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'Kudos & Wet Willies:' Return of the Giants edition

Ed Valentine — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:00:23 -0000

More photos » by Kathy Willens - AP

New York Giants cornerback Kevin Dockery (35) and wide receiver Derek Hagan (80) congratulate wide receiver Domenik Hixon (87), left, after he ran a 79-yard punt return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009.

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Lots of praise to dole out on the morning after our New York Giants rescued their season Sunday with a 31-24 victory over the arch-rival Dallas Cowboys.

This was an inspiring victory that begged only one real question. Where has this kind of passionate, determined effort been for the past six weeks?

Anyway, I will never figure that one out. So, on with the 'Kudos & Wet Willies.'

'Kudos' to ...

Bill Sheridan: He has been getting killed around these parts for weeks as the defense under-performed. Today, the beleaguered defensive coordinator deserves some praise. We knew going into the game Sheridan was going to make lots of lineup changes. Well, he did and for the most part they worked beautifully. The Giants rotated a lot of people, and guys like Jonathan Goff, Clint Sintim and Mathias Kiwanuka all played well with increased time. Sheridan stacked the line of scrimmage and the Giants allowed Dallas just 45 rushing yards. Only two sacks of Romo on the day, but he was harassed and hit often as the Giants seemed to do a better job than they have all season of dialing up well-designed blitzes at good times. Maybe there is hope for Sheridan yet.
Kevin Gilbride: The other beleaguered coordinator also deserves some praise. Still only 13 carries for Jacobs, but Gilbride stuck with the run enough early on to open up some play-action stuff later on. On, and there were a few minor changes I a couple of run formations and personnel packages that helped the Giants pound out some tough yards when they needed them.
Brandon Jacobs: The longest play of his career -- a 74-yard touchdown -- came Sunday on a simple pass into the flat. Jacobs, incidentally gave a lot of credit to Darcy Johnson for his downfield blocking on the touchdown. Only 39 yards rushing on 13 carries for Jacobs, but he did run hard, dish out some punishment and barrel his way into the end zone in a goal-line situation.
Steve Smith: A typical six catches for Smith. A very un-typical 110 yards (18.3 yards per catch). Smith is a master at getting open and catching the ball, but those catches are usually followed by Smith immediately crumpling to the ground. Not Sunday. He had a 36-yard catch and run, mostly run, and a handful of other plays where he got big chunks or yardage after a catch. Since the Giants won, and we are giving Smith 'Kudos,' we won't talk about that ball he dropped in the end zone.
Aaron Rouse: Twelve tackles and a sack for the Green Bay reject. Rouse is looking more and more like another one of those brilliant in-season pickups by General Manager Jerry Reese. I don't know for sure what went wrong for Rouse in Green Bay, but he seems to be getting better and better as the weeks go by with the Giants. He was tremendous Sunday.
Domenik Hixon: We have been begging for a big special teams play for weeks, and Hixon finally delivered with a game-changing 79-yard punt return for a touchdown.
Terrell Thomas and C.C. Brown: I am putting these two guys together, and I am even amazing myself that I am including Brown. Even though Romo passed for 392 yards, I thought these two guys were fabulous, especially in run support. Thomas had 10 tackles, Brown had nine and there weren't any blown assignments.
Barry Cofield: We have been begging for a push from the middle of the defensive line, and Cofield provided it Sunday. Only three tackles, but a couple of those were for losses and Cofield was a disruptive presence in the middle for the entire game.

HONORABLE MENTIONS: There are several other guys who could be on this list. They include Mathias Kiwanuka (six tackles and a forced fumble), Ahmad Bradshaw (a couple of big runs after his first-half fumble), Goff (who held up just fine in the middle of the defense) and Michael Boley (11 tackles). Give Osi Umenyiora credit, too, for playing hard, coming up with a fumble recovery and not complaining to the press because he didn't start.

Wet Willies to ...

