NYG vs NO Recap

The Dogs Came Out to Play

The Giants knew the pressure was on after hearing/seeing the Skins and Cowboys pulling out wins in the final seconds of their games. 

A couple days after the loss to the Redskins, Antrel Rolle came out saying the Giants defense needed to be "nasty" and "get a little bit more dog" in them. The secondary responded. 'Trel himself came out and forced a fumble while recovering another, also lined up over Graham in the slot and tipped the the pass intended for him creating one of Stevie's INTs. Stevie Brown ended up with 2 INTs, his 6th and 7th of the season  and his return yards put him at 259, a new franchise record. Previous record was 251, set in 1949 + 1961. My boy Will Hill came out to play as well! Kid forced a fumble with a big hit on Colston, was everywhere on kick coverage, and absolutely destroyed Elbert Mack on Jernigan's 60 yard kick return. Who's Elbert Mack? He plays the slot on defense, he was held out after the hit and was not on the field for Cruz's TD.

What I say about Jimmy Graham? You'd see a lot of Jacquain on him, maybe some Rolle in the slot, with Will Hill mixed in. We got all 3. Graham was held to just 2 catches for 9 yards in the first half. He finished 5 for 56 and 0 on 10 targets. Only catching half of the balls thrown his way is the result of the effort put forth by the defense. All 3 cover guys played him well, wherever he was lined up. Both of Stevie's INTs were on passes thrown to Graham.

Why is it so hard for the defensive line to play consistently? 1 sack by Osi is not going to be enough down the stretch and into the playoffs. Brees still torched the defense for 354 yards. If you do not get to the QB you will not win in this league. Lucky Eli & Co. helped out.

Now to the biggest story of the week. DAVID WILSON. It is ridiculous how I stated in the preview that maybe if I don't say he is going to break out, he finally will. Boy did he ever. I mentioned how Dominik Hixon put up the franchise record for total yards last year against the Saints, well Wilson did it this year. 327 all-purpose yards, 227 of them on kickoff returns and another 100 rushing. Not only did he show his speed, he showed some power as well with the goal line plunge, and taking Vilma out of the game on a separate run. As I also stated in the preview, a back with Wilson's speed can take advantage of the weak outside run defense, and his 52 yard TD on a sweep proved my point.

It is so nice to have a threat like Wilson on kick returns as well. Literally every time he catches the ball, he can go the distance. Finally got his first TD, a 97 yarder. That's the first kick return TD since Hixon ran one in from 74 yards away in 2007. Wanna pop up kick it? That's okay we have Jernigan there to take it 60 yards. It will be interesting to see how the Giants balance out the kick return duties for Wilson. If he is slated to get more carries on offense, will they start to pull the reigns a little on kick return? I think he will be fine doing both with Bradshaw still getting the lions share of the carries. Stat: Wilson and MJD the only guys since the merger with 2 rushing TDs and a KR TD in a game. Also, Wilson is the first player in NFL history with at least 200 kickoff return yards and 100 rushing yards in the same game

Overall great special teams day besides Tynes missing the FG. Franchise record for kick return yards at 287, previous was 274 put up against the skins in 1966. When Weatherford had to punt, they were all inside the 20. Sproles, usually a very dangerous return man was held to 5 PR yards on 2 tries. Hixon was put on PR duty like I said would happen. 

 Eli had two miserable INTs, one taken back to the house. However 259 and 4 is perfectly fine with me, as long as we win. Nicks looked good. Not great, but good. Cruz with 8 for 121 and 1 puts him over 1,000 yards in back to back seasons. People were calling him a one year wonder, but he continues to produce. No drops vs the Saints. Consistent play from him and the rest of the receiving corps will determine how far this team goes. 

Rueben Randle had 1 offensive play. Jernigan and Ramses Barden got in more than he did. Also taken off of punt return. Something to look into? Never can be sure with this coaching staff. 

After the game, Rolle tweeted, "Who let the dogs out??? Roof roof roof. NYGiants let the dogs out and they will be out until Feb." Lets hope its true, because the dogs made this game the most fun to watch all season.

EXTRA: Brandon Jacobs suspended from the 49ers for the last 3 games of the season. He has been very frustrated with his playing time in SanFran and was not released because it is so late in the season and they do not want to risk him going back to the Giants with their injuries at RB and hurting them in the playoffs. Also, Prince got banged up, hurt his hammy a little. Michael Coe who was released by the Giants, and signed by the Dolphins was just cut by Miami. A Coe reunion is possible.

UPDATE: Never mind, Giants were not allowed to put a claim on Coe because of IR rules. Picked up by Cowboys, interesting. 

NYG vs NO Preview

The Start of a Must Win Streak

Are the last 4 games of the season absolute must wins? No, but have a look at the schedule comparison between the Giants, Skins, and Boys. It is going to be hard for the Skins to lose. Cowboys, who knows what they are going to do any given week. Bottom line, when the pressure is on the Giants, they usually come up with diamonds.

Giants got manhandled last year against the Saints in the Superdome. 49-24, and to be fully honest it felt like 49-7. They were up 21-3 at the half. Boley was out for the game. Osi ended up getting hurt during. Perry Fewell has stated, “they kicked the shit out of us.” It's true. Everybody knows it. Time to get some vengeance.

The one positive about facing the Saints,  they aren't the Redskins. What I mean by that is, no triple option stuff. Just a very good pass heavy offense. Kenny Phillips being doubtful hurts. Yes he was doubtful before the Skins game but he did not look good during the loss and all signs point to him sitting this one out. With Sash out as well, look out for number 31. Will Hill. Kid is an athlete that we need on the field against all the weapons the Saints have. Another huge relief is the fact that Jacquain is back. The man has been out since week 6 after spraining his PCL. When healthy, he can be the best athlete the Giants have. Put him out there as a hybrid safety/backer role. 

Stop Jimmy Graham. Bottom line. 84 yards with 2 TDs in last years contest. The guy is a beast coming in at 6'7" 265. You can maybe throw Rolle on him when he lines up in the slot, or have Jacquain shadow him all game. Williams is not as big but has some size to pair with his athleticism. At 6'3" 224, he may be the best chance we've got.

