LARRY NESS

NFL Blowout GOY

Larry used the Ravens (-4) as his 25* AFC Game of the Year in Week 8 and he delivered "big-time" with a 30-7 win. It was the FIFTH consecutive Sunday in which he had won his No.1 NFL play of the weekend. Larry makes it “SIX-in-a-row” with his No. 1 NFL play for Week 9, his 25* Blowout Game of the Year on Sunday! Your move? Eli Manning and Philip Rivers meet for the first time in their NFL careers this Sunday at Giants Stadium. They will linked forever because of the 2004 draft. Manning and his representatives told San Diego not to pick him with the 2004 draft's No. 1 choice but the Chargers selected him anyway. The Giants would chose Rivers at No. 4. The two teams then swapped QBs with the Giants also sending the Chargers picks that San Diego used on Shawne Merriman and kicker Nate Kaeding. Rivers has produced the better overall numbers but of course Eli led the Giants to that Super Bowl win over then-unbeaten Patriots with Manning winning the MVP. This first-ever meeting between the two QBs comes at a major crossroads for both teams, particularly the Giants. I'll look at the Chargers first. They made the postseason last year at 8-8, when the Broncos collapsed at the end of the season. Head coach Norv Turner is always on the "hot seat," but one must admit, he has been able to advance in the postseason, something Marty could never do. The problem for San Diego this year is that the Chargers were expected to roll to the AFC west title opposed by only the Broncos (left for dead), Chiefs and Raiders. The Chiefs and Raiders are as bad as expected but the Broncos are 6-1, leaving the 4-3 Chargers facing a possible three-game deficit after eight games with a San Diego loss and Denver win this Sunday. LT looks "finished," with just 267 yards rushing (3.4 YPC) Y-T-D. He's gone a career-high 13 straight games without gaining 100 yards and the Chargers enter averaging a miniscule 74.7 YPG on the ground (only the Cards rush for less), while the team's 3.1 YPC is an NFL-low. Rivers is having another good year plus Jackson has developed in a "big-play" WR but his completion percentage is down from 65.3 LY to 59.7 and his QB rating down from 105.5 to 95.9. San Diego's rush 'D' was really hurt by the loss of NT Jamal Williams for the year and enters ranked 27th (132.1 YPG / 4.2 YPC). Merriman has never regained his previous form and the pass 'D' is more than capable of giving up big plays. Now to the Giants, who opened 5-0. Problem was, they beat the Cowboys 33-31 on the game's final play (FG), while their other four wins came over teams which are currently a combined 5-24 (.172). Have the Giants been 'exposed' the last three weeks? They've lost 48-27 at New Orleans, 24-17 at home to the Cards and 40-17 at the Eagles. They've allowed 37.3 PPG while Eli has completed 49.5% with three TDs and six INTs, after completing 64.4% witha 10-2 ratio in the 5-0 start. RB Jacobs had Nine 100-yard games (out of 24) while topping 1,000 yards the last two seasons and averaging 5.0 YPC but hasn't topped 92 yards in a game this year (averages less than 70 per game), while gaining 3.9 YPC. However, that Giants running game isn't that far 'off,' as this year's team is averaging 141.8 YPG (4.4 YPC), after leading the NFL in rushing LY (157.4 YPG / 5.0 YPC). Let me also note that in the team's three-game slide, the Giants only allowed 288 yards to the Cards in that seven-point loss at home, while allowing an average of 442.0 YPG and 44.0 PPG in losses at New Orleans and Philly. At 5-3 and with the 5-2 Cowboys visiting the 5-2 Eagles, the Gains are in a "MUST-WIN" situation. A loss here and who knows where the team is headed? Does that mean the Giants have to win? Of course not but I'm not about to sell Eli or this team, short, just yet (see me after the game!). San Diego's four wins this year have come over the 2-6 Raiders (twice), the 3-4 Dolphins and the 1-6 Chiefs while they've lost to the Ravens, Steelers and Broncos (combined 15-6, .714). The dysfunctional Chargers are coming cross-country to face an embarrassed and angry Giants team which has proven in the past to play its best ball with its collective backs to the wall. NFL Blowout GOY 25* NY Giants.