SB Nation - Chris Canty

Do you still trust in Reese?

Ed Valentine — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:00:38 -0000

In Reese We Trust.

That has long been the mantra here at Big Blue View. Implicit faith in the decisions made by New York Giants General Manager Jerry Reese.

With what has happened to our Giants this season, however, I am wondering if your faith in the GM has been dented at all.

Ralph Vacchiano addressed this same issue the other day, and had this to say.

Reese has gotten next to nothing out of defensive end Chris Canty, linebacker Michael Boley, defensive tackle Rocky Bernard and safety C.C. Brown from his offseason free-agent spending spree. Injuries have ruined Canty and Boley's seasons. Brown and Bernard have been busts.

And for $84 million the Giants have a defense that is 28th in the league in points allowed (25.4).

Coming off a 12-4 season, and in a league in which fortunes can turn on just one or two right moves, that obviously doesn't reflect well on Reese's investment.

It's not all because of the Free-agent Four, of course, but it's still a startling group failure considering that until this offseason Reese had a Midas touch as the Giants' GM. After inheriting a playoff-ready roster from former GM Ernie Accorsi in 2007, Reese made a dozen smaller moves that helped push the Giants over the edge and turn them into a championship team. He's also had a scout's knack for finding both role players and future stars.

But his resume now includes a six-year, $42 million contract (with $17.25 million guaranteed) for Canty, who has missed seven games with calf and hamstring injuries and is still looking for his first sack. And it includes a five-year, $25 million contract (with $11 million guaranteed) for Boley, who missed one game due to a suspension and four more to a knee injury and has just one sack.

And those are the good signings. Brown (one-year, $1.4 million) was so bad at safety, he was replaced first by Aaron Rouse, who was cut during this season by the Packers, and then by Aaron Ross, who is a natural cornerback. And Bernard (four years, $16 million, $6.9 million guaranteed) has been such a non-factor he wasn't one of the seven active defensive linemen on Sunday night.

Bill Sheridan may take the heat , but this plan fell apart long before he called his first play.

Vacchiano is right, of course. This free-agent crop does not represent Reese's finest hour. While you are killing him, though, remember how positive the reaction was when most of these moves were made. And remember how many respected names endorsed the Canty move.

The other part of the equation, an area Vacchiano did not delve into, is the draft. In 2007, Reese's first draft, he unearthed Kevin Boss in the fifth round and Michael Johnson and Ahmad Bradshaw in the seventh. All of those players impacted the eventual Super Bowl victory.

You can't, truthfully, judge a draft class until after about three seasons. However, where we sit today, the 2009 crop does not look nearly as successful. At least if you judge it in terms of depth. Hakeem Nicks will be a star, and Will Beatty looks like a fixture on the offensive line. For whatever reason, however, there isn't really a player drafted beyond the second round who has made any impact whatsover on this year's Giants.

That has left the Giants thinner in some areas than we thought they would be, particularly in the secondary.

Thing is, I believe Reese correctly identified the areas of concern for the Giants. It's just that for a variety of reasons, some beyond his control, his choices have not all panned out.

No matter what happens the rest of this season, I think the upcoming off-season is a critical one for Reese and the Giants. The NFC East is not going to get easier, and the Giants can't afford another off-season of wasted draft picks and free-agent busts.

Do you still have faith that Reese will regain his magic touch.

I do. I believe the Giants are in good hands. In Reese I Still Trust.

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

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

More photos » by Kathy Willens - AP

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

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

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

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

'Kudos' to ...

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

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

Wet Willies to ...

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

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

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New York Giants News & Notes: Kenny Phillips Tries to Put a Finger on it

cjmulrain — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 12:00:41 -0000

Kenny Phillips tries to put a finger on the Giants woes on his official blog, and for the most part he sounds just like any of us:

"I know this is a good team, I know how hard these guys work and how much they want to win, but for some reason it’s not showing and that’s the most frustrating thing. Sometimes I have to change the channel."

I don't like to blame injuries, but the defense hasn't been the same since Kenny went down. He looked like he was about to become a star this season, and his replacements have been nothing short of awful. Check out his blog post for an update on his rehab status.

Chris Canty talked about preparing for his first game against his former team this weekend (Canty missed the Giants first game against the Cowboys due to injury), and whether his knowledge of the Cowboys will give the Giants any advantages

"There is something special about this game. It’s an opportunity for us to compete as a football team. It’s a division game. This means a lot for us and we have taken notice of that. We are prepared as such and we are going to give ourselves the best opportunity to be successful on Sunday... I think both of teams know each other very well. I don’t think it has a lot to do with me at all. These teams play each other twice a year, a couple of years back where the Giants and Cowboys played each other three times a year, including the playoff game. These football teams know each other very well. There are not going to be a lot of surprises. Like I said, it is what it is."

