Need To Step Up

Tom Coughlin was very blunt in his assessment of how, exactly, the Giants need to improve to break this three-game losing streak. In essence, though, he called up on the stars of the team -- not the rank-and-file guys -- to lead the way.

That's exactly what he was going to tell his leadership council when he met with them today. Basically, he was going to lay the responsibility for rejuvenating this stagnating team on their shoulders.

"Leaders are lifters," Coughlin said. "Leaders are lifters. And normally what has to happen when a team does fight their way out of a problem, your best players have to show the way. They are the ones that show the way.

"The guys that are in the role of a foot soldier, they will play and they will work their tails off. But what ultimately shows is when the guys that are recognized as your quality football players – your better football players – they have to play themselves into a position where they are showing the way."

So, who are these stars and what do they have to do? Let's make a list.

ELI MANNING: The star of stars on this team. For one thing, he's got to start showing again that he's worth that $105 million extension he received in training camp. He was well on his way the first five games, but the last three he's stunk. No more turnovers, better reads, and better throws.

ANTONIO PIERCE: You heard him in the previous entry. Since God isn't going to make him any faster than he is now, which is not very, he's got to play with more fire. When he's called on to blitz, he's got to get home. And he has to be better at stopping the run. If he does those two things, he can be forgiven for not keeping up with the tight ends and running backs that come his way. Almost.

OSI UMENYIORA: He's supposed to be a pass-rush demon, but he's only shown up for about two plays per game lately, and hasn't been visible against the run at all. Can't have Justin Tuck and his sore shoulder trying to carry the whole frontal load, so it would be nice to see this former Pro Bowl DE get after Philip Rivers in a big way.

SHAUN O'HARA: It's never one guy's fault when an offensive line collectively lets down. But the center O'Hara is the guy who's got to prod them into a better performance, especially in run-blocking where the work has been spotty at best. This is where the coaching staff can help, too, by simply committing bigtime to Brandon Jacobs and the pounding, punishing ground game these guys so love to work in.

BRANDON JACOBS: Hit the hole. Hard. Just hit it.

COREY WEBSTER: He's got to keep everybody on the same page from the left corner, since neither of the safeties are in any position to have anybody listen to them. He needs to get in C.C. Brown's ear and stay there. Big responsibility, especially since he usually has his hands full, anyway, with the opposition's No. 1 receiver. That means big-play guy Vincent Jackson this week.

JEFF FEAGLES: Okay, the punter is not a real culprit. But as the leader of the special teams, he's got to get on all the coverage guys and tell them to shape up. No sense in the offense scoring if the coverage is going to give up prime real estate on the ensuing kickoff. And perhaps he can have a word with Lawrence Tynes about the merits of hitting every field goal he tries.

Did I miss anybody? Don't be afraid to offer up your own opinions. Remember, we're talking veteran STARS here, so no fair throwing in a Domenik Hixon or a Bruce Johnson.

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How Big Is This Game?

It's not often you hear Antonio Pierce call himself a "culprit." But that's what we heard today when he spoke of the malaise that has overtaken that unit since their glory days. You remember, the old days, like three weeks ago.

Meanwhile, the Giants collectively were looking on this game as huge one. You know, when I was in the newspaper business, I used to hate writing those "must win" stories because, let's face it, in a 16-week season every game is a must-win. And writing those stories, even at the halfway point of the season, seemed silly because there was so much football left.

But this one, against yet another throwing team in San Diego, with the defense faltering and the offense stumbling in a three-game losing streak, fits right into that mold. Nobody wants to admit it, but a loss here going into the bye could spell the ruination of what was once a promising season.

You won't hear that specifically from anybody, but even the players know a loss here will be ill-placed, to say the least. Just listen to Eli Manning, Pierce, Michael Boley, and Chris Canty. The latter two have a good chance at playing Sunday, and the Giants need them.

In other news, CB Aaron Ross said he's feeling good, but he won't try to practice or push that troublesome hamstring until the bye week, with hopes of making his comeback the following week against Atlanta.

"I've learned that when you start feeling good, give it a week and then try it," Ross said. "I'll wait a week, and hopefully I'll be ready."

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Needing A Win

So here's the practice video. But it's more important to note that Tom Coughlin is stressing fundamentals even more this week. As you'll see, the defensive backs practiced their tackling angles this morning, a problem Coughlin has seen in the past few games as one DB after another has missed tackles.

The gravity of this game against the Chargers, with the bye coming up, is not lost on him.

