News and Notes

Monday, October 23, 2006

 

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NFL

Here are news and notes from OffshoreInsiders.com  private clipboard.  They are compiled from hometown newspapers and the team’s own press releases.

Giants-Cowboys

Mercury News

Over the last two weeks, things have been falling into place rather nicely for the Giants. They played their finest game of the season in a 19-3 over the Redskins on Oct. 8, and followed that with an impressive road win in Atlanta, 27-14. Their defense only has allowed 17 points and 493 yards over the last two weeks, and the retiring Tiki Barber has gained 308 yards on the ground. All that is good. But things do seem to go wrong for the Giants when games are played on Monday nights. They have lost six of their last seven Monday night games - their lone win in that span was last year’s game against the New Orleans Saints that was moved to the Meadowlands and rescheduled for Monday night because of Hurricane Katrina. They haven’t won a regularly scheduled Monday nighter since they beat the Cowboys, 13-10, on Oct. 18, 1999. Since 1970, the Giants are 16-29-1 on Monday Night Football. And overall, they’re 9-21-1 on Monday night on the road.

NY Times

When measured by the number of sacks allowed per pass play, the Cowboys ranked 18^th among the N.F.L.’s 32 teams in pass protection before yesterday’s games.. When opponents blitz, Bledsoe is 30 of 53 (56.6 percent) for 357 yards, with two touchdowns and an interception — and only six sacks, according to Stats LLC. His completion percentage and overall passer rating rise when he is blitzed. “All that is him being a veteran,” Short said. “Knowing when to get rid of the ball, understanding where the pressure is coming from and moving away from it.” Another key is the improvement of the Dallas rushing attack. Last year’s team averaged 116.3 yards a game on the ground, 13^th in the league. This season, the Cowboys average 151.8 yards, tied with the Giants for third in the N.F.L. entering yesterday’s games.