SB Nation - Danny Ware

Evening Giants notes: Coordinators prove introspective

Ed Valentine — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 22:30:21 -0000

The best thing about Thursdays as a New York Giants blogger is that it is the day each week that the team's coordinators are made available to the media each week. Today, when the transcripts of the interviews with Bill Sheridan and Kevin Gilbride arrived in the Big Blue View mailbox, I found them particularly revealing.

Both coordinators we know have come under fire from fans and media members alike as the Giants -- expected to be Super Bowl contenders -- have floundered to a 6-5 record.

Here is some of the back-and-forth with reporters and Sheridan, the defensive coordinator. (Full transcript)

Sheridan was questioned about the criticism he has received.

Q: You are familiar – you have been here for a while – you know the tradition here. This team – this defense – has not lived up to that tradition. How much does that trouble you?

A: It troubles me a lot. But honestly, I’m not worried about the past and the tradition. We are just worried about what is the next game. So I’m well aware of that tradition. But we don’t dwell on that – we are too busy getting ready for the next team that is in front of us. And right now we have a huge challenge coming up this weekend. So we really don’t sit around and think about that stuff. We are so busy doing the next – every single day I’m in the building, it is either the next meeting, the next practice or the next part of your game plan, whether it is Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. We are up to our ears until 11 p.m. every single night.

Q: Do you think you have done a good job?

A: I don’t even think like that. You can answer that. Obviously, based on how our defense has played – not good enough, if that is the answer that you are looking for. No, not good enough. We have lost ‘x’ number of games in the last month or so; so not good enough.

Q: Even though you don’t read the papers, do you think criticism of you is unfair?

A: Honestly, I don’t even think about that. I don’t know, probably not. I’m responsible for the defense, so if we have sub-par performances, that absolutely falls on my shoulders. I have no problem handling that. But I don’t really think too much about fair or unfair criticism. I have so many other things to worry about. I appreciate your questions, but I don’t have magical, clever answers.

He was also asked about Jonathan Goff, who will start this week at middle linebacker.

Q: RE: Trying to make a move at middle linebacker this week.

A: We didn’t have to; we just want to play Jon. He is a guy who has been developing and we have a lot of faith in him. We just wanted to give him an opportunity to play. Chase is still going to play. We didn’t feel we needed to make a move. We just wanted to get Jon on the field – get some of the younger guys who haven’t played much that we think are going to be good players. So that was our thinking there. We were not disappointed in Chase at all and Chase is going to play.

Gilbride, the much-maligned offensive coordinator, was also pretty candid in his interview. (Full transcript)

Gilbride was asked about the Giants' running game, and it was obvious from his answers that its ineffectiveness bothers him, just like it bothers everyone else who watches the Giants.

Q. Re: effectiveness running out of shotgun instead of under center? Is the pass setting up the run?

It didn’t happen that way the other night and it really didn’t happen that way the previous game, even though we threw the ball like crazy and it helped open up some runs. That’s what happened Sunday, it was our three-wide runs that got more than four, five yards. Every run with three-wide was over four yards, we didn’t have one otherwise that was four yards. It was just opposite of what you’re saying. 180 degrees the opposite. But it shouldn’t be that way. We should be good under center, too. We have been good for a long time and that’s what is so exasperating to everybody. Why isn’t it as good now? Again, I don’t think it is any one single thing. Regardless of what it is, it hasn’t been as good, it hasn’t been as consistent and certainly that is an area that we would like to be doing better with.

Q. Is part of that just committing to it whether it is one-yard run, two-yard run and just taking the three and out?

A. Do you want to do that? Then you lose the game. That is the hard line. That is probably the most difficult thing. When do you say, ‘Hey, we better change tactics.’ Before you know it the game is out of hand and you are so far behind that you can’t hang with that kind of stuff as long as you would like. Sometimes you would like to say ‘maybe if we hung a little bit longer, it would have been good.’ You just don’t know. That is the line that you are straddling. That is the difficult thing. If I just stay, and all of a sudden nothing changes and all of sudden the game is over and you have been running the same plays, averaging about a yard a gain, you guys would be the first ones to say, ‘Why didn’t you change?’ Then sometimes you say ‘maybe if we hung, would it have changed?’ So, you don’t know. You go by just gut feeling, what do you see. Does it look like it was a mistake here that was easily explained or identified and it is discernable if we do just this we are ready to go? Or, is it something that maybe is not quite clicking and it is more than one area? Maybe we better modify our approach and try a different emphasis and maybe that will kick in with the running game.

Brandon Jacobs knows that with Danny Ware out and Ahmad Bradshaw hurting, he will be on the field more Sunday.

"Who else are they going to give it to? I’m joking, man. I do expect to see more carries, I do expect more playing time than I normally get. I am looking forward to that challenge and looking forward to that opportunity."

Justin Tuck says there is a "strong dislike" between the Giants and Cowboys. I wonder if he figured that out before, or after, Flozell Adams tripped him and messed up his shoulder.

The VRR: Cowboys Look to Win their Last Game at Giants Stadium

Aaron Novinger — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:16:43 -0000

More photos » by Erich Schlegel - AP

Let the intensity begin! On Sunday, Flozell Adams and Miles Austin will look to win one last time at Giants Stadium.

Browse more photos »

The bad blood runs thick through the NFC East. Sure, it was tense two weeks ago when the Redskins paid their first visit to Cowboys Stadium. After managing a 7-6 win, and then feasting on the beleaguered Raiders, the Cowboys now find themselves looking down in the division at the 6-5 Giants.

This 2009 version of the Giants began the season with five straight victories - their second, coming at the expense of the Cowboys to open Cowboys Stadium. On Sunday, the Cowboys can atone for that 31-33 loss by winning their final game at Giants Stadium, which would push the Giants down to a paltry .500 record.

