SB Nation - Plaxico Burress

New York Giants News & Notes: Giants Have a Little Swagger Back

cjmulrain — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 12:00:28 -0000

Fred Robbins posts on his blog about the Giants win over the Cowboys and their upcoming game against the Eagles. He mentions that the Giants have their swagger back after excelling in all 3 phases of the game on Sunday.
Domenik Hixon was a big part of the reason the Giants Special Teams performed well, returning a key punt for a touchdown. For his efforts, he has been named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week. Amazingly, that was the Giants first punt return touchdown since Chad Morton returned one against the Cardinals back in 2005.
Another key to the Giants performance against the Cowboys was how well the defense responded to the shuffling starting lineups on the defensive line. Osi Umenyiora should especially be commended for taking his demotion in stride, and coming up with a huge fumble recovery. For that, maybe we should thank LaVar Arrington. He was a bust as a free agent for the Giants a few years ago, but if his pep talk really helped Osi get his head right, I'll be forever grateful.
In perhaps the best news of the week, Chris Snee's knee is "very sore," but not seriously injured. It's still undecided if he will be able to play on Sunday, but it's at least good news that he won't miss significant time. Snee is the best player on the Giants offensive line and they're gonna need him down the stretch.
The Giants will have revenge on their minds Sunday against the Eagles. The Eagles have beaten the Giants in 3 straight meetings and have handed the Giants their last two playoff losses (of course, a Super Bowl Championship was squeezed in between, so we can't complain too much). I heard a lot about the revenge angle when these teams met a few weeks ago, and the Giants got killed. At this point, I don't care about revenge, I just want the Giants to win the damn game and get back into first place in the NFC East.
Steve Serby talks about "Hate Bowl II" and looks at the remaining schedules for the Giants and their playoff spot competition. On paper it looks good for the Giants, as long as they can beat the Eagles. That said, "any given Sunday" - which is why I hate looking ahead on the schedule. As the 2007 (and 2008) Mets proved, you can lose tro anyone down the stretch.
I joked about this in the comments a few days ago, but Plaxico Burress is looking for a work furlough to get him out of prison parttime. I'm extremely happy with our current crop of wide receivers & I know Plax left a bitter taste in a lot of mouths, but I'd be willing to take him back just for this weeks game against the Eagles & let him run a few plays. He always dominated the Eagles, and the Super Bowl run showed that he really doesn't need to practice. I'm only half-joking about this.
Finally, the NY Times 5th Down Blog continues its look at the 10 greatest Giants moments at Giants Stadium with their 41-0 NFC Championship Game beatdown of the Minnesota Vikings. It's really a shame they cancelled the Super Bowl that year, I really think after that performance the Giants would have absolutely destroyed the Ravens. I mean, Trent Dilfer...c'mon!

Can Tom Coughlin rescue another Giants' season on the brink?

Ed Valentine — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:00:34 -0000

by Carolyn Kaster - AP

New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin looks at the scoreboard during the fourth quarter an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

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Tom Coughlin is in his sixth season as New York Giants head coach. One of the reasons the Giants have been so successful during that time -- and maybe the primary reason Coughlin is still here -- has been his ability to handle crisis.

It began back in 2004 when he was handed a completely broken team that had fallen apart under Jim Fassel. By his second season, TC had the Giants back in the playoffs and had the franchise pointed back on the right path.
There was his willingness, with his season and maybe his job on the line in 2006, to sack play-caller John Hufnagel for the final regular-season game. Maybe it was belated, but it was still bold.
There was his battle for control of the locker room, and to create an atmosphere where players cared more about winning than themselves. That took until Tiki Barber retired and Michael Strahan finally decided to get on board, but it did happen.
There was, of course, 2007. The Super Bowl year. Remember how badly the Giants started, 0-2 and looking awful? Not qualifying for the playoffs until the 15th game of the season? TC managed his team through that sometimes rocky regular season, and we ended up with a magical run no one expected.
Last season, of course, there was the Plaxico Burress fiasco. No, the Giants did not finish the season well. Coughlin did, however, maintain his grip on the team and not allow Burress to fracture the locker room.

Now the question is, can Coughlin do it again?

Make no mistake, this is a team in crisis. We have seen so many uncharacteristic things the past few weeks -- turnovers, atrocious defense, special teams mistakes -- it's hard to believe they can all be made to vanish quickly.

Yet, that is Coughlin's challenge because even he has admitted that Sunday is a 'one game season" for the Giants. Win it, they will be 6-3 and can feel OK about themselves heading into the bye. Lose it, the season could be headed down the drain.

Here is my question about those uncharacteristic things we have seen the past few weeks. Defensively, especially, is it just a matter of the Giants not having enough talent?

Or, have the players begun not to hear the things Coughlin and his coaches are preaching? Even terrific coaches have season where they simply don't get their message across to players.

TC has turned to his veteran players this week and put the onus on them.

"Leaders are lifters. What has to happen when a team does fight their way out of a problem, your best players have to show the way. They are the ones that show the way. The guys that are in the role of a foot soldier, they will play and they will work their tails off. But what ultimately shows is when the guys that are recognized as your quality football players – your better football players – they have to play themselves into a position where they are showing the way," Coughlin said.

So far, so good. Judging from the comments of a couple of those leaders they are accepting the challenge Coughlin has laid at their feet.

Here is Eli Manning, the leader on offense, addressing Coughlin's remarks.

"You always expect your leaders and the guys who expect to play well to go out there and do their job and play at a high level. That level motivates the other guys and gets everybody going. We have to do our job. Each individual has to do their job," Manning said. "I think the message is clear. I think we know what we’ve got to do and what’s at stake, how important this game is. We’ve got to turn this thing around and start playing better football. The message is clear, everybody knows it and now it’s a matter of just going out there and doing it."

