NY Giants Rumors + News + Blog + Draft 2012: NY Giants Mix

Giants Can Survive Without the Run Game

2011-10-16T05:26:00.000-07:00

Ask any Giants fan what they wantto see out of their offense and a majority will talk old football clichés aboutrunning the ball between the tackles. Giant’s fans firmly believe that in orderto have an effective offense, their team needs to be able to run to thefootball. During the Tom Coughlin era, the Giants have been a dominant runteam. Anchored by a great offensiveline, they have sliced through opponent’s defenses with valuable ball carrierssuch as Tiki Barber, Derrick Ward, Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. This yearhas been a different story. Through five games, the Giants rank 31^stin the NFL in yards per rushing attempt, and 28^th in yards per game.Ahmad Bradshaw’s frustration with the running game, which was detailed in MikeGarafolo’s column this week, seemed to boil over during last week’s homeloss to Seattle:

“Late in the third quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks,Ahmad Bradshaw was tackled at the end of a 3-yard gain he clearly felt shouldhave gone for more.

Fox cameras and microphones captured the Giants running back’s ire,which was directed at left tackle Will Beatty.

“What are you doing, Will?!” Bradshaw yells.

“Don’t yell at me!” Beatty replies. A few seconds later, as the Giantsbreak the huddle, a frustrated Bradshaw grumbles, “Crazy! I’m tired of this(stuff)!”

Everyone involved with the Giants’ running game is tired of being stuckin the mud lately.”

Along with the Giants offensive line’s failureto keep Eli upright, they have also been unsuccessful in opening up holes forBradshaw and Jacobs. With a little over a quarter of the season in the books,are the fans and media overreacting to the lack of punch in the run game? Is itnecessary to have a powerful run game in order to win the National FootballLeague?

Toanswer this question, we will examine the records of every team that finishedin the top half of the NFL in yards per rushing attempt in the 2010 season. Ifrunning the ball effectively is crucial to success in the NFL, teams that rankedin the top half of the league should have records to support that claim.Looking at the numbers, the data suggests otherwise. The top sixteen teams inyards per rush finished with a collective record of 122-134 during the 2010season. One stat that could be a key driver to a team’s success is yards perpass attempt. Last year, teams that finished in top half of the league in yardsper attempt finished the season 153-119. Old school fans and long-time membersof the NFL media like to hang on to the cliché that teams need to run thefootball to win games, but lately, with new rules shifting the NFL from arunning league to a passing league, the ability to run the football is nolonger a prerequisite to winning in the NFL.

Thebiggest concern for the Giants offense should be focused on their passprotection. The Giants rank 24^th in the NFL in offensive sackpercentage, which could be one of the main reasons they are 29^th inthe NFL in 3^rd down conversion rate. Luckily for the Giants, theyface a Bills team that is last in the NFL in defensive sack percentage. ThisSunday in East Rutherford, the Giants offensive line may face its easiestopponent all season.

NFLoffenses are built on the big play. Teams that have the arsenal to attackdefenses through the air are going to succeed in the NFL. Thanks to the acrobatics of Victor Cruz, theGiants have been able to convert some big plays in their passing game. They arecurrently 3^rd in the NFL in yards per pass attempt with an averageof 9.1. To win games in the NFL, apowerful running game should be viewed as a luxury, not a necessity.

Twitter: MattB_NY_Sports

Unsettling Trends for the New York Giants

2011-10-09T07:59:00.000-07:00

Through the first quarter of the season, the New York Giantsfind themselves tied for first in the NFC East with the Washington Redskins.They are on a three game winning streak, highlighted by two straightback-to-back come from behind wins. It is never wise to draw any concreteconclusions based on a small sample size, though despite their 3-1 start, thereare some disturbing trends within the offensive numbers. The Giants strugglingrunning game has captured the attention of the local media, and rightfully soconsidering they are 29^th in the NFL with a 3.3 yds/attempt. However,the focus needs to shift to other troubling aspects of the offense.

Enteringthe 2011 season, the Giants re-arranged the left side of the offensive line,moving Diehl back to his natural guard spot and William Beatty to left tackle.So far, Beatty has played well, though he has been getting help is passprotection from the running backs, he has held up on his own when asked toprotect one-on-one. The main culprit along the offensive line has been DavidDiehl. The Giants inability to consistently run the ball could be a reflectionon the overall offensive line, their poor pass protection and lack of successon third downs could be a direct reflection of Diehl’s poor play.ProFootballFocus, which reviews each NFL game, have been writing about Diehl’sregression as an offensive lineman over the past couples of years, and afteranother poor outing in Arizona, they wrote below:

“David Diehl wasalways out of his depth at left tackle, but since he was originally a guard bytrade, we all just gave him the benefit of the doubt and assumed he was playingout of position. A move back to left guard this season has left us questioningthat logic, and suggesting that there’s a very real possibility he just wasnever a particularly good player. His -4.7 PFF grade for this game is largely areflection of the six pressures he gave up to add to the pressure and foursacks he had already been charged with on the year. He now sits firmly in thered in our rankings and you’ve got to wonder if the Giants need to continuetheir O-line overhaul.”

Inprevious years, the Giants offensive line had been one of the best at keepingEli upright in the pocket. Through four games this year he’s been hitting theturf more frequently than in years past. Last season, Eli got sacked on only 2.88%of pass attempts, the second best rate in the league behind his brother. Thisyear, he is getting sacked on 8.09% of pass attempts, 24^th worstsack rate in the NFL. The Giants have also seen a drop in their 3^rddown percentage, ranking in the bottom third of the league in converting 3^rddowns this year. It would be unfair to blame David Diehl and his fellowlinemates on the Giants inability to extend drives; there are a multitude offactors that contribute to a team’s success on crucial downs. However,considering a majority of 3^rd downs are converted through the air, agood offensive line is needed in order to let the routes develop within thepassing game.

Due tothe poor play of the offensive line, the Giants rank 21^st in yards agame. The Giants have been able to stay afloat by scoring 25.5 points per game,good for 9^th in the NFL. The reason they have been able to score somuch with such few yards is due to their red zone efficiency. The Giants arecurrently scoring 80% of the time they enter their opponent’s twenty yard line,an unattainable clip that is certain to regress to the norm as the seasonprogresses.

TheGiants are 3-1, and with a home game against Seattle their win total is nearlycertain to move to four, but that should not give Giants fans any sense ofsecurity. If the Giants continue to falter on third downs and take sacks, theirSundays will quickly turn disappointing. As the season progresses, keep theseoffensive statistics in mind, for it will be a good barometer in predicting thefuture success of the New York Giants.

Twitter.com/MattB_NY_Sports

Giants Offense Needs to Hurry Up

2011-09-24T19:36:00.000-07:00

Monday night, the Giants passing gamegot off to a similar start as it did in week one. Eli Manning was inaccurate,throwing an interception on the Giants first drive, missing Mario Manninghamwide open along the sideline. Eli would start the game 2-11, unable to find anyrhythm with his receivers. With 2:58 left in the first half and backed up on theirown 14 yard line, the big blue offense embarked on a touchdown scoring drivethat the time seemed as improbable as the Giants retiring Matt Dodge’s number. Elihit Manningham for nine yards, found Bradshaw for four yards, hit Nicks on theright for four, Hixon over the middle for seven on third down, threw a striketo Manngingham down the sideline for thirty-one and finally finished the drive bylocating Hixon in the endzone for a twenty-yard pass. With one drive, theGiants had wiped away nearly twenty-seven minutes of inconsistent play.Finally, Eli looked comfortable with his receivers, firing passes with confidenceto his play makers. After watching the offense march down the field with ease,one has to wonder, why don’t the Giants run the hurry up offense more often?

Throughouthis career, Eli has established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in thelast two minutes of the half. Eli becamea Super Bowl legend and MVP by exhibiting command of the Giants offense anddriving them to a game winning touchdown to defeat the undefeated Patriots.However, the two minute drill that often gets overlooked occurred three weeksearlier in Dallas. With less than forty seconds left in the half of theDivisional Round game in Dallas and trailing the Cowboys by a touchdown, Eliwould hit Smith, Boss and eventually Toomer to tie the game going into the thirdquarter. Over the last three years, not including the postseason, Eli hascompleted nearly 59% of his passes, while throwing twelve touchdowns to onlyfour interceptions in the last two minutes of the half. While the Giants work to get Eli in hiscomfort zone, they need to realize that the hurry up offense is his comfortzone.

Thestrength of the Eagles is in their three superb corner backs, Samuel, Asomughaand Rodgers-Cromartie. However, the Eagles are susceptible to give up big playswithin their linebackers and safeties. In Bill Barnwell’s week two review forGrantland, he highlighted howteams need to attack the Eagles defense:

“When teams do choose to throw the ball against the Eagles,they can bypass those elite cornerbacks by targeting the tight end. Of the BigThree, only Asomugha has the size to man up against someone like Tony Gonzalez,and the Eagles have mostly kept Asomugha outside against wideouts so far. TheEagles don't have an effective cover linebacker, while starting safeties JarradPage and Kurt Coleman are still question marks in coverage. The future Hall ofFame tight end simply ate the Eagles up, as he caught seven of the nine passesthrown to him, producing five first downs and two touchdowns.“

Luckilyfor the Giants, Travis Beckum was able to practice all week and should get someplaying time this Sunday in Philadelphia. While the Giants would prefer to usehim in the slot than with his hands on the line, they may be able to exploitsome mis-matches within the Eagles linebackers if they can keep Beckum on thefield. By running the hurry up, the Giants would force the Eagles to stay intheir base 4-3 defense, not allowing them to switch out a linebacker MoiseFokou for the more talented Rodgers-Cromartie.

TheGiants need to attack the Eagles over the middle of the field. Samuel andAsomugha may neutralize Nicks and Cruz, the Giants should be able to attack theEagles linebackers and safeties. The defense will have its hands full trying tocontain all the weapons the Eagles have to offer, the offense can do their partby establishing long drives and converting third downs. Sunday afternoon atLincoln Financial Field, the Giants best defense may have to be their hurry up offense.

Follow me on Twitter: @MattB_NY_Sports

-MB

The Giants Offensive Line Must Get Offensive

2011-09-17T18:04:00.000-07:00

During the Eli Manning era, the backbone of the Giants offensive dominance has been the play of the offensive line. The big men up front gave the Giants the ability to control both the passing and running game, making their offense a dual threat each snap. The strength of the offensive line was not only the talent among the five guys on the line, but the continuity which allowed the Giants linemen to develop chemistry over the years. This season, father time and injuries shook up the offensive line, specifically on the left side, where Seubert and O’Hara were replaced by David Diehl and David Bass, with third year tackle William Beatty now charged with the responsibility of protecting Eli’s blindside.

During the pre-season, the enigma surrounding who would be the third weapon in the passing game drew more attention than the rebuilt offensive line. Victor Cruz and Travis Beckum, who were both anointed to step up as viable third options for Manning, struggled this summer. While the pundits and analysts dissected how the Giants could endure without the emergence of a slot receiver, the questionable performance of the untested new players on the offensive line flew under the radar. The Giants imported new center David Baas carved a nice career in San Francisco, yet he still has to develop a rapport with his quarterback under center and his line mates in order to be effective. To understand the meaning of the relationship between a quarterback and his snapper, here is what David Bass told the New York Times Sam Borden:

“Baas likened the connection between a quarterback and his center to that of a pitcher and catcher in baseball. In many ways, the comparison is apt: beyond the mechanics of the snap, the center, like a catcher, is also responsible for helping to call the game. When the quarterback changes a play or blocking assignment at the line of scrimmage, the center must communicate the appropriate adjustment to the other linemen. “The center basically has to be the backup quarterback out there on the field,” Baas said.

A condensed off-season hindered Baas’s ability to build that relationship with Eli, and it is yet to be seen if those two can match the chemistry Eli had with O’Hara. William Beatty was given the opportunity to grab the left tackle spot from David Diehl last year, and couldn’t. Diehl, who slid back to his natural spot at guard, was the main culprit among an offensive line that yielded four sacks and countless pressures against the Redskins in week one. Two plays that stood out occurred in the 3rd quarter. Right after the Giants gave up the defensive touchdown to the Redskins, they had a 2nd and 9 from their own 21, when Diehl got beat up the middle for a sack. Two drives later on first down, Diehl got beat again for another sack. Both drives ended in punts from Weatherford. Quarterbacks can handle pressure off the edge as long as they are able to step up in the pocket. When they get pressured up the middle, the passing game never has a chance to get in rhythm. Given time, Eli can make this offense work with the receivers he has at his disposal.

Last year, the NFL saw multiple teams survive without their top play makers. The San Diego Chargers were without their best receiver and deep threat, Vincent Jackson, yet were first in yards per game and second in points. The Patriots traded Moss in the first quarter of the season, yet finished first in points. The Colts offense was ravaged with injuries to key players such as Dallas Clark and Austin Collie, finished fourth in yards and points per game. Even the Giants, who lost Smith and Nicks for key stretches last season, finished fifth in yards and tied for seventh in points. As long as teams have a good offensive system, quarterback and offensive line, the offenses will keep producing even if other pieces are missing. That is how the Giants survived last year, and if their offensive line can come together and perform like it has in the past, the Giants will survive this year.

After starting 2-8 for 86 yards in the first quarter, Eli Manning seemed to find a rhythm within the offense, and finished the last three quarters 16-24 for 182 yards. Perhaps he got comfortable working with his offensive line, only time will tell, but it is crucial that Eli feels safe in the pocket. This Monday night, the Giants will face a talented defensive line and a team that specializes in getting after the quarterback. The Giants can win despite inconsistent play from Cruz, Hixon, Ballard and Stokely. They will not get a win with unpredictable play from their offensive line.

Follow me on Twitter: Twitter.com/nysportsmix

-MB

In Ross We Must Trust

2011-08-27T17:27:00.000-07:00

The 2007 Giants draft class was lauded as one of the finest in team history. In Reese's first year at the helm as general manager, he batted nearly 1.000 in the draft, selecting impact players who would contribute not only in their first year, but seasons to follow, a rarity in the National Football League. Steve Smith, Ahmad Bradshaw and Kevin Boss were not only key contributors on a Super Bowl winning team, but would become staples in one of the most potent offenses in the NFL.

However, the pick that at first shone the brightest in his first year has regressed into an afterthought entering the 2011 football year. Aaron Ross, the first round corner drafted out of the University of Texas, ended the 2007 Super Bowl Year as the Giants starting corner back opposite Corey Webster, yet through poor play and injuries, was relegated to back-up duty in 2009 and 2010.

With the loss of any key contributor brings an opportunity for another play to step up and fill the void. Aaron Ross was recently moved to his natural position covering the outside receivers instead of working in the slot, a position he told the New York Daily News he was more comfortable with:

"Ross is the nickelback by default, but he's never been comfortable against slot receivers. In the Giants' scheme, the slot corner acts almost like an extra safety, Ross says, focusing more on an area than a man.

Ross prefers to isolate with a receiver and defensive coordinator Perry Fewell has obliged. The nickel package the Giants showcased throughout camp had Ross matched up against outside receivers, with Thomas covering the slot.

"I feel better there outside," Ross says. "It's just me and my man.""

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2011-08-22/sports/29933582_1_perry-fewell-training-camp-corner

Monday night against the Bears, Ross flashed some of the potential that made him the Giants first round draft pick and starter in 2007. On the Bears first drive, Ross broke up a third down pass play to Roy Williams that forced a punt. Later in the first quarter, Ross once again showed his quickness and instincts, breaking up a pass to Hester on the Giants goal line. On the Bears opening drive to start the second half, Ross demonstrated that he could also be an effective run stopper, something Thomas excelled at (he lead the Giants in tackles last season), by bursting through the offensive line to bring Marion Barber down for a loss behind the line of scrimmage.

If the Giants can get the 2007 version of Aaron Ross for the 2011 season, the loss of Terrell Thomas can be mitigated. Based on AdvancedNFLStats.com, Ross had the fourth highest success rate out of any corner (success rate is defined as "the proportion of plays in which a player was directly involved that would typically be considered successful") in 2007. In 2008, Ross plummeted to the lower half of league in percentage of successful plays made my cornerbacks. While Football Outsiders does not provide Ross's 2007 stats without a premium subscription, the 2008 numbers reveal his decline as a play maker, ranking Ross 67th in yds/play and 75th in Stop Rate. However, Ross did rank 14th in yds/play and 33rd overall in Stop Rate against the run , suggesting Ross may not be as big of a liability against the run as analysts have predicted.

If the Giants prevail and have a successful season, it will be a testament to Jerry Reese and the entire scouting department in their ability to discover young talent through the draft and free agency. For Aaron Ross, this is an opportunity to justify the Giants investment in his potential and gain the trust of the organization.

Follow me on Twitter: Twitter.com/nysportsmix

-Matt B

Another Challenge For William Beatty

2011-08-21T20:14:00.001-07:00

The allure of pre-season football is to watch how untested individuals perform in such a small sample size. To make definitive conclusions based on such few snaps is silly, yet the pre-season can provide a snapshot of how a player will contribute during the regular season.

One of the "Giant" question marks this season is centered around their offensive line. Age and injuries finally caught up to Rich Seubert and Shaun O'Hara, forcing the Giants reshuffle their front five. The Giants brought in veteran Michigan alum David Baas to play center while moving David Diehl back to his natural guard spot. This opened up a spot at left tackle for William Beatty to protect Eli's blindside.

Throughout his career, Eli Manning has been one of the toughest quarterbacks to sack. Last year was no different, as Eli tied his brother for least amount of sacks given up, even though he was 8th in the NFL is pass attempts. What makes quarterbacks like Eli special is not only their pocket presence, but their ability to keep an internal clock and make sure the ball gets released before that clock strikes zero. That makes it imperative for Beatty to gain Eli's trust this pre-season. If Beatty gives up some pressure to Eli's left, that internal clock is going to tick a little faster, throwing off his timing with his receivers.

While Beatty will have to hold his own in pass protection, he also needs to prove himself as a run blocker. The power of the Giants offensive line is on their right side, anchored by right tackle Kareem McKenzie and right guard Boston College graduate Chris Snee. Looking at the run distribution for Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs, the Giants clearly take advantage of the dominance of the right side of their offensive line. Last year, Ahmad Bradshaw had 84 rushes for 413 yards running right, giving him a 4.9 average, while running left 57 times for 322 yards, a healthy 5.6 per rush. Jacobs had a more balanced run distribution. Brandon ran on Snee and McKenzie's side 53 times for 262 yards, a 4.9 average, while running left, Jacobs had 48 rushes for 214 yards for a slightly lower 4.5 average (all stats are courteous of ESPN.com). Beatty needs to prove himself as a run blocker in order to keep defenses honest in running situations and ensure teams do not over pursue to the Giants right side.

In Beatty's first pre-season game, he held his own facing Charles Johnson and Everette Brown. Monday night, Beatty gets another test against one of the premier defensive ends in the league with Julius Peppers. While the Giants still have tons of play makers on offense, they may only go as far as Beatty lets them.

Monday night the Giants starters will play the first half and get roughly twenty to twenty-five snaps. Though it is unfair to draw conclusions from such a small sample of plays, the few times Beatty is left on an island versus Peppers will provide the Giants a small glimpse of what to expect for the left side of the offensive line this year.

Follow me on Twitter: Twitter.com/nysportsmix

Lights out for the G-Men

2011-01-03T09:49:00.000-08:00

I sat last night at my friend's bar and watched the Giants game on two large TVs behind the bar, while the Packers-Bears game was playing on the TV behind me. Before the night was over I was dizzy from turning around so much and on the verge of going deaf by the screaming bikers around me. I watched as the Giants squeezed by a mediocre Washington Redskins team led by Rex Grossman with a 17-10 win in the regular season finale. However, only moments before the end of the Giants game the Packers clinched a playoff berth with a 10-3 win over the Bears. The Giants ended up eliminated from playoff contention for a second straight year, a feat that could have been easily avoided. They gave up a 31-10 lead with eight minutes left in the forth quarter over division rival Phily two weeks ago, and then came out flat against the Packers in the following week and lost 45-17. A win in either game would have clinched a playoff berth for the Giants. And yet they finished the season with a 10-6 record and almost immediately after the game John Mara, the Giants president and CEO, announced that Tom Coughlin would be coming back for another year.

Although I agree with his decision to bring back Coughlin, I do believe that something has to be done. There are rumors that Offensive Coordinator Kevin Gilbride will be the first to go. Even though he won a Super Bowl with the team and helped Eli with the game winning drive against Patriots, the Giants tendency to turnover the ball this year haunted them throughout the season. Tipped balls and fumbles are part of the game but it's the coaches job to address these issues so they don't become reoccurring themes through the year, as they did for the Giants. I understand that the coaches are not the one's playing and they can't control every on-field aspect of the game but discipline is one of the phases of the game that they should at least attempt to control. After playing well for 3 1/2 quarters against the Eagles, they completely fell apart and lost the game. One would assume the coaches would get the team ready for the following week after such a loss and put up some kind of fight against the Packers. There's no excuse for being unprepared. The two most important games of the year, they lost in embarrassing fashion. That and their proclivity to turnover the ball in a testament to the teams discipline or lack there of. This was not a horrible season, but for a New York team with so much talent to be this inconsistent and undisciplined is unacceptable. You just never know if the defence will show up, if Eli will throw a gem or four pics, or if the running game will be dominant or non-existent. In my opinion they have the tools to be a great team for years to come as long as they focus, limit mistakes, and play consistent football. Now they have the entire off-season to figure it out.

Needless to say I left the bar after the game or I would have proceeded to take too many shots of Jack Daniels as I did when they imploded against the Eagles.

Sebastian Kotowski

Win and In

2010-12-14T17:59:00.000-08:00

If the Giants win in Green Bay this Sunday, it will allow Giants fans to not have to go through the excruciating process of scoreboard watching in week 17. A Giant win means the Giants clinch a playoff birth. It won't erase the sting for last weeks collapse, but it will ease us Giants fans knowing we punched our ticket to the big dance.

