The Matchup:
Giants WRs vs. Ravens DBs
The Game:
Ravens vs. Giants, Sunday, 6 p.m. ET, CBS.
The Question:
Who will get the best of this matchup?
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Ravens DBs |
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By Merril Hoge
Special to ESPN.com
I like Amani Toomer and Ike Hilliard because they are complete wide receivers. They are going to threaten the Ravens' cornerbacks for 60 minutes. They don't just do one thing well. They can do a lot of things.
Any time you have an even receiver-cornerback matchup like this one, I always give the advantage to the receiver, but it will depend on how well the Giants protect Kerry Collins. And Collins can throw any route on the field, so Toomer and Hilliard get the edge.
Toomer is bigger than Hilliard, but both do a nice job of running after the catch and breaking tackles and making extra yards. They complement each other well and are good at doing everything.
Duane Starks has great tenacity and speed, but he lacks the size of his teammate Chris McAlister, who matches up better with both receivers. So the best matchup for the Giants would be Toomer against Starks because, at 6-foot-2, he is four inches
taller.
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By Sean Salisbury
Special to ESPN.com
Ravens cornerbacks Duane Starks and Chris McAlister do two things well: They don't give up the big play, and they are physical enough to want to get in on the action. Often, corners stay away from the action because they just want to play pass coverage. The effectiveness of corners in the NFL is often determined by how well their teammates rush the pass and apply pressure.
When a lot of pressure is applied on the quarterback, he starts to release the ball quicker. The pressure is taken off the corners to make every play. Two great corners on a team that doesn't have a good pass rush become average. But take two average corners who have great pressure -- and they become great corners.
The Giants are going to have to give Kerry Collins maximum protection. Ike Hilliard and Amani Toomer proved after the Vikings game that they can be forces to be reckoned with.
The Ravens corners get the advantage over the Giants receivers because they get help from Jamie Sharper, Peter Boulware and
Ray Lewis.
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Amani Toomer welcomes the pressures of Super Sunday.