The Saints passing game is not the only thing to worry about. Although they 27th in the league in rushing, their four running back attack has averaged nearly 120 yards in the last five games. Pierre Thomas, Darren Sproles, and Mark Ingram know how soft the Giants defense looked while they let the Skins put up 200 rushing yards on them, and will try to do the same. Chris Ivory, the 4th running back is doubtful. As a Giants defender, you cannot sit on your heals waiting for the pass or they will pound it right through you on the ground. 

Another good thing, even though they held Atlanta to only 283 yards, the Saints are the leagues worst defense YPG wise.  Hidden fact is that Spags, the Giants D coordinator before Fewell is now the Saints DC. Knows tendencies. Knows more than other opposing DCs. Saints are dead last in rush defense. Apparently, they are terrible containing outside runs. Speed backs have no problem getting to the outside and taking it up field. I'm tired of saying David Wilson is going to break out, so maybe the week I don't, he finally will. Bradshaw is quick enough to get to the outside, but a back with even more speed should be able to take advantage.

Nicks knee has flared up again and if he plays, he will be hurt. Saints are 30th in the NFL in pass defense. Bennett had a solid game last week, look for him to continue the trend into this week. Cruz is Cruz, drops drive killing balls, still puts up 100 yards. With Locklear out, Diehl is back in. They will need help over on the right side, Eli will have to be careful, but he should continue his upward trend.

Look for Hixon to have a PR/KR role. Maybe its because he put up a franchise record 303 total yards against the Saints. Maybe it's because they want to rest Rueben and Wilson a little with their expanded roles in the offense. 

Backs against the wall. Need the win before the road trip to Atlanta and Baltimore. Lose, and there is a big chance we are not 1st place in the NFC East. Must Win.

NYG vs WAS Recap

All too Familiar

Well there you have it, our backs are now, once again, against the wall. Lost 3 of 4. Coughlin is preaching we win out, and I do not disagree. We have a 1 game lead on the Skins and Boys. Next 3 games we have the Saints, Falcons, and Ravens. Skins have Ravens, Browns, Eagles. Boys have Bengals, Steelers, Saints. Take a look guys. Skins could easily come away with this division. Although the Saints have had a poor season, they are always an extremely dangerous team, I still cant get the image of last years game against the Saints out of my head. The other two opponents speak for themselves. Skins have a more favorable schedule. That's the way the cookie crumbles I guess.

Now to the game. I hate saying that we gave a win to a team, but we handed the Redskins this victory. 9 penalties for over 70 yards. 2 holds on kickoffs by Cordle making us start inside the 10. A 4th quarter hold on Beatty negating a Bennett first down on a crucial drive. Missing a field goal which included an awful snap (Tynes says miss was on him anyway).

I mean look at their one touchdown. Stevie strips RG3 while he is going down and it pops right into the pitch man's hands at practically full stride. To me, the defense did all it could do.

This pistol option bullshit fucking offense is the worst thing that can happen to this league. I know I am not alone on this, but it is just boring to watch. Same movements every play. Turn to hand the ball off, actually hand it off, or don't. Defense then has to guess if its a hand off or play action. That's it. It belongs in college, where quarterbacks don't have to be real quarterbacks and all they need is speed. However, I have a feeling if we had a healthy Jacquain, he would have made a difference. He is probably our fastest linebacker. Chase is just SO slow. Great hustle on the forced fumble, but he is too slow. 

There was one Killdrive play call in this game, after the Beatty hold that had me absolutely furious. 3rd and 20, late in the game, need a manageable 4th down conversion. The Giants run a screen pass that gets 4 yards. Let's look at what else we have to play with. Eli Manning, top 5 QBs in the league,  loves 4th quarter comebacks. Hakeem Nicks/Victor Cruz arguably the best receiver duo in the NFL. Martellus Bennett, having a very solid game up to this point. But no, a screen pass, and we punt. Good call.

With all that being said, we still could have had a chance at the end of the game if we could make a stop. Alfred Morris decided he was not going to let that happen and his tree trunks for legs barreled through the arm tackles. Unfortunate.

Eli had a few missed deep throws, but other than that, a pretty good game. The Black Unicorn came to play. With all the skill we have on the offensive side of the ball, 16 points will not fucking cut it.

Skins run defense being 3rd in the league definitely bottled up David Wilson a little bit. His time will come. 

Cedric Griffin was suspended Monday for performance enhancing substances. Wish it was before the 

game. 

Interesting to see Kregg Lumpkin get in the game. Granted his two plays on offense had him running an out pattern out of the backfield. Like I said in the post about signing him, he can catch a few out of the backfield. Something to keep an eye on. 

Worst news is the Locklear injury. Seeing that knee bend the way it did was devastating. Out for the year. Coughlin was pretty upset about it, would not go into further detail, just saying its a knee injury that requires surgery. Looks like we are stuck with Diehl who has a shoulder/neck issue and sucks to begin with.

Bottom line, win the next 4 to finish the season. Backs against the wall. Rolle is calling for more intensity on defense, did the same thing last year before the Saints game, we all know what happened in that one.

NYG vs WAS Preview

Can He Be Stopped

Here's the deal, RGII is an absolute beast. In his past two games, RGIII has had 4+ TD passes and a 146.2 rating. Realize though, these are not the numbers he put up against the Giants. He dropped 258 for 2 and 1int when they played at Metlife. There's one way to stop this, a pass rush. Our D-line needs to play like they did against the Packers every week until the Monday after the Super Bowl. You pressure RGIII and keep him contained, he doesn't have time to scramble around, and find the deep threat.

Speaking of deep threats, the Skins didn't even have Pierre Garcon for the Giants game in October. Against the Cowboys, he had 4 receptions for 86 and 1. That's an average of 21.5 yards per catch. Guy is pure speed. Can Corey keep up? Lock the more physical corner, Prince on him? Get physical with him at the line, he can be stopped.

That 3 safety look from last week, with Rolle covering the slot is in jeopardy. While stating all week long that he will be fine for the game, Phillips is now ruled doubtful for Monday night. Does Fewell trust Hill in the safety spot enough so that he can bring Rolle down? That look is nice, it only needs 2 linebackers, bringing Kiwi down to the line, a spot that he feels the most comfortable at.

