Mike Lombardi, NFL analyst, discusses Patriots' chances, Giants' Defense, and other NFL news

Our Friday conversation with Mike Lombardi is sponsored by a -- life -- got to make -- new low rates for term life insurance at life with a -- dot com. My town fair tire for the best prices on tires nobody does like town fair tire nobody. I joins us on the AT&T hot line AT&T four GL TTE. Speeds up to ten times faster than 3 G good morning Michael how are you -- doing good morning. Am wondering with the and with a quick short stuff the Brady likes to throw to Welker in the tight -- is this patriot offense in your estimation Mike. Better suited to negate that giant pass rush -- the 2008 Super Bowl team that was waiting for Randy Moss to stretch the field.

Well in theory though that would make sense to me when you watched the last time they played the giants sit it in Foxboro they protected fairly well I think what happened was. They had a hard time get away from the receivers and it really took a long time getting into their offered by the but to the fourth quarter they turned the ball over four times. So obviously that hurt them but I think there's ways to think you're gonna get open opposite the don't have to move the pocket and Tom's gonna have to be really sharp --

Did you estimate guestimate. What each coaches philosophical. Kind of -- true will be to their teams in terms of what they wanna do offensively and what you wanna do defensively to each other.

Yeah I think so you know the both teams that mean obviously Belichick a couple of very familiar with one another Gil writes that a long time coordinator for the beer giants on troop build -- a pretty good idea. What he'd like to do it the personal limits which you really can do all of a sudden. When you get the simple you just can't change your personality you can't change your schemes -- of that new place you've got to really rely on your confusion so. You know I I think what would you really go back and study the game about the patriots until Brandon Spikes and Chong got hurt that gave. We're playing fairly good defense I mean you look at it the worst game. That Eli Manning played in the three games against the patriots was the last time each time he played the patriots -- not play this well little. You -- I think there they obviously know what they need to do this problem Brett shall be back next will be back that'll make a big difference and of the for the pictures. They know they're gonna have to win against man to man coverage they know the gonna have to show separation. And they're gonna have to advance the ball after the catch.

Can you compare for us Mike the Baltimore defense in the giants' defense obviously Baltimore is better but the -- in the giants learned something from what the ravens did to the patriots here the other day.

I think that I -- the giants can I mean look would you really study that patriots they but I against the ravens there was a lot of plays on the field and I'm sure that. -- Tom admitted to put the picture of me I mean you know that wasn't so much. The ravens played great defense and it was more that the patriots really didn't excuse to make a lot of mistakes to beat the throw the deep throat up a little field. The Matthew Slater is Tom decides to throw the current helped you over the top it's probably -- look at the one -- maybe even score so there were silly decisions made on my game. That I I don't look you to watch and say boy they really had a good handle more than the other factor I thought that was really prevalent. At least in the game in New England was the ref -- what those people to back -- both sides. I think had Hartley had the game when you want to watch the other game. And again partly we're predictive sort of a lot more defense all the COLT is a lot of contacts so. It's a -- cup you don't look you're gonna get that same officiating when you watch it on the tape that you can be physical receivers.

In this appears to be a tossup. This camera great match -- put it it really is nine and seventeen against the thirteen three team with trying to figure out. What happened of the jets why were they 97 we know they had a much tougher schedule in the pages and they had a four game losing streak. But where that why were they 77 my within nine and seven what was the problem.

Well I think -- when you break them down their offensive line -- not be offered to one that they were back in the in the Super Bowl rose seven and they've had some real problems there. Even their best player Christie hasn't played as well also the offensive line hasn't played nearly -- level they can't really run the football. And when they don't control turnovers and takeaways that they have a hard time winning I mean look that he lost twice the -- directed. -- for the opening day -- and the next week and then when they needed to gain. They lost two of so there's they've been inconsistent with the play but they've always been a dangerous team in terms of especially in single elimination when they can win. One game at a time because some defense front because Serb political pressure. And their ability to make big plays in the passing game.

It's like you might be disagreeing with with past that from the Washington Redskins as you know they handed the giants to of their of -- their losses. Castle said the first thing you have to do to stop the giants is stop the two headed running attack. Of the quick Bradshaw and the powerful Brandon Jacobs quote I think that's kind of what they rely on -- said I think that's what makes them go you disagree with that.

Well not -- totally disagree about that their success has been utilized ability to make big plays in the passing game I mean look. You know they beat the Dallas Cowboys and Victor Cruz takes a five yard checked turns into a seventy yard touchdown run that beat the jets. The same way they -- they go in the playoffs they make big plays against the falcons on the run. On the passing play the Hakeem -- and they beat the Packers because they may -- passing plays ethnic. The run. That's up some things for but -- you gonna have to stop you live from making these big chunks of yards. In the passing game that's to me would you breakdown of the season for them that's what they've been so successful that 32 league ethnic Russians or the worst run teams in the league. I think they use it as a change of pace but clearly you know the more they were on the Baltimore to a new favor because particularly for the big.

Is it too overly simplistic Mike to say you know the Patriots defense struggled against the likes of Orlovsky and Grossman at Fitzpatrick and some other you know lesser -- when it comes to quarterbacks somebody like Eli and these three wide receivers have no. A reason not to like the --

Well you know but the patriots have gotten better I mean look it's tough to play -- that -- the game's over I think it took a lot of extolling Moore took it does double. The -- chance for the -- so I think when you're in the Super Bowl everybody's gonna play their best but the guy obviously it's going to be critical for according to play his best and be critical for. A collar to the player of the sterling Moore got to play his best as well but last week against the Baltimore Ravens I know Flacco. Move the ball what they played fairly good defense with a -- they -- eighteen to twenty points. And they played well they needed to make the stops so I think this patriot defense has claimed that their front seven is much more physical now than -- responsible for the game.