"The message really is that it's a one-game season for us," Coughlin said. "We have the bye coming up. If and when we do win, then obviously the bye can be something that really helps us, reinforces us, and gives us a lift when we need it."

And if they lose? How devestating would it be going into the bye on the heels of a four-game losing streak?

"I'm not talking about that," Coughlin said. "I'm not even going to respond to that one."

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Preliminary Injuries

Here's the preliminary injury list. It's slightly longer than last week's, which included five players. But my guess is that most will play.

LB Michael Boley (knee), TE Kevin Boss (ankle), RB Ahmad Bradshaw (ankle and foot), DT Chris Canty (calf), WR Mario Manningham (shoulder), WR Sinorice Moss (foot), and CB Aaron Ross (hamstring).

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Just Waiting

Getting Tom Coughlin in a bit, at which time we'll find out for sure whether LB Michael Boley and DT Chris Canty will practice today. If they do -- and unless I miss my guess -- I'd expect to see both in the lineup Sunday against San Diego.

I've totally changed my thinking on those two in light of last week's loss. Had the Giants beaten Philadelphia, I'd have left both on the sidelines to take advantage of the additional rest of the bye week. But now that the losing streak has hit three games, it's imperative the Giants stop the bleeding. They certainly don't want to go into what amounts to a two-week stew thinking about four straight losses. So now it becomes important to get as many missing pieces back as possible, immediately. Since Aaron Ross isn't ready for practice yet, that means forcing Boley and Canty a bit.

Any opinions out there? Agree? Disagree?

EP

And Furthermore...

Here's a notes piece by Mike Eisen of Giants.com that offers a good statistical analysis of where the Giants are at the midpoint this year as opposed to other seasons. As these things often show, the overall stats aren't as gloomy as one would think after the last three games.

Enjoy.

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The Halftime Report

After mulling this over for a bit, I've decided to do something a little different with this week's report card. Let us submit that Sunday's effort against the Eagles deserves a big, red "F" all around and leave it at that. Oh, guys like Brandon Jacobs, Steve Smith, and Hakeem Nicks deserve better grades, and maybe the defensive line. But the cumulative effect for this third of three straight losses is a hugely failing grade.

Better that we should examine and grade the whole first half of the season in an effort to see where this team has been and, perhaps, get a firmer hold on where it might be headed.

So here is the report card on the 5-3 Giants. The good news is, I've seen some of their autographs, and they get an "A" for penmanship.

QUARTERBACK: Watching Eli Manning degenerate between 5-0 and 0-3 has kind of been like watching Chase Utley and Ryan Howard hit in the World Series. Good Eli, Bad Eli. Good Eli? The first five games Manning was making all the right reads and was dead-on target for the most part. A real home run hitter with the deep shot as well as the screens and medium-range throws. People were talking about him finally breaking into the ranks of the elite because of his 87-of-135 for 1,212 yards, 10 touchdowns and two interceptions. Bad Eli? Check that elite status. 53-of-107, 643 yards, three touchdowns, six interceptions, and a fourth-quarter comeback against Dallas. He's had an injury to his plantar fascia, but doesn't seem to be bothered by it anymore. He simply looks lost at times now, his rhythm blown by too many adjustments at the line. And his passes are way off, even as he looks for the reliable Steve Smith when he does have time. Right now, defenses must look as daunting to him as a breaking pitch looks to Howard, and they're both swinging and missing. He needs a confidence boost, but the only way to do that is to complete a string of passes and put up a bushel of points. Time's a wasting, though. David Carr did a good job in filling in for Manning the second half of the Oakland blowout. GRADE: C-.

RUNNING BACKS: Jacobs is only now starting to look like the bruiser befitting his 264-pound frame. He's had two straight games where he's snapped off big runs and knocked people over, getting 76 yards on 13 carries against Arizona and 86 yards on 20 carries against Philadelphia. He still hasn't had a 100-yard game, and his per-carry average is a smidge under four yards. Part of that is because he spent most of the first six games being too meticulous in picking his holes. That led to tentativeness, and allowed the defense to seep in and stop him before he could create momentum. That seems to be changing right now. Can't fault Ahmad Bradshaw for anything except that fumble late in the Arizona game, when the Giants had a chance to come back, and the missed blitz pickup that resulted in an interception in New Orleans. He's played through a sprained ankle and a broken fifth metatarsal and, at times, looked more like the Giants' featured back than Jacobs. He's had two 100-yard games, against Tampa Bay and Oakland, but has shown the ability to break long ones while Jacobs plods along. And with four touchdowns, he's shown more point-scoring ability than Jacobs, who has one. Gartrell Johnson has done a good job killing the fourth-quarter clock. Still, they need Jacobs to consistently pound away at defenses to facilitate the play-action, but that's only going to happen if the coaches consistently give it to him 20 to 25 times per game. That's not happening right now. GRADE: C.

