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The Giants officially exited the playoff picture a few minutes ago as the Cowboys beat the Redskins 17-0.
Just as well. The way the Giants played today, it would have been an injustice for them to stay in the race, much less squeak into the sixth seed. Now it's time to look to the offseason, and don't be surprised if there are some major changes in the offing, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
EP
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Notes and stats
Here are the notes from Mike Eisen at Giants.com and the stats package from NFL.com.
Read them if you dare.
EP
Read them if you dare.
EP
Game 15 Summary
Well. Wasn't that something. The Giants sent their Giants Stadium into the history books with arguably their worst performance in its history.
We're going back 34 years now, but given the circumstances and the playoff stakes, this might well go down as the Giants' worst performance ever. Not because they lost 41-9 to the Panthers. Losses are losses. But in doing so, there was no heart, no fire, no guts.
As it was, it was statistically their worst home loss since Dallas beat them 35-0 on opening day of the 1995 season. It was the third-worst home loss ever at the stadium. But again, given the circumstances, one could call this one the worst of them all.
The players were contrite afterward, but the fact is they're pretty much out of the playoffs. Dallas would have to lose tonight and next week to Philadelphia, and the Giants would have to beat Minnesota to take the sixth seed. Green Bay clinched the fifth seed with their romp over Seattle today.
After the 8-7 Giants came up empty on the first drive, thanks to Madison Hedgecock's hold that nullified Eli Manning's 26-yard touchdown pass to Steve Smith, it all went down the drain. In the end, there would be a slew of missed tackles by the defense that allowed Jonathan Stewart to gain 206 rushing yards, and the Panthers' 247 total rushing yards was only their second-highest allowance this year by four yards.
The offense did nothing positive after that, at least when the game remained in reach, which wasn't long. Special teams did zip. The defense, so dominant against Washington, sleep-walked through the game.
It all left Tom Coughlin stunned and ashen after the game.
"For us to play the way we did today, there's no excuse," he said. "We've got one more game to play and we've got to recover some kind of respect for the way the game is supposed to be played."
Defensive end Osi Umenyiora, who spent most of the time on the bench and finished with no stats whatsoever, said this may well have been his last home game as a Giant. So one might take from that that an offseason trade or outright cut could be in the offing, given his friction with defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan dating back to his training camp walkout, his unrequited desire for a contract extension, and his overall ineffectiveness throughout the season.
He's signed through 2012, but there's every reason to believe the Giants might get rid of him in the event of an uncapped season with no salary cap implications.
"I don't know what happened, man," Umenyiora said. "What'd I play, five snaps today? Unbelievable. Probably my last game at Giants Stadium, probably as a Giant. The way things have unfolded this year, unbelievable."
For the Giants, it wasn't just an opportunity lost. It was one that was given away, gift-wrapped, given up. They flat-out quit for the better part of three quarters.
"I'm pissed," linebacker Michael Boley said. "We had everything to play for. The heart wasn't there today. You're just like, 'Wow, how can we come out and do that?'"
"I'm not going to try and sit here and figure it out," said Shaun O'Hara, the center who had a new guard next to him in Kevin Boothe and a new tackle in Will Beatty on the right side. "Everything we played for, we had all the motivation and reasons to go out and play. It's very frustrating.
"But I'm really sad for this organization, this franchise, to finish like this. It's very upsetting. With respect to what this game meant, it was more than a game. It was a farewell to the stadium."
About all they can hope for now is a strong finish in Minnesota and a 9-7 non-playoff season. After playing what might go down as the worst game in Giants Stadium history, they don't deserve much more.
"I wasn't prepared for this," Coughlin said. "I'm at a loss for words."
Even the even-keeled Manning expressed embarrassment.
"Yeah," he said. "With an opportunity to get into the playoffs and we knew how much this game meant to us for our team and for our fans. The last game in Giants Stadium. A big game. A game everybody was excited about and we just had too many mistakes."
Mistakes wasn't the word. A total foldup is more like it. Horrible. Just horrible.
BIG PLAYS:
The Giants moved the ball well on the first possession and seemed ready to score their second first-possession touchdown in two games. But as Manning let fly with a 26-yard throw to wide open Steve Smith in the end zone for a touchdown, fullback Hedgecock pulled down a defender for a holding call. They still had a chance for a field goal after Ahmad Bradshaw ran for six and Manning went incomplete to Kevin Boss, but on third down Mario Manningham fumbled his 16-yard completion and linebacker James Anderson recovered.
That recovery led to a 15-play drive that ended in John Kasay's 38-yard field goal. Even though the Giants trailed just 3-0, they never took another forward step until the fourth quarter, when all was lost.
Stewart, looking like the bruising Brandon Jacobs of the previous two years, ran 29 yards through a gaping hole in the middle for a touchdown and a 10-0 lead in the second quarter.
On the possession after Matt Moore hit Muhsin Muhammad on a 22-yard scoring throw on which Muhammad beat Terrell Thomas, Manning's second-down pass to Smith was intercepted by cornerback Richard Marshall at the Giants' 29 for the second turnover, which was converted into a touchdown and a 24-0 lead.
Stewart took a fourth-quarter tackle up the middle and shook off tackles by Chris Canty and Thomas for 52 yards to the 1, where Brad Hoover took it in for a 41-9 lead.
THE VETS:
Eli Manning: He went 29-of-43 for 296 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions, but much of that was garbage-time padding that started even before halftime.
Brandon Jacobs: Talk about a disaster. He received no blocking whatsoever and finished with six carries for a yard. Because the Giants fell behind so quickly, the running back was basically abandoned early, resulting in the whole ground effort gaining just 60 yards.
Kevin Dockery: So much for that new contract. He was burned repeatedly and missed at least four tackles on both run and pass.
Rocky Bernard: The under-achieving defensive tackle pickup of the offseason had his number called only once, on a fourth-quarter hold.
THE KIDS:
Will Beatty: He made his third start, second straight, at right tackle for injured Kareem McKenzie and didn't do half was well as he did the first two. He couldn't keep the pressure out, and his run blocking was almost non-existant on the corners.
Hakeem Nicks: He finished with six catches for 44 yards and was a basic non-factor.
THE UGLY STUFF:
Just look at the stats: 416 total yards for the Panthers, 67 percent third-down percentage. 247 yards rushing, minus-3 in the takeaway ratio.
Look beyond the stats and there were countless missed tackles, both at the point of attack and in the open field. The defense, which recorded five sacks last week against Washington, gave Matt Moore all the time he needed to throw three touchdown passes. And there simply was no run defense, up the middle or on the edges. A complete defensive catastrophe.
THE BUMPS:
WR Steve Smith bruised his shoulder in the fourth quarter and did not return.
EP
We're going back 34 years now, but given the circumstances and the playoff stakes, this might well go down as the Giants' worst performance ever. Not because they lost 41-9 to the Panthers. Losses are losses. But in doing so, there was no heart, no fire, no guts.
As it was, it was statistically their worst home loss since Dallas beat them 35-0 on opening day of the 1995 season. It was the third-worst home loss ever at the stadium. But again, given the circumstances, one could call this one the worst of them all.
The players were contrite afterward, but the fact is they're pretty much out of the playoffs. Dallas would have to lose tonight and next week to Philadelphia, and the Giants would have to beat Minnesota to take the sixth seed. Green Bay clinched the fifth seed with their romp over Seattle today.
After the 8-7 Giants came up empty on the first drive, thanks to Madison Hedgecock's hold that nullified Eli Manning's 26-yard touchdown pass to Steve Smith, it all went down the drain. In the end, there would be a slew of missed tackles by the defense that allowed Jonathan Stewart to gain 206 rushing yards, and the Panthers' 247 total rushing yards was only their second-highest allowance this year by four yards.
The offense did nothing positive after that, at least when the game remained in reach, which wasn't long. Special teams did zip. The defense, so dominant against Washington, sleep-walked through the game.
It all left Tom Coughlin stunned and ashen after the game.
"For us to play the way we did today, there's no excuse," he said. "We've got one more game to play and we've got to recover some kind of respect for the way the game is supposed to be played."
Defensive end Osi Umenyiora, who spent most of the time on the bench and finished with no stats whatsoever, said this may well have been his last home game as a Giant. So one might take from that that an offseason trade or outright cut could be in the offing, given his friction with defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan dating back to his training camp walkout, his unrequited desire for a contract extension, and his overall ineffectiveness throughout the season.
He's signed through 2012, but there's every reason to believe the Giants might get rid of him in the event of an uncapped season with no salary cap implications.
