SB Nation - Mario Manningham

New York Giants notes: Seubert finally admits playing hurt

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

by LM Otero - AP

Rich Seubert

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

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

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

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

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

More injury news

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

Smith's dreams coming true

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

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

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

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

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

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

About those Cowboys

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

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

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

Other notes

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

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

It's Friday, so Ernie P. is in the house

Ed Valentine — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:00:18 -0000

It's Friday. That, of course, means our weekly swap of questions with the venerable Ernie Palladino. I can call him that because Ernie, I think, is a couple years older than I am. Which means neither one of us are spring chickens.

Anyway, watching the Giants flounder around and under-perform is also getting old. With that in mind, here are Ernie's answers to this week's amazing questions. Check out my answers over at Giants Beat.

1. Tom Coughlin said he will not fire defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan despite his obvious flaws. Is Coughlin showing too much loyalty to an underachieving coach?

Ernie's Answer: I'm not sure if it's a matter of loyalty or timing. Regardless of what happened to John Hufnagel at the end of the 2006 season, it's very difficult to fire a coordinator in mid-season. Buffalo tried it this year, and look what happened? And what would the new guy do, anyway? Tear up the playbook and start over? That would be impossible. So what we're really left with at this point is change for change's sake, and Coughlin is really not that kind of a guy. He could demote Sheridan and put Pete Giunta there, and maybe the DBs coach would infuse a sense of aggression into a defense that has been forced to play Cover-2. That might help, but at this point I'm not confident these corners can get their hands on any receiver at the line of scrimmage. That's all the Giants need, a bunch of corners missing jams so even more receivers can run free down the sidelines. For now, Coughlin will have to make do, and then find someone in the offseason like a Dave Campo or John Fox for a full makeover.

2. With playoff hopes hinging on how the Cowboys fare over the next three games, do you think the Giants will continue to play hard?

Ernie's Answer: They'd better. They're still very much in this playoff race. Look, the Cowboys have to play at New Orleans and at Washington, and then they get Philadelphia at home. Who here can honestly not see the chances of Dallas going 1-2 over that stretch to finish at 9-7? If you've raised your hand, you're either a liar, a maverick, or an idiot. That's a tough road, far tougher than the Giants' road to 9-7 against Washington, Carolina, and a coasting (probably) Minnesota. Now that Atlanta has all but fallen out of the race, the only thing standing between the Giants and the sixth seed as we stand now are the second-place Cowboys. It's way too early to throw in the towel on the season. However, if the Giants lose to Washington and Dallas somehow pulls off a miracle in New Orleans, then it's a different story. But it hasn't happened yet, and that's cause enough to get up for Monday night's game at FedEx Field.

3. Would you elevate Ramses Barden from the inactive list, even if Coughlin only uses him in Red Zone situations?

Ernie's Answer: Actually, I thought that should have been the case all season. Seems there was no room for him on special teams, so he got caught up in the numbers game. Well, you can see where that got the Giants. The coverage teams stink, the return teams are so-so, and Eli Manning is left to throw fades to Mario Manningham, who lost his feel for the sideline around mid-season. They could use a long, tall drink of water in the corner of that end zone now. And since these three are must-win games -- assuming the goal is to play past Jan. 3 and damned the development for next season -- then they really should get Barden up and playing. It couldn't hurt.

4. Should Hakeem Nicks continue to start in place of Mario Manningham?

Ernie's Answer: Absolutely. This kid has made such an impact on the offense, it's unbelievable. Every time he gets out there, he's good for at least one big play per game, usually resulting in a touchdown. He's obviously a fast learner, unlike Manningham. And also unlike Manningham, he knows how to stay inbounds while fighting for a ball. That's the beauty of this kid. He not only catches the imperfect pass, but he turns and runs with it after he catches it. He'll make the occasional drop, as he did twice against the Eagles, but you can easily forgive him for those when Manning comes right back to him and he makes a spectacular catch. Doubt his explosiveness? His 38 catches for 685 yards works out to an 18-yard average, and his six touchdowns lead the team. I know the Orakpo kid in Washington is making a heck of an impact as a pass rusher, but Nicks has my vote for Rookie of the Year. Can't wait to see him starting a full season with Steve Smith, which should happen in 2010.