Tom Coughlin sort of addressed the speculation that Osi Umenyiora has been demoted and won't be starting this weekend:

Q: There has been talk of Osi coming out on running downs - playing only passing downs. What can you tell us about that?

A: He will play run downs, too.

Q: Will he start?

A: We'll have to see on that. We will play everybody.

Justin Tuck: Soft? Me, soft?

Ed Valentine — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:00:29 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

New York Giants defensive end Justin Tuck (91) has taken exception to defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan's assessment that the defense has not been physical enough.

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New York Giants defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan is not a rah-rah motivator, that much has always been obvious. But, if Sheridan's comments Thursday that his defense has not been physical enough were intended to get under the skin of some players, mission accomplished.

Defensive end Justin Tuck is not too happy with Sheridan's assessment.

"I disagree," Tuck said when told about Sheridan's comments. "Everybody has an opinion. Maybe I'm completely wrong by saying I disagree. But in my opinion I don't think that is the case.

"Go ask the O-lines and the offensive tackles or the guards that I play against," Tuck continued. "I don't mean to make this an individual thing. I don't think (Sheridan) said I was unphysical but when you talk about the team, I am part of the team, so I take it personally. So go ask some of the people I play against and ask the how physical I am. If they come back and tell you I'm not, then maybe I'm just a guy that blows smoke all day because I don't know about myself."

My take: Good. Tuck is ticked, and I hope a bunch of the other defenders are, too. Defensive players never, ever want to be accused of being soft. Maybe they will do something about it. Which, I'm thinking, is exactly what Sheridan wants.

By the way, Tuck did a very entertaining interview with 103.3 FM ESPN Dallas-Fort Worth Thursday. Give it a listen if you have five minutes to kill.

The Dallas Morning News today has a story about how the Cowboys feel they have benefitted, both financially and on the field, from replacing Chris Canty with Igor Olshansky.

That part of the story wasn't what really caught my attention, though. Here is what did. Remember how we were killing Sheridan the other day for dropping Canty into coverage. Turns out this is something Wade Phillips asked him to do frequently last season, and that he did well. He had five -- yes, five -- passes defended for Dallas last season.

Some of you old-timers will appreciate this Q&A with legendary Giant Frank Gifford.

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

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.

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

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

A few notes for a Friday.

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

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

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

"It was all me," Manning said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

'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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Talking Giants With Big Blue View

Dave the Falconer — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:15:09 -0000

by Tim Roske - AP

Tom Coughlin would like the Falcons to kick their own butts, thank you very much. (AP Photo/Tim Roske)

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Those of you who tuned in for my chats with Saintsational from Canal Street Chronicles will have a basic idea of how this goes. A couple nights ago I sat down to talk with Ed Valentine, the head blogger over at Big Blue View, our network's Giants blog, in an effort to find our more about our erstwhile opponents.

Strictly football for this dialogue, which features two grown men transformed into statues of negativity. Will we each pick against our own team because of the recent woes of the Falcons and Giants? You'll just have to read through to find it, so join me after the jump.

Dave the Falconer: I guess the most obvious question is what exactly happened over the last four weeks to the Giants? Can you pin it on any one thing?

Ed Valentine: How did I know that would be the first question? What happened to them? They are missing in action? If they turn up somewhere down South, please let me know. Actually, it has probably been a combination of factors. Through five games they only played one good team (Dallas). The last four weeks have all been against very good teams, and they have exposed the flaws in the Giants defense.
Also, it is entirely possible that this team is not as good as we thought it was going to be. The defense has not been dominant, although Sunday will be the healthiest they have been all season.

DTF: That makes sense. With the Falcons also struggling, how concerned are you about our ability to hang some points on that defense?

EV: I'd be concerned about Notre Dame being able to hang some points on that defense, to tell you the truth. This team was supposed to be built around a dominant defense and it just hasn't worked out that way.

EV: Injuries (Kenny Phillips, Chris Canty, Aaron Ross, Michael Boley, Justin Tuck) have really hurt this team. They get Ross back for the first time all season on Sunday and will be as close to full strength as they have been all season. Maybe, just maybe, we start to see the defense the Giants thought they had.

EV: So, summarize the Falcons season for me. They have an identical record to the Giants at 5-4. Are they as inconsistent as that record indicates?

