Posts
As you might have noticed, there's a new poll over on the left. Very simple. At 5-4, will the Giants make the playoffs?
Vote, and then leave an explanation of your answer on this blog entry. I'll keep it up until just before our live chat Thursday so everybody gets a chance. Then, we can discuss the outcome and opinions on our chat.
Sound good? Then vote.
EP
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Ernie, there is no doubt in my mind this team doesn't make the playoffs. A playoff team doesn't lose four games in a row in all sorts of ways. If it's not the QB throwing the ball to the other team, it's the punter shanking punts or botching holds, the best Olineman on the team getting called for holding at the goal line, a RB fumbling on a game tying drive, WR's dropping sure TD passes, a Dline that can't generate a pass rush, LB's that are seemingly invisible, coaches that call plays to not lose the game instead of winning one, etc., etc. Sad but a true commentary on this year's Giants. We're looking at 6-10. Mark it down. The saddest part is this organization will continue to live in the past and hold no one accountable because the won the super bowl 2 years ago. This team is closer to the Lion's than that one.
ReplyDeleteThe NFC is terrible. The only 3 teams I see contending for the wildcards are the Eagles, Giants and Falcons, assuming the Cowboys win the East.
ReplyDeleteNot to mention the fact that Eli has led us to the postseason every year since he became our full time starter. You're goin to start betting against him now?
I think the questions that need to be asked are:
ReplyDelete1) Is the offensive line (left guard and right tackle) showing some age and is the time to start re-building it?
2) Is Osi washed up?
3) Do we have a scheme problem on both sides of the ball?
4) Is Jacobs worth the big bucks if he is only going to carry the ball 11 times a game?
This team won't make the playoffs. I predict 70% will agree with me.
ReplyDeleteI think the Giants will go 9-7 and just barely make it to the playoffs. They can beat the Panthers, Skins, Falcons no problem. I think they take one of two from the Iggles and Cowgirls. The Vikings are beatable depending on the health of Favre at that point in the season, but it will still be tough. I think the Broncos will beat us. If for no other reason, than we tend to do poorly against smart coaches and so I think they will figure us out. We are getting outcoached at this point. I think we have the pieces for success.
ReplyDeleteA reversion to the running game and some D line pressure and we will be set. If we make the the playoffs, look out. We'll have a tough fight at the Superdome on our hands.
I've maintained the same opinion about GM Reese for years. He was too easily annointed and not so easily questioned. No starting LBs from any draft. They one and only good move was signing Burress, once he left, the team is back to mediocre. CC Brown is our safety? Our kicker is a cast off from one of the worst teams in the NFL. Our coordinators are lucklaster and do not challenge any opponents on either side of the ball.
ReplyDeleteTWO Huge games the rest of the season.
ReplyDeleteVs the Falcons and vs the Eagles at home.
If they win both they are in because they will hold BOTH tie breakers if they lose one or both they are out.
(the Eagles don't have an easy schedule either do the Falcons)
They should beat Carolina and Washington.
Ask this question again after the Bye Week.
Anonymous, yes the coaches can call more running plays but they can't conjure up pressure from the dline out of thin air. Robbins and Cofield have been invisible (Robbins had a sack yesterday maybe that is a good sign), Osi has always been over rated and Kiwi is bordering on bust. So all we really have is Tuck. No amount of coaching is changing that. I do agree about the Oline but I think the bigger issue is left tackle. Diehl has made a gallant effort but he really needs to go back to guard where he belongs. This oline has been getting manhandled this year but better play from the left tackle is essential.
ReplyDeleteYES. All upcoming games are TOUGH, sure, but they are all winnable. I had the Saints game marked as a loss 4 months ago. People tend to dwell on the 4 losses and the 2 blowouts. We were literally just ONE PLAY from winning the Chargers and Cardinals games. We're not a bad team. Say what you want about the last drive yesterday, but overall they looked DAMN good.
ReplyDeleteAfter what I saw in 2007, I'll never count this team out of ANYTHING.
STOMP THEM OUT.
My guess would be the Giants limp to the finish at around 8-8, or AT MOST, 9-7. A question I would ask is, do we really want to see the Giants barely make it into the playoffs then get embarrassed by one of the best teams? I don't think I do. At this point, I think I would actually rather see them miss the playoffs and do some house cleaning because of it. Like finding a new, creative offensive coordinator for starters.
ReplyDeleteI agree w/Giant Devil. Aside from the Saints and the Vikings, the NFC is wide open. Looking at the standings, the Cowboys/Cards are leading their divisions. The Eagles(5-3) weren't as intimidating Mon. night as they were last week. If Panthers manage to knock off the Falcons this Sunday and both the Bears and Packers lose their games, which is realistic, Giants can re-establish themselves again and earn some respect. They would get an instant confidence boost by taking out the Falcons in two weeks at the Meadowlands. I have not given up on this team just yet. Nor should anyone, Mike Francesa!