However, RGIII can be taken out of the equation if Alfred Morris goes off. Morris rushed for 120 yards last time out against the Giants. Luckily he didn't have a touchdown and lost a fumble. Helped us win.

Talking about that win, we were 1:13 away from losing that game. If it wasn't for a blown coverage and a perfect read by Cruz and Eli, the NFC East would have a very different picture.

DeAngelo Hall still stands by his "Rocket Scientist"quote from after that game. Giants say they will not use it as fuel, but I see Eli going after him again and again. Last meeting Eli threw for a respectable 337 yards but only that last minute TD and 2 Int. He looked MUCH better last week, hope to see it carry over to this game against a terrible Skins secondary.

Diehl and Baas are still both hurt on the OLine, barely practiced. I do not care if Diehl plays or not. Baas is a bigger deal. Too much shuffling around of lineman if Baas can't go.

Will this be David Wilson's breakout game? Guy is finally getting his shot with Andre done. Has something to prove and should be running with a chip on his shoulder. Coaching staff hasn't given him any respect, needs to take that anger out on the Skins.

Nicks looked much better last week; let’s see it carry over to this game. They threw multiple end zone fades to Nicks against GB. A healthy Nicks would have gotten them, but apparently he is not there. Gotta see Rueben Randle continue what he’s been doing, Hixon is still a little banged up with the ankle.

Rattle RGIII a little bit and we get the victory. FedEx Field is going to be loud Monday night. Eli should silence the crowd and put the Giants ahead for good in the NFC East.

Giants Grab Two RBs

A Little Depth, or Something More?

Sideways blog today I guess.

With Andre Brown going down with a broken leg, Da'Rel Scott already on the IR, and D.J. Ware in Tampa, the Giants needed to add some depth. Even before the Brown injury, they were working out a group of veteran running backs just in case Bradshaw wasn't healthy enough to go, and good thing they did. Apparently, they have decided that Ryan Torain and Kregg Lumpkin. 

To be honest, I've never heard of Lumpkin. Interesting thing is, he played at Georgia and got hurt, making way for D.J. Ware. Lumpy has not played a down yet this season but during his 2 year time in Tampa he  had 33 carries for 124 yards and 45 receptions for 325 yards. Sounds like the guy can catch a few out of the backfield, always a good thing. Apparently will be used primarily as Brown's replacement in kick coverage unless something whacky happens.

Now Ryan Torain. I really liked Torain's running ability back in 2010 when he racked up 742 and 4 on 164 carries. Last year, he broke his hand in training camp and was never the same.  With Shanahan's system at running back, if you are not consistent you do not play, so he was a goner. I can see Torain getting those goal line touches that Andre was getting. There is no reason to bang a fragile back like Bradshaw down near the goal line if you don't have to. We have the Skins coming up Monday night, could Torain get some reps to show the Skins what they let go?

To make room, the Giants terminated the practice squad contract of running back Joe Martinek, and Selvish Capers was released. If Capers clears waivers, he'll probably rejoin the team on the practice squad.

Bottom line, Tom Coughlin has stated it's time for David Wilson to prove himself. I have an infatuation with speed and that is why I love Wilson so much. Just waiting for that big game.

NYG vs GB Recap

Big Win Comes With A Big Loss

Great win tonight. Defense played great, Eli was throwing darts all over the field, but we may have lost a key player for a while due to injury.

Andre Brown broke his fibula late in the game, Coughlin himself said the injury takes a lot from the win. The guy is an absolute workhorse out of the backfield. Perfect for goal line carries, barely ever goes down on first contact. His loss opens the door for David Wilson who got some reps at the end, garbage time no doubt, but nice to see him get reps.

Mentioned Rodgers being sacked the most out of any QB in the league going down 32 times this season, add another 5 onto that. The D-Line came to play tonight. The NASCAR package gave the GB line fits all night. Kiwi got in there multiple times, Rodgers was never settled in the pocket. Osi with the strip sack was huge. Saw a lot of press on the outside, Antrel being physical with Cobb all night in the slot.

That 3 safety look was nice as well. saw some 4 safety looks with Hill in there with the core 3. Knew Fewell would take advantage of this extra week. Kenny has a bruised meniscus on that same knee that has been bothering him. However, he said he feels alright and would have gone back in if the game was closer.

Corey Webster gave up that huge play to Nelson in the beginning but after that seemed to be okay. I would be interested to see how many big plays he has given up this year, guy needs to be a lot more consistent.

No Clay Matthews in there helped greatly as Eli had all day to throw. No Woodson or Shields is practically an early Christmas gift for Eli and the gang. The Cruz drop in the beginning had me questioning his toughness yet again, footsteps seemed to have rattled him. After that though, he was the Cruz we know.

Nicks looked close to 100%. Some plays he could have put more effort into but 5 for 77 and 1 is just fine with me. 

Eli Manning, just slide man. I love to see the toughness out of a QB but we have seem time after time Eli fumbling trying to dive for extra yards. Lowering the shoulder is not Eli's forte. Huge night through the air though 249 and 3 looks like the Superbowl MVP Eli.

It's interesting, a fully healthy Bradshaw scores on that screen play.  But again, 58 and 1 is fine as long as the passing game is going. Brown with 64 and 1 will be greatly missed.

Coaches love Rueben Randle, and I have started to see why. Kid has got some skills out there. That hook he ran then broke a few tackles, a few jukes thrown in, fun to watch and will be huge down the stretch.

Again, with Eli having a clear head on his shoulders, and the defense playing up to their potential, this is a scary team. We can not get too cocky with this W though. We have RG3 next and he may be the scariest QB we play all year. Beat him the first time around, gotta do it again.

 PS - A fan fell out of the stands into the tunnel while the Giants were going to the locker room. Apparently the Black Unicorn caught him. Bennett is fine, fan was dragged out.

NYG vs GB Preview

Must Stop Angry Aaron

You gotta know that Rodgers is gonna come into Metlife all pissy about the NFC Championship Game last year. How bad they looked when receivers were dropping balls left and right. He's smelling blood in the awful secondary the Giants have. But that doesn't matter.

