SB Nation - Jeff Feagles

Keeping an Eye on the Other Beasts in the East

Aaron Novinger — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:47:59 -0000

A Giant collapse? Eli Manning will watch the Giants' playoff hopes slip away if they don't defeat the Redskins on MNF.

Browse more photos »

With the Eagles atop the division, they've got a leg up on the rest of the Beasts in the current playoff picture.

Eagles clinch playoff berth with 1) PHI win + NYG loss, or 2) PHI win + DAL win.

Obviously, of the top three Beasts, the Giants need the most help. Having been swept by the Eagles, along with having a poor 5-4 conference record, New York's best chances are highly dependent upon Dallas losses.

The Cowboys sit in the middle. Being swept by the Giants keeps a fire lit under their behinds; yet, they still have a chance to sweep the division leading Eagles. Week 17 will be of utmost importance.

The Redskins, who have been playing well lately, are in danger of being swept by the division. Perhaps their 0-4 NFC East record will spurn them towards upsetting the Giants on Monday night at FedEx Field.

More Beasts in the East after the jump.

Washington Redskins (4-9)

Last game: 34-14 Win @ Oakland

Next up: Home vs. New York Giants

Big news in Washington. After VP/GM Vinny Cerrato's resignation, owner Daniel Snyder has hired Bruce Allen as his replacement.

Snyder, the owner of the Washington Redskins, has announced that proven long-time NFL executive Bruce Allen has been tapped to be the Executive Vice President/General Manager of the franchise. Daniel Snyder made the announcement just hours after accepting the resignation of Vinny Cerrato. Cerrato served in many capacities for the franchise over the last ten years, most recently as executive vice president of football operations.

"Bruce Allen is the personification of an NFL winner," Snyder said. "Our fans know his heritage; we know his abilities. He is the right person to lead our club."

Although the Redskins are not contending for a playoff position, they will still strive for a win against the rival Giants.

"I don’t want to look at it as a spoiler role for our football team. What I want to do is just win because we’ve earned it," Redskins coach Jim Zorn said on a conference call with New Jersey/New York media Wednesday.

"If we can earn the win, I want it to be more for us than winning it for somebody else. "What’s exciting about this game is it is a division opponent, it has a lot of meaning just because it is a division opponent, and it’s a Monday night game. We hope we can stay on track. That’s what we are looking forward to, anyway."

It does not sound as if Clinton Portis expects to be wearing the same jersey colors in 2010.

"I can't sit and tell you I want my career to be over here, but at the same time, you got to understand the business side of things," Portis said in a nearly 10-minute interview with a small group of reporters Tuesday at FedEx Field.

"I've been here for six years, and we went to the playoffs twice. I think Mr. [Daniel] Snyder [the team's owner], with the pressure that's on him with the organization, [is] probably going to have to make changes. For everything that [goes] on, I'm to blame, so why wouldn't I be the change?"

Rookie Brian Orakpo has been named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance (six tackles, four sacks, one forced fumble) against the Raiders.

New York Giants (7-6)

Last game: 45-38 Home Loss vs Philadelphia

Next up:@ Washington

The Giants are depending upon a Cowboys' collapse to get in the playoffs. Eli said so himself.

Eli Manning nearly snickered when asked about the Giants salvaging the season and not having a chance to control their own postseason destiny.

"We all know who Dallas plays and they've got a tough schedule," he said. "We are in the mind-set that if we win these three games, we think we will make the playoffs."

The Giants' troubles on defense have some pointing fingers at first-year coordinator, Bill Sheridan.

New York's defense, which was the NFL's best during the team's 5-0 start, has been uncharacteristically soft since, although coach Tom Coughlin gave first-year defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan a vote of confidence this week.

"I let him know my support for him and I also let him know it has to be better," Coughlin said. "We've got to do a better job. We're here for one reason. The inconsistency part of it is disturbing, let's face it. Six big play passes and three big play runs (against Philadelphia). You're not going to beat anybody like that."

The Redskins, on the other hand, have been a resurgent team of late.

"I'd love to be the Grinch on their Christmas," rookie linebacker Brian Orakpo said Monday. "That's what we're aiming for. Obviously we're not going to make the playoffs, but we would ruin some other people's seasons."