Here is Antonio Pierce, the quarterback of the defense, discussing his unit.

"I’ve probably the biggest culprit of everything," Pierce said after Wednesday's practice. "If I’m the guy they call the leader of the defense or the captain of the defense, which I am, I need to do a better job. And I plan on doing it this week."

What he likely means is that, in addition to his physical mistakes, he also hasn't done a good enough job of keeping the players focused throughout the course of the game because, when asked what's happened to this defense lately, Pierce replied, "You always hear coaches say to a corner, 'Forget the last play and move on.' Well, I think we've got to do a better job of doing that. Sometimes, we're still trying to figure out what happened to us in the first quarter or the first play and it's in the fourth quarter and we're getting our butts whupped."

Like coach Tom Coughlin, Pierce indicated the recovery will start with the team's leaders.

"Our star players, the guys that are considered stars, need to play like stars," Pierce said. "The guys that are solid and contribute need to contribute more. Everybody needs to do a little bit more right now. Obviously, what we’re doing is not working.

"It has nothing to do with Xs and Os. Sometimes it does, but for the most part sometimes you have to go above Xs and Os and just play a little harder, do a little extra things, run to the ball more, have energy, show some kind of spirit that you want to really enjoy playing this game and be passionate about the game because it passes you by really quick and we don’t want to see our season pass us by."

So, it would seem that the Giants' leadership is still on the same page with its head coach. The question now is whether or not they can turn those words into actions.

If they can, Coughlin will have rescued another season that appears to be on the brink.

Dodgers Should Know When To Walk Away, Know When To Run From Padilla

Eric Stephen — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:18:48 -0000

More photos » by David J. Phillip - AP

Vicente Padilla back for 2010? No thanks.

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I don't know what Vicente Padilla news was more troubling yesterday: that he was accidentally shot yesterday in a hunting accident, or that the Dodgers want him back. Look, don't get me wrong, Padilla pitched wonderfully for the Dodgers -- well, at least until Game 5 of the NLCS. Including the playoffs, Padilla pitched much better for the Dodgers than he did at any point with the Rangers:

Team	Years	G	IP	HR/9	BB/9	K/9	ERA	FIP	WHIP	ERA+
Rangers	2006-2009	103	599.1	1.13	3.41	6.20	4.90	4.75	1.475	92
Dodgers	2009	11	56.2	1.11	2.54	8.10	3.34	3.80	1.129	125

Padilla's strikeout rate had plummeted the past few years with the Rangers, from 6.7 in 2007 to 5.9, to 4.9. Then it spiked with the Dodgers to 8.1. Is the difference between the two leagues really that great? Bringing Padilla back smacks of Jose Lima all over again. After 2004, the arbitration rules were different and actually helped prevent Lima's return after his out-of-nowhere performance. Bringing Lima back wasn't a good idea then -- he wasn't good for four years prior to joining the Dodgers, and his final 36 starts after leaving produced a 7.26 ERA, suggesting his performance in LA was a fluke -- and bringing back Padilla for 2010 isn't a good idea now.

Before we get swayed by 11 games, we should remember that upon his release by Texas, his Ranger teammates openly applauded their general manager for getting rid of Padilla. They hated him. Did Padilla's attitude change with his move to the Dodgers? Sure it did! He was on his best behavior because he was on a contract drive. Using the Manny Ramirez Principle, the Dodgers should only bring someone with a checkered past back if his two months with the club produced Hall of Fame-type numbers. Padilla was good, but he wasn't that good.

As for yesterday's shooting, that really doesn't concern me, at least for now. Padilla seems to be fine, according to his agent, so there aren't health concerns. This doesn't appear to be another Plaxico Burress situation, at least on the surface, so there aren't likely to be any legal concerns.

For what it's worth, the 2010 Bill James Handbook projects Padilla in 2010 to have a 4.66 ERA and 4.73 FIP. We know the Dodgers will likely sign at least one starting pitcher this offseason. Unless the offer is a one-year contract for a few million bucks, perhaps with some incentives built in, the Dodgers should stay away from the Vicente Padilla sweepstakes. Otherwise, he is a bad gamble.

The Giants are broken ... Now, how can they be fixed?

Ed Valentine — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:00:20 -0000

by Michael Perez - AP

Philadelphia Eagles' LeSean McCoy (29) rushes past New York Giants' Aaron Rouse (26) in the second half during an NFL football game Sunday. This type of thing has been happening to the Giants defense on a regular basis.

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We spent Monday complaining about all of the things that have gone wrong with our long-ago 5-0 New York Giants. Today, let's turn the page and think about what Tom Coughlin and Co. can do fix some of the things that have gone wrong the past three weeks.

I am starting with this premise. The biggest problem on this football team -- without any doubt in my mind -- is the underwhelming defense. This team was built to dominate defensively while the offense found its way as the young group of wide receivers grew into its responsibilities.

There have been weeks when the offense has not played well, which he realistically had to expect entering the season. Or when various aspects of the special teams have not played well. The one constant, though, has been that against good teams the defense has been completely overmatched.

When we weren't talking about Plaxico Burress during the off-season, we were talking about the devastating defense we thought General Manager Jerry Reese had assembled. So far this season, the only things the defense is devastating is the Giants' chance to be a good football team.

In the last three weeks the Giants have given up 112 points (37.3 per game) and been riddled by too many huge plays for me to even think about. Forget being a dominant defense. Bill Sheridan's unit is not even close to being a competent one right now.

So, what can be done to improve the situation? I am going to break this down into four categories -- defensive line, linebackers, secondary and philosophy.

via i391.photobucket.com

The defensive line

Remember back in the pre-season when we were wondering how defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan was going to find roster space -- and snaps -- for all the talented defensive linemen the Giants had collected?

