SB Nation - Mathias Kiwanuka

New York Giants notes: Beatty says he's ready

Ed Valentine — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:10:42 -0000

Here are some of the stories regarding our New York Giants that are making news this morning around the Inter-Google.

Ernie Palladino figures rookie Will Beatty, starting at right tackle for the injured Kareem McKenzie, will have his hands full Monday night with Andre Carter.

Beatty, making his second start, is not nervous about his assignment.

"I got my first start jitters behind me," Beatty said today, "and now I can go with the rest of the vets and perform."

Not to give him any new jitters, but the Giants need him to do that in a big way when he plays right tackle against the Redskins in an NFC East game that will be critical to their postseason aspirations.

Beatty, the 2009 second-round draft choice from Connecticut, will step in for Kareem McKenzie, who sprained the medial collateral ligament in his knee in the 45-38 loss to Philadelphia last Sunday. Tom Coughlin said Monday that the team's medical staff said McKenzie would be sidelined "a couple weeks." Although Coughlin pointed out then that McKenzie is traditionally a fast healer, Coughlin said today nothing that has happened since then has changed that prognosis.

So Beatty looks to step up and play well in a big game. He started and played the entire game against Arizona on Oct. 25, which McKenzie missed because of a groin injury, and played the entire second half last week against the Eagles.

"I think I did pretty well," Beatty said. "I had (right guard) Chris Snee helping me a lot, more than anyone should be in a game. So now I need to make sure that I know what I am doing and I am making calls out there and am participating in the actual call making and things along those lines."

"He is a good, young football player," Coughlin said. "We have asked him to play a number of spots. He has played left tackle, he has played tight end, right tackle and has done a good job. He is going to have to do another good job.

With the struggles of the Giants' defense, the offense is well aware of the added pressure it faces.

"We don't know what's going to happen with the defense," receiver Steve Smith said. "We just know we want to score every time. We feel that's what we need to do. We want to be the phase of the game that picks up everybody else."

They may need to, considering the Giants are giving up 25.4 points per game - the fifth-worst average in the league. But the way Eli Manning and his receivers are playing, they are also confident they can beat anyone in a shootout. They're averaging 26.2 points (eighth best in the NFL) and have scored 30 or more in three of the last four games.

On Monday night, they will face a Washington Redskinsteam that has the NFL's seventh-best defense. But with all the big-play weapons the Giants have, they don't feel like they can be consistently stopped.

"Absolutely. We feel like we should be scoring every time," Smith said. "We're disappointed when we don't."

"We have a lot of confidence in one another right now," added left tackle David Diehl. "Just looking at last week, we did so many good things and we still left some things on the field."

Most of the confidence comes from Manning, who is on pace for his first 4,000-yard season. But he gives credit to his unheralded receivers, who have turned the Giants' passing attack into a quick-strike machine. Manning has completed 17 passes of 20 yards or more in the last four games. The Giants (7-6) are among the NFL leaders in big passing plays - tied for third with 51 passes of 20 yards or more.

"I knew that's something we really wanted to improve on in the offseason," Manning said. "I said back then I think we're going to have some more big plays just because we have more speed and explosiveness at the receiver position than we have in the past. Some of it is individual efforts. It's not like we're just throwing the ball deep. Some of it's short passes and the guys are breaking tackles and making big plays."

My take: That offensive explosiveness, and the relative youth at the skill positions, is one reason to feel good about the future of this team. Regardless of what happens in the last three games.

Other notes

Redskins can relate to the sorrow of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Mathias Kiwanuka honored as Good Guy.
Shaun O'Hara to appeal fine.
Eli Manning transcript

(E-mail Ed at bigblueview@gmail.com)

New York Giants notes: Aaron Rouse may have found a home

Ed Valentine — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:00:21 -0000

More photos » by Kathy Willens - AP

New York Giants safety Aaron Rouse (26) sacks Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) in the first quarter of their NFL football game at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009.

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Here is some Friday afternoon reading material for you, New York Giants fans.

Aaron Rouse, acquired to take Kenny Phillips' roster spot after being let go by Green Bay earlier this season, has played exceptionally well the past couple of weeks. He even earned a game ball last week, with 12 tackles (10 solo) and his first career sack.

"He has been a big time pleasant guy for us in the last couple of weeks," defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan said. "He got a game ball the other day … and it was well-deserved. He is playing with a lot of confidence now that he is playing for a couple weeks. He is much more comfortable with the defensive calls and he plays super aggressive. He has a steady confidence about him, he tries to play physical. He made about a dozen tackles the other day and it looks like it, when you are on the sidelines watching it, he looks like he is in on a bunch of tackles. He has done an excellent job."

Rouse admits he endured an adjustment period, because changing teams and homes on the fly is difficult.

"As a young player, it is," Rouse said. "I had never experienced it; my first time was going from Green Bay to the Giants in the middle of the season. That was hard, but at the same time I have a great support system - my mom and my godfather were there. Basically, I know that being the good player that I am that I was optimistic about everything and never got down and was just waiting for the opportunity to play for another team. Mr. Reese (Jerry, the general manager) brought me in here and I am thankful for that and am just trying to make the best of this opportunity.

"This is my third year in the league, so anytime you go from a different team you try to think about things that have happened. But my main focus was to be optimistic. I know I am a good player, I know I am going to be a great player one day and when things happen you keep your head up and go forward."

My take: A couple of good games does not make a career. Rouse is just 25, though, and if he keeps playing as well as he has the past few weeks New York might just become a long-term home.