"I don't know what happened, man," Umenyiora said. "What'd I play, five snaps today? Unbelievable. Probably my last game at Giants Stadium, probably as a Giant. The way things have unfolded this year, unbelievable."
For the Giants, it wasn't just an opportunity lost. It was one that was given away, gift-wrapped, given up. They flat-out quit for the better part of three quarters.
"I'm pissed," linebacker Michael Boley said. "We had everything to play for. The heart wasn't there today. You're just like, 'Wow, how can we come out and do that?'"
"I'm not going to try and sit here and figure it out," said Shaun O'Hara, the center who had a new guard next to him in Kevin Boothe and a new tackle in Will Beatty on the right side. "Everything we played for, we had all the motivation and reasons to go out and play. It's very frustrating.
"But I'm really sad for this organization, this franchise, to finish like this. It's very upsetting. With respect to what this game meant, it was more than a game. It was a farewell to the stadium."
About all they can hope for now is a strong finish in Minnesota and a 9-7 non-playoff season. After playing what might go down as the worst game in Giants Stadium history, they don't deserve much more.
"I wasn't prepared for this," Coughlin said. "I'm at a loss for words."
Even the even-keeled Manning expressed embarrassment.
"Yeah," he said. "With an opportunity to get into the playoffs and we knew how much this game meant to us for our team and for our fans. The last game in Giants Stadium. A big game. A game everybody was excited about and we just had too many mistakes."
Mistakes wasn't the word. A total foldup is more like it. Horrible. Just horrible.
BIG PLAYS:
The Giants moved the ball well on the first possession and seemed ready to score their second first-possession touchdown in two games. But as Manning let fly with a 26-yard throw to wide open Steve Smith in the end zone for a touchdown, fullback Hedgecock pulled down a defender for a holding call. They still had a chance for a field goal after Ahmad Bradshaw ran for six and Manning went incomplete to Kevin Boss, but on third down Mario Manningham fumbled his 16-yard completion and linebacker James Anderson recovered.
That recovery led to a 15-play drive that ended in John Kasay's 38-yard field goal. Even though the Giants trailed just 3-0, they never took another forward step until the fourth quarter, when all was lost.
Stewart, looking like the bruising Brandon Jacobs of the previous two years, ran 29 yards through a gaping hole in the middle for a touchdown and a 10-0 lead in the second quarter.
On the possession after Matt Moore hit Muhsin Muhammad on a 22-yard scoring throw on which Muhammad beat Terrell Thomas, Manning's second-down pass to Smith was intercepted by cornerback Richard Marshall at the Giants' 29 for the second turnover, which was converted into a touchdown and a 24-0 lead.
Stewart took a fourth-quarter tackle up the middle and shook off tackles by Chris Canty and Thomas for 52 yards to the 1, where Brad Hoover took it in for a 41-9 lead.
THE VETS:
Eli Manning: He went 29-of-43 for 296 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions, but much of that was garbage-time padding that started even before halftime.
Brandon Jacobs: Talk about a disaster. He received no blocking whatsoever and finished with six carries for a yard. Because the Giants fell behind so quickly, the running back was basically abandoned early, resulting in the whole ground effort gaining just 60 yards.
Kevin Dockery: So much for that new contract. He was burned repeatedly and missed at least four tackles on both run and pass.
Rocky Bernard: The under-achieving defensive tackle pickup of the offseason had his number called only once, on a fourth-quarter hold.
THE KIDS:
Will Beatty: He made his third start, second straight, at right tackle for injured Kareem McKenzie and didn't do half was well as he did the first two. He couldn't keep the pressure out, and his run blocking was almost non-existant on the corners.
Hakeem Nicks: He finished with six catches for 44 yards and was a basic non-factor.
THE UGLY STUFF:
Just look at the stats: 416 total yards for the Panthers, 67 percent third-down percentage. 247 yards rushing, minus-3 in the takeaway ratio.
Look beyond the stats and there were countless missed tackles, both at the point of attack and in the open field. The defense, which recorded five sacks last week against Washington, gave Matt Moore all the time he needed to throw three touchdown passes. And there simply was no run defense, up the middle or on the edges. A complete defensive catastrophe.
THE BUMPS:
WR Steve Smith bruised his shoulder in the fourth quarter and did not return.
EP
Inactives
Here are the Giants and Carolina inactives.
GIANTS:
WR Ramses Barden
CB Corey Webster
RB DJ Ware
CB Aaron Ross
T Kareem McKenzie
G Rich Seubert
WR Sinorice Moss
TE Scott Chandler
Kevin Boothe starts for Seubert at LG, and Will Beatty makes his third start at RT for McKenzie.
PANTHERS:
RB Tyrell Sutton
CB C.J. Wilson
RB DeAngelo Williams
DT Derek Landri
T Rob Petitti
WR Dwayne Jarrett
DE Hilee Taylor
EP
GIANTS:
WR Ramses Barden
CB Corey Webster
RB DJ Ware
CB Aaron Ross
T Kareem McKenzie
G Rich Seubert
WR Sinorice Moss
TE Scott Chandler
Kevin Boothe starts for Seubert at LG, and Will Beatty makes his third start at RT for McKenzie.
PANTHERS:
RB Tyrell Sutton
CB C.J. Wilson
RB DeAngelo Williams
DT Derek Landri
T Rob Petitti
WR Dwayne Jarrett
DE Hilee Taylor
EP
12:45, Be There!
Live Blog starts at 12:45 p.m. Bring your comments, opinions, memories, etc.
Just look for the Cover-It-Live box and follow the directions.
See ya then. Be back with inactives a little later.
EP
Just look for the Cover-It-Live box and follow the directions.
See ya then. Be back with inactives a little later.
EP
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Another Reminder
We'll be closing out the Giants' era at Giants Stadium tomorrow with a live-blog starting at 12:45 p.m. Maybe somebody will get the ball rolling with one of their favorite memories of the stadium, and that will lead us right into this most important game itself. So don't miss it.
Just look for the Cover-It-Live box and follow the directions to file comments. See ya then.
EP
Just look for the Cover-It-Live box and follow the directions to file comments. See ya then.
EP
Kiwi, Tuck, and Cofield
Here's a video of Mathias Kiwanuka, Justin Tuck, and Barry Cofield talking about the wonders of Julius Peppers, who had a sack and five hurries against Brett Favre last week, the overall Panthers' offense, and the importance of this game.
EP
Game 15 Scouting Report
CAROLINA PANTHERS (6-8) vs. GIANTS (8-6)
THE TEAMS: The Giants will close out their home since 1976 with this one, so that alone should fire them up. But the fact that they have a very real shot at a playoff spot if they continue to win will also serve as major motivation. Given the fact that Carolina is no longer the pushover of the early season, having just come off a win over Minnesota Sunday night, the matter of motivation was Tom Coughlin's easiest job this week. "There isn’t any need to sell it," he said. "We all, as you were, I’m sure you were sitting in the hotel room and turned it on just as we did. We finished our night meetings and then we went upstairs and the Sunday Night Football thing. They played very well and were very impressive. Anybody that saw it and our players are certainly going to see it over and over. They had to be impressed by it. Very physical defensively, offensively, special teams, the running game, the young quarterback Moore making plays. There was an awful lot to look at. As I said last week, people, it’s on tape. There isn’t anything that you have to make up. There it is right for the players to see. It was there versus Washington and it is certainly there versus Carolina." The Giants took a playoff mentality into Washington and came away with their most complete victory of the season. They'll have to equal that against a resurgent Carolina team that has won two of the last three and just handed Brett Favre a game-long battering. But they haven't won two straight games since the five-game winning streak.
THE HISTORY: The series is tied 2-2, and the Giants won the last two meetings, including last season's finale at Giants Stadium, 34-28 in overtime to clinch the top seed in the playoffs. The teams have met once in the postseason, the Panthers winning 23-0 in 2005.
INJURIES: Giants -- T Kareem McKenzie (knee), G Rich Seubert (knee), CB Aaron Ross (hamstring), and CB Corey Webster (knee) are doubtful. LB Chase Blackburn (ribs), LB Michael Boley (triceps), RB Ahmad Rashad (ankles and foot), S C.C. Brown (hamstring), CB Kevin Dockery (ankle), LB Jonathan Goff (hamstring and ribs), QB Eli Manning (foot), WR Hakeem Nicks (hamstring), and K Lawrence Tynes (hamstring) are probable.
Panthers -- RB Tyrell Sutton (calf) and RB DeAngelo Williams (ankle) are doubtful. CB Richard Marshall (ankle), QB Matt Moore (shoulder) and RB Jonathan Stewart (Achilles) are questionable.
