SB Nation - Corey Webster

New York Giants notes: Seubert finally admits playing hurt

Ed Valentine — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:00:30 -0000

by LM Otero - AP

Rich Seubert

Here are a few stories to keep you entertained as you wait ... and wait ... and wait for tonight's Monday Night Football kickoff.

Let's start with this. I have suspected it since training camp, when New York Giants guard Rich Seubert skipped several days of practice, and we have discussed many times the possibility that Seubert has been been playing hurt. Seubert has not appeared on the Giants' injury report at all this season, but Mike Garafolo has finally gotten Seubert to admit he is playing with a shoulder injury.

"It feels good. I’m out there playing," Seubert said. "I’m an O-linemen. I’ve been through worse. Something isn’t going to keep me out until the coaches say I can’t play anymore."

Seubert has not had a good season, by his standards, and Garafolo reported that offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride knows Seubert is not 100 percent.

"I don’t want to make it a sob story, but he has my admiration the way he fights through that stuff," Gilbride said. ""He won’t even mention it. He doesn’t want to talk about it. Let’s just move on."

More injury news

Ralph Vacchiano reports that offensive tackle Kareem McKenzie and cornerback Corey Webster did not make the trip to Washington and will not play. On the plus side, Aaron Ross expects to play. Let's just hope Ross doesn't pull up lame while chasing a receiver down the field and surrender a big play.

Smith's dreams coming true

For Steve Smith, who has already set the Giants' single-season receiving record, his personal accomplishments this season are beyond even what he hoped for.

"I said before the season I wanted to have one of the greatest Giants seasons ever," Smith said. "And I didn't really realize that it could come true."

A little more than a year since Burress shot himself in the thigh before a game against the Redskins last November, the Giants return to Washington tomorrow night with a receiver who's having a record-setting season. Smith enters the game, now more crucial to Big Blue after the Cowboys ended the Saints' perfect season Saturday night, with 85 receptions, tied for fifth-most in the NFL with Arizona's superstar receiver Larry Fitzgerald. Smith, who has more catches than stars such as Houston's Andre Johnson and New England's Randy Moss, already has topped Amani Toomer's single-season team record of 82 catches set back in 2002 and needs just 15 more catches to reach 100 with three games remaining. That would be a remarkable achievement considering few figured Smith or any of the Giants' receivers would be able to fill the huge void left by Burress.

"All the naysayers and all the things we were hearing all season long ... it's not that people didn't believe, they just didn't know about us," Smith said. "We all had confidence and knew what we could do. We had a quiet confidence amongst ourselves. It is just about opportunity."

Despite not being nearly as big nor as fast as Burress, the 5-11 Smith has become Eli Manning's go-to guy. Smith has 1,053 yards receiving and five touchdowns. While rookie Hakeem Nicks and wide receiver Mario Manningham have proven to be explosive playmakers, Smith has been the rock of the receiving corps.

"I am not surprised," Manning said of his new favorite target. "I knew Steve would have a great year going into his third year. He has always been a key guy on third down working in the slot and moving him around. I knew when he became the starter, being on the field for every play, he was going to emerge and step up and make some outstanding plays for us."

About those Cowboys

Like it or not, the Cowboys were extremely impressive in beating New Orleans Saturday night. Via Twitter, Ian O'Connor opined that they looked like a certain team from 2007.

Could it be that 2009 Dallas is 2007 Giants? Head coach and QB on the brink before very late season run makes everyone a forever hero.

Peter King said it was the performance the Cowboys had been hoping for all season.

Other notes

Former Giants coach Jim Fassel is reportedly a candidate for the Oakland job if the Raiders fire Tom Cable. Fassel has been down this road before, with both Oakland and Washington. I have never understood why he hasn't been given another opportunity. I still think he deserves one.
Mike Shanahan seems next in line for the Redskins job. The D.C. Sports Bog (yes, Bog) summarizes the various reports circulating about Shanahan.
I missed it the other day, but Dec. 18 marked the 75th anniversary of the famous 'sneakers game.'

