SB Nation - Rocky Bernard

Matt Hasselbeck Slings to Deon Butler for 32 and Game Winning Field Goal Range

John Morgan — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 01:15:19 -0000

More photos » by Elaine Thompson - AP

Matt Hasselbeck's pass to Deion Branch bent like a curveball and sought like a missile.

The NFL Draft is designed to assist weaker teams and create parity. Bad teams get better players and become better teams. The very worst teams can pick any player to help rebuild their franchise around. That intent has been disputed by research conducted by Massey and Thaler. Common wisdom is that rookies are overpaid and the strict salary structure punishes bad teams by awarding them potentially crippling investments.

Two things are true: High salaries in the top ten punish bad teams by increasing how much is risked. The best players are usually drafted early.

The San Francisco 49ers started eight picks selected in the top fifty: Alex Smith (1), Vernon Davis (6), Michael Crabtree (10), Patrick Willis (11), Manny Lawson (22), Joe Staley (28), David Bass (33) and Chilo Rachal (38). It took a lot of ass football to assemble that cast. If not for the 90s Niners spilling into the early 2000s, San Francisco would have a dog in the race for worst team of the new millennium.

Smith looked like a competent if unsexy quarterback. Dilfer with a better arm. He's 25.

Davis ran a 4.38 forty. Match him against Aaron Curry on a crossing route and Curry is probably going to get burned.

Crabtree is athletic and explosive and-Oh shit! Lawyer Milloy!

I won't continue fawning. My point is that Seattle beat a better team than itself today. It beat a younger team with far greater resources invested in that youth. It beat that team because the 49ers are better than Seattle, but not significantly.

Josh Wilson was the best all around cornerback playing today. He is a fiend against the wide receiver screen, aware and responsive to his surroundings like a Shaolin Monk. Wilson isn't a stride-for-stride, Asomugha-like shutdown corner. He's a zone corner, but a hell of a zone corner, and drafted to play in a zone scheme. He was supposed to be Ronde. He's supposed to bury the screen, intercept the bounce, jump the route and find the fumble and fly.

Brandon Mebane is an incredible machine. He's a backloaded piston; a battering ram shaped like candy corn. The day Mebane synced to NFL snap counts he became a great young defensive tackle. Mebane is quick, powerful and hard to block. Seattle doesn't need Suh to showcase Mebane, just someone better than Rocky Bernard, Colin Cole, Craig Terrill and the whole sick crew. Like, motile matter -- ambulatory would be an upgrade.

Jordan Babineaux is a young, cheap and functional free safety.

Tim Ruskell never did rebuild but he added some talent while the core rotted. Seattle's next GM inherits a heck of a fine position. I hope he realizes it.

. . .

Two years ago I faced the Shaun Alexander dilemma. Alexander was no longer a good running back. On his best days rushing, he was still a liability as a receiver and pass blocker. But he was beloved even by we who hated watching him. I never feared a miraculous recovery disproving all my theories. I cringed because others saw a miraculous recovery every time he rushed for five.

Hasselbeck isn't there. Quarterbacks do not fall like running backs fall. Losing a little arm strength is not like losing the first gear that got you the job. Hasselbeck can toss a nice pass when he needs. The bender over the defender to Deion Branch was indefensible pass at its best. He threw another high-arcing bomb to Branch that Branch lost behind the defender. It was pretty for a second. Real pretty.

Unlike seeing Shaun sprinting for fourteen, I never cringed seeing Hasselbeck spark to life. It was thrilling. Hasselbeck was never a great quarterback. Well, screw that. Matt Hasselbeck is one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play American football. Any quarterback that's made a Pro Bowl can claim that. Hasselbeck is not Manning or within the discussion. He's not Fouts or Unitas or Tarkenton or Marino or-

But HE's THE BEST GODDAMN QUARTERBACK WE'VE EVER HAD!!

Game ball guy. I hope you find a team to make your last few millions in the league with. And I hope that team is not the Seattle Seahawks.

Cowboys vs. Giants Preview, Part Two: Gauging the Austin Effect

Rafael Vela — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:56:26 -0000

More photos » by Erich Schlegel - AP

New York's weak interior pass defense looks inviting to Jason Witten. (AP Photo/Erich Schlegel)

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When Dallas Has the Ball

The Giants spent heavily in the offseason to beef up their front seven, in response to their December '08 defensive breakdown. Teams ran very effectively on New York then, so the Giants jumped into free agency with a vengeance, signing DT Rocky Bernard from Seattle and DT Chris Canty from Dallas. They added Michael Boley fro Atlanta to add some athleticism to their linebacking corps.