WATCH THIS: Eli Manning is on an elite streak the last two games, going a combined 46-of-64 for 659 yards, six touchdowns, and no interceptions. He's spreading the ball around, having hit 10 receivers against Washington alone, including tight ends Kevin Boss, Travis Beckum, and Bear Pascoe. He'll have to continue that mistake-free efficiency against a Carolina squad that boasts an outstanding pass rusher in Julius Peppers and a strong secondary headed up by veteran cornerback Chris Gamble. The combination of the two has allowed the Panthers to minimize the big-play potential of opponents, and was especially effective as they limited the Vikings to all of 267 total offensive yards in last week's win. "They are a talented defense," Manning said. "You can’t afford to make mistakes, turn the ball over. We just have to be consistent. They are a tough defense and it’s not a team that we play all that often." They could counter that with another dose of the middle slip-screen pass that worked so well with Ahmad Bradshaw.
If left tackle David Diehl and whoever is at right tackle, either Kareem McKenzie or Will Beatty, can neutralize the come-from-anywhere Peppers as they did the Andre Carter-Brian Orakpo combination last week, Manning might just find enough time to look downfield to Hakeem Nicks and Steve Smith. The former will be coming back after a tight hamstring sidelined him following the first half last week. If he makes it, put him down for at least one long play manufactured by his fancy footwork. And Smith, now with 90 catches for 1,093 yards and six touchdowns, is always reliable whether going to the sideline or crossing the middle of the field.
The key here, though, is controlling Peppers. He comes off a one-sack, five-pressure game against Brett Favre. He has 9 1/2 sacks, but his team-high 32 pressures have had a big hand in Carolina's pass coverage compiling 19 interceptions, fifth-best in the league. Gamble leads the Panthers with four, but right corner Richard Marshall, middle linebacker Jon Beason, and strong safety Sherrod Martin have three picks apiece. Despite the team's offensive woes, John Fox' defense has played hard throughout the season. It has allowed 30 points just twice, so it should be a challenge for an offense that has scored 30 or more points in four of its last five games.
Getting the running game going again will be key. Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride mixed the run and pass well last week, striking a 30-30 balance. The week before it was 38 pass, 31 run. So it looks like someone has reigned in his instinct to put the ball in the air automatically. Against Philadelphia, he even ran the ball when trailing, a departure from most of the season. The ground game has been effective, if unspectacular, with 247 yards the past two games.
The defense sacked Campbell five times and exploited a Washington line in flux. Carolina also has its problems, having replaced its two tackles. Justin Tuck has 5 1/2 sacks, a sack and a half less than team leader Osi Umenyiora, but Tuck has been the team's most consistent visitor to the backfield. Mathias Kiwanuka did another good job last week in hitting the quarterback three times and making five tackles against the run. The total run defense has improved, in fact, since Tom Coughlin benched Umenyiora on run downs for Kiwanuka. Opponents haven't run for 100 yards in three games. And the pass rush, with Umenyiora not having to worry about stopping the run, has also looked better. A lot of that has to do with the emergence of Jonathan Goff as a solid force at middle linebacker. He's got a sack and an interception along with two quarterback hits since taking over from Chase Blackburn three games ago against Dallas.
A little pressure is what they'll need to hold down Moore, who has gone 2-1 in the three games since taking over for Jake Delhomme. He's a mobile quarterback who can get the ball downfield. Moore comes off a 21-of-33, 299-yard, three-touchdown performance against Minnesota, including a 42-yarder to Steve Smith. He's been sacked six times in three games, but has only thrown two interceptions on the season.
Smith leads the Panthers with 60 catches for 922 yards (15.4 average) and six touchdowns. Eight of their receivers have at least 12 catches, but the passing game is generally a short one as five of those average 10.7 yards or less per catch.
Jonathan Stewart heads a solid running game, coming off a 109-yard, one-touchdown performance. He became the first individual back to rush for 100 yards against the Vikings this year. Stewart is doing basically a solo act the last two games since DeAngelo Williams sprained his ankle, but there's no doubting his production. He's got eight touchdowns on the season and can certainly power his way up the middle as well as hit the corner. The Giants' run defense may be looking like its old self again after allowing just 89 yards to the Redskins, 36 of which came on Campbell's scrambles.
The Panthers' punt and kickoff return game is only average, at best, so a kickoff coverage unit that dropped returners three times inside the 20 last week should have a good chance at winning the field position battle. John Kasay is 17-of-22 in field goals this year, and over the long haul has been far more consistent than Lawrence Tynes, having missed only two of 16 attempts inside 50 yards. The Giants' kicker has hit six field goals in a row.
Domenik Hixon had a 30-yard kickoff return that almost broke for a touchdown. He also has a healthy 15.1-yard average on punt returns, including a 79-yard touchdown to give the Giants the sixth-best punt return unit in the league. The Panthers' punt coverage is ranked seventh, so it should be a good matchup.
PREDICTION: Quite simply, with Minnesota coming up for the finale, the Giants can't afford to lose this one. I'm not saying it's going to be a repeat of last week, since that performance came out of nowhere, but they will find a way to exploit that banged up offensive line. If Manning continues to throw like he has been over the past couple of games, they'll put up enough points to overcome whatever Carolina does. Giants 28-17.
EP
Friday, December 25, 2009
Father Christmas, Brother Ed
Merry Christmas, everybody. And for all you good little Giants fans, here's something for the stocking -- another Q&A swap with my buddy Ed Valentine over at Big Blue View. Ed promised me that he wouldn't hit the Christmas Eve eggnog too hard before answering these, but the way this season has gone, could you really blame him if he did?
Anyway, don't forget to catch my answers at Big Blue View.
Here's Kris Kringle, I mean, Ed.
1. Okay, ask the question again. Do the Giants make the playoffs?
"Oh, that question is sooo hard to answer. I have been polling folks at Big Blue View about that weekly since the Denver game, I think. My gang is keeping the faith, as about 70% have said 'yes' to that question two weeks in a row. I am going to go with my community on this one and say 'yes.' Granted, the Redskins are a mess but the Giants showed better effort and cohesiveness against the Redskins than they have in a long time. Resilience and playing their best when no one believes in them is becoming a trademark of Tom Coughlin's Giants teams, and I think they are doing it again. I think they are going to win out. If they do, I have to believe Green Bay or Dallas will find a way to lose one game. I'm sure that is partially my heart talking and not my head, but that's what I'm going with."
2. Was the pass rush that produced five sacks against the Redskins real, or was it a one-game mirage?
"I hope so, but I am not convinced. Osi Umenyiora played as well as he has all year, and I need to see him do it again. What I really liked was Bill Sheridan using some of those 'overload' blitzes where two or more guys come through the same gap. Where has that been? And, the way things have often gone for Sheridan this year, will that continue to be a staple of the blitz package or will it disappear like C.C. Brown?"
3. The offense has put up 30 or more points in four of the last five games. Is it Eli, or is it Gilbride?
"It's both. As I wrote Wednesday at Big Blue View, Eli is unquestionably having the best season of his career. There is no doubt he is the Giants MVP. You also have to give Gilbride credit, and I know there are a lot of vocal fans who still can't stand the guy. But, c'mon! The Giants are averaging 27.6 points per game, Eli is en route to his first 4,000-yard passing season, and the Giant are becoming as explosive offensively as any team in the league not named New Orleans. His play-calling against Washington was extraordinary. Screens, draws, subtle changes in the blocking schemes and formations to help the running game. Every so often KG has a game where his play-calling is a real head-scratcher, but he is a pretty darn good offensive coordinator."
4. How shocking would it be if Carolina wins Sunday?
"It would stun me, I know that. I know what the Panthers just did to the Vikings, but I think that was their one moment in the sun the rest of the way vs. a team that really was probably due for a bad game. To me, it's all about the Giants defense. Can they come with the same intensity and effort they showed last week, and against Dallas? If they can I think they win. Even with their own Steve Smith, I don't think the Panthers hurt the Giants with the deep ball if the Giants continue to avoid coverage breakdowns and get some pressure."
OK, what do you guys think?
EP
Anyway, don't forget to catch my answers at Big Blue View.
Here's Kris Kringle, I mean, Ed.
1. Okay, ask the question again. Do the Giants make the playoffs?
"Oh, that question is sooo hard to answer. I have been polling folks at Big Blue View about that weekly since the Denver game, I think. My gang is keeping the faith, as about 70% have said 'yes' to that question two weeks in a row. I am going to go with my community on this one and say 'yes.' Granted, the Redskins are a mess but the Giants showed better effort and cohesiveness against the Redskins than they have in a long time. Resilience and playing their best when no one believes in them is becoming a trademark of Tom Coughlin's Giants teams, and I think they are doing it again. I think they are going to win out. If they do, I have to believe Green Bay or Dallas will find a way to lose one game. I'm sure that is partially my heart talking and not my head, but that's what I'm going with."
