SB Nation - Fred Robbins

'Kudos & Wet Willies:' Total domination edition

Ed Valentine — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 12:16:55 -0000

There are a lot of reasons to feel good this morning if you are a New York Giants fan. Monday night's 45-12 thrashing of the Washington Redskins was the most complete game the Giants have played in more than two months -- since a 44-7 pounding of Oakland in Week 5.

Everything worked. The offense did what it wanted, marching up and down the field with relative ease. The defense dominated, looking like the group we expected to see all season. The special teams were good, showing improvements in both coverage and kick returns.

If only the Saints had beaten the Cowboys then this morning would be absolutely perfect. Let's just hope the Giants can carry the kind of performance they displayed Monday night through the final two weeks of the regular season.

By the way, ESPN flashed a stat during the game showing the 45 points was the most the Giants had scored in a road game in 55 years. Yes, 55 years. It was that kind of night.

Now, let's get on with the weekly 'Kudos & Wet Willies.'

Kudos to ...

I could just say 'Kudos to the entire team' and leave it at that. But, that would be too easy. So, here we go.

Eli Manning: All of the gushing over Manning by ESPN's Jon Gruden aside, Manning was fabulous Monday night. He went 19-for-26 for 268 yards and three touchdowns, and was in complete control of the game. Ten different receivers caught passes for the Giants, another indication that Eli did pretty much what he wanted.
The defensive line: The much-maligned defensive line. This group led the defensive charge, handing Redskin quarterback Jason Campbell a brutal beating. Campbell probably deserves a 'kudos' for just standing in there and taking the five sacks and I have no idea how many hard hits. Osi Umenyiora was as active as he has probably been all season. Justin Tuck had a sack and a forced fumble. Mathias Kiwanuka had five tackles and was constantly around Campbell. Defensive tackles Fred Robbins and Barry Cofield joined the sack party, and along with Chris Canty were solid against the run.
The offensive line: Probably the best indicator that Monday was a Giant-like performance is that 'kudos' go to both lines. The offensive line was terrific against the Redskins. Lots of pulling, some space for the running game and plenty of time most of the night for Manning to work his magic against the Washington secondary. Special 'kudos' to rookie Will Beatty and backup guard Kevin Boothe. Beatty did an outstanding job filling in for the injured Kareem McKenzie. I can't remember a play where he was beaten badly all night. Boothe stepped in when Rich Seubert went out with a knee sprain and also played well aside from being overpowered by Albert Haynesworth on one play. Absolutely loved his work on Ahmad Bradshaw's second touchdown, pulling left in front of the play and wiping out two Redskins defenders with one block to allow Bradshaw to walk untouched into the end zone.
Kevin Gilbride: The first Giants play of the night was a nicely executed screen pass to reserve tight end Bear Pascoe. From there, pretty much everything Gilbride dialed up -- with the exception of one reverse to Hakeem Nicks -- worked brilliantly. KG can have games where he makes you crazy, but he can also have games like Monday night where he seems to push the right button on every play call. Loved the screens, the fact that so many receivers caught passes, and the subtle changes in formations and run-blocking schemes that helped create some running lanes even against Washington's eight-man fronts.
Bill Sheridan: Not sure exactly what clicked for the beleaguered Giants' defensive coordinator, but when the defense applies that much pressure on the quarterback, plays with that much energy and ends up with a Pick Six you have to give him some credit. It seemed like the Giants simplified their schemes a little, and there wasn't any of the confusion we have so often seen this season.
Terrell Thomas: A Pick Six (an easy one), two passes defensed and four tackles for Thomas. He was excellent against the pass and in run support.
Jonathan Goff: A pair of tackles, his first career sack and a couple of other quarterback pressures, and a pass defensed for the young middle linebacker. The kid can play a little bit.
Ahmad Bradshaw: When Bradshaw is making plays like he did Monday night the Giants offense is much more explosive. Nine carries for 61 yards (6.8 yards per carry) and two touchdowns, along with three pass receptions for 29 more yards.
Lawrence Tynes and the kickoff coverage group: Some good, deep kickoffs by Tynes (including one into the end zone). Odds are that had a lot to do with the best kickoff coverage the Giants have displayed in quite a while, surrendering no returns longer than 21 yards.

'Wet Willies' to ...

Yes, I was able to find one 'Wet Willie' to hand out. And, honestly, it's given more for stupidity than for performance.

