In 2007, the NFC's most exciting rivalry bore striking resemblance to that of the rivalry between two of the greatest fighters to ever put a pair gloves on: Muhammad Ali and Smokin' Joe Frazier. Division rivals and arguably the top two teams in the NFC, the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys squared off three times last season. The Cowboys took two of those victories, outplaying the Giants in the second half of both games. However, in what would be their own "Fight of the Century" in a divisional round playoff bout, the Giants would come out on top. With these two teams guaranteed two clashes every year (one of those on Sunday Night Football, week 15), one can rest assured that there will be two classic NFC East showdowns on his hands, as is the case every year. However, the Giants and the Cowboys, both teams loaded with talent on both sides of the ball, will be hard-pressed not to carry over the Ali vs. Frazier feel of the '07 season and add a third match-up in the postseason.

The fact of the matter is, these teams do not just resemble the rivalry carried between two great fighters, but also the fighters themselves with their styles of play and demeanor. The Cowboys are fast, flashy, and talented, as was Muhammad Ali. The Giants play power football and play it well. They are quiet and low-key, and in essence, football's Joe Frazier.


Ali: The Cowboys find ways to attract media attention like none other. But like America's Champ, America's Team also finds ways to put points on the board and make their opponents look silly. Thirteen of their players reached the Pro Bowl in 2007, and the Cowboys were the number one seed in the NFC in the playoffs. Perhaps their somewhat cocky demeanor contributed to their playoff loss to the Giants, but after having fallen hard once, one can be certain that they will be determined not to let that happen once again.

To begin, we'll throw the spotlight on Tony Romo, the one thing the young quarterback just cannot seem to escape. Well, in January, it would be that as well as the Giant's pass rush. Romo had made a name for himself by staying cool under pressure and making smart decisions, scrambling out of tough situations. In the playoff loss however, he took a couple of long sacks when he could have and should have thrown the ball away. He is still a young quarterback in this league, and that game made that much clear. But with the way Romo has in fact made adjustments to the league during his short career, one can only expect him to progress as a quarterback, as opposed to taking a step back.

Romo still has weapons and an offensive line to provide a means to utilize them. The loss of Terry Glenn is not so significant, as the Cowboys played without him for the majority of the '07 season and averaged the second-most points per game in the league behind the record-setting Patriots, though he would've have added a weapon in perhaps one of the few areas that the Cowboys could use one. Dallas still has Owens and Witten, so if Crayton could step up and become a more consistent threat (not to neglect the fact that he did have 50 catches in '07), they should not have many worries there. Not to mention, the Cowboys added a compliment to Marion Barber in Felix Jones. Barber, a running back who hardly needs a compliment, will continue to be that tank who always seems to find a way to keep his feet moving and wear down defenders. However, Jones will provide great versatility out of the backfield and should provide headache for defensive coordinators around the league.

The Cowboys have a solid defense as well. In their 3-4 scheme, Zach Thomas is still efficient in the middle, and both Ware and Ellis are always good on the outside. A solid defensive line and great depth in the secondary (especially on the corners) has secured leads, kept this team in games when they were in fact down, and will continue to do the same in 2008. Remember, this was a unit last year that was ranked sixth against the run, and with improvements and added depth in the secondary, one could surely expect them to become a top ten pass defense (ranked 13th last year).

Altogether, with the Ali-like offensive production the Cowboys get and a rock-solid jaw, the Cowboys can afford to take a couple of hits. Still, the first four weeks of the season will be very telling of what kind of mindset this Cowboys team will be in. They go on the road against the Browns and the Green Bay Packers, as well as take on divisional rivals in the Eagles and Redskins at home. Two of these teams made the playoffs last year, and virtually all of them will challenge for a spot this year. Muhammad Ali claimed the heavyweight title three times. Tony Romo will certainly get his chances with this Cowboys roster. It's nothing more than a matter of America's Team following through and living up to all of the hype, which is something America's Champ did so well.


Frazier: Heading into the January playoff game between the Cowboys and Giants, the match-up was being described as the "All-Pros versus the All-Joes". The Cowboys had thirteen pro-bowlers to the Giants lone one. Very few expected them to win that game. Very few expect them to win a whole lot in the 2008 season, similar to the expectations most had that Ali would not have a problem reclaiming "his" status as the heavyweight champion upon his return. It was only a matter of time. However, Smokin' Joe Frazier would reinforce his attitude with Ali's mouth and media attention, and intensify his training. In his title defense, Frazier toppled Ali in the fifteenth round, giving the "World's Greatest" his first loss, while remaining the undefeated champion. However, the New York Smokin' Joes must be wary of the team that turns into the George Foreman of this analogy (knocked Joe Frazier down six times in two rounds following the first Ali vs. Frazier bout), as just about every team the Giants cross paths with will be looking to be the team that puts a hurt on the defending champs.

In New York, the majority of questions concerning the New York Giants offense still revolve around Eli Manning. He has showed us that he can play football at a high level in pressure situations against the top teams in the league. The bottom line is that Manning did that with consistency over his last five games, so do not expect a major drop off in his level of play.

On the offense, the Giants have great depth at the receiver position and in the backfield. Burress is reported to be at a hundred percent for the first time in over a year. Amani Toomer is Amani Toomer, providing a solid possession receiver. Steve Smith will continue to grow in his second year, and the Giants have two more potential play-makers in Hixon and Manningham. Brandon Jacobs provides the backfield with a 6-4, 264 pound feature beast. The Giants will continue to use him in Frazier-like fashion to pound the ball into opposing defenses. Perhaps the scariest thought that comes along with this Giants offense is the idea of the three-headed monster in the backfield. The Giants have two legitimate starters behind Jacobs in Bradshaw and Ward, provided they can stay healthy.

The one certain challenge the Giants offense will face this year will be the loss of Jeremy Shockey's exceptional blocking.

The major concerns for the Smokin' Joes this year rest with the defense, for a team that is built as a defensive juggernaut. The losses of Strahan, Mitchell, and Wilson were more or less losses that could be stomached, but with the loss of Osi Umenyiora for the season, the defense has been stripped of depth that they did not have. Kiwi will not be a huge drop-off from the Pro Bowl shoes he is set to fill. He showed a lot of promise in his rookie year, enough to have him moved to linebacker to keep him on the field as a starter last year. Tuck has looked fairly dominant on his side as well, and while the linebacker core has been stretched thin, an improved secondary should take some of the pressure off. The Giants' front seven cannot afford another major injury, or they will lose any legitimate chance of remaining a power defense in this league.

The Giants' offense is largely the reason their defense will be improved from last year, statistically. A team that ranked seventh in total defense last year was ranked a mere seventeenth in points allowed (21.9). With an '07 offense that was prone to turnovers, the defense was put in poor situations time and time again. A more consistent and productive offense will lend aid to a defense that lacks depth in the front seven. The real question lies within whether or not the Giants' front seven can stay healthy enough to keep the team's Joe Frazier look.


Whether it is a "Fight of the Century" or a "Thrilla in Manilla", the bouts between the Cowboys and Giants this year are almost guaranteed to be classics. The first bout is scheduled for week nine. The second bout is scheduled for week fifteen. The third? Well, the way these two teams play makes a football fan want to mark it on the calender already.