How the New York Giants can compete with the Seattle Seahawks

Sep 21, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Houston Texans quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (14) runs the ball past New York Giants strong safety Antrel Rolle (26) and New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul (90) during the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

During the preseason I picked the Green Bay Packers to upset the Seattle Seahawks as part of my ‘Bold Predictions’ project. I goofed, as the Seahawks throttled the Packers. The reason I bring up this seemingly irrelevant factoid is because I am not saying the New York Giants will beat the Seahawks, I am just proposing ways they could. If the Oakland Raiders can keep a close game with the Seahawks, so can the Giants.

The San Diego Chargers used great quarterback play, the Dallas Cowboys used brute force and the St. Louis Rams used deception. What do the Giants have to do?

1. ELIminate crowd noise, play smart

By now you probably know that CenturyLink Field is the toughest place for opposing teams to play, and no team knows that better than the Giants. Back in 2005, the noise from the ’12th Man’ was so loud it forced the Giants to commit 11 false start penalties. There is no denying the Seahawks have tremendous fan support, so it is crucial the Giants try to limit that as soon as possible.

This effort to quiet the Link starts with Eli Manning.

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Last time the G-Men visited Seattle was in 2010. The Giants would score first and would end up winning 41-7. However, in 2006 when the Giants traveled to the Pacific North West they got outscored 42-3 entering the fourth quarter. Finding success similar to 2006’s will likely be impossible this time around, as the starting quarterback is not ‘Clipboard Jesus’ Charlie Whitehurst.

Manning needs to get into a rhythm early on and lead the Giants down the field. The Giants have not scored on their opening drive all year, and if they want to upset the Seahawks they will have to. Even if they can’t score first, they need to score some points.

The Giants also can ill afford to make bad mistakes. False start penalties, dropped passes and poor communication were all factors in the loss against the Colts. The Giants need to capitalize on every single opportunity they get. If there is a fumble, they have the recover. If Russell Wilson throws an errant pass, it has to be intercepted. No dropped interceptions this week, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

Next: Blitz!