Brandon Jacobs: What the heck was Jacobs thinking, getting himself involved in a second-half melee that saw him trading punches with a couple of Washington players and -- eventually -- squared off with Haynesworth of all people? Amazingly, Jacobs escaped an ejection or a penalty, both of which he probably deserved. He won't escape a hefty fine from the league, and probably a tongue-lashing from coach Tom Coughlin for his lack of composure. On top of that, Jacobs did not have a great night carrying the ball. On a night where there were big plays all over the Giants offense, Jacobs carried 16 times for 52 yards, a pedestrian 3.3 yards per carry.

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

'Kudos & Wet Willies:' Missed opportunities edition

Ed Valentine — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 13:19:02 -0000

More photos » by Henny Ray Abrams - AP

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) fumbles the ball after sliding head first in the third quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles during an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009, in East Rutherford, N.J. The play was ruled a fumble and the Eagles recovered. The play pretty much sums up the night, and the season, thus far.

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I hardly know where to begin in discussing Sunday's 45-38 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles by our New York Giants.

The Giants gift-wrapped a couple of scores for the Eagles with turnovers and mistakes. They made some big plays of their own, but not nearly enough. Opportunity knocked everywhere, both offensively and defensively, much of the night. Too often, though, the Giants could not get the job done.

It was one of the craziest, most exhausting regular-season games I can remember watching. In the end, though, just another bad loss in what is becoming a season filled with them.

The Giants are now 7-6. Their path to the playoffs is clear, though treacherous. The Cowboys are 8-5, and it is pretty obvious the final NFC playoff spot will go to either Dallas or the Giants and the Giants own the tie-breaker advantage. Somehow, some way the Giants need to win one more game than the Cowboys during the final three weeks.

Otherwise, no playoffs for the first time since 2004. On with the 'Kudos & Wet Willies,' which look a little bit unusual this time around.

Kudos to ...

Eli Manning: Eli was brilliant Sunday night. In my mind, he played as well as a quarterback can play. The stats (27-of-38, 392 yards, three touchdowns) don't begin to describe it. Of his 11 incompletions there were nine -- yes, nine -- balls Giants receivers could have or should have caught. The fumble when he fell awkwardly and lost the ball as he hit the ground was a freak play. He had made an uncharacteristically nity run on the play. Can't kill him for it.
DeSean Jackson: It's not often I will give 'Kudos' to an opposing player, but this guy is just phenomenal.
Ahmad Bradshaw: Following a theme we seem to have developed here, Bradshaw stepped up and made some big plays. A 17-yard run. A 31-yard pass reception. The Giants didn't get enough of those from other guys Sunday night.
Big Blue View Nation: More than 2000 comments between the two Game Threads. The Giants couldn't step up and make big plays, but you guys did.

Kwillies to ...

A 'Kwillie,' for those who don't know, goes to players who did things that kept both teams in a game. Half 'Kudo,' half 'Wet Willie.'

The Giants receiving corps: There were a lot of great plays by Giants receivers Sunday night. But, an incredible number of opportunities they failed to take advantage of. Let me summarize.

Hakeem Nicks -- A 68-yard touchdown catch and run. Nice, sure. But, three drops. Including one on a long ball when he was 5 yards behind the defense.

Steve Smith -- Seven catches and broke the Giants' single-season receiving record previously held by Amani Toomer. But, two missed opportunities. Both on catches that were difficult, but plays a No. 1 Pro Bowl receiver needs to make. Particularly the one in the end zone where he had both hands on the ball and could not corral it.

Kevin Boss -- A career-best seven catches. But, Boss could not corral a beautiful throw by Manning in the second half that he had both hands on. In the fourth quarter of a game with so much at stake, you have to make that play. By the way, guess what? If Boss makes that catch the Giants have first down at Philly's 17. The next play was the 3rd and 5 draw any of you are killing.

(I am saving Mario Manningham for later. You know what that means.)

Brandon Jacobs: Fifteen carries for 60 yards, and lots of hard, knock defenders over, running (where has that been, Jake?). But, an uncharacteristic fumble that ended up being returned for a touchdown.
Michael Boley: Eleven tackles, but a huge missed opportunity when he had a potential game-tying interception in his hands toward the end of the first half and could not corral it.
Osi Umenyiora: A sack and forced fumble in his role as pass-rush specialist. That's the good stuff. But, several times when Osi was in the game the Eagles took advantage by running right at him for big gains.
Kevin Gilbride: You have to give your offensive coordinator some credit when a team compiles an astounding 512 yards of total offense, which the Giants did Sunday night. But, you also can question taking the ball out of Eli's hands on the failed 3rd and 5 draw play in the fourth quarter. It may have been his only bad play call of the night, but as many of you have already pointed out the failure to score points there was a killer. Taking the ball out of Eli's hands, especially the way he was playing, was the wrong choice.
Domenik Hixon: A 61-yard catch and run for a score. That's the good stuff. Losing contain on Jackson's 72-yard punt return and a pair of fumbled kickoffs is the bad. When does D.J. Ware get a crack at being the primary kickoff return man?