Giants defense vs. Packers offense

The Packers run a creative offense that uses multiple packages. Earlier on Sunday Morning Countdown on ESPN, Bob Holtzman reported that during practice this week, the Giants faced two different scout team offenses back to back to simulate how the Packers run their offense. This year, Rodgers has been excellent against the blitz, posting a QB rating of 109.5. Jennings leads the team in targets, with the next highest being Donald Driver, who is 27 targets behind Jennings. Look for the Giants to shadow Jennings with Webster all game. Considering how effective Rodgers is against the blitz, it will be imperative for New York to get to Rodgers with their front four. I would expect the Giants to test the Packers rookie RT Bryan Bulaga by lining up Osi and Tuck on this side on passing downs. Considering the Packers are no threat to beat a team on the ground, the Giants should have plenty of opportunities to test the Packers offensive line.

Giants offense vs. Packers defense

The Packers boast one of the most underrated defenses in the NFL this season. They are bolstered by arguably the top corner back tandem in the league, in Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams. Against the run is where the Packers have been vulnerable; they are tied for 26th with Bufallo, giving up 4.6 yards per carry. One of the main culprits, surprisingly, has been Clay Matthews. Here is what ProFootballFocus had to say about Matthews performance last week after his game against the Patriots:

"After having an amazing start to the year, LOLB Clay Matthews (-2.6) doesn’t look remotely like the same player. For the second week in a row, he got the worst grade on the Packer D in run defense"

The Giants love running to that right side, where they have two stud linemen in Chris Snee and Kareem McKenzie. With the Packers starting a free agent linebacker at the right side today, I would expect the Giants to attack the edges of this Packer defense, and hope to wear out NT B.J. Raji by forcing him to pursue ball carriers laterally. No doubt the Giants want to come into this game and wear the Packers out on the ground.

Overall

You can make the argument this is the biggest regular season game for the Giants since their week 17 game against the Eagles back on December 28th, 2002. A win that game guaranteed a wild card berth, a loss meant they needed some help on Sunday. The Packers offense play into the strengths of what the Giants do best - attack the quarterback. I would expect the Packers to throw some screens and draws early in this game to keep the Giants pass rush off balance, but ultimately, if this game is won, it will be won by both defenses. The Giants haven't had a defensive touchdown all year, even though they lead the NFL in total takeaways. Which ever team's defense is able to make the big plays and swing the momentum, will win this game.

Follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/nygiantsmix

-MattBNYG

Battle For East Supremacy

2010-11-20T17:54:00.000-08:00

Going into Sunday nights game against the Eagles, the main theme all week has been, how are the Giants going to contain the high flying Eagles? After the country watched Vick throw and pass through the Redskin defense with the ease of an airplane flying through a cloud, the Eagles and their high powered offense have become the flavor of the week. With all the superlatives being thrown around on Vick and the arsenal of weapons the Eagles have surrounded him with, people seemed to have forgotten the offense across the turnpike is just as potent and perhaps a bit more seasoned.

Going position by position, which offense would you rather have? Giants have the better offensive line, running backs and the best wide receiver on the football field. DeSean Jackson is an explosive receiver, but he is the product of being in a creative offense with a big armed quarterback. He is not the polished route runner that Hakeem Nicks is, and if you take away his deep play making ability, you take away DeSean Jackson. The same cannot be said for Nicks. Jackson was able to exploit the Giants last year by repeatedly running behind C.C. Brown, Aaron Rouse and Michael Johnson.

This year though, the Giants have one of the best trio of safeties in the NFL. Bringing back one the more underrated comeback stories of the year in Kenny Phillips along with one of the best free agent signings in Deon Grant, combined with their biggest import last year Antrel Rolle, the Giants have been one of the best teams at limiting the big plays. Even after last weeks performance, the Giants have allowed the 2nd fewest pass plays of 20+ yards. All year the design of this defense have been to concede the short throws and eliminate the long ones. Eliminating the deep ball means eliminated Jackson.

Above everything else, the Giants still have the best quarterback on the field Sunday night, and isn't that the match up that counts the most? A few weeks back, I wrote about the value for Eli Manning. How having a quarterback who is in total command of the offense, trumps all other factors that determine winning and losing in the NFL. Eli's performances in Dallas was more impressive than anything Vick has done this year. Down 20-7, and having thrown two interceptions, Eli was saddled with the task of attempting to comeback in front of 100,000 screaming fans. Playing against a team desperate for a win Eli defined what is means to be in total command of an offense, leading the Giants to a 41-35 victory.

Looking at how Vick has performed this year, it is easy to get wrapped up in the hype. No quarterback has shown the ability to beat you through the air and on the ground like Vick has this year. Vick cemented his case for first half MVP last Monday night with a dazzling performance few quarterbacks could relate to. But when has Vick really been tested? When has he faced a great defense this year, and lifted his team on his back like Eli did in Dallas a few weeks back? This year, Vick has started and played in four games this year, winning all four. Three of those games were against the Lions, Jaguars and Redskins. Those three teams are currently ranked 24th, 32nd and 21st in the league yards per pass attempt giving up this year. In his one game start against a top 10 defense against the Colts, Vick was held to 7.52 yards per pass attempt, while only completing 58% of his passes, by far his worst start of the season. Considering the reach NFL has in America, players get vaulted to star status before accomplishing anything. The last couple of years, Tony Romo was the newest star on the rise, a quarterback who burst on to the scene and dominated from the start. Only now are people starting to realize how little he has accomplished in his career. That even though he has put up big numbers, he has not won many big games.

Sunday night will be a battle of two quarterbacks, yet the one who has already won a Super Bowl MVP seems to of been forgotten. Eli will never run through secondaries or launch 70 yards passes with the flick of a wrist like Vick can. But what he does have is a Super Bowl ring, and yet oddly the QB without one seems to be getting all the attention.

Follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/nygiantsmix

-MattBNYG

A Tale of Two Teams

2010-11-06T19:14:00.000-07:00

Team A: 26.7 points per game, 12.0 points allowed per game.

Team B: Averaging 253.6 yards on offense, while giving up an average of 351 yards on defense

Clearly Team A is superior to Team B, right?

Well they are actually the same team. Team A and Team B represent the Seahawks home statistics so far this season. On the surface, they are 3-0, and have a home differential of +14.7. A dominating team.

Yet that same team has allowed nearly 100 more yards than they have gained in those same games.

So how does a team get out gained by nearly 100 yards, yet have a positive point differential of 14.7 in those same games?

They force turnovers. In their three home games, they have forced an average of 4 turnovers each contest. On their 4 road games, they have only 1 forced turnover, combined.

The Giants enter todays game with the 3rd most giveaways in the NFL. At times their explosive offense takes one step forward, and then two steps back. It is easy to say that as long as a team limits its turnovers, they will win. Against 26th ranked Seattle defense, they will be able to move the ball up and down the field. As long as they are able to limit their turnovers and not shorten the field for Charlie Whitehurst, they will be able to finally leave Seattle with a victory, and stay undefeated against NFC opponents.

Who is Charlie Whitehurst?

Charlie was a four year starter at Clemson, and posted 49 TD's to 46 INT's, while completing nearly 60% of his passes.

Here is the scouting report courtesy of the NY Daily News.com

The scouting report is he’s big and mobile with a good arm but lacks touch on the shorter balls, not what you’d expect in a West Coast system, although Pete Carroll is getting away from that tradition. The Seahawks used Whitehurst very differently than they used Hasselbeck in the pre-season. I’d expect more of a vertical attack, throwing a few up for Mike Williams if he has the time. Carroll was using Hasselbeck as a game manager with an emphasis on limiting mistakes. That could be hard for a quarterback making his first-ever start against this defense.

The premise of the Perry's read and react defense is to limit the deep passing plays and force teams into short quick throws.

So far it it has been working. The Giants have allowed a league best 12 passing plays of over 20+ yards. To put that into perspective, last year the Giants were 9th in the league in giving up pass plays of 20+ yards. Forcing Whitehurst into short throws should give them an opportunity to pick off a few errant passes this afternoon.

Follow me on Twitter: Twitter.com/nygiantsmix

-MattBNYG

The Value of Eli Manning

2010-10-31T07:55:00.000-07:00

On January 2nd, 2005 Eli Manning gave the 78,000 Giants fans in attendance that night a sneak peak of his intangibles and football acumen that would define his career so far. With the Giants trailing 24-20 late in the 4th quarter in a meaningless home game against the Cowboys, Eli, like he has done throughout his career as the Giants starting quarterback, lead the Giants on a game-winning drive. With the Giants at Dallas's three yard line with precious seconds left on the clock, Eli cool and calmly studied the defense, and audibled to a draw for Tiki. Barber ran into the end zone, and Eli got his first career win as a Giants starter.

on the last Monday of last October, Eli showed again how his intangibles and football acumen allows him to be in total control of the offense. On the Giants first touchdown, after recognizing the blitz from Dallas, and seeing his blossoming young receiver Hakeem Nicks one-on-one against Cowboy safety Gerald Sensabaugh, Eli changed the play and the protection and threw a strike to Nicks for the Giants first touchdown of the night.

Throughout his career, Eli has shown that he is in full control of his offense. Tom Rock of Newsday gave fans a peak into the preparation Eli does for each opponent he faces:

You may remember against the Texans when Eli threw a TD pass to Hakeem Nicks and they spoke about how they had seen a safety tendency during independent film study that allowed them to adjust a play on the fly and exploit it. Well, Sullivan said that every week Eli Manning not only holds a meeting with the running backs (on Thursdays) and the receivers (on Fridays), he also does all of the prep work himself.

“This is something that Eli puts together, something that he orchestrates to go over some of the key issues and things that schematically will be very important,” Sullivan said. “It’s something that he’s established. He plans, prepares and executes it. He’s in charge of that.”

To the point where Manning actually cuts up his own film to show the other players in these meetings. There are enough staffers in the building to do just about anything any of the players wants done, so the fact that Manning sits there and doesn't just study but pieces together frames of game film for upcoming meetings is pretty remarkable.

http://mobile.newsday.com/inf/infomo;JSESSIONID=CC4725F256412F200EC0.2957?site=newsday&view=giants_item&feed:a=newsday_5min&feed:c=giants&feed:i=1.2406523

People look at the quarterback position, and they become enamored with the touchdown passes and yards thrown. They see Ben Roethlisberger escape three tackles and fire a deep touch down pass to Hines Ward, or they watch Carson Palmer throw one deep down the sideline to Ochocinco, and they think these quarterbacks "elite". Fans are blinded by seeing the big plays and by studying who has thrown the most touchdown passes or yards. They look at these statistics, and think they understand the value of their quarterback. But football is not that simple. It's not as black and white as looking at yards and touch downs and understanding how quarterbacks stack up against each other each season.

Since Eli became a full time starter in 2005, there have been only seven quarterbacks who are still starting consistently in 2010, nine if you include Romo and Rivers, who started in 2006. I ranked these quarterbacks offenses since the the start of the 2005 season, to better understand which quarterbacks commanded over the most potent offenses, looking at yards per game. I omitted the 2008 season for Brady and Palmer because of injuries, while also excluding the 2010 season for the Steelers to account for Roethlisberger's suspension. Here is the average offense rank for each QB's offense since 2005:

1. Drew Brees: 3.83

2. Tony Romo: 6

3. Tom Brady: 6

4. Peyton Manning: 6.5

5. Eli Manning: 9

6. Philip Rivers: 9.2

7. Donovan McNabb: 10.83

8. Brett Farve: 12.16

9. Carson Palmer: 13.6

10. Ben Roethlisberger: 13.6

Now, I'm not saying Eli Manning is a top five quarterback. Like I stated earlier, no one stat defines a quarterback. There are a multitude of factors that are involved in determining the value of a quarterback, but one that never seems to be accounted for is the offense the quarterback is in charge of. Let's take into account that since 2006, Eli has lost Tiki Barber, Jeremy Shockey, Amani Toomer and Plaxico Burress, and yet the offense never missed a beat. What has been the once constant? Eli Manning.

Before the season started, ESPN senior NFL writer John Clayton attempted to rank all 32 quarterbacks, and had Eli ranked 11th, behind Carson Palmer, Donovan McNabb, Brett Farve and Ben Roethlisberger. Did John Clayton take into account those quarterback's offenses? Probably not. He, like most fans and analysts, looked at the numbers, examined the yards and touchdown passes, and compiled that list without taking into account how their offenses had faired over the years.

The quarterback position is arguably the most important position of any team, across all sports. Without a franchise quarterback to build around, teams are constantly stuck in neutral, shifting from mediocre to average year to year, but are never perennial contenders. Eli has won a Super Bowl, has lead his team to the post season in four of his five years as as starter and has quarterbacked a top ten offense since his he took over in 2005.

Doesn't that count for something?

Follow me on Twitter: Twitter.com/nygiantsmix

-MattBNYG

A Giant Showdown in Texas

2010-10-16T18:25:00.000-07:00

Last year the Giants went into Arlington with the hopes of ruining the opening night festivities of the Cowboys debut in their brand new stadium. Three hours later, Lawrence Tynes sealed Dallas's fate with a game winning field goal, and the Giants were able to escape Texas with a 33-31 win. Unlike a potential loss in Monday nights game, that week two loss to the Giants did not signify the end of the Cowboys season. Both teams were expected to make the playoffs, and were considered two of the NFC's elite teams.

Monday night, the Cowboys are playing for their season. a loss would drop them to 1-5, while vaulting the Giants to 5-2, an almost insurmountable gap to overcome. Even though they are 1-4, analysts will say they are not your typical 1-4 team. The Cowboys are currently top 5 in yards gained and allowed per game. Digging a little deeper into the numbers, it is clear they are not as good as their stats indicate. They are currently 8th in yards per passing attempt, but are in the bottom half of the league in yards per rush attempt, and yards per pass and rush attempt given up on defense. A long with those mediocre numbers, they also have the 2nd worst turnover differential in the NFL at -5, and are 3rd in the NFL in offensive penalties. Those are the numbers of a 1-4 team.

In the Giants first divisional battle of the season, there are a few key match-ups that could dictate the turnout of this game, and the first player under the microscope is David Diehl.

Diehl vs. Ware

In 2007, the Giants converted their 2003 5th round guard into their starting left tackle. The Giants recently rewarded his solid play with a new six year/31 million dollar contract, but now it would be tough to blame them for having buyers remorse. Diehl has been a liability the past few years, and his game has continued to regress during the first six weeks of the 2010 season. One player who has seemed to have always gotten the best of Diehl is Cowboys pass rusher DeMarcus Ware. Since 2007, Ware has seven sacks in seven games against the Giants, with a majority of those coming at Eli's blind side. With 100,000 screaming fans aiming to disrupt the Giants offensive rhythm, it will be important for the Giants to mix up the timing of the snap, and make sure Ware can't get a quick first step to the quarterback.

Steve Smith vs. Cowboys nickle corner

Heading into the 2009 season, the Giants had re-vamped their wide reciever core. Amani Toomer was no longer effective, and Burress had sadly shot himself in the leg in November and would be cut months later. The number one question in training camp was who would Eli throw to? He lost his two biggest targets in Shockey and Burress over the past two seasons, and everyone seemed to think Eli would regress without any reliable receivers. Well, everyone except Giants general manager Jerry Reese. This is what he said in August of 2009:

"We think he (Manningham) can play any of the spots. We like Mario, we like Steve Smith, we like (Domenik) Hixon. We like our tight end. I think people are panicked a little bit about receiver. I don't think we're panicked about it. We're not panicking about our receivers."

Steve Smith ended up being a pro bowl receiver that season, and the added attention he now receives has benefited Hakeem Nicks early on this season. Last year, Steve Smith had at least 110 receiving yards in both games against Dallas. The Cowboys have one of the best cornerback duos on the NFL with the University of South Florida product Malcom Jenkins and Terrance Newman, but it is their nickle corners that will have the responsibility of containing Smith Monday night. Even though Smith is still the starter, and is considered the Y receiver in the Giants two wide-receiver sets, he moves into the slots when Manningham enters the game. The Cowboys may put a stronger emphasis on stopping Hakeem Nicks tomorrow night, which could leave room over the middle for Smith to operate.

Cowboys offensive line vs. Giants defensive line

Even though the Cowboys have one of the worst offensive lines, they have only given up seven sacks on the season, tied for 3rd in the NFL. At times, Perry has been content on relying heavily on his front four to pressure the QB, and leaving seven players in coverage. Against Dallas, it may be imperative to once again rely on Osi and Tuck to generate a pass rush. With Austin, Williams, Bryant and Witten, Dallas has many weapons to defend, and when a a bad offensive line is able to give up few sacks, it must mean the quarterback is getting rid of the ball quickly. Four of Romo's seven interceptions this season have come on passes thrown within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. If the Giants concede the short throw and rely on their defensive line to collapse the pocket, their patience could be rewarded with a few interceptions Monday night.

Overall, this should be a back and forth contest. Both offenses are playing well right now, and good red zone defense could decide the outcome of this game.

Follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/nygiantsmix

-MattBNYG

First Quarter of the Season

2010-10-10T07:18:00.000-07:00

With the Giants through the first quarter of their season, here is a look at where they rank looking at rush yards and pass yards per attempt on both sides of the ball:

Defense

Yards per pass attempt
Giants defensive rank: 10th, 6.5 YDS/A

Yards per rush attempt
Giants defensive rank: 13th, 3.8 YDS/A

Offense

Yards per pass attempt
Giants offensive rank: 8th, 7.8 YDS/A

Yards per rush attempt
Giants offensive rank: 7th, 4.7 YDS/A

The numbers indicate the Giants are one of the top twelve teams in the NFL, yet with their play on the field, they are still very much an enigma. In week one they beat what could be one of the worst teams in the league, then followed that up by getting beat by one of the best teams in the league. Clearly they are somewhere in between. Against the Bears, a team at the time that was 3-0, lead by one of the most potent passing attacks through the first three weeks of the season, the defensive line was able to neutralize Cutler with a relentless pass rush. Eight of their ten sacks came from just a four man rush.

Today is Houston, they face a team that is better than the Bears, and probably slightly worse than the Colts. Since Shaub began starting for the Texans in 2007, they are 17-9 at home. If the Giants can find their "Road Warrior" mentality from 2007, and beat the Texans this afternoon at Reliant Stadium, we will have a better feel for where this teams stacks up against the rest of the NFL.

Follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/nygiantsmix

-MattBNYG

It's All About The Passing Games

2010-09-18T21:39:00.000-07:00

Watching the Colts surrender over 200 rushing yards last Sunday, one could make the conclusion that they may not have a championship caliber defense this year. The Texans ran for 257 yards, with the former Tennessee Volunteer running back Arian Foster living up to the pre-season hype in week one, rushing for 231 yards on 33 carries, essentially running the Texans to victory against their AFC South rivals.

No team can continually give up of 7 yards a carry and win a title, but as I stated in my first post, teams that are able to continually contain "elite" quarterbacks each season, put themselves in position to contend for a Super Bowl each year.

In my first post, I discussed how the upgraded safeties the Giants imported this season would help their red zone defense, while improving their ability to contain the elite quarterbacks in the league. Over the past few seasons, the Colts have always been maligned with a weak rush defense. Since 2006, they have ranked 31st, 6th, 17th and 19th in yards per carry allowed. What goes unnoticed is that in those same years they have finished 7th, 2nd, 10th and 3rd in yards per pass attempt allowed.

By limiting the big play opportunities through their pass rushing talent and schemes, the Colts excellent pass defense has allowed them to not only contain "elite" quarterbacks, but make those quarterbacks seem average.

I examined how the Colts defense had fared against "elite" quarterbacks, which I defined earlier as finishing in the top 12 in yards per pass attempt during the regular season. Here are results:

2006
Week/Quarterback/Game YPA/Season YPA

Week 10/Losman/6.9/7.11
Week 11/Romo/9.8/ 8.61
Week 14/Garrard/5.6/7.20
Week 15/Palmer/6.3/7.7

2007
Week/Quarterback/Game YPA/Season YPA

Week 3/Schaub/7.2/7.75
Week 4/Cutler/6.2/7.49
Week 5/Jeff Garcia/6.2/7.46
Week 7/Garrard/6.0/7.72
Week 9/Brady/8.0/8.32
Week 12/Garrard/8.9/7.72

2008
Week/Quarterback/Game YPA/Season YPA

Week 7/Rogers/6.6/7.53
Week 12/Rivers/9.3/8.39
Wild Card/Rivers/6.0/8.39

2009
Week/Quarterback/Game YPA/Season YPA

Week 3/Warner/6.4/7.32
Week 9/Schaub/7.2/8.18
Week 10/Brady/8.9/7.78
Week 12/Schuab/6.8/8.18
Super Bowl/Brees/7.4/8.54

Overall, the average YPA the Colts faced in all four seasons was 7.85, and they held those quarterbacks to 7.20 YPA, an impressive difference of .65 YPA. Building a small, quick, defense around two dominant pass rushers in Freeney and Mathis, the Colts have established a blue print for defense in the NFL. To better understand how important it is to prioritize stopping the pass over stopping the run, I compiled the win/loss totals for teams that finished in the top 12 in yards per pass attempt allowed and yards per carry allowed since 2006.

2006
Top 12 Defensive YPA
106-86
Top 12 Defensive YPC
98-94

2007
Top 12 Defensive YPA
131-61
Top 12 Defensive YPC
105-87

2008
Top 12 Defensive YPA
117-74
Top 12 Defensive YPC
113-77

2009
Top 12 Defensive YPA
117-74
Top 12 Defensive YPC
110-82

Culmative Standings
Top 12 Defensive YPA
471-295
Top 12 Defensive YPC
426-340

Teams that contain passing games will have continued success in the NFL. It has become a "big play" league, and the teams that are able to keep up and contain these high flying offenses, put themselves in the best position to eventually host the Lombardi trophy.

