Posts
Now that I've given you the sugar of Osi Umenyiora's fabulous touchdown strip and return, I'll give you the sulpher. Not to water anybody's iced tea (hey, we're a G-rated blog here, but you get the idea), the Giants absolutely have to straighten out their short-yardage game if they expect to succeed this year.
Missing three times in the first quarter on third-and-2 and in -- inside the Red Zone, mind you -- forced the Giants to settle for one field goal, and sent them away empty from the 3. Against a more explosive offense than Washington's, such failures could have cost them the game. As it was, it prevented them from putting Washington away entirely.
Considering Tom Coughlin made it a point of emphasis in the preseason -- no surprise there, as the Giants have long had issues inside the 20 -- one might have thought they'd have come up with a better play than sending Brandon Jacobs up the middle against Albert Haynesworth. Maybe spread the formation out and run him off guard, perhaps? Or a quick play-action deal to a wide receiver or tight end Kevin Boss?
As we said, this is nothing new. The Giants had a 51 percent touchdown efficiency in the Red Zone last year, scoring touchdowns on 35 of 69 visits. They overcame that to go 12-4. And they can overcome yesterday's performance if they continue to get the same kind of offense from the young wide receivers and the defense they mounted against the Redskins.
Still, it would undoubtedly make things a lot easier for them if they get the Red Zone stuff straightened out. Look for a lot of work on that this week.
EP
Missing three times in the first quarter on third-and-2 and in -- inside the Red Zone, mind you -- forced the Giants to settle for one field goal, and sent them away empty from the 3. Against a more explosive offense than Washington's, such failures could have cost them the game. As it was, it prevented them from putting Washington away entirely.
Considering Tom Coughlin made it a point of emphasis in the preseason -- no surprise there, as the Giants have long had issues inside the 20 -- one might have thought they'd have come up with a better play than sending Brandon Jacobs up the middle against Albert Haynesworth. Maybe spread the formation out and run him off guard, perhaps? Or a quick play-action deal to a wide receiver or tight end Kevin Boss?
As we said, this is nothing new. The Giants had a 51 percent touchdown efficiency in the Red Zone last year, scoring touchdowns on 35 of 69 visits. They overcame that to go 12-4. And they can overcome yesterday's performance if they continue to get the same kind of offense from the young wide receivers and the defense they mounted against the Redskins.
Still, it would undoubtedly make things a lot easier for them if they get the Red Zone stuff straightened out. Look for a lot of work on that this week.
EP
ernie, love the new blog, keep up the great work... i just can't seem to figure out why coughlin has always been so reluctant to QB sneak... i understand that you don't want eli getting hurt, but then throw carr or ANYBODY behind center and let him try to get the one yard... they never were close enough to even hope for a lucky spot... thoughts?
ReplyDeleteLoved reading the story about you getting in LT's face. U got Cojones.
ReplyDeleteErnie, why are they
ReplyDeleteErnie, why are they so hesitant to throw when they are inside the 10. Since Plaxico and his vertical leap have left, they are so bull-headed about smashing the ball in when they are inside the 5. It makes it so easy for opposing defensice coordinator to defend. Why not take a shot with a pass in the end zone. If it doesn work, at least you give other teams something to think about.
ReplyDeleteLohad57:
ReplyDeleteI agree, to an extent. I don't particularly like throwing the ball that close to the goal line. But if you spread things out, you get the defense to at least respect the pass. However, now that Nicks is out and Barden will probably be up, look for the end zone fade that Manning and Burress ran so well. Hit one or two of those over the next couple of games, and that Red Zone offense will be in business.