Wet Willies to ...

Aaron Rouse and Aaron Ross: Both guys got burned down the field by DeSean Jackson, Ross for an easy, back-breaking 60-yard touchdown. Rouse would have given up one, as well, but Donovan McNabb missed a wide open Reggie Brown.
The defense as a whole: Missed opportunities, blown coverages, little pressure on Donovan McNabb, and a complete inability to make a stop whenever one was needed. The inspired effort against Dallas gave me hope. This one left me feeling, again, that this group just isn't good enough.
Bill Sheridan: See all of the above about the defense. I couldn't argue with more than one or two of Sheridan's calls Sunday night. But, the overall performance of this group has to fall on his shoulders. And it just has not been good enough.
Special teams: Bad penalties, a punt return surrendered for a touchdown, two fumbled kickoff returns, less than adequte kickoff return coverage, ineffective returns all night. Yes, Fred Robbins blocked an extra point, but that's about the only thing the special teams did right. At some point, special teams coach Tom Quinn has to answer for the fact that week after week the Giants' special teams don't measure up.
Mario Manningham: How difficult is it for an NFL receiver to learn to run down the field and stay in-bounds? Manningham should have scored two touchdowns Sunday night. Instead, he ran himself out of bounds on both plays. He has done that consistently this season, and it is largely what has cost him his starting job. He is an exciting player, but he has to learn how to run a pass route on the sidelines. Otherwise, how can Eli trust him and throw the ball out there?

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

Final - 12.13.2009	1	2	3	4	Total
Philadelphia Eagles	14	16	7	8	45
New York Giants	3	14	14	7	38

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Philadelphia Eagles opponents preview - New York Giants

JasonB — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 17:00:17 -0000

by Carolyn Kaster - AP

about 1 month ago: Philadelphia Eagles' Sean Jones (26) and Quintin Mikel (27) stop New York Giants' Brandon Jacobs (27) during the third quarter an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009, in Philadelphia. The Eagles won 40-17. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

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This is the next part in our series of previews of the Eagles 2009 opponents. Joining us for this feature is Dave Schwab, who writes about the Eagles at his site Eagles Lincs.

Last time we saw the Giants the Eagles blew them out 40-17. Across the parking lot the Phillies were taking on the Yankees in the world series. While this Sunday's matchup in the swamps of North Jersey won't be so momentous, there's probably more on the line for the Eagles this time.

Dave's full analysis is after the jump.

Coming off a near perfect 34-7 beatdown of the Atlanta Falcons last Sunday the 8-4 Eagles now have to take it up another notch when they face the 7-5 New York Giants on Sunday night in the Meadowlands. The G-Men are coming off a huge 31-24 win over Dallas in a game that not only saved their season, but further tightened up an extremely close NFC East division race. A Philadelphia win would complete the season sweep of New York and almost guarantee the Birds at the very least a wildcard spot in the playoffs, but more importantly put them in control of winning the division. A loss could potentially set up a three way tie in the East, depending on the outcome of the Cowboys game against San Diego. This is the time of the year when each week becomes a one game season as the games take on a playoff atmosphere.

In the first meeting between these two teams back in week eight, the Eagles jumped out to an early lead and kept their foot on the Giant’s throat in a 40-17 romp. They used big plays on offense and kept Eli Manning off balance on defense to thoroughly dominate this game. While I do not expect Sunday night’s game to be nearly as one sided as this one, Philadelphia will look to recreate the same game plan that gave the so much success the first time they played.