Osi is looking for more 3 step drops from AR12, and so am I. He doesn't want to get planted. How to counter this? Press. Press. Press. Fewell had a whole extra week to prepare for Rodgers. He has been sacked more times than any other QB this season (32). Reason for this? Not making stupid Eli mistakes and just taking the sack. Press coverage on the outside, send stunts, blitzes, anything to get him out of his comfort zone. Rodgers is also a duel threat, the guy can run around. Keeping him in the pocket is a huge deal as well.

Nice little stat: Rodgers in 2 regular season games vs Giants 773 passing yards, 8 TDs and 1 INT for 121.2 rating. 

Stop Randall Cobb is what everyone is saying, a threat as a receiver and returner. Jennings says hes ready to go, but who knows.  Watch out for Finley. Hes a great athlete and our linebackers are not the quickest especially since Jacquian is out AGAIN.

Our secondary is bad, and everyone knows it, but have you looked at the Packers secondary recently? The Packers defense is 21st against the pass (244.4 per game), and has given up 43 plays of 20 yards or more. Not to mention both Sam Shields, Charles Woodson, and Clay Matthews are all out. 

Is this finally the week Kenny Phillips comes back?  He's questionable as of right now. We need all the speed in the secondary that we can get. He not only brings skill, but emotion back to the group. Again, Fewell has had 2 weeks to put in a 3 or 4 safety look. 

Eli needs to stop with this time warp back to the beginning of his career. He has looked retarded recently. The increase in defensive pressure could attribute to this, but again just go down, take a sack. Nicks should be healthy with that extra rest. Cruz is a big play guy, and like I stated above, the Packers like to give those up. With Shields and Woodson out, it leaves the Pack with corners that are barely 6 feet tall, if that. Send in Ramses, the man is 6'6", throw em' high. 

Ahmad Bradshaw is still barely practicing. Still not helping him with timing for hitting holes. Still not helping the team. If the carries do not go at least 60-40 Browns way, there is a problem. Also think about this, what if the Giants bring out Wilson this week in some sort of different package. Like what the Dolphins did that year they brought out the Wildcat against the Pats. Not saying be that extreme with it, but give him a significant role.

Bottom line, the only way we win this game is if Eli has his head on straight. Good decisions, take your time, we get a victory, Giants always play up to their competition.

Bye Week

Oh How We Needed You

You know, normally I would be upset about having a bye week. No Giants football is usually one of the worst times of the year, but not this week. This team is in a skid. It is not just Eli, it's Cruz dropping balls, Bradshaw fumbling, Diehl letting defensive ends run through him like water. That's just the offense.  Defense is banged up. No Kenny. No Jacquian to cover the tight end. Corey Webster giving up on plays. Justin Tuck saying hes healthy but having a miserable year. Time to regroup.

Losing in November is the Giants forte. We start off strong, lose at least 2 of 4 games in the middle, and then have to finish on fire. Luckily, we have been blessed with the terrible play from the rest of the NFC East. Rest of the schedule looks like this (home games in bold) Packers, Skins, Saints, Falcons, Ravens, Eagles.

To be honest I am worried about every single one of those games. I would almost feel more comfortable with playing the Packers and the Saints away from home. The Giants love Lambeau, and with everyone against them in 'Nawlins, they would play strong. I'm afraid of the Falcons home or away. They want payback in a bad way after the Giants held them to 3 POINTS in last years playoff game. Big plays have killed the Giants all year and the Falcons have one of the best, if not THE BEST receiver duo in the league. Ravens have a banged up D. Ray Rice, and Torrey Smith are manageable. Eagles/Skins are divisional match ups. Anything goes, records and past results are thrown out the window.

We have this bye however to fix things. Tom has time to seriously think about starting Locklear over Diehl. 6 of the Giants 13 sacks given up this year have come since week 9 when they put Diehl back in the starting spot. Nicks has time to get to 100% which he has NOT been playing at. Fewell should be getting a healthy Kenny back and MAYBE a Jacquian. This gives him the ability to draft up that 3 safety look. When I was in a live chat with Jenny Ventras, the Giants beat writer for the Star-Ledger, she said that the secondary coach also hinted at a 4 safety look with Will Hill thrown on the field with Brown, Kenny, and Rolle. We need all the speed and coverage we can get against the Packers. Should be interesting to keep an eye on.

Do you remember Ahmad Bradshaw's rookie year? He started to play later on in the season, as a change of pace back. Completing the "Earth, Wind, Fire" trio. What also happened that year was a Super Bowl victory. I know the Giants just brought in a bunch of running backs to work out, but we have 2 good healthy backs on the roster already. Obviously Bradshaw is more hurt than what was coming across. Now going for tests on his neck. I have faith in this coaching staff to get David Wilson more involved in this offense, especially towards the end of the year. Fresh legs are always a good thing, especially with his speed.

Great time for a bye, and with news permitting, I'll talk to you next week before the Packers.

NYG vs CIN Recap

November Woes Continue

The Giants really love November. Not even gonna look up the numbers but they have had countless seasons under Coughlin starting off hot and doing miserable in the 4 middle games. 2 of those years have a Superbowl win at the end of them so I am not too worried about it.

There is one thing I am worried about though, the coaching staff. I know every year it seems people want Coughlin out, and that is not at all what I am asking. What I am asking, is for him to get his head out of his ass. David Diehl is a cancer to this team. I was specifically watching the right side and pressure was there all day. Eli continuously had to step up and be hit by Geno Atkins. 4 sacks is completely unacceptable, especially against the Bengals. 

Also David Wilson being in the game for 2 offensive snaps is ridiculous to me. I get we were down early but Bradshaw is not healthy, and is fumbling away great drives. For the love of god just sit him, decrease his snaps, something. Andre Brown is still running perfectly fine. Spell him with David Wilson and we will be alright. If you are worried about David Wilson's pass protection ability, then why the fuck are you starting Diehl? Pass protection and fumbling are the only things keeping Wilson off the field, but you start a running back who is not healthy and fumbling, and a right tackle that can't pass protect, smart Coughlin, real smart.