DTF: Inconsistency might be a light word for what's going here.

DTF: Some weeks, they have had excellent passing performances, other weeks the ground game has been superb, and other games every single phase of the offense and defense is terrible. The game against the Panthers last week was one of the worst I've seen in a long time, and we also lost Michael Turner. I'd say he's got less than a 25% chance of playing against you guys.

EV: The Giants are always proud of their running back depth. Explain to me how big of a loss Turner would be to the Falcons?

DTF: The way he's been playing in recent weeks, it's a tremendous blow. Jason Snelling is a capable replacement in the short-term, but there's no depth behind him unless speedy back Jerious Norwood comes back from injury, and he's not 100% yet. Our only other option would appear to be Aaron Stecker, who really isn't much more than a special teamer at this point.

EV: I look at this Sunday as a HUGE game. To me, it determines whether or not the Giants are true playoff contenders, or if they are just pretenders playing out the string until next season. Do you feel the same way from an Atlanta perspective?
DTF: If we lose this game, I'm calling it: We're basically out of the playoff hunt. It's absolutely critical that we try to put you away, considering that you're one of the top threats in the wild card hunt. I agree it's critical.

DTF: Will the Giants look to attack the Falcons through the air with their new-found plethora of receiving options, or will they stick to the run?

EV: Well, every time I try to figure out what game plan offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride will employ, or that I think he should employ, I end up giving myself a headache. I support the guy, but around here folks love to rip him. Anyway, that's a long-winded way of saying I have no idea what Gilbride will actually decide to do.

DTF: I think your best bet is to pass, honestly.

EV: Here, though, is what I hope he does. I hope he gives you guys a steady dose, as in 25 carries or so, of Brandon Jacobs. The big fella has hardly been utilized at all during the losing streak (51 carries in 4 games) and it's time for them to start riding him.

EV: As for the pass, I just hope they stay with the short and intermediate stuff. One problem they had for a few games is falling in love with trying for the deep ball. Great when it works, but it leaves you wanting to throw the remote through the TV when it fails on 3rd and 2.

EV: The Giants always strive for balance. I just think failing to use Jacobs enough is leaving your best weapon on the shelf.

DTF: I'd tend to agree.

DTF: But I think the Falcons have had a fundamental problem generating a pass rush in recent weeks, which leaves a medicore secondary out to dry.

EV: Actually, that sounds a lot like the Giants. With Kenny Phillips out for the year, and Ross not having played yet, the secondary has been exposed.

EV: Tell me a little about Matt Ryan. Seems like he has been more inconsistent this season than he was as a rookie?

DTF: Remarkable the extent to which our teams' struggles have mirrored each other, really. Says something about the weight of expectations.

EV: Tell me a little about Matt Ryan. Seems like he has been more inconsistent this season than he was as a rookie?

DTF: He actually had a great start to the year. And it's gone downhill rapidly in recent weeks.

DTF: I think he's looked shakier in the pocket, and at least part of that can be attributed to better pass rushes he's been facing. But something he's been doing with maddening regularity is sailing passes over receivers' heads, often with disastrous consequences. Ryan's still got a very bright future, but the coaching staff has to help him sort out his mental struggles.

EV: OK. Here is a question I always ask. If you could take one player off the Giants roster and put him in your lineup, who would it be? Why?

DTF: Without a doubt, Osi Umenyiora. Dude's a beast and we need the pass rushing help he could provide desperately. There are a lot of worthy candidates on the Giants, but he's the first name that comes to mind.

DTF: How about you? Same questions, but with the Falcons?

EV: So, here comes the part of that question I hate. I'm not an expert on your roster, but I would say this. We could use help at linebacker, and if you have a playmaker you would like to give us we would take him.

DTF: That would be Curtis Lofton. Extremely tough middle linebacker, league leader in tackles and a guy who you can count on to be involved in every play. Hits hard enough to jar the football loose, too.

DTF: Rapid fire questions, here.

DTF: Predictions for the game? What do you expect from Elisha Manning? Can Jacobs rack up over 100 yards? Do you have a score prediction?

EV: Giants, 27-24; I expect a huge game from Eli; Jacobs and 100 yards depends on whether he gets enough carries.

EV: Here are a couple for you. Can the Falcons run without Turner? A prediction?

DTF: I expect Jason Snelling to pick up at least 75 yards without Turner, and I'm predicting a 21-17 Falcons win, crazily enough.

A big thanks to Ed Valentine for taking the time to do this. Here's to a good game on Sunday.