Corey Webster: Tony Romo threw three touchdown passes, and Webster was the defender on all three of them. Two of those were to Roy Williams, the type of tall, physical receivers who seems to give Webster trouble.
Chris Canty: Got a start at defensive tackle against his old team, and had no impact. In fact, the $42 million free agent did nothing. He didn't even get his name in the stat sheet.
Eli Manning: I really hate to give this one out, but I feel like I have to. Eli was just 11-for-25 for 241 yards. He threw two touchdown passes, but one was mostly due to Brandon Jacobs' tremendous individual effort and the other was a terrific catch by Hakeem Nicks on a ball Eli threw late. Manning threw a bad pick in the second half when he just tossed a ball up for grabs in the end zone, and badly missed a wide open Steve Smith on a deep ball in the fourth quarter. Not his worst game, especially since he was under duress much of the time, but he can play better.
Flozell Adams: Do I even have to talk about it? This guy is a moron who deserves a suspension. Enough said.

Final - 12.6.2009	1	2	3	4	Total
Dallas Cowboys	0	10	7	7	24
New York Giants	0	14	7	10	31

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What do the Giants do now? Ideas for salvaging the season

Ed Valentine — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:00:19 -0000

OK, gang. We have spent the past few days commiserating about the problems our 6-5 New York Giants are having. The hated Dallas Cowboys come to East Rutherford this week, so it is time to turn the page and look forward.

The Giants MUST (is there anything bigger than capital letters for emphasis?) win this game if they hope to salvage the season. So, the question is, what -- if anything -- can be done over the next five games to get this team going again?

First and foremost, say your prayers for Eli's foot. If he goes down to a stress fracture, find something else to do with your Sunday afternoons. I doubt the Giants will be watchable.

Anyway, here are my thoughts on what the Giants can do in an effort to salvage the season.

Run Brandon, run! -- As we discussed Sunday, this is an obvious one. He probably isn't running as well as he did the past couple of years. And we know the line isn't blocking as well. But, the Giants have to have balance. And they have to let Jacobs try to wear defenses down. He is the guy opposing defensive players fear, and when the Giants don't make full use of him they do the defense a favor.
Turn the kids loose, Tom -- Rookies make mistakes, and coaches of contending teams don't like to play them if they have a choice. Giants coach Tom Coughlin is hardly alone there. But the season has reached a point where it has become pretty obvious that the Giants aren't really contenders. And that there are certain veterans whose warranty has expired. So, let the kids play.

-- Activate Ramses Barden -- Sure, wide receiver isn't really an issue. But, the Green Zone still is. And, yes, that probably means de-activating Derek Hagan, an idea which I hate. But, you know what? The coverage teams stink with Hagan, who might be the team's best cover guy. For now, they can stink without him. It's time to start finding out about Barden.

-- Same for Travis Beckum -- Every snap that Darcy Johnson is on the field is really a wasted play as far as the future of the Giants. He really is not a good blocker, so if it's a blocking situation use an extra offensive lineman. If it's a passing situation, get Beckum on the field. He will never turn into a weapon standing on the sidelines, and you know by now that Johnson is pretty much just taking up roster space.

-- Start William Beatty at right tackle. Maybe he is the future left tackle, we don't know that yet. But, continuing to play Kareem McKenzie at right tackle is going to get Eli Manning killed, Or David Carr, if Eli's 'stress reaction' turns into a fracture. It's pretty obvious that McKenzie is a pass-blocking liability, so get Beatty on the field full-time and let him begin to learn. At least you know that if he gets beat he will learn and get better.

-- More Clint Sintim. I have to qualify this one. I know that the Giants started getting Sintim more action several weeks ago. I also know that Antonio Pierce's injury has made playing Sintim difficult. Sintim admitted recently that he was relying on AP to get him lined up and to make sure he understood what his responsibilities were, and I'd be lying if I said it didn't bother me that Sintim still needed help figuring out how to line up. But, it's really obvious that Danny Clark won't be a Giant next year, and that Clark's lack of athleticism hurts this defense. Let Sintiim make his mistakes now, in a season thatr appears to be quickly going down the drain, so that he can become the play maker we all want in 2010.

-- Give Jonathan Goff a chance -- We have seen one good game and one bad one from Chase Blackburn filling in at middle linebacker for Antonio Pierce. Blackburn is smart, and I love the guy. I'm not sure he is athletic enough, or physical enough, to be the long-term answer in the middle, though. We know Pierce needs to be replaced, quite possibly next season. Get Goff on the field enough to find out if the kid can play.
More Kiwi, less Osi. A lot less Osi -- If any Giants fan out there still thinks Osi Umenyiora is a great defensive end, all I can say is this. You are thinking with your heart, not your eyes or your brain. Osi is an atrocious run defender, and at this point in his career only a so-so pass rusher. He makes one great play every couple of games, that's about it. Mathias Kiwanuka played right defensive end all of 2008, and did a better job than Osi is doing this season. Especially against the run. Every offensive coordinator in the league knows at this point that if you need a couple of yards against the Giants, running right at Osi is the way to get it.

