Posted by Vernon Croy, November 4, Vernoncroy.com

One of the most intriguing games of week 9 of the 2011 NFL season will see the New York Giants visit the New England Patriots. These teams are forever linked after their Super Bowl game a few seasons ago, where the juggernaut, undefeated Patriots were upset by the Giants, thanks to a fierce pass rush, and a certain against the helmet, one-handed miracle catch. Now, both teams are ahead of the pack in their divisions and will be looking to make a statement to the rest of the league here.

The Giants lost their opening game, but have since gone 5-1. It puts them at a familiar 5-2, a record they have had in each of the past two seasons before they went on second half droughts and missed the playoffs. Their second half schedule won't get off to an easy start here, on the road in New England, but at least the team is mostly healthy now.

Both Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora are in the lineup, and new playmakers have emerged for the offense, like Victor Cruz and Jake Ballard. However, the running game, particularly Brandon Jacobs, has been slumping, and if the Giants really plan on making any noise this season and into the playoffs, they'll need to get that portion of their attack firing on all cylinders.

The Patriots meanwhile are coming off a loss on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Losing in Pittsburgh is certainly nothing to be ashamed of, but certainly it's not sitting well with the Patriots. While Tom Brady has been looking great for most of the year, and he has plenty of targets to work with, the defense has been susceptible to lapses and big plays, especially through the air.

The Patriots are at home here of course, and they'll be favored by 8.5 points. Some would say that's a bit wide of a margin, considering that the clubs have equal records, and it's the Patriots who are coming off a loss. The over/under for the game is high at 51 points, and it's actually tied for the highest combined point total for any games during the weekend. Both teams can certainly put up points, so this game is going to come down to which defense can make the big play when it matters, and which defense can force the opposing QB into mistakes.

Ultimately, the Patriots hardly ever lose at home, especially with Tom Brady pulling the trigger and Bill Belichick calling in the plays. Not only that, but they hardly lose two games in a row. Both of those factors work heavily against the New York Giants. The Patriots will win this game to reestablish themselves, while the Giants will get into the meat of their schedule looking to avoid another slump. Don't be surprised to see the G-Men beat the spread on this one though, but ultimately Brady and company will prove to be too much as they get the win they need.

Check NY Giants vs New England Patriots Odds