The Cowboys and Eagles each needed winning scores in the final three minutes to beat Washington, and the Saints only stayed unbeaten after a dramatic comeback in a 33-30 overtime victory two weeks ago.

The Redskins responded by blowing out lowly Oakland 34-13 on Sunday, as Jason Campbell threw two touchdown passes to emerging tight end Fred Davis while Quinton Ganther filled in for injured running backs Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts by rushing for two scores.

Here is the NFL Game Center for MNF's Giants @ Redskins matchup.

Philadelphia Eagles (9-4)

Last game: 45-38 Win @ New York Giants

Next up:Home vs San Francisco

Said simply, DeSean Jackson is a playmaker. Here's what he said about his electrifying punt return against the Giants.

What started as a return up the middle ended with his streaking up the left sideline.

"I caught the ball, went to the right a couple of steps and I didn't see nothing was going on that way, so I turned around and came left with it," he says of a decision that had to be made instantly. "They did a great job of sealing the sideline off for me."

His feel for open space, and his tremendous acceleration, served him well. He was left with only punter Jeff Feagles to beat.

"It's just a rule to me, I try not to get tackled by the kicker," he says.

Jackson was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.

Donovan McNabb compares and contrasts the T.O. days with this season's offense.

"With T.O. brought a lot of attention to our offense," McNabb said, when comparing the two offenses. "I think for rolling the coverages and being able to move (Owens) around because of his size, it still created mismatches which led now to (Brian) Westbrook having so many catches and so many yards; L.J. Smith, so many catches and so many yards; and then even Correll Buckhalter, I mean, coming in an spelling for Westbrook and picking up big yards ... Todd Pinkston I believe at that time led the league in catches over 20 yards."

"I think the difference for this year, obviously there's a different height situation with DeSean and T.O., but still the same explosiveness. We have Maclin, who is a bigger receiver, still being able to make plays on the other side. Brent Celek, who I think is having a Pro Bowl year. Leonard Weaver, having a Pro Bowl year. Our offensive line, the chemistry is where we need it to be. They seem to be getting that experience and they're playing well. So, there are some comparisons but there are also some differences."

I found this interesting tidbit of information when researching what losing Brian Westbrook has meant to the Eagles. To sum up the author's words, Westbrook was indeed important, but RBs are replaceable.

Aaron Schatz, president of Football Outsiders and the point man for this type of statistical analysis, calls it the "Mike Shanahan corollary," after the former Broncos head coach who produced five different 1,000-yard rushers in one eight-year stretch. The corollary isn't about just one coach, though; it's the whole league.

Over the last three seasons, eight featured running backs have gone down to injury, and in each case their understudies have actually outperformed them. If anything, you should be surprised Weaver and McCoy have been so unproductive.

In a lot of ways, this makes sense. Most carries are much more about the offensive line than they are the RBs. If your offensive line gets a 5-yard push, the back gets 5 yards. If the line gets you 2, he'll get 2. Lest you think I'm cherry-picking data, consider this: Adrian Peterson, the consensus best tailback in football, averages 4.5 yards per carry. The combined average of every other Viking to take a handoff? 4.4.

You see? Flozell Adams isn't the only Beast in the East who fights with the Giants. Eagles' DE Trent Cole got into a huge brawl Sunday night, but will not be suspended for his involvement.

Cole apologized for his actions and said that he will accept whatever repercussions are placed upon him by the league. After Darren Howard forced a fumble on a sack of Eli Manning with less than 30 seconds to go in the game, Trent Cole was called for an unnecessary roughness penalty and disqualified from the game for throwing two punches at Giants' offensive lineman Shaun O' Hara.

Cole was fined $15,000.

The team moved TE Martin Rucker up from its practice squad. The move may or may not have something to do with Brent Celek's back injury.

Rucker is an accomplished receiver, as evidenced by his 203 career receptions at the University of Missouri, most ever by a Big 12 tight end. But Reid said that because Rucker worked in the spread offense in college, his blocking needed work when he reached the NFL – and still does, the coach added.