You would think Tom Coughlin has been reading Big Blue View when you look at his assessment of the key to beating Philadelphia Sunday.

"We have to try to keep them from making the big plays. It starts with us stopping the run. They ran the ball on us over there. They have made big plays. So we have to stop the run and try to prevent the big plays."

We agree, Tom. We agree.

Sheridan also knows stopping the big play is priority one Sunday.

"They have had their most success on big plays so that will be a huge emphasis for us. If we can just hang in there and keep the ball in front of us, we will have a chance to be competitive in the game. They get big plays, especially if they get them early, it is a big momentum swing for them."

We have talked a ton about the Giants seeming lack of use of tight end Kevin Boss. A few weeks ago, you might recall, I even penned an open letter to the Giants on Boss' behalf. Turns out offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride DOES know who Boss is. He even seems to like the guy.

Check out this exchange Thursday with reporters.

Q: Do you think as the weather changes that Kevin Boss – this time of year – needs to be more of a target?

A: I laugh sometimes when I hear that stuff. All it is is whoever gets open based on his scheme and what have you. What a lot of guys don’t realize is that the one that we threw deep down the field – that really was the primary guy was Boss on the ….route. He felt that he had a touchdown to Steve so he threw it there. The touchdown to Brandon Jacobs – that was designed to go to Kevin Boss. But they were so committed to knocking him, riding him in – that is what opened up, Brandon. So all I care is that when he has a chance to get open, that he does and he catches the ball. You know he is going to catch the ball. He has terrific hands. He has a great radius. His big thing is getting off the jams and stuff like that. And they made a commitment to bang on him a little bit. So we were able to capitalize on it on that one play for a big play, but a couple of other plays that were designed to go him – he has to do a better job of getting off being banged around. Because they know he is a big target; he is a good player. So they commit --- that is the way to slow him down and so that is the area that he knows that if he can get done. It is hard to run with him. He is a big, long-legged guy once he gets going.

Who knew? Gilbride does understand that the tight end is an eligible receiver.

On the injury front, Chris Snee's status remains uncertain.

Finally, a few nuggets about last week's victory over Dallas from Pro Football Focus.

Your eyes told you Kevin Boothe played pretty well after Snee went out with a knee injury. They did not deceive. Boothe was +1.2 in PFF's rating system. That, by the way, was the best overall rating of any offensive player.
Among the defenders, Rouse had a team-best +2.3 rating.
Mathias Kiwanuka played 80 of 82 snaps while starting in place of Osi Umenyiora. Kiwi lined up at defensive end, defensive tackle, outside linebacker and even middle linebacker. The Giants used an 'Amoeba' defense with a lot of guys standing up and moving around pre-snap. I loved it, and I want to see more of it.
Speaking of Osi, it appears he is now a pass-rush specialist. Thirty-three of the 38 snaps he played were passes.
Justin Tuck lined up at defensive tackle 30 times against the Cowboys. To protect his injured shoulder that is something Tuck has done little of this season.

(E-mail Ed at bigblueview@gmail.com)

Shallow Thoughts & Nearsighted Observations

Ted Bartlett — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 13:30:13 -0000

More photos » by Reed Hoffmann - AP

15 days ago: Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Brodie Croyle (12) has a pass attempt blocked by Denver Broncos tight end Richard Quinn (81) during a fake punt attempt at the start of the second half of their game, giving the Broncos the ball deep in Chiefs territory in their NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)

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Happy Tuesday, friends, and welcome to another edition of ST&NO. After being sick last week, and running an abbreviated version on Wednesday, I am back in full effect this week. I feel kind of like Stringer Bell in season 2 of The Wire, when Avon Barksdale was locked up, and their supplier cut them off. Stringer said he needed to put out a smoker to hold the towers, and I feel like a smoker is similarly needed this week with ST&NO. After all, I can't really do what Stringer actually did, when he couldn't get his raw dope, and change the name. Nobody is going to read a column called Death Grip, you know? (Really, I don't know what kind of drug addict would buy dope called Death Grip, but that's neither here nor there.) Anyway, here comes the high test stuff, with the same name as always. So fill up your coffee, get comfortable, and let's get right to it. Ready.... BEGIN!!!

1. You have to like how the Broncos looked Sunday, even in spite of 3 turnovers by Kyle Orton. They once again beat down a bad team, which is what good teams have to do. They shot a hole in the terribly inane thinking that they couldn't win in Kansas City in December, and they strengthened their hold on the 5th seed in the playoffs. Helping matters, the Steelers and Ravens both lost to fall to 6-6, so their two competitors who beat them head-to-head lost some ground. I fully expect Jacksonville to choke, and I am starting to think that Miami is going to sneak into the 6th spot, actually.

In any case, the Broncos are in a pretty good place right now. Peter King declared them to be toast two weeks ago, done, kaput. On Monday, he called them a psycho team, and ranked them 10th in the Fool 15. I am still feeling good about this Indianapolis game, and I am sure that the Broncos match up pretty well with the Colts. Coverage is the only way to beat them, and the Broncos are back to covering as well as anybody. I fully expect the Broncos to run for 150 yards against the Colts too, if they can keep the score within striking distance.

It's a good Tuesday to be a Broncos fan. Our team is in in the midst of a season which we can only consider to be a success up until this point. They've come together as a team, learned how to win close games against good teams, learned how to blow out bad teams, and figured out their brand new schemes. They've seemingly bought into one of the main Patriots mantras, that Durability is more important than Ability. Everybody is working hard to Do Their Job. This is when it's good to be a fan of a team, and when it's good to be a fan of a team, it's great to be alive.

