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On the ropes? Lack of playmakers presents tough obstacle for Giants
CNNSI.com's B. Duane Cross talked with former NFL head coach and current CNN NFL Preview analyst Ron Meyer about several issues and storylines as teams prepare for Week 13: Cross: New York Giants head coach Jim Fassel this week guaranteed the team would make the playoffs this season. Is this a desperate reach for a desperate coach? Meyer: I’ll be honest with you, in the NFL, predictions put you in harm’s way. Of course, Jim Fassel may already be there; it may have been mandated [from the front office] that if the Giants do not make the playoffs that he will not return. And that’s too bad, because Jim is a good man, a good football coach. The problem with the Giants is that they have no offensive striking power. The do not have a Randy Moss or the threats of a St. Louis offense. Amani Toomer and Ike Hilliard are not playmakers. Cross: Tampa Bay plays host to Buffalo this week in what is obviously a make-or-break game for the Buccaneers, but the Bills need a win to keep pace in the AFC East. Which team is squarely under the gun? Meyer: I like Buffalo in this game. The Bills are a salty bunch, especially on defense. With Rob Johnson and Doug Flutie, they have a potent 1-2 punch at quarterback. If you’re a coach, it’s hard to pick which one you want to face. Tampa Bay is really struggling on offense. Shaun King’s performance last week against Chicago was one of his worst performances. Playing at home, the Buccaneers obviously have their backs against the wall, and both teams desperately need a win. Without a doubt this will be one of the better games this weekend, but I do like the Bills. Cross: In the AFC East, Miami plays at Indianapolis, two of the division’s four teams within one game of first place. Meyer: Certainly that division is the most balanced in the league, as far as competition. I like Indianapolis at home. I think coming off that tough loss last week at Green Bay will motivate them. Miami was exposed a little bit in last week’s loss to the Jets. But whenever you lose your quarterback early in the game like the Dolphins did, it diminishes your chances. The safety that the Colts took last week against the Packers was really a nine-point turnaround in a game that was decided by two points, because Green Bay got such good field position on the ensuing kick and then scored. I think the Colts will bounce back, and that will tie them with the Dolphins, actually put them ahead with the head-to-head tiebreaker. It would be a major move for the AFC East preseason pick. Cross: In the NFC East, Washington plays at Philadelphia, a team no one suggested would be in first place this late in the season. Can the Eagles hold their division lead? Meyer: Without a doubt, the Eagles have been the surprise team of the league so far. Their defense has been good, as has quarterback Donovan McNabb. He’s really playing well. I think the Redskins finally showed up in their Monday night win at St. Louis. And like Buffalo, that goes back to having two good quarterbacks; Jeff George can spin the ball with anyone. Washington has a good defense -- the Rams can score in a multitude of ways -- but Monday night, the Redskins did what they had to do when they had to do it. It’ll be tough coming of a Monday-night game. I don’t think Philadelphia will be star-struck. The Eagles certainly win ugly when they do it, but as a coach, I don’t think you ever see an ugly win. Cross: Detroit is 3-0 under new head coach Gary Moeller. Can we contribute this to former coach Bobby Ross taking one for the team? Meyer: Sitting here Thursday watching the game with a football buddy, we talked about that. The Lions were 5-4 when Bobby resigned, and the Lions have played three teams -- Atlanta, the Giants and New England -- that they should have beaten. It’s too bad that Bobby jumped ship, but the Lions have done what they were supposed to do -- beat the teams, no matter their standing. Charlie Batch’s performance against New England was outstanding. He threw a touchdown pass and was laid out after the throw. He gave up his body on a touchdown run. It was a gutsy performance. He has the mobility to get the job done, and when the situation presents itself, he drives a spike in the heart of the opposing team when he needs to. Cross: Last week, the Chicago Enforcers held a training camp for the offensive players. How are things progressing on your XFL team? Meyer: Well, we had everyone who touches the ball -- center, quarterback, running backs, tight ends and receivers -- all in Chicago for the camp. We installed a little bit of our running game, but 98 percent of the camp dealt with the passing game. The wind was blowing and the snow was whipping around, but I was impressed with the way our three quarterbacks threw the football. It was tough under those conditions. I’m optimistically very pleased. Next month, Dec. 11, we’ll have a defensive camp in Orlando, Fla. I’m hoping we’ll have the same type talent level on that side of the ball. And we’ll also have all 70 players in Orlando at that time. On Jan. 2, everyone will report to Orlando for physicals, then we’ll open camp Jan. 3. We’ll have to cut those 70 players down to the required 38-man roster. The toughest part has been rearranging my travel schedule. I had my CNN schedule booked out through the rest of the year, but I’ve had to change my weekend schedules. We’ve been at this [NFL Preview show] since July 2, but the last two days [Thursday and Friday] have been great, relaxing around the house. Ron Meyer, a former NFL head coach, is a pro football analyst with CNN/Sports Illustrated and appears weekly on CNN's NFL Preview.
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