One more thing. How about no more Chris Canty at defensive end? The Giants are paying him $42 million to clog the middle, which he can't do playing right defensive end when Osi isn't there. What the heck is he doing out there? Get him in the middle where he is supposed to be, and let Kiwanuka play defensive end.
Boot Bill Sheridan upstairs. I know many of you would have been happy if I stopped at 'Boot Bill Sheridan.' That is not going to happen during the season, though, so I'm not even going to go there. Sheridan, though, obviously is not effective from the sideline. He is undoubtedly not a motivator. And, he can't seem to get a feel for calling the game, since so many of his calls seem to wind up leaving the Giants vulnerable. So, kick him upstairs where we know he originally wanted to be and see if he can do a better job from up there. If that doesn't work, well, then I think we know what needs to be done.

That's about all I have for now. I am curious to hear your ideas for the rest of the season. And, please, keep it to how to salvage the next five games. We have months to discuss the draft and what to do next season. It's not time to tackle that yet.

Examining the New York Giants green zone issues

Ed Valentine — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:20:59 -0000

The New York Giants offense needs to remember that green means 'Go.'

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If you are talking about traffic signals green means 'go' and 'red' means 'stop.' That has to be why New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin calls that area inside the opponent's 20-yard line the green zone. Everyone else, of course, calls it the red zone.

The Giants offense seems confused by this whole concept. Maybe the players have forgotten the traffic laws. Maybe they are color blind. Maybe ... ah, maybe ... ah, whatever. Point is, the Giants offense has not done a good job the past couple of seasons taking full advantage of scoring opportunities.

Ernie Palladino has the numbers, pointing out that that the Giants were just 35-of-69 (51%) in green zone situations last season. You know it's an issue. I know it. The coaches know it. The players know it.

"We have to put the ball in the end zone when it is fourth and one. We have to convert the two third and one's," said coach Tom Coughlin (full transcript). "Anytime you are 0-3 in the green zone, obviously you need to get touchdowns instead of field goals. And so we continue to make that a matter of emphasis."

Quarterback Eli Manning summed up the problem this way.

"It is not really a green zone or red zone problem, it is a third and short problem," he said.

So, what is the problem here? The Giants have a 270-pound running back, one of the game's best offensive lines and a terrific blocking fullback. You would think they would be able to jam the ball down an opposing defense's throat and get a yard when they need one.

"We just assume that on third and short we are going to be able to run and be able to get it," said Manning.

Problem with that, to me, is that as good as the Giants offensive line is it is not a power, straight-ahead line. It excels at pulling and working in space, which is not typically the way short-yardage plays are blocked. Also, Brandon Jacobs is not exactly shifty in terms of squeezing into a small crack.

What can be done?

So, I'm not a football coach and Coughlin and offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride know more about this than I do. Here, though, are five suggestions for how the Giants can try to improve this situation.

1. Pass the ball more

From Tom Rock of Newsday, who is rapidly challenging Mike Garafolo and Ralph Vacchiano for the title of my favorite Giants beat writer, comes the play-by-play of the Giants three trips into the green zone against the Redskins.

First Drive
First-and-10 from the 20 -- Pass to Jacobs +8
Second-and-2 from the 12 -- Jacobs run left +1
Third-and-1 from the 11 -- Toss right Bradshaw NG

Second Drive
First-and-10 from the 12 -- Pass to Smith +7
Second-and-3 from the 5 -- Jacobs run right +2
Third-and-1 from the 3 -- Jacobs run left NG
Fourth-and-1 from the 3 -- Jacobs run middle NG

Third Drive
First-and-10 from the 13 -- Holding -10
First-and-20 from the 23 -- Pass to Bradshaw +6
Second-and-14 from the 17 -- Inc. pass to Bradshaw
Third-and-14 from the 17 -- Pass to Bradshaw +7

A penalty stalled the third drive, but the first two were halted by an inability to pick up short yardage while trying repeatedly to simply run over the Redskins' defense. Out of those three drives, the Giants got six points. They could have had 21. Obviously, that would have made a huge difference, turning a fairly close final score into a rout.