Playing the Redskins and Eagles are always intense matchups for the Cowboys. But recently, these games against the Giants have seen a noticeable uptick in rivalry ratings. Maybe it's because Tony Romo has won both of his career starts at Giants Stadium. Maybe it's because of Brandon Jacobs' penchant for trash-talking. That 2007 playoff loss certainly still stings the Cowboys.

Whatever caused this recent rivalry surge has created an infamy monster that continues to grow. Expect it to do so as long as guys like Romo and Jacobs, Bradie James and Eli Manning, DeMarcus Ware and David Diehl, Patrick Crayton and Corey Webster, remain with their respective teams.

Flozell Adams and Justin Tuck, anyone?

More VRR after the jump.

Bradie James takes on the December grumblings, and wants badly to beat the Giants.

"The truth is the truth,'' he said. "What I've learned is no matter what your season is individually - you can have one of the best seasons of your career - if you lose and don't go to the playoffs, you're going to get criticized. Nobody is exempt from the criticism if you don't take care of business in December and go to the playoffs and do what we need to do. That's what time it is now. That's what we've got to do.''

Apparently, the insults from the teams' first meeting this season are still evident.

As if all that wasn't bad enough, James said Manning rubbed it in by scribbling his name and adding the score, the date and the words "First Win in the New Stadium'' on a concrete column in the visitors' locker room. James hasn't seen it, but he's seen a picture and is convinced it's real. True or not, it's being used as motivation.

"We won't forget that,'' James said. "It just makes for a more intense game.''

With the Giants moving into a new stadium next season, this almost certainly will be the Cowboys' final appearance at Giants Stadium. So is James bringing a pen to leave his own mark on the visiting locker room walls?

"I don't know, I might,'' he said. "I just want to win and that's it. I'll let our playing do all the talking. That's it. ... I don't care if it's by 30 or if it's by a point, we just have to take care of business and get rid of these guys right now.''

We can all talk about the Cowboys' December woes until we're blue in the face. Speaking of blue, the Giants have been pretty horrible in recent Decembers, too.

New York has not been good in December the past two seasons. The Giants were 1-3 in the final four regular-season games in 2007, when they won the Super Bowl, and they went 2-3 to close out last season with an NFC-best 12-4 overall mark.

Stopping the run could be the key to a Dallas victory.

When Tom Coughlin’s Giants run for at least 100 yards, they are 40-19. They are 13-19 when they don’t. In winning five consecutive games to start the season, the Giants averaged 160.4 yards on the ground. The past six games, New York has averaged only 98.8 yards rushing, with a high of 141 against the Eagles. The Giants had a season-low 57 rushing yards last week against the Broncos, a week after gaining only 88 yards against the Atlanta Falcons.

The Giants are still good at controlling the ball. The Cowboys have to counter that by taking it away.

The Giants (6-5) have lost five of their last six games but still own one of the most productive offenses. They rank second in yardage (374.7) and are tied for eighth in scoring (24.7) even with quarterback Eli Manning fighting foot issues.

"They're going to run to try to win games, control the ball," Phillips said. "I think they're in the top three or four in the league in time of possession. I think their philosophy is still the same whether they run it for enough yardage or not, but they've got good backs and a really good offensive line."

An area for defensive improvement - and one that will aid the Cowboys' offense - is more takeaways. The Cowboys' 13 (seven interceptions, six fumble recoveries) are tied with Washington for last in the league.

If the Giants focus their blocking assignments towards DeMarcus Ware, Coach Phillips will have to again be creative with how he uses his best pass rusher.

Phillips has tried to help Ware by moving him around to avoid the thicket of blockers. Ware rushed from the left side instead of his usual right side a significant number of times during the Thanksgiving win against Oakland. He has also blitzed as a middle linebacker and, as a change of pace, dropped into pass coverage on a few plays.

Ware's approach has broadened, too. Ware is not always a speed rusher trying to go around a blocker. He has slanted inside at times, allowing the tackle to go to the outside. That stunt led to Stephen Bowen's deflection of a Jason Campbell pass that led to a win-sealing interception against Washington.

"We want to keep them honest," Ware said. "If I just go outside, they'll be waiting on me. I don't want to be predictable."

Unless defensive coordinator, Bill Sheridan, can turn things around for his unit, the Giants' search to replace Steve Spagnuolo will continue.

The first logical replacement is Dick Jauron, fired nine games into this season as head coach of the Bills and someone with strong ties to Tom Coughlin, who in 1995 hired Jauron to run the expansion Jaguars defense.

A more interesting choice - certainly more intriguing to Giants ownership - is John Fox, who likely is to be a free agent if the Panthers continue their downward spiral.

When the Giants placed MLB, Antonio Pierce (bulging disk in neck), on IR, they lost a strong amount of leadership on defense.

So strong, in fact, that many players have said he was the true leader of the defense even when Michael Strahan was around. Strahan may have been revered, but Pierce had more of a connection with his teammates. The linebacker set the tone for the team, which usually rode the enormous chip on his shoulder, and it always looked to him when things got rough.

Who's that type of leader now? There might not be an answer. Justin Tuck, valiantly trying to play through shoulder and leg injuries, seems to prefer to lead by example. Osi Umenyiora, who once walked out on his defensive coordinator and team in a huff earlier this season, tried to fire up his team in Denver, but his effort looked more like an angry rant.

New York may look to second-year man, Jonathan Goff, to be Pierce's replacement.

Eli Manning has been playing with an injured foot and claims that it's getting better.

He's suffering from a stress reaction in his right foot, which previously had plantar fasciitis. Some reports say this could lead to further damage. But he claims the injury has no effect on his throwing. And he's doing his best to downplay the issue.

``The foot feels great, it really does,'' he said after Wednesday's practice. ``It feels better than it ever has since i originally injured it.''

Brandon Jacobs and rookie Gartrell Johnson may be the only tailbacks healthy enough to play for the Giants.

Ahmad Bradshaw and Danny Ware both missed practice on Wednesday, and are looking increasingly doubtful for Sunday's division showdown with Dallas at the Meadowlands. Bradshaw is struggling to return from a foot and ankle injury that kept him out of Thursday's Thanksgiving Day loss to the Denver Broncos.