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

BBV chats with 'Hogs Haven'

Ed Valentine — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 12:12:52 -0000

via i.cdn.turner.com

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The NFC East rival Washington Redskins are up first in what is now a three-week season of must victories for our New York Giants. With that in mind, I chatted Wednesday with Kevin from our Redskins blog, 'Hogs Haven.'

Kevin: First, I've read all your previous chats about Osi, Tuck, the problems w/ the secondary..so I'll link those...the injuries to the secondary have been tough w/ moving players around...my question is... the Giants defense is 9th best in yards against, but 5th worst in points against...why is that? Bad offensive turnovers?

Ed: Has nothing to do with the offense. The offense has been terrific. It has to do with not being able to make a play when they need one. Blowing assignments that lead to big plays, not being able to get a run stop when they have to. Oh, and the fact that the kicking game/coverage teams have been awful. So, it always seems like a short field.

Kevin: Did you agree with Coughlin's decision to keep Sheridan? I read that Kiwanuka said there were "communication" problems which he described as "getting calls and understanding what you’re supposed to be doing."

Ed: Yes, I did. Switching coordinators right now is pointless, really. Can't change the whole system or staff right now. Sheridan is not without fault, and if the season goes up in flames he won't be back. But, a lot of this is on the players. A lot of guys have not lived up to their names and blown assignments, linemen getting ridden off the ball and poor tackling are on the players. Not the coordinator. So, plenty of blame to go around.

Kevin: Not to mention his secondary is depleted...Corey Webster and Aaron Ross both got banged up...you heard if they're going to play?

Ed: Webster is day to day. Ross is fine, and he has been playing at safety, and playing pretty well for being new to it, for several weeks now.

Kevin: Right tackle Kareem McKenzie is out and William Beatty the rookie is in. Is there a big drop-off there and should the Skins overload that side? Robert Gallery was out last week for OAK and the Skins made the Raiders pay dearly.

Ed: I'm sure the Redskins will try to work Beatty over. But, Giants fans are actually happy about this. Beatty, a second-round pick, is a player. McKenzie is a fading veteran and the job should belong to Beatty next season, anyway. The kid is going to be good, and we want to see him on the field.

Kevin: Hard to believe the Giants are ranked 23rd in +/- turnovers at -4...what's your prediction for Monday?

Ed: Well, I'd like to say we'll kick your butt all over the field and make you wish ... well, you get the point. But, I have no idea. Will the Giants team that played its guts out the last two weeks show up? Will the team that gave zero effort against Denver show up? Will they continue to make stupid mistakes on defense and special teams? I don't know. This team should be much better than it is. But it isn't getting the job done. I just know we need to win.

Kevin: OK, last question, back in May when we chatted, I asked you if you had any concerns w/ the new WR core...

you thought you'd be OK if Mario stepped up and Ramses Barden came on...Nicks is a stud like we thought...how would you rate the WRs now? What happened to Ramses?

Ed: The wide receivers, believe it or not, are actually a strong suit on this team. Our Steve Smith is the best Steve Smith in the league. He has already broken the team's single-season reception record, and might get to 100+. He is uncoverable (think Wes Welker) on short to intermediate stuff. Nicks, like you said, is total stud. Love the kid. Mario Manningham is frustratingly inconsistent. He is a game-breaker with the ball in his hands, but his route-running needs work and he drops too many balls. Barden is a mystery. In camp I thought he would be a star, but he has only been active for a couple of games. The Giants say they would like to activate him, but he is a liability on special teams and the 4th or 5th WR has to be on the coverage teams. I think Ramses will get his full opportunity next season to surpass Domenik Hixon and maybe even Manningham. I can't wait to see what he does with it.

Ed: The Redskins have played much better in recent weeks. They looked like a train-wreck early on. What has changed?