Looking at the Giant’s offense the one area that has hurt them over the past several weeks has been their ability to effectively run the ball. Their big threat is Brandon Jacobs who has run for 722 yards on 187 carries which is less than 4 yards a carry. In his last three games he has only rushed for 105 yards combined. Their other back, Ahmad Bradshaw has been battling some injuries and hasn’t been able to contribute on a regular basis only rushing for 84 yards in the last three games. If the Eagle’s defense can keep these two from establishing any kind of momentum that will put the game in the hands of QB Eli Manning to try and pull off the win. Manning’s performance has been inconsistent at best. While he did pass for 241 yards and 2 TD’s against the Cowboys last week, he still has thrown 11 interceptions and lost four fumbles so far this season as he has the tendency to cough the ball up when under constant pressure. His primary target will be WR Steve Smith who has 78 receptions for 979 yards this season. Jacobs is also a receiving threat out of the backfield as his 74 yard catch and run for a touchdown against Dallas helped seal the win in last week’s game.

Defensively, the Giants are a mere shell from the unit that led the NFL after their 5-0 start. The defensive line has been unable to stop the run as well as put pressure on opposing team’s quarterbacks. Things got so bad that head coach Tom Coughlin benched DE Osi Umenyiora and DT Fred Robbins for the Dallas game in an effort to shake things up. Despite the loss, the Cowboys still rolled up 424 yards of total offense including 379 passing yards as Romo was only sacked twice for a loss of 13 yards and had no interceptions. Through 12 games, New York’s defense is still ranked 6^th in total yards allowed (301.6), 7^th against the pass (199) and 10^th against the run (102.6). Their main problem has been keeping teams out of the end zone as they are ranked 25^th in points allowed (23.8) which plays right into one of the Eagles biggest strengths as they are ranked 6^th is points scored, averaging 27.2 per game.

Looking at this match up on paper it clearly favors the Eagles, but with so much on the line this promises to be a great game that should remain close until the end. The outcome will most likely be decided by a couple of big plays on offense and special teams as well as a key turnover or two late in the game. These teams know each other so well it will be hard to pull off any surprises as they love to come right at one another in typical smash mouth NFC East fashion.

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

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

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

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

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

More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

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

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

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

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

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

Kudos to ...

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

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

Wet Willies to ...

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

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

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

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'Kudos & Wet Willies:' Finally, Giants have a happy Monday

Ed Valentine — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:00:16 -0000

by Bill Kostroun - AP

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) celebrates with center Shaun O'Hara (60) after throwing a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009, in East Rutherford, N.J. The Giants won in overtime, 34-31.

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It often wasn't pretty. It definitely wasn't perfect. But, Sunday's 34-31 overtime victory over the Atlanta Falcons was Big Blue's first 'W' in 42 days. 'Kudos' for that. The Giants are 6-4, and have assured themselves that they will continue to be a serious player in the playoff race.

For now, that's all that matters. Read on for this week's 'Kudos & Wet Willies.'

Kudos to ...

Eli Manning: I can't believe this was Manning's first 300-yard passing game at Giants Stadium. But, whatever. It came at a great time. I didn't feel so good about Eli early when he threw that interception and was doing a lot of running for his life. Manning, though, settled in and threw the ball beautifully much of the game. He went 25-for-39 for a career-high 384 yards with three touchdowns (a 111.5 QB rating). Many of those throws were perfectly placed balls squeezed into small spaces. In truth, it is as well as I can remember seeing Eli throw the ball.
MarioSmithHakeemManninghamSteveNicks: Yeah, that's a mess to read -- and to say. I am lumping all three young wide receivers in together, though, because the were all outstanding. And they have become a three-headed monster that teams around the NFL are going to have to deal with for a loooong time. So, yeah, forget all that stuff about the Giants not having any playmakers at the receiver position. They have plenty. Mario Manningham was tremendous, with six catches for 126 yards, including a beautiful 29-yarder in overtime to set up the game-winning field goal. Steve Smith (4 catches, 79 yards) was his usual reliable self AND busted loose for a 51-yard completion -- the missing link in his ascension to stardom. Hakeem Nicks (5 catches, 65 yards) is an absolute stud, who runs nice routes and has terrific hands.
Kevin Boss: We have been waiting ... and waiting .... and waiting for the Bossman to become a primary target in the passing game. Well, Sunday that day arrived. Boss was the answer in the Green Zone, with two touchdown catches. He finished with five catches for a career-best 76 yards, as well. I hope we continue to see more of that.
Michael Boley: You know this game meant a lot to Boley, who left the Falcons last season after unceremoniously being removed from the starting lineup. Sunday Boley showed the Falcons what they gave up, playing his best game as a Giant. In fact, maybe the best game by a Giants outside linebacker in a long time. He finished with 13 tackles and a sack. It also looked to me like Boley was filling some of that emtional leadership void left by the injury to Antonio Pierce.
OsiTuckJustinUmenyiora: Like with the wide receivers, I am lumping the two bookends of the Giants defensive line together. Tuck had a huge game with four tackles, a sack, a fumble recovery and a near interception the one time he dropped into pass coverage. Umenyiora had just one tackle and a fumble recovery, but I thought he was active and made Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan uncomfortable a number of times.
Corey Webster: Webster was all over Roddy White most of the game. He had the kind of game this week we had hoped he would have two weeks ago against San Diego's Vincent Jackson. CW ended up with five -- yes, five -- passes defensed. What I can't figure out is why the Falcons kept testing him.
Aaron Rouse: Nine tackles, including one huge run stop for a loss, and a pass defensed. A debatable penalty for a late hit, sure, but I thought Rouse played well. To this point, he has been a huge upgrade over 'Bad, Bad C.C. Brown.'
Chase Blackburn: Once again proved his value by playing very well in place of Pierce. It's just one game, but so far, so good.
Barry Cofield: It's a good thing Cofield (5 tackles) played probably his best game of the season. The other defensive tackles did pretty much nothing.
Madison Hedgecock: The guy caught a touchdown pass. Shoot, when a fullback gets one of those you have to give him something. A 'Kudos' is the best I can do.