What -- Coughlin try to do with the patriots items.

I think they'll try to do exactly what he did before we'll try to double him inside and out and make sure that that they channel like crazy I mean they really were physical with them they would let them off a lot of them we look. And they were trying to get to a very you know trying to get their hands on -- early in the route and forced -- hold the ball. Sports like -- lovers the rush to get there's so I think he's gonna have to really worry about where they lined up. I think he's gonna have to worry about Deon Grant match up with them help Deon Grant for the cover because she's gonna struggle. -- a -- don't have that handle when Hernandez in the backfield what he's gonna do these linebackers should not great coverage got. When you have when you play it seemed like the giants that are big and physical need to -- it would quickness and that's where there were patriots have to win with.

Do you want team on the other the advantage when it comes to the pressure and the preparation of being at the Super Bowl and willingness to distractions knowing what to do and clearly. The patriots have won or Belichick's in -- 13 but he lost to the -- last time they went. You both these guys know what would what they're doing right now from here to kick off.

Yeah I think they do about it the player plus until -- that's the most important factor adequate time. I think they have experience of the team there's enough guys in the locker room the -- the young guys what they need to do. And how they need to prepare for the game and obviously both quarterbacks are well prepared usually you get to leadership factor for the quarterbacks. They clearly in this case both teams will be it won't be because one team was out party -- for the game. The cost -- lose that's likely to be the case here.

If you're doing the edge the giants -- patriots game forty put the check mark next to the coach's box. Or is that even.

Well you know I think it's gonna come down -- well -- I don't know it's even -- for the patriots offensive staff with got a bullet -- with a creative way to attack very fuel in his defense is still on it that's what they need to gain the advantage come. I think if you look at them defensively they've struggled at times. Trying to handle have been they've given up a lot of the plays of the weather it's below Brian Josh McDaniels that your office. Has got to be able to generate more than twenty points in the game and I've got to find a way to attack this defense which some teams have had success so.

Quarterback edge Manning or Brady. Well which Connell we gotta get the -- that's where the wanna get that's the point whether that's the question you have to ask really come with so little left -- to -- played in that is San Diego country interceptions as well. And so you know I mean for some reason I -- talked before the game my body was just prepared and ready to play but sometimes and it the burden of responsibility of carrying. The offense can Wear on a quarterback even though he won't admit it so they -- they take some of that away and make him display -- quarterback it's going to be coach and quarterback. I think it'll help the -- right now he liked playing better.

We know we all know the Peyton Manning -- is done in India it's our says team of the -- is gonna play quarterback next and he's he's so determined to show that it's his team. -- what what's the timetable I thought they would which left the soup mobile the and to have this little disagreement and they they obviously they accelerate the process when will he be cut when will he pick a new team.

I don't you know I think that Wembley because I don't know what that decisions that read I think the -- team is really the fact that you can't -- because. I'm told reliably by a lot of people he hasn't really been -- poll it was quoted on the record as saying that. He has been the nerve hasn't -- generated yet. Had it at that hasn't happened yet it's not gonna suddenly happen tomorrow morning or next week and until that happens until he can get some consistent work done. -- mean my understanding is he's extremely frustrated because he's working extremely hard and he's not making any progress. But I think that's where it is right now is -- the nervous it's it was a regenerating. And this whole notion of these little football -- again next year is a pipe dream right now because there's a really good chance. That Rob Lowe might be right does really good chance that he might not.

Pay out which new coach with a new team has a bigger mess to clear up the colts the Buccaneers.

well look the colts open and expect them as shot but got a takes over. To be better -- a lot of it's an interesting hire a bit higher because I think they needed some tough this. I think they needed it got to go in there that was a head coach that wasn't going to be able to learn on the job Annapolis and the players were brought in the team down their last year there's no question. And I think now they get somebody where the coach is gonna run a team with experience with -- on the wall he's going to be able to all the players. This is the way we're doing we're not doing your way anymore I think that was a really good -- but Tampa back.

twelve of the last twenty Super Bowls had a double digit victory nine of the last twenty super bulls had two touchdown victories would you be surprised -- that applied Super Bowl 46.

Yeah I really would because both teams are very competitive both teams haven't really been blown out by anybody I mean look the patriots lost three games that the blown up by anybody in the giants. Even though they lost out of the world that was a closer -- it was a dumb it's a tough place to play out I think these two teams are fairly evenly matched. I think it's gonna go down to turn over specific about -- easier to possessions. It's gonna really be what quarterback plays the best it's all the variables that make up a -- it.

wants us to askew is -- your dog okay haven't herder for a while.

so good she's not real happy this morning she's getting her hair -- Residential and that's it felt that he opened up the rhetoric is not able to get too well. But it but I think she's excited for the simple blog which is ready to go to get a pitcher Jersey -- she's.

What a Brady went Jersey.

She just has that number twelve or she is she seems like -- I think he sees me interview counselor Beckett makes elect come a lot more.

Are we look forward to seeing you in person next week and -- get to production turn off. You up but up four shots to that RNC and actually Mike thanks -- about by Michael -- with Dennis and Callahan sponsored by a -- life check out because new low rates. Term life insurance at light with the -- dot com. And by town fair retire the best prices on tires nobody doesn't like town fair tire nobody -- join us on the AT&T hot line. AT&T four GL TE speeds up to ten times faster than three GAT and T. Rethink possible.