Kevin: You got a couple hours? Well, the offense has played better with the Shermans (Lewis and Smith) calling the plays. Cerrato stripped Jim Zorn of the duties before the BYE. The offensive line has been swiss cheese to say the least, and then during half-time of the ATL game, Off line coach Joe Bugel ripped the team a new one and they have played better. The addition of LT Levi Jones is a big key as well. He's gone against the best the last several weeks and kept Jason's back clear accept for a handful of times at most. Devin Thomas & Fred Davis have finally come on as well.

Ed: You guys have to play both the Giants and Cowboys in the last three weeks. Obviously, you can have a big impact on the playoff race. You find that position kind of enjoyable?

Kevin: I'm just happy they're competitive at all. It's pathetic that we have to root for someone else's playoffs run...but keeping Dallas out will surely rise a smile out of me.

Ed: I'd like it if you did that, too. OK. Who will be the coach next season?

Kevin: Shanahan is my guess. VInny Cerrato and him are already buddies, so it makes sense (in Snyder's and Cerrato's delusional minds). It's frustrating...just as the Skins are showing continuity, they blow it up again and bring in a new coach.

Ed: Speaking [of] continuity, is Jason Campbell the long-term answer at QB? Or, is he playing out the string just like Jim Zorn?

Kevin: Well, the long term plan SHOULD be draft Oline in the first 2 rounds next year...let Campbell run that offense next year .. then draft a QB to groom behind a top line....BUT...Campbell is as good as gone. Snyder and Cerrato have already flown to watch Colt and Clausen practice. It's maddening. JC has taken some BRUTAL hits this year. Like Stafford, whoever they draft will get hurt.

Ed: OK. So, who is making the playoffs? Giants or Cowboys?

Kevin: I didn't like the Cowboys at the beginning of the year. I'm still amazed their record is as good as it is. Giants.

Ed: Last question. It's my signature one, and I have to ask because my guys at BBV always kill me when I don't. At this point, which Giants player would you most like to put in a Redskins' uniform?

Kevin: its a great question .. I want Mara as my owner. I might even consider Plax as owner.

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

New York Giants Notes: Aaron Ross at safety, Gap Control, & Corey Webster

cjmulrain — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 12:00:36 -0000

Aaron Ross talked yesterday about his transition to safety after playing his whole life as a cornerback:

"I am getting there. I still have some things to learn. I know the defense but I still have technical and just small things that safeties that have been playing the game know that I might not. I have Michael Johnson, (Aaron) Rouse and C.C. (Brown) to teach me. It's been going pretty well."

Both Michael Johnson (transcript) and Tom Coughlin (transcript) blamed poor gap control for the defense getting gashed by the Philadelphia running game last time they met. The Giants run defense showed a huge improvement last week against the Cowboys, so hopefully they can maintain that and shut down the Eagles tomorrow.
Corey Webster had his worst game of the season on Sunday, but Bill Sheridan hasn't lost faith in the Giants #1 corner:

"The only thing I say is, as you know, we normally match him up against the best receiver on the other team," Sheridan said. "So inevitably, they are not going to be completely scared from throwing to that guy and he is going to get the ball thrown on him. So I am not surprised or disappointed. I think he would probably be more frustrated than I am, because he thinks he can play better on some of those plays where balls have been caught on him. But he is still as good as anybody we have from a coverage standpoint and I am not concerned about it."

Steve Serby outlines the "big blue-print" for beating the Eagles. I can think of at least one BBV commenter who will agree with step #2: "the big plays."
Amani Toomer's feud with the Giants was pretty short lived, as he will be on hand tomorrow as an honorary captain. His only regret is that he's not still a Giant.
I drew some criticism the other day for denying the existence of Super Bowl XXXV, but look, I'm not alone: the Giants 10 Greatest Games DVD includes the divisional round game against the Eagles and the NFC Championship game against the Vikings, and then skips ahead to the 2006 regular season comeback against the Eagles. For true Giants fans, this DVD should be at the top of your Christmas List (it's already on mine) - in addition to those three games it has all six postseason games from the Giants first two Super Bowl seasons plus Super Bowl XLII (the other three playoff games that year are included on the Road to Super Bowl XLII DVD, which is also worth owning if you don't have it already).