The thinking was to bolster a line which already rushed pretty well, and give more speed to the back seven. The plan appeared to be working well early in the season. New DC Bill Sheridan did not blitz as much as his predecessor Steve Spagnuolo, working instead to strangle opposing passing attacks.

The approach certainly worked in week two. Sheridan saw how Tony Romo and his receivers had ripped up Tampa Bay's depleted secondary and game-planned to take away Romo's big plays. Sheridan didn't play Tampa Two, with two deep safeties, as other teams had done to Romo, but the general concepts were the same. New York kept S Kenny Phillips deep on nearly all downs; Phillips often started downs 15 to 25 yards behind the line.

Sheridan reasoned that Romo would not remain disciplined and would force passes into coverage. The Giants rolled up their coverages towards the Dallas wideouts Roy Williams and Patrick Crayton and dared Romo to play small ball. They picked him short, when nickel corner Bruce Johnson returned an overthrown Romo pass for six, and they picked Romo long, when he tried forcing a bomb to Sam Hurd at a critical point in the 3rd quarter, when Dallas was trying to build on a four point lead.

They also got some luck, when Jason Witten inadvertently back-heeled a ball into Kenny Phillips' hands. The pick gave the Giants a very short field which they navigated for a touchdown just before the half. When the game was over, Romo had a meager 127 passing yards and three turnovers.

The Giants smothered every passing attack they faced in their first five games; opposing QBs averaged just 105 yards per game through the air. Then, they were found out, with emphasis. Drew Brees bombed them in New Orleans, Donovan McNabb bombed them two games later, and Philip Rivers took his guys the length of the field in the last two minutes, capping a three TD pass day with an 18 yard game winner to Vincent Jackson in the final 20 seconds.

I pointed out yesterday that the current Giants offense resembles the '08 Cowboys in its injury pattern. This year's Giants defense reminds of the '06 Cowboys D, which collapsed when its safety corps wore away. New York's problems started immediately after the Cowboys win, when Phillips was diagnosed with arthritis in a knee. He has been inactive since and his injury claimed the one New York safety with range and ball sense:

Games 1-5 : 4 TD passes allowed
Games 6-11: 14 TD passes allowed

The Giants do have talent on the edges. Corey Webster is a blue-chipper and fellow wideout Terrell Thomas has been solid. Opponents have been able to ignore them, spreading the field and working the intermediate and deep middle. The problems have been compounded by MLB Antonio Pierce's injury, which landed him on I.R. this week. He called the Giants defensive signals.

New York's defense looks lost at the moment. Last week the Broncos repeatedly broke down New York's coverage with bunch packages. They would clot three receiving targets on one side of their line and hit the man who inevitably came open when the trio scattered. The Giants safeties did not know who to cover. Kyle Orton threw an easy touchdown to Brandon Stokely out of this package in the third quarter, where nobody bothered to cover the Broncos slot man.

Look for a game plan very similar to the one Dallas ran against Oakland, at least when the Cowboys pass. Jason Garrett opened by moving Miles Austin around, motioning him into the slot or starting him there. Austin ran a number of deep posts and short and medium crossing routes, to get matchups with the Raiders safeties and linebackers. When Austin got single coverage outside, he simply ran posts or combination routes which let him use his speed to run away from Nnamdi Asomugha.

I expect we'll see Austin test the New York middle in similar ways. He's the Cowboys receiving ace now and the Giants saw very little of him in September. I expect to see him moved inside again and matched against Thomas when he stays wide.

Also look for Dallas to feature more bunch packages than before. Bunch sets are a regular part of the Dallas passing game, but are used to varying degrees week-to-week. You might see Dallas use this set four of five times a game, but Garrett can make it a focal point of a game plan if he feels it can hurt a defense. Dallas was bunch heavy in last year's season opener against Cleveland, for instance, and got Jason Witten free a lot on deep seams off the scatter.

Look for a more controlled game from Romo. He had three picks against New York but has had just four in his last nine starts, with no more than one in a single game. He seems to have learned that he doesn't have to force the deep ball to move the team.