Kevin KillDrive just can not seem to figure it out. Not sure he ever will. These redzone catastrophes need to stop.  Great for Lawrence Tynes putting up career numbers but I am getting sick and fucking tired of field goals. Maybe that's why Bradshaw fumbled on the 15 or whatever it was. He's just tired of field goals too.

Wish I could have gotten the chance to write a preview for this game. I was reading about Gilbride eluding to a little no huddle. It looked a little sloppy to me anyway, but I liked the change of pace. 

Eli's decision making. He has stated that he has to just hold onto the ball and go down, but just saying something isn't worth shit to me or anyone else. Guy has all the talent in the world, showed it all last year. Slumps like this may separate the Eli from the Elite. He is starting to look like Eli in the beginning of his career. Not what we want to see in the second half of the season.

Victor Cruz is shaken. He is shaken from that hit against the Steelers. Ryan Clark said he was pulling up and whatever and it showed on the dropped TD this week. He definitely saw the defender closing in from his left side and got distracted. 8 drops this season? Pathetic. 

 Hixon high sprained ankle makes room for Ramses who made a couple of catches. Love to see Ramses on the field.

Fresh off of his suspension, Will Hill with the nice fumble recovery on the punt coverage. Actually had half the tackle, Chase came in with a big hit and somehow Will ripped the ball out from under the runner. Guy has great instincts.

It was so interesting to see AJ Green call out the secondary and proceed to shred them apart. I understand he scored on a blown coverage by Stevie Brown (he was supposed to be over top of Webster) but the secondary has to know the ball is coming to him, how can he still put up those numbers? My opinion is that he may be the best WR in the league. Get him a better quarterback and AJ Green's numbers would be even greater. Remember, the Bengals do not have another real threat to take eyes off of Green like a Julio Jones for Roddy White.

Kuhn tore his ACL, likely out for the season. Unfortunate to hear, great story, was clocking a lot of minutes. Let's see what the Giants do to replace his presence.

The Giants need the bye to regroup. Maybe it will bring health to everyone missing including Phillips and Jacquian Williams. If they come out flat against the Packers then all bets are off really. The Giants are known for playing up to their competition. Need a win in two weeks to get back on track.

NYG vs PIT Recap

Poor. Poor. Poor.

Apparently I didn't knock on enough wood. Mentioned in the preview that the Giants have never been 7-2 under Coughlin, and that streak stays alive with this miserable performance.

The softness of our run defense is an issue. I said it in the preseason, we just do not have a good run defense. Terrible tackling led to Redman looking like Jim Brown out there putting up 147 yards. Isaac Redman. Pathetic.

4 sacks by the defense. Would enjoy more, but that strip (and it was a strip) by Osi is the only reason we were in this game.

Kenny Phillips was a game time scratch so there was no 3 look safety that I was raving about. May have helped on that Wallace rumble that Rolle took a TERRIBLE angle on.

I was confused before the game, and I am confused now. David Diehl looked awful. Constant pressure from the right side. Legs still aren't under him, why put a man who is not fully back out there against the Steelers defense? Why can't you wait until the Bengals game? Terrible decision by Tom. Hope he isn't playing favorites.

Why isn't Ramses Barden playing? Randle and Eli are not there chemistry wise. You saw it on the fade route in the endzone with a miss timed jump, and you saw it on the back shoulder throw. Team is desperately struggling in the red zone. Throw a big bodied Barden in there and lay it up. It is absolutely ridiculous.

Ahmad Bradshaw 48 yards on 15 carries. Really? That's half of the average rushing yards given up by the Steelers per game this year. Take a rest. Apparently you need more than just not practicing all week long.

Cruz looked knocked out on that hit by Clark. Body was curled, there was serious whiplash. Could have been much worse, and a huge blow to this team. Officials were dead wrong calling a helmet to helmet. Maybe call a defenseless receiver if anything.

Need to realize how important Eli is to this team. When he is in a slump, the whole team suffers. People say our defense carries the team, take a look at Eli's numbers recently. The whole team is in a slump and Eli is the lead dog.

Herzlich looked lost at times. Missed a few tackles. Maybe a little winded? The man played 69 of 70 defensive snaps, add on 20 more special teams plays. Would LOVE to see Chase play that much and make plays.

 Special Teams killed us. With the exception of Coe reading the fake, and Weatherford making a great play to save a TD, the special teams could not stop anything. A team like the Steelers will take advantage of good field position all day.

 If Gilbride does not change up this offense I will shoot my TV. If viewers at home know what is coming, what does that mean for the professionals on the other side of the ball. Add something. Make a package for David Wilson to at least get him in space. Us fans are watching Doug Martin run all over defenses and we have Wilson sitting on the bench. We have a bye week after the Bengals game. Perfect time to put something in with the difficult schedule after.

Will Hill's suspension ended today. They have till next Monday to reactivate him. Tom Coughlin says maybe, but you have to think that he will be back.

NYG vs PIT Preview

Not Just A Game

Listen, it's not just a battle of the 2004 Draft Class elite. Not just a battle of the two most historic franchises in NFL history. It's a battle for victims of Hurricane Sandy. People, especially in the tri-state, need a distraction and the Giants (and maybe the Knicks) are the best distraction there is. Sports brings everyone together, takes their mind off what is going on around them, and puts them in a different world for 3 straight hours. Something that is desperately needed at a time like this. Players and fans alike were impacted.  Multiple players experienced flooding, forcing them to live with each other for a day or two. Bottom line, the game needs to be played, and needs to be played at MetLife. 

Biggest area of concern is getting to Big Ben and bringing him down. He is not only a good pocket passer, but a good passer on the run. He is probably the hardest QB to bring down in the league, but I think we have the size and strength to do it.  The Giants defense has 13 sacks over last 3 games. Starting with only 8 in the first 5, I say we are finally on the right track.

Dave Diehl taking back the right tackle spot, moving Locklear to jumbo tackle. For those who do not know what that means, the jumbo set comes in on short yardage situations. Putting the bigger guys in to run the ball. But the interesting part here is, the running game was most productive in the 3 games Diehl missed. They failed to crack 100 rushing in first two Diehl played and there was just one 100 yard game with Diehl as jumbo tackle. My stance is, if it isn't broke, don't break it. Locklear has been doing very well. But we shall see. 