There are probably a handful of other guys who deserve 'Kudos,' but I think that's probably most of them. Let's get on to the bad stuff.

Wet Willies to ...

Defensive tackles not named Cofield: I thought Chris Canty, Rocky Bernard and Fred Robbins were pretty much invisible. Bernard and Robbins might be in the process of playing themselves into different uniforms next season.
Bruce Johnson: The rookie cornerback has been pretty good all season. He got picked on time and time again Sunday, though. On top of that, he had a silly holding penalty that helped Atlanta score a third-quarter touchdown.
The Giants offensive line: I think we have to face the reality that this unit is not the dominant group we watched the past couple of seasons. The names are the same, but the results aren't. They eventually got the pass protection straightened out and Manning was sacked only once, but he spent much of the first half running for his life. And the run-blocking was very sporadic, which shows in the 26-carry, 88-yard (3.4 yards per carry) day the running backs had. The inability to run-block in the Green Zone is still a huge problem. It looks like General Manager Jerry Reese needs to start thinking about some changes to this group for 2010.

Kwillies to ...

A 'Kwillie,' for the uneducated, is a special award that goes to a player who did his level best to keep both teams in the game. I can only think of one Sunday, and he deserves special mention.

Lawrence Tynes: Nailed the game-winner. As he always seems to, he made life harder on the Giants than it had to. But, in the end he got the job done.

One more thing

I didn't quite have a category for the Giants' fourth-quarter defense. That group played well for much of the game, showing energy, generating pressure and covering well.

For the second week in a row, though, they could not get a stop late in the game when they needed one. Some of you want to crucify defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan for that, but I don't. I thought Sheridan tried to stay aggressive with some blitzing, always sending at least four when he did not blitz and not sitting in anything remotely resembling a 'prevent' type defense. At crunch time, though, no one on the defense could step up and make a play. Tony Gonzalez simply made the kind of play at the end of the game that a Hall of Fame tight end makes. And the kind of play no one on the Giants defense seems able to step up and make when it matters.

All in all, though, it's a win. I will take it. Now, it's on to Denver to see if the Giants can get on a roll again.

Final - 11.22.2009	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Atlanta Falcons	0	7	10	14	0	31
New York Giants	3	14	7	7	3	34

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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.

'Kudos & Wet Willies:' Forget the 'Kudos' edition

Ed Valentine — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:00:36 -0000

More photos » by Carolyn Kaster - AP

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning sits on the ground after being knocked down during the second quarter Sunday. This pretty much sums up the kind of day the Giants had.

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Let me start with an admission. This is probably the first 'Kudos & Wet Willies' in Big Blue View history that is being written without my having watched the entire game either live or via the DVR. When LeSean McCoy went 66 yards for a score to make it 40-17 I packed it in. I had seen all I could stomach, and all I needed to see to write this edition of 'K&WW.' I'm not going back and watching any of it again, either.

How bad was it? I actually spent the fourth quarter out in my back yard cleaning up leaves. That was more fun than watching that embarrassment.

After the game Tom Coughlin sounded pretty much the way I felt. He didn't want to watch the carnage, either.