Some injury notes:

Maclin (foot) and Celek (sore back) were the only two players to miss Wednesday's practice. According to head coach Andy Reid, Celek is expected to play Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers (6-7). Westbrook (concussion) ran with the scout team. He hasn't been ruled out of Sunday's game, but may not play.

You saw how hard the 49ers fought on Monday night. By beating the division leading Cardinals, they've got some hope for the playoffs. Hopefully, they'll play just as tough against Philly.

The 6-7 Niners don't even have to win out, nor do they need for the 8-5 Cardinals to lose out. They just need to win two of their last three if the Cardinals lose all three, or to win out and hope for the Cardinals to lose at least two of three. If the two finish with the same record, the 49ers win the division outright based on beating Arizona twice.

Yes, the Niners can still win the division with an 8-8 record. But they cannot win the division if the Cardinals win all three remaining games.

If you missed the Monday night game, this is what the 49ers did to the Cardinals' offense.

The 49ers forced the Cardinals into seven turnovers, sacked Kurt Warner four times and allowed only 245 yards in total offense. Along with that, free safety Dashon Goldson played the best game of his professional life and could be a star in the making while outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks, with three sacks, showed the kind of edge pass-rushing ability that all coaches crave. San Francisco is now tied for seventh in sacks with 34.

NFC Offensive Player of the Week, Frank Gore, gashed the Cards' defense. Do it again, Gore!

His 167 rushing yards helped propel the 49ers to a 24-9 win over the Arizona Cardinals. Gore totaled 104 yards on the ground in the first half on 13 carries and scored the team's last touchdown to seal the victory.

Here's the NFL Game Center for the 49ers @ Eagles matchup.

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

Ed Valentine — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 12:15:09 -0000

OK, time to get serious. Our New York Giants need a win today against the Atlanta Falcons. In my usual, 'Kudos & Wet Willies' style here is how I see things breaking down this afternoon in the Meadowlands.

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

They overcome the loss of Antonio Pierce's defensive 'quarterbacking.' Say what you want about Pierce and his apparently declining physical skills, losing your defensive signal-caller and a player as smart as AP at this point in the season could be devastating. We love Chase Blackburn and he is a bettter athlete than Pierce, but I saw him get blown off the ball too many times while playing the middle during the pre-season to feel really good about him anchoring the middle. And nobody has a clue what Jonathan Goff could bring to the table.
Pressure on Matt Ryan. Without Michael Turner, the Falcons will still try to run the ball. They will likely have to rely on Ryan to make more plays, however, and the Giants have got to get pressure on him. He has been mistake-prone in recent weeks, and it sure would be nice to see the pass rush force a couple of game-changing bad throws. Hopefully, they can do it with the front four. If not, let's hope Bill Sheridan turns Clint Sintim and Michael Boley loose on some blitzes. Oh, and let's pray he forgets about that zone blitz nonsense.
The Giants handle Tony Gonzalez. Covering the tight end has not been a strong suit for the Giants, and Ryan will be looking Gonzalez way a lot. If Boley, and possibly Sintim, can neutralize him that can go a long way toward slowing the Atlanta offense.
The Giants ride Brandon Jacobs. I have said repeatedly recently that Jacobs has been under-utilized during the four-game losing streak. The Falcons are 26th in the league against the run, and there is no excuse for the Giants not to pound Jacobs 20 times or so today in what is really their biggest "must win" game of the season to date.
The Giants hit some big passing plays. That doesn't necessarily mean chucking the ball 50 yards downfield on 3rd and 2, but the Falcons have been susceptible to giving up big chunks of yardage at times. The Giants have not hit a big play in recent weeks, and they will need to today.

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

Atlanta runs the ball effectively. With Turner likely out, the Giants need to make the Falcons one-dimensional. The opportunity is there, and the front seven simply has to force the Atlanta offense to be pass-happy.
The Red/Green Zone issues continue. Both teams are 5-4. Both are imperfect. This could be a close game. Taking advantage of offensive opportunities, and a couple of big defensive stops, could make the difference.
The special teams woes continue. It seems like every week some aspect or another of the Giants special teams has broken down. Jeff Feagles has been horrible recently. The kickoff coverage has been spotty. Lawrence Tynes struggled early on. The Giants have not had a difference-making return in weeks.