RECEIVERS: Steve Smith went into a lull after playing lights-out the first few games, but came alive again last week by hauling in eight passes for 68 yards. He's seeing a lot of double-coverage now, especially after catching a league-high 34 passes for 411 yards and four touchdowns. He hasn't scored a touchdown in four games, though, and in general the hot hand shifted to Mario Manningham and Hakeem Nicks. Of the two, Nicks holds the most promise. The first-rounder runs better, more consistent routes than Manningham, and his big hands have pulled in several imperfect throws from Manning already. Plus, he's a big-play guy. He had no scores last week, breaking a string where he had four touchdowns in four games. He's the only reliable deep threat right now, as his leaping ability allowed him to bring in a 35-yarder against Sheldon Brown. He's also had completions of 54 (on a screen), 58, and 62 yards. Manning would be wise to continue to look in his direction, especially when Smith can't elude the ever-increasing press coverage. He might also want to make more use of Kevin Boss. After playing almost a strict blocking role the first seven games, Boss showed his worth as a receiver when he caught a 25-yard pass late in the Arizona game despite a helmet-to-helmet hit that left him woozy, and then grabbed nine balls for 70 yards and a touchdown against the Eagles. Domenik Hixon is unreliable downfield and will probably fall to third or fourth receiver. GRADE: B-.

OFFENSIVE LINE: The first five games, Manning had all the time in the world to pick out receivers, and the laundryman nearly went broke after he was sacked just twice in the first six games. The last three, they can't keep anybody off him. Six sacks and a bunch of hurries. Whether it's a blitz or a four-man rush, this line is having problems. The run-blocking hasn't gained momentum, either, but part of that could be in the playcalling. Most disturbing is their performance in the Red Zone. They've had to settle for field goals four times in 10 goal-to-go situations as they've been unable to get adequate push for Jacobs. A lot of the pass pressure these days comes from inside, which means Rich Seubert, Chris Snee, and center Shaun O'Hara aren't having tremendous years. RT Kareem McKenzie missed a week with a groin injury, but the line played intact the rest of the time. One would expect much better from an experienced group. GRADE: C.

DEFENSIVE LINE: This group is as uneven as they come. One game they crank up the pass rush, the next they're all but invisible. Osi Umenyiora won't admit it, but his performance indicates his surgically-repaired left knee may not be back to full strength. He's suspect against the run and has had only two games where he was a constant presence on the pass rush. He did return a fumble for a touchdown, however, and his four sacks led the team. Justin Tuck, with 3 1/2 sacks, has been the best of the bunch despite a shoulder injury. He bats balls, plays inside and out, gets in the backfield, and stops the run. By far, he's the MVP of a line that has been inconsistent at best in pressuring the quarterback. Mathias Kiwanuka is fast and has contributed to the pressure with three sacks, including one against Oakland that forced a fumble, but he's had his problems against the run. Remember, this line prides itself on stopping the rushing game. Yet, the Giants were gashed for 251 yards against Dallas, 133 against New Orleans, and embarrassingly, 180 against the Eagles. Last week was the worst, especially since a seldom-used fullback in Leonard Weaver broke through them for a 41-yard touchdown run. The interior of the line has been almost non-existant, save for the occasional pass rush of Fred Robbins. They definitely need Chris Canty back to provide both push and pass-blocking ability. Rocky Bernard just hasn't cut it at DT, and Barry Cofield has been only mediocre. GRADE: C-.

LINEBACKERS: Oy. Can't stop the run. Can't cover. Need the athleticism of injured Michael Boley in the worst way. Antonio Pierce is good at pre-snap calls, but once the play starts, he's all but a liability if it's a pass. He's having problems getting into the backfield on the blitz, and when called upon to cover a tight end, he winds up chasing. Danny Clark is even slower than Pierce and has been exposed on several passes this year. Chase Blackburn is an adequate weakside linebacker, but even his contributions have been minimal. GRADE: F.