ReplyDeleteI think there's still a good chance this team makes the playoffs. They're still above .500 and there has been one team (89 Rams) that lost four in a row and still made the playoffs.
ReplyDeleteLook at the NFC - Atlanta and Philly are the two challengers for the wildcard spot. And they play both those teams at home. If you look at the glass half full, which I'm cursed to do - the Giants were a handful of plays away from beating San Diego and Arizona. They could have easily made it a game against the Eagles if the team didn't implode with two minutes left in the first half.
I don't know what needs to change, people have talked about a number of problems the last few weeks, but if any Giants fans start rooting against this team the next few weeks in order to get a better draft pick, please don't call yourself Giants fans. The draft is anything but predictable and you're willing to throw a season away because there's a chance they would be blown out by the Saints in the divisional round? Who cares.
And I don't know about blaming Reese. I agree there was no depth at safety, but the Philips injury killed this team. Nicks and Smith have looked real good, I loved the signing of Boley and Canty. And don't forget until this season Canty never missed a game. Webster was a borderline Pro-Bowler a year ago and Ross has been out all year. I don't think Reese has done a poor job. Quite the opposite actually - under his tenure the Giants have been 27-14 one Super Bowl victory, NFC East title, two playoff appearances and the top seed in the playoffs. That's in two and a half years. Not a bad resume.
There's is my last point (I promise) - a post earlier brought up some interesting points. Is the offensive line getting old? I'm afraid that could be, and that would be a major problem. Remember in '03 when everyone had that Giants as the team to watch because of how they finished in '02 (losing to the Niners in the first round)? That '03 team stunk because all of a sudden Lomas Brown and the other older lineman just stunk.
Osi has always been overrated, but it normally takes a year and a half to recover from that injury. So, I don't think he's done, but he was always overrated.
The coordinators are a major problem. Gilbride has always been questionable and Sheridan seems lost. And is Jacobs contract that big? I don't even know. How much is guaranteed? Is next year the last for Jacobs? You can pretty much find a running back anywhere, but the big problem could be the O-line.
Gratefully the Giants will miss the playoffs as it will save them (as mentioned above)from getting crushed by a better coached, much stronger team, and it will force them to re-assess from top to bottom. The loss yesterday was appalling. An inexcuseable lack of coaching sense and fortitude. Truly pathetic confidence in a "once mighty" offense. Perhaps Coughlin, instead of taking the arrogant "don't question my approach" stance, could explain to the Giants brass and fans why they have played like patsies 4 weeks in a row. How do you defend a decision that I am sure everyone in San Diego was applauding long before the final drive started? They held the game out on a silver platter and I am getting a bit fed up with Coughlin's justifying their poor preparedness and poor decisions.
ReplyDeleteAfter rewatching the highlights, i am a firm believer that the giants problems are in the coaching and not a lack of talent. On offense, when they play not to lose, they stink. We all remember when they played the patriots in the super bowl year and went toe to toe with them in the regular season. This was because they played in a game where they had nothing to lose. They need to get this back on offense -- Eli will get back his form if allowed to play this way. For years, i am scratching my head about gilbride. Dont understand any of his decisions in play calling
ReplyDeleteVery good comments from all who posted here. After a couple days to 'recover' from the loss on Sunday, there were some encouraging signs on Sunday. The team DID play more like the Giants team we thought we knew. And with the bye, and getting players back (except Phillips, darn it), who knows - maybe they can make a run in the 2nd half. But I still believe, long term, that the 2 coordinators are a serious problem, especially Gilbride. They need a new offensive coordinator or the team Reese has put together is going to be wasted. That would be a shame.
ReplyDeleteThe secondary should have been a strong point this year, but losing half our starters in Ross and Phillips has been too much to make up for. Yes there was a lack of depth at safety, but who could have imagined a player as young as KP would end up on IR.
ReplyDeleteI do agree about replacing our coordinators. The problem is Coughlin is loyal to a fault. The only way we got rid of Lewis in the 1st place was because TCs job was on the line. I know we can do better than Killdrive and Sheridone.
They've got an uphill battle for a division title, but they have a decent shot at a wild card spot, as they still play all the other potential wild card teams. If (and this is a big IF) they can take 2 or 3 of the 4 games against Dallas, Philly (both are at home), Atlanta and Carolina, they should secure a wild card spot. What they do with it from there is anybody's guess.
ReplyDeleteWhy should we crown the Cowboys, The Cowboys are capeable of loseing 4 of their next 8 games they are a choke team that was supose to win the division for the last 5 or so years.
ReplyDelete