Ware, a rookie, suffered a concussion during that loss and, given the NFL's newly adopted, suddenly strict policy concerning injuries of this sort, a weekend return seems unlikely.

Ken Hamlin's high ankle sprain kept him from practicing Wednesday, which indicates that Alan Ball will start his third consecutive game at free safety.

Trainers said last week Hamlin could possibly return to practice Wednesday, but he has yet to make enough progress, and spent the team's practice time rehabbing, the same as Monday.

OLB Victor Butler, who sprained his knee against the Raiders, practiced yesterday and expects to play Sunday.

Butler fully participated in practice and said he is ready to play Sunday against the Giants.

"It’s as good as it needs to be," said Butler, who has three sacks this season. "... I’m good to go."

Here is the updated injury report from DC.com.

What the Folk is up with Nick? The Dallas kicker says there is no excuse for his recent misses.

Folk has missed four of his last eight attempts and has at least one miss in each of the last three games. But Phillips said he's not worried.

"A guy that has a strong mind-set like he does will improve and keep working and won't go into a slump where he's really kicking it bad," Phillips said.

Offseason hip surgery prevented Folk from doing much kicking until the start of training camp, but he isn't using it as an excuse. "Physically, I'm fine," Folk said. He also isn't blaming new holder Mat McBriar, although McBriar said poor holds caused two misses. "I don't want to put blame on anyone else," Folk said. "I just have to get it right ... and make a good playoff run."

Mike Florio posits that the NFL Network may be "pressured" into simulcasting the Week 15 Cowboys @ Saints game.

For a chance to win SuperBowl tickets, vote on Sprint's "Can't-Miss Plays of Week 12". There are not any Cowboys' choices, but there is an anti-Giants one: Brandon Marshall's one-hander last Thursday night at Mile High.

Pro Bowl: Vote for Miles Austin!

Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald is first with over 500,000 votes, and Philadelphia's DeSean Jackson is second with 293,408 votes. Austin is third with 261,107 votes.

Hat tip to scottmaui for his FanPost.

Sam Hurd can use some of our support in the ST department, as well.

Also, it's worth noting that Sam Hurd is second in voting among special teamers. The Vikings' Heath Farwell has 103,215 votes; Hurd has 70,647.

ProBowl ballot link.

New York Giants News & Notes: Ugly Loss Hangover

cjmulrain — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 18:00:26 -0000

I've remained pretty optimistic about the Giants all season, thinking there was no way that the team which looked so good in going 5-0 could really be as bad as they looked against the Saints and the Eagles. Tough losses to the Cardinals and Chargers didn't even bother me as much as they otherwise would, because the Giants easily could have won those games. But the loss to the Broncos is the worst yet, and has me doubting whether the Giants are even a playoff team, let alone a Super Bowl team. The Giants have 10 days until a make or break game against the Cowboys with their season quite literally on the line.

Tom Coughlin was not happy with the loss. He seems most disappointed in the Giants inability to control the running game on both sides of the ball:

"As I said last night, football to me is that you have to run the ball and stop the run. Those are the first things you do have to do to put yourself in a position to be able to take advantage of the various aspects of your plans and your talent. When you don’t do that you’re really putting a magnifying glass on some of these other aspects of the game. It’s not surprising sometimes that it doesn’t come out well. As I said last night, we did not stop the run. We didn’t give ourselves opportunities to run the ball because there really wasn’t much continuity. We didn’t have a lot of opportunities. We didn’t make a lot of first downs, we didn’t do a lot of the things that we knew were the reasons that people had defeated Denver in the last four games were because of, we didn’t do those things."

Shaun O'Hara thinks the problem is that the Giants aren't running the ball enough:

"The only way, in my eyes, to get back on track is to keep doing it and do it more. I think, as offensive linemen, we are always going to complain that we aren’t running the football enough. That is kind of our M.O. We want to run the ball more. Quarterbacks and receivers, we are going to have discussions with them every single day, they want to throw it, we want to run it. That is a constant battle. I am not going to be happy until we have 35-40 carries in a game."

On the defensive side of the ball, Barry Cofield thinks the problem is individual responsibility, not the coaching scheme:

"I’m a guy who always leans towards individual accountability. Guys just have to make plays. Guys have to be in their gaps. There were instances last night where guys weren’t where they were supposed to be. Guys weren’t necessarily making the plays on the ball that they should have. Guys weren’t beating their guys upfront."

Tim Smith of the Daily News says that the Giants are becoming a disgrace. Hey, it could be worse - they could be one of the NY/NJ area basketball teams.
Danny Ware's fumble cost the Giants big time on Thursday.
Antonio Pierce saw a neck specialist who confirmed that he has a bulging disk, meaning his season still hangs in the balance.
On the coaching front, Gary Myers says that the Tom Coughlin must be held accountable for the Giants collapse, and Jay Greenberg thinks the Giants should fire Bill Sheridan immediately. I have to say that I can't totally disagree with either of them.
Giants (and apparently De La Salle) great Amani Toomer has seemingly called it quits. I liked his quote about his short stint with the Chiefs:

"I played 13 years in a great organization like the Giants. I was in a preseason game with Kansas City and it felt like it wasn't pro football to me"

'Kudos & Wet Willies:' Get out the life rafts edition

Ed Valentine — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:16:52 -0000

More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning reacts following an incomplete pass during the third quarter of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos in Denver, Thursday, Nov. 26, 2009.

Browse more photos »

I took the night to sleep on it before writing today's 'Kudos & Wet Willies' review of Thursday's debacle, a 26-6 loss by our New York Giants to the very mediocre Denver Broncos.

The sleep didn't change the way I felt about this team when I went to bed. Simply, it just isn't good enough. It has sprung leaks all over the place, many in areas that were completely unexpected entering the season. Blame the coordinators if you must, and I know you will, but the fact is there are areas of the Giants where the players are simply not getting the job done. No matter what the calls are.

