Brandon Jacobs (photo by P. Borriello)

On today’s (Friday, 7pm EST) “Live From Mickey Mantle’s”, I will talk with former All-Pro punter for the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles Sean Landeta. We’ll preview Sunday’s upcoming NFC Divisional playoff at Giants Stadium between the two division rivals. John Delcos will also be on board, talking about the NY Jeets coaching search, the Brett Favre question and the next move for Gang Green.

You can listen live here:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Gotham-Sports-Media/2009/01/10/NY-Giants-Playoff-Preview

As always, the call-in number is 347-324-3989

The New York Giants reached the next level with the development of quarterback Eli Manning, but make no mistake, they are the cream of the NFC because they still believe in smash mouth football.

They are a defensive giant, but setting their offensive tempo is a punishing, three-pronged running attack averaging just under 170 yards a game.

Brandon Jacobs is the banger; Derrick Ward is a slasher; and Ahmad Bradshaw is a combination of power and speed.

“They have different personalities and styles,’’ said Giants coach Tom Coughlin. “We certainly believe in throwing the ball as well, but we do believe in the balance factor and the ability to rush the ball. We just believe in this conference, in this division, you have to be able to do that.’’

Sunday’s game against Baltimore will be a study of power against power; the Giants’ running game against the Ravens’ defense, with somebody’s five-game winning streak at stake.

The 8-1 Giants, who are 5-0 at home, will receive arguably their sternest defensive test of the season in the Ravens, who are giving up a NFL-best 65 yards a game on the ground.

Baltimore’s defense is personified by linebacker Ray Lewis, who has all the temperament of a boiling teakettle, and identified Sunday’s key.

“We’ve got to stop the run, and that’s the bottom line,’’ Lewis said. “We’re the best team in football doing that, so if there is a test, the test is just (to go) and uphold what you are already built to do.’’

If the Ravens shut down the Giants on the ground, the game will fall into the hands of Manning, whose development has come a long way from arguably the worst game of his career, a 4-for-18 nightmare for 27 yards and two picks, in a December loss to Baltimore in his rookie season.

Manning hasn’t thrown for over 200 yards in five straight games because of the running game, but he threw two touchdowns against the Eagles, has thrown for five in his last two games, and has been picked off only six times this season.

Manning said his development is accepting conservatism.

“(It’s about) understanding where your opportunities are, when to take chances, when to be conservative,’’ Manning said. “Just try and be smart with the ball.  Don’t turn the ball over.  Go out there, guys are going to get open and make plays for us.  It is my job to get them the ball.’’

And Sunday, that might mean more handing off to Jacobs than airing it out to Amani Toomer.

Do you remember the Happy Days episode when Richie Cunningham takes on a bully inside Arnold’s? After the posturing and tough talk, the bully hasn’t backed down and is ready to land a punch when Richie calls time and goes over to The Fonz.

“Say, Fonz, I’m doing everything you said and nothing is working,” asks Richie. “What gives?” “I forget to tell you,” says the Fonz. “Once in your life you’ve had to have had the reputation of hitting somebody.”
“That’s not a good detail to leave out Fonz,” says Richie.

Well, the Richie Cunningham Jets are at it again, posturing with a 6-3 record tonight against their nemesis in New England.

However, Brett Favre makes these Jets different in he has hit somebody; he has won with it on the line.
Favre can lose tonight with his legacy intact; he’ll still go into the Hall of Fame and will be forgiven in defeat because afterall, these are the same old Jets.

Or are they?

The Jets will never be the team they aspire to be until they beat New England. They had their chance in Week Two, at home, and Tom Brady down, but the resilient Patriots found a way.

The Jets are coming off a 47-3 mauling of St. Louis, but the season has memories of being routed in San Diego and gift-wrapping a game at Oakland.

Those losses were of typical Jet defeats, but is this a typical Jet team?
“I think we’re still trying to find our identity,” Favre said. “But with each week, I feel like we’re getting better and better.

“Until we beat these guys, or until anyone beats these guys and knocks them off from the top, then they’re always going to be the team to beat. We know that.”

That’s not a concession, it’s reality.

Favre gives the Jets a dimension they’ve lacked, not only in this series, but since Joe Namath, and that’s a swagger at quarterback.

However, that swagger can lead to cockiness, which translates into picks, and Favre has thrown 12.
His counterpart, Matt Cassel, has thrown seven.

The Patriots are also 6-3 in large part because of Cassel, not in what he’s done, but in what he hasn’t done, and that’s make the big mistake.