New York Giants News & Notes: Jeff Feagles a Pro Bowler?

cjmulrain — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:15:21 -0000

The 2007 Giants and Cowboys will both tell you that Pro Bowl balloting is a meaningless honor, but it's pretty funny that the only Giant who is currently leading his position in voting is punter Jeff Feagles, who has not been having his best season, to say the least. The Giants are a 5-4 team desperately clinging to their playoff hopes, so they shouldn't do as well as they did in Pro Bowl voting last year, but I have to think at least one of Chris Snee, Shaun O'Hara, or Justin Tuck deserves to be a starter.

Giants Enjoy Bye Week

With the Eagles and Cowboys losing and the Michael Turner injury, the Giants had their best Sunday in over a month. Ralph Vachianno recaps.

The bye also helped the Giants get refreshed, with reports that practice this week has been sharp.

Perhaps most importantly, Justin Tuck and Eli Manning were able to use the bye week to heal up some of their injuries. The Giants need those two as healthy as they can be if they want to contend for the Super Bowl this year.

Other Notes

The Giants are lodging a complaint about having to travel to Denver to play on Thanksgiving on a shortened week.
The NY Times 5th Down Blog continues its countdown of the top Giants moments at Giants Stadium with Tiki Barber's 206-yard game against the Redskins the Sunday after Wellington Mara passed away.

New York Giants notes: Falcons story should sound familiar

Ed Valentine — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:20:03 -0000

by Donna McWilliam - AP

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan.

View full size photo »

Reading about the 5-4 Atlanta Falcons these days feels an awful lot like reading about the 5-4 New York Giants.

Here is an example.

Matt Ryan is struggling. Michael Turner is hurting. Jason Elam can't seem to make a field goal.

Yep, the Falcons definitely have plenty of things to worry about as they head into a decisive stretch of the season.

Now, at a time when some doubts may creeping into the team psyche, the Falcons face three games over the next four weeks that will likely determine the course of this season.

Coming off a surprising trip to the playoffs last season, the Falcons were convinced this would be the year they finally broke the franchise's streak of never having consecutive winning seasons. A 3-1 start certainly bolstered those hopes, but two wins in the last five games have undoubtedly caused some to wonder if that ignominious streak will continue.

"It's not about just being average," receiver Roddy White said. "A lot of us are going out there saying, 'I've got one job, I'll just do that.'... We've all got to get out there and do more, be more productive."

The Falcons are being vague about the status of Turner, the star running back who has a high ankle sprain.

There is also concern about a sophomore slump for Ryan, the young quarterback who was so impressive as a rookie. He has thrown 12 interceptions already this season, one more than he threw all of 2008. One blogger has even gone so far as to raise a comparison to Michael Vick.

We're all a little queasy about Ryan's slump because of our collective experience with the Falcons' last young phenom signal-caller. Mike Vick's best season was his first year as a starter. He regressed thereafter to the point that his Untergang was a blessing in disguise for the franchise. There is a slight sense of deja vu for Falcons fans with Ryan having played on a very high level as a rookie and then regressing as a second-year player.

Giants notes

The Giants believe they can, and will make the playoffs

"We’ve got the personnel in here to do it," said Jeff Feagles. "We showed we can win a lot of games in a row. We did it at the beginning of the season, there’s no reason we can’t do it at the end."
Eli Manning Transcript
Justin Tuck Transcript

For the New York Giants, time is now for some changes

Ed Valentine — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:15:09 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

Hopefully we will see a lot more of linebacker Clint Sintim (97) for the remainder of the season.

Browse more photos »

The bye week is over. The New York Giants have had time now to look in the mirror and assess what has gone wrong during their current unexpected four-game slide into mediocrity.

The question now is simple. What can they do to turn things around over the next seven games? Can they get back to being the team we all thought they were going to be, and that they were through a 5-0 start?

Defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan was asked last week about using the bye week to make changes in areas where his defense has been struggling. His answer, I thought, was instructive not just for the defense but for the Giants as a whole. I am taking a little editorial license with Sheridan's remarks, removing the parts where he specifically discussed red zone defense.