So how does this apply to the Giants? Perry Fewell's new "read and react" system is predicated on conceding the short pass while limiting the deep throws. With a plethora of pass rushers, and a new trio of safeties, the Giants should be schematically constructed to contain potent passing games. Last year, under Bill Sheridan's predomiant man-to-man defense, the Giants gave up 8.6 yards per pass attempt to Matt Moore, an undrafted quarterback averaging only 7.6 YPA in his five starts that season. Fast forward to last Sunday, and the "read and react" defense limited that that same thrower to 5.52 YPA while collecting four sacks.

This new defense will get its first real test of the season Sunday night in Indianapolis. Facing one the best passing attacks in the league, their discipline will be tested by Peyton Manning. If they are able to contain Manning, and keep his explosive receivers from making plays down field, they'll have a chance to start 2-0, and possibly begin thinking about making a run at their fourth championship.

Follow me on Twitter: Twitter.com/nygiantsmix

-MattBNYG

Why This Will Be A Giant Year

2010-09-11T13:58:00.000-07:00

The New York Giants collapse seemingly came out of no where last season. they sprinted out to a 5-0 start, only to have the wheels started falling off the wagon in New Orleans, and finally horrifically crashing at home to Carolina. A combination of immobile safeties and a depleted defensive line resulted in a pass defense that got shredded by big play passing teams.

Or did they?

Watching the Giants last year, any fan, writer, or analyst will point to the defensive secondary as the main culprit for their 8-8 season, and they would be right. Once those same people begin labeling the defense as one of the worst in the league, that is where they are wrong.

I examined the Giants pass defense numbers last year, focusing on their eight games against “elite” passing quarterbacks, which included two games against Tony Romo and Dononvan McNabb, and their games against Drew Brees, Kurt Warner, Philip Rivers and Brett Farve. All six of these quarterbacks finished in the top twelve in yards per pass attempt last year. I omitted their two games against Jason Campbell, and games against Byron Leftwhich, Matt Cassel, Matt Ryan, Matt Moore, JaMarcus Russell and Kyle Orton. In order to have success in the NFL, teams don’t need to “shutdown” elite quarterbacks, they need to contain them and play great red zone defense. The Giants accomplished one of these two things last year.

Against those “elite” quarterbacks, the Giants gave up 2,159 yards on 269 pass attempts, which equated to 8.02 yards per pass attempt. Putting that number in its proper context, those same quarterbacks threw for a combined 24,633 yards on 3037 pass attempts, resulting in 8.11 yards per pass attempt, meaning the Giants held them to .09 yards per pass attempt below their collective average. Those numbers do not indicate a pass defense that was one of the worst in the league.

So how did this defense give up so many points if their pass defense was average? A combination of bad safety play, weak push in the interior of the line and elementary defensive schemes led the Giants to have the worst red zone defense in the NFL.

The addition of Antrel Rolle and Deon Grant, along with whatever Kenny Phillips is able to bring a year removed from knee surgery, will allow Perry Fewell to mix up his coverages, especially in the red zone. Last year Osi and Coefield were coming of major knee surgery, Tuck was marginalized by a trip he took in week two and wasn't the same player after and Canty and Bernard were hurt all year. This year they are healthy, and that will make a big difference in the Giants ability to make key stops in their own end.

There is reason to be optimistic this year, and it starts with a revamped secondary and healthy depth along the defensive line. The Giants aren't coming off a 3-13 season. They were 8-8, 4-2 in arguably the toughest division in football. With the Panthers coming into Giants Stadium Sunday, the defense will be tested vertically by Steve Smith and also between the tackles by the Panthers physical offensive line.

I hope to contribute to this blog once or twice during the week, and definitely Saturday or Sunday mornings before each Giants games. Please feel free to post comments, and I will write back.

I also have a Twitter account, where you can follow me. I encourage anyone who reads this blog to send me tweets; this blog will be much more enjoyable if there is active involvement from the best football fans in the world.

twitter.com/nygiantsmix

-MattBNYG

Gmail - Inbox (2) - maui4456@gmail.com

2010-07-06T16:54:00.000-07:00

Where is the speculation on the NY Giants. Do we have a contender or not?? Where is the excitement, the anticipation!!! Something's not right. Could it be that this oldest of franchises is just a dinosaur in this tweet it, face... it world we are in now? In the media capitol of the world, only 2 seasons removed from a Super -Super Bowl, is there no query at all in the fan base as to how we stack up this year? I mean even comments on how the McNabb led Redskins will change the dynamics in the NFC East would be appropriate. Are the beat writers spread to thin, due to the fall off in advertising revenues (a realistic issue, I fear)?

Dominic Hixon, going down on a routine punt fielding in non contact drills! - Yikes, this leaves us with only a veteran control receiver in Steve Smith, and no real deep and only second year guys as deep threats.

We let Peirce go in the middle on "D" with no outstanding athletes (apparently) ready to take up the leadership, up the gut. OK we got some veteran safety help. But as we all know, your secondary is only as good as your front 7.

It is an eerie silence "I hear" out there.

Traditionally the first week in July is when the banter should start! No one wants to keep reading about a new stadium. The fact is Jerry Jones set the bar so high, anything else will just seem to fall short. And, in the end people will be happy to see it come game time. Someone should be badgering coaches for comments, superlatives on how we are going to come out ..."tougher, harder hitting, more aggressive - on defense, just wait and see!" Even if it's not true, get the ball rolling

MRE

Grading the Giants 2010 Draft

2010-04-24T19:08:00.000-07:00

By Kevin Casey

Well, the draft is over. For starters, I love the new format the NFL introduced. With that being said, it could be better. If the NFL moved rounds 1 and 2 to Friday night, then wrapped the draft the following day, it would be even more appealing. 7 rounds spread out over 3 days is a little too much and the only people who are absolutely happy with it are journalists; the NFL made their already easy job even easier. Now on to the Giants. I'll admit, I don't know a lot about every one of them, but I know enough to grade them. So, here they are:

Round 1, Pick 15 - Jason Pierre Paul, DE - South Florida - Grade A-:
I called this one on Thursday afternoon. The only way the Giants were going to get the two players they loved, CJ Spiller and Rolando McClain, was to trade up. Spiller went to the Bill with pick 7, and McClain went to the Raiders with the next pick at 8. If the Giants wanted to get either one of them they would have been forced to give up a lot of picks and that is not what Jerry Reese does. So at pick 15 they took Jason Pierre Paul to add depth to their already formidable defensive end corps. Pierre-Paul will play from day 1 in 2010. He is a beast with a world of talent and potential. Many experts who like him compare him to Javon Kearse, and Tom Coughlin has already referred to Pierre-Paul as "a freak." With that being said, the Giants took him with the best overall DE, Derrick Morgan, still on the board. Pierre-Paul has only 1 year of high level college ball under his belt, and only began playing football in his junior year of high school. He is a pure pass rusher and is very weak against the run, ala Osi. Every year in the draft at least half of the first rounders wind up being busts, and with Pierre-Paul's limited history, he could very well be one of the busts of this draft. If the Giants were not going to address their needs at DT or MLB with this pick, I think they should have taken Dez Bryant (who went to the Cowboys). Despite his alleged problems off the field, he is a can't miss receiver and he could have made the Giants, in a passing league, that much better. Instead, he went to the Cowboys and for that reason alone, I give this pick a A-.

Round 2, Pick 14 - Linval Joseph, DT - Easter Carolina - Grade C:
The last time the Giants drafted a DT with the last name Joseph, he was a complete bust. This Joseph reminds is in the same mold of the other Joseph, and quite frankly, I think the Giants dropped the ball here. With their hole at MLB, Sean Lee (MLB-Penn State) was there for the taking, and they didn't grab him. Instead, the Giants drafted this overweight DT and allowed Lee to go to the Cowboys. I think the Giants will regret this in the very near future in that I believe Sean Lee will be a star and Joseph, at best, a serviceable DT. If the Giants were set on drafting a DT here, I find it hard to believe that they couldn't have gotten Albert Haynesworth from the Redskins for this pick and maybe another in the late rounds this year or next.

Round 3, Pick 13 - Chad Jones, S - LSU - Grade A:
Getting Jones here was clearly a value pick more than filling a need, but they certainly got value. Jones has a knack for the ball and with the uncertainty of Kenny Phillips return, this was an absolutely awesome pick. Even if Phillips returns full strength, he can be an invaluable special teams player in 2010 as a kickoff gunner all the while learning the safety position from the veteran Deon Grant. I love this pick and I feel that looking back in a couple years, this is the one pick that will stand out.

Round 4, Pick 17 - Phillip Dillard, MLB - Nebraska - Grade C-:
I give this pick a C- only because the Giants passed on Sean Lee in round 2. If the Giants got Lee, and also grabbed Dillard, then this pick would be an A. Dillard is small, 6'0, and is also very weak against the run. He's fast and can cover backs, but covering TEs will be hard for him given his size. The Giants could very well be in trouble if they enter training camp with Jonathan Goff and Phillip Dillard fighting it out for the starting MLB position.

Round 5, Pick 15 - Mitch Petrus, G - Arkansas - Grade B+:
I like this pick. Petrus is a monster and has superhuman upper body strength. At the combine, he did more bench press reps than anyone. He was part of the OL at Arkansas that blocked for Darren McFadden and Felix Jones. Neither McFadden nor Jones have impressed in the NFL, so I believe their success was due to the OL Petrus was part of. The Giants OL is getting old, and this pick is for the future and I think Jerry made a nice pick here.

Round 6, Pick 15 - Adrian Tracy, OLB - William & Mary - Grade D:
This pick doesn't make much sense to me. He is Clint Sintim all over again, minus playing for a big-time college program. The Giants have a need at RB, and LaGarrette Blount was still on the board, and in my opinion, this is where he should have gone. I don't see Tracy making much of an impact on the team in 2010 and beyond. I could be wrong, I hope I am, but I don't like this pick.

Round 7, Pick 14 - Matt Dodge, P - East Carolina - Grade B:
I cannot give a punter an A, sorry. When this pick first came in, I was wondering why the hell they took a punter. Then, the sad news broke that Jeff Feagles is retiring. This is the second ECU player the Giants drafted, and Dodge is bigger than Dillard, the MLB they drafted to replace AP. Good pick here.

Miscellaneous - Grade A+
The only reason why I give the Giants an A+ here is because they did not trade Osi. Osi missed all of 2008, and was just getting his feet under him in 2009. Osi will be back to the monster he was before his injury, and the Giants would have regretted ever moving him. Despite that, I am a little upset the Giants didn't bring in a veteran MLB by trading some picks. After drafting Rolando McClain, the Raiders sent Kirk Morrison to the Jags for a bag of peanuts. The Bears made it known that Brian Urlacher was available, but given his injury past he may have been too expensive. Jerry Reese was conservative like I expected, but maybe too conservative.

Overall - Grade B-:
Too consevative, and didn't address the big need at MLB. Pierre-Paul is an unknown, and the Giants will regret drafting Joseph over Sean Lee. The Giants got a steal with Jones in round 3, but other than that, I was not impressed. I give the Giants a B- and not the D they deserve because Jerry Reese has been great in all of his previous drafts. I hope that is the case here and we are not here writing and reading about the HUGE hole the Giants will have in the Middle of their defense.

With the 15th Pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the New York Giants Select...

2010-04-22T12:40:00.000-07:00

By Kevin Casey

With the draft merely hours away, the Giants are facing some serious decisions that could have a huge impact on the 2010 season. The Giants currently hold the 15th pick in this year's draft. Looking at the Giants current pre-draft roster, they do not have many holes and could compete for another Super Bowl with their current personnel. So, what should they do?

For starters, this year's draft is one of the deepest in recent memory. A fourth or fifth round pick this year is comparable to having a second or third in other years. With the Giants having no glaring holes, besides MLB, I am looking for the Giants to trade up this year and draft one of two players. The teams ahead of the Giants have many more holes than they do, and would love to stockpile draft picks in later rounds. For example, the Seahawks hold both the 6th and 14th round picks this season, but have holes than will not be fixed through only these two picks. So here are 3 scenarios we may see from the Giants tonight:

First, the Giants LOVE CJ Spiller (RB-Clemson), but they are not alone. Last year, the Giants used a second round pick on Andre Brown, whose season was lost before it started with a ruptured achilles tendon in training camp. The current starter, Brandon Jacobs, is coming off a disappointing season and could very well be done as an effective back in the NFL. Ahmad Bradshaw, probably the best overall back on the G-Men, is coming off serious surgery on both feet and ankles, which resulted in pins and bolts being put into his feet - he may not be the same. CJ Spiller was a complete back and was a first team all american last year. He was a perennial Heisman Trophy Candidate and put up moster numbers on a mediocre team. He would immediately make an impact on what is already one of the best offenses in the NFL. He can easily sustain 25-30 touches per game between receiving, rushing, and returns; and he could very well put up over 1800 total yards this season. He is a beast in the mold of Chris Johnson and Adrian Peterson, and with the Giants run-first approach on offense, he would be an amazing pick up for them. However, as I mentioned before, the Giants are not alone in loving Spiller. The Seahawks have a glaring hole at RB and if they do not snatch him up at 6, he will not fall past the Browns at 7 or the Seahawks again at 14. So in order for the Giants to get the man they want, they need to trade up ahead of the Seahawks and Browns at 6 and 7 respectively. That means the Giants must get on the phone with the Chiefs and see if they can make the move. A package of Uymeniora plus a 3 (or a 2) and a 5 this year will get them the number 5 pick. There is little chance the Giants would do this with Jerry Reese's conservative draft history, but if they want to be a force for the next few years, this is the way to go. As for MLB in this scenario, the Giants (if they can keep their second round pick) will grab Sean Lee (LB-Penn State) in round 2. Lee is going to be a monster in this league in the mold of Chad Greenway. In other drafts, he would be a top 15 pick. This move would fill the small holes the Giants have and automatically make them the NFC favorite in 2010.

The second scenario facing the Giants also includes moving up, but not as far as number 5. The Giants' only hole on the team is the MLB position. The best player to plug that hole is Rolando McClain (MLB-Alabama). Jerry Reese has said he likes his current crop of MLBs, but he said that about the WR's last year and wound up drafting a superstar in the making, Hakeem Nicks. As for McClain, there are a few things that worry me. He has the size and speed, but he also suffers from Sickle Cell Anemia, which he admits saps his strength at times. He also comes from a pro-style 3-4 and he could have a problem adjusting to the 4-3, Tampa 2 of Perry Fewell. With that being said, he is a can't miss prospect and could step in as the MLB to open the new stadium and be there for a very long time. McClain, like Spiller, is a hot commodity and the Giants are not the only team looking for a MLB. The Broncos, picking at 11, are in need of a MLB and they run a 3-4. McClain is a perfect fit for them, and I do not see them passing on him. With that being said, the Giants, in order to grab McClain, need to contact the Jags and talk about moving to number 10. The only downside of this is that the Jags are looking for pass rushers and would almost certainly require Uymeniora plus picks to move out of 10. That may be a steep price to pay for only 5 spots. If the Giants like him, and think he is their MLB of the future, they should make it happen. If this does happen, the Giants can pick up an explosive RB and return man in the 3rd round in Joe McKnight (RB-USC). McKnight is not as good as Spiller and will not be able to handle the beating Spiller would, but he can take it to the house anywhere on the field. He is a great value pick in round 3.

The third, and most likely scenario the Giants may be facing tonight is staying put and picking at 15. If McClain and Spiller do not drop to them (Spiller WILL NOT, McClain might if Denver goes with a WR), the Giants could very well trade out of 15 and package what they get to someone else and find themselves with 4 picks in the first 2 rounds (1 first round, 3 second round picks). On the other hand, the G-Men could pick at 15 and just take the best available player. Pick 15 is too high to take Sean Lee, but not too high to take Jason Pierre Paul (DE-USF). The Giants are loaded with DE talent, but Pierre Paul would be a project - he has only played competitive football for 2 years. This kid has a motor that never dies or subsides, and with the right grooming, he could be one of the best pass rushers in the NFL. If that is the case, and most likely will be, I see the Giants first three rounds ending like this:
1 - Jason Pierre Paul (DE- USF)
2 - Sean Lee (MLB-Penn State)
3 - Joe McKnight (RB-USC)

This year's draft is loaded with talent. With Jerry Reese's history, I have no doubt that the Giants will come away with 3 excellent picks in the first 3 rounds regardless with who they go with. Expect surprises tonight, and it should be fun. So, as I opened in the title, I will close, "With the 15th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the New York Giants Select..." Wait and see.

Hello, 2010 Schedule!

2010-04-22T09:05:00.000-07:00

Nick Alfonse - 4/22/10

Football fans, rejoice! The upcoming 2010 schedule was finally unveiled on April 20th, filled with surprises, disappointments, and some outstanding matchups for pigskin heads worldwide. One thing is for sure; our New York Giants will have another long, grueling road to endure, littered with landmines and trap games that have the potential to derail their comeback season. Hopefully, the front office will find a way to replenish the defense with fresh, effective draft picks, while the team prepares to gel with their new defensive coordinator, Perry Fewell and get back on the playoff path. Let’s peruse the Giants’ fate in 2010, shall we?

1: Sun, Sep 12 Carolina 1:00 PM
2: Sun, Sep 19 at Indianapolis 8:20 PM
3: Sun, Sep 26 Tennessee 1:00 PM
4: Sun, Oct 3 Chicago 8:20 PM
5: Sun, Oct 10 at Houston 1:00 PM
6: Sun, Oct 17 Detroit 1:00 PM
7: Mon, Oct 25 at Dallas 8:30 PM
8: BYE WEEK
9: Sun, Nov 7 at Seattle 4:05 PM
10: Sun, Nov 14 Dallas 4:15 PM
11: Sun, Nov 21at Philadelphia 8:20 PM
12: Sun, Nov 28 Jacksonville 1:00 PM
13: Sun, Dec 5 Washington 1:00 PM
14: Sun, Dec 12 at Minnesota 1:00 PM
15: Sun, Dec 19 Philadelphia 1:00 PM
16: Sun, Dec 26 at Green Bay 4:15 PM
17: Sun, Jan 2 at Washington 1:00 PM

While there’s plenty of directions people can go while breaking down the first half of the season, the immediate stand out is the matchup pitting the Manning brothers against each other at Lucas Oil Stadium. The previous “Manning Bowl” was a fantastic game in 2006, with the Colts emerging victorious in a hard-fought 26 to 21 win. Both players have changed and grown since then, and the imminent collision between the two Super Bowl Champions is something to mark on your calendar in advance, as all eyes will be scrutinizing each man’s performance.

New York’s secondary will need to be as sharp as ever during the first half, as the team will take on some of the best quarterbacks in the league such as Matt Schaub, Tony Romo, and Peyton Manning. Even Jay Cutler could be considered dangerous if Chicago finds him some suitable targets and he prevents himself from throwing the football to the wrong team all afternoon.

Don’t expect much sympathy for the run defense either in the early going, with the Giants taking on Dallas, Carolina, and Tennessee; who are all capable of racking up devastating numbers on the ground. Especially after the woes last season, fans won’t have a high tolerance level for watching New York allow 200 plus yards rushing, which the Cowboys and Panthers each achieved with ease last year.

After a nice bye week right in the middle of their grueling schedule, New York has the pleasure of playing five of their six divisional matchups during the second half. Philadelphia and Washington have already made some significant moves with their quarterbacks, and the draft will give both teams the opportunity to replenish their defenses. Toss in matchups at Minnesota and Green Bay in December, and there aren’t too many spots for the Giants to stop the bleeding if they begin a skid similar to 2009.

Once again, due to the ferocity of the NFC East, the Giants will find themselves in some tough, bitterly cold battles while climbing their mountain of a schedule. Although there aren’t many truly awful teams in the NFL, New York certainly didn’t draw one of the “easier” set ups for their 2010 season. Detroit, Seattle, Chicago, Washington, and Jacksonville are all beatable with their current rosters, but fans will have to await the outcome of the NFL draft before making any drastic assumptions about the Giants abilities. Feast or famine; it’s up to New York to control their own destiny and return with a vengeance, or suffer the consequences in 2010.

It’s Giants Stadium for a Reason

2010-03-16T19:33:00.000-07:00

Nick Alfonse – 3/16/10

Ever since Giants Stadium opened its doors on October 10, 1976, it’s been home to the storied and decorated franchise of the New York Giants. Amidst the controversy and in-fighting over naming rights and opening of the new $1.7 billion stadium, the long time New York Jets tenants have become disgruntled over their status as “second class citizens” in the football community. After nearly 16 years of sharing the same residence, Jets owner Woody Johnson is doing everything in his power to crawl out from under the Giants Stadium moniker. Unfortunately, Roger Goodell and the “football gods” don’t seem quite ready to allow the Jets out of the Giants’ shadow.

Obviously, discussions on which team should open the stadium would be loaded with disagreements and conflicting opinions. The Giants suffered a disappointing season, and an even worse closing, allowing themselves to be embarrassed by the Carolina Panthers as their defense completely came apart at the seams. The Jets had their turbulent moments, but somehow managed to squeak their way into the playoffs with a rookie head coach and quarterback. People can argue until they’re blue in the face about whether or not the Jets received “a gift” from the Colts and Bengals, but their performance was still better than the Giants. Thus, the mysterious coin flip idea was born, shrouded with angry reactions from the Jets brass and faithful following.

The best piece of using a coin flip to determine which franchise would officially open the stadium is the manner the NFL front office used to carry out the idea. First, Woody Johnson suggests the idea to the league offices, only to have the thought immediately rejected. Afterwards, the Jets are informed that a coin toss took place, however with neither team present. Finally, Johnson and the rest of the franchise are told they lost, and the Giants will be hosting the first contest. The expected outpouring of complaints and frustration floods the New York airwaves and papers of how the Jets were cheated. What was Big Blue’s response to all this chaos? “The Giants had no complaints,” was the only comment in ESPN’s news article.