That is particularly true across both lines, where games are truly won and lost. If you told me before the season that line play, on both sides, would let the Giants down this season I would have thought you were nuts. But, it has.

Anyway, on with the 'Kudos & Wet Willies.'

Kudos to ...

It really wasn't easy to come up with any 'Kudos' today, and I really feel like making this one of those 'Kudo-less' weeks after Thursday night's miserable effort. There are, however, a couple of players worthy of at least a little praise.

Terrell Thomas: Came up with a third-quarter interception. I really don't care if Denver quarterback Kyle Orton did throw the ball right to him, Thomas actually made a play. That's something Giants defenders have done all too infrequently. Thomas also had six tackles and a pass defensed. In my mind, he has solidified himself as a fixture in the Giants secondary.
Aaron Rouse: Nobody knew what to expect from Rouse when GM Jerry Reese pulled him off the scrap heap after his release by Green Bay. Rouse has played pretty well, though, and Thursday night was no exception. He had eight tackles last night, several of those right along the line of scrimmage in run support.
Lawrence Tynes: Yeah, I know the thin Denver air had a lot to do with it, but Tynes did make a 52-yard field goal. He also put a couple of kickoffs to the goal line, and one five yards deep. It's not his fault the coverage team let the runback go all the way to the 37, which is inexcusable.
Steve Smith: Typical Smith game with seven catches for 71 yards, including a couple of first-down grabs. The receiving corps is definitely not one of the problems on this team.
My Palm Pre: I really, really hate the bar scene. In the last 25 years I have probably seen the inside of one less than a dozen times. So, thank goodness the phone -- provided to SB Nation football bloggers as part of a Sprint promotion -- includes access to the NFL Network. Two-inch screen or not, I was still watching the game in my own house.

Wet Willies to ...

There are so many of these to give out I could probably go on for hours. But, I will try to summarize the best I can.

Offensive Line: Let's face reality here, gang. This group, for whatever reason, is just not good any more. Brandon Jacobs numbers (11 carries, 27 yards) look awful. Not his fault. A year ago, the Giants line was thought of as the best run-blocking line in the league. Now, it can't open a hole. Jacobs is always running sideways because there are always defenders blowing up the line and getting in the backfield. As for pass protection, what pass protection. Eli Manning was sacked three times, hit countless other times and running for his life a few other times. Watch the line pass block and you would think they were a bunch of rookies who never saw a stunt or had to pick up a blitz before. No matter what plays are called, you can't have consistent offense when you can't block. And right now, the Giants can't block.
Defensive Tackles: The defensive tackles on this team are simply terrible. Fred Robbins and Rocky Bernard have gotten old. I have never been a big Barry Cofield fan, he is an average tackle at best. It might not be completely fair to criticize Chris Canty because he missed so much time with leg injuries, but all he has shown so far this year is that Cowboy fans who told use Reese spent way too much money on him were correct. He makes no impact plays. There is rarely any push from the guys in the middle, against the run or the pass.
Osi Umenyiora: I watched Osi's sideline tirade last night, and I have a little advice for Osi. Shut the hell up! You happen to be a big part of the reason why this defense is so disappointing. Watch the film. Where did Denver run most of the night? Right at Umenyiora. Where was he on most of those plays? Pushed five yards off the ball, that's where. Osi made exactly ZERO tackles last night, not even an assist. Despite the Broncos running right at him probably 15 times. I don't think I saw him get within the same zip code as Orton last night, either. So, Osi, shut up and look in the mirror. Right now you aren't very good.
Michael Boley: Followed up his Defensive Player of the Week performance with a stinker. He plays Osi's side most of the time, so he also has to take a hit for porous run defense. Plus, he could not stay with Denver tight end Tony Scheffler.
Corey Webster: Locked up one-on-one with the terrific Brandon Marshall most of the night. Nothing C-Web could do about a couple of the spectacular catches Marshall made. But, Webster had two costly 15-yard penalties.
Danny Ware: The guy has been itching for an opportunity for two years now. Finally gets one, and coughs up a costly fumble that leads to a Denver score. Not a good way to make an impression.
NFL Network: If you saw the game, you heard the airing of Denver coach Josh McDaniels sideline tirade to his offense in which he said "We're trying to win a m-----f------- game." Apologize all you want, gang, but you just can't let that happen. This is why getting too close, and picking up too many 'sounds of the game' is not a good idea.

Final - 11.26.2009	1	2	3	4	Total
New York Giants	0	0	6	0	6
Denver Broncos	3	13	0	10	26

Complete Coverage >

Horse Tracks 11/27/09 - Broncos dominate Giants; Royal, Woodyard, Thomas, Law all leave with injuries

Douglas A. Lee — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 12:43:49 -0000

Good Morning, MHR Friends! Now doesn't that feel better? It wasn't perfect (issues in the red zone, lots of offensive penalties), but the Broncos put in quite a performance last night. Their play along both lines of scrimmage was absolutely dominant, as the Giants' offense faced third-and-long situations all night long, while the Broncos' O-Line kept Kyle Orton mostly clean and paved the way for a solid game from Knowshon Moreno. The Broncos' D made several big plays, including three sacks and three takeaways. Denver's special teams were better than they've been all year, highlighted by a perfect night from Matt Prater (4-for-4 on field goal tries and 7-for-7 on getting kickoffs into the end zone). Brandon Marshall made two one-handed catches (I'm not sure I've seen better from him), Knowshon made some highlight-reel moves, and Denver's secondary was stellar. The Broncos now sit at 7-4 and just ahead of Pittsburgh and Jacksonville (both 6-4) for the fifth seed in the AFC. Next up? The fourth Sunday in seven without Broncos football. Strange, right? Then, it's off to Kansas City...