SECONDARY: The loss of safety Kenny Phillips proved more debilitating than you'll ever know. Instead of the sideline-to-sideline, hard-hitting, do-it-all playmaker, the Giants now have C.C. Brown. Huge downgrade. He tackles okay for the most part. It's getting into the right spot and working his way into the tape frame that's the problem. Either being late on coverage help or getting flat-out beaten, Brown's been burned more than California trees during Santa Ana season. Corey Webster appeared to be having a Pro Bowl season until these last two games. Terrell Thomas has done a credible job starting while Aaron Ross' hamstring heals, then doesn't heal, then heals again. Michael Johnson hasn't made a major impact after a fast start, especially on the specialty blitzes. With two big pieces missing in Phillips and Ross, one can say the secondary is probably doing as well as can be expected. One can also say it's suffering from a horrible lack of depth in the middle. The result? Eight passing touchdowns in the last three games and one interception in the last five games. GRADE: F.

SPECIAL TEAMS: A real mixed bag here. Lawrence Tynes missed field goals from 29 and 21 yards, prompting Tom Coughlin to call for kicker tryouts. But he also kicked the game-winner in Dallas. His kickoffs in general are way too short. Jeff Feagles' year-long consistency faltered against Arizona. The kickoff coverage unit hasn't been up to par and was particularly bad against the Eagles, allowing not one, but two returns of more than 30 yards. Sinorice Moss was a zero on kick returns. He was replaced by Hixon, who had 300 yards worth of runbacks against New Orleans before falling into normalcy and then, finally, mediocrity last week. GRADE: C.

COACHING: You are what the record says you are, and right now Tom Coughlin is a 5-3 coach who's trying to keep his team from spiraling out of the season. Not a good position to be in. How can he turn it around? First, by forcing offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride to commit to the ground game. Brandon Jacobs needs to get the ball between 20 and 25 times for the Giants to be effective. He wears down the defense and opens up the all-important play-action that Manning does so well. The hurry-up offense that has worked so well in past spots has all but disappeared from the offense. There are communication problems all around the defense, but especially in the secondary where the corners and safeties are definitely not on the same page. The blitz-heavy defense coordinator Bill Sheridan promised at the beginning of the season hasn't materialized, and the blitzes for the most part have been picked up and ineffective. The first five wins hid a lot of those problems, but playing the better teams in this three-game losing streak has left the defense exposed. Much adjustment is needed on both sides of the ball, especially when in close on offense. GRADE: D.

Okay, let's hear what you think.

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AP On The Radio

Thought I'd pass along Antonio Pierce's WFAN interview, which is pretty interesting. Francesa tried to goad him into calling out defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan, but Pierce wouldn't take the bait. Not directly, at least. But he did say the team was having problems with the Xs and Os, which is basically the coaching area.

Certainly worth a listen.

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A Crisis of Confidence?

For a fleeting second there, I thought DE Justin Tuck was going to throw out that line from "Damn Yankees." You know, the one in the show-stopper "You Gotta Have Heart," where the player sings, "Things have gotta get better 'cuz they can't get worse."

Well, you'd be surprised how bad things can get in the NFL. Just look at the Jets today. But Tuck chose to take the third game of this horrendous losing streak with an optimistic outlook, almost hoping against hope that the team has reached rock bottom.

"Our confidence level was as low as it could be last night," Tuck said. "And then you see how the same guys responded in meetings today, I think the confidence is on its way up."

And why would that be?

"Man, it's going to be hard for us to play as bad as we have the last two games," Tuck said. "We have to go back up. I hope this is (rock bottom)."

Tuck, of course, is a glass half full kind of guy, anyway, so he obviously doesn't see how things can get much worse. But they can. They can give up another 40 points to another passing team in San Diego, only this time without the handful of batted passes they had against Donovan McNabb, if they don't get their coverage problems straightened out pronto. And perhaps this becomes the game where LaDainian Tomlinson, now a shell of his former self, finally breaks out for a huge rushing game.

Things can certainly get worse. And while the Giants are trying the best they can to keep the finger off the panic button, there's little doubt that at the very least their confidence has been shaken to the core by a set of losses that make Steve Spagnuolo's tough first couple of games as defensive coordinator in 2007 look like a mighty stand.

Coach Tom Coughlin said one of the worst things he's seen is the lack of resiliency on the defense.

"I am not real happy with our response to things, you know what I mean?" Coughlin said. "When we have a bad play as a team, we have always been very good and very resilient about bouncing back. It is almost like a challenge, the competitiveness.

"I don’t see that at this point in time and it is probably because something else would occur. These are all things that we’ve got to get a hold of, get control of."

It's not just the defense, either. Eli Manning looked shaken and confused as virtually every pass he threw was challenged by corners and safeties he never thought would be there. It all lends itself to a crisis of confidence, on which every man on Tom Coughlin's 5-3 squad has a different take.