Well, now the question is can anyone on that front four make a play?

The Giants are tied for seventh in the league with 18 sacks, but it is obvious that the front four cannot consistently pressure quarterbacks by itself -- which was the plan with this group. Osi is not the dominant force of yesteryear. Justin Tuck must still be nursing the Week 2 shoulder injury. Mathias Kiwanuka has been mostly a non-factor in recent weeks. The defensive tackles are non-existent in the pass rush.

The run defense has been horrible. Philadelphia ran for 180 yards, including 66 and 41-yard touchdown runs. Arizona, which is a bad running team, consistently got solid runs. New Orleans did what it wanted on the ground as well as in the air. All the way back to the Dallas game the run defense was a problem. In that game the Giants gave up runs of 56, 35 and 20 yards.

Way too often, running backs are hitting the second and third level of the Giants defense without being touched.

Fred Robbins and Barry Cofield are not holding up inside. Neither is Rocky Bernard, brought in from Seattle specifically to help the run defense. Jay Alford is gone for the year.

The solution? Inside I think all the Giants can hope for is that Chris Canty can make some plays if he ever comes back healthy. That is no guarantee, though, even if the Giants are paying him $42 million. He has never been a defensive tackle, and he has missed so much time there is no way of knowing how effective he can be. In all honesty, I have never been a big Cofield fan. As for Robbins and Bernard, I am wondering if both of these mammoth guys have just gotten old.

Outside, I think the only change the Giants can make is to start getting second-round pick Clint Sintim on the line in passing situations. Sintim and Osi at the ends, with Tuck and Kiwi at the tackles is the best pass-rush group the Giants can put on the field.

Other than that, all we can hope for is that Tuck and Umenyiora get healthier, and start making the plays they are being counted on to make.

via i268.photobucket.com

The linebackers

Ah, the linebackers. Ugh! There isn't much nice to say here. Without the injured Michael Boley this is an un-athletic, un-inspiring, un-imposing group.

Danny Clark? Nice guy, great character, Tom Coughlin loves him and DC will do great things off the field once his playing days are done. On the field, though, Clark should not be a starting linebacker in the NFL. The guy is old, slow and hardly ever makes a play. Pretty much, he is just out there.

Chase Blackburn? Again, great character guy. Great special teams player. Smart, can play multiple positions and is a good tackler. But, slow, not and doesn't get off his blocks very well. Not a play-making, starting caliber linebacker.

Antonio Pierce? We knew he is smart. We know he is the 'quarterback' of the defense. We also know he is slow in pass coverage, not very imposing in the middle of the defense and has been getting abused by offenses for the past two seasons. Who do you think teams are running at over and over and over when they gash the Giants up the middle? Sorry, but AP's best football is clearly behind him.

The solution? Clearly, some personnel changes are needed here. And this is an area of the defense where the Giants DO have some options. Those begin, again, with Sintim. I know the second-round pick from Virginia has clearly missed a lot of time on the practice field due to his leg injury earlier this season. He showed in the pre-season that he is an athlete, and a playmaker. It might be time to let Sintim learn on the field, replacing Clark. Sintim will make some mistakes, but he will also make some plays against the run simply with his athleticism. Against the pass? Put him at defensive end let him do what he does best -- get after quarterbacks.

On the other side, the Giants obviously miss Boley. In the couple of games he played before going down with a knee injury, he showed athleticism and cover skills the Giants have not had in an outside linebacker for a while. He will, of course, help when he returns. Until then? Sorry, Chase, but let's get Bryan Kehl on the field and see if he can help. Again, he is more athletic and maybe he can make a difference. Maybe he can't, but it's worth a shot to find out.

In the middle? The Giants are not moving Pierce out of there, as much as some of us might like them to. Blackburn is not the answer long-term in the middle, either. If the season spirals out of control (and Lord knows I am not wishing for that) I would like to see Jonathan Goff get a chance in the middle. He was impressive in pre-season and I want to know what he can do.

By the way, Clark, Blackburn and Gerris Wilkinson are free agents after this season. This group is headed for an off-season makeover.

The secondary

We have been over the issues with this group so many times I won't belabor them. The Giants miss Kenny Phillips so much I hate to even think about it. They miss Aaron Ross because at least he would provide them with some options. Have you noticed how often the Giants are playing 'nickel' with Michael Johnson, 'Bad, Bad C.C. Brown' and 'Just as Bad Aaron Rouse' on the field together? That's three safeties on the field in obvious passing situations -- none of whom can cover. A recipe for disaster.

There are no easy solutions here, though getting Ross back in some semblance of playing condition is probably the best the Giants can hope for. At least then in some of those passing situations they can get Brown off the field.

We would all love to see Brown get his pink slip. Yesterday. There is, truthfully, no help out there right now, however. If Reese could have done better than Rouse when KP went down he would have. But, teams don't jettison players mid-season without a good reason.

Maybe the Giants bring Sha'reef Rashad or Vince Anderson off the practice squad. It sure can't hurt, but it is no guarantee to help. Those guys are on the practice squad because the Giants didn't think they were ready to play at the NFL level yet.

Mostly, we just have to hope that Brown and Rouse learn from their mistakes, and get on the same page with the rest of the secondary. Oh, and that somebody back there remembers tackling is part of the job.

The philosophy

New defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan is under fire from every direction. Blitz more, Bill!. Don't blitz so much, Bill! How come your team can't play the run, Bill? Your guys can't cover, Bill! You can't carry Steve Spagnuolo's jock strap, Bill! Hey, Bill, we would have re-hired Tim Lewis or Johnnie Lynn if we wanted to watch this crap!