NFL - Broncos 26, Giants 6 - Highlights with NFLN calls

DB - Giants Postgame: McDaniels - Broncos TV

DB - Giants Postgame: Report - Broncos TV

NFL - New York Giants 6 at Denver Broncos 26 - Box Score

DPP - Broncos stuff Giants, snap losing skid - Mike Klis

DPP - Briefs: Elvis nothing but "money" when it counts
"Wesley Woodyard (neck), Marcus Thomas (shoulder), Eddie Royal (thigh) and Ty Law (hamstring) all suffered game-ending injuries and were slow to leave the locker room. Running back Knowshon Moreno left the game in the second half with what appeared to be a hand or arm injury, but later returned to have one carry just before the two-minute warning...The Broncos players will be off for three days before returning to the practice field Monday. . . . Two Broncos were inactive with injuries, right tackle Ryan Harris (toe) and running back LaMont Jordan (back)."

CSG - What a difference a day (or four) makes - David Ramsey

DB - Giants Postgame: Orton - Broncos TV

NFLN - Dawkins on-field interview- Video

NFLN - Giants vs. Broncos highlights - Video
Eisen, Deion, Mooch and Faulk

DB - Giving Thanks on Gameday - Chris Gentilviso

DB - A Giant Release - Gray Caldwell

DB - Turkey Day Turnaround - Chris Gentilviso

DPP - Broncos' defense paves way for offense - Jeff Legwold

DPP - Marshall happier, more productive in Broncos' win over Giants - Lindsay Jones

DPP - McD swears Broncos are back - Mark Kiszla

DPP - Everything depends on defense - Dave Krieger

DPP - Broncos save their season - Jim Armstrong

DPP - Manning, Giants struggle to create offense - Irv Moss

DPP - TV eavesdrops as coach drops the #?@$*! bomb - Mike Klis

CSG - Broncos pummel Giants - Frank Schwab

CSG - Broncos notes: No issues for Orton - Frank Schwab

CSG - Week 12: Broncos breakdown - Frank Schwab

SX - Emotions help power Broncos past Giants - Frank Schwab

AP - Broncos Snap 4-Game Skid With Big Win Over Giants - Arnie Stapleton

AP - Josh McDaniels' 'Trash Talk' The Talk Of The NFL - Arnie Stapleton

CBS - Players-only meeting serves its purpose as Broncos go back to basics - Pete Prisco

SN - For Broncos, season is 'far from over' - Clifton Brown

FH - Hungry Broncos Shove Giants Aside - Thomas George

ESPN - Broncos kiss and makeup with their season - Bill WIlliamson

USAT - Broncos end four-game skid with dominant win over Giants - Vicki Michaelis

Giants News

NYT - Broncos Deal Giants Their Fifth Loss in Six Games - Joe LaPointe

NYT - Giants Open Thread: The Denver Debacle - Ernie Palladino

NYDN - After flat Thanksgiving Day performance against Broncos, Giants becoming a big disgrace - Tim Smith

NYDN - Danny Ware costs Giants big time after Denver capitalizes on critical fumble - Matt Gagne

NYDN - Giants tumble in 26-6 Broncos basting, season is officially in danger - Ralph Vacchiano

NYDN - Emotions get the best of Giants' Osi Umenyiora as he screams at teammates in loss to Broncos - Ralph Vacchiano

NYP - Big Blue's playoff hopes tumble in return to losing ways - Paul Schwartz

NYP - Broncos show Big Blue ‘D’ no respect - Marc Berman

NYP - Disgusted Brandon: We didn't want it - Marc Berman

NYP - No spark from Jints' backup RB - Steve Serby

NYP - These guys just Giant softies - Steve Serby

NFL Results

NFL - Oakland Raiders 7 at Dallas Cowboys 24

NFL - Green Bay Packers 34 at Detroit Lions 12

AFC West News

SFC - No country for these men - David White

SFC - Bigger in Texas? Not the Raiders - Gwen Knapp

SFC - Heyward-Bey gets first TD catch - David White

CCT - Raiders'shortcoming on full display - Jerry McDonald

SDUT - Why don't Chargers ward off blackout? - Jay Posner

SDUT - Penalties flagging, wins rising for Bolts - Kevin Acee

SDUT - Versatility aids Hester, Tolbert - Kevin Acee

KCS - Chiefs progressing in Haley’s quarter system - Kent Babb

KCS - Come overtime, here’s a tip for the Chiefs - Pete Grathoff
This is interesting...

NFL News

NFL - Packers CB Woodson donates $2 million to Michigan hospital

PFW - Seahawks GM Ruskell under the gun - Dan Arkush

NFL - Long live rock: The Who set to play Super Bowl XLIV halftime

NFL Opinion

NFL - Elite QB duel between Brady-Brees leads Week 12 matchups - Gil Brandt

Y! - Jobs on the line for members of losing teams - Mike Silver

Y! - Threat of perfect season becoming more common - Jason Cole

Do you know what time it is? It's Ernie P. time

Ed Valentine — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:00:13 -0000

It's Friday, and that means time for my weekly swap of questions with long-time New York Giants beat writer Ernie Palladino. My answers to these same questions are over at Ernie's Giants Beat.

Ernie and I have largely been on the same page with most of our answers this season. Interestingly, The Aaron Ross question below (which was Ernie's question) is the first time I can remember where we completely disagree.

Ernie wants to see Aaron Ross at corner with Terrell Thomas moving to safety. I want Ross at safety, since Thomas is doing a good job, Ross has some experience at safety and I am afraid doing the opposite might cause problems at two positions.

I will be interested to see how you guys feel about this one.

1. We haven't seen much of the no-huddle offense this year. Do you think a return to it in spots could help the Giants' offense?