I agree with Rock, who advocated more passes in those situations. I would particularly like to see some play-action. Some coaches consider it a sign of weakness if you have to pass to pick up a yard. I don't care, as long as the job gets done.

Manning also hinted at the possibility of passing more.

"We have to throw the ball a little bit more possibly in some of those situations," he said. "But, down there we're a team that is going to be physical, we have a big back, and we should be able to get that surge and should get a first down in those situations."

2. Spread the field

By now, I think the evidence is pretty clear that the Giants don't do their best work in the mano-a-mano 'heavy' formation situations. So, spread the field. Go three wides, even four, move Kevin Boss into the slot. Don't let the entire defense sit in the box and wait for Jacobs to come slamming up the middle. That way, you can run when you are at even strength with the defense.

3. Change the blocking personnel

On the fourth-and-one play where Jacobs got stuffed by Albert Haynesworth and the Redskins, Boss was the lead blocker. Sorry, but that's not gonna work. Boss has become a good edge blocker, but he can't be leading critical plays like that. Where is Madison Hedgecock, who gets paid to do that? Better yet, get one of the tight ends out of there if you choose to go 'heavy' and get an extra offensive lineman in the game. I really don't care which one, but an offensive lineman has a better chance of moving the pile than Boss or Darcy Johnson.

4. Run to the edges

Those kinds of plays, where maybe you can pull a guard, are the kind the Giants line seems to block the best. Maybe it takes a tad longer to develop, which is dangerous in short-yardage, but it is the kind of play the Giants run best. Play to your strength, not your weakness.

5. Ramses Barden and Travis Beckum

I know these two rookies have a ways to go before they earn the trust of the coaching staff. But, these are the types of situations Barden and Beckum were drafted for. Barden is a physical mismatch for any corner in a jump ball situation, and Beckum is a mismatch for most linebackers. As the season unfolds, the Giants need to find ways to take advantage of the talents possessed by these two young guys.

Summary

I don't think the Giants will solve this overnight, and they have proven they can win a lot of games even if they never figure it out. It sure would make things a lot easier, however, if they could take advantage of more of these situations. Hopefully, we will see some of the things I have suggested in future short-yardage situations.

Blogger journal: Chronicling the experience

Ed Valentine — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 10:00:12 -0000

I have not done a 'blogger journal' since early in New York Giants training camp. Well, Monday afternoon I took my 13-year-old son to camp and let him shoot pictures with my digital camera.

He was shooting from the bleachers with a small digital camera, but he got some good shots. And, more importantly, he enjoyed himself. Despite the fact that he is a Patriots' fan (yeah, I know, but I love him anyway).

So, indulge me this morning while I share with you some of the photos from the more than 200 that he shot.

Eli Manning enters practice via 'Autograph Alley' as fans look on.

Just to prove I actually have been at camp, that is me to the right overseeing the pre-practice stretching routine.

A view of practice from the bleacher area just behind the fence.

An overview of the proceedings from up in the bleachers. Can you find me in this photo?

My son has great admiration for the members of our Armed Forces, as do the Giants.

A view of the hill behind the first practice field. 'Bigbluethruandthru' is probably up there somewhere.

I believe these are Giants' players milling around after the skirmish between Darcy Johnson and Bruce Johnson.

Eli Manning calls signals during a Red Zone drill. Yes, I know Tom Coughlin calls it the 'Green Zone.'

Justin Tuck (91) prepares to rush the passer as Eli barks signals.

Derek Hagan (80) scampers away from Gerris Wilkinson (59) after a catch.

As you can see, not everyone was riveted to the action on the practice field.

Rhett Bomar prepares to take a snap.

Defensive linemen ready to take off.

(All photos by Ryan Valentine)

New York Giants training camp: Monday afternoon practice report

Ed Valentine — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 21:42:51 -0000

Here is your Monday afternoon practice report from New York Giants training camp at UAlbany.

Let's just say it was brutally obvious that the intensity was ratcheted up a few notches this afternoon, the first full practice since Saturday's embarrassing pre-season loss to Chicago. There was heavy hitting, and more pad-popping than at any time in camp.