As if this wasn’t perfect enough, the Jets arguing for rights to open the new cathedral of New York football and failing to succeed seemingly fits into their franchise’s history. If Johnson wants to argue on the basis of team merit, let’s take a closer look at each team’s accomplishments. Even though the Giants have been around for an extra 35 years, their win percentage still trumps the Jets at .547 (3rd all time) to .455 (23rd all time). Since the Jets were formed (originally as the Titans) in 1960, the Giants have won seven division championships, compared to the Jets’ four. Breaking down even further, the Giants still beat them out on playoff appearances since 1960, at 17 to 14. Of course the most glaring example is of the 32 active teams in the NFL; only eight have won three or more Super Bowls, including our New York Giants.

Of course, Jets fans have a right to be upset about their team playing second in the new stadium, however kicking off with a Monday night game on national television isn’t too bad of a second prize. After all, everyone already knows who the class of New York football is, and to argue the Jets are more deserving, based on merit or anything else is nearly as ludicrous as claiming the Mets should open, or do anything at all, above the Yankees. With the exception of Joe Namath’s miracle run in 1968, the Jets haven’t enjoyed much steady success, or even another Super Bowl appearance. Besides, if the NFL front office really wanted to excite everyone, they would’ve opened the new stadium with a head-to-head matchup, and settle this nonsense for at least one season. At least the Yankees and Mets play each other every year.

Giants Will Play First Home Game in 2010

2010-03-16T13:19:00.000-07:00

By Kevin Casey

With both the Jets and the Giants moving into the yet-to-be-named New Meadowlands Stadium, it had to be decided which team would play the first regular season game in the new digs. The NFL devised a plan that it would be decided by a coin-toss; a coin-toss that the Giants won. When the news reached the other New York team, their owner, Woody Johnson, flipped his lid. He was angered that the Jets did not have a representative at the coin-toss, but then again, neither did the Giants. In order to please the whining Jets Administration, not much different from their fans, the NFL awarded the Jets the first primetime game in the new stadium; Monday night on Kickoff Weekend. Good for them. The bottom line is that the Giants will open the new stadium with the first regular season game. Does anyone ever watch Monday Night Football anymore? The REAL primetime game each week is Sunday Night Football. ESPN has managed to ruin everything they touch, and in my opinion, they have done it yet again. It is more of a punishment to be on MNF than it is not. Good job Jets! Assuming the little brother role once again!

So with the Jets fans and owner's whining garnering headlines the past couple days, I want to delve into it as well. This time, it will be from the perspective of a Giants fan, not a whining Jets fan. I guess because the Jets made the AFC championship and have thrown money at an over-the-hill running back, they deserve the same recognition that the Giants do. WRONG! If the Jets can sustain this success and become a force in the NFL, then we can talk. I will not take away from the success that the Jets had last season. But the fact still remains that they backed into the playoffs. They played a Colts team in week 16 that allowed them to win. They played a Bengals team in week 17 that was conservative with their play calling knowing they were facing the same team the following week. When the Jets backed in, they got the best draw they could. The Bengals were not good, and on a slump. The Jets matched up beautifully against the Chargers. Then, the Colts got their payback and put a beating on the Jets in the AFC Championship. The Jets had a good year, but once again, no championships. Not even a division title! The Giants, on the other hand, are merely 3 years removed from the most memorable championship run ever. They brought home the hardware that season, defeating the undefeated Patriots, the same team from the AFC East that beat the Jets twice that year. The following year the Giants did not win the Super Bowl again, but they did run away with the NFC East title, a division championship, something the Jets have not done in eight years. The only reason the Giants weren't in the mix in 2009 was due to the long list of injuries key players sustained; a string of injuries that can only rival the Mets 2009 season. The most important stat, however, is the Giants three Super Bowl Championships (2007, 1991, 1986), compared to the Jets one (32 years ago). The Giants are a class organization, the Jets are not. The Giants fans are respectful, students of the game, whereas the Jets fans are obnoxious, drunken fools. The Giants have one of the most respected coaches in the game in Tom Coughlin, whereas the Jets have a brash loud mouth, who garners more negative press through his immature actions than the team does for their success. This offseason, the Jets traded for Antonio Cromartie, who has more kids and baby mamas than the Jets have playoff appearances this decade. The Jets then went on to sign LT. LT was a great running back who deserves to be in Canton, but he is well beyond his years. You mean to tell me that they could not find a solid back up in the 3rd or 4th round this year? This signing is clearly a response to being unable to sell their PSL's. The Jets are the second team in New York, and one season of success does not change that.

So now, Jets and Giants fans alike, ask yourself, which team deserves to open the season in the New Giants Stadium? The Giants. Enough Said.

Giants on the Rise

2010-03-13T12:15:00.000-08:00

By: Evan Slavit

The draft is an exciting time, and while it is fun to postulate on where all the prospects will get drafted, it is well documented that the majority of these players will not have a big impact for their clubs in the upcoming season. So instead, this article is going to focus on some of the young Giant players that are ready for breakout seasons.

Kenny Phillips
Before he was injured he was having a great season and the entire coaching staff was excited to see his progression. Phillips was considered a top-flight safety at Miami, the college dubbed "Safety U" but fell down on some people's draft boards with a sub-par senior season. That was perfect for the Giants as it meant he was still there when they picked him with the 31st pick. Since coming into the league people have gushed over his range and football knowledge, not to mention his top-notch tackling. He claims to be healthy now, so he should start off where he left off and form one of the top safety tandems with newly acquired Antrel Rolle.

William Beatty
Considered a late first-round talent, the Giants were able to snag him with their second pick in the second round. He was given some playing time last season when Kareem Mckenzie got injured. While he did not light things up, he showed an ability to be a mauler in the run game while blocking on the right side. In addition he has quick feet which should help with the speed rushers he will face each week. The rumor is the Giants are going to insert him in at left tackle to slide David Diehl over to guard, his natural position. Beatty should play great on the left side as he is quicker than Diehl and so should be an upgrade in pass coverage, and as he showed last season, he can push a few people when it comes to the run game.

Hakeem Nicks
Nicks had an extremely impressive rookie season, pushing himself into the starting line-up before the season ended. The complaint for Nicks was he was not very tall or fast, however, that did not seem to slow him down much. He just always seemed to make a big play, knowing how to use his body to box out defenders, jumping at the best time, and showing very strong and reliable hands. Not only did he make some big catches, but he proved to be explosive with the ball in his hands. There were quite a few short passes he took for much bigger gains, with the play in the Chiefs and second Eagles game sticking out most in my mind. Flat out this guy seems like a football player and, if he can avoid the sophomore slump, could overtake Smith as the number one receiver for the team.

Mario Manningham
Manningham showed some of the ability he displayed back in his days on the Michigan Wolverines last season. He is very fast and quick, getting in and out of cuts very smoothly. His problem was a lack of focus. Manningham would run his routes too close to the sideline, bobble some easy passes, and fail to secure the ball. There is the belief out there that he will always be this way, because Manningham has been accused of being immature and lacking focus for all of his career, one of the main reasons he fell into the third round. It is possible he will never figure it out, but many plays seemed to be rookie mistakes, as last season was his first with significant playing time. After being demoted in favor of Nicks late last season, I believe Manningham has reason to put a lot of work in this training camp and could give Smith and Nicks a fight for a starting spot. If he can get past his mistakes, he has proven he has the talent to be a real explosive receiver.

Jay Alford
Before the season started many people believed he was ready to break-out. Unfortunately he had a season-ending injury during the preseason and never got to make an impact. Alford was a third-round pick a couple years ago for the Giants, and was a player that fit the one-gap mold then-defensive coordinator Steve Spagnoulo was looking for. Alford has a quick first-step and a high-motor. For a team that did not get a push from their defensive tackles, Alford will be a huge boost. If he plays at the level that many believe he can, the Giants pass-rush should reach the levels we were used to just a few seasons ago.

Andre Brown
Coming into the season there are a lot of question marks for the running backs. Jacobs had a bad year, Bradshaw suffered a big injury, and Ware did not take advantage of his opportunities. Brown is a player that is similar to Derrick Ward, a player that got over 1,000 yards in 2008 with the Giants. Brown is a quick runner, whose biggest asset is his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. Outside of Bradshaw the Giants do not have a running back who is a threat to make a catch. Brown was supposed to have a big role in the offense last season, but like several people from this list, got injured early on. If he stays healthy he should easily make the rotation, especially if the Giants expect to go with three running backs like they did two years ago.

Big Blue Facing a GIANT Coughlin Conundrum

2010-03-11T10:37:00.000-08:00

As the 2010 league year commences, the New York Giants find themselves in a significant predicament as they set to open their brand new 1.6 billion dollar home in the swamps of Jersey. In what amounts to be one of the most historic moments for a franchise embodied in steep tradition beginning 85 years ago, the opening of the New Meadowlands Stadium figures to be a rebirth and celebration of Giant glory for every fan, player, coach, and executive. With one exception. Head Coach Tom Coughlin. For him, this grandiose event in NY sports history is not a rebirth but a crowning achievement and a likely conclusion to a storied career.

After delivering on his promise of "restoring NY Giant pride" by bringing home the coveted Lombardi trophy in February 2008, coach Coughlin signed a 4 year contract extension worth roughly $21 million dollars making him one of the top paid football coaches in the world. With two years left on his deal, he will be 64 years old at the start of the coming regular season. In the NFL, head coaches rarely, if ever, coach the final year of their contract and enter a "free agent" type process. Historically, when a head coach has two years left on his contract, at the completion of the first of those two years, the coach is either extended or terminated. Its unlikely Tom Coughlin will be extended at the end of 2010. While its possible he may decide to coach out the final year of his current deal in 2011, it too is extraordinarily unlikely as it could create a season long media distraction focused on who is next in line for one of the most coveted jobs in sports. That's not Coughlin's style. If the fans and media have learned anything about this man over the last 6 years its that he absolutely abhors distractions. Additionally he's humble and likely would grow very uncomfortable with the attention that comes with being a lame duck. What is most likely is that 2010 will be Coughlin's final year as head coach of the New York Giants and quite possibly in the NFL.

Several months back, with the Giants mired in a miserable and difficult end to a terrible 2009 campaign, former Steeler great Jerome Bettis made headlines by predicting that former Superbowl winning coach Bill Cowher would ultimately replace Coughlin in the near future. "I believe he's going to be with the Giants. I think that's the team that he really coveted", Bettis said. "This is where he always wanted to be. The Mara family, he's been very close to them. … He's known them very well and was on the inside track, before the Giants won the Super Bowl, for that job and I think he's holding out for that opportunity if it presents itself". Interestingly, Cowher did not deny Bettis' indication and offered only this in response when pressed on the issue, "“I haven’t talked to Jerome Bettis in two years. I’ll leave it at that". It would be naive to suggest that John Mara and Steve Tisch along with Jerry Reese did not hear Bettis' remarks along with Cowher's sly and calculated retort. Accordingly, its fair to suggest that due to the overwhelming need for a strong presence who promotes long term belief in a system and an environment that bases itself in stability and focus, ownership may have thought twice about wanting Coughlin's return for 2010 and their epic opening of the new stadium. Especially when arguably the best and most qualified strong presence is sitting in the TV studio waiting for the job.

Since taking charge of the team in 2004, Coughlin has amassed a regular season record of 55 wins and 41 losses coupled with a 4-3 post season mark. These numbers are not earth shattering or highly impressive by any means. He certainly will be a very long shot to even be considered for Canton when the day comes. However, there is one thing that he did bring that trumps any win/loss statistic. He brought a magical championship that no one saw coming. His David's slayed Goliath on that night in the desert, etching his name into that steep NY Giant tradition so prominently that he himself is part of what the franchise will celebrate on that September Sunday this year.

-Kenneth Hirsch

UNREAL... Jim Sorgi Signs Despite Shoulder Concerns, to Resume Career as the Manning Family Caddy

2010-03-11T10:34:00.000-08:00

Is Jim Sorgi the smartest dude in the history of the world or is Jim Sorgi the smartest dude in the history of the world? The man has officially become a LEGEND in my book. I mean how else can you describe the pure genius that he has molded his life into? Think about it. He has played for what, 100 snaps in 6 years? Made almost seven figures by having a front row seat to watch arguably the best QB ever who has not even missed a start? So finally he squeezes the last dime he can out of that franchise and what does he do? Obviously he does the only thing the smartest guy ever made can do.... He signs up to do another tour with the family. At least Eli won't have to worry about going out to buy fathers and mothers day gifts now for Archie and Olivia. Sorgi DEF has that covered. He probably knows exactly how many sugars Olivia takes in her ice tea with bourbon and what kind of po'boy Archie prefers back home. Its just a WIN WIN WIN all around. I love how the Giants had to pretend to be concerned about his shoulder too. Just so everybody thinks they actually are thinking about his football playing ability as a member of the 53. Whatever. We all know better. So go ahead and do your football posturing all you want you clever front office you. There isn't one person in NY who doesn't know that Eli needed a bona fide personal assistant who knows his place. Just like me at the NYGiantsmix. Everybody knows I need help balancing all my talent and NY Giants clarity. Are you hearing me MIX peeps? Get somebody on the horn and sign em up. Just make sure you check out their hands to make sure they can still type so it doesn't look obvious that their hire is to get me coffee and pick up my dry cleaning.

-Kenneth Hirsch

The Real L.T. and the future of L.T lite

2010-03-11T06:51:00.000-08:00

http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978096438

Giants Sign Antrel Rolle

2010-03-06T09:49:00.000-08:00

By: Evan Slavit

On the first day of free agency the Giants got their top target, signing free safety Antrel Rolle to a 5-year 37 million dollar contract, with 15 million in guaranteed money. The contract makes Rolle the highest paid safety, and gives the Giants two former Miami Hurricanes to form arguably the best safety tandem in the league.

Last season after Kenny Phillips went down with an injury, the Giants safeties appeared to be invisible. C.C. Brown and Michael Johnson looked lost all season, as the Giants gave up countless big plays. Aside from the problems at defensive-line, safety was the biggest issue for the Giants, and Coughlin and Reese made a point of that in interviews after the season.

First of all, I like this move as outside of Kenny Phillips there is no one on the roster that I feel confident in starting. Also the chances of the Giants starting a rookie at safety seem slim, if you remember Kenny Phillips did not start his entire rookie season despite having a good training camp and preseason. The move instantly makes the Giants secondary top five in the NFL. With some improved play from the defensive line the Giants could have a dominant defense.

The only thing I am worried about, is what this means for Kenny Phillips. When he was placed on IR last season there was speculation it was a career-threatening injury. The Giants have denied that, but if they were confident in him returning, why spend so much on another safety? Michael Johnson would not be terrible starting next to Phillips and there were cheaper options in free agency. Phillips is going to be a free agent eventually, and if he plays as well as everyone thinks he can, the Giants are going to have to pay him in the same ballpark they payed Rolle. I do not know how, if the league goes back to a salary cap, the Giants can afford to pay two safeties that much money.

I feel the Giants made this decision because they are not certain if Phillips will be back healthy next season, and would like to make sure that they have a stud back there to avoid the same problems of last season. Coughlin has denied the speculation saying it has nothing to do with Phillips, so hopefully I am reading too much into it. Looking at the move by itself, it was a great pick-up for the Giants. The secondary has now become a big strength for the defense, and should help Fewell out a ton. I truly believe that if injuries don't hit too hard this defense could return to the form we saw in 2007 and 2008.

Defensive Optimism

2010-03-01T16:51:00.000-08:00

By: Evan Slavit

We have talked several times about the disappointing season the Giants had. Now the big question is, why is this team going to be better next season, or more specifically how will the defense improve? We could talk about potential free agent signings or the draft, but if the Giants are going to truly improve next season, off-season acquisitions won't be a huge part. It is rare rookies have big impacts and after the free agency failure last year, it would be surprising to see the Giants dish out a lot of money.

The first step the Giants took to improving the defense was firing defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan and bringing in Perry Fewell. It is hard to argue that Sheridan wasn't overwhelmed in his first season, and while people try to defend him by saying he has tons of football knowledge, there is more to being a coordinator than X's and O's. Sheridan never had a feel for the game, not calling the right blitzes, misusing his players, and failing to keep his players focused. Fewell should be more respected and has had a lot of success at creating turnovers for his defenses.

Another positive for the Giants is injuries. There has been some murmurs that the Giants have been injury prone, but outside of last season the Giants have stayed relatively healthy ever since Reese took over as GM and rid the team of some of the older players. Tuck, Boley, Alford, Canty, Ross, and Phillips should be back at full strength, and Osi and Cofield will be a full year removed from surgery. That is a lot of reinforcements to help Fewell turn this team around.

Also there have been a lot of complaints about the free agents Reese brought in last season, but there is even reason for optimism here. Before Boley stepped foot on the field for the Giants, he injured himself and needed surgery. He missed almost all of training camp and preseason. Still he came back to play fairly well for the Giants early in the season. Unfortunately he injured himself again and had to go back under the knife. He was rushed back because of the Giants slide and just never showed that explosiveness again. With the entire off-season to get healthy, there is plenty of reason to believe Boley can come back and be effective. For Canty he was making the switch from 3-4 defensive end to 4-3 defensive tackle. Like Boley he got injured during training camp with speculation he would be put on the IR. He went through a rigorous rehab, and went into the line-up while still injured. His injury coupled with his lack of knowledge of the system caused him to be a non-factor. He is a young player and should come back strong next season.

The Giants were one of the top defenses in 2007 and 2008 and have a lot of the same players on the roster. The big differences were the injuries and change in defensive coordinator. With a healthy roster and an established coordinator, the Giants should be able to put this past season behind them and return to the playoffs.

Giants Draft Needs

2010-02-23T14:08:00.000-08:00

Nicholas Alfonse – 2/23/10

Heading into an important 2010 season, New York will need a quality and successful draft to replenish their team and get them back into fighting shape. Jerry Reese has had some great picks over the past few years, and fans are eagerly waiting to see what happens next. Some of the upgrades are quite obvious, but there are still a few other edges that could use some sharpening.

The first brick that needs to be laid for the new Giants foundation is in their surprisingly vulnerable defensive front. The Giants especially struggled up the middle, both on the ground and through the air. While they had injuries at the DT, ILB, and safety positions, their current roster lacks the depth to withstand the type of beating players like Kenny Phillips, Antonio Pierce, and Michael Boley took last year. New York will need to spend their 1st round pick on a stand-out linebacker or secondary player, as Pierce was recently released and Phillips is coming off surgery.

Currently, the Giants’ starting Linebacking core consists of Boley, Jonathan Goff, and Danny Clark, hardly a group that raises any eyebrows. With the loss of their defensive captain, they will need someone to step up as the new leader of the unit, as well as a strong young player capable of learning and adapting to their system quickly. Someone with the ability to cover running backs coming out on screen plays would be nice too, as we all watched the aging Pierce get burned a number of times last season.

The safeties are possibly the thinnest group on the defense, and New York was forced to move players around in the secondary last year, switching CBs for safeties, which created dangerous matchups and uncomfortable situations. Everyone’s hoping Kenny Phillips will return healthy and effective, but the success of the entire unit cannot hinge on his recovery from microfracture surgery. Michael Johnson is an adequate safety, but his shortcomings became far more apparent without Phillips backing him up. Their reserves are another weakness, and after watching C.C. Brown get burned off the field last season, I hope we don’t have to see too much of him again in 2010.

New York attempted to bolster their DTs last season with Chris Canty and Rocky Bernard, but neither player rose to the task and Canty might not be back in 2010 anyway. Free agent Fred Robbins had a disappointing end to his season, and appears to be on his way out of New York as well. That essentially leaves Barry Cofield and Jay Alford, who missed the entire season after tearing his MCL in the 2009 preseason. Without some major beef added to the line, the Giants are in danger of becoming a literal turnstile again next year, leaving a weak path through the middle of the field.

The Giants have a great opportunity with the 15th pick in this year’s draft to acquire some great, fresh talent at any number of positions that need help. Who knows, maybe Jerry Reese will make a bold move to trade up for an even better spot? The possibilities are endless for the 2010 New York Giants, and I can’t wait to see what April 22nd has in store for fans across the country.

Peyton’s loss runs deeper than Indianapolis

2010-02-16T17:35:00.000-08:00

As a football fan, I was anything but disappointed in this year’s Super Bowl (half-time show and commercials excluded.) Football fans everywhere got to watch the New Orleans Saints win an exciting, emotional game over the Indianapolis Colts. There is nothing better than watching your team win the big game. Saints fans, I hope you enjoy riding this high until next season, you’ve earned it.

As a Giants fan, on the other hand, the game sucked. Eli is my quarterback, and Peyton is Eli’s older brother. I’m not exactly sure how I’m related to Peyton, but I am. He’s the second link in the Manning legacy. In fact, you could even say he’s the last link in the Manning legacy, considering the fact that Eli will never live up to the Manning standard - even with a Super Bowl ring (Eli, I love you, but I’m a realist.) I was not just rooting for the Colts this Sunday - I was rooting for my quarterback’s older brother.
No matter how you look at this year’s Super Bowl, the Colts’ loss rests on the shoulders of Peyton Manning. In my opinion, Peyton is one of the greatest quarterback’s of all time, and he deserves a second ring more than anyone that played on Sunday. But now, Peyton’s legacy will be in question until next season. Forget about his incredible season, his AFC title and his general ability to lead a team. It’s a hard fact of life, but Peyton will have to face the task of proving himself once again when next season rolls around.

So for Giants fans, the question now becomes this: how will Sunday’s loss affect Eli Manning’s morale? On the surface, the loss is for his older brother and his older brother alone. But underneath, Eli had just as much at stake as Peyton. Eli knows he won’t be able to surpass Peyton on any level. Now he, along with the rest of the NFL, sees his brother as fallible. And if Peyton is fallible, what does that make Eli? He doesn’t have his brother’s ability to keep his composure on the field. Time and time again I’ve seen Eli fall into quicksand on the field, especially this past season (which I still have trouble talking about.) When you idolize someone for your entire life and then see them fail, it’s devastating. For Eli, his older brother’s failure has the potential to wreck his own ability to play the game. Knowing Eli, it probably will.