Jets Flight Connections 120909

dvdvil — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:52:00 -0000

Rich Cimini wants QB Mark Sanchez to sit out on Sunday. He also turns an innocent compliment by FB Tony Richardson on the running game into a negative assessment of WR Braylon Edwards.

Peter King is impressed with the Jets rushing offense, and especially with OL Coach Bill Callahan.

RB Thomas Jones is performing very well and is up for another FedEx Ground Player award. He won this before in Week 6. Vote for him here. Vote early and often.

And I also want to remind everyone that so far, only G Alan Faneca is leading the Jets in the ProBowl voting. Vote for Revis, C Nick Mangold, LB David Harris and other deserving Jets here.

Jets practice squad FB Jason Davis also likes the run game and prepares like a starter. Another young guy on the squad is LB Jamaal Westerman, and I found this article on him.

Dave Hutchinson takes a quick look at the next game and reiterates that CB Darrelle Revis could be considered the NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

Mark Cannizzaro lauds HC Rex Ryan's in-game defensive adjustments. Larry to the Izzo compares Rex to Bill Belichick.

But Newsday's Roderick Boone says don't believe the Jets defense hype. (You can't actually read the full article without paying. Seriously, what the hell, Newsday?)

Maybe he's got a point, because despite the stats, the Jets are just a .500 team.

Hopefully, that will change on Sunday. Obviously, we are expected to beat Tampa Bay.

More connections after the jump.

Nick Mangold, Giants TE Kevin Boss and CB Corey Webster, the teams's owners and some fans stepped onto the field yesterday. Mangold talks about the stadium in this video.

The New Meadowlands Stadium will have removable endzone and midfield turfs. We will actually be seeing the Jets logo at the 50 yard line next year.

Find out more about the field turf here.

Some NFL kickers will not miss the current stadium and the swirling winds within it.

Sports Illustrated rates the Dewayne Robertson draft pick as the worst trade of the decade. Meanwhile, the Patriots are pretty much the best everything. Oh, and they also talk about this thing called SpyGate.

The branches of the Belichick coaching tree are not getting along.

In the loss to the Dolphins, are the Patriots players to blame and not the coaches?

Examiner.com blames last year's Jets meltdown not on QB Brett Favre, but on Jones and Coles. Vikings TE Vishanthe Shiancoe is confident the same thing won't happen in Minnesota.

WR Laveranues Coles is still adjusting to the Bengals system. His teammate Chad Ochocinco is having fun in Cincinnati - and paying for it.

Are we rooting for the Browns on Thursday? Steelers WR Hines Ward might miss that game.

Lastly, Kerry Locklin, we hardly knew ya.

'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.

Browse more photos »

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

Complete Coverage >

The VRR: Cowboys Look to Win their Last Game at Giants Stadium

Aaron Novinger — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:16:43 -0000

More photos » by Erich Schlegel - AP

Let the intensity begin! On Sunday, Flozell Adams and Miles Austin will look to win one last time at Giants Stadium.

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The bad blood runs thick through the NFC East. Sure, it was tense two weeks ago when the Redskins paid their first visit to Cowboys Stadium. After managing a 7-6 win, and then feasting on the beleaguered Raiders, the Cowboys now find themselves looking down in the division at the 6-5 Giants.

This 2009 version of the Giants began the season with five straight victories - their second, coming at the expense of the Cowboys to open Cowboys Stadium. On Sunday, the Cowboys can atone for that 31-33 loss by winning their final game at Giants Stadium, which would push the Giants down to a paltry .500 record.

Playing the Redskins and Eagles are always intense matchups for the Cowboys. But recently, these games against the Giants have seen a noticeable uptick in rivalry ratings. Maybe it's because Tony Romo has won both of his career starts at Giants Stadium. Maybe it's because of Brandon Jacobs' penchant for trash-talking. That 2007 playoff loss certainly still stings the Cowboys.