Romo also has the option of handing the ball off repeatedly. New York threw roadblocks in front of Romo's receivers the first time around, but they left open lanes up the middle for the Dallas runners. Marion Barber ran for 124 yards and Felix Jones added 96 more on just seven carries as Dallas romped for a season high 251 yards.

The running game veered off course in the Philadelphia and Packers games, but has come back strong; Dallas has 347 rushing yards the last two weeks. This coincides with Felix Jones' return to health. He has again given Dallas the big play ground option they lacked when he was rehabbing a knee injury. Dallas had great success with variations of its staple the lead draw, as the Giants linemen were more concerned with getting to Romo. There's no reason to think this and Dallas other staple the power-counter won't be called a lot Sunday.

Special Teams

A divisional rematch in a windy stadium could make field goals more important than they usually are. That's sobering news for Dallas fans who have watched Nick Folk struggle with intermediate-range field goals since the preseason. Hope the game does not hinge on his foot. On the other hand, Folk has been Mr. Clutch his first two years. Maybe a last-second challenge is what he needs to focus his mind. Let's all hope so.

This is a divisional game. Dallas first tour of the East produced a two point loss, a four point win and a one point win. I see little reason to expect a blowout. It's December in New Jersey, which will likely mean poor conditions. The Giants are desperate and they're playing their last game against the Cowboys in Giants Stadium.

Stock up on the maalox and spirits, folks.

49ers-Seahawks: The return to the previous height of Alex Smith optimism

Fooch — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:16:25 -0000

As we've seen Alex Smith re-emerge as the 49ers QB of the present, a variety of matchups with interesting storylines have developed. Smith made his first start in two years against the team (Indy) who he faced in his first career start. The next week he made his 2009 home debut against Tennessee in a matchup of struggling former first round picks (VY). Two weeks later we got the Alex Smith-Aaron Rodgers battle we'd been waiting four-plus season for. This week we get another interesting battle for Alex Smith. The first interesting angle is the fact that his shoulder problems basically began thanks to Seattle defensive tackle Rocky Bernard back in 2007. However, in trying to be a little more positive about this, there's another intriguing storyline.

Prior to this season, Alex Smith had experienced plenty of ups and downs in his brief career. Smith put up some solid numbers at times and of course he had the last-minute comeback against Arizona in the 2007 season opener. However, I like to think that one of his biggest moments prior to this season was Week 15 of the 2006 season up in Seattle. At that time the 49ers were 5-8 and hanging in the playoff race by the skin of their teeth (the Giants got in at 8-8 that season).

The Seahawks were in the midst of five straight playoff appearances but had been upset by the young 49ers only a few weeks before. The 49ers were coming up to Seattle for what would be the nationally televised Thursday Night Football game on the NFL Network. Although the 49ers did not make the playoffs that year, they seemed to impress quite a few people with their eventual road upset of the Seahawks that night.

I've posted links to video after the jump, but most folks probably can still recall the game. The Seahawks jumped out to an early 7-0 lead and took a 7-3 lead late into the 3rd quarter. It was at this point that Alex Smith, with some quality help from Frank Gore and his receivers, took over the game. Smith showed impressive scrambling and general play-making skills that fell off the map for most of 2007 and 2008. I think his two most impressive plays, or at least most memorable, were the impressive scramble and TD throw to Frank Gore to put the 49ers up 17-7 and the 18 yard bootleg TD run to make it 24-7 and put the game away.

I distinctly remembered the bootleg run, but I had forgotten about the scramble and throw. That play showed some of the absolute best of Alex Smith, at least at that point in time. If you haven't seen it, or forget it, you have to stop and check it out. Operating out of the shotgun, Smith was almost drilled for the sack by Kelly Herndon before the play could develop. What was amazing was how Herndon basically bounced off Smith and was shed to the side. Smith then stepped up and ran towards the left sideline before firing on the run to Frank Gore 20 yards away over a helpless cornerback.

I think it's safe to say that optimism for the future of Alex Smith was never higher than it was at the end of that game. Although things went south the next two seasons, we have managed to return to a slightly more cautious optimism about Smith heading into the latter part of 2009. Smith is a different QB than he was that day, but you could argue the offense might not be wildly different from that day. It wasn't a spread offense back in 2006, but it was the Norv Turner led offense. The 49ers offense in 2009 is continually evolving, but Jimmy Raye has been influenced by Norv Turner (his boss in Oakland), so there are some similarities. Nonetheless, it will be interesting to see how Alex Smith performs in his return to Seattle.