Ernie's Answer: Absolutely. This subject caused quite a spirited and divided debate at my place (http://erniepalladinosgiantsbeat.blogspot.com) on Tuesday. Remember back in '07 and '08 when they ran the no-huddle? It was so effective that it had all us reporter types asking why in the world they only use it in spots. It had to be explained to us that it's actually exhausting for the offense because the wide receivers have to sprint back to the line to set up for the next play. That makes sense, but we're not talking about using it all game long. We're talking key spots, especially when the offense appears it's about to stall. The thing about the no-huddle is that it's not necessarily a hurry-up, though some similar principles apply to the two-minute drill. It forces the defense to keep the same personnel on the field because of the possibility of a quick snap. And keeping that defense static opens the possibility of mismatches downfield. And you can run out of it. Honestly, except for the inexperience of a receiving corps that probably benefitted from the tranquility of the huddle while getting the play, I don't know why the Giants stopped using it. Maybe now that Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham are more experienced in the offense, and therefore more able to make those snap adjustments you need to make from the no-huddle, we'll be seeing more of it. If they're ever going to go back to it, this would be the ideal time.

2. Just how big is this game with Atlanta?

Huge. Bigger than the San Diego game. Why? Because this is a conference game that could figure into a tie-breaker situation at the end of the season. Let's say the Giants finish 9-7 and are in the wildcard hunt. A win here gives them a head-to-head over Atlanta. Plus, the division tie-breaker includes conference record as the fourth criteria. In fact, if they're going to throw away any game from here on out, the Thanksgiving night matchup with Denver would be the one. All the rest are conference and division games, and they're all basically must-win games.

3. Now that Danny Ware can carry the ball, how would you use him?

Sparingly. Well, maybe that's too strong a word. I'd throw him in there in the fourth quarter when leading to kill the clock, much as the Giants deployed Ahmad Bradshaw for the most part. Look, Ware seems like a pretty strong runner. But there is still an issue with the elbow he dislocated on the first kickoff of the season. Until the coaches stop worrying about his ability to secure the ball, I'd be very cautious about overusing him. Besides, what this offense needs is not Danny Ware, but more Brandon Jacobs. I've long held that Jacobs needs to get the ball between 20 and 25 times. With Bradshaw penciled in for another seven to 10 carries at least, there would be few carries for Ware, anyway. The fact that Kevin Gilbride and Jerald Ingram just can't wait to put the kid in concerns me. They should be more worried about getting Jacobs in there more. I'm not saying Ware won't someday become a great back. But at this point, he's an extra, not a star. And he should be used as such.

4. Assuming Aaron Ross will be able to play, would you put him at cornerback or safety?

I stick him at corner. If he'd been playing all along, I'd have switched him to safety three games ago. He played a bit there in college and, to me, seems like a good enough tackler to handle the job. But there's a learning curve that goes with switching a guy over, and having been out since the summer with that hamstring problem, putting him at safety right now would be a bit of an overload. I'd rather see him work his way back at corner, with Terrell Thomas going to safety. Remember, we don't know how much Ross can play. Chances are he's going to have to start with a limited workload -- a few snaps -- to prove to the staff he's back all the way. After a couple of games and a possible return to starter, then you can think about switching him if necessary. But I have a feeling that if Thomas goes over there, Ross won't need to move, anyway.

New York Giants News & Notes: Giants Using Bye Week to Get Healthier & Better in Red Zone

cjmulrain — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:00:41 -0000

The best thing about having a bye week this late in the season is that it allows some players who have been banged up to get healthy, and hopefully minimize the risk of further injuries during the stretch run. We saw how the Giants ran out of gas last season after having an early bye. Hopefully this year will prove the opposite.

On that note, Ralph Vachianno reports that Aaron Ross is practicing and looks to be ready to return when the Giants play the Falcons next Sunday.

Still, Ross said, "I wasn't nervous at all" yesterday. "I felt really good to tell you the truth. I've got to get a little bit of the rust and cobwebs off, but a couple of more days of practice and I'll be all right."

Tom Rock writes that the return of Danny Ware might give the Giants the missing link they've been missing on offense this season. According to running backs coach Jerald Ingram:

"You've got your banger, your third-down back and your speed changeup guy, and away we go," Ingram said of Jacobs, Ware and Bradshaw, respectively. "We put it on our shoulders and we try to motivate the offense as well as the defense and get everybody happy."

Tom Coughlin has stated that the Giants will be working on both their red zone defense and "green zone" offense (I still hate calling it that, especially with the way the Giants have looked down there). This has been an issue for way too long now, and it's almost embarrassing that the Giants have been so bad inside the 20s.
The NFL has fined Ahmad Bradshaw (chop block), Kevin Dockery (unnecessary roughness on a fair catch), and Clint Sintim (roughing the passer) $5,000 each. The good news is that San Diego's Eric Weddle has been fined $7,500 for his helmet-to-helmet hit on Kevin Boss. You know, the one that didn't draw a yellow flag on the field.

'Kudos & Wet Willies:' Rough day for Giants fans edition

Ed Valentine — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:49:17 -0000

by Julie Jacobson - AP

San Diego Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson (83) makes a catch for the go-ahead touchdown against New York Giants cornerback Corey Webster (23) in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in East Rutherford, N.J. The Chargers won 21-20.

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This morning's 'Kudos & Wet Willies' is not exactly fun to do. Sunday's game is one the Giants should have won, it just didn't happen.

The season is hardly over. A lot can happen in seven more games, and I still believe the Giants can be a playoff team. They certainly have no more margin for error, though.

Anyway, on with the 'Kudos & Wet Willies.' I'm sure some of my choices today will generate some disagreement.

'Kudos' to ..

