EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - It wasn't surprising that the New York Giants beat the Ravens yesterday, but how they beat them.
In a match up between two smash-mouth football teams, the Giants delivered the most body shots, and several knockout blows in what was supposed to be a statement game for the Ravens.
It was.
"I was embarrassed," said Ravens defensive end Terrell Suggs.
He should be. So should the entire offensive line, and inside linebackers Ray Lewis and Bart Scott. And defensive tackles Haloti Ngata and Justin Bannan. The Giants pounded them for 353 yards of total offense, including 207 yards rushing.
For now on, let's not hear anything else about the Ravens not allowing a 100-yard rusher. Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw rushed for 96. Brandon Jacobs had 73, and only played about one quarter.
Few teams rely on one back anymore; the Ravens and Giants each use three.
By the end of the first quarter, the Ravens wanted no more of the Giants' running game especially after Jacobs threw Ravens safety Ed Reed off his back late in the period. The Ravens spent the rest of the day arm-tackling, and diving to the ground. They got punched silly.
"I'm not going to say they were more physical than us, I'm not going to concede that," said Ravens head coach John Harbaugh.
Huh? What game was he watching? Did he get hit on the sideline?
Seconds later, at the same podium, cornerback Samari Rolle said: "They out-physicalled us today."
White flag?
Faced with a fourth-and-10 at the Giants' 39 and down 27-10 with 14:42 left in the game, the Ravens punted.
Can you believe that?
What happened to all of this gambling, attack attitude? The Ravens waved the white flag. Two plays later, Bradshaw ran 77 yards to the Ravens'2.
Game over.
Running Joe
New York did a good job of studying the Ravens and scouting their trick plays. Nothing seemed to catch the Giants off-guard, well, almost nothing.
The Giants weren't prepared for quarterback Joe Flacco's running ability. They failed to contain him as Flacco ran 6 times for 57 yards.
Useless play
Flacco threw two interceptions, one that was a deflection off receiver Derrick Mason and returned 50 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Flacco threw the pass too high, but Mason should have handled the ball, anyway.