Kenny Phillips is coming back, and here's what he had to say about Stevie Brown in his absence,

“In my mind, I’m thinking like, ‘If I was there, they probably wouldn’t have threw it. I don’t get that lucky.’ You know what I’m saying. But like I said, he’s making the plays and he’s catching the ball, so my hat’s off to him.’’

Interesting. Look for the 3 safety package this week. Brown is getting the start, Phillips is getting worked back in. Jacquian Williams was the guy that was supposed to be that 3rd safety/Bison Role, but he has not been healthy.

Tuck stated this week that the Steelers O-Line gets away with murder. I am sure every O-Line in the league gets away with murder, it is how the game is played these days. If he wants to add fuel to the fire, that's fine, but I'm getting annoyed with the Giants complaints. 

Troy Polamalu is out again for the Steelers which won't help them out with their 7 total takeaways this season. The Giants lead the league with 24. This alone will help. 

Mendenhall and Dwyer are both doubtful, which is good. Dwyer has had 229 rushing yards in the past 2 games. Issac Redman should get the start.

Again, Blackburn out, Herzlich will start. Time to prove me right Herzlich. Rivers is doubtful. Bradshaw should start once again despite not practicing ALL WEEK.

Knock on wood, but the Giants have never been 7-2 under Coughlin. Do not expect the Steelers to lay down like the Heat did last night at MSG even though they are flying in on game day. It should come down to late game heroics by Eli. He has not played well recently, and I hope to see he takes advantage of the Steelers defensive captain out of the game.

NYG vs DAL Recap

Oh Thank Heaven

Hurricane Sandy was ridiculous. Doing this from work cause I don't have power. 

Yeah the big story is Dez Bryant somehow getting behind the coverage and catching what would have been a go ahead touchdown only to have his fingers land out of bounds. Another big story is the fact that Jason Witten had a record setting 18 receptions for a tight end. The biggest story to me however is the play of Stevie Brown. 

In the preview, I mentioned how he has been an absolute godsend for this team. Remember when Kenny Philips went down in 09? Defense took a huge hit. C.C. Brown and Aaron Rouse were trying to pick up the slack. A terrible situation. But with Stevie Brown in the picture, Kenny can take his time. Stevie had 2 huge picks and a fumble recovery against the Boys, helping him receive the NFC defensive player of the week award. Brown leads the NFL with seven takeaways (five interceptions and two fumble recoveries.) The 5 interceptions puts him second in the NFL.

I just do not like Bradshaw not practicing but starting. Timing is thrown off when you do not practice. He was not being patient enough and hitting the holes, not to mention the fumble. We have running backs. Keep him out, and get him healthy.

 

Antrel Rolle may have a concussion, and if he is out, Kenny may be healthy enough to come back, Steve would still be out there. 

Herzlich will get the start vs PIT in place of Chase, who has a hurt hamstring

4 sacks was great. Holding the Boys to 19 yards rushing was another impressive feat. But the fact Jason Witten was unstoppable is a little worrisome. Got Heath Miller on Sunday and he plays a lot like Witten.

Not scoring touchdowns in the "green zone" is scaring me. I understand you need to take what you can get, but field goals are just not going to cut it. We scored 5 times (once on defense) but only had 23 points early in the game, that's pathetic. Thanks to JPP for the pick 6. 

Resiliency is a good thing. We are top dog in the East. Number 2 in the power rankings. 6-2 feels good, but the Giants are known for their 2nd half collapses. Gotta stay focused.

NYG vs DAL Preview

We Need This.

 Remember Him?

Remember Kevin Ogletree? The man that caught 8 for 114 and 2 week one? Well that same guy has only caught 13 for 134 and 0 since. Let's not have him and Tony Romo slant it up and down the field all game long this time around.

Corners need to press, all game. Slants killed us week 1 and for whatever reason we did not adjust. Quick passes completely neutralizes the pass rush. The DLine can do something about the slants though, keep your hands up. Easy balls to bat down if you know they are coming.

The week 1 loss had a lot to do with injuries and rust. 3 drops for Cruz. Prince Amukamara did not play. Michael Coe got hurt. Michael Boley and Jacquian Williams missed significant preseason time with injuries. Chris Canty was on PUP. 

Out of that group, we do not have Jacquian. He is going to be replaced by Rivers which will be fine.

Kenny Phillips also out but Stevie Brown has really been a godsend. Had no idea who he was back in April. The void left by Phillips is much smaller if we have Stevie in there for him. Has been nothing short of excellent. 

82 total rushing yards for Giants week 1 should also be fixed.  No Sean Lee. He is the heart of the defense. In the middle of everything, absolute ball hawk. As long as you block Ware you are fine, but with Lee, hes an all around play maker.

Nicks, once again, has said he is healthy. Eli has seen the burst from him in practice, etc. I'll believe it when I see it.

No DeMarco Murray for the Cowboys is HUGE. Put up 131 against us week 1. Felix Jones is starting but is not fully healthy.

I'm feeling a sneak attack from David Wilson this week. Redemption game. Remember it was Sean Lee who put him in the doghouse.  Maybe it comes in the form of a KR for a TD. Little screen pass? Something.

Expect a W this week. Undefeated at Jerry Jones' Magical World of Wonder. Fewell will game plan against the quick passes. DLine has found is groove again, should be a fun game to watch.

NYG vs WAS Recap

Ridiculous

Osi -  "That guy is flat-out unbelievable. I’m not even going to lie. That’s the best quarterback we’ve played this year."

Tuck - "I think he’s going to change the league. If he continues to do what he’s doing, he’s going to be good for a long time."

Looks like I was scared for good reason. Sir Robert Griffin had a DAY against this Giants defense. 20 for 28 with 258 and 2 ... 9 carries for 89. His ability to escape was fun to watch. Just a young Mike Vick but with the ability to throw the ball accurately. Good thing each DE got a sack, with Tuck getting his first. Slowly coming back to life.

JPP, if I see this one more time I will freak out.