Eli Manning: Well, we have a lot to complain about today. The play of Manning is not one of those things, however.
The Defensive Line: Big plays from Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, Mathias Kiwanuka and Fred Robbins. This group didn't always get to Philip Rivers, but they were in attack mode all day. The Chargers only totaled 34 yards rushing, largely due to improved work by the front four.
Terrell Thomas: Nine tackles and what should have been a game-clinching interception.
Bruce Johnson: It was nice to see Johnson on the field in passing situations instead of Kevin Dockery, and Johnson paid dividends by breaking up a trio of passes when Rivers and the Chargers tested him.
Steve Smith: Eight catches, including one for a touchdown and a few more third-down grabs. Smith continues to be the guy Eli can rely on when he needs to complete a pass.
Mario Manningham: Six catches and no drops for Manningham. The Giants really no longer have an issue at wide receiver, and Manningham is a big part of the reason why.
Kevin Boss: You just have to love this guy. How much tougher could be be? A brilliant catch early in the game when he got absolutely crushed coming across the middle of the field. I know my first thought was 'concussion.' Yet, there he was making a touchdown reception in the fourth quarter to put the Giants ahead. He is, undeniably, one of my favorite Giants.
Brandon Jacobs: Once again, Jacobs ran hard and well (11 carries, 67 yards, a 6.1 yards per carry average). Once again, though, probably not enough opportunities. Ahmad Bradshaw (14 carries, 39 yards, 2.8 YPC) wasn't getting it done, and I wish Jacobs had gotten more opportunities.
Michael Boley: Seven tackles and a pass defensed in his return from knee surgery. When he has been healthy Boley has shown speed and athleticism the Giants linebacking group sorely needs.
Kevin Gilbride: This one will send many of you into an outright uproar, I know that. But, I think the often-vilified offensive coordinator belongs here, anyway. The Giants put together two long, time-consuming drives, albeit we can argue about the wisdom of slamming Bradshaw up the middle on short yardage. KG used screens, play-action, slants, a reverse, a direct snap to Jacobs. Shoot, he even got Danny Ware in the game and got him the ball a couple of times. He pretty much emptied the tank. The conservative red/green zone series at the end is on Coughlin, not KG. That's the kind of game-changing decision that comes from the head coach.

'Wet Willies' to ...

Tom Coughlin: The Giants played with heart, taking TC's "one-game season" pronouncement to heart and playing with a lot of emotion. Coughlin, though, is the head coach of a team that has gone seriously off track, and right now he doesn't seem to have the answers. Two questionable Coughlin decisions had a lot to do with Sunday's loss. First, the choice to run the ball up three points in the red zone with more than two minutes to play. Settling for the field goal, instead of trusting your star quarterback and going for the knockout blow, is a bad mistake. I have thought about this one a lot, and as much as I love TC not trusting Eli and going for the knockout blow is inexcusable. Also, don't forget that the Giants passed up a chance to go for it on 4th-and-1 at the San Diego 21 the first time they had the ball. That, of course, resulted in the botched field goal and no points.
Corey Webster: We can stop now with the discussion of whether or not Webster should be considered an elite "shut down" corner back. Vincent Jackson (5 catches, 58 yards, 2 TDs) had his way with Webster Sunday. On the game-winning touchdown, Jackson beat Webster badly. C-Web didn't even seem to know the ball was in the air. That's awful. Maybe he should not have been in single coverage, but Webster is supposed to be one of the best cover corners in the league. A guy of his stature simply cannot get torched like that with the game on the line.
The Special Teams: Week in and week out, the only thing 'special' about the Giants' special teams is how especially bad they are. As much as anything, horrible special teams play cost the Giants a victory Sunday. A botched field goal in which Lawrence Tynes didn't even try to kick it. Horrible punting by Jeff Feagles that left the Giants defending a short field the entire game, and a non-existent return game. Are we sure Sinorice Moss hasn't stolen Domenik Hixon's uniform? Kevin Dockery had a stupid penalty that handed the Chargers 15 yards. Hey, Kevin, how can you have no clue where the return man is?
Bill Sheridan: I thought the defensive coordinator did a lot of good things Sunday. The defensive line was active. The Giants blitzed more, and did not sit back in 'prevent' on the last drive. The run defense was excellent. Having Michael Johnson and Aaron Rouse switch responsibilities worked out well. Bruce Johnson played a lot of nickel instead of Kevin Dockery or C.C. Brown. Clint Sintim saw some time at linebacker. The zone blitz, though, a remnant of the Steve Spagnuolo era Sheridan promised to get rid of, has to go. Justin Tuck cannot cover tight ends and should not be asked to. And why was there single coverage in the end zone on the final drive? C'mon, that's just asking for trouble. Which is what the Giants got.
The Offensive Line: Argue all you want about the Giants decision to run the ball on third down from the San Diego 14 while leading 17-14. The Giants don't have to make that decision without the killer holding penalty on Chris Snee. The line as a whole did not play well, in my mind. San Diego blitzers ran free much of the game and Eli was sacked five times and ran for his life at least a half-dozen other times. The dirty little secret with the Giants offense is that this offensive line, dominant for so long, is beginning to show some cracks. How can Shawne Merriman -- Merriman, of all people -- get a free, unblocked run at Manning on the final play of the game? In the run game, there were a few holes. But, not consistently.
Fans calling for immediate firings: You guys know that isn't going to happen. C'mon, gang! TC is a terrific coach who made a decision that ended up backfiring Sunday. Sheridan did some good things and some bad ones Sunday. As for Gilbride, I'd think people would get tired of calling for his head. The Giants have had a lot of success the past few seasons, and they have hit a rough patch. It happens. No reason to want everybody gone. Think they wouldn't love to have TC and his staff in Washington? Or Oakland? Or a lot of other places?

Final - 11.8.2009	1	2	3	4	Total
San Diego Chargers	0	7	7	7	21
New York Giants	0	7	0	13	20

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Giants vs. Chargers: 'Kudos & Wet Willies' style preview

Ed Valentine — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 12:00:32 -0000

by David Zalubowski - AP

Maybe the Giants can get Ed Hochuli to referee today's game. That should help.

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Our New York Giants (5-3) need a win this afternoon against the San Diego Chargers (4-3). Personally, I don't care how they got one.

Maybe the defense will remember the idea is to stop the other guy, not watch them run by. Maybe Eli Manning will remember the ball is supposed to go to the guys with the 'ny' on their helmets. Maybe we can recruit Ed Hochuli to referee the game and screw the Chargers.

I really don't care. Whatever it takes. As long as the Giants finish with more points than San Diego today, life will be good.

Now, with that out of the way, let's preview the game 'Kudos & Wet Willies' style.

