is not having to travel in the short week. New York gets little time to prepare and then has to fly over two time zones for a Thanksgiving game. Still, one has to wonder if the Broncos can take advantage. So many things that worked early in the season for Denver have become problems, and they are coming off an emotional loss to San Diego. The Broncos will be healthier at quarterback than last week, but the Giants are coming off a key win and are probably the better team at this point.
Scoring prediction: Giants 20 - Broncos 14
The Giants at least got a win and a little bit of confidence last week. They beat Atlanta in overtime to snap a four-game losing stre1ak, and another win could keep them heading in a positive direction. The NFC East is bunched up, with Dallas leading Philadelphia and the Giants by a game.
The AFC West is separated by a game as well, but the Broncos are fading fast. They have lost four in a row and are coming off a devastating 32-3 loss to San Diego, a team Denver handled on the road a month ago. Frustration is starting to become apparent. During the Chargers game, receiver Brandon Marshall and running back Knowshon Moreno had words on the sideline after a Moreno goal line fumble, and Moreno shoved Marshall. The Broncos could fall out of the AFC West race fast if they don't pick up a win soon. Both teams might be flawed, but Thursday's result might go a long way in determining which one stays relevant through December.
Giants Keys For Success
1. Get defensive. In their last two games, the Giants' defense has allowed the opponent to march down the field for a touchdown in the final minute. The first collapse led to a loss and the second forced overtime. If the Giants don't find a way to cover downfield, they will find it difficult to be a serious playoff contender. Safeties Michael Johnson and Aaron Rouse have to locate the ball in the air, and there needs to be fewer communication breakdowns -- a problem that has cost the Giants in several games.
2. Get your kicks. Punter Jeff Feagles will boot the ball out of bounds whenever possible with directional punts, as the Giants will sacrifice yards if it means keeping the ball out of the hands of dangerous Eddie Royal. The Giants also use squib kicks by Lawrence Tynes to limit kickoff returns, as they often sacrifice distance to minimize returns. 3. Corral the tight end. Pass-catching tight ends pose huge problems to the Giants, who often struggle in coverage. Michael Boley is the best coverage option among the linebackers, but he could not contain Tony Gonzalez last week. There is no safety on the roster who excels at covering tight ends, so the game plan may have to call for a cornerback such as Terrell Thomas to cover Tony Scheffler, who is a threat.
Broncos Keys For Success
1. Get a full game from Orton. The best news for the Broncos on Sunday -- and perhaps the only bit of good news -- was that Kyle Orton didn't reaggravate his left ankle injury. He gave the Broncos a spark off the bench, and he obviously gives the team its best chance to win. Denver needs to protect Orton and construct a game plan that doesn't ask him to be too mobile.
2. Allow Moreno to run. The Broncos have had good success running to the outside lately, especially with Moreno. Moreno averaged eight yards a carry against San Diego. The problem was Denver fell behind, and Moreno had only 10 carries. Denver needs to keep the game close so it can keep feeding the ball to its rookie tailback. That also will help keep a beleaguered defense off the field. 3. Be physical up front. A month ago, the Broncos were the top-ranked defense in the NFL and wouldn't have been concerned about facing a top running team like the Giants. A lot has changed since then. Denver isn't getting the same push up front, and teams are running the ball well against the Broncos. San Diego broke the 200-yard mark on the ground last week. The Giants will pound the ball the entire game if the Broncos don't match their physical style.
The Bottom Line
The biggest advantage the Broncos have in this matchup is not having to travel in the short week. New York gets little time to prepare and then has to fly over two time zones for a Thanksgiving game. Still, one has to wonder if the Broncos can take advantage. So many things that worked early in the season for Denver have become problems, and they are coming off an emotional loss to San Diego. The Broncos will be healthier at quarterback than last week, but the Giants are coming off a key win and are probably the better team at this point.
Scoring prediction: Giants 20 - Broncos 14