Here's just a few of those on this video.

Manning said the confidence has to rise.

"You can fall into the fact that you think it's just gonna happen," Manning said. "You play bad one week, the next week you're just gonna play better.

"The way we played the first five weeks, it almost seemed easy. It isn't easy. It's not. Winning a football game in the NFL is not an easy thing. Sometimes you can make it look easy and win big, but there's a few plays every game where it's a win or a loss. You look around the league and you see the Jets, where Miami had 100 yards of total offense, yet they lose the game. We can't just go with the easy approach and say it's going to turn around. We've got to make it turn around."

Coughlin had only one approach to righting the ship.

"As I tell the players, we’re going to fight, we’re going to battle, we’re going to scratch, we’re going to do everything we possibly can to change whatever this situation we find ourselves in right now," Coughlin said. "Until we make something happen, until we’re the ones that make the plays. That is the only sign, that’s the only way to get out of this."

They'd better hurry up about it. The season is half over.

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Some Injury News

Well, the good news out of today may be that both LB Michael Boley and DT Chris Canty are scheduled to practice Wednesday. Could be that we'll see them both against San Diego, and not a moment too soon as the Giants are desperately in need of returning some missing pieces to the defense.

Tom Coughlin made no promises about their availability, using the usual "We'll see," as to both's probabilities. But he did say CB Aaron Ross and his troublesome hamstring won't practice this week. "Maybe next week," Coughlin said.

As for Domenik Hixon (hip-pointer) and WR Sinorice Moss (foot), Coughlin said he'd have to wait until Wednesday to determine if they're in practice shape. Also, WR Mario Manningham has told Coughlin that he feels better, which means he, too, could be back to work after sitting inactive for the Eagles game.

We'll have more later.

EP

Waiting

Sitting at Giants Stadium waiting for what should be an interesting post-mortem by Tom Coughlin and his players. Must remember to count how many adjectives they can come up with for "horrible."

Yesterday, I made a mistake on Hixon's injury. Turns out he came out of the game with a hip-pointer. It was Sinorice Moss whose foot had to be x-rayed, and that's why Corey Webster was back there on that final punt. We'll get an update on those two, I'm sure.

But for now, here's a question. If Michael Boley and Chris Canty can participate in team drills, even to a very limited extent this week, do you force them back into the lineup for San Diego, or do you play it safe, sit them, and have them both back for the last seven games of the season. I guess the question here is, can the Giants tolerate risking another loss without those two in the lineup in exchange for extended health?

Your opinions and guidance much appreciated.

EP

A Nightmarish replay

Well, it was Halloween weekend, you know. Ghosts, goblins, Giants football.

Here are your Monday morning highlights of yesterday's 40-17 loss to the Eagles. Watch if you dare!!!!!!

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Game 8 Summary

For all you worry-warts out there who fretted when the Giants lost two straight, my apologies. You were right. There are some serious questions about the 5-3 Giants right now in light of their 40-17 loss to the Eagles today, and they go far beyond the potential to take the NFC East title. Oh, in case you're wondering, they've now fallen into third place behind Philly and Dallas.

At this point, they'd be lucky to win a minor college championship. It's all ugly. The defense has allowed 112 points in the three-game losing streak, including at least 40 points to each of the Saints and Eagles. The first-half offense has now been outscored 160-85 thanks to a 30-7 drubbing over the first 30 minutes today.

The Giants' troubles have officially gone from a blip on the schedule to full-fledged disaster. And with San Diego coming up before the bye, and Atlanta, Denver, Dallas, and Philadelphia coming immediately after it, one has to wonder where that record will stand in six weeks.

Here is the summary.

BIG PLAYS:

Plenty, from the Eagles' end. But start with Leonard Weaver. Never heard of him? Neither had the Giants, apparently. The fullback had carried all of four times going into the game. So what does he do on his first carry of an eight-carry, 75-yard day? Busts one up the middle for a 41-yard touchdown run and a 7-0 lead less than two minutes in. Nobody came close to catching him.

As if Weaver wasn't bad enough, Eli Manning threw his first interception on his third play from scrimmage, which Asante Samuel brought back 37 yards to set up a second touchdown.

Down 16-0, Manning found lightly-used Kevin Boss for an 18-yard scoring pass in the second quarter to get the Giants back into the game.

Oops. That hope lasted all of eight seconds as Donovan McNabb found DeSean Jackson for a 55-yard scoring pass against, who else, C.C. Brown for a 23-7 lead with 1:38 left in the second quarter.

