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NFL Betting, Week 14: Manning and McNabb feeling the pressure

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Andy Richmond looks a key clash in the NFC as the Giants travel to Philly...

As we enter the final four weeks of the regular season, the word pressure will be used again and again - well there are two quarterbacks in our featured game this week who have been feeling mounting pressure over the past few weeks.

New York is a wonderful town but not when you are Giants quarterback Eli Manning as he bids to fend off yet another second half collapse to a season. Manning has been struggling in recent weeks as he struggles to guide his team to the playoffs via a wild card spot - a race they currently lead. Giants fans are not the most forgiving bunch in the country and Manning needs to get the job done at Philadelphia as his team are not certain of joining the post-season party yet.

The last two home games have been unmitigated disasters for Manning which touched a low during a complete failure against a resurgent Vikings side that included a welter of interceptions, including three returned for touchdowns - ouch!

Well things don't get much tougher than a trip across the Delaware River to Philly's Lincoln Financial Field, but there is a chink of light for Eli, his record on the road which has put five consecutive wins in the results column.

Eagles fans can give the New Yorkers a run for their money in the "bile from the bleachers" stakes and whilst they will be howling at Manning and his Giants teammates it's their own team who have also been walking a fine line this season with quarterback Donovan McNabb taking on the Manning role here.

McNabb should return on Sunday to take over from the crashing and burning AJ Feeley (two games, four TDs and SEVEN interceptions) and this game will be pivotal in his Eagles future. He boasts a 65-35 winning record but his time with the Eagles has been plagued by injuries, erratic receivers and a remarkable 285 sacks - 12 of which came against the Giants in their first meeting this season, which ended in a 16-3 NY win.

So two quarterbacks with questions to answers - well from their respective fans at least and the loser can expect no mercy either. Realistically the Eagles know they need to win their final four games to have a shot at the playoffs and playing teams with a combined 30-18 record isn't going to make things easy. The Giants will want to have that playoff berth tied up before their final game when the Pats come to NY.

So this is a huge game for all involved and especially coaches Coughlin and Reid as continued under-achievement for both of these teams also puts a focus on their abilities.

This will be a close, tense and nervy affair that both sides can ill afford to lose. There are injury problems for both, especially in the Giants' running department where they lost Derrick Ward for the season this week with a broken leg and there are also doubts about Brandon Jacobs.

I'll admit that this game draws me in from a people angle rather than a betting angle and it's going to be fascinating how the quarterbacks approach this game. If I do get involved I'm going to go with the young gun Manning to get the job done, he's stood up well to the scrutiny so far and even the best QB's throw a few interceptions - just ask Brett Favre.

So it's Manning and his Giants for me - that sack happy defence is the Giants best asset - and I'll take them with a small start or you could be brave and go straight up ([2.18], their record on the road (5-1) suggests that they are better away from the NY moaners and the odds against available a little generous given the pick 'em nature of this match.

A few footnotes on the rest of the week's action - the Steelers are the next team up in the Patriots quest for 16-0, having dodged a couple of bullets in the past two games from the Eagles and Ravens, some would say more due to questionable officiating than Patriots talent. The Pats are starting to look beatable, the one stat that keeps burning away in my head about them is that they are the oldest squad in the NFL. Whilst that may bring experience, the NFL season is hard, long and bruising and I just wonder if they are starting to show some signs of wear and tear that may manifest itself in the post season. Another bruising will ensue this week from the Steelers.

Personally I'll be going interactive for the second SKY offering and taking a look at the Seahawks [1.34] against the Cardinals [3.9], this match will go a long way to deciding the division and with the Hawks on a roll I can see them shading this one with QB Hasselbeck directing an up-tempo balanced attack which has come to the party in recent weeks. With the Cards possibly having problems with their receiving corps, the Seahawks can give away the touchdown start although with ten of the Cards twelve games being decided by eight points or fewer it could be close on that score.

After this weekend we'll have three weeks of the regular season to go and I'll be taking a look at the playoff picture and potential post-season match-ups early next week.

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