Memo to Manningham: You're getting on our nerves, too!

Ed Valentine — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:21:07 -0000

Seems New York Giants wide receiver Mario Manningham is not too pleased with questions about his, umm, imprecise route running.

Manningham had two chances to score a touchdown in the Giants’ loss to Philadelphia on Sunday. He landed out of bounds on both.

The day after the game, the second-year receiver grew aggravated when asked about those plays — and about what he can do better on routes near the sideline.

"That isn’t the only route I run," Manningham said. "It looks like that’s the only route I run. Everybody’s saying I’m going to the sideline or whatever, like that’s the only route I run."

"It is (frustrating) because I ran worse routes than that, and that wasn’t even really a (bad) route," Manningham said. "I could have kept my feet in. I don’t really want to talk about it, because it gets on my nerves how I know that I ran a worse slant route (Sunday) and I caught the ball, but y’all didn’t see that because I caught it."

Hey, Mario, you're getting on our nerves, too. Because you are costing the Giants points. We love you, man, but you have to learn not to run yourself out of bounds. Please!

BBV chats with 'Hogs Haven'

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

via i.cdn.turner.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

'Kudos & Wet Willies:' Missed opportunities edition

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

More photos » by Henny Ray Abrams - AP

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

Browse more photos »

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

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

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

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

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

Kudos to ...

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

Kwillies to ...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wet Willies to ...

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

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

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

Complete Coverage >

Eagles 45, Giants 38: What just happened?

Ed Valentine — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 05:08:46 -0000

Wow! Not a happy wow, but still a wow! I am completely exhausted after simply sitting and watch the New York Giants 45-38 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday night.

How is it possible to gain 512 yards in total offense and score two touchdowns on plays longer than 60 yards and still lose? Wow!

Too much DeSean Jackson, a fumble by Brandon Jacobs that resulted in seven points for Philadelphia, two terrible pass routes by Mario Manningham and a defense that couldn't make a play when it needed one.

That's how the Giants lost, falling to 7-6.

Why is it that stange, un-Giant like things like a Jacobs fumbled and a ball squirting away from Eli Manning when he falls awkwardly to the ground seem to happen lately against the Eagles?

At least the Cowboys (8-5) also lost, meaning the Giants still have hope for a playoff berth.

That's all for now. Can't really think straight, to be honest. Back later with the 'Kudos & Wet Willies' after I've had a chance to get some rest and digest the complete insanity I just witnessed.

Week Thirteen: Fantasy Focus on the Cowboys

Aaron Novinger — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 19:13:29 -0000

More photos » by Erich Schlegel - AP

Anthony Spencer has recently joined the sack-dance club.

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It's Saturday, so it's time to talk some fantasy football! This a huge week for the Cowboys as they travel to Giants Stadium in an effort to bury New York in the standings.

In the next week or two, fantasy playoffs will begin. For many of us, we will be facing a must-win situation this week...or, we're out!

Make the jump for the Week 13 Fantasy Focus.

QB Tony Romo -The Cowboys have yet to lose when Romo is the starting QB at Giants Stadium. In 2006 - his first year as a starter - he hit 20 of 34 passes for 257 yards with 0 TDs and 2 INTs to lead the team to a 23-20 win. The 2007 game there was a much more fantasy-friendly game for him; he lit up the Giants for 247 yards and 4 TDs with 1 INT. Last year, a hand injury forced him to miss the game in New York.

In Week 2 of this season, the Giants' defense seemed to have Romo figured out. His 127 yards, 1 TD and 3 INTs scared many fantasy owners. But, that was before the emergence of his number one toy: WR Miles Austin. Last week against the Raiders, Romo and Austin connected for 130 yards in the first half, alone. Austin's ability to gain yards after the catch has helped the Dallas offense tremendously, and helped Romo notch another 300-yard performance. The middle of the field passes clicked last week as TE Jason Witten also had a 100-yard day.