2. Was the pass rush that produced five sacks against the Redskins real, or was it a one-game mirage?
"I hope so, but I am not convinced. Osi Umenyiora played as well as he has all year, and I need to see him do it again. What I really liked was Bill Sheridan using some of those 'overload' blitzes where two or more guys come through the same gap. Where has that been? And, the way things have often gone for Sheridan this year, will that continue to be a staple of the blitz package or will it disappear like C.C. Brown?"
3. The offense has put up 30 or more points in four of the last five games. Is it Eli, or is it Gilbride?
"It's both. As I wrote Wednesday at Big Blue View, Eli is unquestionably having the best season of his career. There is no doubt he is the Giants MVP. You also have to give Gilbride credit, and I know there are a lot of vocal fans who still can't stand the guy. But, c'mon! The Giants are averaging 27.6 points per game, Eli is en route to his first 4,000-yard passing season, and the Giant are becoming as explosive offensively as any team in the league not named New Orleans. His play-calling against Washington was extraordinary. Screens, draws, subtle changes in the blocking schemes and formations to help the running game. Every so often KG has a game where his play-calling is a real head-scratcher, but he is a pretty darn good offensive coordinator."
4. How shocking would it be if Carolina wins Sunday?
"It would stun me, I know that. I know what the Panthers just did to the Vikings, but I think that was their one moment in the sun the rest of the way vs. a team that really was probably due for a bad game. To me, it's all about the Giants defense. Can they come with the same intensity and effort they showed last week, and against Dallas? If they can I think they win. Even with their own Steve Smith, I don't think the Panthers hurt the Giants with the deep ball if the Giants continue to avoid coverage breakdowns and get some pressure."
OK, what do you guys think?
EP
Thursday, December 24, 2009
No Suspension
Good news. Brandon Jacobs was not suspended for his fight with Albert Haynesworth last week.
Bad news, for him. He got docked $7,500 (American) for his failed attempt at a one-punch knockout. So he will be available for Sunday.
Also forgot to mention that Hakeem Nicks (hamstring) practiced today.
Now, for the important stuff. We had lobster, clams, scallops and shrimp in a fra diavolo sauce for our traditional Christmas Eve dinner. Tell me what you guys had. Or, if Christmas Day is your big day, run down the menu.
EP
Bad news, for him. He got docked $7,500 (American) for his failed attempt at a one-punch knockout. So he will be available for Sunday.
Also forgot to mention that Hakeem Nicks (hamstring) practiced today.
Now, for the important stuff. We had lobster, clams, scallops and shrimp in a fra diavolo sauce for our traditional Christmas Eve dinner. Tell me what you guys had. Or, if Christmas Day is your big day, run down the menu.
EP
Injuries
That lengthy injury report from yesterday was pared down significantly today. Only five players were not working in the team's first full-scale practice of the week.
CB Corey Webster (knee), T Kareem McKenzie (knee), G Rich Seubert (knee), and CB Aaron Ross (hamstring) were out. And RB Ahmad Bradshaw (ankles and foot) remained out, as is his custom. He might work tomorrow.
Everybody else was in, including QB Eli Manning (foot), LB Jonathan Goff (hamstring and ribs), LB Michael Boley (triceps), LB Chase Blackburn (ribs), CB Kevin Dockery (ankle), and S C.C. Brown (hamstring).
EP
CB Corey Webster (knee), T Kareem McKenzie (knee), G Rich Seubert (knee), and CB Aaron Ross (hamstring) were out. And RB Ahmad Bradshaw (ankles and foot) remained out, as is his custom. He might work tomorrow.
Everybody else was in, including QB Eli Manning (foot), LB Jonathan Goff (hamstring and ribs), LB Michael Boley (triceps), LB Chase Blackburn (ribs), CB Kevin Dockery (ankle), and S C.C. Brown (hamstring).
EP
Nicks On Smith
Steve Smith is one of Hakeem Nicks' idols.
No, not the one that lockers right next to him, the one Nicks calls, "My dog." We're talking about that fast, fleet guy who catches all those touchdown passes for the Panthers. Nicks and Smith have never met, even though Nicks played at the University of North Carolina. But Smith reached out to him when he was drafted, and the two have had a couple of phone conversations after his Carolina teammate, Panthers defensive end Hilee Taylor, hooked them up.
"I was a big fan of Steve Smith in high school, actually," said Nicks, who grew up in Charlotte. "I never met him, but we talked on the phone before. After the draft, he heard in passing that he was my favorite receiver, and he reached out to me because I had a Carolina teammate who went to the Panthers.
"He just gave me some advice after the draft. Just stuff about preparing to go to training camp and staying on top of things. Just normal advice."
Smith said he had no problems reaching out to Nicks.
"Hakeem is from Charlotte and he went to school here and obviously he played up in Raleigh," Smith said. "So I have known about him a lot and I know some people tha
t have had very good things to say about him; he is a high character guy. And so I just kind of reached out to him. I think we talked for about an hour.
"I just told him the sky is the limit. He has a great opportunity in New York. It is a big market. He has a lot of opportunities to play. They drafted him. His performance – he played down here. The Meineke Bowl was outstanding. Just take that same mentality up there in New York and I think he will be a star. Only time will tell if he listened or not."
Apparently, he did. Nicks has become a big-play name in a very short time with the Giants. And he plans to seek out Smith after the game. They had actually met once, but only for a brief period. "Not enough to sit down and talk," Nicks said.
Should be quite a show, providing Nicks' tender hamstring allows him to perform. He said he expects to play, and said he had intended to go back in for the second half against Washington. A trainer's decision kept him sidelined, however.
EP
No, not the one that lockers right next to him, the one Nicks calls, "My dog." We're talking about that fast, fleet guy who catches all those touchdown passes for the Panthers. Nicks and Smith have never met, even though Nicks played at the University of North Carolina. But Smith reached out to him when he was drafted, and the two have had a couple of phone conversations after his Carolina teammate, Panthers defensive end Hilee Taylor, hooked them up.
"I was a big fan of Steve Smith in high school, actually," said Nicks, who grew up in Charlotte. "I never met him, but we talked on the phone before. After the draft, he heard in passing that he was my favorite receiver, and he reached out to me because I had a Carolina teammate who went to the Panthers.
"He just gave me some advice after the draft. Just stuff about preparing to go to training camp and staying on top of things. Just normal advice."
Smith said he had no problems reaching out to Nicks.
"Hakeem is from Charlotte and he went to school here and obviously he played up in Raleigh," Smith said. "So I have known about him a lot and I know some people tha
t have had very good things to say about him; he is a high character guy. And so I just kind of reached out to him. I think we talked for about an hour."I just told him the sky is the limit. He has a great opportunity in New York. It is a big market. He has a lot of opportunities to play. They drafted him. His performance – he played down here. The Meineke Bowl was outstanding. Just take that same mentality up there in New York and I think he will be a star. Only time will tell if he listened or not."
Apparently, he did. Nicks has become a big-play name in a very short time with the Giants. And he plans to seek out Smith after the game. They had actually met once, but only for a brief period. "Not enough to sit down and talk," Nicks said.
Should be quite a show, providing Nicks' tender hamstring allows him to perform. He said he expects to play, and said he had intended to go back in for the second half against Washington. A trainer's decision kept him sidelined, however.
EP
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Memories
I'm not really one of those teary guys, except when it comes to babies, puppies, Christmas Eve dinner, pizza, slasher films, and well-pitched baseball games, among other things. I prefer to consider myself a man's man.
But, hey, it's the holiday season, and the Giants will wrap up their era at Giants Stadium Sunday against Carolina. The Giants are printing up 60,000 special programs and charging $1 a throw, the same price programs went for that opening season in 1976. There will be festivities at halftime.
What I want from you -- from now until gametime -- is your favorite top-3 moments from Giants Stadium. You might have only watched it on TV, or maybe you were there. Just share.
I'll start us off.
1. The Painted Mud Speech: One of my favorite moments of all time, any stadium. It was in the moments after the 2000 NFC championship game, a 41-0 romp over Minnesota, that venerable co-owner Wellington Mara stepped to the mike in the middle of the field and basically laid out the broadcasters who spent half a game criticizing the field conditions and the Giants' record. "This team was referred to as the worst team ever to win the home–field advantage in the National Football League," Mara began. "And today, on our field of painted mud, we proved we're the worst team ever to win the NFC championship. In two weeks, we're going to try to become the worst team ever to win the Super Bowl." Pure Wellington. Succinct, polite, yet utterly biting. Too bad Jim Fassel's team couldn't have capped it with a Super Bowl victory.