Alfred Morris from Florida Atlantic University, in Boca Raton, FL is the real deal. He was carrying Giants all over the field. First half had 94 on 13 alone. Good thing is, he only got 26 the rest of the game.

In the first half, it looked like the Giants were playing more of a read and react with their front 7. The Giants however are a one-gap team. They were getting torn apart in the first half because of this circus offense the Redskins were running. Playaction every play making linebackers bite time after time. Finally changed in the 2nd half.

Something else, Chase Blackburn continued to do awful all game until the end when he forced that Santana Moss fumble. He is just soooo slow and continues to get pushed around. Problem is, plays like this will keep him a starter, too bad he is part of the reason we are in predicaments like that. Hopefully Herzlich's decleating hit on he opening kickoff.

Giants only putting up 64 rushing yards is absurd after the week they had against the 49ers defense. If you can push around that 49ers front 7, you sure as hell can push around the Redskins. The both run the 3-4, no reason to have not dominated. Bradshaw had a right to be angry all game, Gilbride, for whatever reason, shied away from the run, almost blowing the game completely.

Everybody was saying Eli was gonna put up ridiculous numbers. It should have happened, the Skins have a terrible pass defense. It didn't. Its nice to see he can put up over 300 on an off day though.

"We had him double-teamed, two guys double-teamed him on that play," said Redskins coach Mike Shanahan. "Obviously Cruz did a great job of splitting the double-team."

I love the Cruz/Eli connection. Eli does his thing at the end of the game, makes it interesting, then rips the hearts out of Redskins fans everywhere. That ball was placed perfectly to Cruz.

Coming up... Dallas. Dallas. Dallas.

NYG vs WAS Preview

A Team Full Of Vengeance

No secret that the Redskins beat us twice last year. No secret that these two teams do not like each other. This is a must win for the Giants in terms of division play. Already 0-2 in the NFC East. A loss Sunday would be very unfortunate.

Back in April I wrote about RG3 not respecting the Giants. Osi went on to calling him Bob Griffin until he proved something. Now that RG3 is going HAM, Osi has called him Sir Robert Griffin. To be honest, I am worried about RG3. As big of a Giants fan as I am, having Jacquain Williams out is going to hurt. He is our fastest linebacker and is perfect for a spy. Kenny Phillips still out. Will Hill not being available also hurts the speed on the field. 

What the Giants have going for them is the way they handled option quarterbacks thus far. Cam Newton and the Panters could do nothing, Colin Kaepernick did absolutely nothing with the 9ers. Perry needs to draw up some serious gameplans for this week. I'm sure he has something up his sleeve.

No Garcon for the Skins is huge. He is a big deep threat, and RG3 loves launching the ball.

Bradshaw was banged up this week, foot got stepped on but should be fine. Andre Brown is back at full health, and David Wilson has started to show us a little something in garbage time.

Nicks is feeling like his "old self" so that is a good sign. Look for Eli to have a nice day with all weapons available.

Canty is being activated finally. Not sure how much he can do just yet, but he may see some snaps.

The O-Line needs to keep up the good work. Eli has been sacked only 4 times this season, the least out of any starting quarterback in the league.

Giants are favored and I just don't like it. They play so much better when their back is against the wall. I am sure Tom will stir something up in the locker room to get them going.

NYG vs SF Recap

Revenge? What?

Have to admit, not even I thought it was going to be like this. I figured a close game, Eli getting hit just like he did in the NFC Championship game. Maybe a 4th quarter comeback. What we actually got was nothing close.

The Giants played like a Superbowl Champion yesterday. Gore was shut down to the tune of 8 for 36. Davis was held for 3 for 37. I mentioned in my preview, those two were must stops.

Alex Smith came CRASHING back to earth. 3 INTs, a rating of 43.1 and a QBR of 24.8. Fewell threw out all sorts of defensive fronts, schemes, anything and everything. 

Talking about the defense. Apparently the meeting with Strahan paid off. 6 defensive sacks. 2 by JPP who needs to keep that motor going. Adrian Tracy got in there for 1 as well. Do not sleep on him. More reps he gets, more chance to become a star. They called him Yosi in the preseason for a reason. Kiwi is definitely built to be a DE had a sack as well. I just hope Fewell didn't use everything we had yesterday.

Can't say enough about Antrel Rolle.  2 Picks, one miss coverage on Moss but that didn't end up costing us anything. He actually coached Prince on his INT.

Our offensive line is the surprise of the season. Bradshaw would not have these kind of games if not for them. Eli did not get sacked once yesterday, stat sheet says he only got hit once. Remarkable.

Talking about the running game, I enjoy watching David Wilson. If he is done fumbling, he is always a step away from taking it to the house. He is one of the quickest, most explosive backs in the league. Bradshaw was hitting the holes hard. I was freaking out when Gilbride wouldn't abandon the run when it was getting stuffed, but it proved to work. Keeping the 9ers D honest. 2nd time in 44 games that the 49ers D has given up a 100 yd rusher. 

Nicks is not healthy, it showed on that fade rout. A healthy Nicks catches that and goes to the house. Eli put it where it needed to be for a healthy Nicks. We can not afford to not have him down the stretch. Rest, up, we have other options (Hixon). 

Hixon says they talked about the stalled drives inside the 20 after the Rolle picks on the plane ride home. I was waiting to see a Barden/Bennett fade, use their size. 

Gotta realize, San Fran won the regular season match up last year and look what happened. I understand it is a big win, but we have to stay focused. HUGE game on Sunday.

NYG vs SF Preview

Somebody's Angry

SanFran want's to absolutely murder us Sunday afternoon. They can bitch and complain all they want that we won, that we have something they want, we didnt deserve to win, we got lucky, etc. New season, stop living in the past.

 Its an interesting matchup. Superbowl "hero" Mario Manningham is now on SF along with Brandon Jacobs. I am not worried about Jacobs, he may not even play. Manningham, had trouble grasping the Giants offense to begin with, I don't know how much information he could even give them.

How will Gilbride's call out of Justin Smith and his defensive holding play into the game? Will the refs finally see it and call it? 