The Cowboys' 10th-ranked passing offense (254.1 YPG) will be going up against the 4th-ranked Giants' passing defense (allows just 182.6 YPG). But, in terms of scoring, the Giants' defense ranks 25th in the NFL, giving up a whopping 23.7 points per game.

I wouldn't expect a huge day for Romo, as this should be a physical NFC East battle. Though, he is definitely worth a start.

RBs Marion Barber, Felix Jones, Tashard Choice - Each one of these backs broke off large gains on Thanksgiving. Felix scored on a 46-yard run, Barber had a 42-yard catch and run to go along with his 61 rushing yards, and Choice ripped off a 66-yarder from the "Razorback" formation. That is the type of production the Cowboys envisioned having from this trio when the season began.

Not since the Week 2 home game against the Giants, has Dallas' three-headed monster looked more healthy. In that game, both Barber and Felix decimated the defense to combine for more than 200 yards rushing. They also each scored a TD. Recently, the Cowboys have continued their use of Choice as a WildCat QB.

With both Barber and Felix healthy, the Cowboys still try to get Choice 3-5 touches a game, which isn't ideal for fantasy owners. For Felix owners, though, his knee brace is off and his quickness and agility looked to be unencumbered against Oakland. Offensive coordinator, Jason Garrett, realizes that it's time to get the ball in his hands at least 10 times per game. He's back to being a home run threat whenever he touches the ball. And Barber owners have reason for excitement, as well. The Barbarian has been catching well, which suggests his fractured thumb is healing; and he is running with his usual boost of power and purpose.

WRs Miles Austin - His huge game last week proved several things: 1) he can beat the best of them in man-to-man - just ask Nnamdi Asomugha, 2) he's tough as nails - hard to bring down and has no fear catching the ball in traffic, and 3) Garrett is still finding ways to get him open - slants, screens, comebacks, crossing routes, you name it. He even had Austin sit underneath zone coverage for Romo to check down to.

You're kicking yourself if you didn't start Austin last week. He's returning to play in his home state of New Jersey, so you may not want to kick yourself again by benching him. He'll get his targets; he's worth the start.

Roy Williams - Not flashy, not a PPR guy; though, he could get you a TD grab. The Giants may be starting converted CB, Aaron Ross, at FS. If they wanted to use him to double anybody, it would be Austin. Roy could see alot of single coverage, but he has yet to confirm that he is a reliable pass catcher. Start him at your own risk.

TEs Jason Witten - Hitting the century mark against the Raiders was a step in the right direction. That lone TD on the season is still lurking. JWitt's foot sprain has healed some over the extra days off after the turkey day game. It sure didn't seem to bother him on his 44-yard catch!

This has got to be the week he returns to the end zone. Start him.

Cowboys D/ST -This unit now ranks second in the league in scoring defense. That is music to fantasy owners' ears. What is even better is that SOLB Anthony Spencer is picking up some sacks now. Combine his play, along with the other pass rushers - DeMarcus Ware, Jay Ratliff, and Keith Brooking - and Eli Manning could be in for a long day.

In Week 2, Manning's WRs, Steve Smith and Mario Manningham, embarrassed the Dallas secondary by catching 10 passes and a TD a piece. CB Mike Jenkins has come along way since then, growing into the team's best at the position. Veteran Terence Newman often learns from his mistakes made the first time around, as he seems to respond well in payback games. SS Gerald Sensabaugh is playing consistently well. The question in the back four is how much the loss of FS Ken Hamlin (ankle) will effect how the secondary covers NY's corps of young WRs. His replacement, converted CB Alan Ball, has been adequate so far. The only knock on him has been in regards to how his 188-pound frame will hold up in run-support. Nevertheless, the unit has not lost a beat with him in the lineup and ranks 9th in rush defense (102.7 YPG).