Whatever caused this recent rivalry surge has created an infamy monster that continues to grow. Expect it to do so as long as guys like Romo and Jacobs, Bradie James and Eli Manning, DeMarcus Ware and David Diehl, Patrick Crayton and Corey Webster, remain with their respective teams.

Flozell Adams and Justin Tuck, anyone?

More VRR after the jump.

Bradie James takes on the December grumblings, and wants badly to beat the Giants.

"The truth is the truth,'' he said. "What I've learned is no matter what your season is individually - you can have one of the best seasons of your career - if you lose and don't go to the playoffs, you're going to get criticized. Nobody is exempt from the criticism if you don't take care of business in December and go to the playoffs and do what we need to do. That's what time it is now. That's what we've got to do.''

Apparently, the insults from the teams' first meeting this season are still evident.

As if all that wasn't bad enough, James said Manning rubbed it in by scribbling his name and adding the score, the date and the words "First Win in the New Stadium'' on a concrete column in the visitors' locker room. James hasn't seen it, but he's seen a picture and is convinced it's real. True or not, it's being used as motivation.

"We won't forget that,'' James said. "It just makes for a more intense game.''

With the Giants moving into a new stadium next season, this almost certainly will be the Cowboys' final appearance at Giants Stadium. So is James bringing a pen to leave his own mark on the visiting locker room walls?

"I don't know, I might,'' he said. "I just want to win and that's it. I'll let our playing do all the talking. That's it. ... I don't care if it's by 30 or if it's by a point, we just have to take care of business and get rid of these guys right now.''

We can all talk about the Cowboys' December woes until we're blue in the face. Speaking of blue, the Giants have been pretty horrible in recent Decembers, too.

New York has not been good in December the past two seasons. The Giants were 1-3 in the final four regular-season games in 2007, when they won the Super Bowl, and they went 2-3 to close out last season with an NFC-best 12-4 overall mark.

Stopping the run could be the key to a Dallas victory.

When Tom Coughlin’s Giants run for at least 100 yards, they are 40-19. They are 13-19 when they don’t. In winning five consecutive games to start the season, the Giants averaged 160.4 yards on the ground. The past six games, New York has averaged only 98.8 yards rushing, with a high of 141 against the Eagles. The Giants had a season-low 57 rushing yards last week against the Broncos, a week after gaining only 88 yards against the Atlanta Falcons.

The Giants are still good at controlling the ball. The Cowboys have to counter that by taking it away.

The Giants (6-5) have lost five of their last six games but still own one of the most productive offenses. They rank second in yardage (374.7) and are tied for eighth in scoring (24.7) even with quarterback Eli Manning fighting foot issues.

"They're going to run to try to win games, control the ball," Phillips said. "I think they're in the top three or four in the league in time of possession. I think their philosophy is still the same whether they run it for enough yardage or not, but they've got good backs and a really good offensive line."

An area for defensive improvement - and one that will aid the Cowboys' offense - is more takeaways. The Cowboys' 13 (seven interceptions, six fumble recoveries) are tied with Washington for last in the league.

If the Giants focus their blocking assignments towards DeMarcus Ware, Coach Phillips will have to again be creative with how he uses his best pass rusher.

Phillips has tried to help Ware by moving him around to avoid the thicket of blockers. Ware rushed from the left side instead of his usual right side a significant number of times during the Thanksgiving win against Oakland. He has also blitzed as a middle linebacker and, as a change of pace, dropped into pass coverage on a few plays.

Ware's approach has broadened, too. Ware is not always a speed rusher trying to go around a blocker. He has slanted inside at times, allowing the tackle to go to the outside. That stunt led to Stephen Bowen's deflection of a Jason Campbell pass that led to a win-sealing interception against Washington.

"We want to keep them honest," Ware said. "If I just go outside, they'll be waiting on me. I don't want to be predictable."