"You can sit back and look at a nine game self-scout and kind of take a picture of what you are doing ... How you are playing defense and what kind of calls you are or are not making. It gives you a chance, about a couple of days to do that, to maybe rethink some thoughts defensively about what you can do maybe a little differently," Sheridan said. "You can’t make dramatic changes but you definitely can modify it ... I think you can step back and take a look at what you are doing and maybe consider some other types of things."

Like I said, I think Sheridan's words apply to the entire team. Tom Coughlin, Kevin Gilbride, the players -- everyone. Now that they have had time to think about what has gone wrong, can they make some changes to get this ship sailing back in the right direction?

Here are my suggestions for things I would like to see the Giants do differently during the remaining seven games.

A lot more Brandon Jacobs. Is he running well? Isn't he running well? I'm tired of talking about it. Fact is, during the four-game skid he simply hasn't been running enough. In four losses Jacobs had 7, 13, 20 and 11 carries, 12.75 per game. In the five previous wins, Jacobs had more than 20 carries three times and no less than 16 in any game. He averaged 20 carries in those five victories. When the Giants are playing football their way, dominating teams physically and controlling the clock, Jacobs is punishing defenses 17-25 times per game. It's time to stop protecting the 6-foot-4, 270-pound Jacobs and start using him. As Yogi Berra would say "it's getting late early around here."

Stick with the short passing game. The Giants offense got back to the short, ball-control type passes against San Diego, and it's a trend I would like to see continue. There is a time and place for the long ball, and it is awesome when it works, but let's be honest. After beating up on JV teams the early part of the season Gilbride and Eli Manning fell in love with it. The Giants best receiver, Steve Smith, is a machine on short-to-intermediate routes. Mario Manningham and Hakeem Nicks are showing the ability to turn short throws into huge plays. Kevin Boss is a quality tight end. You don't have to throw the ball 40 or 50 yards downfield to make teams pay for stuffing the box or blitzing the house. Short, quick completions they can't cover -- and ones that occasionally turn into huge gains -- will do the trick. Besides, we are heading into that time of year in the Meadowlands where we know throwing the ball down the field will become more and more dicey. So, stick with what you do best, and what has the best chance to succeed.

Give me some Ramses Barden. Please. I know the third-round pick from Cal-Poly is a work in progress. And I know he has to contribute on special teams to be active on Sunday. But the guy is a 6-foot-6 physical freak, and he needs to be given an opportunity to get on the field and make a couple of plays. Even if Barden doesn't run perfect routes, I saw over and over during training camp that he can use his size and strength to make plays in traffic even when he seems covered. C'mon, now! Is Sinorice Moss really helping the special teams enough to keep Barden inactive every Sunday? I don't think so.

Unleash Danny Ware. We all love Ahmad Bradshaw, but it is plain to see that AB's foot and ankle injuries are slowing him down. His production just hasn't been the same in recent weeks. Ware has fresh legs, gobs of talent and he is dying for an opportunity. I think it's time the Giants give him one.

More Clint Sintim. During pre-season, a lot of folks thought Sintim, the second-round pick, would be the Giants rookie who had the biggest impact this season. A leg injury has derailed the young linebacker, but he is healthy now. Danny Clark might grade out OK on film, but we all know he is not a play maker. The Giants need play makers on defense right now, guys who are fast, strong, athletic and can make plays that change games. Michael Boley and Chris Canty might be those kinds of players. Sintim, too. The Giants need to get him on the field and see what he can do.

Less zone blitz. In fact, no zone blitz. Rip it out of the defensive playbook. I really, really hope that Bill Sheridan has looked at his propensity to call zone blitzes -- something he promised he would not do -- and realize that is the dumbest defense ever invented that is not called the prevent. Dropping Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora and Mathias Kiwanuka into coverage against tight ends is stupid, a recipe for failure. Let them do what they are paid to do, and what they do best, go crush some quarterbacks.

A little faith, Tom. The worst thing a head coach can do is play not to lose, rather than show faith in his eam and play to win. TC played not to lose at the end of the San Diego game, and ended up losing. If he allows the Giants to take a shot into the end zone and it doesn't work I can stomach that loss a lot easier. I also think TC's lack of faith is hurting the kicking game. Coughlin is so afraid of returns he has Jeff Feagles kicking everything out of bounds, and now Feagles -- one of the best directional punters ever -- is all screwed up. He's got Lawrence Tynes kicking squibbers and bouncers and God-awful looking kickoffs all over the place. Show a little faith in your coverage teams. And your quarterback, Tom. That's what you did in 2007. Don't show fear. Show belief.