THE VETS:

Kevin Boss: He went into the game with 14 catches for 196 yards and no touchdowns, but was a big receiver today, and could have been even bigger had Manning's passes been anywhere near him. He was targeted nine times, but would up with three catches for 70 yards and a touchdown on which he made a great adjustment to turn his body in the end zone and reach for the ball. He was the only offensive bright spot.

Steve Smith: He caught eight passes for 68 yards and emerged again as the only really reliable receiver. He had 12 passes thrown in his direction.

Domenik Hixon: Remember those kickoff returns a couple of weeks ago. Seems like forever now, especially after he dropped the second-half kickoff without the benefit of a big hit.

C.C. Brown: He was victimized all day in the passing game, especially on the 55-yarder to Jackson when he was late getting over to help Corey Webster. Webster had a perfectly horrible game himself, as his missed tackle on Jason Avant allowed the wide receiver to turn a short, first-quarter gain into a 28-yarder and a first down on a 15-play field goal drive.

Eli Manning: The quarterback continues to fiddle and faddle at the line, leading to a complete lack of offensive rhythm. As they struggled to come from behind, he showed no apparent urgency to get the snap off, allowing the clock to run down and then huddling for an inordinate amount of time despite Tom Coughlin's urgings to get going. Add the 19 incompletions, a couple of which barely missed being intercepted, and it was apparent he was a big part of the problem.

THE KIDS:

Hakeem Nicks: He continues to impress, catching one ball in tight coverage and then fumbling a screen pass, picking it up, and running the width of the field the other way to pick up seven yards. He finished with four catches for 53 yards, including a 35-yarder.

THE UGLY STUFF:

As if letting up a 39-yard kickoff return to Ellis Hobbs and a 55-yard scoring throw to DeSean Jackson on consecutive plays after creeping back into the game wasn't enough, the Giants allowed the Eagles to score another touchdown after Manning's second interception before halftime. That gave the winners 14 points in a minute of possession time, and allowed them to take a 30-7 lead into halftime.

Thanks to a recovered fumble on a kickoff, the Giants got back to 33-17 in the third quarter and positioned themselves for what might have been a miracle finish. But on the Eagles' next possession, Shady McCoy found a huge hole up the middle and went 66 yards untouched for a touchdown just seconds into the final quarter. Combined with Weaver's 41-yarder, the defense allowed 107 yards of rushing touchdowns, this from a unit that was supposed to pride itself on stopping the run.

THE MISS:

Not that it would have mattered in the end, but the Giants nearly had a touchdown on Fred Robbins' third-quarter strip-sack on McNabb. Robbins picked up the fumble and lateraled it to Osi Umenyiora, who took it in for an apparent score. But Andy Reid's replay challenge showed that Robbins' flip went forward, and the Giants were given the ball but assessed a five-yard penalty for an illegal forward pass. They eventually settled for Lawrence Tynes' 42-yard field goal.

THE BUMPS:

Domenik Hixon came out of the game in the fourth quarter to have his foot x-rayed and did not return.

Kevin Boss was shaken up on a third-quarter tackle but returned.

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The Final Stats

For all you masochists out there, here's the link to the final stats thanks to NFL.com.

Be back with a summary in a while.

EP

The Game

Here's the entry for the live-blog. Follow the instructions on the chat box and leave your thoughts. Remember, keep 'em clean. You'll see the comments as they reach the blog.

Enjoy.

Inactives

Here are the Giants and Eagles inactives.

GIANTS
LB Michael Boley
WR Ramses Barden
CB Aaron Ross
RB Gartrell Johnson
T Adam Koets
T Guy Whimper
WR Mario Manningham
DT Chris Canty

Domenik Hixon, not Hakeem Nicks, will start for Manningham. Really thought Manningham would go, but Coughlin must have thought the better of it.

EAGLES:
QB Kevin Kolb
CB Dimitri Patterson
S Macho Harris
RB Brian Westbrook
WR Kevin Curtis
G Max Jean-Gilles
G Mike McGlynn
DE Victor Abiamiri

As expected, and as prudent by the Eagles, Westbrook is out so the Giants will now have to contend with fast Shady McCoy.

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Manningham Could Go

The inactives won't be determined for another few minutes, but according to Ralph at the Daily News, Mario Manningham told Giants voice Bob Papa that he's "ready to go." He's listed as questionable with a jammed shoulder.

If he is active (I expect he will be) it will be interesting to see whether they put him out there with the starters, or limit him as a third receiver and put Hakeem Nicks in as the starter.