Total game recap

30 second remaining in third quarter - 54 yard pass to Battle to Seattle 33

11:29 left in 4th - 8 yard TD Pass to Vernon Davis makes it 10-7 49ers

4:09 left in 4th - 20 yard TD pass to Frank Gore makes it 17-7 49ers

3:20 left in 4th - 18 yard rush by Frank Gore to SF 40

2:32 left in 4th - 40 yard rush by Frank Gore to Sea 20

1:49 left in 4th - 18 yard TD rush by Alex Smith makes it 24-7 49ers

'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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Brandon Mebane in the First Quarter and the Optimal Defensive Line, Pt. 1

John Morgan — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:05:46 -0000

More photos » by Ross Franklin - AP

Seattle took an early lead and implemented a smart strategy to defend Kurt Warner. The scheme was right, but the personnel wrong. It has the talent to field an above average pass rushing line, but it needs to sit Colin Cole.

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Has Brandon Mebane struggled to transition to the three tech? That is something I will explore deeper this week, but if he hasn't struggled, nor has he proven himself the force he was at the one tech.

Seattle has three players that are nominal three techs: Mebane, Cory Redding and Craig Terrill. Redding plays end, but is very much more a 3-4 end than a traditional 4-3 end. He influences and collapses the pocket rather than disengages and makes plays. He just isn't quick enough to edge rush and though he has been good and great at what he does, he hasn't provided much pass rush. Terrill is the standard organizational soldier type that is in turns under- and overappreciated. Seattle could upgrade but does not have to upgrade.

It has two one-tech types: Colin Cole and Red Bryant. Cole is the most reliable of the two and one of the most active tackles in Seattle's rotation. He can square against most single blocks, but that's his skill set almost in its entirety. Three tech used to be the feature tackle position in a 4-3, but the proliferation of 3-4 schemes has made the nose position in demand and three tech types less popular.

Signing Cole was a mistake. He hasn't proven much as a Seahawk and his ridiculous contract practically forces Seattle to start him. When Seattle needed its front four to provide pressure, it was exposed. Seattle's ends are average. Lawrence Jackson is developing, but is unlikely to ever be a great pass rusher. Darryl Tapp is a good speed rusher, but aside Cole, he isn't getting the one-on-one matchups he thrives against. Patrick Kerney still has burst around the edge, but his spate of injuries have sapped his upper body strength and he is as much a situational pass rusher now as Nick Reed. It's a nice foundation, but it won't strike fear into this season's opponents.

Seattle had a better front four last season, even minus Kerney. Mebane was a better one-tech than Cole, and though Rocky Bernard had little left to give, Mebane and Bernard were better collectively than Mebane and Cole. Mebane is supposed to be making plays and Cole stuffing tacklers, but Cole can't and so Mebane is again doing both. Bane does not get off blocks exceptionally well and his pass rush arsenal isn't developed. He established himself in this league as the type of punishing bull rusher that two blockers struggled to stop.

Anatomically, it's easy to see why: Mebane has an exceptionally low center of gravity, gets lower in his stance than almost anyone and erupts off the snap with such violence that many blockers are beat before they can defend themselves. As a three, a popular way of combating Mebane's explosiveness and exceptional leverage is to fade and draw his weight from over his feet. He gets ahead of himself, so to speak, and can be blocked whence unbalanced.

My notes on Mebane are mostly positive. He ran through a pulling blocker and tackled Beanie Wells for a loss of four at the start of the Cardinals second drive. He then played nose twice in a three man rush and performed ably, but wasn't able to separate. That's the problem for Brandon: He is great off the snap, but he does not consistently separate from blockers. As a one tech, Mebane was able to collapse the pocket into the quarterback and bull rush into sacks. As a three tech, he needs to be able to fight off a single block and show quickness to the ball carrier. That might not be within Mebane's ability.

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.

Lofa Tatupu Undergoes Surgery on Torn Pectoral Muscle

John Morgan — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:12:22 -0000

Lofa Tatupu will undergo surgery performed by Dr. James Andrew to repair a partially torn left pectoral muscle. This should end his season. Tatupu made some noise about returning, and he, like most athletes, would rather play without an arm than miss a snap, but the extent of the tear has narrowed that chance and maybe for the best.