Don’t get me wrong, I will not lose my faith in Eli or the Giants. We have a talented team with the ability to make it all the way. But us Giants fans have to keep our finger crossed for next season, because Eli’s insecurities have never had a problem making their way onto the gridiron.

Defensive Line Dissection

2010-02-16T14:26:00.000-08:00

Nicholas Alfonse - 2/16/10

After the Giants' disappointing 2009 season, it's become obvious that improvements and changes must be made to the defensive unit. While the Giants gave up a boatload of passing yardage, ranking 15th in the league, their secondary was under constant pressure due to the sub-par performance by their defensive line. As a result, teams racked up huge point totals this season, with only the Rams and Lions allowing more than the Giants in 2009. The group that was successful in slowing down one of the greatest offenses in NFL history during the 2007 Super Bowl has dwindled to a mere mediocre threat, losing the respect of opponents and their fans.

While quarterbacks such as Brett Favre, Drew Brees, and Matt Ryan were maligning the secondary for 300+ yard passing days, the defensive line continually failed to slow down the rushing attack. Unless New York was playing a bottom tier team such as Kansas City or Tampa Bay, they struggled in many different aspects of the game. Dallas ran like a wild animal for 251 yards in their first meeting this season, and the Carolina Panthers marched up and down the field for 247 yards during the stadium closing embarrassment on 12/27. Even if their spotty pass defense held up on a consistent basis, the line's breakdown was a regular failure throughout the season.

Examining further, nearly every player on he defensive line experienced a decline in personal statistics from the 2008 to 2009 seasons. Obviously, many players were affected by various injuries, but the decrease in production damaged their pass rush and run defense. Without a vicious, physical attack on the quarterback, top quality players carved up the secondary easily. In 2008, New York ranked 6th with 42 sacks, dropping to 18th with only 32 this past season. Even 2008 was a bit of a disappointment, as the Giants ranked 1st in 2007 with 53 sacks, assaulting quarterbacks every Sunday. Justin Tuck's nagging shoulder injury plagued the line all season, only recording 6 sacks after having 22 during the 2007-08 seasons. Osi Umenyiora dropped from 13 sacks in 2007 to 7 this year, amid recovering from surgery and losing his starting job midway through the season. Even Mathias Kiwanuka experienced a downturn, recording 3 sacks after having 8 last year.

It was a near perfect storm this season for the defensive line, as they were rocked with injuries, benchings, disappointing performances, and weak free agent acquisitions. Umenyiora clearly had poor chemistry with fired defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan all season, eventually leading to sitting on the bench and watching his team come apart at the seams. Fred Robbins also took a seat late in the season, ending up with only 25 tackles on the year. Supposed reinforcement Chris Canty missed 8 games in 2009, while their other pickup Rocky Bernard contributed a measly 22 tackles.

The good news is at least Sheridan and defensive line coach Mike Waufle were fired immediately, as Coughlin has brought in fresh talent to rejuvenate their floundering unit. If this team is to turn around in 2010, the defensive line will need new life and a shock to the system, in order to vault them back towards the NFL elite. Perhaps the answer is bringing in more free agent talent, or spending a draft pick on some young, fresh legs. Either way, Perry Fewell has his work cut out for him this off-season, with the difficult task of restoring the New York defense in his first season in a cutthroat, demanding sports city.

NYG Live - Episode 3

2010-02-15T10:42:00.000-08:00

Matt, Kyle and Bobby provide their thoughts on Super Bowl XLIV, the release of Antonio Pierce, progress of Kenny Phillips, the Hall of Fame class of 2010, and much more in this jam-packed episode!" NYG Live - Episode 3:

Giants Post Antonio Pierce

2010-02-11T11:22:00.000-08:00

By: Evan Slavit

For the past five seasons, Antonio Pierce has been the "quarterback" and leader of the New York Giants' defense. As the seasons have gone on, however, it has become apparent that he is slowing down. Now coupled with the fact that Pierce was recently put on IR for a bulging disc and Pierce's value to the team has greatly diminished. This is why it comes as no surprise that he was released today, marking the end of his time as a Giant.

So what now? For a while the Giants have had problems with their linebackers, throwing mediocre talent out there year in and year out. So do the Giants go to free agency to find their replacement? There should be some options out there, even if there is a uncapped off-season, but should the Giants sign another linebacker free agent after bringing in Boley only a season ago? What about the draft? Positioned at number fifteen the Giants should have some options, like a Rolando Mcclain. Or should the Giants just stay in house and hope that Jonathan Goff can be the answer?

All of these options can work, but the main thing the Giants must keep in focus is leadership. It was embarrassing to see the lack of pride these players showed last season. Outside of Pierce there were very few people who spoke up and became leaders. The middle-linebacker is usually the one calling plays for the defense and so I believe it would be a good idea to go out and bring in a good proven linebacker in free agency. A draft pick would be nice, but it is seldom seen that a rookie comes into the NFL and acts as a leader. Perhaps I am overstating this and guys like Tuck and a healthy Phillips can fill this role, but to have a real presence in the middle would be great for this team.

Bright side of 2009 Giant season...

2010-02-06T03:05:00.000-08:00

By: Mike Connors

The 2009 season was really one to be forgotten because this was not a "NY GIANT" season; they played very soft, the defensive could not do the most basic task in tackling, and the the running back was useless for a big portion of the year. All of the ingredients to be a champ were absent. Although the Giant's season ended on a sour note this entire season was not worthless.
The first positive thing to take out this year was what Giant fans were worried about most...the wide recieving team had a great year. The core consisted of Steve Smith who eclipsed 100 receptions and had a Pro-Bowl season. Mario Manningham who had some issues catching and holding onto the ball in 2008 but, this year he put together 800 plus yards and a handful of touchdowns. The third was a highly touted rookie named Hakeem Nicks who had an up and down season. His numbers were 790 yards for 6 TDs but the numbers lie he had alot of drops. Overall the outlook on Hakeem Nicks is very bright and he will be a solid pass catcher for years to come.
The second positive thing the play of Kevin Boss. He had another solid year but, he did something this year that he hadn't in the past; he blocked and he blocked well. In addition to blocking he emerged as a viable option for Mr.Manning to pass to.
The third semi positive thing from 2009 is that the Giants had so many injuries that it could not possibly be as bad next year. Really...Safety Kenny Phillips, Tackle Jay Alford, RB Brandon Jacobs, RB Andre Brown, Tackle Chris Canty, CB Aaron Ross, Tackle Kareem McKenzie, LB Antonio Pierce, CB Corey Webster, and LB Gerris Wilkenson. Obviously every team has an immense amount injuries, but when it happens to an overrated team you find out quickly how much all hands on deck are needed.
Lastly, the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys were eliminated early on in the playoffs. When you are a Giant fan right now...you will take anything to be happy about.

The Osi Umenyiora saga

2010-02-01T06:33:00.000-08:00

By: Mike Connors

An issue that has to be a big reason Bill Sheridan is a linebacker coach again is he never earned the trust and respect from his players, atleast his most talented player. Bill Sheridan and Osi Umenyiora were having issues from the get go. It began when Sheridan called Osi out during films and the sensitive defensive end took a bathroom break that ended the following day. From that day forward the Gmen defense was doomed.
The Giant brass had a decision to make; get rid of Sheridan or Osi. There is still much speculation that the Giants will trade Umenyiora but a trade of that magnatude would be detremental to the Big Blue defense unless you get a top 5 pick in the draft. Let's face it Osi would be welcome on any team. His skill set is great; he gets to the qb and can finish the sack with a strip and a score.
He gave up on his coordinator this year which is not applaudable but, the season is over and it's a moot point now.
Personally I plan on seeing Osi lining up next to Canty again this year but, with threats of an uncapped year who knows what that will ignite in trade talk.

G-men biggest offseason priority

2010-02-01T06:18:00.000-08:00

The Giants obviously had a rocky season on the defensive side of the ball but, it was hard to watch them play knowing that they can't tackle. The Giants issues begin and end with the linebacker position. Antonio Pierce is great at making decisions and audibling but it ends there. Pierce is too heavy and has lost his quickness to point of embarressment and a change needs to be made. The ultimate pickup would be signing Demaco Ryans from the Texans but, there is a good shot that he will be resigned. Next option is in the draft and the Giants may have to trade up to select him but, Ronaldo McClain is that sideline to sideline inside backer that could be the big difference maker. Other linebacker options available through free agency are Karlos Dansby and Shawn Merriman which are very attractive names. If the Gmen make one of these changes expect them to have more stability next season.

What Went Wrong?: An Ode To the 2009 New York Giants

2010-01-25T16:04:00.000-08:00

By Phil Lombardo

8-8 isn't exactly the picture I painted for the Giants this year. In a season filled with many highs and lows, excruciating was the only term I could come up with to describe the final eleven games of the year.

I was sitting at my desk laughing one night, while thinking about how I was going to burn my Osi Umenyiora Super Bowl jersey, and I thought to myself, “Hey, maybe you shouldn't blame everything on the Osi and the Giants defense. Maybe there was an underlying problem with the Giants that nobody really talked about?”

Now, I know it is obvious that a Steve Spagnuolo's departure from the Big Blue was a huge hit to the morale of the defense. They really bought into his intelligence, coaching style and aggressive approach to each game. His presence alone had an undaunted impact on the development of the young players on the team. But you can't blame Bill Sheridan fully for their woes this season, even though his efforts did get him booted out of New York .

I hate to be the guy to point out the injury bug, and base my arguments solely on the Giants ability, or lack there of, to stay healthy, but injuries continue to be the downfall of the Giants seasons.

Beginning with the loss of Jay Alford in the preseason, Kenny Phillips early in the year, capped off with nagging injuries to Chris Canty, Michael Boley, Ahmad Bradshaw and Aaron Ross, Giants fans across America saw a defense crumble faster than Jim Zorn at a post-game press conference.

Tom Coughlin praised the improvements of Phillips and Alford in the preseason, indicating they would have a large impact during this season. We received a small dose of Phillips early in the year, as he intercepted two passes and looked like he would be a nice addition to an already “stout” defense.

Canty and Boley were the Giants big off-season acquisitions, who both struggled to stay on the field missing a combined thirteen games during the season, and playing hurt for most of the games they were active for.

Ross and Bradshaw were intricate parts to the Giants Super Bowl run and their success last season, but were slowed by nagging leg and back injuries, forcing them to take on reduced rolls. Not to mention Antonio Pierce, the heart and soul of the Giants defense was forced to missed the last seven games due to a bulging disk in his neck.

Like I said before, I normally don't have sympathy for teams that have injury problems because the league is all about depth now and every team has to deal with them, but there were just way too many incidents to let go unnoticed.

In 2005, the Giants got stomped on by the visiting Panthers in the playoffs. They also enjoyed a plethora of injuries, starting practice squad all-star Alonzo Jackson, Nick Greisen and Kevin Lewis at the linebacker position in the playoffs. Giants fans might remember all three chasing after Steve Smith, Deshaun Foster and Nick Goings on their way to being shut out at home 23-0.

In 2006 as well, the Giants finished another injury plagued season 2-6 in their final 8 games, limping into the playoffs with an 8-8 record, only to lose to the Eagles on a last second field goal in the playoffs. I can remember seeing Strahan go down on a routine play, and the next thing I know, he is out for the season with a pectoral tear. That was week ten of the season. Can you point out any coincidences?

I feel like I'm rambling, but I am making a point. It is either the Giants have the leagues worst training staff, or they have just been flat out unlucky with injuries over the past five years. I'll go with the latter.

At full strength, the New York Giants are as talented, if not more talented than any team in the league. Although a few seasons have ended in very ugly fashion, I have faith in our G-Men. TC has them going out there and fighting no matter the what hardship and controversy surrounds them.

Eli Manning and Steve Smith have turned into a dangerous combination and Hakeem Nicks is a star in the making. The front office has a lot of moves to make and holes to fill, but the team has a great core of experience players who know how to get the job done.

I am fully confident that we will have another successful draft and with the addition of Perry Fewell, the defense will be prepared to wreak havoc again next season.

As fans, it is time to get behind our team and look forward to what our Giants have to offer in 2010.

Birds of a Different Feather

2010-01-25T13:11:00.000-08:00

Nicholas Alfonse – 1/25/10

In light of the New York Jets’ recent playoff run, many analysts and fans began to compare their performance to the 2007 New York Giants. However, just because both teams were considered underdogs in nearly every game doesn’t mean that they were the same by any stretch of the imagination. There are many glaring differences between the two teams, and for Jets fans to consider their team to be nearly as dominant or effective as the 2007 Giants is misleading.

One of the biggest weaknesses of the New York Jets defense this year was the lack of pass rush from their defensive linemen. Rex Ryan’s team lived and died by the blitz this year, specifically coming from the secondary. Constantly blitzing forced the team to gamble more than they should have, and allowed some big plays downfield, especially against talented quarterbacks such as Tom Brady or Peyton Manning. The 2007 Giants were nearly the exact opposite, as their defensive line was the most ferocious pass rush in the league, causing havoc and harassing quarterbacks all game long. They led the league in sacks with 53 on the year, 32 of which came from their linemen Umenyiora, Strahan, and Tuck. The Jets however, were ranked 18th in sacks this year, with only 32. This type of supremacy in the pass rush made their defense far more dynamic, allowing them to be effective without blitzing every other down.

Another striking difference is the offensive performance during the postseason. While the Jets were at a disadvantage having a rookie quarterback in Mark Sanchez, Eli Manning was blossoming right before everyone’s eyes. Brian Schottenheimer seemed afraid at times to allow Sanchez the leeway to throw the football, stubbornly insisting on rushing even when Indianapolis was shutting them down during the championship game. Eli completed 72 passes for 854 yards, 6 touchdowns and only one interception during the 2007 playoffs. He was beginning to protect the football when it mattered most, giving the Giants every opportunity to win that year. The rushing attack also was far more balanced, functioning as it had during the regular season. Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs split the carries, each ending up with around 200 yards on the postseason. The Jets however, seemed to work differently, as Thomas Jones (3rd in rushing during the regular season) nearly disappeared completely in the playoffs, leaving all of the work for Shonn Greene. This was effective for a while, but once Greene was out of the Colts game with an injury, their running game completely fell apart.

The final, yet most obvious difference is the Giants actually succeeded in making it all the way! Before the playoffs even started, people were giving out accolades to Rex Ryan and Mark Sanchez as if they had already accomplished something. They won two games at the end of the season that were practically given to them by the Colts and Bengals, which allowed them a shot at the playoffs in the first place. The Giants were also going up against the Green Bay Packers in subzero temperatures for the NFC Championship game, followed by the undefeated and seemingly unstoppable New England Patriots. No one gave the underdogs a chance in either of these games, whereas nearly everyone and their pet llama seemed to be picking the Jets to somehow upset MVP Peyton Manning and the Colts. The Jets deserve credit for their quality performances in the playoffs this year, but next time let’s wait for them to win something before making comparisons to one of the greatest Super Bowl victories of all time.

Positive Spin

2010-01-19T17:41:00.000-08:00

Nicholas Alfonse – 1/19/09

Now that the New York Giants’ front office has decided to select recently fired Buffalo interim head coach and defensive coordinator Perry Fewell to revive the defense, it’s time to try to look at the situation in a positive light. The Bills’ defense historically hasn’t performed well over the past few years, especially while under Fewell. However, there are a number of bright spots that can be found amidst this mess created by the teams’ terrible defensive performance down the stretch this season.

Even though Buffalo gave up more total yardage this season, they were able to make big stops when it mattered most. While New York ranked 30th in points allowed this season, Buffalo was 16th with just over 20 points per game. Despite finishing the season a dismal 6-10, of those losses, five of them were within one score. Buffalo could have been a competitor this season, had their offense been able to score points. Ranked 30th in total yardage and 28th in points, averaging just over 16 points per game, they simply couldn’t compete with many of their opponents. By the offense performing so poorly, it shed a negative light on all aspects of the team’s season.

The Bills were also effective against the passing game, ranking 2nd with just over 184 yards per game allowed. This was far better than the Giants in 2009, as opponents averaged over 214 yards per game. New York gave up 31 passing touchdowns this season (tied for 30th), compared to Buffalo’s 14. Their secondary was able to make 28 interceptions, while the Giants only managed 13. Even though New York has traditionally been thought of as a dominant defensive team, there were many occasions where Fewell’s defense performed better.

While Fewell certainly doesn’t seem like the next Steve Spagnuolo, at least he should be able to help organize the secondary and prevent the Giants from surrendering so many passing touchdowns. Oddly enough, for all the attention the defensive line receives, New York and Buffalo had the same amount of sacks this season. Forcing turnovers was a great piece of New York’s dominance in the past which is desperately needed in order to turn this team around. Hopefully Fewell will be comfortable in his new role and aid the Giants in returning to defensive supremacy.

Domes and the NFL

2010-01-16T17:02:00.000-08:00

By Kevin Casey

When the Giants and Jets announced that they would be building a new stadium, a debate insued as to whether they should include a dome or retractable roof to keep the elements at bay and to potentially attract a Super Bowl to the New York Metropolitan Area. When the final plans were announced, there was no dome or retractable roof, and that is a good thing. Many people have speculated that it is a cost-saving initiative, but when the late Giants CEO Wellington Mara said that football is meant to be played outside, he had a great point. If the Packers play outside, why can't the Vikings or the Colts? Does the oh-so-horrible weather in Texas require the Cowboys to play in a dome? Most of all, why in the hell do the Saints play in a dome? Despite the lack of climate controls, the Giants and Jets were given a one-time NFL exemption and there is a good chance that we will soon see a Super Bowl in New York (or New Jersey). A Super Bowl being played in freezing temperatures, maybe even snow, is something I am extremely interested in seeing.

Looking at the remaining games in this year's playoffs, there is a good chance that both Conference Championship Games will be played in the climate controlled confines of a dome stadium. With the Saints win against the Cardinals today, they guaranteed that next week's NFC Championship will be played in the Superdome. Additionally, the top seed in the AFC, the Colts, play in a dome, and the second seed, Chargers, plays in an area where the forcast is always 80-degrees and sunny. The only chance NFL fans have of seeing a game where the elements are an intrical part of the game is if the Colts lost to the Ravens tonight, and the Jets knock off the Chargers tommorow. If that happens, the Jets will host the AFC Championship and will close out GIANTS Stadium (ugh!).

This is not how the NFL should be played; and it is most certainly not how playoff football should be played. One of the many aspects of football that makes it so great is the fact that games are played in all types of weather short of a hurricane or tornado. One of the most famous games in NFL History, the 1966 "Ice Bowl" NFL Championship at Lambeau Field between the Packers and the Cowboys, was made so popular due to the sub-zero temperatures the game was played in. There was also the Tom Brady Tuck-Rule Game in 2002 between the Patriots and the Raiders where the only thing more memorable than Tom Brady's FUMBLE ruled incomplete pass was the blizzard-like conditions the teams played under in Foxboro. Finally, and more close to the hearts of Giants fans, was the 2007 NFC Championship Game between the Packers and Giants. The temperature at the game was double-digits below zero, and the ground was so frozen, it was like landing on concrete. Both teams played their hearts out, with the Giants winning and booking a date in the much warmer weather of Arizona. These games are just a few examples of the types of games that make the NFL playoffs so special. Part of a football game is how the weather will influence the outcome of a game. Domes take this great aspect of football out of the game, and have made an already boring playoff season even worse.

Perry Fewell Named Giants Defensive Coordinator - by Kevin Casey

2010-01-14T21:09:00.000-08:00

Multiple Media outlets, specifically Mike Fennelly of Giantsfootballblog.com, are reporting that former Buffalo Bills Defensive Coordinator and Interim Head Coach Perry Fewell has been named the new Giants Defensive Coordinator. Fewell was the first, and apparently only, candidate to interview for the position and chose the Giants over the Chicago Bears after being offered the same position there. Other candidates that were mentioned but never interviewed included former Browns Head Coach Romeo Crennel, who became the DC of the Kansas City Chiefs, and Jim Haslett, who recently became the DC of the Washington Redskins. Fewell doesn't necessarily have an outstanding resume in that Buffalo's defense was never any good. However, he was a defensive coach on the 2006 NFC Champion Chicago Bears team that got as far as they did solely due to their defensive performance. The much maligned Giants' defense gave up 4 40-point games in 2009, the most since they gave up 5 40-pointers in 1966 and ranked 28th in total points allowed, ultimately leading to the one and done firing of former DC Bill Sheridan.

I still think the Giants should have interviewed Gregg Williams. Many people would jump at the chance to coach the Giants defense with all their talent. It'll be interesting to see how Fewell implements a scheme wholly different from that of Steve Spagnuolo's juggernaut of 2007-08. One thing is for sure, he definitely has the talent on this team to get the job done, therefore he BETTER get it done. I'm not thrilled about the hiring, but I wish him the best of luck. Anything is better than Bill Sheridan.

To Osi or Not to Osi - The Giants Offseason.

2010-01-14T18:00:00.000-08:00

After beginning the 2009 season with a promising 5-0 start, the New York Giants finished with a dismal 3-8 record and perfectly executed a Mets-like collapse, the likes of which many Giants fans were not used to witnessing. The most pressing question facing the Giants entering the 2009 was whether the young receivers would rise to the occasion and fill the Giant void left by the actions of New York State Inmate Number 17. With the help of Eli Manning, the Giants receivers put the NFL on notice and proved that they are one of the best groups in the game today. Steve Smith rewrote the Giants record-book and will most likely don an NFC Pro Bowl Jersey down in Miami in 2 weeks. Mario Manningham validated the Giant's faith in him when they gambled a third-round draft pick on him in 2008. Hakeem Nicks proved that he is one of the most talented receivers to come out of the draft in years and gave Giants fans, like myself, hope that he will be a superstar for years to come. Manning to Nicks has a nice ring to it, and other NFC East teams and their fans better get used to hearing it often for the foreseeable future.

