Giants fans remember what it’s like to watch their team get dominated by a Ravens defense.
In Super Bowl XXXV, Baltimore’s defense, led by LB Ray Lewis, dominated an overmatched Big Blue offense in a 34-7 rout.
Now the Giants are the ones coming off a Super Bowl win, but they are going to face a Ravens defense still led by Lewis and still shutting down offenses.
LB Antonio Pierce scoffed at the idea that the Giants would overlook the Ravens, who come to the Meadowlands on Sunday.
“A trap game against the Baltimore Ravens, I’ve never heard of that before. But there’s no way it’s possible that this is a trap game. This is a team that’s tied for first place in the division,” Pierce said on WFAN’s Mike Francesa show.
“They got the almighty Ray Lewis and the rest of that defense that punches everybody in the face and tries to intimidate you. So there’s nowhere near a trap game. A trap game comes against a team that is 2-5. They got one of the best defenses in the league and a quarterback that’s playing well.”
The Giants have been running the ball on every team, with the exception of Pittsburgh, that has come in their way, but they will face a Ravens team that is No. 1 in the NFL against the run allowing 65.4 yards per game.
“Again, Baltimore is going to be another great challenge for us and we certainly know what kind of defense they run and the type of personnel that they have, so, again, it is going to be another physical game, another tough, tough afternoon,” C Shaun O’Hara said.
The Ravens do come in with their usual inconsistent offense, but not without talent. Rookie QB Joe Flacco has arm strength, but generally gets the Trent Dilfer treatment: don’t lose the game and our defense will win it. Baltimore has three RBs with talent: Willis McGahee, and rookies Ray Rice and Le’Ron McClain.