2. Flipper Anderson: Sorry, guys. But the image of Rams wide receiver Flipper Anderson racing into the end zone and then disappearing into the tunnel, ball held aloft, after his overtime catch in the 1989 divisonal playoff game just sticks with me. I also remember seeing Bill Parcells utterly stunned on the sideline, a rare sight in the two seasons I covered him.
3. Lawrence Taylor: Not my favorite human being, but what a player. I'll take any instance where he chased down a running back from behind, three quarters of the way to the far sideline, after fighting off a block. Stupendous athlete.
EP
But, hey, it's the holiday season, and the Giants will wrap up their era at Giants Stadium Sunday against Carolina. The Giants are printing up 60,000 special programs and charging $1 a throw, the same price programs went for that opening season in 1976. There will be festivities at halftime.
What I want from you -- from now until gametime -- is your favorite top-3 moments from Giants Stadium. You might have only watched it on TV, or maybe you were there. Just share.
I'll start us off.
1. The Painted Mud Speech: One of my favorite moments of all time, any stadium. It was in the moments after the 2000 NFC championship game, a 41-0 romp over Minnesota, that venerable co-owner Wellington Mara stepped to the mike in the middle of the field and basically laid out the broadcasters who spent half a game criticizing the field conditions and the Giants' record. "This team was referred to as the worst team ever to win the home–field advantage in the National Football League," Mara began. "And today, on our field of painted mud, we proved we're the worst team ever to win the NFC championship. In two weeks, we're going to try to become the worst team ever to win the Super Bowl." Pure Wellington. Succinct, polite, yet utterly biting. Too bad Jim Fassel's team couldn't have capped it with a Super Bowl victory.
2. Flipper Anderson: Sorry, guys. But the image of Rams wide receiver Flipper Anderson racing into the end zone and then disappearing into the tunnel, ball held aloft, after his overtime catch in the 1989 divisonal playoff game just sticks with me. I also remember seeing Bill Parcells utterly stunned on the sideline, a rare sight in the two seasons I covered him.
3. Lawrence Taylor: Not my favorite human being, but what a player. I'll take any instance where he chased down a running back from behind, three quarters of the way to the far sideline, after fighting off a block. Stupendous athlete.
EP
Jog-Through Injury List
Tom Coughlin said he wouldn't get a real feel for the status of the injured until tomorrow's first hard practice. But at this afternoon's jog-through, a number of players were either absent entirely or limited.
CB Corey Webster (knee), T Kareem McKenzie (knee), LB Michael Boley (triceps), G Rich Seubert (knee), and RB Ahmad Bradshaw (ankles and foot) did not practice.
CB Aaron Ross (hamstring), WR Hakeem Nicks (hamstring), K Lawrence Tynes (hamstring), QB Eli Manning (foot), LB Chase Blackburn (ribs), S C.C. Brown (hamstring), CB Kevin Dockery (ankle), and LB Jonathan Goff (hamstring/rib) took limited work.
EP
CB Corey Webster (knee), T Kareem McKenzie (knee), LB Michael Boley (triceps), G Rich Seubert (knee), and RB Ahmad Bradshaw (ankles and foot) did not practice.
CB Aaron Ross (hamstring), WR Hakeem Nicks (hamstring), K Lawrence Tynes (hamstring), QB Eli Manning (foot), LB Chase Blackburn (ribs), S C.C. Brown (hamstring), CB Kevin Dockery (ankle), and LB Jonathan Goff (hamstring/rib) took limited work.
EP
More Motivation
As if the Giants needed any more motivation for Carolina, this will be the final Giants home game at Giants Stadium. They open up the new place next season, so if nothing else the Giants will want to end the 34-year era in this building on a winning note.
Here's a video featuring Eli Manning, Justin Tuck, Rich Seubert, and Barry Cofield talking about the significance of the game and their memories of the first time they walked into Giants Stadium.
Tom Coughlin said he wanted to use all means available to ready his team for the task ahead, which is to win out. And that means beating the Panthers Sunday.
"We need everything. Everything that we can possibly use, we will use," Coughlin said.
But looking to close up the Giants' era at Giants Stadium on a good note just adds to the emotions.
"It always means extra motivation," Coughlin said. "It means the opportunity to play in front of our fans one more time in a very significant game. The opportunity for us to utilize the 12th man, if you will.
"I thought our fans have done a really good job, especially on third down situations, as we have come down here through the stretch with divisional opponents. We will need everyone to be involved in the game this weekend as well. If it is the final home game at Giants Stadium, there is a lot of historical significance to that game."
Coughlin remembered his first experiences with Giants Stadium as a Syracuse assistant.
"We can go down memory lane as much as you like. I remember many, many years ago before I ever got involved in professional football. Giants Stadium, I always thought, was the greatest football stadium in the world. It was always an honor, a privilege and an eye-opener to bring a college team, or whatever I was coaching, into that stadium.
"Then of course when I had the opportunity to come here as an assistant coach it was extremely meaningful to me and my family, being from New York state and having always been a fan of and been aware of and watched since the time I was a little guy, black and white TV. Always the Giants and the Browns in those days, that’s what it was."
"First time I ever stepped in? I can remember a couple disappointing ones. I was at Syracuse and we played Penn State here one time and got our butts kicked. I remember lots of things. I remember when I was at B.C. and coming here with the leadership for the Big East community and sitting there in the stadium and doing interviews with people and having some of the Giants players walk by and that was pretty cool. That was kind of neat."
Johnson on IR
Tight end Darcy Johnson, inactive for last week's game, was placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury and replaced by Scott Chandler, a tight end the Giants picked up from the Cowboys' practice squad.
The 6-7, 265-pound Chandler was originally a fourth-round pick of the Chargers in 2007, but has played in only one NFL game.
Johnson never did hit the injury report, but he said a problem with his right shoulder occurred during the Kansas City game. A recent MRI showed more damage than suspected, even though he continued practicing and playing.
Meanwhile, WR Hakeem Nicks said the hamstring injury that kept him out of the second half last week was improved, and he expects to play Sunday. In fact, he said he had intended to return to the game, but was kept on the sideline by the medical staff.
Aaron Ross said an MRI taken yesterday revealed no further damage to the thrice-injured left hamstring that kept him out of the Washington game. But he said "it hasn't gone away" either.
As for RT Kareem McKenzie's sprained left knee, he appeared to be limping slightly today, though he typically said, "I'll make it. I'm all right." And LG Rich Seubert was silent on his injured right knee.
The team will have a jog-through this afternoon, but won't get down to heavy workouts until tomorrow, when the status of all the injured will become clearer.
EP
The 6-7, 265-pound Chandler was originally a fourth-round pick of the Chargers in 2007, but has played in only one NFL game.
Johnson never did hit the injury report, but he said a problem with his right shoulder occurred during the Kansas City game. A recent MRI showed more damage than suspected, even though he continued practicing and playing.
Meanwhile, WR Hakeem Nicks said the hamstring injury that kept him out of the second half last week was improved, and he expects to play Sunday. In fact, he said he had intended to return to the game, but was kept on the sideline by the medical staff.
Aaron Ross said an MRI taken yesterday revealed no further damage to the thrice-injured left hamstring that kept him out of the Washington game. But he said "it hasn't gone away" either.
As for RT Kareem McKenzie's sprained left knee, he appeared to be limping slightly today, though he typically said, "I'll make it. I'm all right." And LG Rich Seubert was silent on his injured right knee.
The team will have a jog-through this afternoon, but won't get down to heavy workouts until tomorrow, when the status of all the injured will become clearer.
EP
Kind of like "A Christmas Story"
You know, the scene in the movie where the teacher reads Ralphie's theme on his desire of a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas and she ecstatically writes A-plus-plus-plus, etc. all over his paper and the blackboard? That's kind of what the Giants' 45-12 win was like. A little gem after eight games of gobbledegook.
Yes, it was only against Washington, a 4-10 team that basically quit after that first 16-play touchdown drive, just like Oakland quit at the end of that five-game winning streak. But Washington had played well of late, up to last night, and the win did keep the Giants' playoff hopes well within reach. And let's face it, when was the last time the Giants put together a team effort like that this year? Answer: A long time ago.
And for those whose answer to all this is, "You'll shoot your eye out, kid," beating Carolina and Minnesota might just shut them up. Unless, of course, Dallas and Green Bay win out and eliminate any playoff possibilites.