At the beginning of the season no one could have ever imagined that the group that would be the main culprit in the Giants historic collapse would be their most talented group; the defensive line. Many people trying to put their finger on what exactly happened this year are quick to blame the secondary, and the injuries that plagued the team. While the secondary was horrible and deserves no reprieve for what happened, they were not a talented group to begin with. The Giants defense lives and dies with their front four. In today's pass-friendly NFL, the only way to slow down the pass is to put the opposing quarterback on his back each time he drops back to pass. This not only bails out the secondary, but it puts fear in the mind of the opposing QB. Knowing this, Jerry Reese went out and spent a king's ransom on Chris Canty. Many people, myself included, wondered why he did this, but now we all know the answer. The Giants' failure to bring pressure on the QB this season was the main reason why they lost the way they did, evident by their multiple (5) 40-point defensive disasters, the most since they gave up 5 in 1966, and their 28th ranked points defense.

Now that the season is over, what can the Giants do to change this for 2010? For starters, they needed to fire Bill Sheridan and they did so without any hesitation. One major problem everyone overlooked going into this season was how the Giants would respond to the loss of Steve Spagnuolo. At the beginning of Spagnuolo's tenure as Giants DC, the team struggled to learn his system; evident by the horrible performances put up at the beginning of the remarkable 2007 season, especially the opening game against the Cowboys. Eventually things turned around, and the defense led the Giants to their first Super Bowl appearance in 7 years and their first Championship in 17 years. Many of us hoped this would be the case with Sheridan's tenure. Instead, the defense only got worse each week. Sheridan's gameplan never disguished the blitz and he rarely rushed the entire front four as one cohesive unit. One specific instance that comes to mind is the heart-wrenching loss at home against the San Diego Chargers. The Giants had San Diego in third and long and backed into a corner. Instead of trying to force a quick throw with a well-crafted blitz, the Giants gave Phillip Rivers all day and he eventually found Antonio Gates for a 25-yard gain and a first down. It wasn't Antonio Pierce, Michael Boley, or even Michael Johnson covering Gates. No, it was Justin Tuck trying to chase him down 20 yards down the field. This type of scheme was commonplace in Sheridan's system. Far too often the Giants dropped some of the most feared pass rushers back into coverage on downs that they should have been unleashed on the opposing quarterback. Spagnuolo was successful by crafting difficult to block stunt and blitz packages to force second and third and long. When in those situations, Spagnuolo let loose his pass rushers, forcing quick throws and oftentimes sacking the quarterback. Comming into this season, Sheridan said that he was going to only "tweak" Spagnuolo's system; instead he butchered it, making the once feared Giants defense one of the biggest jokes in the NFL.

Now that the Sheridan experiment is over, the Giants have to find a suitable replacement to bring the Giants Defense back to prominence. Where should they go? Early candidates that emmerged were Perry Fewell from the Bills, Romeo Crennel, and Jim Haslett. Crennel followed fellow Belichick graduate Charlie Wies to New England West (A.K.A. Kansas City). Jim Haslett joined his good buddy Mike Shannahan in Washington. One candidate that was never mentioned in the search was Greg Williams. Williams has been a successful defensive coordinator in the NFL for many years now. He was widely considered the heir-apparent to the Redskins Head Coaching job after Joe Gibbs left, but he was turned down in favor of the offensive-minded Jim Zorn (we all know how well that worked out). Right now, Williams is holding the same position with the New Orleans Saints. Until they got decimated with injuries this year, the Saints defense was one of the best in the league. So why didn't the Giants give him an interview? Why didn't they at least ask the Saints for permission to talk to him? I don't know, and I don't think we will ever find out. Most coordinator contracts do not allow a team to talk to them for the same position; instead it must be for a promotion only. If the Giants would have attached the "Assistant Head Coach" title to his Defensive Coordinator title, there is your promotion. Additionally, I think Williams would have jumped at the opportunity because anyone with that wealth of coaching talent would love to coach a defense with all of the Giants talent; it would be a good audition for a head coaching gig. Instead, it has just been reported by John Fennelly of Giantsfootballblog.com that the only candidate to interview for the job, Perry Fewell, has accepted the Giants offer and is now their new defensive coordinator. I don't know much about Fewell to make give a thumbs up to the signing. I do know, however, that he is young, 47, and he doesn't have much coaching experience. Furthermore, the Bill's defense wasn't exactly a juggernaut last season. I would have thought that the Giants would have looked to sign a more established and experienced coach, but I guess they are willing to give a newcomer another shot. We'll see how this signing works out.

Along with the coaching changes, the Giants have some tough personnel decisions to make. For those of you who do not know, the 2010 season will be an uncapped season. This means that teams across the NFL can release players with large contracts without taking a cap hit. The first tough decision the Giants need to make is whether they feel that Brandon Jacobs is the type of running back they need going forward. Was the 2009 season just a fluke, or will he return to the 2007-08 punishing back? One thing is for certain, he has yet to complete a full season without being injured. He is a huge financial burden on the team, and if he is on the decline, then he is making too much money for his dismal production. With regards to Jacobs, the Giants must decide where they are going with their offense from this point on. Eli Manning is comming into his prime, and it might be time that the Giants gave him the keys to the Ferrari and let him loose. That would entail changing the offensive gameplan from a run-first attack to a pass-first attack. If that is where the Giants decide to go, Jacobs does not fit into their plans. His hands are like stones and he is making too much money to be a back up. Bradshaw fits the mold of a back that would be perfect for a pass-first offense, but I am not sure that he can take the beating of a 30-touches per game for 16 weeks. Due to the uncapped 2010 season, there may be an abundance of talented runningbacks on the market from LT to Fred Jackson. I am a huge fan of the old school, smash mouth football approach. However, the league has changed. The teams with an excellent arial attack are the ones who make it far. It just might be time for a change.

Alongside the Jacobs question, the Giants have some serious decisions to make on the defensive side of the ball. First, Antonio Pierce has played his last game as a New York Giant. He has been a great leader and the captain of the defense throughout his tenure with Big Blue, but he has clearly lost a step and some explosiveness. Additionally, the Giants should cut their ties with Michael Boley. He is not a player I would want on my team. He may have been the best defender for the Giants this year, but that is not saying much. The disrespectful comments he made in response to HALL OF FAMER Harry Carson's criticism of the team after the embarrassing Carolina game, coupled with his off-field legal issues that resulted in him being suspended this year, have made him too much of a liability and cancer to warrant a spot with this proud franchise. Regardless of whether one or both of these moves happen, the Giants need to address their lack of production and depth at linebacker. Clint Sintim will be good, but he needs time; Chase Blackburn and Brian Kehl are second-stringers at best; and the Jonathan Goff experiment failed miserably. To fill this void, the Giants should look to both the free agent market and the draft. Probably the best available player this offseason will be the Texans linebacker DeMeco Ryans. He is a leader and a force on any defense. He is the type of player that offenses must design their gameplan around. He can step in and immediately make the Giants defense feared. In addition to Ryans, the Giants should do everything in their power to draft fellow Alabama-Alum Rolando McClain with their first round pick. The Giants have the 15th pick in this April's draft and McClain has already announced that he will forgo his senior season and enter the draft. There is a chance that McClain may not fall to them at 15, but they should consider moving up to get him; that's how good this guy is. For those of you who did not see the Alabama-Texas BCS National Championship Game, McClain was all over the field and manhandled the prolific Texas offense (before and after Colt McCoy left the game). McClain's speed and play recognition will allow him to step in and have an immediate impact for the Giants. He may be the most NFL-ready player in this year's draft and the Giants should do all they can to bring him to East Rutherford.

Probably the most intriguing question facing the Giants defensive personnel is what to do with Osi Umenyiora. No other Giant has garnered the negative press he did this past season, starting with his very public confrontation with Bill Sheridan during training camp and ending with his postgame comments from week 16 where he questioned whether he would be back next season. I can guarantee you that if he is made available, there will be 31 other teams interested in him. Osi is one of the most liked Giants on the team right now. Many people in the media have suggested that the Giants should move him now while his value is still high. It is true that he is a headache, and it is more likely than not that he will make another contract stink at some point before the season starts. Unfortunately for him, he is under the Giants control and he has done little to earn a new contract. As a matter of fact, he hasn't lived up to the contract he signed following the 2007 season. Despite this, I am a huge Osi fan and I want him in a Giants uniform on Kickoff Weekend 2010, but the Giants must do what is best for the whole team. If the right offer is presented, Jerry Reese should consider moving Osi. The one thing the Giants have going for them is that they have the best defensive line depth in the NFL. The Giants have outstanding back-ups at every position, many of whom would be starters on other teams. For example, would there be a huge fall-off from Osi to Kiwi? I don't think so. The Giants need to maintain youth on their roster and the only way they can do that is through the draft. Therefore, if a team comes to the Giants and is willing to part with a 1st and 3rd round or a 1st rand 2nd round picks in this years draft, then the Giants should move Osi. On the other hand, under no circumstances should the Giants simply cut Osi and receive nothing in return. Headache or not, he is a top 10 defensive end in the NFL. Regardless of whether my opinions on what the Giants should do this offseason come to fruition or not, I have faith in Jerry Reese that he will make the correct coaching and personnel decisions to get the Giants back on track to being Super Bowl contenders in 2010.

Defensive Candidates

2010-01-11T10:44:00.000-08:00

Nicholas Alfonse 1/11/09

In the wake of the firings of defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan and line coach Mike Waufle, Tom Coughlin has begun the process of finding the next leader of the Giants defense. Among the possible candidates are recently fired Buffalo defensive coordinator and interim head coach, Perry Fewell, as well as Romeo Crennell, who took this season off to recover from hip surgery. While these coaches have far more experience in the NFL than Bill Sheridan, neither has been fantastic over the past few years.

When trying to recover from an injury plagued and disappointing defensive performance in 2009, hiring someone that was just fired after an AFC East last place finish at 6 and 10 doesn’t seem to be the appropriate response. Perry Fewell’s defense in Buffalo has been mediocre at best over the past three years, and the team has not had a winning season since he joined them in 2006. Here is a snapshot of the Bills defensive statistics since 2007:

2007 – 25th ranked run defense allowing over 124 ypg – 29th ranked pass defense allowing over 238 ypg
2008 – 22nd ranked run defense allowing over 121 ypg – 13th ranked pass defense allowing over 204 ypg
2009 – 30th ranked run defense allowing over 156 ypg – 2nd ranked pass defense allowing over 184 ypg

The only item that stands out from these numbers is the improvement of the defensive passing effort, which became stronger each year under Fewell. However, the rushing defense reached an awful bottom point this season, as the only teams who ranked lower were Kansas City and Tampa Bay, managing only 7 wins this year combined.

Perry Fewell was also part of the Buffalo staff that was fired immediately after season’s end, as the Bill’s general manager cleaned house after their 5th straight losing season. While in theory New York has far more talent defensively than Buffalo, the performance generated by Fewell isn’t good enough. The Giants need their dominant defensive presence to return next season, and hiring a coordinator with a proven sub-par track record is not the right answer.

Romeo Crennell is the other possible candidate, who has had far more success with his defenses, although not lately. Giants fans should remember him as a defensive line coach under Bill Parcells when the team won the Super Bowl in 1991 against the Buffalo Bills. Crennell moved on to eventually become the defensive coordinator for the New England Patriots during their Super Bowl victories in 2001, 2003, and 2004. Here is a brief look at his defenses during the Patriots’ back-to-back championships:

2003 – allowed just over 14 ppg (ranked 1st) and held opponents to avg of just over 89 rush ypg
2004 – allowed just over 16 ppg (ranked 2nd) and held opponents to avg of just over 98 rush ypg

Unfortunately his success didn’t continue as a head coach with the Cleveland Browns, a position from which he was fired after four seasons with a 24-40 record during his tenure. The Browns defense was also poor, ranking 26th and giving up just under 22 points per game in Crennell’s final season.

New York is on the hunt for potential defensive gurus; however neither of their first two suitors seems to fit the bill. Even though Crennell was successful in the past with the Giants and Patriots, it’s impossible to know which one will show up. Would it be the Cleveland or the New England Romeo? As for Perry Fewell, his selection seems ridiculous, highlighted by the Bills terrible defensive performance over the past three years. New York needs their defense back, and pursuing either of these unemployed coaches is a gamble most fans are unwilling to take.

Shake it Up

2010-01-07T10:58:00.000-08:00

Nicholas Alfonse 1/7/09

When the New York Giants season finally ended on an incredibly disappointing note, owner John Mara demanded changes. Amid discord over every aspect of the defense and completely poor performances against Carolina and Minnesota to close out the season, both defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan and defensive line coach Mike Waufle were fired within three days of the season's end. Let me join in the chorus of Giants fans to say "So long and good riddance!"

Over the course of the season, the powerful Giants defensive line seemed to lose its identity. No longer was the pass rush a feared aspect of their schemes, and prolific offenses such as New Orleans and Philadelphia were quick to recognize and exploit their weaknesses. Every unit of the defense seemed to suffer, whether it was blown coverages, injuries, or general lack of effort and passion.

While Mike Waufle had some fantastic seasons with the Giants, the unit fell apart this year, especially against the top tier of NFL teams. They performed well against teams such as Oakland and Kansas City, but the results were exactly opposite against high powered offenses. The culmination was the 85 points allowed in the final two contests, where the entire defense was invisible. Tom Coughlin was forced to make tough decisions due to outrage and anger from fans, season ticket holders and even the team’s owners.

For the two previous years under Steve Spagnuolo, the Giant defense attacked quarterbacks, forced turnovers, and challenged teams to run the football. From the moment Bill Sheridan took the reigns, the defensive unit took a visible turn for the worse. Last year the Giants were ranked 5th in both total yards and points allowed. In 2009, the team’s statistics sank like a stone, dropping to 13th in total yards allowed and 30th in total points allowed. The defense was allowing an average of over 26 points per game, also 30th in the league, compared to just over 18 per game in 2008, which was 5th.

Another issue was the lack of performance from the new free agent acquisitions this year. The fans were sold on bolstering the defensive line with Rocky Bernard and Chris Canty. Both players had numerous injury problems and totaled only 35 tackles combined. C.C. Brown was another disastrous pick-up at the safety position as he was completely outclassed and outplayed during games against New Orleans and Arizona. While starting linebacker Michael Boley was 2nd on the team in tackles, he was plagued by hip and knee injuries, and also started the season off with a one week suspension from the league.

The New York Giants suffered a rash of injuries to a number of critical players, which immediately impacted their effectiveness and play on the field. Possibly the toughest loss was Kenny Phillips being placed on injured reserve after only two games. The 2nd year player was expected to have a breakout season, but instead suffered a possibly career-threatening injury to his knee. The already weakened secondary was also forced to deal with Aaron Ross’ hamstring issues, and Corey Webster’s sprained right knee. Justin Tuck played nearly the entire season with shoulder problems, while Osi Umenyiora seemed rusty after missing all of last season. Perhaps the final nail in the coffin was discovering Antonio Pierce’s impacted disc, which finished the defensive captain’s season after week 9.

While the disappointment and frustration felt by Giants fans is completely warranted, it’s obvious that the front office and coaching staff is committed to ensuring a turnaround next season. Possibly this type of play would be tolerated in Jacksonville or St. Louis, but New York fans know better than to sit back and pay for these failures. If the Giants plan on parading a sub-par lackluster defense onto the field next year, they had better think again, especially with the turmoil of PSL’s in full swing.

Mailin’ It In

2010-01-04T20:51:00.000-08:00

Nicholas Alfonse 1/4/10

It’s difficult to describe the reaction most people experienced while watching the New York Giants’ final performance of the season. Granted, they were eliminated from playoff contention, but the Minnesota Vikings still had something to play for. Most fans would like to believe that the team wanted to make a strong effort following their embarrassing closing of Giants Stadium last week. Unfortunately, we thought wrong.

Once again, the Giants looked completely inept on every side of the ball as the Vikings put up 31 points and 343 yards of offense in the first half. Brett Farve was literally faking the Giant defenders out of their cleats, as he carved up the secondary with ease. It was shocking to see a once proud and feared defense look so visibly confused and defeated as they closed out a disappointing season.

There were a number of plays that seemed to highlight the complete lack of effort and intensity on the Giant’s part. On a long pass play to Sidney Rice, the defensive line was unable to put any sort of pressure on the quarterback, while the receiver was still able to make the catch in double coverage. Earlier in the game, Kevin Dockery had another pass go right over his head to Bernard Berrian while his back was turned, completely unaware of the ball’s location. Anyone watching this game would have a difficult time believing they were seeing a 40-year-old quarterback throw for over 300 yards and four touchdowns.

From the moment the offense was on the field, everything appeared out of sync. They were clearly bothered by the crowd noise in the dome, as Eli was forced to call a timeout during the first possession. This clearly was not a positive sign of things to come. Brandon Jacobs was kept out of the game with another knee injury, as the rushing attack suffered and was held to a total of 35 yards. Minus one 26 yard pass play to Ahmad Bradshaw, its tough to think of one decent play made by anyone on the team in the first half.

Giants fans will certainly be looking for answers following this latest debacle, and an apology from Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning is not going to satisfy the incensed New York fan base. Wildcard weekend can’t get here soon enough, as we all need something entertaining to take our minds off this horrendous finish.

Disappointing!? You Bet it's Disappointing!

2009-12-31T06:50:00.000-08:00

Well I imagine it really is the loneliest of holidays for the 2009 Giants. The kind that leave you wondering what went wrong, and why couldn't we have more (wins!) everyone else does?! I can't help but see the Fox NFL coverage of Mr. Tuck, Super Bowl hero but regular season average man, shaking his head repeatedly, as the Giant defense got beat, missed a tackle, or just left a gaping hole - over and over again. It makes a baby booming fan of this ramshackle collection of talent and over achieving "once and medium rare" defensive players, want for the days, when no one ran for more than 3 yards on our front four, and the db's consistently tackled every receiver ( just after making a first down).

I really have been unable to stomach our newspaper clip reading, over rated defensive ends and "play making" linebackers. While I am not sure which players need to be replaced, and I am sure that next year will be better; I believe that Tom Coughlin new all along that this team lacked the intensity that you need to win in this league. Tom rebuffed interviewers when guys like Canty and Boley couldn't stay on the practice field during the summer. Tom would say "I
t's all on paper." And, although we thought Pierce was pretty good, - he apparently wasn't good enough and he certainly wasn't dominating - especially when not in the line-up. Our db's were never on the field in the same configuration as the Super Bowl run - and it showed!

On offense we got soft upfront following our 5-0 start, and when the going got tough, well, our rookie recievers began dropping a passes here and there while the running game was getting stuffed, and it all began to unravel.

The only other thing that is hard to stomach is the irony of The Eagles and Cowboys, suddenly playing better and looking like, in spite of their up and down seasons, that one of them may very well be the 07 Giants incarnate.

I am convinced that were the schedule 24 games long that the Giants would finally have a chance to play to their best capability once again, while other teams returned to the trough of their "bell curve" charted seasons. And who knows who would be on top at the end?

In closing I'll say that I now do believe that it is just too hard to play with the coaches expected intensity week in and week out, when your motivating force is not the fear of losing, or being benched, but - rather, ending up on the wrong end of the highlight reels on Sports Center. $$$$

Final Game at Giants Stadium Ends in Elimination

2009-12-28T15:59:00.000-08:00

By: Evan

A must win game Sunday was the last game the Giants would ever play in Giants stadium, but you would not be able to tell any of this by the way they played. The defense could not come up with any stops against an average Panthers offense, and Eli and the offense were unable to get anything going for the entirety of the game. The Giants were humiliated 41-9 in what can be considered the most disappointing game in an extremely disappointing season. With victories by the Packers and Cowboys, the Giants are officially eliminated from the playoffs. This will be the first time they miss the postseason since Eli’s rookie season.

The offense was the one constant you thought you could count on for the rest of the season, but they were even worse than the defense was. The offense seemed to be able to move the ball with ease as the game began, but after the Manningham fumble the offense just went into a shell. Following that point, the Giants could not get a running game going, and Manning was having no luck connecting with receivers. The truth was, for this offense to play well they needed Eli to continue putting up big numbers and carry this team. He was unable to do that today playing average at best. Without getting the threat of a passing game, the running game was unable to get going.

Defensively they started out strong. They gave up a field goal and Matt Moore had a lot of time in the pocket, but they were shutting down the run. The problem was that after falling to a ten point deficit it appeared Sheridan panicked. Instead of having his guys play the run first, he started to send waves of blitzes to rattle the young quarterback of the Panthers. Like all season, these blitzes did not hit home and Moore was able to make some completions. Also with more attention being paid to the passing game, the Panthers were able to get the running game going. With the balanced offense the Panthers were able to keep the Giants on their heals and marched down the field with ease on almost every possession.

The Giants offensive problems crippled the team. It is no secret this defense is not a solid unit. When it became apparent the offense was not going to be able to put up lots of points the defense tried to make some big plays. Unfortunately that put the unit into situations they are not good at. They have been awful with blitzes this season and by failing to get pressure with extra men, Sheridan left an already depleted secondary with a bigger chance to get burned. Without Eli carrying this team they were unable to get points on the board to compete. Before anyone knew what was happening, the game was out of reach and so were the Giants chances of making the postseason.

The Nightmare After Christmas

2009-12-28T13:10:00.000-08:00

By Nicholas Alfonse 12/28/09

The final day in Giants Stadium was an event for the ages. People purchased tickets, brought friends, cooked food and reminisced on memories and good times shared throughout the years spent there. Everyone was invited to the party, only the football team never showed up. On an afternoon where the New York Giants needed to win in the worst way, the team failed to take control of any and all aspects of the game.

It’s difficult to select the main problem with Giants’ performance yesterday. Was it the four turnovers? Could it be the holding penalty that called back Steve Smith’s touchdown catch in the first quarter? Or possibly the complete lack of any sort of rushing defense? The Giants were poor in literally every aspect of the game, and the final score of 41-9 told the harsh truth.

Many fans were especially upset with the horrendous defense, as Jonathan Stewart successfully rushed for over 200 yards and a touchdown. “It’s obviously not working, I don’t know why he doesn’t change the schemes,” said Brian Dunn of Connecticut about Bill Sheridan's defense.