Poll

Will the Giants make the playoffs

Yes

871 votes

No

209 votes

1080 votes | Poll has closed

Afternoon notes: Aaron Ross lives!

Ed Valentine — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:29:52 -0000

More photos » by Mike Groll - AP

Aaron Ross

Browse more photos »

For a Wednesday of a bye week, sure seems like some interesting things are happening around our New York Giants today. So, an afternoon notebook.

Various beat reporters are stating that Aaron Ross actually practiced IN PADS with the Giants today. Well, wonders never cease. Oh, and I won't believe it until Tom Coughlin says it or Ernie Palladino posts the video.

The beat reporters have also all mentioned today that the Giants brought in 14 players for tryouts none of whom were signed. Pro Football Talk, of course, has the complete list.

The most interesting name of the bunch? At least for me, it was punter/placekicker Tim Masthay, from the University of Kentucky. Obviously, both Jeff Feagles and Lawrence Tynes have had their moments this season, so that was interesting.

Many of you wish Steve Spagnuolo was still making the Giants defensive calls. I know I do. But maybe this will make you feel better. Spags apparently still believes Bill Sheridan can get the Giants defense turned around.

"I absolutely think he will," Spags said. "Not 30 min ago I e-mailed Bill just to tell him. I had an opportunity to watch that game against San Diego. It’s a shame they lost it at the end. They did all the right things at the end, but Philip Rivers had a great drive.

"But they’ll be fine. There are players in that locker room that know how to win. They know what they have to do. They’ll dust themselves off. When all is said and done, they’ll be right there."

Giants' coaching staff has much to re-evaluate during bye week

Ed Valentine — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:00:27 -0000

I listen to way too much talk radio, though blabbermouth Mike Francesa is on my 'avoid at all costs' list. I have even learned, in small doses, to tolerate ESPN's Colin Cow~~dung~~, er, herd

I guess this is what happens when you have as much time on your hands as I have had for the past year or so.

Anyway, I don't bring this up to discuss the quality of sports talk radio (although I will say I miss Tony Kornheiser on the radio). I bring this up because of a discussion Cowherd has Monday with ESPN analyst and former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer.

Dilfer was discussing the New England Patriots, and why they continue to be a dominant force year-in and year-out despite loads of changes to both the personnel and the coaching staff.

Dilfer was a middling quarterback, but he is a terrific analyst. He made the point that Bill Belichick and the Patriots identify the strengths and weaknesses of their personnel better than any team in the NFL, and do a tremendous job of making sure players are asked only to do things they are good at.

It's a great point. The job of a coaching staff is to put players in the best possible position to succeed. That means identifying what they do well, and what they do poorly, and not putting them in positions where they are bound to fail.

This brings me, of course, to the New York Giants. After four straight losses, the direct question has to be this. Have head coach Tom Coughlin and coordinators Bill Sheridan and Kevin Gilbride been consistently putting the players in the best position to win football games?

Before I answer, a little disclosure. You guys know I come at this debate as a huge supporter of Coughlin. Four straight playoff appearances and a Super Bowl title means I think he deserves support. Not to mention eight playoff appearances in 13 season as a head coach. There are a lot of NFL teams who would love to have TC on their sideline. TC is not perfect, but he does know what he is doing.

You also know that I have supported Gilbride on many occasions, and will continue to do so when it is warranted. He is hardly to blame for every ill that befalls the Giants. That said, I am not blind to his imperfections. As for Sheridan, he has a lot to prove before anyone can say he is up to his job.

Anyway, back to the original question. Has the Giants' coaching staff consistently been putting players in the best possible position to succeed?

Undeniably, the answer to that has to be no. During the four-game losing streak I would say not even close.