"We'll just take them one at a time and try to do the best we can with our circumstance, and then we'll have to see what happens," Tom Coughlin said. "We have to win games. We have to win."
Meanwhile, this report card will do wonders for the GPA.
QUARTERBACK: Eli Manning looked like an All-Pro in waiting with a 19-for-26, 268-yard performance with three touchdowns and no interceptions. He engineered the Giants' first first-possession touchdown since Oakland, and he converted on his first six third-down attempts. Better yet, he scored touchdowns in three of the four trips into the Red Zone. And talk about spreading the ball around, he hit 10 receivers for completions. Great tempo, with a minimum of pre-snap fiddling. An outstanding job. Plus, he set a career high in touchdown passes with his 26th. GRADE: A+.
RUNNING BACKS: Ahmad Bradshaw did a good job running the ball, getting 66 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries. But he looked even better catching those little slip screens, including a 14-yarder on third-and-6 in the opening touchdown drive. He'd catch two more of those. And he made a great blitz pickup to give Manning time on his 45-yard, second-quarter completion to Hakeem Nicks. Brandon Jacobs added 52 yards on 16 carries to the 114-yard overall effort. We're going to dock these guys a point, though, because Jacobs stupidly got caught up in his emotions when he tried to belt out DeAngelo Hall and Albert Haynesworth. The Giants came out of it all right because Jacobs somehow went unpunished. But he put himself at risk not only of injury -- he gave away 84 pounds to the 350-pound Haynesworth -- but of severe league sanctions. Dumb thing to do, especially at this time of year. GRADE: B.
RECEIVERS: When Derek Hagan catches a touchdown pass, you know the offense is having a good night. Mario Manningham didn't have to venture too close to the sideline, so he wound up catching three balls for 44 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown on which he was wide open by five yards. Steve Smith grabbed his sixth touchdown of the year to go along with five catches, bringing his franchise-record total to an even 90. And how about this for diversity. Tight ends Kevin Boss, Travis Beckum, and Bear Pascoe each caught passes. Boss was especially effective with three catches for 57 yards. Nicks continued to forge a big-play rep, as he took one catch for 45 and then fancy-stepped his way around his defender to a 21-yard gain. He even minimized a potentially major loss on a failed end around with some great sideline footwork. The kid's just amazing. GRADE: A.
OFFENSIVE LINE: When Rich Seubert went out with a sprained right knee in the first quarter, it made two spots that were changed in the offensive front. Didn't matter. Boothe did a fine job, aside from the sack he gave up to Haynesworth. But Haynesworth has made a lot of interior linemen look silly. Over at right tackle, second-round rookie Will Beatty produced a winning level of play in place of injured Kareem McKenzie. The line itself did a great job in blocking the run and moving the Redskins' back. The pass protection gave up just two sacks and two other hits on Manning. Some of the evening's best work came at the tackles as Beatty and David Diehl neutralized the pass rush of Andre Carter and Brian Orakpo, who combined for no sacks and just three tackles. GRADE: A.
DEFENSIVE LINE: Who knows what next week holds for this pass rush. But for this game, the front four was awesome in their abusing of quarterback Jason Campbell. They got pressure and sacks, five of them. Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck got sacks from the edges. Barry Cofield and Fred Robbins, both rarely heard from this year, got sacks up the middle. And Mathias Kiwanuka played another of his solid games, making five tackles, one for a loss, and hitting Campbell three times. Given the circumstances, it was the best game the defensive line played all year. Concentrating strictly on passing downs seems to appeal to Umenyiora, who also had three hits on the quarterback in his most active game to date. The run game was a non-factor as Campbell provided the rushing high with 36 yards on two scrambles. GRADE: A.
LINEBACKERS: Jonathan Goff continued to make a great case for handing him the starting middle linebacker's job next season with a sack and two quarterback hits. As badly as that unit has played in the past, he has consistently played hard and added whatever spark there was since taking over the spot against Dallas. Michael Boley had a nice breakup, and Chase Blackburn had a late pick. But for the life of them, they still can't cover the tight end. This time it was Fred Davis, a second-year tight end who should by no means be mistaken for the injured Chris Cooley, who grabbed a team-high five catches for 65 yards and a touchdown. Might as well face it, this unit is always going to be vulnerable to that position. GRADE: B.
SECONDARY: No Corey Webster. No Aaron Ross. No problem. See what a little heat on the quarterback can do? It makes the secondary look that much better. Oh, there were flaws, like that 51-yard hit on the gadget play Rock Cartwright ran, and the 47-yarder where Kevin Dockery chased Santana Moss to the 25. But overall, can't find much fault with that unit. And it always helps when the defense produces a touchdown, as Terrell Thomas did on his 14-yard return of Campbell's pressured and botched screen attempt. It was Thomas' sixth interception of the season. Michael Johnson laid a great hit on Davis, knocking the ball out of his hands at the goal line for an incomplete pass in the waning minutes of the second quarter. And Bruce Johnson did a nice job positioning himself for the interception on that ill-conceived "Swinging Gate" play that wound up the half. GRADE: A.
SPECIAL TEAMS: C.C. Brown proved he's not totally useless to this team, as his one kickoff coverage tackle pinned the Redskins deep in their territory. In fact, the Giants stopped three kickoff returns inside the Washington 20, a nice job by a unit that had given up tons of field position the past nine games. Jeff Feagles knocked a 43-yard punt out of bounds and the coverage team stopped Santana Moss on another inside the 20. Domenik Hixon had a 30-yard return against the league's third-best kickoff return unit. Lawrence Tynes hit his only field goal try, a 38-yarder. GRADE: A.
COACHING: One thing about Coughlin-coached teams, they always know where they stand at each point in the season. He obviously told his troops that they're in a playoff mode now, and the Giants responded accordingly. Much-maligned defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan looked like a genius in calling for blitzes and drops at the right times when it still mattered. Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride did a great job in calling 30 runs, though he could have done with a couple of more to run the clock down at the end of the first half. Can't get out of this without a little criticism, right? But remember, this was the fourth time in five games the offense has gone over 30 points, so Gilbride is doing something right. And, hey, it wasn't a Giants' playcaller who ordered that stupid Swinging Gate play immediately after the Giants called timeout because the Giants had seen that very formation JUST BEFORE THE TIMEOUT! Zorny greenlighted that one, and in two games Dan Snyder will greenlight poor that poor guy out of town. GRADE: A.
You may proceed.
EP
Yes, it was only against Washington, a 4-10 team that basically quit after that first 16-play touchdown drive, just like Oakland quit at the end of that five-game winning streak. But Washington had played well of late, up to last night, and the win did keep the Giants' playoff hopes well within reach. And let's face it, when was the last time the Giants put together a team effort like that this year? Answer: A long time ago.
And for those whose answer to all this is, "You'll shoot your eye out, kid," beating Carolina and Minnesota might just shut them up. Unless, of course, Dallas and Green Bay win out and eliminate any playoff possibilites.
"We'll just take them one at a time and try to do the best we can with our circumstance, and then we'll have to see what happens," Tom Coughlin said. "We have to win games. We have to win."
Meanwhile, this report card will do wonders for the GPA.
QUARTERBACK: Eli Manning looked like an All-Pro in waiting with a 19-for-26, 268-yard performance with three touchdowns and no interceptions. He engineered the Giants' first first-possession touchdown since Oakland, and he converted on his first six third-down attempts. Better yet, he scored touchdowns in three of the four trips into the Red Zone. And talk about spreading the ball around, he hit 10 receivers for completions. Great tempo, with a minimum of pre-snap fiddling. An outstanding job. Plus, he set a career high in touchdown passes with his 26th. GRADE: A+.
RUNNING BACKS: Ahmad Bradshaw did a good job running the ball, getting 66 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries. But he looked even better catching those little slip screens, including a 14-yarder on third-and-6 in the opening touchdown drive. He'd catch two more of those. And he made a great blitz pickup to give Manning time on his 45-yard, second-quarter completion to Hakeem Nicks. Brandon Jacobs added 52 yards on 16 carries to the 114-yard overall effort. We're going to dock these guys a point, though, because Jacobs stupidly got caught up in his emotions when he tried to belt out DeAngelo Hall and Albert Haynesworth. The Giants came out of it all right because Jacobs somehow went unpunished. But he put himself at risk not only of injury -- he gave away 84 pounds to the 350-pound Haynesworth -- but of severe league sanctions. Dumb thing to do, especially at this time of year. GRADE: B.