Oh, and two fights. Or near fights. The first involved cornerback Bruce Johnson and wide receiver Shaun Bodiford when they got tangled up, went to the ground and came up mauling each other WWE style.

The second also involved Bruce Johnson. I didn't see what started it, but I did see tight end Darcy Johnson take a couple of swings at him, which drew a lot of players before Brandon Jacobs stepped in to play peacemaker.

Bruce Johnson, who is fighting for a roster spot, was obviously testy today. After the two fights, he knocked a pass away from David Tyree and gave the 'throat-slash' sign, which immediately drew the ire of the offense -- and the coaching staff.

Here are some other highlights of Monday's practice.

No 1 pick Hakeem Nicks has had a mostly quiet camp, fighting through a hamstring issue. Nothing quiet about Nicks' work Monday, though. He was, quite simply, the most dominant player on the field. Nicks made two leaping, one-handed catches Monday. One on a long ball down the right sideline from Rhett Bomar when he was well-covered by, who else, Bruce Johnson. The second was a red zone fade from Andre Woodson when he hauled in a pass in the corner of the end zone. Nicks also caught a long ball down the left sideline from Woodson when he ran by DeAndre Wright. Pretty obvious the coaches noticed Nicks' work. He ran with the first team in three-wide sets during the two-minute drill near the end of practice.
Mathias Kiwanuka made what is probably the defensive play of camp during 11-on-11 work. Lined up at left end, Kiwanuka picked off a bubble screen for Mario Manningham for what would have been a touchdown. Kiwanuka practically took the ball out of Eli Manning's hands. I don't know if Kiwi made a fabulous move, or Kareem McKenzie made a horrendous block, but it was an awesome athletic play.
Eli had three passes picked off today, incidentally. Oh, and there was a fumble on a handoff from Eli to Ahmad Bradshaw. Yuck! Not what you want to see this far into camp.
Derek Hagan, the Giants' practice superstar, made several nice grabs today. Now if he could only translate that to a game he might actually make the team.
Very few opportunities for Rhett Bomar, but he threw a few nice balls. A good sideline out to Taye Biddle was probably his best throw.
Rocky Bernard provided some good news on the defensive tackle front, making a couple of nice stops, including getting into the backfield to drop Danny Ware for a loss.
Dave Tollefson had what would have been a sack of David Carr when he beat William Beatty.
INJURY NOTES: Kenny Phillips, Aaron Ross, Chris Snee and Rich Seubert all worked today. Ross was limitied a bit, but the rest went fully. Antonio Pierce, Michael Boley and Danny Clark just did a few individual drills.

Today's Transcripts

Antonio Pierce
Running backs coach Jerald ingram
Quarterbacks coach Chris Palmer

New York Giants training camp: Wednesday evening practice report

Ed Valentine — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 01:14:21 -0000

More photos » by Mike Groll - AP

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning.

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Here is your Wednesday evening practice report from New York Giants training camp at UAlbany.

Let's start with this. Eli Manning has talked all through camp about the Giants needing to get the ball deep for big plays. Tonight, the deep ball was on full display and Eli threw the ball as well or better than he has the entire camp.

During 1-on-1 drills Eli hit Derek Hagan deep down the right side. Hagan leaped over DeAndre Wright for a spectacular grab.
In 11-on-11 action, Eli ran play action and hit Sinorice Moss in stride deep after Moss had blown past Michael Johnson.
Andre Woodson then hit Ramses Barden on a nicely thrown deep ball. Barden beat fellow rookie Stoney Woodson on the play. By the way, those two have been matched up most of camp and have to be tired of looking at each other by now.
Manning hit Mario Manningham on a deep corner route near the end of practice. This was a beautifully thrown ball over Terrell Thomas.

There were several other well-thrown balls by Eli.

A softly thrown ball to Darcy Johnson over the linebackers and in front of the safeties.
A floater to Moss down the left sideline that Thomas could not stop.
A zinger to Michael Matthews down the right seam in 7-on7 action.

Here are some other observations from Wednesday evening's action.