EP

A Reminder

We're live-blogging starting at 1 p.m. kickoff. Just look for the entry with the Coveritlive box and start filing your comments. Keep them clean, as I'm going to try to get them in unmoderated. If I see any kind of profanity or dirty talk, I'm going to have to switch gears and moderate, and then it'll take several minutes to get the comments up.

So let's have a good, healthy discussion on what's happening on the field. Don't be afraid to ask me a question now and then, either. I think this software will give me the ability to answer it in an appropriate amount of time.

Hope you enjoy.

EP

Trying Something New Tomorrow

Just thought I'd put up a reminder that I'm live-blogging the game tomorrow. I'm going to try something new with the live-chat software, Coveritlive. I'll live-blog the game, and accept your comments into the live blog so everybody can see them in real time. That way, it'll become as much a chat that everybody can get in on as it is a live blog. I might even find time to answer a question or two, right then and there, if there's a lull in the action.

We'll try it like this, and if you guys like it, we'll continue it. I think I've got the box size issue ironed out, so that shouldn't be a problem. I'm also going to have an up-to-date scoreboard at the bottom so you'll see the latest score throughout.

Hope to see you then.

EP

Game 8 Scouting Report

GIANTS (5-2) vs. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (4-2)

THE TEAMS: The Giants come off two straight losses, the last to an eminently beatable Cardinals team, and are now encountering questions as to their true nature and potential as a playoff contender. Their 24-17 loss to the Cardinals last week was fueled by three interceptions by Eli Manning and a disturbing lack of offensive rhythm. A trip into Philadelphia might be just the medicine the Giants need, however, as this stands as an important division contest against a hated rival. The Eagles come off a potentially expensive Monday night victory over the Redskins, during which do-it-all RB Brian Westbrook sustained a severe concussion. The week before, however, the Eagles lost 13-9 at Oakland, an almost inexplicable misstep. The Giants remained a half-game ahead of Philadephia in the NFC East race. But only one loss separates them from a couple of blips and a full-fledged slump. This is a big one, by any measure.

THE HISTORY: The Giants lost two meetings in the Meadowlands last year, one in the regular season and their only playoff game in the conference semifinal. They'll take the memories of that 23-11 semifinal setback into Philadelphia with them Sunday, especially the one where Donovan McNabb picked up one of the Giants' sideline phones and faked a call to the coaching booth after being run out of bounds on an eight-yard scramble. McNabb picked up an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for the stunt, but was unrepentant and remained so when he addressed the media Wednesday. "No, I don’t have any regrets for doing it," McNabb said. The Giants have won their last four games at The Linc, including last year's 36-31 Game 9 victory.

THE INJURIES: Giants -- DT Chris Canty (calf), LB Michael Boley (knee), and CB Aaron Ross (hamstring) are out. WR Mario Manningham (back) is questionable. RB Ahmad Bradshaw (foot and ankle), LB Antonio Pierce (ankle), and T Kareem McKenzie (groin) are probable.

Eagles -- DE Victor Abiarmiri (knee), WR Kevin Curtis (knee), LB Omar Gaither (foot), and CB Dimitri Patterson (quad and hand) are out. DE Chris Clemons (elbow), S Macho Harris (ankle), and RB Brian Westbrook (concussion and knee) are questionable. C Nick Cole (knee), G Todd Herremans (foot), DE Darren Howard (calf and ankle), WR DeSean Jackson (foot), WR Jeremy Maclin (foot), T Jason Peters (ankle and knee), and P Sav Rocca (back) are probable.

WATCH THIS: Luckily for the Giants, they always seem to play well in Philadelphia despite the ultra-hostile crowd. Those Birds should be chirping away, too, as they'll be scurrying out of the stadium after the clock runs out to either attend or watch the Yanks-Phils World Series matchup across the street. Oh, it'll be a fun-filled day in the City of Brotherly Love, with enough swearing to pollute a shipping dock.

"It's always a tough, physical game with them, with guys chirping at each other," Brandon Jacobs said. "I can't wait."

None of that has to do with on-field activity, of which there will be plenty. Start with the Eagles' defense against the Giants' offense. The Eagles were always known for the blitz under the late defensive coordinator Jim Johnson. Now, they do it just as much. But they don't play zone behind it anymore. Asante Samuels and Sheldon Brown, who still hasn't wiped away images of Plaxico Burress tormenting him on the deep post, are often left on islands in man coverage. They, along with nickelback Joselio Hanson, will try to physically beat the daylights out of Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, and Hakeem Nicks as they jam at the line. But if the young receivers can find their way around a secondary that ranks ninth in passing defense (190.2 yards), they should be open for some deep throws.