RECEIVERS: When Derek Hagan catches a touchdown pass, you know the offense is having a good night. Mario Manningham didn't have to venture too close to the sideline, so he wound up catching three balls for 44 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown on which he was wide open by five yards. Steve Smith grabbed his sixth touchdown of the year to go along with five catches, bringing his franchise-record total to an even 90. And how about this for diversity. Tight ends Kevin Boss, Travis Beckum, and Bear Pascoe each caught passes. Boss was especially effective with three catches for 57 yards. Nicks continued to forge a big-play rep, as he took one catch for 45 and then fancy-stepped his way around his defender to a 21-yard gain. He even minimized a potentially major loss on a failed end around with some great sideline footwork. The kid's just amazing. GRADE: A.
OFFENSIVE LINE: When Rich Seubert went out with a sprained right knee in the first quarter, it made two spots that were changed in the offensive front. Didn't matter. Boothe did a fine job, aside from the sack he gave up to Haynesworth. But Haynesworth has made a lot of interior linemen look silly. Over at right tackle, second-round rookie Will Beatty produced a winning level of play in place of injured Kareem McKenzie. The line itself did a great job in blocking the run and moving the Redskins' back. The pass protection gave up just two sacks and two other hits on Manning. Some of the evening's best work came at the tackles as Beatty and David Diehl neutralized the pass rush of Andre Carter and Brian Orakpo, who combined for no sacks and just three tackles. GRADE: A.
DEFENSIVE LINE: Who knows what next week holds for this pass rush. But for this game, the front four was awesome in their abusing of quarterback Jason Campbell. They got pressure and sacks, five of them. Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck got sacks from the edges. Barry Cofield and Fred Robbins, both rarely heard from this year, got sacks up the middle. And Mathias Kiwanuka played another of his solid games, making five tackles, one for a loss, and hitting Campbell three times. Given the circumstances, it was the best game the defensive line played all year. Concentrating strictly on passing downs seems to appeal to Umenyiora, who also had three hits on the quarterback in his most active game to date. The run game was a non-factor as Campbell provided the rushing high with 36 yards on two scrambles. GRADE: A.
LINEBACKERS: Jonathan Goff continued to make a great case for handing him the starting middle linebacker's job next season with a sack and two quarterback hits. As badly as that unit has played in the past, he has consistently played hard and added whatever spark there was since taking over the spot against Dallas. Michael Boley had a nice breakup, and Chase Blackburn had a late pick. But for the life of them, they still can't cover the tight end. This time it was Fred Davis, a second-year tight end who should by no means be mistaken for the injured Chris Cooley, who grabbed a team-high five catches for 65 yards and a touchdown. Might as well face it, this unit is always going to be vulnerable to that position. GRADE: B.
SECONDARY: No Corey Webster. No Aaron Ross. No problem. See what a little heat on the quarterback can do? It makes the secondary look that much better. Oh, there were flaws, like that 51-yard hit on the gadget play Rock Cartwright ran, and the 47-yarder where Kevin Dockery chased Santana Moss to the 25. But overall, can't find much fault with that unit. And it always helps when the defense produces a touchdown, as Terrell Thomas did on his 14-yard return of Campbell's pressured and botched screen attempt. It was Thomas' sixth interception of the season. Michael Johnson laid a great hit on Davis, knocking the ball out of his hands at the goal line for an incomplete pass in the waning minutes of the second quarter. And Bruce Johnson did a nice job positioning himself for the interception on that ill-conceived "Swinging Gate" play that wound up the half. GRADE: A.
SPECIAL TEAMS: C.C. Brown proved he's not totally useless to this team, as his one kickoff coverage tackle pinned the Redskins deep in their territory. In fact, the Giants stopped three kickoff returns inside the Washington 20, a nice job by a unit that had given up tons of field position the past nine games. Jeff Feagles knocked a 43-yard punt out of bounds and the coverage team stopped Santana Moss on another inside the 20. Domenik Hixon had a 30-yard return against the league's third-best kickoff return unit. Lawrence Tynes hit his only field goal try, a 38-yarder. GRADE: A.
COACHING: One thing about Coughlin-coached teams, they always know where they stand at each point in the season. He obviously told his troops that they're in a playoff mode now, and the Giants responded accordingly. Much-maligned defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan looked like a genius in calling for blitzes and drops at the right times when it still mattered. Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride did a great job in calling 30 runs, though he could have done with a couple of more to run the clock down at the end of the first half. Can't get out of this without a little criticism, right? But remember, this was the fourth time in five games the offense has gone over 30 points, so Gilbride is doing something right. And, hey, it wasn't a Giants' playcaller who ordered that stupid Swinging Gate play immediately after the Giants called timeout because the Giants had seen that very formation JUST BEFORE THE TIMEOUT! Zorny greenlighted that one, and in two games Dan Snyder will greenlight poor that poor guy out of town. GRADE: A.
You may proceed.
EP
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Not Happy With Jacobs
Just got off the conference call with Tom Coughlin. He reports that he has yet to hear anything from the NFL regarding the status of Brandon Jacobs.
No news may truly be good news. If the Giants are lucky, Jacobs will get off with a heavy fine for essentially starting the melee during which he threw punches at both DeAngelo Hall and Albert Haynesworth and went unpunished for it. The league had not notified of Coughlin as of about 3:15 this afternoon of any suspension of Jacobs. But that doesn't mean it can't come down later tonight.
"We review all incidents of fighting," said league spokesman Greg Aiello. "But I haven't heard of any suspensions."
It may be that Jacobs will only be fined. Trent Cole of the Eagles and Giants center Shaun O'Hara were fined $15,000 each for their altercation last week, but neither was suspended. And Cowboys tackle Flozell Adams has been kept infamously employed despite repeated flagrant personal fouls. Given the time of the season and the importance of the games, it would be a surprise if Jacobs were to receive a suspension.
Still, Coughlin was not particularly happy with his running back's extra-curricular activities.
"I don't make those calls," Coughlin said. "I'm not going to speculate on that. Quite frankly, the play was on the other side of the field and a lot of people rallied and got over there, which is something we don't want.
"We specifically preach against anything of that nature, which would hurt the team and put us in a bad situation."
Instead, the personal foul call against Haynesworth wiped out a third-down sack in the fourth quarter and led to the touchdown that made the score 45-12.
"By and large, you get involved in those type of things, there are repercussions and penalties, and it does not help your team at all," Coughlin said.
In injury news, Coughlin said he'd have to wait until tomorrow to find out how severe G Rich Seubert's knee and WR Hakeem Nicks' hamstring injuries are. They will have a jog-through in the afternoon to install their first and second down packages for Carolina. Whether those players make it will tell a lot about their availability for Sunday.
"These things are going to take a while," Coughlin said. "We've got some guys who are sore and banged up, but who's going to be able to practice and who isn't, we're going to have to give it that extra day. There probably won't be a lot said about that until Thursday."
CB Aaron Ross was scheduled for an MRI on his aching left hamstring today, the results of which are pending. Also up in the air is the status of T Kareem McKenzie's knee that kept him inactive.
EP
"I won't know any of that before you know it,"
No news may truly be good news. If the Giants are lucky, Jacobs will get off with a heavy fine for essentially starting the melee during which he threw punches at both DeAngelo Hall and Albert Haynesworth and went unpunished for it. The league had not notified of Coughlin as of about 3:15 this afternoon of any suspension of Jacobs. But that doesn't mean it can't come down later tonight.
"We review all incidents of fighting," said league spokesman Greg Aiello. "But I haven't heard of any suspensions."
It may be that Jacobs will only be fined. Trent Cole of the Eagles and Giants center Shaun O'Hara were fined $15,000 each for their altercation last week, but neither was suspended. And Cowboys tackle Flozell Adams has been kept infamously employed despite repeated flagrant personal fouls. Given the time of the season and the importance of the games, it would be a surprise if Jacobs were to receive a suspension.
Still, Coughlin was not particularly happy with his running back's extra-curricular activities.
"I don't make those calls," Coughlin said. "I'm not going to speculate on that. Quite frankly, the play was on the other side of the field and a lot of people rallied and got over there, which is something we don't want.
"We specifically preach against anything of that nature, which would hurt the team and put us in a bad situation."
Instead, the personal foul call against Haynesworth wiped out a third-down sack in the fourth quarter and led to the touchdown that made the score 45-12.
"By and large, you get involved in those type of things, there are repercussions and penalties, and it does not help your team at all," Coughlin said.
In injury news, Coughlin said he'd have to wait until tomorrow to find out how severe G Rich Seubert's knee and WR Hakeem Nicks' hamstring injuries are. They will have a jog-through in the afternoon to install their first and second down packages for Carolina. Whether those players make it will tell a lot about their availability for Sunday.
