Point/Betterpoint: Chris and Tony on the Giants and Eagles

Chris: Everyone is entitled to a bad game. Don't forget the Cowboys are the same team that a lot of people picked to go to the Super Bowl, minus their (wholly overrated) quarterback, so is it really crazy to think they would put together a good game eventually? Back to the Giants, they are the fourth-best passing defense (first overall) in the league and have a fast enough line to be able to at least somewhat keep Vick in the pocket. If I were an Eagles fan I would be worried about the defense. The potency of the offense is masking major problems with the defense, like the fact that teams convert over 36% of third downs against them. They are not exactly drive-killers and the Giants thrive on controlling the clock with long, balanced drives.

Tony: I won't forget that about Dallas. I also won't forget that the 'Boys are a team that was 1-7 heading into that game and had just fired their head coach. Or that they lost their last two games by a combined score of 80-24. Or that the Giants and Redskins are the only two teams who couldn't score more than twenty points on them. That fourth-best passing defense of yours has shut down Matt Moore, Jay Cutler (with parking cones for an offensive line), Drew Stanton (I just checked, that's not a mistake, that's really an NFL player), and Jon Kitna. Oh, but that wily Kitna finally cracked that suffocating defense to the tune of 327 yards and a QB rating of 124.1. I sure hope poor little Mike Vick figures out what legendary gunslinger Jon "Unitas" Kitna did. We appreciate your concern for our defense, we really do. We'd like to direct your attention to completely shutting down Eli's older and more talented brother, despite the refs' best attempts to the contrary. I'd address your last few sentences in that paragraph, but I don't want to re-read them because they totally gave me a creepy I-bet-you-own-a-lock-of-Eli's-hair-you-bought-on-Ebay vibe.

Chris: That same Jon "Unitas" Kitna also has more career passing yards than Bradshaw, Namath, and Jaworski. It sounds like somebody is forgetting about Kerry Collins lighting up the Eagles a few short weeks ago. Okay, let me throw another number out there for you: five. That's how many quarterbacks we have knocked out of games this year (and the reason we've played those weak QBs you mentioned). Vick's going to be looking over his shoulder more than that time he dropped the soap (I couldn't resist). Add that to the fact that wet Cheerios make fun of VIck's durability and it could make for a very short game for your beloved QB.

Tony: I hate to use your crappy logic, but Kerry Collins has way more career passing yards than Jon Kitna. Oh wait, he beat the Giants too. In case you didn't know, that was the first NFL game Kitna has won since 2007. Anyway, yes your defense has knocked out some crappy quarterbacks from behind their crappier lines. But this is also a Giants team that always starts strong and finishes terribly. Just like the Eagles. Except the exact opposite. You're totally right, Vick will be looking over his shoulder. At the Giants secondary as he gleefully skips into the end zone. If Kitna and Dez Bryant can carve up the Giants, what makes you think Vick and Jackson can't? If they couldn't get to the statuesque Kitna, what makes you think they'll track down the most elusive QB in NFL history?

This is an Eagles team on the rise. Remember, Vick was not the Eagles' plan until Kolb went down. That means this team did not have the benefit of an entire off-season of practice and plays drawn up for a QB of his skill set. As they get used to Vick, and Big Red rolls out more plays designed specifically for him, they will only become more explosive. Fifty-nine points was no accident; I can't imagine anyone, let alone the Giants, trying to cover Desean Jackson for five, six, seven, eight seconds while Mike Vick and his cannon arm buy time.

Chris: First of all, you love using crappy logic. Second, you're right. I'm sure it took so much time for Reid to scheme for a mobile quarterback with a cannon arm. He's got to reach back all the way to last year's playbook.

Let's take a closer look at Eli vs. Vick:
Complete Games Played: 9 vs. 4
Completion Percentage: 66.1 to 62.7
Felonies: 0 vs. many
Sacks taken: 12 vs. 15 (so much for the "most elusive QB" thing)
Number of lazy eyes: 1 vs. 0 (you got us on this one)
Career Playoff Wins: 4 vs. 2
Super Bowl Rings: 1 vs. 0

I think we can both agree it's going to be a close game, and if I had to chose for the last five minutes of a close game, it would be Eli/Coughlin over Vick/Reid every time.

Tony: I can do stats too!

Baddassitude (out of 100): 100 vs -5
Things they would bring to a party: The most delicious barbecue you've ever had vs. Oreos with the filling licked off
Interceptions: 0 vs 13 (oops, sorry for the real one)
Amusement park rides modeled after their playing ability: 1 vs 0 (although, I think Mr. Toad's Wild Ride is probably pretty close to the "Eli Experience")

When it comes down to it, I'm taking the guy who is playing the best football of his career, and just put up one of the single greatest games in NFL history over the guy who got outplayed by Jon Kitna and whose defining moment was running around like a girl being chased in a horror movie and throwing into triple coverage. Time for predictions.

Chris: Okay, my bold predictions for this game are that Vick will throw his first interception of the year. At some point, the camera will show Andy Reid looking at his play "menu" like it was written in Sanskrit, and unlike the Olive Garden, he can't just order "everything." Bradshaw will have 100 yards rushing, and the best team will win. Giants, 31-24.

Tony:My bold prediction is that the Giants' recent history of playing terribly in the second half of the season and quitting on Coughlin will continue. Vick continues his MVP push, throwing for three TDs. Eli throws two TDs, but one is to Asante Samuel. The team that wins this game will be in the driver's seat, not just in the East, but in the NFC at large. Eagles win 1,000 to 0. Or 34-20. Either way.

The Eagles and GIants kick off this Sunday night at 8:20 in Philadelphia.