If the defense can start forcing more turnovers, this will quickly become a dominating unit. ST coach Joe DeCamillis and punter Mat McBriar have helped tremendously in forcing offenses to earn their yards. With the tough schedule the Cowboys face, fantasy owners can't expect any shutouts, but these guys do enough to earn double-digit points each week.

This is the last regular season week for the BTB and BTB Part Deux fantasy leagues on FleaFlicker. If you are in one of the leagues, check out the standings for where you sit. Some teams have already guaranteed their spots in the playoffs, while others badly need to get this last win. Below are the current standings.

Just ONE Loss...Are You Serious? (11-1)

kill everbody

Where the Cowboys are Headed (9-3)

The Speed of Dark

StarBoys

Doubling Your Losses (8-4)

Paper Cranes
Maui Paniolo Boyz

Seventh Heaven (7-5)

Flashlights

Doomsday Redux

Dallas Destroyers

Reykjavik Roughnecks

Official Spoiler

Static

Holy .500, Batman! (6-6)

WheresWare?

BigRigga31's Team

Dillababies

Quincyyyyy

Felix Jones At Every Position

A Must Win this Week? (5-7)

NameBrandj

Second Chance

BTBfantasyCHAMPS

4 X 2 = (4-8)

Apes

My Team Sucks

The Doomsday Defense Reborn

Three Squared (3-9)

high505
No Doubter
Brady's a b!tch
Damage,Inc.

If you've got a fantasy dilemma, post it here for the BTB community to discuss. As always, feel free to jump in with other Cowboys/football related discourse even if you don't play FF.

Remember, for all your fantasy football needs, SBNation's fantasy webpage is chock full of live updates to help you set up your team from week-to-week.

For your convenience, here's the link: sbnation.com/fantasy.

Cowboys vs. Giants Preview: Can the Cowboys Beat Up Their Old Selves?

Rafael Vela — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:40:06 -0000

More photos » by Sharon Ellman - AP

The Cowboys want Eli Manning moving outside of his pocket Sunday. (AP Photo/Sharon Ellman)

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The old rivals set up for their rematch Sunday. We can overdo the superlatives, get caught up in the voo-doo of December, and talk about the closing of Giants Stadium.

Or, we could talk about matchups.

When the Giants Have the Ball

When Dallas faced the Giants in September, they saw an opponent which presented a host of matchup problems. The Cowboys had stuggled against New York's rushing attack in the past, particularly runs to its perimeter. Run defense was again the focus, as the Cowboys trusted their secondary to contain the young Giants duo of Steve Smith, and Mario Manningham. (Rookie Hakeem Nicks missed the game with an ankle injury.)

Dallas got half the plan down. They contained Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw, holding the New York attack to less than 30 first half rushing yards. But the Cowboys rush did not sack Eli Manning that night, which gave Manningham and Smith time to work out the right side of Dallas secondary. Both receivers attacked Terence Newman and Smith, when lined up in his long-time spot in the slot, abused Orlando Scandrick. Each receiver caught ten passes. Manningham gained 150 yards and Smith 134. They gained 86% of the Giants 330 passing yards.

The balance and the fun continued until game five's 44-7 blowout win over Oakland. While the win was impressive, the Giants offense began absorbing key injuries which have continued to accumulate to this day.

Quarterback Eli Manning left after just ten passing attempts with a foot injury, later diagnosed as plantar fasciitis. He says the foot has healed but several reports this week note that he has suffered a stress reaction in the same leg and his overall health remains an issue. Running back Ahmad Bradshaw, the speed complement to the bludgeon Jacobs, injured an ankle later in the contest and has not been the same since, as this line shows:

Bradshaw, games 1-5: 58 carries, 375 yards, 6.5 yards/carry, 75 yards/game;
Bradshaw, games 6-10: 57 carries, 174 yards, 3.1 yds./carry, 35 yds./game

The injuries contined the following week against New Orleans, when right tackle Kareem McKenzie was rolled from behind and had to leave the game. His injury broke a run of almost two years when the Giants starting line stayed intact.