2. Information From My Eyes - Denver at Kansas City

a. Kyle Orton had a C+ game, but I felt like all three turnovers he committed were a result of him being somewhat greedy. He's supposed to be the guy who checks it down when nothing is there, isn't he? I hope that film provides a good reminder for him to do so.

b. Knowshon Moreno improves every week, and he's really looking decisive lately. You can tell that he has had a big dose of Bobby Turner's foot in his backside this year. For a pick I didn't love when it was made, I have really come to be happy with Knowshon.

c. I was pretty worried during Kansas City's 20 play first quarter drive, because the tackling and gap discipline looked pretty bad. The Broncos sure stiffened by the goal line, though, and they set the tone for the rest of the game's defensive performance.

d. I meant to talk about setting the edge last week, but I forgot to. My brother Chris felt that Matt Millen made too much of the concept during the Broncos-Giants game, but I disagree, because it's all-important to the way the Broncos run the ball, and the way they defend against the run. The Broncos have been fanstastic in their own running game with setting the edge the past two games, led by Daniel Graham. He is getting out and winning his battles outside, and giving the runners a sealed edge to run inside of. Many of Correll Buckhalter's big runs on Sunday came just inside of Graham.

On defense, the idea is the same, but the defender wants to push the edge man back into the inside, and close off the outside lane. Mario Haggan has been doing this as well as any LB in the NFL this season. He has really found his niche as a physical, upfield run player. Ryan McBean makes a lot of plays in this way, as well.

Winning the physical battles at the edge is the key to everything for the Broncos, and they lost those battles during the losing streak. Since they've gotten back to winning, it's been no accident that they're winning at the edge on both sides of the ball.

e. The kick return where Eddie Royal faked a reverse to Brandon Marshall was interesting. I expect to see them actually hand that off one of these weeks.

f. Alphonso Smith needs to knock off the sucker penalties.

g. Spencer Larsen is an appreciably better blocker than Peyton Hillis. He just thumps guys, and it goes well with the work that Graham and Richard Quinn are doing at TE.

h. Tony Scheffler had a huge 3^rd down drop in 2^nd Quarter, and it was exactly the kind of play that has prevented the Broncos from being an elite offense. You have to make plays when they are available to be made. At least Scheffler blasted the return man on the ensuing punt.

i. Tamba Hali is a good fit for the 3-4, as I have been saying since the preseason. He's aggressive, quick, strong, and as a lifelong down DE, he has very good technique. The first sack he got on Ryan Clady was all technique. The Broncos did take advantage of Hali's aggressiveness on both TD passes, though, and also on the 49 yard bubble screen that Brandon Marshall had.

j. I saw where somebody said we should thank Phildelphia for Brian Dawkins and Correll Buckhalter. Miami is due a thank you card for Andre Goodman and Renaldo Hill, as well. If Goodman were just a little better tackler, I'd be even happier, but everybody should have noticed by now that the ball just seems to find its way into his hands.

k. Matt Prater has developed into one of the best kickers in the NFL. It's time we all realize that, and appreciate his work.

l. My biggest problem with Mitch Berger is that he takes too long to get the ball off. He had yet another seeing-eye punt on Sunday, which inexplicably missed a dead-to-rights block. Upgrading the punter position has to be a huge priority in the offseason.

m. It was great to see Peyton Hillis running the ball again, and he reminded the world that he can do some damage with it. Hopefully, the performance will get him some snaps on offense, because he clearly has something to contribute.

n. I really like Darcel McBath as a matchup safety. He is always around the ball when he is on the field, and I think his pick was a triumph of player evaluation. Draftniks considered him a reach, but he was hard to spot on some abysmal Texas Tech defensive units. He clearly has the goods, though; it jumps off the screen at you.

3. Information From My Eyes - Other games

a. I watched most of the San Francisco-Seattle game, and you know that means I will have some Alex Smith thoughts. He played great on Sunday, and did everything the team needed from him to win, short of missing one open receiver on a deep out in the 4^th quarter. It was the first 300 yard passing game of his career, and it should have been a lot more. His teammates dropped at least 9 passes in the game, including 3 TDs, by Delanie Walker, Vernon Davis, and Michael Crabtree.

b. Speaking of Smith, I meant to clear up an uttlerly stupid comment made by the always-brilliant Solomon Wilcots during last week's game. The head cold I was feeling made me forget to mention it, I guess. Wilcots noticed that the 49ers were (smartly) using Smith in the shotgun very frequently, and he said (I'm paraphrasing) that Smith was very comfortable, because he had used the exact same offense throughout college.

That's very interesting, Saruman, except, he didn't. This gets to my constant annoyance about the term "Spread Offense." There is no one monolithic spread offense. There are college teams which do some similar things formationally, with a lot of WRs, and many plays with the QB taking snaps from the shotgun, but the actual plays vary greatly. The 49ers aren't doing anything that is much like the Urban Meyer offense he played in at Utah. There are no option plays, and no shovel passes. The pass routes are actually tending to be much more horizontal and timed than the stuff he did in college.