Then, it will be up to Eli Manning to make those connections. He's been inaccurate the last two games, as his failed bomb out of bounds to Manningham last week showed. The coaches may rein him in as far as audibling out of runs, the better to establish the ground game behind Jacobs after a breakout game average-wise last week. But when he does take a deep shot, preferably not on third-and-2 in the second half of a tight game, he'll have to convert. It's probably better he look short this week, perhaps to tight end Kevin Boss. He could see more business than he has in a 14-catch, 196-yard season, simply because Manning may have to get rid of the ball quicker as the Eagles rush the extra man or three. Ditto for Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw coming out of the backfield. In this game, it may be better to try for the smaller chunks than the whole enchilada.

When they're not blitzing with middle linebacker Will Witherspoon, strongside linebacker Chris Gocong, or safety Quintin Mikell, the Giants' still sore offensive line will have to fend off front-four pressure from DEs Trent Cole (6 1/2 sacks) and Juqua Parker (three sacks), and Darren Howard (two sacks). They move Cole around a lot, which may be the reason left tackle David Diehl had headshots of both Cole and Howard hanging in his locker all week. He'll probably face them both.

Whether through blitz or regular pressure, the Eagles have forced quarterbacks to throw 12 interceptions so far, with Samuels leading with four. Considering Manning has thrown four in the last two games, he'll have to be more careful about trying to stick the ball into tight spots. Again, establishing the run behind Jacobs (120 carries, 464 yards, two touchdowns) and Bradshaw (80-455-3) would make the all-important play-action that much more effective.

While the Giants' top-ranked overall defense may not have to worry about concussed RB Westbrook, there are plenty of other weapons to consider. DeSean Jackson is one of the most versatile wide receivers in the league. He took an end-around last week against the Redskins 67 yards for a touchdown. His three receiving touchdowns this year went for 71, 64, and 62 yards. "He's quite a weapon," coach Tom Coughlin said.

LeSean McCoy would start in Westbrook's place. The second-rounder out of Pittsburgh ranks second among rookie running backs with 212 yards, and now leads the Eagles. He can catch the ball, too, as 19 grabs for 92 yards shows.

Jeremy Maclin and tight end Brent Celek round out a fleet receiving corps with four touchdowns between them. "They have always been really explosive on offense. Obviously adding Maclin added to the equation," defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan said. "It gives you a treat both to the X and the Z. Everybody knows how explosive DeSean can be, plus they have other good receivers. When you have a good X and a Z it makes it more difficult for your coverage." Look for a lot of nickel and dime, since they'll probably have to dedicate a cornerback and a safety on over-under double-coverage on Jackson.

It will be encumbent on the front four to put pressure on quarterback Donovan McNabb, whose sore ribs could hurt his vaunted mobility. The good news there is that DE Justin Tuck will go against right tackle Winston Justice in the Eagles' reshuffled line. If that's not a familiar name, go back to 2007 when Osi Umenyiora treated the then-rookie fill-in like a subway turnstile. Umenyiora, who gets a more accomplished left tackle in Jason Peters, ripped Justice apart for six sacks.

After last week's punting disaster, Jeff Feagles spent the whole week refining his sideline work, and for good reason. Jackson is a great punt returner, and already has run one back 85 yards for a touchdown. Jackson has an NFC high 14.5-yard return average. David Akers is one of the most accurate placekickers in the league, but the Giants' Lawrence Tynes remains the league's leading scorer with 69 points. Domenik Hixon needs to recover from a decidedly mediocre game returning kickoffs and punts. Field position will be huge in this potential all-day brawl.

PREDICTION: Look, you didn't really think this team wouldn't lose two games this year, did you? The fact that they came in consecutive setbacks is a bit surprising, but the Giants are still a pretty decent team. Probably the best in the NFC East. The Eagles? They lost to Oakland. I'm thinking the offense is going to kick into gear again against the Eagles' blitzing defense. Giants 27-21.

GUEST PREDICTION: Mike Garafolo of the Newark Star-Ledger is a good guy and one of my favorite foils in the newsroom. Tough guy from Philly, but a real sweetheart with an appetite for a good steak and good Italian food. But really, he'll eat anything, as the baby picture on the left shows. At the moment, he's still trying to digest just how in the heck the Giants lost to Arizona. He thinks they'll rebound this week, however, 24-21, because "they've played well down there the last four seasons, often as they were going through some less-than-perfect times. To that we say, Buona Salud!!!!

EP