In many ways, the '09 Giants offense resembles the '08 Cowboys O, which accumulated injuries to linemen and skill position players and saw its effectiveness erode as the season progressed. In New York's case, the numbers do not lie:

Games 1-5: 5-0 record, 30 points/game., 160 rush yds./game, 2 sacks allowed
Games 6-11: 1-5 record, 20 points/game, 99 rush yds./game, 15 sacks allowed

New York has been dying the death of a thousand paper cuts, or a dozen joint sprains, in this case. They have not suffered the catastrophic injury, like Plaxico Burress' last year, but their line, their backs and their quarterback have all been hobbled, and the results have dropped their offensive output a whopping ten points per game.

Dallas' task will be to face up to their old offense and show it no mercy. That may be easier said than done, because many of the same matchups which worked in New York's favor three months ago remain.

When New York runs the ball, it will be the Cowboys' task to make them play to their character. That may sound counter-intuitive, but New York's line, like Dallas' blocks better on the move. It also runs its attack better to the perimeters. Off-side counters, tosses, cross-blocks between the tackles and tight ends. These are the bread and butter plays of New York''s attack.

That is why they miss Bradshaw, or at least the healthy incarnation of Bradshaw. Jacobs can get off-tackle, but he looks sluggish and the Broncos showed that a 3-4 front with speed can bog him down by forcing him to run to the sidelines. Jacobs lacks the speed to turn the corner, of if his first hole isn't available inside or off tackle, he can be dropped for minimal gains.

It is unclear which Jacobs will show. He played heroically in the first month after Bradshaw's injury, having three of his season-best games against New Orleans, Arizona and San Diego, but he has been almost invisible since the Giants' bye, rushing for 66 total yards and a 2.9 average per carry. In any case, he will have to shoulder New York's rushing burden. Bradshaw has not practiced this week to rest his ailing ankle and his speedy backup Danny Ware was knocked out of last week's game with a concussion and has already been ruled out for this contest.

Expect far more blitzing this week than we saw in week two. As I noted then, Wade Phillips went against type early in the year, choosing to rush just 4 men on most of Dallas' pass plays, where he used 5 man rushes as his default last year.

He will not let Manning sit in the pocket. Phillips knows Smith and Manningham are the focal points of New York's attack right now. Smith has 869 receiver yards and Manningham has logged 665 of his own. Nicks is back and is having an impressive rookie year. OC Kevin Gilbride will likely use the same passing strategy, throwing a lot on first down and targeting Newman. The veteran has solidified his play since weeks one and two, but he's the preferred target over Mike Jenkins.

I also look for the Giants to spread the field to put Smith inside against against Scandrick. His sophomore campaign has been rough. He struggled the first month, then stepped up, but appears to have flattened out the last few games.

New York can still throw the ball, so Wade's task will be to disrupt Manning. As the stats show, this protection has broken down a lot the last six games, especially in comparison to the 5-0 start, when Manning was barely touched. Denver shut the Giants down last week with lots of pressure off the edges, which made Manning drift laterally and preventing him from getting into a regular rhythm with his wideouts.

Look for lots of Cowboys on the line of scrimmage, to run blitz and to attack Manning. Dallas has moved Demarcus Ware around a lot the last month, flopping him to the right side to get mismatches against right tackles and putting him in the center of a 3-3 nickel front, where he is free to roam between the tackles and pick a rush lane.

Phillips blitzed without restraint in last year's rematch and sacked Manning eight times. New York's banged up running attack invites him to dust that game plan off and try it again. New York's WR could sting him a bit, but I don't think Wade will back off the pressure unless his secondary flops, and they have been solid the last two months.

Tomorrow: The Cowboys offense vs. the Giants defense

Cooking your way to Fantasy Turkey - Week 12 Fantasy Edition

Andrew Davidson — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:00:14 -0000

Should the Lions adopt the Goobledygooker as their Thanksgiving Mascot? Yep.(via 4.bp.blogspot.com)

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If there's one thing I've ever been jealous of Americans for, it's their awesome Thanskgiving tradition. The 3 Fs, Football, Family and Food, are something every nation should adopt on the last Thursday in November. The only bad thing about the tradition are the Detroit Lions. There was a time when Barry Sanders ran around on Turkey Day to make things interesting, but the thought of Matthew Stafford carving up the Green Bay Packers like he did the Browns is far fetched (especially considering his injury). At least the afternoon game will be interesting, right?