Not only did the team constantly turn the ball over, but also the entire offensive effort was practically non-existent. Eli Manning fumbled three times, and Mario Manningham lost the ball in the Carolina red zone during the Giant’s opening drive. What should have been a close game turned into an absolute embarrassment for the team and their loyal fans.

“We’ve had so many happy times in the stadium, its too bad the G-men didn’t show up today,” said Mike Loundy of Point Pleasant Beach.

Notoriously known to be a hostile environment for visiting teams to play in, the 12^th man was absent for most of this game. The cheers and roar of the crowd was taken out early, as the Panthers scored 24 points in the first half. “Giants stadium is stunned,” said Bob Papa during his broadcast of the game on 660AM WFAN.

The stunned audience began to pour out of the stadium by the fourth quarter, as the Panthers were up by 31 points. What many people were expecting to be a joyous occasion had turned into a disaster. The team embarrassed themselves in front of thousands of people and also did a real disservice to their fans. As fantastic as the team played last week in Washington, was how terrible their performance was yesterday. Tom Coughlin even apologized to the media in a press conference this morning for the team’s complete lack of effort and pride.

The Giants season and playoff hopes came to a bitter end, much sooner than most people expected. Hopefully this terrible memory of the closing game will be replaced by new, enjoyable ones next season. Its just a shame that we will all have to wait that long.

Panthers at Giants Preview

2009-12-25T12:35:00.000-08:00

By: Evan

The Giants go into week 16 essentially having to win out in order to make the playoffs. They got off to a fast 5-0 start but have since stumbled to an 8-6 record and more importantly, haven't won consecutive games since. They now have to hope they can win three in a row and have either the Packers of Cowboys drop one of their next games. For now let's focus on the next and thus most important game at hand: this week's showdown against the Panthers.

Unlike last week, the Giants should not expect to get tons of pressure from their front four. In fact, it might be more likely that the front four will get pushed around as the offensive line for the Panthers is possibly the strongest part of their offensive team. For the Giants to win this game, they have to shut down the Panthers running game. The passing attack for Carolina is not terribly frightening, especially with undrafted back-up Matt Moore starting. While he has played well in the starts he has made, you have to believe if he truly was that good, Fox would have started him long ago when Delhomme was struggling to keep his turnovers down. Even with Steve Smith I believe if the Giants can hold the Panthers running game in check, Moore will have trouble beating the Giants through the air. If the Panthers can not score early and Eli can put up some quick points, the Panthers will have to become one-dimensional, making it easier for the pass rush to pick up.

Offensively I believe the Giants are more adept to handle the Panthers defense than the Vikings were. Last week the Vikings struggled to run the ball and moved almost exclusively to the pass. This allowed Peppers to do what he loves most and focus only on bringing down the quarterback. Left tackle Mckinnie was unable to contain him and the Vikings never slid protection over, giving Favre less time to pass. While the Giants do not have a far better offensive line, I believe the Giants have a better chance of keeping a balanced offense. The Panthers will not be trying to shut down the running game as they know they have to focus on shutting down Manning. With the open running lanes, Gilbride can compliment Eli and this top passing attack with the running game to keep Peppers and the rest of the defensive line on their heals. If the Panthers can not get a good rush going the Giants will rip through them with a good possibility of having another game of 30+ points.

As long as the Giants stick to their game plan they should be able to beat the Panthers. Offensively the Panthers should not provide too many problems for the Giants. The way the Giants will lose this game is if the defense can not contain the Panthers running game. If the improved run defense can continue for another week, the Panthers will have trouble sustaining drives and putting up points.

With Giant Victory, Big Blue Keeps Pace

2009-12-22T12:18:00.000-08:00

By: Evan

In a must-win game, the Giants pummeled the Redskins to the tune of a 45-12 victory. The team came out on fire and had their best game in weeks. It was against a weaker opponent, but the Redskins were not a team to be overlooked. Coming into this game, they had been competitive since their victory over the Broncos in week 10. If the Giants can build on this win there is a chance that they can not only make the playoffs, but makes some noise once they get in.

The Giants performed better offensively against the Redskins than I had thought. Generally the Redskins have played the Giants running game well, but not last night. The Redskins decided to rely on a pretty basic defense to stop the power running of the Giants, hoping the defensive line with the return of Haynesworth would be enough. This was not the case, however, as the Giants offensive line had one of their best games and were able to open plenty of holes for the running backs, keeping the Skins from turning up the heat on Manning. With the time Manning had, he was able to carve up an under-performing secondary with a receiving group that is quietly making the Giants passing game one of the best in the league. In the past five games the Giants have only failed to eclipse 30 points once, and that was in the Thursday night no-show against the Broncos. More importantly, Gilbride and Coughlin have accepted that the team's new offensive identity requires the run to be set up by the pass and the play calling showed that. Gilbride called arguably one of the best games of the season. The offense is hitting its stride at the right time, and could help the Giants go on a run.

Defensively the Giants have improved the biggest area of concern this season, that being the pass rush. With the injury to Tuck the Giants have not had a lineman step up to wreak havoc in the opponents back field. This game was a different story as Campbell was under duress the entire game, with five different players recording a sack. The rush stymied a Redskins offense that did not get a first down till the game was practically out of reach, and finished the game with only 12 points. The problem is, like i said in the game preview, the Redskins have an injury-ravaged line and so the Giants were not going to have much of a problem getting a pass rush. Their next two opponents, the Panthers and Vikings, have much better lines, as will the teams they meet come playoff time. For the Giants to truly take that next step, they are going to need to continue to see this improved defense, and that is going to have to come from the pass rush.

The Giants offense is clicking at the right time and might have to carry the team into the postseason. The defense was able to dominate in a game against a weaker opponent, in a match-up that was greatly in their favor. The big test will be if this improvement can continue into the coming weeks.

Airborne Eli

2009-12-22T11:32:00.001-08:00

By Nicholas Alfonse 12/22/09

The New York Giants came out like a team on a mission for Monday Night Football, taking it to the Washington Redskins in a 45 to 12 drubbing. The game was dominated on all three sides of the ball, barely allowing Washington the opportunity to breathe for the majority of the evening.

While the Giants have usually relied on a power running game, the offense has increasingly become centered on Eli and their young receiving core. Over the past two games, Eli has put together his best statistical numbers of the season, combining for six touchdowns, over 650 yards, over 70% completions, and zero interceptions.

Eli looks incredibly comfortable in the pocket, and continues to emerge as a dominant force in the offense, rather than just a game manager. Against Washington he consistently read the defensive schemes in order to change pass protections and call audibles to take the best opportunities possible. He uses these situations to his advantage and makes accurate throws without attempting to force plays that simply aren’t there.

The proof is in his performance, as he became the first Giants quarterback to throw for 3,500 yards and 25 touchdowns in a season. He also broke his personal record of 24 touchdowns during the rout against Washington, setting the bar at 26. Third year receiver Steve Smith also ranks in the NFL’s top 10 for receptions and yards.

Nearly everyone in the offense was involved over the past two games, as five different players scored touchdowns in each game, with eight or more different players catching passes against both opponents. Sharing the wealth across the board makes it difficult for defenses to target and neutralize a specific offensive threat.

Aside from the poor performances in New Orleans, Philadelphia, and Denver, the offense has not been the major reason for the Giant’s problems. The team’s other three losses were lost by one touchdown or less, and could have been drastically different had the defense been able to perform.

The success of the young receivers has surprised everyone, and Eli deserves a great deal of credit for guiding these players and aiding in their development. Both fans and experts doubted the consistency and talent of this group during the off-season. The Giants and Eli look to disprove the non-believers, and make a run at the playoffs in the closing games of the season.

Giants at Redskins Preview

2009-12-20T09:07:00.000-08:00

By: Evan

The Giants defense sputtered out last week providing little resistance against an Eagles team that managed 45 points to take the win. The loss keeps the Giants out of that final playoff spot for another week and with Dallas winning last night, the Giants have to win this game to keep pace. The Redskins might be the bottom dwellers of this division, but they have been playing pretty well lately giving a lot of talented teams fits. The Giants should be able to win this game, but if they make too many mistakes they could easily lose.

Offensively the Giants might have some difficulties in this game. They really like to establish the run inside, and like at the start of this season, it will be hard to do so with Haynesworth plugging up the middle. In addition the Redskins have vastly improved their pass rush since the Giants last played them. With the improved pass rush I believe it would be a good idea for the Giants to try to establish the run even though they could have trouble with Haynesworth. Eli has been good this season, but he struggles when he faces a heavy pass rush and the Redskins are capable of bringing the heat. If the Giants can give Eli time I like his chances to carve up a disappointing secondary of the Redskins. Nicks got his first start last week and while he had some drops, he ultimately finished with over 100 yards receiving. With him, Smith, and Boss in the line-up, Eli has plenty of reliable receivers.

Defensively the Giants have really struggled as of late, but have a good chance to rebound in this game. The area that is really hurting the Giants is the deep pass. They have not been able to get the pass rush they had hoped for and teams are having tons of time to find open receivers. The good news for the Giants is the Redskins have a lot of injuries to the offensive line. This should help the Giants to get a rush on the Redskins forcing Campbell to get rid of the ball early, and not get into a rhythm. In addition the Redskins do not really have a big threat at receiver. Fred Davis is their best option and he is a tight end. Moss is regressing and no one else is really stepping up. They also have injuries at running back, and if the Giants can stop the running game like they did against the Eagles and Cowboys the defense could have a good game.

I could be wrong but I see this as a low scoring game. The Giants match up well defensively against the Redskins as they have struggled in pass protection. With the added pressure the Giants should be less likely to get burned in the passing game. Offensively the Giants might have some problems, but in a close game I like Eli over Jason Campbell.

Giants Defense Has No Answers

2009-12-14T15:32:00.001-08:00

By: Evan

For the second time this season the Giants surrendered 40+ points to the Eagles. The Giants made it close putting up 38 of their own points, but ultimately their defensive deficiencies were too much and they lost to the Eagles by a score of 45-38.

Offensively the Giants performed much better than they have against the Eagles since the loss of Burress. The receivers had a great game, making two big catches and runs leading to touchdowns. Even the running game performed well, only having a few negative plays and averaging over four yards per carry. The problem was they had some really silly turnovers that cost them potential scores and momentum. A big one came only moments after the Giants got their first turnover of the game, as Eli did not slide properly and lost the football. While another came on the Giants opening drive and was returned for six, putting the Giants into a 14-0 hole. In a game as tightly contested as this was, these turnovers were inexcusable.

Defensively the Giants had lots of problems. It appears obvious that Justin Tuck is not playing at the level we are used to, something that is probably attributed to his shoulder injury. With his drop in play, alongside Robbins problems, the defensive line has not been able to get the pressure we expect. Even worse, the blitzes Sheridan dials up, never seem to create any impact. This becomes a big problem against a team like the Eagles, as they love the deep ball and the lack of pressure gives Mcnabb and the receivers plenty of time to get deep and open on NY's suspect safeties. Luckily the Giants run defense has greatly improved since the start of the season, so the defense is not completely dormant.

Right now this team just does not seem very well coached. The players continually say it is not the fault of the coaches, but the player's fault for not executing. Well these same players executed just fine last season, so at some point I believe the responsibility falls on the coaches to get these guys into the right positions. There have been far too many big plays against the Giants where there is no defender in sight. This is either due to poor coverage, or perhaps the defenders do not have a good grasp of Sheridan's system. If this is true, Sheridan must find a way to get across his scheme to his players, and if he can't it might be time to adapt. There is still a good chance they make it into the playoffs as they do not have a particularly challenging schedule, but they are going to have to improve if they want to make any noise once they get in.

Eagles at Giants Preview

2009-12-12T14:25:00.000-08:00

By: Evan

Ever since the Giants lost Plaixco Burress, they have been unable to beat the Eagles. The most recent match-up was a blowout, seeing the Eagles win 40-17. This week the Giants have a chance to avenge that horrible loss in a game that could decide the NFC East.

Offensively the Giants have had lots of problems against the Eagles without Burress. It is no secret that his loss has allowed the Eagles to focus on shutting down the Giants running game and have Manning beat them. Unfortunately, Manning has failed to step up in any of the past three games, where they have scored 14, 11, and 17 points. I hate to say this because I have been preaching offensive balance all season, but this might be a good game to come out passing often. While the Giants did find success running the ball last time, they need to put a higher emphasis on getting Eli into a rhythm early. Eli is a streaky passer and can look amazing when in a rhythm and horrible when not and if they are going to win this game, it will be due to a great performance by Eli. To start out the game the Giants should look to get some quick passes into the hands of Kevin Boss, Steve Smith, and Hakeem Nicks. The Eagles have had trouble covering the middle of the field and Boss had a great game last time. In addition these receivers are the most reliable and the ones that Eli trusts the most, getting these guys involved in some short and intermediate routes should help Eli to get comfortable. The Giants should also aim to avoid the long ball as they were not effective last time. They brought up too many third and long situations, a problem for the Giants as they did not convert a single third down that was longer than six yards. In short the offense should be a similar one we saw in the playoff run in 2007. There does not need to be a big play, but a lot of short efficient passing complimented with power running leading to some 8-10 play scoring drives.

Defensively the Giants have played well against the Eagles, except this season. As mentioned earlier, the last time these two teams met the Giants let up 40 points. The interesting thing about this, is most of the stats the Eagles accumulated during the game would not indicate a blow-out. For a team that loves to pass the ball, they had only 211 passing yards, they converted only 6-11 third downs, scored a touchdown in only one of three red zone opportunities, held the ball for 24 min, and had two turnovers. The big stat the Eagles had: 180 yards rushing and more importantly 7.5 yards per rush, a stat that probably shocked the Eagles as well. When you break the game down, the defense did not do that horrible of a job. They gave up 10 points because of bad field position (An Eli interception, and a Hixon fumble on a kick-off return) and 21 more points on big plays. If you get rid of those plays the Giants defense held the Eagles to 73 rushing yards and 3.3 yards per carry, 157 passing yards and most importantly 13 points. While these plays are still the responsibility of the defense, there is reason to believe the Giants won’t give them up this time around. Both runs were due to a poor push up the middle, and terrible angles by the safeties. In this game Canty and Boley were still sidelined, Robbins was starting, Cofield wasn’t playing well, and C.C. Brown and Michael Johnson were the starting safeties. With a healthy defense and the line-up changes we saw last week, there is reason to believe the Giants won’t miss as many assignments, especially with their performance against the Cowboys. They limited the Cowboys running game and made Romo and the offense work for their touchdowns. I know a lot of people look at that game and see close to 400 passing yards as a bad thing, but when the team only scores twenty-four points, seven that were somewhat meaningless, the defense did a good job. The safeties made sure no plays got behind them and played the run hard, this made the Cowboys one-dimensional and forced them to score points only if they were able to do so methodically. They weren’t, leading to some bad third down plays and turnovers, and the Giants were able to come out victorious. If the Giants can have a similar performance against the Eagles, the Eagles will have a hard time scoring.

The main thing the Giants have to look to do is eliminate the big plays both offensively and defensively. Turnovers and big offensive plays led the Eagles to the easy win. If Eli gets into a rhythm and doesn’t turn the ball over the offense has the chance to get some good drives going. Defensively if the Giants make the Eagles work for their yardage they have a good chance of keeping the Eagles in check, as they have not been good scoring in the red zone or converting on third down. The Giants have some momentum after the big win last week and can go for their second division win in a row and really solidify their chances of making the playoffs and maybe even win the division.

Possiblities

2009-12-07T12:18:00.000-08:00

by Kahlil Thomas

The 31-24 win for the New York Giants over the Dallas Cowboys has opened the door for the Giants to make an impact in this the final month of the football season. Dallas, who looked great in the first 28 minutes of the game, totally could catch anyone and their secondary looked like Swiss cheese during the 2nd half. But the Giants had their own issues.

Even with two sacks on Tony Romo, the pass rush was here and there but you saw improvement from previous where there was pressure to speak of. And the special teams? A punt return for a touchdown from Domenik Hixon? That made perk up in my seat a little because I haven't seen a punt return for a touchdown since Chad Morton did it years ago. That is a threat that could only help the Giants down the stretch.

Offensively, Eli Manning didn't light the world on fire and his yards came on that big play to Brandon Jacobs but the running game must improve. 20 attempts between Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw is not getting the job done especially with weather getting cold and getting worse.

Overall, big plays reigned supreme in this game and the Giants made those plays. If Dallas have one of those Dallas Decembers, the possibilities are endless for what the Giants could accomplish in the last four games. Dallas has a tough schedule, the Eagles play NY and Dallas so if the Giants could win next week, that could start the footsteps up the NFC East.

Chargers 21, Giants 20

2009-11-08T21:17:00.000-08:00

My oh my what a game it turned out to be in the Meadowlands on Sunday. A lot of Giants fans I'm sure had a feeling of anxiousness and enthusiasm to see how their beloved Big Blue would respond since getting trounced last Sunday in Philadelphia. The answer is simply that they did indeed lose another game to push their losing streak to four straight. The positive part of this loss, if there is any positive in losing is that the Giants seemed to play three and a half quarters of football. With that said, obviously three and a half quarters is not near enough to get a win in the National Football League and the Giants experienced that first hand Sunday.

Looking at the problems that the Giants have faced during this stretch, their offense seemed to produce solid numbers today. Eli Manning and company managed to out gain San Diego by a count of 304-266. Manning seemed solid in completing 25 of 33 passes for a total of 215 yards and two touchdowns. Notice there was no mention of an interception in that stat line. So what went wrong? First and foremost the Giants are still not letting the run become established. The ability to pound the football has ever so magically vacated this team's repertoire and it is a major concern. Brandon Jacobs finished the game with 11 carries and 67 yards. That is a 6.1 yard per carry ratio and the guy only touches the rock 11 times? Not very logical on the offensive coordinators part. Jacob's running mate, Ahmad Bradshaw got the ball handed his way 14 times and managed 39 yards. Now simply put, the player with the most running yards and seems to be more effective runs less. That in a sense is hurting the New York Giants.

With the ability to stick to the run and establish it early, opens passing lanes for Manning and his receivers to work more freely. Instead, there were countless times today when the offense is still launching passes down field and not connecting on first and ten. Then, on a second and ten they are predicted to run the ball and prove so more than half of the time. This can force some bad third down situations for the offense and kind of give the make or break type of feel in the offensive flow. That break in the offensive flow came inside the four yard line after a Terrell Thomas interception and return. The Giants were in business in the red zone with four opportunities and yet again, failed. Run, pass or what have you, a winning team needs to find ways to get seven instead of three in that situation.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Giants played solid and held LaDanian Tomlinson to just 22 yards. That is stellar! They forced Phillip Rivers into two interceptions, so there are your turnovers. The only known fact and ailing complication the Giants face is the ability to create that ever so important pass rush. Again, Rivers was hit late if at all and was sacked just twice. After playing well as a collective unit for three and a half quarters, the moment of truth suddenly became the moment to forget. Rivers was able to move the ball 80 yards on the Chargers' final drive of the game and throw the game winning touchdown pass to Vincent Jackson.

But wait, the Giants were supposed to win. According to the players and personnel they had a great week of practice and preparation. The mood in the locker room was upbeat and enthusiastic to be playing at home with a chance of ending this so called, "misery." That was the supposed action plan. The reality of it all is that the Giants sit at 5-4 heading into their buy week with the likes of Dallas now 6-2 after their win tonight against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles are 5-3 and the Giants are in third place looking up. Big Blue faces a very tough road the rest of the way, starting with hosting the Atlanta Falcons two weeks from now. The true test of this 2007 champion will be turning around this dismal streak they have inevitably put together.

Photos Courtesy of: Giants.com

Chargers vs. Giants: Game Preview

2009-11-05T10:01:00.001-08:00

After three straight weeks of lackadaisical effort and three losses, the Giants gear up this week to take on the some what inconsistent San Diego Chargers this Sunday at the Meadowlands. The last time New York took the field at home, Kurt Warner and the Cardinals were able to come in and post a 27-17 victory. Last week, Big Blue got their rear ends beat in every facet of the game on the road in Philadelphia. Can the Giants stop the bleeding this week against this west coast opponent that boasts two talented running backs?

First thing is first. The Giants need to start maximizing their efforts up front on the defensive line. Their lack of pass rush and pressure on the opposing quarterback is really exposing the young secondary of this team. Everyone in the world can watch the games and blame the secondary solely for the lack of coverage and being in the wrong spots. If you do that, then you are wrong. The secondary starts up front with the amount of confusion and pressure the defensive line causes. Quarterbacks will be out of rhythm and then begin to rush throws or attempt to make plays with their feet. With this in mind, the secondary gets that extra second or two to make that important adjustment to the ball and make a play. The Giants are playing with a secondary that is somewhat depleted. Aaron Ross has yet to see action this year in his corner back position due to a hamstring injury. In the second game of the season, stud safety Kenny Phillips went down with a knee injury that will have him sidelined for the year. The verdict; C.C. Brown, an average at best four year veteran and rookie Bruce Johnson trying to fill the void. Brown has been caught more than once out of place and that problem needs to be addressed immediately.

Up front, Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck have been just a tad bit above average this season with an inconsistent pass rush being produced. For this team to win and stop the bleeding of this three game losing streak, they need to be great. In the middle, Barry Cofield and Fred Robbins will need to plug the gaps on running plays and funnel the line towards the ball. The exciting thing about this week is that former Cowboy Chris Canty and linebacker Michael Boley will be back in the line up. Boley will help even out the line backer core with Antonio Pierce to provide better speed in coverage situations. Canty should be able to put himself in position to make plays when called upon, as well as keep Tuck and Umenyiora healthy. The defenses job this week: pressure Phillip Rivers into bad situations and force a turnover or two. Stop the run often and early and do not allow either back, Tomlinson or Sproles to get into a rhythm.