I have said it before -- I won't kill Sheridan over how much he blitzes or doesn't blitz. This team was built to pressure with four. It's not happening. They aren't getting home with the blitz, either. Because they just don't have the athletes.

That, really, is the crux of it. Right now the Giants simply don't have the athletes to be a dominant defense.

That said, it would be nice if Sheridan would remind his defensive backs that making a tackle once in a while would be nice.

Final word

I truly believe that better defense would solve a lot of the other problems the Giants are having. Inconsistent offense (which we expected entering the season), erratic special teams (which seems like a Giants trademark), the occasional incomprehensible Kevin Gilbride play call (yes, they do happen) would all be much less of an issue if the Giants could simply stop somebody once in a while.

We will see if Coughlin, Sheridan and Co. can figure out a way to make that happen. If they can't, the last eight games will be torture to watch.

What others are saying about the Giants' implosion

Ed Valentine — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:00:50 -0000

More photos » by Gene J. Puskar - AP

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning.

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We know how we all feel about the pitiful state of the football team currently marauding as the once-proud New York Giants. Let's sample a little of the reaction from around the Inter-Google following Sunday's 40-17 slaughter at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Oh, Eli

In the middle of a column is which he accurately states that the Giants put on a "staggering show of ineptitude," Ian O'Connor of NorthJersey.com addresses the elephant in the room for the Giants offense. Meaning, how badly injured is Eli Manning? Eli will, and has, said he is fine. Coach Tom Coughlin won't talk about Eli's plantar fasciitis. O'Connor went to General Manager Jerry Reese for thoughts on that, and Reese did not skirt the subject.

"I think Eli’s foot is bothering him some," said Giants GM Jerry Reese, "but he’s out there and he’s giving it his best. Obviously he’s not 100 percent, but I don’t know if anybody’s 100 percent at this point of the season.

"I have confidence Eli will pull out of it."

If Manning shares Reese’s faith, his body language said otherwise. Eli had no zip on the ball, and almost no willingness to step into a throw.

SI.com's Peter King this morning named Eli his 'Goat of the Week.' King, by the way also dropped the Giants out of his 'Fine Fifteen' for the first time this season.

For the first five weeks of the year, Eli looked like Peyton. For the past three weeks, he's looked like Danny Kanell -- inaccurate, unnecessarily risky and unsure of himself. Totally bizarre. Like the throw he made to Asante Samuel on the Giants' first series; at least it appeared to be intended for Samuel, who stepped in front of tight end Travis Beckum and picked it off, leading to the second touchdown for Philly. Manning threw another one just before the half, setting up another touchdown, and by then it was over. The Giants have to hope it's just a minor slump, because if Manning keeps throwing to the other team like this, and completing balls at a rate lower than 50-percent (which he's doing the past three weeks), New York's going to be out of the pennant race by Thanksgiving weekend.

Don Banks, also of SI.com, also discussed Eli's injury.

Manning seems to be sailing a lot of his passes high over his receivers' heads, and that's probably an indication he not's real comfortable planting his feet and following through on his throws.

My take: I have to agree with the sentiment that Eli is just not right. He is tough, and he will never admit being affected. The incredibly high number of off-target throws are reminiscent of the player Eli was at the beginning of his career, not the player he is now. He is better than this, and we have to hope he finds a way to deal with the foot problem and gets back to making the throws that need to be made.

Coughlin again staring at huge challenge - - NJ.com

Coughlin is facing a crisis now, maybe his worst one since the 0-2 start in 2007. Yes, there was the Plaxico Burress mess, but that was an off-the-field disaster largely beyond his control.

This? His Giants are imploding and Coughlin doesn’t seem to have the foggiest why it is happening. They have fallen from 5-0 to 5-3, fallen from the NFC’s elite to third place in their division, and the pratfall is magnified by how poorly they are playing.

They were noncompetitive in this 40-17 loss to the Eagles yesterday, outclassed in all phases. The defense gave up plays of 66, 54 and 41 yards, all for touchdowns. The quarterback threw two killer interceptions in the first half and overthrew a half dozen open receivers.

The coach, asked for answers, had none.

"I’m just as frustrated as the next guy," Coughlin said. "We’ve found our way out of these situations in the past."

Coughlin has done some of his best coaching when the Giants are facing a crisis, and he has one on his hands now. They play four of their next five games at home, but all five are against teams with winning records.

Are the Giants arrogant? ProFootballTalk.com
The root cause could be a level of arrogance that the talent level on the team doesn't justify.

"We keep talking about 'Well, that team ain't better than us. We just didn't play good,'" defensive end Justin Tuck said. "After three weeks in a row, something is not clicking the way it needs to be. We've got to look ourselves in the mirror and get this ship right. Now."

it appears that the 5-0 start was influenced in large part by the fact that the Giants primarily played bad teams (Redskins, Bucs, Chiefs, Raiders). Their only impressive victory came at Dallas, but it arguably wasn't a game the Giants won as much as it was a game the Cowboys lost.

So the reality could be that the Giants haven't lost their magic. The reality could be that, this year, they simply don't have any -- and that they're going to be the last ones to figure it out.

My take: This is a good point. We have said it over and over, but it is pretty obvious the Giants are not as good as they think they are. It's time for them to stop talking and start playing.

New York Giants defense lays egg
The Giants have lost their way. It happens to good NFL teams sometimes during the course of a long season, and it isn't necessarily fatal when the record still says five wins and three losses at the midway point. But this peculiar form of amnesia usually doesn't afflict the Giants, who have an institutional memory for conventional power football on both sides of the ball.

Unlike the Jets, the Giants always are supposed to know who they are. But now Tom Coughlin's team has dropped three straight against strong opponents in very disturbing fashion, doing things that Giants just don't do.

