Monday, October 5, 2015

First Place Has Never Felt So Good: Bills Recap.

(Credit USA Today)

From an 0-2 start, and people once again calling for Coughlin's head, the Giants are now 2-2 and tied for 1st place in the NFC East. Do the Cowboys have injuries? Romo, Dez, and now Lance Dunbar? Sure. What people have to remember though, is that the Giants are without a starting LT in Will Beatty, their best defensive player in JPP, their top slot guy in Cruz, and a half healthy Beason. They had to pick a guy off the street (Meriweather) to play safety due to injuries. The other safety is a rookie. Their replacement LT has been hobbled with an ankle injury. Their best run blocking TE is now getting foot surgery and is a likely candidate for IR.

 This is what makes this Giants team special. The will and fight they have to ignore the injuries and just go out and get the job done. The way they lost the first two could have buried any team for the rest of the year. This team has clawed back.

 But enough of that, let's get to the good stuff, really just going to mention the big plays here.

 Flowers lasted one play at LT before he limped off. 4 minutes left in the 1st, and he was back in. This guy is one tough MFer and its refreshing to have a big tough guy like that on the line.

 Devon Kennard had his first career interception with this awesome play:


Put the ball on the Buffalo 32. Dwayne Harris decided it was time to prove he's an asset not only as a returner, but as a wideout as well with a TD reception from an Eli missile strike. 9-3 after a missed 38-yard extra point (after a false start).

The Bills started with stupid penalties early. Flowers got Larry Hughes all riled up after a 15 yard Jennings run to put the Giants on the Bills 33.  Eli ends up hitting Rueben Randle for the TD which ended in the #SalsaSalute:



16-3.

Minute left in the half, 3rd and 1 and Tyrod Taylor gets stuffed on a sneak attempt. Landon Collins made the play by running around the pile and pulling Tyrod Taylor backwards so he couldn't reach for the first. If that drive ends up in points, best case the Giants would be up 10 at half with no momentum. Big play.

5:45 left in the 3rd and Tyrod Taylor runs right for 31 yards for a TD. Fortunately, it was called back on a hold, the Bills 12th penalty of the game. Drive ended on a Carpenter miss from 30 yards out.

Start to the 4th quarter had the Bills driving and at the 2, Tyrod Taylor ran right. He was hit first by Unga, and then pushed out at the 1 by Kerry Wynn. Down 16-3 Bills ended up going for it, short pass to Karlos Williams which got STUFFED for no gain.

Giants were pinned deep after the goal line stand and ended up punting, but Beckham was still doing Beckham things, even though it didn't count:



The Giants punt put the Bills on their own 49. They ended up scoring on 3 plays after a Karlos Williams wheel route, burning Kennard up the sideline for the 23 yard TD reception.

16-10.

But then, the Giants answered:



Eli saw the blitz coming and changed the play to the swing pass. Knew Jennings would have one man to beat, and put the ball on his hip with the defender right there. Ball on the inside hip told Jennings to cut inside.  Awesome job by #10... and Jennings. Williams ran in for the 2-point conversion.

24-10.

Prince and Landon Collins ended up stripping Robert Woods in a joint effort on the next drive. I was waiting for a whistle but the guys kept ripping at the ball and finally got it out. Prince returned it to the Bills 40.

Eli threw his first pick of the year with 3:51 left to play, at the Buffalo 1. Came after OBJ didn't come down with the ball after a fade in the end zone.

Charles Clay had a 32 yard TD called back on another penalty. With 20 seconds left, the teams starting FULLBACK got a sack:


This guy is a shining example of what kind of heart this Giants team has. On that same drive, he almost got another one! Watch #49. Draws the flag and never stops hustling.




Whitlock played 13 snaps on offense, 8 on defense, 23 on special teams. Amazing.

Game ended, and JPP was happy:



Giants came into this season with people doubting the offensive line, and with good reason. No starting LT, and players that really don't turn heads with their play. However, they are now 3rd best in the NFL with sacks allowed (4). The defense was looked at as another issue, but are now best in the league vs the run giving up 69.8 ypg. Would LOVE some more pressure on the QB, but beggars can't be choosers.