"These things are going to take a while," Coughlin said. "We've got some guys who are sore and banged up, but who's going to be able to practice and who isn't, we're going to have to give it that extra day. There probably won't be a lot said about that until Thursday."
CB Aaron Ross was scheduled for an MRI on his aching left hamstring today, the results of which are pending. Also up in the air is the status of T Kareem McKenzie's knee that kept him inactive.
EP
"I won't know any of that before you know it,"
Game 14 Summary
Don't think it's cynical at all to wonder where in the world performances like that have been the past nine games. It wasn't since Oakland on Oct. 11 that the Giants have so dominated a team as they did in their 45-12 victory over Washington. And it couldn't have come at a better time.
The Giants looked at that game with all the intensity of a playoff game, as well they should. The win enabled them to remain within spitting distance of a playoff berth. Dallas or Green Bay still has to lose a game, and the Giants have to beat Carolina and Minnesota. But they're still very much in the hunt.
And they stayed in there by putting up their biggest points total as a visitor since they laid out the Redskins with 51 points in 1954, a span of 55 years. Eli Manning continued a three-game run of big-number passing, and the patchwork defense inflicted such punishment on Jason Campbell that he was left damaged mentally and physically by game's end.
Here's the complete stats package for you. And here's Mike Eisen's notes from Giants.com.
BIG PLAYS:
On the Giants' second third-down situation, Ahmad Bradshaw ran with a slip-screen 14 yards for the first down. That play, coming in the middle of a 16-play, 80-yard touchdown drive that marked the first first-possession touchdown since Oakland, would work all night, and Bradshaw would catch three of those for 29 yards.
On third-and-five on the Redskins' first possession, Justin Tuck charged up the middle and dumped Campbell for loss. It marked the first of five sacks on the quarterback by a rejuvenated pass rush.
On the final play of an 11-play touchdown drive, Bradshaw took the ball from three yards out and followed an excellent block by left guard Kevin Boothe, who had replaced an injured Rich Seubert on the opening drive, for his first of two touchdowns and a 14-0 lead.
Hakeem Nicks took a quick pass as the Redskins blitzed, made a backward step to elude a tackler, and raced 45 yards to the Washington 7 to set up Steve Smith's seven-yard touchdown catch and a 24-0 lead.
Undrafted rookie corner Bruce Johnson wound up in the middle of a cluster of players to grab holder Hunter Smith's dying duck off a fake field goal and returned it to the 45 as the first half expired to keep the Redskins scoreless. Washington had shifted into the "swinging gate" formation to try the pass.
THE VETS:
Eli Manning: He went 19-of-26 for 268 yards and three touchdowns and no interceptions, making good decisions all along the way.
Kevin Boss: His 35-yard completion that set up the touchdown throw to Derek Hagan showed how smart he was in using all his resources, including an official that acted as a shield as Brian Orakpo pursued him.
Terrell Thomas: He made his fifth interception of the season, bringing it back 14 yards for a touchdown and a 38-6 lead.
Kevin Boothe: He did an excellent job making up for the loss of Rich Seubert in the first quarter. He sprang Ahmad Bradshaw on several good runs and was overall solid in the middle.
Fred Robbins: The demoted defensive tackle had his first sack in four games.
Steve Smith: The wide receiver jumped his franchise-record reception total to 90 with five catches for 40 yards and a touchdown, his sixth of the season, tying him with Nicks for the team lead.
THE KIDS:
Will Beatty: The second-round tackle did a sound, solid job in his second start for the injured Kareem McKenzie. Best of all, he got right in the fray when Brandon Jacobs and DeAngelo Hall went after each other.
Hakeem Nicks: Before he went out of the game, he made quite a contribution with two catches for 66 yards, including that 45-yarder. Even on his 21-yarder, he made a nice move around a defender to get the extra yardage.
THE UGLY STUFF:
Not a whole lot of that. You can get nit-picky and talk about how Haynesworth blew past Boothe for a second-quarter sack. But he recovered nicely. Or you can talk about Lawrence Tynes' inconsistent kickoffs, which never mattered in this game, anyway.
There were a couple of big plays the secondary shouldn't have given up in the second half, like Rock Cartwright's 51-yarder on a counter pass, and Kevin Gilbride's failure to run the clock at the end of the first half, allowing the Redskins to take over with 1:02 left and move into scoring position. Only the "swinging gate" fiasco saved the Giants from a late, possibly momentum-changing field goal.
THE BUMPS:
LG Rich Seubert sprained his left knee in the first quarter and did not return.
WR Hakeem Nicks strained a hamstring in the second quarter and did not return.
LB Michael Boley hurt his finger in the fourth quarter and returned.
The Giants looked at that game with all the intensity of a playoff game, as well they should. The win enabled them to remain within spitting distance of a playoff berth. Dallas or Green Bay still has to lose a game, and the Giants have to beat Carolina and Minnesota. But they're still very much in the hunt.
And they stayed in there by putting up their biggest points total as a visitor since they laid out the Redskins with 51 points in 1954, a span of 55 years. Eli Manning continued a three-game run of big-number passing, and the patchwork defense inflicted such punishment on Jason Campbell that he was left damaged mentally and physically by game's end.
Here's the complete stats package for you. And here's Mike Eisen's notes from Giants.com.
BIG PLAYS:
On the Giants' second third-down situation, Ahmad Bradshaw ran with a slip-screen 14 yards for the first down. That play, coming in the middle of a 16-play, 80-yard touchdown drive that marked the first first-possession touchdown since Oakland, would work all night, and Bradshaw would catch three of those for 29 yards.
On third-and-five on the Redskins' first possession, Justin Tuck charged up the middle and dumped Campbell for loss. It marked the first of five sacks on the quarterback by a rejuvenated pass rush.
On the final play of an 11-play touchdown drive, Bradshaw took the ball from three yards out and followed an excellent block by left guard Kevin Boothe, who had replaced an injured Rich Seubert on the opening drive, for his first of two touchdowns and a 14-0 lead.
Hakeem Nicks took a quick pass as the Redskins blitzed, made a backward step to elude a tackler, and raced 45 yards to the Washington 7 to set up Steve Smith's seven-yard touchdown catch and a 24-0 lead.
Undrafted rookie corner Bruce Johnson wound up in the middle of a cluster of players to grab holder Hunter Smith's dying duck off a fake field goal and returned it to the 45 as the first half expired to keep the Redskins scoreless. Washington had shifted into the "swinging gate" formation to try the pass.
THE VETS:
Eli Manning: He went 19-of-26 for 268 yards and three touchdowns and no interceptions, making good decisions all along the way.
Kevin Boss: His 35-yard completion that set up the touchdown throw to Derek Hagan showed how smart he was in using all his resources, including an official that acted as a shield as Brian Orakpo pursued him.
Terrell Thomas: He made his fifth interception of the season, bringing it back 14 yards for a touchdown and a 38-6 lead.
Kevin Boothe: He did an excellent job making up for the loss of Rich Seubert in the first quarter. He sprang Ahmad Bradshaw on several good runs and was overall solid in the middle.
Fred Robbins: The demoted defensive tackle had his first sack in four games.
Steve Smith: The wide receiver jumped his franchise-record reception total to 90 with five catches for 40 yards and a touchdown, his sixth of the season, tying him with Nicks for the team lead.
THE KIDS:
Will Beatty: The second-round tackle did a sound, solid job in his second start for the injured Kareem McKenzie. Best of all, he got right in the fray when Brandon Jacobs and DeAngelo Hall went after each other.
Hakeem Nicks: Before he went out of the game, he made quite a contribution with two catches for 66 yards, including that 45-yarder. Even on his 21-yarder, he made a nice move around a defender to get the extra yardage.
THE UGLY STUFF:
Not a whole lot of that. You can get nit-picky and talk about how Haynesworth blew past Boothe for a second-quarter sack. But he recovered nicely. Or you can talk about Lawrence Tynes' inconsistent kickoffs, which never mattered in this game, anyway.
There were a couple of big plays the secondary shouldn't have given up in the second half, like Rock Cartwright's 51-yarder on a counter pass, and Kevin Gilbride's failure to run the clock at the end of the first half, allowing the Redskins to take over with 1:02 left and move into scoring position. Only the "swinging gate" fiasco saved the Giants from a late, possibly momentum-changing field goal.
THE BUMPS:
LG Rich Seubert sprained his left knee in the first quarter and did not return.
WR Hakeem Nicks strained a hamstring in the second quarter and did not return.
LB Michael Boley hurt his finger in the fourth quarter and returned.
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