A bunch of WRs and a shotgun setup does not mean you're playing a "spread offense," and saying that you're playing a "spread offense" doesn't mean the same thing from one place to the next. Smith is most comfortable in his footwork and reads from the shotgun, and he has time to get the ball out before he gets crushed behind the Niners terrible O-line. Smith has been sacked only once in the last 2 games. My only concern is that they've abandoned the run too much, and need to stick to it much more.

c. I remember thinking that Seattle looked pretty good against the Broncos in the preseason, but as I watched the game today, I was thinking that I really don't like the way their team is constructed. They have 3 terribly overpaid guys at WR (Deion Branch, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, and Nate Burleson), and not much talent at RB or on the offensive line. The only players I really like at all on their defense are Brandon Mebane and Aaron Curry. They have a lot of money invested in Lofa Tatupu and Leroy Hill at LB, but I think both guys are just solid players (Tatupu is currently hurt, obviously.) I think they ought to go to a 3-4, if they can get a good NT in the offseason. (A few should be available.) The guy they have, Colin Cole, is more of a backup caliber guy. They could stand up Patrick Kerney, and use Curry in a blitzing role, which he is best suited for. Of course, their secondary will still be lousy, unless they address it.

d. Chad Henne looked really good on Sunday. I had the Miami-New England game on the smaller TV, during the Broncos game, and just about every time I looked over, he was making a play for his team. If he keeps it up, he'll be able to easily afford tattoo removal before too long.

e. ST&NO favorite Sean Smith had an interesting game on Sunday. He gave up an 81 yard TD to Sam Aiken on a play where he had perfect bump and run coverage but didn't find the ball in the air, and fell down trying. Later, he got beaten by Aiken on a double move, and Tom Brady overthrew him by about a foot. He got beat on a perfectly covered play, and got lucky on a busted coverage play. Such is the nature of being a CB playing a lot of man-to-man. By the way, Smith continues to look like he'll have a long career as one of the best man coverage players in the NFL.

f. I really liked what the Giants did on defense Sunday against Dallas, and I picked them based upon some moves I heard about during the week. For one thing, they moved a good CB, Aaron Ross, to FS, and benched the abysmal C.C. Brown. For another, they took a big-name guy, Osi Umenyiora, out of the starting lineup, and replaced him with Mathias Kiwanuka. Osi struggles against the run, and the Broncos continually ran at him on Thanksgiving night. The Giants correctly identified their top priority as containing the Dallas running game, and made the move to the stouter Kiwanuka.

The effect was that both guys played really well. Umenyiora was actually used quite a bit in coverage, and he did pretty well. He's really a lean, athletic guy, and he did well in that role. He also recovered a key fumble, and returned it for a bunch of yards. The Giants held the Cowboys to 45 yards rushing on 23 carries, and it's the primary reason they won the game.

g. Don't give too much credence to this "Tony Romo/Wade Phillips can't win in December" stuff. Romo, particularly, played pretty well Sunday, and the loss wasn't on him. It was on a few defensive breakdowns which led to big plays, and the aforementioned lack of an effective running game.

Remember the one about correlation not necessarily reflecting causality? There is a real danger to putting too much stock in facts which Peter King insists on incorrectly referring to as factoids. The December record for the Cowboys the past few years is a case in point. It doesn't necessarily foretell what will happen this year, and even if the Cowboys lose a bunch of games this month, it may have nothing to do with the month. Remember, a football game is an independent event, which is comprised of many individual independent events. What happened in the past is meaningless.

h. Another example of this foolishness with meaningless statistics, while we're at it, was any credence being put into the fact that the Broncos were 1-16 all-time in Kansas City, during the month of December. Where to begin with this?

Well, in the most obvious place, of considering the significance of recency. If no players or coaches (or even owners) remain from the time when a game was played, that game has no meaning. A game in 1972 was played between the Chiefs and the Broncos, but not THESE Chiefs and Broncos. A rational person realizes that that game may as well have been between any two teams.

Another idea I had about this, that I wanted to share, harkens back to my days as a Finance major at THE Cleveland State University. There was a required class, Financial Markets and Institutions, which was really a BS class. It was taught by a really overweight, smelly, tenured professor who breathed really heavily, and the dude didn't ever teach anything, ever.

The class met in a computer lab, and consisted of 4 group analysis projects. We were given a bunch of parameters of a hypothetical economic environment, and we had to choose the 3-year period of the last 30 years, which was most predictive of the behavior of whatever financial instrument we were analyzing. We then used data from that 3 year period to analyze and project the performance of that instrument, and built a 6 slide PowerPoint discussing quantitative and qualitative reasons for our analysis. That was a 4 credit class.

Anyway, I was thinking that a reasonable thing to do might be to look into whether there was ever a time in semi-recent history where the two teams profiled like these two do, AND they played a game at Arrowhead in December. I didn't find any instances where the Broncos were a playoff caliber team, the Chiefs were a complete doormat, and the schedule played out this way. You could say I was not surprised at all by Sunday's result.

i. Chris Johnson is very dangerous, but I am not one of these people who is jumping up to call him the best RB in the NFL. For one thing, I think he makes the Titans a finesse running team. They do a ton of zone blocking for him, and he runs to the edges all the time, but without the kind of one-cut decisiveness that Broncos runners have always been coached into employing. Really, Johnson is a bit over-patient, in my opinion, and it's his exceptional burst and speed that let him mostly get away with it. I also continue to have my doubts about Johnson's ability to handle the heavy workload he gets, over a number of years. The Titans would be smart to get a legitimate second guy to take one third of the carries, because they apparently don't think LenDale White is that guy.

j. The Titans blew one on Sunday, and the way they did makes me feel even better about the Broncos' prospects for winning in Indianapolis next week. At halftime, the Titans had 2 more yards, and 6 more minutes of time of possession than the Colts, and Indianapolis led 24-10. The Titans also had 2 turnovers. Nate Washington dropped a perfect deep ball. There were plays available to be made, and the Titans failed to make them.