The split personality that is Manningham was again on display. After a morning session in which he did both great and God-awful things, Mario was at it again in the evening. He caught that long ball from Manning. But, earlier, he had dropped a back shoulder throw from Eli. A drop that earned him a sideline lecture -- apparently for not properly running the route.
David Carr scares the daylights out of me. Every time his first option isn't there he gets fidgety and starts moving around. As good as Eli was tonight, Carr was just as bad. On one throw, he scrambled out of the pocket and fired the ball into the crowd standing on the sideline. Moss, one of the receivers on the play, reacted by muttering "what the hell was that?" Hey, Sinorice, don't feel bad. I was wondering the same thing.
Lawrence Tynes went 3-for-4 in field goals, hitting from 20, 29 and 30 yards. He missed right from 35.
David Tyree had a bad drop, failing to hold a deep out from Woodson when he had clearly gotten open.

Updated guess at the New York Giants season-opening 53-man roster

Ed Valentine — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 11:00:10 -0000

Now that I have watched most of New York Giants training camp in Albany -- and before the exhibition games start -- I thought I would take another guess at the possible 53-man roster. This will look a little different than my pre-camp roster. It will also look heavy in some positions and light in others. I tried to give you the guys I really think "should" make this team.

I have to tell you, the last two or three cuts on this list are excruciatingly difficult. The Giants will, as we thought, be making some good football players available to the other 31 NFL teams. I have gone 'outside the box' on a couple of these, and away from some of my original choices. Let's see what you think.

Quarterbacks (3) -- Eli Manning, David Carr, Andre Woodson

Woodson and rookie fifth-round pick Rhett Bomar are pretty even in their competition for the third slot. I'm guessing the Giants don't want to lose either guy, and that Bomar will end up on the practice squad.

Running Backs (4) -- Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw, Danny Ware, Madison Hedgecock

The season-ending injury to rookie Andre Brown obviously changes things here. Allen Patrick is the only other tailback in camp, but I don't think he makes the squad. There are too many other good players in other positions.

Wide Receivers (7) -- Steve Smith, Domenik Hixon, Sinorice Moss, Ramses Barden, Mario Manningham, Hakeem Nicks, Derek Hagan

Sorry, David Tyree. An extremely tough, unkind cut, but all seven of these guys are better players than Tyree at this point. That has to be what matters, not sentimentality. Hagan is forcing his way onto this roster, though seven receivers is probably one more than the Giants would like to keep. The Giants talk repeatedly, though, about keeping the best players and not having a set formula. Hagan is earning it. And yes, these guys are in order of the playing time I think they would get if the regular season started today.

Tight Ends (3) -- Kevin Boss, Michael Matthews, Travis Beckum

Matthews has been working with the first unit in double-tight end situations. He will hold off Darcy Johnson and Lee Vickers to keep his roster spot.

Offensive Line (8) -- Starters -- David Diehl, Rich Seubert, Shaun O'Hara, Chris Snee, Kareem McKenzie. Backups -- Tutan Reyes, Kevin Boothe, William Beatty.

After Reyes, I am not comfortable with any of the backup linemen. I am also not comfortable with just eight linemen on the 53-man, but Koets hasn't done anything to earn a spot. We have talked repeatedly about his struggles to become a backup center, and it just isn't working. Boothe has been getting destroyed by defensive lineman at both guard and tackle most of camp. A name to watch for: Andrew Carnahan, a 6-foot-7, 305-pounder acquired from Kansas City on waivers (he was a 7th-round pick by Jacksonville in 2007) has done a good job at guard. He can also play tackle. I fully expect the Giants to pick up at least one veteran backup who can play multiple positions, including center, before the season starts.

Defensive linemen (8) -- Tackles -- Fred Robbins, Chris Canty, Barry Cofield, Rocky Bernard, Jay Alford. Ends -- Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, Mathias Kiwanuka.

The toughest cut here is Dave Tollefson, who has been schooling Beatty much of camp. But, with the depth the Giants have -- and the fact that undrafted free agent Maurice Evans is a shoo-in to at least make the practice squad -- Tollefson is unlikely to have a place on this team.

Linebackers (9) -- Antonio Pierce, Danny Clark, Bryan Kehl, Gerris Wilkinson, Chase Blackburn, Zak DeOssie, Clint Sintim, Michael Boley, Jonathan Goff

I have an inkling that something unexpected might happen with this group. I am just not sure what yet. After a couple of exhibition games the makeup of this group might change.

Defensive Backs (9) -- Cornerbacks -- Corey Webster, Aaron Ross, Terrell Thomas, Kevin Dockery, Stoney Woodson. Safeties -- Kenny Phillips, Michael Johnson, C.C. Brown, Sha'reef Rashad.