"We didn't tackle well, our secondary didn't tackle well," said Coughlin. "We had created holes in the line of scrimmage, we didn't cover kicks well; we again threw interceptions...that's not the kind of football we teach. We definitely put ourselves in this funk -- whatever you want to call it."

As I promised last night, there will be no 'Kudos' today. After three straight losses, including two games in which they were embarrassingly un-competitive, I can't find a good reason to give out 'Kudos' to anyone.

About the best I will do is exempt a handful of players from the team-wide 'Wet Willies' I am getting ready to hand out.

On offense, I will exempt Kevin Boss, Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks and Brandon Jacobs. The three receivers made some plays when Eli Manning actually remembered to throw the ball to the guys in the white jerseys, and Jacobs ran better than he had all season . Too bad the efforts of those four were pretty much meaningless.

On defense, I will exempt Fred Robbins and Osi Umenyiora. Robbins at least batted down a few passes and recovered a fumble. As for Osi, a sack and a forced fumble. At least it looked like those two guys were trying out there.

To be honest, 'Wet Willies' for everyone else. Players -- and coaches -- included.

There is no way I can hand out these 'Wet Willies' one player at a time. I would be writing for hours -- and you guys are already sickened enough by what you saw Sunday that I know you don't want to read it. So, I will do it in broad strokes.

The Defense

Slice it any way you want, and I know there is a lot to complain about today. The problems with the Giants start with the defense. Bluntly, they are not a very good defensive football team right now. Maybe they never really were. Maybe they will be later on in the year, maybe they won't. Right now, though, they are terrible.

The Giants secondary cannot cover anyone. Even Corey Webster got all turned around on a touchdown pass to rookie Jeremy Maclin Sunday.

The 17-yard first-quarter touchdown pass to Eagles' tight end Brett Celek? Right in-between 'Bad, Bad C.C. Brown' and 'Just as Bad Aaron Rouse.' Inexcusable to give up a touchdown on third-and-goal from the 17. We had no idea how much the Giants would miss Kenny Phillips. In fact, on crutches he might be a better cover guy than either of those two buffoons.

The back-breaking 54-yard touchdown pass to DeSean Jackson right before halftime? Webster passed him off to 'Bad, Bad,' who never even got within the same area code as Jackson. Again, horrible.

The Giants missed more tackles Sunday than we are used to seeing them miss in a whole season. Rouse came from Green Bay with the reputation of a guy who played hard but couldn't cover and took bad angles in run support. On the 66-yard run by McCoy he proved the latter part of his rep, running right by the play and whiffing on the tackle.

Rouse wasn't the only guy in the secondary missing tackles. Terrell Thomas missed a bunch of tackles. Webster, Brown, pretty much all the DBs tackled like Deion Sanders most of the day. In other words, like they wanted nothing to do with it.

Pass rush? The Giants front four tried to generate some pressure, but couldn't quite get it done. They tried to be aggressive and blitz, but even that tactic was rarely successful. It only succeeded in exposing the bystanders marauding as defensive backs.

Run defense? Umm, the Giants gave up a 66-yard touchdown run to McCoy and a 41-yard touchdown run to a FULLBACK, Leonard Weaver. Both of those plays were right up the gut.

I have said this before, but the Giants defensive tackles are not getting the job done against the run in the middle. Osi consistently runs himself out of position against the run. And the next big play Antonio Pierce makes will be the first one I can remember in 2009. Pierce is smart, but he has to take a hit when teams keep running the ball right up the middle -- right at him -- and busting off huge plays.

Pierce, though, isn't the only linebacker worthy of a 'Wet Willie.' Did you see any Giants linebackers actually get off a block and make a play Sunday? I didn't. When the linebackers blitzed, they got stoned. When they tried to play run support, they were no help.

Unfortunately, Sunday was not the first time this season we have seen any of those things. Bad defense is becoming a regular occurrence for this team -- which was built around defense.

The Offense

Manning's numbers (20-of-39, 222 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions) don't begin to tell the story of how bad he was on Sunday. The Eagles dropped at least two easy interceptions. They had another taken away on a penalty. Manning missed open receivers several times. He threw up a couple of prayer passes, as well, where receivers like Nicks and Boss bailed him out.

I love Eli, and I truly believe he is an upper echelon quarterback in the NFL. But, he has been in the league too long and played quite often at too high of a level to make some of the pitiful decisions and poor throws he can occasionally make. And he made a slew of each on Sunday. Way more bad throws than good ones.