The Defense

How many more times are we going to see the zone blitz before Sheridan understands that Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora cannot cover tight ends, and should not be asked to?
The final San Diego drive Sunday included two ill-conceived defenses. Mike Garafolo nearly had a stroke going off on Sheridan for leaving Corey Webster singled up on Vincent Jackson on the decisive play. The other badly-designed defense was asking Michael Boley to cover Darren Sproles one-on-one, which resulted in a huge play for the Chargers. Boley had no chance, and no help.
We watched the Giants try to use C.C. Brown as a deep cover safety for weeks, despite the fact that in four years in Houston he was never asked to do that. Brown is terrible, sure, but that was never going to work. The Giants should have known that.
We are seeing blitzes, sure, but we are seeing blitzers run straight into blockers. That means the offenses are seeing exactly what is coming. We are also seeing a lot of blitzes that come from way off the ball, and will never get there.

The Offense

I do not believe offense is the biggest problem for the Giants. I have said that repeatedly. That said, there are things that deserve to be picked on.

Brandon Jacobs is the Giants best offensive player, and the tone-setter for the unit. Yet, week after week he is under-utilized. The past three weeks Ahmad Bradshaw has carried 35 times for 92 yards, a 2.6 yards per carry average. Jacobs has carried 44 times for 229 yards, a 5.2 average. He had 20 of those carries in the blowout loss to the Eagles, which is kind of bizarre. I love AB, but Jacobs has got to see the ball more often. Eleven carries against the Chargers, when Bradshaw had 14, are not enough.
Steve Smith is a great short-yardage and intermediate receiver. The Giants use him that way, but a couple times each game they try to push the ball to him deep. It never works. Let Smith do what he does, and throw that deep ball to somebody else. You might actually connect on one.
The Red/Green Zone. I don't have all the answers here, but it has been a problem for years.The Giants seem to have no real answer for how to fix it. In any type of short-yardage, though, I want to see the Giants stop trying to just blast straight ahead. To say the least, they don't do it well.
Can we please remember to use Kevin Boss as a weapon all the time, instead of just in the Red/Green Zone?

Special Teams

Breakdowns every week, it seems. I want to focus on the punting game, though, and I am going to hit Coughlin here. Jeff Feagles has been terrible in recent weeks, and I am pinning some of the blame for that on TC. It seems he has become afraid of his punt coverage unit, and wants everything kicked out of bounds. I know the kickoff return coverage can be suspect, but when is the last time the Giants gave up a big punt return? I think part of why Feagles has been shanking punts all over the place is that TC has him paranoid about leaving anything in bounds, which is silly for one of the game's best directional punters. Show some faith, Tom!

Conclusion

There are plenty of breakdowns that can be pinned on the players, and plenty of players not performing up to their reputations. That is hardly all on the coaching staff. I do think, though, that Coughlin and his staff need to take a hard look at what they are asking, and the approach they are taking, each week.

Maybe the bye will allow them to do that. Let's hope so.

'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.

View full size photo »

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

Complete Coverage >

Giants vs. Eagles: 'Kudos & Wet Willies' preview

Ed Valentine — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 12:00:25 -0000

There have been way too many 'Wet Willies' and far too few 'Kudos' around here the past couple of Mondays. That goes with the territory when our New York Giants don't win. I am, of course, hoping that changes this week.

Here is this week's totally meaningless preview of what might be today against the Philadelphia Eagles.