They are missing tackles, giving the football away, flubbing assignments. Five different Eagles either caught passes or rushed in plays that gained 20 or more yards from scrimmage.

"We're a complete embarrassment," Antonio Pierce said, after the 40-17 loss to the Eagles. "We're just a bad defense right now. We went from a team that was very disciplined to a team not doing the right things. ... It's mind-boggling. Twenty-one days. ... Three weeks."

My take: That is about the most insightful, and accurate, thing Pierce has said to the media all season.

ROTB War Room: Revisiting The Past

Andrew602 — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:00:20 -0000

In our last two war rooms, we've evaluated key positions or groups on the opposing team. This week, we'll look at the past. We'll look over the Cardinals/Giants game that took place last year. Props to Drullin'OverDaCards for his post Tuesday, providing the information that the Cardinals haven't won on the road against the Giants since 1999. We won't go that far, only looking at the success the Giants had against us when they traveled to University of Phoenix Stadium last season. The date was November 23rd, 2008. The Giants were 9-1 heading into the game, while the Cardinals had won 7 straight at home. The first quarter featured five lead changes, and the Cardinals remained calm, despite missing an extra point and trailing at halftime. In the second half, the Cardinals weren't able to keep up with the Giants, as they were out-scored 20-17. They had a chance to tie the game, but an onside kick bounced through the hands of cornerback Ralph Brown, who later said he took his eye of the ball for a second. The Cardinals inability to stop Eli Manning from shredding their defense is what hurt their chances at winning. The Cardinals also allowed two big kick returns by Domenik Hixon, that would later lead to scores. Kurt Warner fumbled the ball twice, losing one, and threw an interception as well. Both turnovers set up touchdowns by the Giants. Next we'll take a look at what both teams were able to do successfully.

What worked for the Giants?

Despite being without injured running back Brandon Jacobs, and losing wide receiver Plaxico Burress early in the game, the Giants were able to move the ball efficiently. They amassed over 300 yards of total offense, and were 7-15 on 3rd downs.
The defense held the Cardinals to 29 rushing yards for the entire game. Because of that, the Giants got pressure on Kurt Warner much of the time, forcing two turnovers out of him that resulted in scores.
The Giants first scoring drive worked for two reasons - they were disciplined and balanced. The first scoring drive was an 11 play, 62 yard-er, that took 6:08 minutes. Their offensive balance was key on the drive, with 6 passes and 5 runs. Of the 62 yards, only 15 came from the run, but the their willingness to run the ball kept the Cardinals on their heals. Even more important was a 4th and 1 that the Giants went for and converted late in the 1st quarter. Eli Manning was perfect on the drive, but it should be noted that Eric Green and Aaron Francisco were playing on defense, and both amounted for 5 tackles on the drive. It's clear they were targets, widely due to their poor coverage skills. The main point is the Giants took bits and pieces off the clock and the field, moving efficiently much like the Cardinals did on their opening drive last week.

What worked for the Cardinals?

The Cardinals were 8-14 converting 3rd downs, something they've struggled with so far this season. They face a pass defense that was torched by the New Orleans Saints last week, and the Cardinals may use the same gameplan the Saints used. Kurt Warner also threw for 351 yards, completing 61% of his passes.
Surprisingly, the Cardinals also played smart football against a tough Giants team. They only had 3 penalties for 29 yards, and allowed only one sack all day.
Derrick Ward started at running back, gaining only 69 yards on the ground for 3.5 yards per carry. Brandon Jacobs didn't play, so Ahmad Bradshaw was the secondary back. He only saw 4 carries for 9 yards, struggling to run against the Cardinals defense. They will likely see more carries from Bradshaw this Sunday.

Side Notes

The Giants may take the same approach as last year, attempting to pressure Kurt Warner and force the Cardinals either to turn the ball over, or resort to running more... Although Steve Smith and Mario Manningham should start, the Cardinals also want to focus much of their attention on Domenik Hixon. He had a big game last week, gaining over 300 total yards, and he hurt the Cardinals last year. He's a big threat to return a kick off or punt to the house, so it would be wise for the Cardinals to have an extra pair of eyes on him on special teams... Since Derrick Ward has left, Ahmad Bradshaw has taken advantage of the extra carries. He can run blazing fast, and is also a threat receiving out of the backfield. Bradshaw has 423 yards on the year with a 6.2 ypc average. Putting a quick defender on Bradshaw would be important for the Cardinals. However, he blew an important block for Manning last week, so the Cardinals may also want to bring some different looks when Bradshaw stays back to block.

Can the Cardinals overcome the Giants well-balanced offense? What should the Cardinals do differently then what they did last year?

New York Giants notes: Jacobs, Shockey and everything in between

Ed Valentine — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:00:43 -0000

Lots of things to talk about today regarding our New York Giants as they prep for Sunday's showdown with the New Orleans Saints.

So much, in fact, that it's tough to know where to begin. I guess this is what happens when you step away for a day. Anyway, I think I will begin with ...

Brandon Jacobs stuff

Tom Coughlin was asked about Jacobs expressing frustration with his performance, and strongly defended the running back.

"I don’t know what people keep talking about turning around. The guy had some outstanding runs the other day. He had the numbers in terms of rushes. He had the usual number of power runs that he has. I don’t think there is anything for Brandon to be down on," Coughlin said. "This keeps coming up. I don’t know what the expectations are. He is a power runner and that is what he does. If you are talking about the goal line – it was good penetration and he didn’t get the opportunity to get into the end zone. But he will continue to work at that and continue to study and continue to look at himself. And he continues to be a vital part of our offensive team.

I happen to agree with the point ESPN's Adam Schefter made Tuesday, regardless of whether we think Jacobs has played to his full ability thus far in 2009.