Offensively, the Giants have been abysmal in this three game losing streak. Eli Manning has not been playing like the contact player he is deemed to be. Forcing throws and being a bit indecisive at times has been the theory these past three weeks. Manning and the offense need to start establishing the run and pounding the football. Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw need to get back to their punishing ways and run with authority. Shawn Merriman possesses good talent on the defensive side for the Chargers and the line and backs need to be aware of when he is blitzing in pass situations. Antonio Cromartie is a very talented defensive back, who's cousin intercepted a pass against the Giants when they hosted the Cardinals. So expect some ball hawking to be done on his part this weekend. Another key aspect to watch is the history behind these two quarterbacks taking the field. Manning was originally selected number one overall in the draft by San Diego, but did not feel that was where his heart was. Hence the move into the Big Blue picture and has led the Giants to a Superbowl in his six year career. Rivers was swapped for Manning after being picked fourth by Big Blue. There may be some tension and heat provided on the field between these two quarterbacks as both may have something to prove.

The Final Verdict: Defensively, play with tenacity and bring back that swagger that Giants football is all about. On the offensive side, establish an identity early with the run and let the pass open itself up after proving they can move the ball fluently down the field. This week is a huge game for the Giants as they head into their bye week in week 10. If they win, they can then possibly have a confidence build and finish the season strong. Losing four in a row may be tough to bounce back from morale wise. It all goes down at 4:15 this Sunday from the swamps of the Meadowlands.

The Perfect Game

2009-10-19T13:13:00.000-07:00

by Kahlil Thomas

Now on the surface, Giant fans around the world were not expecting what we saw yesterday afternoon. What we saw was the New Orleans Saints treat the New York Football Giants as if they were the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL. 48-27 was the final score but it felt like 72-0.

The defense was not the best defense in the NFL as they gave up 493 yards in a game that from the beginning, looked as if the Giants were over matched. No pressure from the front four but more than that, no pressure at all. No blitzes and if they did blitz, if few and far in between. Drew Brees did have a couple of bad throws....when they pressured him. Why that didn't last the entire game hamstrings the mind. The safeties were not doing their jobs and the secondary was just ran all over by Marques Colston the whole game. And that questionable Saints rushing attack...133 yards which looked easy for them.

On offense, there were flashes but missed blocking assignments, missed throws and other things led to the downfall. And where was Ahmad Bradshaw for the entire 1st Quarter? I guess the G-Men wanted to show Jacobs that they had faith in him by giving him the 1st but we did not go 5-0 by doing that. Mix and match Jacobs and Bradshaw throughout the game is how we got off to that great start. I did like how Eli Manning got in Bradshaw's face after he missed the blocking assignment on the interception. That showed me that Eli is getting more vocal and that will only help him.

Overall, bad game and a game Giant fans should forget. The defending NFC champion comes to the swamp of Rt. 3 and the NJ Turnpike for a Sunday Night game and the Giants will be irritated and probably chomping at the bit. The defense especially will want to erase this game from their memories and it will be an all out attack on Kurt Warner. So we are 5-1, nothing to worry about and this could be used to get the house in order.

They are who we thought were

2009-10-01T15:57:00.000-07:00

by Kahlil Thomas

After being bogged down with a major cold this week, I am back to discuss the latest Giants victory against the Buccaneers. Now this game was easily handled by the G-Men, who ran all over the Bucs defense (thank you Ahmad Bradshaw) and finally scored touchdowns in the "green zone."

Now this was not a monumental win against a premier team in the NFL but this was a game that the Giants needed to dominate to get a little "swagger" in that step of theirs. This upcoming against the Kansas City Chiefs is another game in which the step can get a little more "swag." The Chiefs are in the same boat as the Bucs, rebuilding pretty much from scratch and starting over with new front office people and coaches. This is a game we need to dominate from the beginning.

And Brandon Jacobs needs to stop tip-toeing around the offensive line. As a big running back, you make holes, you don't wait for them to open for you. The FOX broadcasters were brutal on him (and that is to expected because the FOX guys do not like the Giants for some reason, and that's everyone) but they make some valid points. Break through the line, use that size to your advantage.

I'm gonna go get some soup and totally get over this cold. I will be back soon to talk the upcoming game until them....wash your hands.

Struggling Giants Run Defense Shows Improvement in Week 3

2009-09-28T14:36:00.000-07:00

by Anthony Martinez

A 3-0 start to the 2009 season with a tough-gritty win in Dallas (thanks to some unlikely turnovers and a struggling Tony Romo) is definitely cause for optimism among Giants fans hopeful to regain the Super Bowl glory lost in last year's late-season fiasco. But through the start of the 2009 season, one glaring weakness has shown through a usually stellar Big Blue defense.

Known for their prowess against the run, a Giants team that ranked 9th in Rushing defense in 2008 and 8th in their Championship winning 2007 season, placed at a miserable 27th through the first couple of games of the 2009 season amongst their Nation Football League comrades. In the two years prior, Big Blue gave up an average of just under 100 yards a game and less than 4 yards per carry, frustrating opposing offenses and ending drives before they started. But that trend has come to a screeching halt as division rivals the Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys have gained a remarkable 336 yards on the ground, averaging an astonishing 6.7 yards a carry.

In fairness, the Giants defensive unit has been hit with several key injuries, including star Defensive End Justin Tuck being out with an injured shoulder for the 2nd Half of Sunday's win in Dallas. However, astute viewers watching the first two games of the season may see a disturbing change in play-calling becoming apparent in the Giants defensive scheme.

Former defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuola (Now head coach of the New Orleans Saints) gained a reputation for his relentless blitzing right up the middle of the field with the likes of the now departed Linebacker Kawika Mitchell and Defensive Captain Antonio Pierce. This strategy led to many run-stops and even more sacks; something Tom Brady and the Patriots became very familiar with in the Super Bowl.

New coordinator Bill Sheridan seems content on letting the 4 defensive lineman do all of the work. While this helps in pass coverage (a weakness the Giants have had for several years covered up by their ability to get to the QB before he could throw), the middle of the field has been left open for the likes of Clinton Portis, Marion Barber, and Felix Jones to exploit seemingly at will.

Luckily, this hasn't cost the New York Giants any losses through just three games, with the Run D finally showing up big against a mortally struggling Buccaneers offense. But the Giants can expect Offensive Coordinator's around the NFL begin to continue attacking the fledgling run defense more frequently until it can show that giving up under 30 yards rushing against the Bucs was no fluke.

What can Big Blue due to stop this? Instead of blitzing on the corners, blitz the middle of the field, which is a scheme conspicuously missing in the first couple of games but re-instituted down in Tampa. The success of that scheme in yesterdays victory should provide a blueprint on what to do in future games. Force teams to run outside into the waiting arms of Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck. It is never too late to end a trend, and continuing to shore the Run Defense up against a less than stellar Kansas City Chiefs team will help instill confidence back into the defense and show the rest of the NFL that the New York Giants are a force truly to be reckon with.

Giants vs. Buccaneers

2009-09-25T11:51:00.000-07:00

by Kahlil Thomas

The 2-0 Giants go down to Tampa Bay to face the 0-2 Buccaneers on Sunday afternoon. Now this is one of those games where after an emotional, hard-fought win at the Cowboys that could be one of those let down games. Even against the young, rebuilding Bucs.

Tampa Bay in two games so far are allowing 450 yards a game. Is this the same team that was known for their defense? Yes it is. Sans Monte Kiffin (who joined his son Lane at the U. of Tennessee) and their emotional leader Derrick Brooks, the Bucs defense is a shell of its former self and is in rebuilding mode. This is a defense where the Giants should no problem in exploiting every known issue on the defense. This especially mean Eli Manning going against an pass defense that has given up 282 passing yards so far this year and let Trent Edwards throw the ball everywhere last week.

The big issue is two-fold. Kenny Phillips, the Giants starting safety is out for the year with a knee injury after a two interception game against the Cowboys. The secondary is already banged up so the pressure will be on 5th year player C.C. Brown who will slide into the lineup. With Aaron Ross and Kevin Dockery most likely out for Sunday's game, this could be the Achilles heel for the Giants. Not to mention Justin Tuck being banged up after the dirty move put down by Flozell Adams.

The second issue: the red zone. As mention in a prior article, the "green zone" Tom Coughlin refers to has been hooorible as Charles Barkley would say. Instead of field goals, the G-Men need touchdowns inside the 20. Points are good but touchdowns are better. How about some play action, maybe Kevin Boss get involved more. Maybe Madison Hedgecock could catch out of the backfield. Mix it up fellas.

The Giants should win this game. But as us Giants fans know, game we should win, we don't. Hit them early and hard and we should win this game. And by the way, hit Derrick Ward who went "paper chasin" in Tampa and is now splitting carries with Cadillac Williams. Enjoy the defense hitting you on the other side now. Later everybody.

The Black Zone

2009-09-23T11:05:00.001-07:00

By Dan Gabel

Coach Tom Coughlin is different from other head coaches in the sense that he likes to call the red zone the “green zone.” Well, considering what’s been happening over the last couple weeks and the 51% TD rate from last year in the red zone, I think it’s time to change the name to the “black zone.”

The G-Men are missing Plax. I don’t care if they’re 2-0; it’s obvious in their play. Sure, Mario Manningham and Steve Smith had huge games last week, but the Giants still look like a different team without Burress in there. There’s no undisputed No. 1 guy and that’s a big reason why they can’t score inside the 20.

Every team needs a go-to guy, and until the Giants have that you will not hear any Superbowl chatter from me. The big body that Plaxico brought each week is something truly missed. Rookie Ramses Barden, who’s 6’6, turned some heads in training camp, but he’s obviously not on the same page as Eli yet or else he’d be in the game.

Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride needs to start drawing up some plays for Kevin Boss, who so far has a mere 4 receptions for 75 yards. The Big Bossman has hands made of natural adhesives; get him the ball! Use some play action down there: Everyone knows Eli’s giving it to Jacobs, so why not play action to Boss? I don’t get it. Then again, I’m not a coach…just a Giants fan who wants the best out of my team.

I suppose I shouldn’t be complaining considering the Giants are undefeated. At the same time, don’t adjustments need to be made? You can’t play the same way every week, because this is the NFL, where teams are constantly adjusting. Unfortunately when it comes to the black zone offense, Kevin Gilbride is adjusting something else.

The 2-0 Giants

2009-09-23T10:42:00.000-07:00

by: Kahlil Thomas

Now I will not go on a rant on how the New York Giants will go to win the Super Bowl and Eli Manning will win his first MVP. I wil not go to say that the New York Giants will bum rush the NFC East and win it easily. I will not do these things. But what I will say is that the Giants may be the sleeper team of the NFL.

Many of the questions coming into the season was how the Giants would fare without Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer and how the crop of receivers they have will react to being the top guys. I think we have our answer...for now. Mario Manningham with his 10 catch performance in Dallas on Sunday night might have caught his into the starting lineup and Steve Smith has slid right into the Toomer role as reliable possession receiver that Eli could lean on. If the running game picks up the pace, the offense could be a lethal combination that will mix up defenses all season.

I will return on Friday to preview the Giants-Buccaneers game set for Sunday at 1pm.

Giants Recap - Offense

2009-06-29T12:13:00.000-07:00

by: Joseph Raneri

As mini-camps and OTA's begin wrapping up and most players are on vacation prior to training camp, the next month begins one of the few relatively slow periods in the NFL. However, coaches and GM's will be using this time to review what they saw from their players thus far to get a sense of whether or not the team has filled it's identified needs going into the offseason.

This column will be the first of three articles recapping the Giants offseason moves and making initial (and premature) judgements on whether or not the team filled it's needs for the upcoming season. This article will review the offensive side of the ball followed by an article on defense. The third article will address Special Teams. While often overlooked special teams play can have a radical effect of the outcome of a game and a season so I only see it fitting that that aspect of the game be addressed seperately.

Quarterbacks: Eli Manning has been a model of durability having not missed a start since he became the starter. He's brought the Giants to the playoffs four consecutive years, winning a Super Bowl in the process. However, Giants GM Jerry Reese saw first hand with the division rival Cowboys how not having a reliable back-up QB can hijack a teams' season and made the steady move to resign 2008 primary back-up David Carr.

Carr showed fairly well in the 2008 season finale against the Vikings. Having experience as both a starter and back-up Carr can be relied upon to hold the fort if Manning does miss some time. Youngsters Andre Woodsen and rookie Rhett Bomar vie for the third QB spot and inside position on the back-up QB slot should Carr move on after this season.

Runningbacks: Going into the offseason team officials knew it would be near impossible to resign both Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward. However, there was never really a decision on which back the team would resign. While Ward brings and excellent skill set to the position as a runner, pass catcher and picking up the blitz, finding a replacement with a similar skill set at running back is not overly difficult. However, Jacobs has proven to be a very unique type of running back whose combination of size, speed and physicality change the face of the game and simply cannot be duplicated. As such Jacobs was resigned to be the starter again while the team looks to incumbants Ahmad Bradshaw and Danny Ware along with rookie Andre Brown to fill in the void left by Wards departure.

Bradshaw displayed excellent running skills during the teams' superbowl run however, it's unknown if he's improved on his deficiencies in blocking and pass catching. Ware displayed some skills in the 2008 pre-season and in spot duty but doesn't have a large enough body of work to be a known comodity. Brown has a similar size and running style as Ward but similarities in college doesn't always translate to the next level. The team is confident that they'll find the best combination of backs to keep the running game rolling. One thing is certain, there will be plenty of carries for the back-ups as the team tries to limit Jacobs workload and keep him healthy for the whole season. Sledgehammer Madison Hedgecock returns as the teams Fullback after emerging over the past two seasons as one of the best lead blockers in the league. His offseason goal should be to improve his pass catching skills as he dropped too many gimmes coming out of the backfield.

Tight Ends: After all of the attention surrounding the trade of Jeremy Shockey last offseason, replacement Kevin Boss put together a very solid season as a first time starter, emerging as the teams' best redzone threat (Team High 6 TDs') and showing marked improvement in his blocking. Coming from a small school it's obvious how much Boss has improved under the tutelege of Tight Ends coach Mike Pope. He has all the tools to be one of the best in the league at his position and it will be interesting to see how much more he is integrated into the passing attack, especially in the redzone.

There are four players behind Boss vying for the back-up role, which the team has traditionally used almost as an extentsion of the offensive line in it's power running attack. Last years' incumbant Michael Mathews is a blocking specialist with little pass catching skills. However, unless there is a change in the offensive philosphy he will remain in that role due to his blocking prowess. Beyond that there is alot of uncertainty over how the tight end group will round out. Last years' third tight end Darcy Johnson showed some promise as a pass catcher, although his blocking skills are sub-par. The team signed Lee Vickers in the offseason as a big bodied blocker and may factor into the equation if the team decides it needs a bulldozer as it's third TE rather than another pass catcher.

However, the biggest anomoly is rookie Travis Beckum. Drafted in the third round out of Wisconsin, at 6'3" and 240lbs he's very small for a TE that's expected to make holes at the point of attack but is an exceptional pass catcher. As such, it seems that the team will plan to use him in the rare role of an H-back, which is best described as a tightend/fullback hybrid who lines up off the line of scrimmage who's more of a pass catcher than a lead blocker. With the loss of Plaxico Burress the team may be looking at Beckum as a unique weapon to use in the redzone. As such it may be a misnomer to even include Beckumm in the group with tighends as the team may opt to keep three traditional tightends and keep Beckum as an H-back/backup fullback.

Widereceivers: This group is the biggest question mark on the team, and also the group with the most turnover in personnel. Gone are starters Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer, both tall possession style receivers. In their place is a number of candidates currently lead by third year receiver Steve Smith and the player that stepped in for Burress after the night club incident Dominik Hixon. However, their positions at the top of the depth chart may change at anytime as there is a true open competition occuring at widereceiver as the team tries to find the right combination of players to put a spark in a passing game that stalled after the loss of Burress.

Steve Smith was one of the most consistent slot receivers in the league last season working the underneath routes and picking up first downs. He faded down the stretch last season as teams, without fear of a deep threat, began jumping his routes and pressing him at the line. He'll get first crack at a starting spot showing if he's able to play as an outside threat as well. Hixon was a man of many trades last season playing as a receiver, kick and punt returner and gunner on special teams. Considering his limited experience he played fairly well when he stepped in for Burress on the outside, one notorious dropped pass aside. He's improved every year with the team and has the size (6'2") and speed to be a playmaker on the outside. He'll have to show more consistency in getting off the line of scrimmage and fighting off physical DBs' if we wants to take the next step.

Following Hixon and Smith are a bevy of players with thin resumes' but lots of potential. At the top of that list is first round draft pick Hakeem Nicks. Nicks is not a towering target, nor does he have blazing speed, but his route running is polished and he's excellent at fighting for the ball. He will be counted on early to make an impact if not as a starter then as a 3rd or 4th receiver. The team also drafted Ramses Barden who has similar size to Burress at 6'6", but needs alot of coaching before he can be a consistent threat. The two rookies have showed well at mini-camp thus far but have a long road ahead before making an impact.

Filling out the group are former draft picks Mario Manningham and Santana Moss and superbowl hero David Tyree. Manningham saw little playing time as a rookie last season as injuries in training camp stunted his growth. He will essentially be playing his rookie year over again this season. Moss is likely on his last chance to make it with the team after three unproductive seasons marred by injuries and inconsistency. The speedy receiver had been very good in min-camp before once again being sidelined by a hamstring injury. He'll have to recover quickly and show he can stay health through training camp if he's to stay on the team. Tyree missed all of last season recovering from knee surgery. He's the veteran of the group but hasn't shown to be more than a bottom of the depth chart receiver although his skills as a special team gunner has earned him a pro-bowl berth and has value to head coach Tom Coughlin.

The team will be using training camp to sort out that the depth chart will look like during the season. In a perfect world enough players will step up from the group to allow Hixon to maintain his role as KR/PR and special teams gunner, as role he excelled at last season before beign thrusted into the starting lineup. Only time will tell if this comes to pass. This group will be the most closely watched in training camp.

Offensive Line: Last season this group receiveed recognition as one of the best units in the league. With all five starters returning again for a third straight season, there's little reason to see why it won't remain that way. Starters David Dehl (LT), Rich Seubert (LG), Shaun O'Hara (C), Chris Snee (RG) and Kareen McKenzie (RT) all excel in run blocking, however the unit has had problems pass blocking when the team is faced with long yardage situations. Also McKenzie may be beginning to decline as he missed parts of games last season with back problems.

The goal this offseason was to bolster the depth of the unit and the team took a big step in drafting tackle William Beatty in the second round. Beatty will be looked to be the primary back-up at the tackle positions where incumbants Guy Whimper and Adam Koets haven't shown much after being drafted by the team in 2006 and 2007 respectively and natural guard Kevin Boothe struggled when filling in for McKenzie in spot duty last season. The team opted not to resign Grey Ruegamer, who showed to be a valuable back-up being able to play both guard and center. He is replaced by veteran Tutan Reyes (FA/JAC) who will be asked to fill the same role as the teams' primary back-up interior lineman.

The Giants training camp may not be packed with as much of the drama as previous seasons, but there are a bountyful of football related stories that are waiting to be played out. General Manager Jerry Reese has done an excellent job of gathering young talent through the draft and unheralded signings. It will be interesting to see if those acquisitions are able to help the team return to the top of the NFC and make another playoff push.

blogNYG: Reese Makes Right Decision, Again

2009-04-05T11:09:00.000-07:00

Giants GM Unfazed Under Pressure

In his short tenure as Giants' GM, Jerry Reese has had to make quite a few franchise-changing decisions. First he had to decide to either invest in or divest himself of head coach Tom Coughlin. Coughlin rewarded Reese with fiery championship run.

He openly challenged Eli Manning's ability in the media before the Giants Super Bowl run, calling him "skittish" after a four-interception debacle against the Minnesota Vikings. Manning responded in MVP-like fashion, leading the Blue to an unlikely Super Bowl victory over New England.

Then, he sent Wellington Mara's boy, Jeremy Shockey, packing after a verbal blowout. Shockey struggled with the Saints even though their QB, Drew Brees, fell a stone's throw short of Dan Marino's single-season passing yards record. Reese scored a second and a fifth round pick in the trade, and now will use that to replenish the Giants' WR and LB corp.

After his team rallied to win Super Bowl XLII, he derailed any drama Michael Strahan planned to pull after his retirement by getting him to commit to stay retired before the Giants went to camp.

This off-season has been no less hectic. Reese was forced to cut ties with Amani Toomer, the Giants'all-time leading receiver after Toomer bashed the coaching staff on the media.

Finally,the Burress mess. Reese saw the Plaxico situation as a drain and a distraction. With the draft coming up, he chose to just let the superstar receiver go rather than have the legal drama impede on his team's day-to-day operations.

The Giants are lucky they have a man of this fabric running the show. Jerry Reese puts the team first every time. Of course, he rewards loyalty when it is due, but he has shown that he will not let any player's actions - both on and off the field - deter or hinder his team's goals. The Giants' players do not have to look far for a role model when it comes to character. Reese has enough for the whole team.

Bring down the HOUSH!!!

2009-02-25T14:50:00.001-08:00

Wideout T.J. Houshmandzadeh of the Bengals is the top free agent on the New York Giants' wish list, according to The Sporting News.
Advertisement

The NFL's free agency period begins Friday, when teams will start combing the market for players essential to their 2009 season.

While Houshmandzadeh is a reliable receiver, TSN noted, "there is no way to find a comparable replacement to Plaxico Burress, as 6-5 receivers with speed and a huge wingspan are almost impossible to find. Burress faces a serious legal battle and possible jail time as a result of illegal gun charges."

Houshmandzadeh also is reportedly coveted by the Eagles, Ravens, Titans, 49ers, Dolphins and Seahawks.

I believe he would be the perfect reliable receiver for Eli. With Chad Johnson being a non factor this year, Houshmandzadeh still put the numbers without Carson Palmer. The Giants will find a deep threat via the draft. Houshmandzadeh is a touchdown machine and with the other Giant receivers, would be a very tough match up for anyone. Not to mention, less of a drama queen without the legal problems.

By Tanner Russell

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090225/SPT02/902250381