Ever since Frank Gore ran all over the 2006 Seahawks, Tatupu has bulked up every season. He was cast as an active, attacking but often overmatched middle linebacker and wanted the muscle to bull through fullbacks and break free from pulling linemen. That muscle has come at the cost of lateral agility and wrap-tackling. Tatupu has become that too-common linebacker that hits, but bounces off the ball carrier and too-often allows yards after contact.

Seattle hasn't fixed its Frank Gore woes. Gore was able to slice through the Seahawks line and run for over two hundred yards in week two. Tatupu wasn't out there, but a detailed study showed it was the line and not any one linebacker that allowed Gore to storm into the second level uncontested. And it's the line that must be forever fixed to stop that from happening again.

The Seahawks could add another tackle in the middle and attempt to approximate the Marcus Tubbs, Rocky Bernard and Chuck Darby rotation that allowed its then small linebackers to swarm and stop staggered rushers. The solution is not for Tatupu to get bigger. He has bulked up so much, not coincidentally become barrel chested and can shaped, that his arms almost look like they have receded back into his body. Middle linebackers can be small. 34 year old London Fletcher-Baker has made a career out of quickness and technique. Jonathan Vilma was written off before he got some bulk back in front of him. The 238 pound Tatupu that entered the league could cut and wrap and make a play on the ball in the air, but the modern Tatupu hits, misses misdirection and must tackle after the reception. Get well Tats and maybe lose a couple while you're at it.

Giants (5-1) vs. Cardinals (3-2): 'Kudos & Wet Willies' style preview

Ed Valentine — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:00:26 -0000

Let's preview tonight's New York Giants-Arizona Cardinals matchup in what has become our signature 'Kudos & Wet Willies' style.

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

The Giants' pass rush, missing in action last week against New Orleans, re-discovers the path to the quarterback. That likely means more blitzing, but whatever it takes to help the secondary. The Cardinals offensive line has not been great, so perhaps the Giants can take advantage.
The Giants remember who they are on offense. I don't care what the score was last week, seven carries for Brandon Jacobs means the Giants did not play their type of football. The deep shots down the field are nice, and we love when they work, but the Giants have got to get first downs and control the clock.
Eli rediscovers the magic. Eli Manning was tremendous through the first give games. Last Sunday he was just a tiny bit off on many throws, resulting in some missed opportunities. Let's hope he is back on track this week.
Domenik Hixon can figure out how not to be tackled by kickers. The only chink in Hixon's fabulous return game last weekend was twice getting tackled by the kicker. It would be nice to see him take one of those to the house.
Corey Webster can control Larry Fitzgerald. I want to see C-Web chase Fitzgerald all over the field. I don't expect him to shut down the game's best wideout, but if he can minimize Fitzgerald's impact that would be huge.

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

The secondary continues to blow assignments. 'Bad, Bad C.C. Brown' made a season's worth of mistakes in coverage last week. Aaron Rouse has to get an opportunity if that continues.
The defensive line doesn't play better. This is supposed to be the best unit on this team, and it really has not lived up to its billing. Against the run or the pass. Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka have to be more consistent. And someone in the middle -- Fred Robbins, Barry Cofield or Rocky Bernard, has got to become a run-stuffing force in there. Maybe rookie Clint Sintim, who is expected to be active this week, can provide a boost for the pass rush from the outside.

[NOTE: There will be an Open Thread later you guys can use to chat about the games throughout the day. Enjoy.]

The Giants have a lot to feel good about

Ed Valentine — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:45:41 -0000

More photos » by Chris O'Meara - AP

New York Giants wide receiver Steve Smith (12) celebrates with teammate Shaun O'Hara (60) after scoring a second-quarter touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 3. The giants have had a lot to celebrate thus far.

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Put aside all your worries about Eli Manning and his plantar fasciitis for just a few minutes. Or, your severe case of Lawrence Tynes Anxiety Disorder. Let's just stop and think about where our New York Giants are a quarter of the way through the 2009 NFL season.

The Giants have suffered more than their fair share of injuries in the still-young season. They have gotten little real return from the $83 million free-agent triumvirate of Chris Canty, Rocky Bernard and Michael Boley, and Boley may now be back on the shelf with a knee injury. Aaron Ross hasn't played. Budding star Kenny Phillips is gone for the year. No. 1 pick Hakeem Nicks has made just two catches. The defensive line has been good, but you get the feeling not nearly as good as it could be. On offense, you can say the same about the running game. The Giants still haven't figured out how to consistently score touchdowns in the Green Zone. Then, of course, there is Tynes.