k. I watched the Steelers debacle against the Raiders, and all I can pin their problems on is missing Troy Polamalu. I think their defensive play-calling is less aggressive without Polamalu, and they're letting QBs have more time to throw the ball than the Steelers are known for doing. Bruce Gradkowski had some real good chances to get the ball downfield at times. It just gets back to the concept of a defense needing all its parts to be effective.

l. This stuff about Gradkowski being the answer for the Raiders is silly. He's a solid backup, and a try-hard guy, but he's not a starter for a winning football team. He lacks accuracy and arm strength, isn't particularly mobile, and just looks kind of underwhelming when you watch him.

m. Everybody knows I am generally not the biggest D.J. Williams lover, and I am going to reveal a closely held secret today, since I wanted to make this a smoker. My main problem with D.J. always has been that he isn't Steven Jackson. Back in 2004, I was fired up for the Broncos to draft Jackson, and a lot of Mel Kipers thought they would. They had just traded Clinton Portis, and I wanted a new RB.

When the Broncos took D.J., I was mad, my brother Chris will tell you. No matter what he ever does, I may not get over it. Anyway, I believe that Jackson is having the best season of any RB in the NFL this season, if you consider his circumstances. He has no QB, no line, not much at WR, and he continues to produce at a very high level. He's still only 26 years old, and he continues to be a great player.

n. Cedric Benson was back to his workhorse ways this week, and Larry Johnson was back to sitting on the bench. I continue to be impressed with the run blocking of Bengals LT Andrew Whitworth. He was a star at LSU, and was believed to be more of a guard, which is why he went in the second round. He has been blowing guys off the ball, though, as a LT. He's been similar to Jake Long, but better this season.

o. Matthew Stafford is clearly a tremendously tough kid, because he's been getting killed every week for the Lions, and he keeps coming back. He has a ways to go from a decision-making perspective, but he has to have the respect of his teammates, and you can't minimize the importance of that to a QB.

p. A lot has been made of the Michael Vick sighting in Atlanta, but the truth of the story is that he played a lot of garbage snaps in a blowout. The best thing you can say about him is that he showed he still has good run skills, and decent throwing skills. He completed both of his throws, but the long ball was kind of a duck thrown into a crowd, where Reggie Brown made a play on the ball. I do think he's going to get a look in a place like Carolina, which has no prospect of drafting a QB early.

q. Some pundit in the ESPN-o-sphere was recently trying to hypopulate that the Falcons were better off with Chris Redman at QB than Matt Ryan. As much of a non-fan of Ryan as I am, that's stupid. There's a good reason Redman was out of the league for more than 3 years, and that it took nepotism from his college coach, Bobby Petrino, to bring him back. He's been solid in some of his appearances, but there's no team in the NFL right now, for whom he is an upgrade over their starter.

r. If you remember back to the 2008 Draft, no WR was selected in the first round, and the first one chosen was Donnie Avery by the Rams. All the draftniks called Devin Thomas the best prospect, and had him going in the first round, and he eventually went one pick after Avery, 34^th.

He's playing fantastic football lately, and his rise really kind of started in the Denver game. Thomas is showing the qualities of a number 1 WR, and whoever his coach is next year, he is really going to benefit from it. Having a big, physical outside player like Thomas opens up the field for a guy like Santana Moss. Washington's recent offensive improvement has a lot to do with the light bulb going on for Thomas.

s. Percy Harvin didn't actually play RB at the University of Florida, and as a UF alum, Cris Collinsworth should know that. Collinsworth was trying to say that Harvin never ran any routes in college, and that couldn't be further from the truth. He didn't exactly run a full tree, but he ran many crossing routes, slants, and go routes. He has incredible run skills for an outside player, but he's a natural WR, make no mistake about it.

t. I hadn't gotten a look at Kurt Warner's wife in awhile, and she seems to have really upgraded her hair-sylist over the years. Back when Kurt won a Super Bowl, she looked like the kind of mom I would see wearing mom jeans, dragging around a bunch of kids at Wal-Mart, if I shopped at Wal-Mart. It's okay to wear mom jeans and shop at Wal-Mart, lest I offend anybody who does, but it's different for the MVP's wife.

u. Do these Gap ads with dancing beautiful people doing cheerleader cadences and wearing plaid make anybody want to go buy plaid clothing? I am interested in marketing and advertising, so if you're a ST&NO reader who finds those ads effective, I'd appreciate you saying so in the comments. My hypothesis is that they don't work well for anybody who reads this column.

v. My other holiday season advertising analysis is as follows: I think the Best Buy caroling store clerks suck, but at least people who watch football tend to buy stuff at Best Buy. I bet they're trying to snag a wife or two with those ads. The Open Hearts collection at Kay Jewelers is of very little interest to the average male football fan, who tends not to care about Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman's mommy's trite advice. Kay ought to stick to their ads which say, "Your wife will give you some incremental action for a couple weeks, if you buy her a diamond. The bigger th diamond, the more action." It communicates the needed psychological message to men better. I do like the Go Forth Levi's ads, and I think they're very effective, vis-à-vis the football watching audience whom they're aired for.

w. The Cardinals are for real, again, and the main reason they are is that they have legitimate stars at every level of their defense. Darnell Dockett has been a star, and Calais Campbell is turning into one at DE. Karlos Dansby is terrific at LB, and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Adrian Wilson are both big-time players too. The underrated guy who I like is Antrel Rolle. He was kind of a bust as a first round CB, but he's terrific as a matchup safety. He's very smart, and can match up man-to-man with inside WRs or TEs. He also has excellent ball skills. The Cardinals could beat any team in the NFL on a day where both their offense and defense are clicking, because their personnel is definitely good enough on both sides of the ball.

x. Watching the Packers version of the 3-4 Monday night, I was struck by the difference between what they're doing, and what the Broncos do. Denver's scheme is much more similar to what the Cardinals, Ravens, and Jets are doing, where the pass rush is fairly conservative, and setting the edge and keeping contain responsibilities is often the main concern. If you watch what the outside rushers do for the Broncos a lot of times, they're not coming full-steam at the QB. Elvis Dumervil, Robert Ayers, and Darrell Reid are often asked to do more wrestling with O-Linemen than they are asked to run around people.