The fourth safety spot is between Rashad, Vince Anderson and Travonti Johnson. Right now, Johnson is working with the second group and the Rashad/Anderson combo is the third group. In reality, I have no idea which of the three will end up winning the job, but I had to pick one. I am going with Rashad simply because when I asked Merritt about the three youngsters on Friday, Rashad is the first player he mentioned. I think the Giants really like Anderson, though, and he should end up on the practice squad.

Kickers (2) -- Punter -- Jeff Feagles. Placekicker -- Lawrence Tynes

New York Giants Training Camp: Tuesday morning practice report

Ed Valentine — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:50:34 -0000

Here is your morning practice report from Day 2 of New York Giants training camp at UAlbany. It's a quick one. I'm starving, and we are all waiting on Antonio Pierce.

This was a pretty bad morning for the Giants offensively.

You may never see this again, but Steve Smith dropped passes from Eli Manning on consecutive plays. One was a short in. The second was a deep ball where Smith beat Kevin Dockery by several steps, but could not handle a perfect throw from Eli. The good news is Smith has shown in the first two days he can definitely get deep.
David Carr had a tough day. He had a ball intercepted by Terrell Thomas, and threw a couple of other errant balls. He did get lucky once, though, in a red zone drill. Travonti Johnson tiipped a pass for Sinorice Moss, but the ball bounced right to Moss for a score. Johnson got lots of praise and attention from the coaching staff this morning.
Thomas had a better morning, with the pick and a couple of other nice plays. Monday was tough for the second-year cornerback.
With Adam Koets struggling to get the exchange to the quarterback right, Kevin Boothe took some snaps at center today.
Rhett Bomar impressed again. He threw a brilliant out to Derek Hagan, who could not hang on along the sideline. Didn't matter to me, it was a great throw.
Darcy Johnson dropped a ball for the second day in a row, and might have some competition for a roster spot from Lee Vickers.
The Giants ran a reverse to Moss with Eli as the lead blocker this morning. Yikes! I don't want to see Eli leading the way on a play during camp -- or maybe ever.
Coughlin hinted that the Giants will go full pads on Thursday for the first time, though that is not definite.

Here is Coughlin talking about the offensive struggles.

"It's not mid-season form ... it's early, but I'm not very patient. I'd like to see some progress."

NOTE: The Washington Post football blog, 'The League,' asked me to contribute some thoughts on Plaxico Burress this mroning. I have done so here

This year's useless try at predicting the Giants' season-opening 53-man roster

Ed Valentine — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 11:00:11 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, left, runs a drill with Rhett Bomar (5) and Andre Woodson during mini-camp last month. The competition for a roster spot between Bomar and Woodson will be one of training camp's most interesting.

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OK, so with training camp only days away it is time to take a stab at predicting the season-opening 53-man roster. It's an exercise in complete futility. I mean, there is no way to predict injuries, and no guessing what veterans might get picked up right before the season starts.

But, I will take a stab at it anyway. Before Week 1 I will have to remember to look back and see how close I got.

Quarterbacks: Starter -- Eli Manning. Backup -- David Carr, Andre Woodson, Rhett Bomar.

The obvious fight here is between Bomar and Woodson for the third slot. Bomar, this year's fifth-round pick, was better than Woodson, last season's sixth-round pick, in the mini-camps. There is very little reason to think that won't still be the case in training camp. The Giants kept only two quarterbacks on the 53-man last season. Most teams keep three, and I am going to base this choice on Tom Coughlin keeping three.

The picks (3) -- Manning, Carr, Bomar

Running Backs: Starters -- RB Brandon Jacobs, FB Madison Hedgecock. Backup -- RB Ahmad Bradshaw, RB Danny Ware, RB Andre Brown, RB Allen Patrick, RB Dwayne Wright.

The roster spots here are easy to pick. The fight that will develop for carries behind Jacobs is not. I haven't got a clue who will emerge as the true backup behind Jacobs. I know, however, that between Bradshaw, Ware and the rookie Brown I'm not worried about it.

The picks (5) -- Jacobs, Hedgecock, Bradshaw, Ware, Brown.

Tight Ends: Starter -- Kevin Boss. Backup -- Michael Matthews, Darcy Johnson, Lee Vickers, Travis Beckum.