Remember last season when he started off so well some pundits were wondering if he had surpassed his brother and become the best Manning? We know he faded at the end. This season Eli again started off great, weak competition or not. The past couple of weeks, though, we have seen the return of the 'Bad Eli.' The one we thought was gone for good.

Of course, it's not all on Eli. The Giants offensive line does not appear to be its old, dominant, self. Manning was only sacked twice, but he was hit a bunch of times and went running for his life a lot more often than we are used to seeing. This line has always blocked the run better than the pass, and if they are going to be playing from behind all the time Eli is going to get hammered.

The Special Teams

Seems like the Giants had a flashback to 2008 Sunday with a complete inability to cover kickoffs. When they briefly threatened to make a game of it at 16-7 with less than two minutes left in the half, the Giants immediately allowed a kickoff return close to midfield. That, of course, emboldened the Eagles and led to Jackson's long TD. Which then led to the Giants feeling pressured on offense and making another mistake that cost them seven more points. So, indirectly, that one kickoff return cost them 14 points.

Domenik Hixon was also a big dud on kick returns. We have screamed from the rooftops for two seasons now for Hixon to be the primary return guy. The last two weeks he has had that opportunity and done nothing with it. Added to the inability to make a big return was his inexplicable drop -- not fumble, drop -- of the second-half kickoff. I should have gone out to clean up leaves right then.

The Coaching

When a team supposedly as good as the Giants plays this ineptly for three consecutive weeks the coaching staff has to take a hit.

I love Coughlin. I think he is a marvelous coach, and he has had a great run with four straight playoff appearances and a Super Bowl title. Twice in three weeks, however, the Giants have fallen behind by huge margins early and gotten blown out. In the other game, at home, they turned the ball over, looked rattled at times and did not play the way we are accustomed to seeing the Giants play. Are the Giants just not very good? Or, are they a good team that is coming into games not ready to play, or without a good plan? If it's the latter -- and it MIGHT be -- that is on the head coach.

It seems I am always defending Kevin Gilbride from criticism for something. Let's just say Gilbride can't throw the ball for Eli. He can't make him choose the right receiver. He can't pick up blitzing linebackers, or chip defensive ends before going out on pass routes. He can't catch the ball. He can't do the physical things it seems the Giants are failing to do.

He can, however, come up with a better plan. At least this week there was an effort to get the ball to Boss. There was an effort to stay with the running game. There were a few play-action passes, though those are useless when you are down by three scores.

There was, however, too much predictability. On the field, FOX sideline reporter Tony Siragusa said repeatedly that it was obvious the Eagles knew when running plays were coming. Time and time again, it was obvious from the reactions of the Philly defensive backs that they could read -- from formation, personnel package or whatever -- what pass routes were coming.

There was also, still, a lot of risky vertical passing. Very little underneath stuff. No movement of the pocket. What happened to three-step drop and get the ball out quick?

Oh, and the excruciatingly slow pace of the Giants offense. When you're down three or four scores how about a no-huddle? Or, at least your quarterback get to the line of scrimmage and get some plays off without using the entire clock.

I will often defend Gilbride because, like him or not, the Giants have had a lot of offensive success during his tenure. Right now, though, his group is not playing efficient football. The offense looks like run a little bit, drop back, chuck the ball down the field and pray. He needs to figure out what is going on, and give his offense a better plan to work with.

Defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan will spend much of this week getting killed by fans and questioned by the media. That is what happens when a highly-touted defensive gets torched for 40 or more points twice in three weeks.

I won't kill Sheridan over the 'blitz or don't blitz' thing. He is, quite obviously, caught between a rock and a hard place right now. He was given a team built around a supposedly ferocious front four that would allow him to cover and protect weak spots in the secondary. The front four is, vastly, under-achieving. Can't pressure on its own, is not holding up against the run.

Sheridan has been trying to bring more pressure, but with Michael Boley hurt the Giants do not have athletic linebackers on the field who can shed blocks and make plays. When the blitz doesn't get home, this defense has no chance. The Eagles burned the blitz, which we have all screamed for, repeatedly. The fact that Brown and Rouse couldn't cover me is not Sheridan's fault. It is what he has to work with.

There are plenty of other things I have to put on Sheridan, though. The incredibly poor tackling. The epidemic of missed assignments in the secondary. The constant state of confusion the defense seems to be in, with guys running all over the place not certain how to line up. The fact that the Giants seem to have no clue how to play the run.