The Packers play more like the Steelers, where they're speed rushing off the edge. The point I am getting to is that Clay Matthews is a great fit for what the Packers are asking him to do, where Ayers is more of a fit for the Broncos scheme, despite his lack of sacks. Ayers has just missed a lot of sacks, and with better technique, he'll get there. He's doing a lot more than running around people, though.

y. Jermichael Finley is enormously talented, and is really starting to come into his own for the Packers. You can see that Aaron Rodgers is really developing a lot of trust in him.

z. The Packers are really protecting Rodgers a lot better than they were in the early part of the season. I've been very critical of Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher both over the past two years, but they've been an upgrade over the bums they replaced. Tauscher even caught his first NFL pass on Monday night, off a deflection.

aa. Rodgers is really starting to remind me of Rich Gannon in his Raiders years. He's so calm, and he goes to the right place with the ball all the time, with accuracy. He's playing as well as any QB in the NFL this season if you consider what he is doing independently.

ab. Lardarius Webb is so dangerous returning kickoffs. The Ravens, again, found a gem in the Draft

ac. Everybody knows I am a Joe Flacco fan, but he needs to remember never to throw the ball late down the middle. The officials tried to give the Ravens the game with all those late pass interference penalties and Flacco blew the game with his late interceptions.

4. Most regulars know that I am a Florida Gators fan, so I was pretty disappointed in the result of the SEC Championship game. Alabama deserved to win, because they made every play that was available for them to make. Florida made plays with very few of their opportunities, and that's what happens.

Anyway, nobody can deny that that game was a bonanza of future NFL players. I wanted to share some thoughts on about 10 guys who I think could go in the first 2 rounds in April, from the two schools.

a. Carlos Dunlap DE Florida Top 5

Mel Kiper downgraded Dunlap to 14^th on his Big Board after his DUI, but that's not going to mean anything when he compares favorably to Mario Williams in testing and measurements. His college film is better too, and he can play in any type of front. He and Ndamukong Suh will be the first two defensive players drafted.

b. Joe Haden CB Florida Top 10

Haden is by far the best CB in the nation. His play was a lonely bright spot for Florida, as he shut down the extremely talented Julio Jones. Haden is fast, fluid, smart, strong, and he has excellent ball skills. He compares as a prospect to Darrelle Revis.

c. Terrence Cody NT Alabama Top 20

He's not fat anymore, and he's covering a lot more space laterally than he did a year ago. His athleticism really flashes for such a huge man, and his strength is terrific. He punked Florida into not even trying to run their dive series. I'm a big fan of this guy.

d. Brandon Spikes ILB Florida Top 20

Spikes is not an elite athlete, but he's an elite player. He's downhill all the time in the running game, and he strikes guys as hard as any college player you'll ever see. He's also as naturally gifted and instinctive in pass coverage as Ray Lewis, and he's a similar type of emotional leader. What intrigues me most at the NFL level with Spikes is his natural pass-rushing skills. He really can get after a QB. He'll only run a 4.65 or 4.7, but he'll be an every down player, and make a bunch of Pro Bowls, trust me.

e. Rolando McClain ILB Alabama Top 20

McClain is big, fast, and smart. He's a bit less of a playmaker than Spikes, and more of a cerebral guy than an emotional one. He'll be a very good 3-4 ILB for many years in the NFL.

f. Tim Tebow QB Florida Top 25

Scouts don't like him that much, but coaches love him. Mike Shanahan, Tony Dungy, and Bill Belichick are all on record as thinking he'll be a big-time QB in the NFL. I am pretty sure the Jaguars are going to take him in the first round if he's on the board. Even Florida Governor Charlie Crist (an FSU guy, actually) was in the media Monday calling for it to happen. There is no doubt in my mind that he can play at the NFL level, despite his divergence from norms. He's the second coming of Donovan McNabb to me.

g. Aaron Hernandez TE Florida First Round

Hernandez is a junior, and he's not a huge or great in-line blocker. He's a tremendously gifted receiver though, as good as any who has been draft-eligible in many years. He is extremely dangerous after the catch, which is rare for a guy his size (6-2, 250.)

h. Javier Arenas CB Alabama Second Round

I really like Arenas as a CB, but I love him as a return man. I think he projects as a solid #2 CB, and a Pro Bowl caliber special teams player. His short, stout build works against him as a CB, but for him as a ball carrier.

i. Riley Cooper WR Florida Second Round

Who? He's the tall white guy who has been wearing #11 the past two years. (He wore #86 the first two, when he was primarily a special teamer.) He's been called the fastest Gator in a 60 yard dash, and as Gary Danielson noted on Saturday, nobody seems to be able to cover him, especially when they try to press him. Cooper had his way with Arenas several times, and he dominated Patrick Robinson from Florida State the week before. He's 6-3, 215 pounds, and very strong, which he puts to use in beating press coverage, and he's a dominant blocker outside. He projects as an outside-the-numbers deep threat type, and special teams ace, and when he runs a 4.35 at the combine, he's going to shoot up boards. The only question is if he'd rather play baseball instead (he's part of the Rangers minor league system already.) I think his future is brighter in football.

j. Jermaine Cunningham DE-OLB Florida Second Round

Cunningham projects as a starter at the NFL level, probably as an OLB in a 30 front. He plays much bigger than his size, and takes on blocks well. He kind of reminds me of Mario Haggan, actually.

k. Mike Johnson G Alabama Second Round

This is the type of guy I'd like to see the Broncos take in the second round. He is a strong and experienced drive blocker.

