[StackinGreen]

I'm a lifelong, three generation, cradle to grave G-Man fan.

We're in a bad spot Sunday, trip to Seattle is murder, that dome is louder than loud, the intangible, Geno has a little chip on his shoulder in this one.
I believe this is the game to fade.

I don't like the Giants, never have, but don't hate them for any reason. The line has what you say baked in. Seattle I don't really buy, but the reason it is most appetizing is that you're getting 3 in what is likely a close game regardless. No Metcalf (not that he's done much) and the momentum team ... yes but on the road, I get it. At +2.5 I wouldn't touch but I'll take 3.

[stevenash]

I don't like the Giants, never have, but don't hate them for any reason. The line has what you say baked in. Seattle I don't really buy, but the reason it is most appetizing is that you're getting 3 in what is likely a close game regardless. No Metcalf (not that he's done much) and the momentum team ... yes but on the road, I get it. At +2.5 I wouldn't touch but I'll take 3.

Seattle has (that I call) a premium home field advantage.
Seattle is louder than most home teams venues.
The trip east coast teams make to Seattle is brutal, I don't have to give you a geography lesson, you might as well be flying to Yukon Jack country. The trip drains you, yadda, yadda, yadda.

Now, having said all that, you're already mentally and physically drained just from the travel alone, then you have to play a big boy contest against a big boy athletes, and if you, like most of us played organized team sports know that athletes have pride, they're beyond competitive.

Like the Seahawks, the Giants were supposed to suck yet again.
Both teams are exceeding expectations, only one of those teams is getting national attention, and it ain't the Seahawks.

Giants, now have the unofficial title of 'media darlings'
And don't think about this for more than a second, you know full well the Seahawks and coach Carrol are collectively saying to nobody in particular and to anybody within ear shot "Hey, what about us"!

Russel Wilson takes his traveling music act to the Rocky Mountains, and it's all about Wilson and the Broncos.
The Seahawks replace that with Geno Smith, and the whole NFL universe chuckles, "Geno Smith, yeah, good luck with all that"

You don't think Geno Smith has pride, he's one of 60 people in the world that have a NFL QB job.
He's a professional, and the NFL universe is snickering. Yeah, like he won't be motivated?
You don't think Geno has this message to send to the Giants as well, "Hey, remember me"

I'm the biggest 'analytics guy' on these boards.
I'm a numbers geek, yes, I'm a nerd, it's who I am, it's what I do.
Most analytics apply to handicapping games, if one is not into the science of analytics, I'm fine with that, I just have a problem with those who say it's a all a load of shit, it's clearly not.

I, like most who believe in analytics, don't think they are the be all end all either, they are not.
I, back in the day when your pal Nasher had a full set of hair and the T-Rex roamed my daddy's backyard for grass to munch on played the games on an organized level, both team and individual sports.

There are situations when that binder full of mind numbing numbers say to do one thing, it's OK to take that binder and flush it down the crapper and 'go with your gut'
As a former athlete who played the games I get that.

At this point in time I can hear people saying to their selves "Nasher, you're killing me here, wrap this post up for the love of God, you got a point in here someplace"?

Yeah, I have a point, and I'll wrap this post up (but to be continued when I have more disposable leisure time) long story short, which I am not capable of doing, making a long story short because brevity is not my forte, the one thing that you must factor in this game that can't be measure with tape measures and pie charts, and facts and figures, are intangibles, motivation, heart, and all that other happy bullshit.

Goes back to what I've been saying all along.
This Giants team has HEART.
Dabol instilled that.
There's no analytics on heart, and motivation.

Giants have heart, Seattle is motivates, I made that crystal clear.

The betting line sits between two and three points.
Seattle's home field advantage is this spot is worth 4.5 points, my opinion.
I ask myself this, "if you put this individual game on a neutral field, are the Giants better than Seattle by 2 or 2.5 points if you subtract the 4.5 point home field advantage, I think the Giants are.

Much more, maybe four points better on a neutral field.
Do I have to be that if that's my answer, no.
After I factor all those intangible I mentioned, I don't want any part of this game, no way shape or form.

One thing you can bet on is I'm a loyal lifelong fan, I haven't missed many Giants game since Simms was my guy when I was a kid, I sure as shit ain't missing this one. I place a major premium for loyalty, loyalty is a strong, positive character trait, I give it, and I look for it in life.

We are relevant again, were are good again, and I had to watch a lot of shit games going on eight years now.
If we lose this one, it's OK, this is the spot to lose one, if we do I will not be disappointed as long as it does not send the Giants into a freefall downward spiral.

To be continued, and to all of those who read this post, I'll buy the first round.