Third-round pick Travis Beckum wasn't drafted to block. Kevin Boss can block, but he is a pass-catcher. That means the third tight end has to be a big-time blocker, and that's what Matthews is.

The picks (3) -- Boss, Beckum, Matthews.

Wide Receivers: Starters -- Steve Smith, Domenik Hixon. Backups -- Mario Manningham, Sinorice Moss, David Tyree, Taye Biddle, Shaun Bodiford, Derek Hagan, Micah Rucker, Hakeem Nicks, Ramses Barden.

There are likely six roster spots to be had out of this group, and barring injury or trade it is pretty clear who will get them. That means a sad goodbye to Super Bowl 42 hero David Tyree. It also means cult hero Micah Rucker is likely playing for a spot on the practice squad.

The picks (6) -- Smith, Hixon, Manningham, Moss, Nicks, Barden.

Offensive Linemen: Starters -- LT David Diehl, LG Rich Seubert, C Shaun O’Hara, RG Chris Snee, RT Kareem McKenzie. Backups -- T Guy Whimper, T/C Adam Koets, T Andrew Carnahan, G/T Kevin Boothe, T Cliff Louis, G/T Terrance Pennington, G Tutan Reyes, G/T Orrin Thompson, T Will Beatty.

Each and every Giants' fan should pray that this starting offensive line, one of the league's best, continues to stay healthy. There isn't much in the way of dependable backups.

Second-round pick William Beatty should make the team. Veteran guard Tutan Reyes is likely in. The versatility of being able to play guard and tackle probably gets Kevin Boothe a slot. There has to be a backup center, so Adam Koets probably also sneaks onto the roster.

The picks (9) -- Diehl, Seubert, O'Hara, Snee, McKenzie, Beatty, Reyes, Boothe, Koets.

Defensive Linemen: Starters -- LE Justin Tuck, LT Barry Cofield, RT Fred Robbins, RE Osi Umenyiora. Backups -- DE Mathias Kiwanuka, DE/DT Chris Canty, DT Rocky Bernard, DT Jay Alford, DE Dave Tollefson, DE Maurice Evans, DT Anthony Bryant, DT Jeremy Clark, DT Leger Douzable, DE Robert Henderson, DE Tommie Hill.

If everyone gets through camp healthy, some very good football players will wind up being available to the NFL's other teams. I doubt there is another unit in the league that is this talented and this deep. The hardest cut out of this group will be Dave Tollefson, a popular player who has played well at times in sporadic opportunities. But with all this depth, with Jay Alford doubling as snapper on field goals and PATs, and with the talented Maurice Evans likely ending up on the practice squad I don't know how Tollefson sticks around.

The picks (8) -- Tuck, Cofield, Robbins, Umenyiora, Kiwanuka, Canty, Bernard, Alford.

Linebackers: Starter -- SLB Danny Clark , MLB Antonio Pierce , WLB Michael Boley. Backup -- MLB Chase Blackburn, MLB Jonathan Goff, WLB Bryan Kehl, WLB Gerris Wilkinson, SLB Zak DeOssie, SLB Kenny Ingram, SLB Clint Sintim, MLB Kelvin Smith.

The picks (8) -- Clark, Pierce, Boley, Blackburn, Goff, Kehl, DeOssie, Sintim

Defensive Backs: Starter -- LCB Aaron Ross, RCB Corey Webster, FS Michael Johnson, SS Kenny Phillips. Backup -- CB Vince Anderson, SS C.C. Brown, SS/FS Steve Cargile, CB Kevin Dockery, CB Bruce Johnson, CB Travonti Johnson, FS Sha’reff Rashad, CB Terrell Thomas, CB Stoney Woodson, CB DeAndre Wright.

The Giants are deep and talented at cornerback, a fact that is incredibly important in today's pass and blitz-happy NFL. They aren't so deep at safety, and I think that might leave room for undrafted free-agent Sha'reff Rashad to sneak onto the roster.

The picks (9) -- Ross, Webster, Johnson, Phillips, Brown, Dockery, Rashad, Thomas, Wright.

Kickers (2): P Jeff Feagles, K Lawrence Tynes

Feagles is the best in the business at what he does. Tynes makes many Giants' fans nervous, but he is a perfectly acceptable veteran kicker.

-- New York Giants schedule