You can add in a few more Gators too, who seem less likely to declare at this moment, if they do. The Pouncey twins, Mike and Maurkice, project as late first or second round picks as interior offensive linemen, and S Major Wright looks like a second rounder to me.

5. I meant to mention this last week too, and I wanted to make the point. Matt Millen was a terrible general manager, but he is an outstanding in-game color analyst. There is nobody on TV who adds more value to a fan's understanding of what is going on than Millen does.

During the Broncos-Giants game, he pointed out how Kyle Orton was calling out the Mike. The average fan doesn't know what a Mike is, so Millen mentioned that it generally means Middle Linebacker. He also went on to mention that the reason Orton is calling out a Mike is to communicate to the protection that that player is the fifth player to account for. A lot of times it was a defensive back, but Orton was communicating who he thought was the most likely fifth rusher.

After the Monday night game, he was talking about how the Packers have shored up their protection, particularly against the double A-gap blitzing that Baltimore loves to do. It's a little bit hard to separate the man from his art, but you have to. He's outstanding on TV, and should be listened to.

My friend Tony from Norwich sent me this link last week, where the Sporting News rated the best sportscasters. I found it interesting, so I thought I'd share it, since it's germane to this rant. I think they have some total losers on their list, primarily Al Michaels, Verne Lundquist, Dan Fouts, and Mike Patrick. Lundquist is the worst play-by-play man ever, if you ask me.

Just prior to the start of the SEC Championship Debacle, Verne was getting down to business. Paraphrasing, he said, "I don't know what Alabama is doing, but Javier Arenas isn't on the field to return this kick." As number 28 warmed up on the TV screen, waiting for the kick to arrive. I threw my Gator hat across the room, and Tweeted:

He misidentifies players constantly, and gets a lot of rules-related topics wrong too. Gary Danielson is excellent, but Verne is a 9,000 ton anchor dragging him down.

6. I got a reader email which forced to be a little introspective last week, and I need to address something real quick, as a result of it. The reader didn't sign the message, but the crux of it was that he/she felt like I am really full of myself, and that that was "repugnant." (Repugnant was his/her actual word.)

I didn't thnk I would ever need to do this, but I am going to explain the central concept of ST&NO, so there's clarity among us all. The premise of this feature, for which I am sure I have written well over 100,000 words during the past year, is that insightful analysis can be, and should be, combined with humor, personality, and entertaining writing. Every week, that's what I try to bring to the table, and I work hard to make this a coherent, continuous, unified narrative, which everybody can feel like they're part of.

Now, I am definitely not known for false humility. What good does it do to pretend to lack self-awareness, for the comfort of insecure people? I know my work is very good, and if I didn't think it was, I think I'd be an A-clown to spend so much time on it. Everybody who does this has some ego about their work, believe me.

Believe it or not, watching 6 games on a Monday night, and then writing for 6 hours after that, after working all day, can get pretty boring and tiresome. It is work, just like what I do in my office all day. I choose to do this work because you, my readers, reaffirm that you want to read it every week. It's not worth the effort to just do it for myself.

Now, understand that I'm not going to change anything, really. Not being Joe Milquetoast is frankly a subtle part of the humor of ST&NO, and it's a true picture of who I am as a person. I'm not at all meek, and I'm not looking to inherit the Earth, or any other damn thing. I'm here to work hard and personally earn what I get. When I say I am a high-talent, high-work ethic accountant, it's because that is a demonstrable fact. You'll recall that I said it as part of a larger point about football and the media environment. I have thought all week about whether I am inappropriately arrogant, and I really think that the answer is no. I think I land in a reasonable place, really, given the givens. So, I am going to keep writing, I am going to keep doing work that I am proud of, and I am going to do it to add value for you, and for future readers who aren't even aware of ST&NO yet. I humbly thank you all for being my readers and commenters, and that was the type of humility that I do value; the genuine kind.

7. Retired for John Elway.

8. Okay, I need to end on a good note, and I am going to bed at 1 AM Cleveland time, on Tuesday morning, so I can think and dream on what that note should be. I'll be back in 5 1/2 hours to finish up, hopefully with a great idea. Ready..... STOP

Okay, I am back. Ready.... BEGIN!!! My alarm wakes me up to the local low-brow morning radio show, Rover's Morning Glory. Through my adventures with the snooze bar, I got to hear a lot of stilted Tiger Woods chatter, because apparently, his wife split, and he had some other blond woman over who left in an ambulance this morning.

He's being an idiot, from the sound of things. I don't know who is advising him; maybe T.O.'s publicist who said he had 25 million reasons to live? Tiger ought to just fess up for everything, like David Letterman. When you're in the mud, you might as well just get everything out there voluntarily, because there's no more incremental damage he could take. If you're Wee-Bey, and you're already going to prison for life for six murders, you might trade copping to a few more for a sandwich. The number ceases to matter, as long as it all comes out now.