Special teams coach Tom Quinn has to take a hit, too. It seems like every week some part of his unit springs a leak. This week the Giants could not cover kickoffs. They couldn't return them, either.

Final thoughts

I know I am usually the optimist around here, the guy who always tells you folks to step back from the ledge. I am hardly throwing in the towel on this season, and no one should be up on the ledge. There is too much football yet to be played, too much time to get things right.

No way, however, you can feel good about this team after what we have seen the past three weeks.

As the week progresses, I will share some thoughts on changes I would like to see made. That's about all I can stand for now, though.

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

Ed Valentine — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:00:29 -0000

It's Friday, and that means time for my weekly swap of questions with Ernie Palladino. As usual, we have a common set of questions. Ernie's answers are below. Mine are over at Ernie's Giants Beat.

1. Is it better or worse that the Giants are playing a hated division rival on the road following two stinkers in a row?

Ernie's Answer: It's absolutely better. You want a good way to stop thinking about a blowout in New Orleans and a great opportunity lost against Arizona? Try filling your head with an upcoming game against the hated Eagles in The Linc. Remember, this is the squad that knocked the Giants out of the playoffs last year, the one where Donovan McNabb showed them up with his phone escapades on the Giants' own sidelines. Think those guys don't remember that? Believe me, don't downplay the revenge factor of having lost their last two meetings against the Eagles last year. Those two losses in a row seem far, far away right now.

2. What is the Giants' true identity, a run-first or pass-first team?

Ernie's Answer: Tom Coughlin may say it's a run-first team, and he most likely believes it. But let's face it. The NFL is a passing league right now, and a run-first team at this point means at best an even split between the ground and the air. Now throw in the fact that his offensive coordinator, Kevin Gilbride, seemingly can't wait to put Eli Manning in the air. The last game was a perfect example. Brandon Jacobs finally appeared to be breaking out of his early-season doldrums, knocking out four, five, seven yards a pop. But as soon as the Giants fell behind the Cardinals 17-14, Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw all but disappeared from the offense. From that point, Manning went back to pass 22 times and handed off just 10, one of which was fumbled by Bradshaw on the next-to-last drive. It seems the pass-first philosophy has been well-embedded in Manning's psyche, too, as he admittedly checked out of a couple of runs in the second half because the Cardinals were showing blitz. One audible took them out of a third-and-2 run, with Manning electing to take a deep sideline shot to Mario Manningham that sailed out of bounds incomplete. Whether Coughlin wants to admit it or not, this is a passing team right now. The Giants need to get back to what they do best, which is run the ball, especially now that the chill of November is upon us.

3. Do the Giants need to start Hakeem Nicks?

Ernie's Answer: Couldn't hurt. Defensive backs seem to have caught wise to Steve Smith, despite his outstanding route-running abilities. And for all of Manningham's outstanding powers of concentration on deflected balls and such, he isn't the most reliable guy out there. But Nicks is a nice target who seems to be learning and improving every game. He's still got a lot to learn, but you can't fault the productivity that includes four touchdown catches in four games. Were it not for his Johnny-On-The-Spot alertness on his 62-yard catch off a deflection, Manning would have left the Cardinals game with exactly zero touchdown passes. Not only that, but his 16 catches for 315 yards has already equaled the most catches by a Giants rookie wide receiver since Bobby Johnson in 1984 (Ed McCaffrey in 1991 and David Tyree in 2003). If the coach's adage that a player earns field time by producing, then Nicks has certainly filled his quotient. He's already a more reliable downfield threat than Domenik Hixon, whose strength lies more in the return game. And at 6-0, 201, he'll make a more adequate complement to the shifty Smith than the smaller Manningham. So, yeah, start him.

4. Should Bill Sheridan play Justin Tuck inside more?

Ernie's Answer: I may be in the minority here, but I don't think so. I like it when Mathias Kiwanuka rotates in and they put Tuck inside to give them three pass rushers up front. But stopping the run, even in a pass-first league, is huge, and Tuck does just fine with that working from the outside. He's strong enough to fend off blocks and fast enough to prevent running backs from getting to the corner. Plus, he can drop back into coverage on the zone blitz every now and then. I think the answer to the inside pass rush problems is to get Fred Robbins going. Remember, too, that we haven't seen Chris Canty. If he ever gets back from his calf injury, he's going to help on the inside with that big wingspan and speed. So better to keep Tuck on the outside on the 50-50 run/pass downs and save his sore shoulder from the wear and tear of the guard/center double-team. He's too valuable to subject to a steady beating inside.