Yet, here are the Giants at 4-0 and being considered in many quarters as the best team in football at the season's quarter-pole. Ah, yes, it is a wonderful time to be a Giants fan.

Here is a quick synopsis of the Giants from The Sporting News.

It still looks like the team Sporting News picked to win the Super Bowl, and until displaced the Giants are better than all the rest. New York's offensive and defensive lines, as expected, remain the league's premier fronts, and Steve Smith and Mario Manningham have answered their wide receiver questions.

You have to be impressed by what the Giants have accomplished thus far in 2009 despite having a somewhat depleted roster and in many ways not yet playing as well as they potentially could.

Sure, you can say the last two victories, against the Bucs and Chiefs, were against teams that are barely NFL caliber. Throw in the impressive victory in Dallas on opening night of JerryWorld, and that is three straight road victories. I don't care who they are against, that is an impressive feat in the NFL. In fact, since 1990 107 NFL teams have played three straight road games, and only eight have swept all three.

Since the beginning of the 2007 season, the Giants are 15-4 on the road. Incredible. The Giants are not they flashiest team in the league, but they are a mature team with a strong belief in themselves.

"It all starts at the top," defensive tackle Barry Cofield said. "Coach Coughlin prides himself on winning on the road. He’s so diligent, he’s so precise, he has us prepare on the road as if we were at home. It starts with him and it trickles down to the coaches and we have leadership that won’t allow us to fall asleep on the road. Honestly, we were in a similar situation last year against Cleveland. We started fast and went out there and got beat badly, so we reflected back on that and used that to guide us today."

Here is SI.com's Peter King discussing the Giants.

1. The Giants might or might not be the best team in football, but I can tell you this: They're the deepest.

"Jerry Reese is a psychic, I think,'' Justin Tuck said from Kansas City, where the Giants had ho-hummed a 27-16 win over the Chiefs. It's the second straight week New York toyed with a bad team, and the Giants have won their four games by an average of 11 points.

Reese, the Giants' GM, made two good decisions in the off season. He fortified the defensive line beyond what seemed to be smart, going seven strong players deep. "So early in camp, when we lost [defensive tackle] Jay Alford, who was going to have a breakout year, we didn't panic,'' Tuck said. "And we've been without some of our best players -- [safety] Kenny Phillips, [cornerback] Aaron Ross, [defensive lineman] Chris Canty -- and today was [corner] Kevin Dockery's first game. When we get most of our guys back, we're going to be really good.''

But that's the thing -- in the NFL, you never have a full complement of players. Or very rarely. That's why Reese built, in my opinion, the best 53-man roster in the league, and Tom Coughlin has no fear in playing young players to develop them.

On offense, Reese eschewed dealing for a veteran receiver like Anquan Boldin or Braylon Edwards, knowing that dealing for either would not only have cost a high draft choice, but also about $10 million a year. The Giants instead have a productive quarterback, Eli Manning, playing smart football and have three budding receivers -- Steve Smith (24), Mario Manningham (23) and Hakeem Nicks (20) -- who have combined for an average of 197 yards and two touchdown catches a game ... with none of the Plaxico Burress headaches that came with that star. We'll start to find out how good the Giants are Oct. 18, when they visit the Saints, with New Orleans coming off its bye. Tough place to play, at a tough time.

I admit that I am an unabashed Reese fan. Nitpick a player here or a player there, or a draft pick or two that did not make the team this year if you want. No one can be perfect with every decision. It is no accident, though, that the Giants are riding a wave that has taken them to four straight playoff appearances and a Super Bowl title, and that they are well on their way to a fifth straight playoff berth. Only a handful of teams, like New England, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis and maybe Philadelphia, can match that type of consistent success.

What the Giants do as well, if not better, than any other team in the league is replace talent with talent. In the salary cap era the way the Giants are constanntly able to fill in for injured players or guys who choose to leave with quality replacements is nothing short of amazing. The Giants have a roster, and an organization, that is the envy of teams around the league.

Of course there are always debatable decisions, and spots that could probably be improved. The perfect NFL roster has yet to be created, except maybe in a 'Madden' game.

Things are good in the land of the Giants these days, though. From what we have seen so far in 2009 they could get even better this year. On top of that, this team is set up to remain one of the league's elite squads for several seasons to come.

It is indeed a great era in Giants football history. One of the best runs in franchise history. Enjoy it!