Unless defensive coordinator, Bill Sheridan, can turn things around for his unit, the Giants' search to replace Steve Spagnuolo will continue.

The first logical replacement is Dick Jauron, fired nine games into this season as head coach of the Bills and someone with strong ties to Tom Coughlin, who in 1995 hired Jauron to run the expansion Jaguars defense.

A more interesting choice - certainly more intriguing to Giants ownership - is John Fox, who likely is to be a free agent if the Panthers continue their downward spiral.

When the Giants placed MLB, Antonio Pierce (bulging disk in neck), on IR, they lost a strong amount of leadership on defense.

So strong, in fact, that many players have said he was the true leader of the defense even when Michael Strahan was around. Strahan may have been revered, but Pierce had more of a connection with his teammates. The linebacker set the tone for the team, which usually rode the enormous chip on his shoulder, and it always looked to him when things got rough.

Who's that type of leader now? There might not be an answer. Justin Tuck, valiantly trying to play through shoulder and leg injuries, seems to prefer to lead by example. Osi Umenyiora, who once walked out on his defensive coordinator and team in a huff earlier this season, tried to fire up his team in Denver, but his effort looked more like an angry rant.

New York may look to second-year man, Jonathan Goff, to be Pierce's replacement.

Eli Manning has been playing with an injured foot and claims that it's getting better.

He's suffering from a stress reaction in his right foot, which previously had plantar fasciitis. Some reports say this could lead to further damage. But he claims the injury has no effect on his throwing. And he's doing his best to downplay the issue.

``The foot feels great, it really does,'' he said after Wednesday's practice. ``It feels better than it ever has since i originally injured it.''

Brandon Jacobs and rookie Gartrell Johnson may be the only tailbacks healthy enough to play for the Giants.

Ahmad Bradshaw and Danny Ware both missed practice on Wednesday, and are looking increasingly doubtful for Sunday's division showdown with Dallas at the Meadowlands. Bradshaw is struggling to return from a foot and ankle injury that kept him out of Thursday's Thanksgiving Day loss to the Denver Broncos.

Ware, a rookie, suffered a concussion during that loss and, given the NFL's newly adopted, suddenly strict policy concerning injuries of this sort, a weekend return seems unlikely.

Ken Hamlin's high ankle sprain kept him from practicing Wednesday, which indicates that Alan Ball will start his third consecutive game at free safety.

Trainers said last week Hamlin could possibly return to practice Wednesday, but he has yet to make enough progress, and spent the team's practice time rehabbing, the same as Monday.

OLB Victor Butler, who sprained his knee against the Raiders, practiced yesterday and expects to play Sunday.

Butler fully participated in practice and said he is ready to play Sunday against the Giants.

"It’s as good as it needs to be," said Butler, who has three sacks this season. "... I’m good to go."

Here is the updated injury report from DC.com.

What the Folk is up with Nick? The Dallas kicker says there is no excuse for his recent misses.

Folk has missed four of his last eight attempts and has at least one miss in each of the last three games. But Phillips said he's not worried.

"A guy that has a strong mind-set like he does will improve and keep working and won't go into a slump where he's really kicking it bad," Phillips said.

Offseason hip surgery prevented Folk from doing much kicking until the start of training camp, but he isn't using it as an excuse. "Physically, I'm fine," Folk said. He also isn't blaming new holder Mat McBriar, although McBriar said poor holds caused two misses. "I don't want to put blame on anyone else," Folk said. "I just have to get it right ... and make a good playoff run."

Mike Florio posits that the NFL Network may be "pressured" into simulcasting the Week 15 Cowboys @ Saints game.

For a chance to win SuperBowl tickets, vote on Sprint's "Can't-Miss Plays of Week 12". There are not any Cowboys' choices, but there is an anti-Giants one: Brandon Marshall's one-hander last Thursday night at Mile High.

Pro Bowl: Vote for Miles Austin!

Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald is first with over 500,000 votes, and Philadelphia's DeSean Jackson is second with 293,408 votes. Austin is third with 261,107 votes.