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

The Giants make the blitzing Eagles pay. There has been a lot of talk about teams stacking the box and blitzing the Giants the past couple of weeks. Well, the blitz-happy Eagles do that more often -- and better -- than anyone. The Giants have to find a way to burn the blitzers. That does not mean by going deep every time they see what Eli calls 'single high,' or even no safety in the middle. Short throws for first downs. A well-timed screen pass occasionally. A run play into a hole vacated by an overzealous blitzer. Anything that results in a positive play and allows the Giants to keep the ball.
Kevin Boss is a focal point. I think I was pretty clear earlier in the week that the Giants have under-utilized Boss. If you are going to pass more than run, you have to use all of your weapons. And Boss can be a weapon. Instead of Boss blocking against the blitz I want to see some quick throws to him that result in first downs. I will be disappointed if the Giants don't start making more of an effort to get the ball to the Bossman.
The Giants get pressure on Donovan McNabb. Last season it seemed like the Giants rarely hit the Eagles quarterback. And we know this season the inconsistent pressure on quarterbacks from the Giant defense has been a source of debate. I'm not a 'blitz on every down' advocate, but the Giants cannot let the streaky McNabb get comfortable.
Eliminate the turnovers. The Giants had four last week, and we know that is unusual for them. Turnovers also killed the Giants in a regular-season meeting against the Eagles last season. Efficient, mistake-free offense. Not a track meet. That's what I want to see.
Special teams. Last week was not a good one for the Giants -- on returns or in the punt game. I would expect Jeff Feagles to look more like himself this week. And a big return or two from Domenik Hixon to change field position -- or the scoreboard -- would not hurt, either.
Brandon Jacobs has a big day. The Beast has had just 20 carries total the past two weeks, even though he appeared to be running well. If the Giants can get him 20 carries on Sunday -- a huge game in which protecting him for the long haul has to go out the window -- it will be a great sign that they are playing their type of football. By the way, an interesting side note. Jacobs is actually averaging more carries per game this year (17.1) than he did last year (16.8).

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

The Giants continue to be 'home run happy.' Offensively, the Giants have resembled an Earl Weaver-style managed baseball team the past couple of weeks. Sit around and wait for the three-run homer. Well, what about the bunt, the hit-and-run, the stolen base, moving runners? As I said above, first downs and efficient, turnover-free offense win football games. That's what the Giants have done best the past few seasons. The home run is great when it comes, but sluggers don't always connect.
Donovan McNabb gets hot. Again, pressure him, keep him out of rhythm. Don't give him chances to expose 'Bad, Bad C.C. Brown.'
Eli gets hit more than McNabb. We know the Eagles are coming after Manning. If he is constantly on the ground the Giants won't win.
The Giants give up the big play. The Eagles may not be a grind-it-out offense, but they have a ton of big-play threats. Brian Westbrook (if he plays), DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, LeSean McCoy. If the Giants can keep the Eagles from ripping off huge chunks of yardage they should be fine.
The Red/Green Zone woes continue. The Giants are among the worst teams in the league at scoring inside the 20 when they have the ball, and at preventing touchdowns inside the 20 on defense. That's a bad combination that needs to change.

NightLink: Brad "Das Boot" Maynard

Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 22:00:23 -0000

More photos » by Nam Y Huh - AP

Browse more photos »

Yes, the punter is getting some love. On the Johnny Knox nickname thread Ditkavsworld floated the idea for the above nickname for our beloved punter Brad Maynard. It was so well received the comment is now "green". Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune has a nice article up about this key weapon to the Bears early success. Read the full article here. After the jump I'll hit some highlights...

When your harshest critic is your 8 year old son, you're living OK.

After Maynard landed a punt at the Lions' 2-yard line the last time out, he got praised and scolded by his 8-year-old son, Conner.

"He was like, 'Dad that was a great punt,' " Maynard said, "but then he'll say, 'Why did you let the guy return it? Why didn't you go down there and help make the tackle? Why did you just watch?'

Maynard booted all 4 of his punts against the Lions inside the 20, but the ultimate perfectionist wasn't satisfied.

"I got them all inside the 20, which is great, but one of them was from the 45 going in and I hit it out to the 17," Maynard explained. "That punt should be fair-caught at the 10 or hit out of bounds inside the 10 every time.

"Same with the other one punting from the 49. It went out at the 19. It should be at the 10. We finished that game with a 38 net, and we'll take that, but I know it should have been more like 42."

When will Maynard get some Pro Bowl respect? He's never been a Pro Bowler, but was selected 2nd team All NFL by the AP in 2004.

Maynard always strives for perfection. He led the NFL in punts inside the 20 last season with a career-high 40, the second-highest mark in NFL history. Yet he watched Jeff Feagles from his former team, the Giants, represent the NFC in the Pro Bowl.

With a fan base that loves defensive football, it's no wonder why we all appreciate what Brad Maynard does on the football field.

Did you know Brad Maynerd holds a career 141.4 QB rating?

Poll

Will Brad Maynard finally get his Pro Bowl in 2009?

Yes

395 votes

No

77 votes

472 votes | Poll has closed