Not so fast, viewers will be treated with the Oakland Raiders visiting the Dallas Cowboys. Let's give the schedule makers a pat on the back for setting that contest up on Thanksgiving; good luck keeping your pumpkin pie down. At least the night game has promise, that is had promise until the Denver Broncos went on a 4-game losing skid. Denver hosts the New York Giants, who recently snapped their own 4-game slide. The Giants should be able to take care of business, but here's hoping the game is entertaining. Let's take a look from the fantasy side of things, to see who you'll be grateful for come turkey time.

Continue on after the jump to check out the forecasts for this Thanksgiving's games...

Packers @ Lions

Aaron Rodgers - Well it's pretty simple, the Lions have little defense and little chance at stopping Aaron Rodgers. The Green Bay QB has a pretty good shot at upstaging Peyton Manning's 6-TD performance in 2004, if he's still in the game after half time. The Lions may be able to sack Rodgers a few times, but seriously what Rodgers fantasy owner hasn't been looking forward to this game since draft day? Turkey Day forecast: 275 pass yards, 4 PaTDs, 0 INTs

Greg Jennings - Thanks to Jennings for breaking out against San Francisco last Sunday, we really do appreciate it. Jennings may be able to match his game totals by the end of the first half in this one, while the Packers are still throwing the ball to get a big lead. If you can name anyone on the Lions that stands a chance at covering Jennings, I'll inform you that you're delirious. Week 12 forecast: 5 catches, 100 yards, 2 TDs

Donald Driver - The veteran WR is having an excellent season to date, and while he may not top 100 yards in Detroit, he's certainly worth starting. You can lay down some coin on Driver scoring, because it's all but guaranteed that he'll reach pay dirt. Heck, your lineup wouldn't look too bad if you had Rodgers, Jennings and Driver as your QB, WR1, WR2. Even James Jones might make a good WR3 this week. Week 12 forecast: 7 catches, 80 yards, 1 TD

Ryan Grant - After the performance against San Francisco, it's hard to even consider putting Grant on the bench for this Thanksgiving Day match-up. You'd seriously have to have MJD and AP to think of benching Grant against the Lions. The Packers should be leading (and by a bunch), so the RB should benefit and receive a healthy amount of carries. Put him in and smile at the results. Week 12 forecast: 125 rush yards, 1 TD; 2 catches, 15 yards

Jermichael Finley - Finley returned to the lineup last weekend, and will likely be in the lineup against Detroit. The Green Bay TE managed 7 catches for 54 yards in his return, and will see similar success against the Lions. While he's certainly not going to set the world on fire, he's a good option against a very bad team. Week 12 forecast: 6 catches, 50 yards, 1 TD

Green Bay Team DEF - The Packers defense is finally turning into a well oiled machine, but also has some key players lost for the season. That shouldn't make a difference against the Lions, even though Matt Stafford launched 5 TDs and 422 yards against Cleveland. Calvin Johnson's big performance shouldn't scare you away from the Packers defense either. However, and this is a big however, the Lions may be able to put up some points in comeback mode, which could hurt the value a tad. Week 12 forecast: 20 points allowed, 3 sacks, 3 INTs, 1 FR, 1 Def TD

Calvin Johnson - Megatron is Detroit's best chance at getting back into the game if they get down early, and best chance to stay with the Packers if the game is close. His fantasy season has been disappointing thus far, and his injuries have his status in question for this divisional game. It's unlikely he'll play, so keep him out of your lineup. Week 12 forecast: Injured.