Tiger's reputation is fried in this moment, so he might as well say, look, yes, I was out fooling around with a lot of other women. I am not even sure how many, but it was more than several. This is a flaw in my character which I am working hard to overcome. Elin and I appreciate you giving us the benefit of some privacy, as we work through a very hard time in each of our lives. (Then, you quit having women over for awhile, and even if you don't, you make sure none of them leave your house in an ambulance.)

By not deflating the story with an "it was a lot / I have a problem" blanket statement, Tiger is letting each new revelation, by each self-serving former mistress, hurt him individually. Duji, the radio chick, was saying there are 10 who have now been identified. That's really not that many, if you're just a regular guy who is serious about philandering. A very average man could do that in a couple months, pretty easily. If you're Tiger Woods, you could have 10 in about 3 days.

Remember the haters? Well, a lot of people love to hate Tiger. He's there with Roger Federer, Derek Jeter, Tom Brady, and Jeff Gordon in that way, as guys who are so talented, and so polished that relatively untalented and unpolished people are apt to hate them. (Gordon ought to have a Gillette commercial, too. I bet they figure people who like Gordon already use good shaving equipment.) It's really an ugly trait, to root for the failure of the most talented people, but a lot of people do it. Let's drag everybody down to our own level.

Tiger needs to go on Oprah or Letterman (probably Letterman is better, given the circumstances.) If he gets all the way clean, and then disappears off the public radar for a few months, this can be stopped pretty effectively. The TMZ's and their ilk will still try to keep it going, but it will fade pretty quickly when there is no new news. Letterman already isn't being actively cast as a philanderer. Tiger can come back in the spring, with a pre-packaged narrative about how these trying times have caused him to re-invest himself in his golf game, win a few tournaments (people will perceive him to have slipped, even though he was recently playing fine), and turn this into a redemption story. Americans love redemption stories, after all.

That's all I have for this week, friends. Have a great one, and as always, tell me what you think in the comments. ST&NO may be ending for now, but the discussion is just beginning.

'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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New York Giants notes: Eli says Cowboys made him do it

Ed Valentine — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:00:16 -0000

A few notes for a Friday.

Eli Manning admitted Thursday that, yes, he did sign the wall in the Dallas Cowboys' locker room after the New York Giants Week 2 victory. But, Eli told reporters he didn't do it maliciously. He said he was asked to.

"It’s a pretty common thing. I was asked to sign it," Manning said Thursday in confirming the authenticity of the signature. "It wasn’t like I just went there and signed it. I didn’t have a pen on me or anything."

Of course, below the score and the date, it reads, "First win in the new stadium," in what appears to be different handwriting than the signature. But that's certified Manning scribble as well.

"It was all me," Manning said.

Lots of speculation that Osi Umenyiora's snaps will be limited to passing situations only from here on out. Michael Lombardi of the National Football Post said that this week on NFL Total Access. I reached out to a few people on this, and there is nothing solid to say Osi will definitely only play in passing situations. When you consider, though, that Denver ran at Osi 31 times and he came up with zero tackles you would have to think you will see Mathias Kiwanuka and Chris Canty at end more often. Ernie Palladino discusses this possibility.

Need a reason to feel optimistic despite the Giants losing five of six and sitting at 6-5, on the outside looking in if the playoffs started today? Try this, from the NFL public relations department.

Since the current 12-team playoff system was instituted in 1990, 13 teams have reached the postseason despite having a losing record after 11 games. This includes the current streak in which a sub-.500 team has reached the playoffs for five consecutive seasons. And in four of those five seasons the team has advanced to the Divisional playoffs.

As I said yesterday in my chat with Blogging the Boys, the math has to give you hope even if the way the Giants have played does not. And so does history.

ESPN's Matt Mosley is wondering if head coach Tom Coughlin has lost his magic touch.

[NOTE: Big Blue View does have a 'Twitter' page, though I have largely ignored it. Well, times are changing. I will be making an effort to post more regularly, and to reach out to the 'Twitter-verse' more effectively. So, be sure to check it out and become a follower.]

(E-mail Ed at bigblueview@gmail.com)

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.

Bonus Giants notes: Boley, Pierce, Blackburn

Ed Valentine — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:44:52 -0000

Since it is almost Thanksgiving, and I am seemingly in a giving mood, here are a handful of leftover New York Giants notes for your Wednesday afternoon.

Antonio Pierce is in Los Angeles to get a second opinion on the bulging disc in his neck. I can't imagine that is because he distrusts the Giants doctors. I don't blame him for seeking more information -- this type of injury could be one that threatens his career.
Mathias Kiwanuka has a great, very comforting, quote recently about Chase Blackburn.

"He’s probably one of the most underrated players in the league," Kiwanuka said. "Yeah, obviously we miss having Antonio out there. He’s a great leader and a big part of this team. But Chase Blackburn studies. He knows every position on the field. He probably knows every special-teams position as well. We have full confidence in him."
Patricia Traina has a great piece on backup linebacker Bryan Kehl's work as a Mormon missionary. It's great stuff, and it also left me thinking it's no wonder that Kehl's biggest weakness as a football player seems to be lack of on-field aggression. It's just not part of his nature.
Michael Boley was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week.
No cheerleader photo tomorrow. Kind of inappropriate on Thanksgiving, I think. If you must have a helping of Denver Bronco cheerleaders, though, I know where you can find one.

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.

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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.

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

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

by Julie Jacobson - AP

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

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

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

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

'Kudos' to ..

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

'Wet Willies' to ...

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

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

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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.