SCHEFTER: "These days, teams need two backs to win. The Giants have them. To me, it doesn't much matter who's the workhorse. They're both going to play a major role this season."

Jeremy Shockey stuff

Great work by our man CJ Wednesday in discussing the volatile former Giants tight end. You had to know, however, that Shockey's name would come up again before Sunday.

Here is Saints' quarterback Drew Brees talking about Shockey.

"Shock’s been great. Coming here last year was tough for him because we signed him literally the day before training camp. He was just coming off that broken leg. He wasn’t cleared to play fully yet, then five days into camp he hurts his groin, then he’s got the sports hernia, ankle injury soon after that. It just never seemed like the guy was able to stay healthy. With him out, we just didn’t get a whole lot of time to spend together on the field to get the timing down," Brees said. "This offseason we put in a lot of time together and with the preseason. I feel like now I am confident in everything that he does and I feel like we are very much on the same page. I just see him getting better every week."

Saints coach Sean Payton was asked if Shockey, who has a team-high 18 receptions, is still the same dominant force he was early in his career.

"He is a big target and he is explosive. He still runs well," said Payton. "He is quick in and out of his cuts. Those are all things that you still see, especially now that he is healthy."

By the way, here is a Shockey vowing revenge on the Giants BEFORE they had even traded him. By the way, make sure you check Ernie Palladino's comments here Friday about Shockey. You will enjoy them.

Other Stuff

Domenik Hixon says losing his starting job at wide receiver won't be an issue. Ernie Palladino speculates that Hixon might return to his former role as the Giants primary kick returner this week. If you have been here a while you know that is the exact scenario I have been hoping for. Mario Manningham and Hakeem Nicks pushing Hixon into the background as a receiver, and allowing him to focus on what he does best -- return kicks -- makes the Giants more dangerous.
Steve Smith has begun to convince people around the NFL that he really can be a No. 1 receiver. "He's always open, always catches the ball and he scores touchdowns," said ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer, who played quarterback for 14 seasons in the NFL. "I'm confused. I no longer know what a No. 1 receiver is. I say that sarcastically. "I mean, if that's not a No. 1, what is? The guy has been better than Plaxico Burress."
Adam Schefter expects the Giants' defense to acquit itself well Sunday against the Saints' high-powered passing attack. "The Giants' defensive line is good enough to make up for some of the injuries in the secondary. And defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan and defensive backs coach Dave Merritt should be saluted for the fine work they've done. The Giants' defense is as solid as their organization."
Has Mathias Kiwanuka been the Giants best defensive end this season?
Former Giants 'Touchdown Maker' Stephen Baker still making a difference
NY Giants running back Danny Ware wants to play 'so bad"
Robbins: Defense needs to be flawless

Initial Thoughts to the Brayon Edwards Trade

John B — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:50:11 -0000

More photos » by Mark Duncan - AP

Browse more photos »

I really like this trade. I'll be honest. Edwards is not my favorite receiver in the world. I also don't think he's the greatest fit. Jets fans jump all over guys who make mental mistakes, and Edwards is the king of dropping passes in the NFL. You hope the change of scenery helps his focus because I can definitely see a scenario where Edwards struggles early, the fans jump all over him, and we have another Justin McCareins situation on our hands before we know it.

As I said above, though, I really like this trade. There's no question Edwards has number one receiver talent. He can stretch the field and draw double coverage. It potentially gives the Jets the chance to use the Giants' Eli Manning model. They gave him the big target as a safety blanket, Plaxico Burress. Burress drawing double coverage made life easier for the run game since defenses had to key on him. The struggling backs aren't going to see as many eight man fronts with Edwards there to stretch the field. Jerricho Cotchery's also going to benefit. He's off to a hot start even though he's the focal point for opposing secondaries. Edwards-Cotchery is immediately one of the better receiver tandems in football.

Why does the reward make it worth the risk? The price. The Jets gave up a couple of backup caliber players and a couple of midround picks. If it doesn't work out, they really haven't given up all that much. They kept their top two selections in next year's loaded Draft. If it works, they've just added a great weapon on the cheap. Eric Mangini never helped the Jets like this when he was coaching them. He's given them Mark Sanchez and Braylon Edwards for spare parts since he took over the Browns, though.

Those are my thoughts. Do you think this trade was worth it?

New York Giants news and notes: Lawrence Tynes, Brandon Jacobs and more

Ed Valentine — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:00:34 -0000

There is lots of New York Giants stuff to talk about today. So, I hope you have some time on your hands as we wind our way toward the weekend. We'll go topic-by-topic.

Lawrence Tynes and his "shaken" confidence

If you play golf, which I do, you know what it is like to stand over a seemingly simple three-foot putt with a million thoughts running through your head and zero belief that you can actually put the ball in the hole. Or, to tee off and hit what feels and looks like a solid drive only to have it go 50 yards left or right of your intended target simply because you lined yourself up incorrectly.

These are the analogies I can draw with what seems to be going on with Tynes right now.

"His confidence is shaken, but the team has a lot of confidence in him. He just has to go out and make some kicks," said special teams coach Tom Quinn. "You fall into some bad habits at times and you’ve got to work yourself out of it."

Quinn said Tynes has -- somehow -- not been aligning himself correctly on his field goals. I can understand a weekend golfer screwing up his alignment, but I don't get how a a veteran kicker like Tynes can suddenly not know how to line himself up to kick a short field goal.

""Those are kicks that have to be made in this league. I have to make those kicks because in December and January those are going to be huge kicks, huge points, especially when you are playing some of those NFC East opponents. I am just going to keep grinding and I will make those kicks from here on out. It’s to the point where you just go to kick it. Don’t aim it, don’t try and guide it in there," Tynes said.