Stop Vernon Davis. I pray Chase Blackburn is never ever one on one with him. Fewell says he likes the Jacquain Williams vs Vernon Davis matchup. I think Vernon is an absolute animal. He showed it last year against the Giants in the NFC Championship game. 2 TDs. Must stop him.

 Frank Gore also needs to be slowed down. Trent Richardson looked scary last week in the beginning of the game but was finally contained.

Gotta get to Alex Smith, maybe the meeting with Michael Strahan will get the DLine to get some god damn fucking sacks. Jesus Christ.

 Tyler Sash will get some playing time, how much however is to be seen. Can't expect the world though. 

Nicks gametime decision, if he plays, Manning has all his weapons. Bradshaw needs to run. Get David Wilson more involved. We should be fine. Still have Eli. Niners blow. 



Will Hill Suspended

Whats With The Adderall?

Will Hill has been suspended 4 games, making room for Tyler Sash on the roster. Hill has been suspended for Adderall, the same reason Sash was out the first 4.

“I received a doctor’s prescription for Adderall prior to signing with the Giants,” Hill said in the statement. “Shortly after signing with the team, I was in a meeting with (Giants director of player development) Charles Way, who reviewed the list of the league’s banned substances. I knew at that point that this may be an issue.

 

He lost his appeal already and will be available November 5th. I pray that the Giants dont release him. We don't only need him for depth, but his skill. I couldnt rave more about the guy up until this point, but this hurts. Devastating.

NYG vs. CLE Recap

Great Start. Better Finish.

I understand that the stories of the game are the career day Bradshaw had, 200 yards. And Cruz with his 3 TDs. But thats the obvious. Lets look into the win a little.

Terrible start. Blink of an eye, down 7. Bradshaw fumbles on the first play from scrimmage Browns take over, give the ball to Richardson, and score. Then the next Browns drive. Josh Gordon is matched up with Chase Blackburn. Stevie Brown bites and leaves Chase all alone, Gordon is off to the races. Down 14.

The game turns after that. Bradshaw keeps doing his thing, holes opening up all over the place. Eli Manning, after his mid week film session with Rueben Randle, finds the rookie all over the field. The great thing about Eli is that he makes players better. Randle had nine targets, caught six for 82 and had defenders all over him, yielding two PI calls.

Talk about PI calls.There were missed ones the whole game. Jerseys were being pulled, WR's being held. No calls.

Trent Richardson is going to be one of the best backs in the league in 2 years.

Andre Brown has a concussion after taking that kick out of the endzone. Absolutely miserable attempt. No idea what he is thinking there.

Martellus Bennett is a monster, plain and simple. Apparently he hyperextended his knee when he, "Fucking slipped on the turf." He was back in the game in no time, making room on the edge for Bradshaw, or catching dinker-doo passes. Couldn't expect him to have a big game in the air after the injury.

Will Hill with a GREAT strip of Cribbs on a KR. Recovered by Stevie Brown of course. Watching Will Hill play the slot, he seems to be doing just fine. No need to rush Hosley.

Talking about Stevie Brown. He knows that he messed up, and it only took 2 minutes after that mistake to pick Weeden off. Then on the kickoff after the Giants TD he recovers the fumble. With Phillips out for a while, veteran Stevie Brown will need to give it his all to help this team.

There were some plays where tackling was absolutely atrocious. I saw Chase Blackburn miss multiple tackles, but he made up for some of these lapses with his INT in the endzone that Weeden GAVE him.

If we give Alex Smith and the 49ers receivers the time that the Browns had we are absolutely fucked. I actually started laughing at one point. The Browns have given up 9 sacks already and the Giants could not get ONE?!? With an injury plauged secondary, quality opposing quarterbacks must be licking their chops looking at the game tape.

You can throw a blind man out there and Eli will make him better. People thought we were screwed when Nicks went down? Throw in Ramses, Hixon, Randle. With the running game producing, (did anyone see DAVID WILSON?) the offense will be unstoppable. We may not have the weapons on paper, but we have them on the turf. Thats all that matters.

NYG vs PHI Recap

Terrible. 

The Eagles are a good team. Period. They have way too much talent to be a bad one. Shady McCoy showed hes a top 5 RB. Vick put up numbers with 0 turnovers. 

Here's where things are starting to get real. The Giants defensive line is the most overrated group of players I have ever witnessed. Not even saying that out of anger. They are just not that good. Containment was broken multiple times. Osi is awful. He's old, slow, and not smart. How can you play the Eagles as many times as you have and break contain so many times? With as many sacks as the Eagles O-Line has given up, the Giants all mighty pass rush got ONE (and one being a gift). Justin Tuck, real nice stats so far this season. I bet QBs are terrified of you and your Subway Footlongs you asshole. On to Corey Webster. I understand if there is no pass rush it is hard to cover WRs for an extended period of time. Desean Jackson made Corey Webster look half retarded with his head chopped off. That TD pass? Webster might as well have been on the bench. A 10 man defense would have played that better.

Bennett just could not find a rhythm in this game. Would have had a nice 40 yard gain if it wasn't for Will Beatty taking the Dlineman's head off. Eagles pass rush is good. Eli was on the ground several times. Almost looked like the 49ers NFC Championship game. Bennett had to chip or just stay in to block multiple times.

Giants have to take advantage of Nnamdi Asomugha being out. Dial it up. Throw it deep on the rookie corner. You saw what happens when you throw it deep to Barden, pass interference all the way down the field.

That being said. It looked like Cooper Manning got into Eli uniform in the 4th. He threw the ball right to DRC, and then made that awful throw to a well covered Barden making him interfere with Nnamdi so he wouldn't pick it. Cannot be making those mistakes. Why wouldn't you just run the ball anyway? The whole end of the game was just awful.

Hixon can play. I just dont understand why Barden wasn't out there first. Especially after his big game. 

David Wilson can sit on the bench all he wants on offense. He is EXPLOSIVE on kick returns. He was a shoestring tackle away from 6 at least twice. Best KR we have had in a long time. 

Prince held Maclin catchless. Stay healthy and hes the best corner the Giants have.

Eagles straight up beat the Giants. They are now a confident bunch. If they give Shady those kind of carries the rest of the year, watch out NFL.