Cassel reminds me a lot of when Jeff Hostetler replaced Phil Simms and took the Giants to the Super Bowl in that he’s a technician.

The Patriots, even without Brady, are still damn good and it’s because they play sound and fundamentally, something the Jets do not always do on a consistent basis.

There are differences in the two teams despite the records and it comes down to a basic Favre quickly graps: Bill Belichick.

“I think Belichick beats you, in my opinion, with simplicity,” Favre said. “When you look at his defense, not that he doesn’t give you different looks, but it’s pretty simple.” The Patriots disguise their blitz packages well, and that’s something Favre can recognize, and if Tom Jones is able to run, it keeps the Jets out of obvious passing downs.

The Jets and Patriots know each other, but with New England winning 13 of the last 15, a case can be made New England knows New York better than it knows itself.

“It’s just going to come down to us doing it better than you,” Favre said. “If they out execute us, then so be it.  If they’re just better athletes, if they block us and we’re not able to tackle, then we lose the game.
“The bottom line is it’s still football. I know exactly what this game means and the weight it carries.

I’m well aware of what New England has done over the past decade or so. I’m well aware of what this game means.”

To a man, the Patriot can look in the mirror and say they know they have the reputation of having hit someone.

They know they can beat the Jets.

The Jets can’t do the same, but with Favre they have a feeling they think they can.  That’s better than the past with the feeling when they knew they couldn’t.

John Delcos is Editor At Large for Gotham Sports Media.

Join us for Tonight’s Live Jets-Pats Blog with John Delcos at 8pm at Gotham Gridion!

Veteran Sports Writer To Become Editor At Large For Online, Print and Broadcast

New York, NY (PRWEB) November 12, 2008 — Gotham Sports Media, LLC is proud to announce that veteran sports writer John Delcos is joining the company as Editor at Large.

Delcos, who has spent most of the last two decades covering pro sports, will contribute to all of Gotham Sports Media’s properties, including Gotham Baseball Magazine, Gotham Sports Radio’s network of shows and the company’s newest website; GothamGridiron.com. He will also bring along his successful blog, “John Delcos’ New York Mets Report”, to the Gotham Sports Media Network.

“Having a real newspaper pro like John Delcos joining our diverse editorial staff is incredible,” said Mark Healey, the President / CEO of Gotham Sports Media, LLC. “As we bring together the Past, Present and Future of New York Sports, bringing in someone like John, who’s been in the thick of them for the last decade, is really quite awesome.”

For the past ten years, Delcos has covered baseball; the last three covering the New York Mets and seven on the Yankees’ beat before that. Prior to New York, he covered the Baltimore Orioles for eight years, and before then the Cleveland Indians and Cleveland Browns, and briefly the Pittsburgh Steelers..

“I am thrilled to be joining Gotham Sports Media,” Delcos said. “I’m looking forward to a long and prosperous working relationship with Mark Healey and his company.”

About Gotham Sports Media:

Gotham Sports Media LLC, founded in 2005, publishes Gotham Baseball Magazine, the only periodical dedicated to comprehensive coverage of New York area baseball. The company also owns and operates the Gotham Sports Network, a collection of award-winning websites that boasts the largest audience of any independent New York sports media outlet. For more information, visit Gotham Sports Media online at www.gothamsportsmedia.com.

Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to GothamGridiron.com.

Over the last several weeks, Gotham Sports Media, LLC has made a concerted effort to increase our sports coverage across the board.   Today’s launch of Gotham Gridiron is just another small part of this ongoing effort to provide New York sports fans with the kind of in-depth analysis they deserve.

Longtime sportswriter John Delcos, who has been covering pro sports for the past 20 years, is bringing his expertise to Gotham.  Each week, he’ll be live-blogging every Jets and Giants game, and in between, he’ll lead an editorial team that will be providing daily content about the Past, Present and Future of New York Football.

On this past Friday’s Gotham Gridiron radio show, former New York Giants (and Eagles) punter Sean Landeta helped break down the Giants/Eagles matchup on Sunday night, while Delcos gave Mark Healey and Keith Hejna his take on the Rams-Jets.  You can listen to the archive here.

Unlike other sites, which really only delve into the here and now of New York’s National Football League teams, Gotham Gridiron will bring you stories of some of the greatest football players that have ever played in this town.  With our companion radio show, we’ll bring you fresh perspective and no holds barred commentary every single week.

In between contests, trivia games, and other assorted fan-friendly treats, you’ll read news and notes from around the NFL, and get to ask our Fantasy Football experts their advice on how to set up your teams.

Gotham Gridiron is the Past, Present and Future of New York Football, so enjoy your stay!