Dante Culpepper - Matt Stafford looked very good against Cleveland (as I've said several times already) and Detroit faces a slightly dinged up Packers squad. Stafford suffered a separated shoulder Sunday, and it's unclear whether he'll play at the time I write this. Dante Culpepper will likely get the nod, and I don't think he'll do anything better or worse than Stafford against the Packers. Regardless, it won't be wise to start either unless INTs don't count against you in your fantasy league. Week 12 forecast: Stafford OUT; Culpepper IN (bench both)

Kevin Smith - I'll spare writing out the rest of the Lions "fantasy options" because after Smith, there really aren't any. Where Detroit's RB will benefit is in the receiving game, as the Packers will likely lead and Smith will not receive a lot of carries. On the season, Smith has 33 recepitons for 321 yards and a TD; 104 yards and the TD came last week against the Browns. Smith isn't a great fantasy option, but I wouldn't label him a dud either. Week 12 forecast: 40 rush yards, 0 TDs; 5 receptions, 60 yards, 1 TD

Oakland @ Dallas

Zach Miller - Miller's presence against Cincinnati helped the Raiders pull off the unthinkable upset. As a result, he's the only viable fantasy option in this game versus the Cowboys. While Bruce Gradkowski is playing well (compared to JaMarcus Russell), there's no Raider worth starting on Turkey Day other than Miller. The Raiders TE is a good fantasy option, and gets his credit where credit is due. Week 12 forecast: 5 catches, 65 yards, 1 TD

Tony Romo - The Raiders defense held the Bengals to just 348 total yards (61 of those coming on one run), and Carson Palmer had just 207 pass yards with 1 INT and 0 PaTDs (2 rushing TDs). The Raiders defense certainly isn't a terrible one, and can likely keep Romo in check. It's hard to say "bench Romo", but bench Romo. The Cowboys will win this game in snoozing fashion, running hard and playing solid defense. Week 12 forecast: 200 pass yards, 1 PaTD, 1 INT

Marion Barber - The Dallas RB hasn't scored since week 8, so expect that streak to come to a hault Thursday. Barber had 20 carries for 99 yards against Washington and more importantly, looked healthy. The Cowboys should grind out a power perfromance in order to beat the Raiders, and Barber will be a big factor in that area. I really like Barber's odds of having 2 TDs, and I really like his chances at topping 100. Week 12 forecast: 110 rush yards, 2 TDs; 1 catch, 10 yards

Felix Jones - Jones should prove to be quite a punch in the Dallas RB combo, and is a borderline fantasy start. It's hard to say how well he will do, but his potential is there. He's still got speed (the knee brace is off), and the Raiders will likely be seeing Jones get 10-15 touches. It's hard to recommend starting Jones, and I can almost feel a big game coming. It's your call, but I think "bench him" is the better option. Week 12 forecast: 60 rush yards, 0 TDs; 1 catch, 25 yards

Miles Austin - The Cowboys WR hasn't score a TD in two games, and I'll put money down that says he won't score against the Raiders. Oakland's secondary will be able to keep Austin in check for most of the game, as he nor any of the Dallas WRs are serious fantasy threats in this game. If Jason Witten ends up missing the game, Austin and the rest of Dallas receiving crew's chance go up a bit in terms of fantasy production. Week 12 forecast: 3 catches, 55 yards, 0 TDs

Jason Witten - Now here's a receiving threat you should consider starting. The big TE is looking for some action, and I think he gets plenty against the Raiders. Witten hasn't scored a TD since week 2, but that will come to an end as Romo will find Witten in the red zone for six. UPDATE: Witten is a game-time decision with a foot injury, perhaps Martellus Bennett can be stashed in case of emergency purposes.. Week 12 forecast: 3 catches, 45 yards, 1 TD (if he plays)

Dallas Team DEF - Any time a team is facing Oakland, it's worth considering a spot in your starting lineup for. The Cowboys defense should provide a good pass rush and create a few turnovers in what likely will be a low scoring contest. If it ends up a high scoring affair, it likely won't be on Oakland's side of the billionare's scoreboard. Start the Cowboys unit, because it should give you a reason to actually watch this snooze fest. Week 12 forecast: 10 points allowed, 5 sacks, 2 INTs