Hat tip to scottmaui for his FanPost.

Sam Hurd can use some of our support in the ST department, as well.

Also, it's worth noting that Sam Hurd is second in voting among special teamers. The Vikings' Heath Farwell has 103,215 votes; Hurd has 70,647.

ProBowl ballot link.

Ernie P. time comes early this week

Ed Valentine — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:00:15 -0000

With the short week, Ernie Palladino and I traded answers to a common set of questions a couple of days early. Here are Ernie's answers to this week's questions. My answers, of course, can be found at Ernie's Giants Beat.

1. So, you ready to launch Lawrence Tynes yet, or at least after Thanksgiving?

Ernie's Answer: I don't know. I honestly don't know. This guy's got me so torn. The kickoffs are short. He's 50-50 to make the chip shots, and then he wins you a game. Sunday's 36-yarder made two game-winning field goals for him this year (remember Dallas?). So one part of me says, get rid of the guy. The other says the guys on the street are just as inconsistent. That's why they don't have jobs in the first place. So, I'll fall back on the same old song I've been singing since my people started crying for his head after that first short miss against the Cowboys: Until he costs you a game outright, you have to stick with him. But if I were Tom Coughlin, I'd be perusing that short list awful closely the rest of the season.

2. Did the Giants turn the corner with their overtime win against Atlanta?

Ernie's Answer: No. They just dodged a bullet. They've got to show me they can win consecutive games before I start believing they've truly turned things around, either on the offense or the defense. In fact, the way this defense has played the last two games, they should be 5-5 right now. Couldn't stop a thing in the second half against Atlanta, and that late, winning touchdown against San Diego was disgraceful regardless of how questionable Bill Sheridan's playcalling was. There comes a point where a player needs to make a play despite the Xs and Os of the situation, and the Giants aren't doing that. Offensively, I guess you can say Eli Manning has come around. He's had two nice games in a row, so let's not blame the Giants' troubles on him. But the fact is they're still not running the ball enough. And if they keep forcing Eli to rely on the deep throw, they could be in for more trouble. Beat Denver, and then we'll talk about corners and busting up the league.

3. Though Chase Blackburn did a credible job filling in for Antonio Pierce at MLB, is he a long-term answer there?

Ernie's Answer: Oddly enough, he might be. The guys in the locker room talk about him with a lot of reverence, regarding him as a grossly underrated player. They like his motor, say he's always prepared, studies the game, and they love his aggressiveness. Remind you of a younger version of somebody else? No. Not me. I didn't say anything about looks. I'm thinking Antonio Pierce here. If Blackburn can stay healthy, I think he can serve as Pierce's successor very easily. And remember, we still don't know what Jonathan Goff can do. The coaches like his speed, and he's been tearing it up on specials this year. So between the two of them, the Giants may not have a pressing need at linebacker moving past this season. As for the rest of the current schedule, I was impressed with how Blackburn jumped in on short notice and did a decent job. I have no reason to believe he'll be anything but solid in the middle.

4. Now that Aaron Ross has taken some playing time at safety, would you start him there?

Ernie's Answer: I think that's the next step, but not yet. I'd like to see him play a whole half there against Denver in place of Aaron Rouse. See how he holds up there, and then start him against Dallas providing he's healthy and mobile enough. Ross didn't look bad at all in his work Sunday. He made four tackles in playing mostly in the fourth quarter. At that time, he was arguably the best defensive back on the field, given that Rouse was bouncing people around late and Bruce Johnson was chasing third receiving option around willy-nilly. Let's face it, the secondary needs help. Terrell Thomas and Corey Webster are their two best corners right now, deservedly so. So let Ross play some safety and, if he feels good enough, slip him in as a nickelback, since he has experience playing the slot receiver. He's got a whole season to make up for, so use him.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Defense

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

The Offense

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

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

Special Teams

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

Conclusion

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

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

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

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

by Julie Jacobson - AP

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

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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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