"It’s something I need to fix, for sure. It’s bothering me. I am letting the team down. Those are points that should be automatic on the board."

The slow start of Brandon Jacobs

Brandon Jacobs bristled Thursday when asked about the comments made by FOX commentator Tony Siragusa that he wasn't running hard enough. "Next question, please. I don’t want to talk about Tony Siragusa. Not at all. Not worth it," Jacobs said.

Jacobs said simply that he is trying to stay patient and wait for his blocks.

"I feel like I’m running the same way I was running last year. Getting a little bit smarter, being patient, let the scheme happen for me. You just can’t run in there and think that you can outrun your blocks," he said. "It is going to come together for me, I am not pushing it, I am not rushing. It is going to start popping open for me. It’s a long season."

Interestingly, it might be that patience that has been somewhat detrimental to Jacobs thus far.

Here is Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride discussing Jacobs first three games.

"I see a guy that is still energetic, is physical, is passionate about doing whatever he can to help us win. If there is an error that is slowing him down, it is because he wants to be perfect. He is trying to make the perfect read, if that is it. If there is anything, that would be it, he is just trying so hard to do everything perfectly," Gilbride said. "Sometimes you just have to trust your instincts and go out and play. But I certainly don’t see anybody that is tip-toeing."

FOX commentator Daryl Johnston, who was in the booth for Sunday's game against Tampa Bay, made a similar observation.

"He's such a unique style of running back that I don't think he's using his best asset, the things that separate him," Johnston said. "He's too big and too physical to be able to be stopped for two yards or less that many times (32 times in 58 carries). That's a guy who's looking for the home run, a guy looking for that big play."

My take: In the end, as long as Jacobs is healthy, I think his numbers will be pretty much what they have been the past couple of seasons. As for Sunday, there might be a couple of Kansas City defensive backs who will wish Jacobs hadn't spent the week answering questions about his running style.

Kenny Phillips update

Ernie Palladino has the details on safety Phillips, who made an appearance at practice Thursday following knee surgery earlier in the week.

"The surgery was quick (less than two hours), but the rehab is the most important thing. It’s one of the longest rehabs; they said it will be four to five months before I can run. They said it’s real boring; it’s like watching paint dry. It’s not painful, just long. I definitely want to get back to being 100 percent and get back on the field. I am going to do everything they say I should do.

"The surgery went well, all our trainers feel that this is something I can definitely recover from and come back 100 percent. So I am feeling good about it."

From tyrant to terrific, Coughlin perception takes new direction

This is a great piece by Mike Freeman of CBS Sports. My only question is, where have you been, Mike? Everybody else was writing this story two years ago.

Other Odds 'n Ends

Both Fred Robbins and David Diehl have updated their blogs.
ESPN's Matt Mosley thinks the NFC East -- with the exception of the Giants -- was overrated when the season began.
Tight end Kevin Boss is looking for a breakout game.
Rookie wide receiver Hakeem Nicks is ready to get back into game action.
Cornerback Terrell Thomas making the most of his opportunity.
Plaxico Burress has been moved to a different prison.

Keys to beating Pittsburgh: Defense has to take over this game; offense has to ditch finesse generalizations

Kirkendall — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 17:06:28 -0000

There are too many things that could come out of Sunday's game with a win to just ignore. If the Bengals win:

...there's a chance they could be tied for first place in the AFC North standings; provided that the Cleveland Browns beat the Ravens in Baltimore (what are the chances of that?). Even then, the Bengals would be the de facto leaders in the division with a better division record.
...Bengals fans will start buying up tickets -- I made the prediction earlier in the week that if the Bengals beat the Steelers this Sunday and then the Browns on the road, that Paul Brown Stadium will be sold out the rest of the season.
...it will end a seven-game losing streak when playing Pittsburgh at Paul Brown Stadium.
If the Bengals beat the Steelers this Sunday, and do it with a nastiness that the Bengals need to compete in this division, a whole new era of Bengals football could emerge.
...the Bengals will start the season 2-1 (or better) for only the sixth time since 1990 -- the other seasons being 2006 (3-0), 2005 (3-0), 2001 (2-1), 1995 (2-1), 1992 (2-1).

However, there's the other side. If the Bengals allow Pittsburgh to run them over, like they did twice last year (38-10 and 27-10), then Bengals fans will implode. Many will shy away from the explosive win that brought waves of optimism to this team after beating the heavily favored Green Bay Packers. If the Browns beat the Ravens (and who actually expects that to happen?), the Bengals could be all alone in last place, by way of division record. The Steelers will win their eighth straight game in Cincinnati, questioning the Bengals motivation (again) when defending their home turf.

Speaking in more detail, the Bengals have lost seven consecutive games when playing at home against Pittsburgh Steelers. It's been bad. The Bengals have been outscored 182-84 during that span and the margin of defeat is 14 points per game.

Date	Record *	Score
October 13, 2002	0-5	7-34
September 21, 2003	0-2	10-17
November 21, 2004	4-5	14-19
October 23, 2005	5-1	13-27
December 31, 2006	8-7	17-23
October 28, 2007	2-4	13-24
October 19, 2008	0-6	10-38

* Record before the game.

The last time the Bengals beat the Steelers in Cincinnati, Pittsburgh came into the 2001 game, 12-1. Jon Kitna threw for 411 yards passing on 68 attempts (completed 35), recording two touchdowns. Peter Warrick caught 10 passes for 109 yards. Darnay Scott caught seven passes for 113 yards. Corey Dillon rushed 21 times for 91 yards. Former Steelers quarterback Kordell Stewart threw four interceptions (two picks by Kevin Kaesviharn). Plaxico Burress and Hines Ward combined for 11 receptions for 152 yards receiving and Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala rushed 25 times for 55 yards.