New York @ Denver

Brandon Marshall - The Broncos are a team desperately looking to get off a 4-game skid, and Brandon Marshall gives them a good chance at making the Giants game competitive. Marshall was held to just 3 catches for 26 yards against San Diego; the last time Denver's WR was held to just 3 catches in a game, he responded by scoring 4 TDs in the 3 games that followed. Marshall is a good turkey day delight, even if the Broncos get smashed into sweet potato pie. Week 12 forecast: 8 catches, 100 yards, 1 TD

Kyle Orton - Orton replaced Chris Simms in Sunday's loss to the Chargers, and played decent in his return. It's likely that Orton will be starting against the Giants, but it's best to sit him out of this contest. While Marshall is a good option, Orton isn't reliable from a fantasy perspective to start. Week 12 forecast: 200 pass yards, 1 PaTD, 1 INT

Knowshon Moreno - The Giants have allowed 14 rush TDs on the season, making Moreno an ok option in most leagues. He's a borderline option as a RB2 in 10-12 man leagues, but has better value as a flex in a pinch. New York typically doesn't give up a lot of yards on the ground, ranked 11th in the NFL in rush ypg. Week 12 forecast: 65 rush yards, 1 TD; 2 catches, 15 yards

Eli Manning - After a great start to 2009, Manning cooled off during the Giants own four game losing streak. Last week, he heated back up throwing for 384 yards and 3 PaTDs. The Broncos do have the 3rd ranked pass defense in the NFL, but Manning is still worth starting in prime time on Thursday Night. Week 12 forecast: 245 pass yards, 3 PaTDs, 1 INT

Steve Smith - Smith hasn't had 100 yards receiving since week 4, and I expect the Broncos to keep his yardage in check this week. However, keeping Smith out of the end zone may prove to be difficult, and Smith makes a good WR3 play in leagues that have large starting lineups, and a WR2 in PPR leagues. Week 12 forecast: 6 catches, 60 yards, 1 TD

Mario Manningham - The former Wolverine is fresh off a 126 yard performance against Atlanta. Look for Manningham to have decent yardage total, and a TD. He makes a fairly good start in any size league this week, mainly because of his big play ability (15.4 ypr on the season). Week 12 forecast: 5 catches, 80 yards, 1 TD

Hakeem Nicks - While Nicks should find the end zone, I'm not quite sure his yardage is going to warrant a starting position in your lineup. Nicks, like Manningham, has the big play ability (16.9 ypr), but is targetted less often. If you're just looking for a TD, give Nicks the nod. Week 12 forecast: 2 catches, 35 yards, 1 TD

Kevin Boss - With no more TDs to go around, it will be a wise move to leave Boss on the bench this Thursday. The Giants TE has been scoring "like a Boss" the past three weeks, totalling 4 TDs. However, the Denver defense has done quite well defending TEs this season, so bench him. Week 12 forecast: 4 catches, 45 yards, 0 TDs

Brandon Jacobs - Jacobs has been a fantasy dud for the better part of 2009, and suffered a leg injury against the Falcons. He's likely to play this week, but the Broncos have allowed just 6 rush TDs on the season. I don't think Jacobs is a tremendous option, but he may surprise. I'm still going to request his benching though. Week 12 forecast: 55 rush yards, 0 TDs; 1 catch, 10 yards

Ahmad Bradshaw - Bradshaw is still getting his touches despite the broken bone in his foot. He also shed his protective boot in last week's practices leading up to the Falcons game. At this point, Bradshaw is likely to miss the game in Denver, so stash him on your bench.. Week 12 forecast: Injured.

Final Comment

I'm going to take this time to predict the outcomes in each game, giving myself another opportunity to be dead wrong come Turkey Day. I'll take the Packers to handle the Lions, 45-20; The Cowboys to beat the Raiders, 24-10; and the Giants to overcome the Broncos, 27-14. I'll be back on Saturday with the regular edition for Week 12, including the sit/start forecasts. Until then, everyone please have a safe and happy Thanksgiving, and don't trample anyone on Black Friday.

'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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