There will be lots of 'Kudos' if ...

The Giants defense actually does its job. How about some pass rush, gang? Maybe stop a running play before LaDainian Tomlinson or Darren Sproles is running free in the secondary? Make a tackle on the first try, instead of whiffing and giving up another 30 yards? Cover a deep ball once in a while? Maybe the return of Michael Boley and Chris Canty will help. Let's hope Aaron Rouse is at least a little better than C.C. Brown.
Brandon Jacobs has a big day. It's time for Jacobs, having a disappointing season thus far, to have a big game. The Chargers don't generally defend the run well, so this would be a great week for Kevin Gilbride to give San Diego a heavy dose of smash-mouth football. The Giants are 8-1 when Jacobs runs for more than 100 yards, and today would be a good day to make it 9-1.
The Giants stop turning the ball over. The Giants have twice as many turnovers right now as they did after eight games last season. That has to stop.
Eli plays better. This, of course, goes along with the turnovers. Manning has not been himself the past couple of weeks, and he needs to get that turned around. Settle down, stop forcing the ball. Stop letting the play clock run out as he frantically tries to align the blocking. Hit some of those open receivers he has missed the past couple of weeks.

There will be lots of 'Wet Willies' if ...

Aaron Rouse doesn't prove to be at least marginally better than C.C. Brown.
Bill Sheridan doesn't have a better plan. Yeah, the blitz is nice but not when it keeps coming from the wrong side. Or, the defense keeps running itself right out of plays. Sheridan needs to begin to show he is up to the job.
The special teams break down again. Each week it seems some part of the special teams has faltered, leaving the Giants in a hole. At the very least, the Giants have to be neutral with San Diego n the kicking game. And it sure would be nice to see Domenik Hixon or Danny Ware break a return.

Five questions with the Giants

JasonB — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:00:51 -0000

This week I traded questions with Ed over at the Giants blog, Big Blue View. Ed also happens to be a contributor to our Yankees site, Pinstripe Alley... So, suffice to say Ed is truly the epitome of all that's evil and wrong.

At least for this week... ;)

So check out his responses after the jump and keep an eye out on Big Blue View for my answers to his queries.

BGN - 3 weeks ago the Giants were riding high as everyone's prohibitive favorite to not only win the NFC east, but probably the whole NFC... Fast forward to today and you're on a 2 game losing streak and everyone is wondering if they're early season success was due to a weak schedule. What is behind the Giants' recent struggles?

BBV - Well, the Saints and the Cardinals are behind the struggles. Two good teams. Actually, in the Saints game the Giants' secondary -- weakened without Kenny Phillips and Aaron Ross -- got exposed. Last week was really a poor offensive performance, probably the first bad one of the season. So, it's been a combination of things. In reality, they just haven't looked like the Giants the past couple of weeks -- not dominant defensively or efficient offensively.

This question may very well be part of the answer to the last question... but the Giants are ranked dead last in the NFL in red zone defense. How is that possible for a unit that's been so good for all these years?

It's really an interesting question. I know Tom Coughlin talked about it this week, and he doesn't have an answer. It really comes down to this -- the Giants are No. 1 in the league on defense in terms of yards allowed per game at 262. But, they really have not been that good. The better teams have been able to exploit the Giants weaknesses. First and foremost that means finding safety C.C. Brown -- Phillips' replacement -- and throwing the ball at him. He is horrific in coverage, if you can call what he does coverage. Of more concern, though, is the defensive line. The Giants are trying to pressure with four quite often, and that group is under-achieving. So, I don't think the problem is specific to the red zone. I think the red zone numbers show you that this defense has not been as dominant as its reputation, and ranking, might lead you to believe.

Let's stick with that Red Zone theme... The Giants offense is 27th in the league in red zone efficiency. It seems like all too often they settle for 3 points when they get inside the 20. What do you put that on?

A combination of things, I think. The wide receivers are still young and inexperienced. I think there have probably been a couple of miscommunications. The Giants also have more of a finesse offensive line that likes to pull and lead block, not go straight ahead. That's tough on the goal line. Thirdly, most Giants fans will answer this question by screaming that offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride is an idiot. I will say that I think the Giants need to make better use of some of their weapons on the goal line, like big receivers Kevin Boss and Hakeem Nicks, and The Beast, Brandon Jacobs.

With all the injuries in the Giants secondary and the Eagles offense relying almost entirely on big plays through the air this year, do you see that as a mismatch?

Not necessarily a mismatch. There is really only one weak spot in the secondary -- injuries or no injuries. That weak spot, as I mentioned before, is C.C. Brown. He is a huge hitter who tackles well and plays the run well. He couldn't cover me, though, and I'm 49 years old and I've torn by Achilles tendon twice. The key for the Giants is to protect him by getting pressure. Unfortunately, they really haven't been getting to the quarterback enough the past couple of weeks.

This week we learned that Ahmad Bradshaw, who has been great for the Giants this year, has a cracked bone in his foot but is going to continue to try and play. Brandon Jacobs just hasn't been himself this year. Are you worried about Bradshaw's ability to finish this year and is there a reason Jacobs hasn't been the kind of player we've come to expect yet this year?

Sure. I seriously doubt Bradshaw will make it to the end of the year. As hard as he runs and as violently as he cuts and struggles once he is hit, sooner or later that bone is going to give out. Sadly, rest won't heal it. It looks like only surgery will. So, we just watch him and see how long he lasts. Fortunately, we have all been dying to see Danny Ware get a chance to play for the past couple of years. If and when he is called upon to help carry the load we feel confident he can do it. As for Jacobs, I don't think there is anything wrong with him. The past couple of weeks he has run very well (13 carries, 76 yards last week), he just has not had enough opportunities. As the Eagles will, teams have been stuffing eight and nine guys at the line of scrimmage -- and blitzing consistently. Jacobs popped a couple of good runs last week, and hopefully that will continue. Often, though, the Giants are seeing that look at the line of scrimmage and checking to pass.