In other words, it's been a long time.

So what has to has to happen for the Bengals to win; some of them you can call The Obvious.

It's not enough to rush Big Ben. We've seen how Big Ben can evade a pass rush, keeping a play alive, even turning it into a big gain. He's big and strong. How many times have we seen him break a sure-sack only to find Santonio Holmes streaking (with clothes) down the the middle of the field? Bengals pass rushers Antwan Odom, Robert Geathers, Michael Johnson, Jonathan Fanene and maybe a defensive tackle (for a change), have make a difference. But it's not enough to just pressure Ben Roethlisberger. The pass rush has to knock him down, a lot. When they make a move for a sack, they have to drill him. The Bengals haven't recorded a sack in the past three meetings against the Steelers, and haven't had multiple sacks in a single game since September 4, 2006.

Date	Result	Sacks
October 3, 2004	L, 17-28	1
November 21, 2004	L, 14-19	7
October 23, 2005	L, 13-27	1
December 4, 2005	W, 38-31	2
September 24, 2006	W, 28-20	3
December 31, 2006	L, 17-23 (OT)	1
October 28, 2007	L, 13-24	1
December 2, 2007	L, 10-24	0
October 19, 2008	L, 10-38	0
November 20, 2008	L, 10-27	0
		16

Players that recorded sack in series since 2004: Duane Clemons (4.5), Justin Smith (4.0), Robert Geathers (2), Kevin Hardy, Landon Johnson, Madieu Williams, David Pollack, Domata Peko, Kevin Kaesviharn (0.5).

Stuff the Steelers rushing offense. Michael (Blitzburgh) at Behind the Steel Curtain was right about one thing. The Steelers do establish the rushing offense against the Bengals. And it seems like it's far too easy. Cincinnati's defense hasn't prevented the Steelers from recording over 100-yards rushing, as a team, since the Bengals 38-31 win on December 4, 2005. In the last 12 meetings, the Bengals defense prevented a rushing touchdown only once (November 21, 2004).

However, it's not just that. In the past 12 meetings, the Bengals have allowed 1,739 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns on the ground. Pittsburgh has rushed the football 40 times or more four times.

There are, however, encouraging signs to hang onto. The Bengals rush defense hasn't allowed 100-yards rushing by any team in their past three games -- 89 (Packers), 75 (Broncos), 31 (Chiefs). The Steelers rushing offense rushed for 36 yards against the Titans and 105 against the Bears to start the season. The Bengals have to keep pace by not allowing the Steelers to rush for over 100 yards (they are 2-0 in such scenarios since 2003). But, as we pointed out already, the Steelers tend to establish their rushing offense against the Bengals... a little to easily.

Date	Result	Steelers rushing	Leading rusher
9.21.03	L, 10-17	38-138-1	Amo Zereoue: 16-69
11.30.03	W, 24-20	25-85-1	Jerome Bettis: 20-62-1
10.3.04	L, 17-28	40-165-2	Duce Staley: 25-123
11.21.04	L, 14-19	40-151-0	Jerome Bettis: 29-129
10.23.05	L, 13-27	47-221-1	Willie Parker: 18-131-1
12.4.05	W, 38-31	28-95-1	Willie Parker: 15-71
9.24.06	W, 28-20	38-170-2	Willie Parker: 31-133-2
12.31.06	L, 17-23 (OT)	45-207-2	Willie Parker: 34-134-2
10.28.07	L, 13-24	33-160-1	Willie Parker: 22-126-1
12.2.07	L, 10-24	35-101-1	Willie Parker: 28-87
10.19.08	L, 10-38	27-125-2	Mewelde Moore: 20-120-2
11.20.08	L, 10-27	37-121-2	Mewelde Moore: 15-56

But what of the offense? I believe that the Bengals offense is getting closer to the potency they enjoyed during the 2005 season. Palmer recorded three touchdowns against the Packers and Benson rushed for over 100 yards. However, if you go back to the game before the win over Green Bay, the offense was far too similar to the team's worst ranked offense in 2008.

I feel that if the Bengals play mistake-free offense and convert drive-sustaining first downs, that they'll be alright. I don't expect Palmer to put up 300 yards. I don't even expect him to record three touchdowns. I don't expect Cedric Benson to record more than 100 yards rushing nor do I think any of our receivers will pick up 100 yards or more receiving. But if they sustain drives, win the time of possession and finish drives with points, the offense will do their part.

Prove we're no longer a finesse team. But I think this game will rest with the Bengals defense. If they knock Roethlisberger around and limit the Steelers rushing offense -- let's call it containing rather than eliminating -- then I think the Bengals will have their best chance at winning the football game. I know. Mistake free offense. Sacking the quarterback. Limiting the opposing rushing offense. Those are typically keys for every NFL team to win football games. But historically, when the Bengals have won, it hasn't always been that way. In previous years -- not including 2008, of course -- people have been right to generalize the Bengals as a finesse team, by simply outscoring the other offense. Defense was tasked to force a few punts; other than that, they just had to make sure the opposing offense didn't score more than the Bengals offense. Again. I know the Maddenism that exists here. But for the Bengals to win, Cincinnati's defense has to do more than that. They have to beat up the Steelers and not rely on the offense to win a shootout; because I don't think we can trust the Bengals to win that way against the Steelers.

The Bengals beat the Steelers if... I think the Bengals have as good a shot beating the defending Super Bowl champions than they've had since 2006. We're stronger on defense and the offense is coming around. Furthermore, if the Bengals offense can finally ditch the finesse term, along with the new Bengals defense passing the biggest test that they've face yet by taking over the football game, then I believe the Bengals win this football game.