Great game, great week, and now the Giants have a pretty nice stretch coming up:

49ers: 1-3
Eagles 1-3
Cowboys: 2-2
Saints: 1-3
Buccaneers: 1-3

Would be great for the Giants to take all 5. Get to 7-2 before the Pats game on November 15th.

As always. Follow @realtlkFB on twitter for live tweets and vines throughout the games. I have a podcast now, which you can find HERE. Fun stuff. I love football.

Oh and one more thing. Every time Eli gets a delay of game, this is how I feel:

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Monday, September 14, 2015

Eli Takes The Blame



So there you have it. Eli thought that the Cowboys called a timeout after the offsides on the Beckham catch due to the clock stopping. However, the clock stopped because of a defensive penalty. Have to think about it this way, say the Giants are down, it would be GOOD if the clock stopped on the defensive penalty. However, I think the NFL should really take a look at this rule and maybe switch it up depending on who is ahead in the game.

Does it make sense regardless? To have Jennings not score and put you up 10 with under 2 minutes? Not at all. This was a mistake by Eli, and he owned up to it.

Coughlin said that he didn't know about Jennings being told about going down, but Eli said in the interview on WFAN that he communicated to the sideline during a timeout that he told Jennings not to score.

Then Eli owned up to not taking the sack. Again, another costly mistake by Eli. Really would never have guessed Eli, a vet, would make these mistakes.

Jennings really should have kept his mouth shut after the game, threw his QB under the bus telling the media he was told not to score.
A heartbreaking loss for everyone. A complete nightmare. Time to move on. Let it go.
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Sunday, September 13, 2015

NYG @ DAL Unfiltered

"My fault at the end of end the game, nobody to blame but me. Decision to throw the ball on third down was not a good decision." - Tom Coughlin 


"That's 100 percent on me. That can't happen. I've got to take the sack." - Eli Manning

Folks, thats two people taking blame for one mistake. 

Eli thought Dallas called their last timeout when the defensive end jumped on the free play to Odell to get the first. Giants declined the penalty, but the clock still stopped, Cowboys didn't need to call a timeout.

When I saw Eli roll out, I started fucking screaming at my television. There is no fucking way you should call a pass play there. I don't even blame Coughlin, he is falling on the sword here for the defense (at the end of the game), and Macadoo.

Then there is this:


Why in the WORLD would they tell Jennings not to score? You are up 10 with 1:40 left in the game? It's GAME OVER! ... Getting back to that 3rd down play,

 Should Eli have just laid down? Sure. Probably the smartest play after the offensive coordinator botched the fucking call. But say Eli takes the sack, gets hit, fumbles? Scoop and score? Then what? People yell that he should have thrown it away. Bottom line, the call was absolutely horrendous. EVERYONE has to be smarter, from Eli to Coughlin to Macadoo.

Look at the last drive, that penalty at around 2:25 left, when there was a quick run to the left by Jennings. The Cowboys call a timeout, THEN Mincey hits Flowers across the face and draws the 15 yard penalty. I do not understand that rule. How they get the timeout back even though the penalty was AFTER the timeout being called. Another big situation in this game.

You also have to look at the lack of pressure by this defensive line. Spags was brought in because he is supposed to figure out how to use the talent he has, however bad it may be, to create pressure. It was like watching last year all over again, just marched down the field twice in the 4th.

A rookie mistake by Landon Collins not following Witten across the formation and let him walk into the end zone.

Then of course, you give Romo another 30-40 seconds by throwing the fucking football at the end there. They knew the running backs were faster than the linebackers, and they just went straight down the field.

Oh, that Pass Interference call on DRC in the 3rd? That third down incomplete pass in the end zone? That call was absolute fucking bullshit. You are allowed to touch the receiver, you just cannot pull, you can't redirect him. All he did was touch him: 


That makes it first down, and they end up scoring.

You watch Preston Parker drop THREE third down conversions. They keep Parker, drop James Jones (who scored 2 FUCKING TOUCHDOWNS today). Victor Cruz... how's that calf?

1-4 in the redzone. NOT going to do it.

Positives? Yeah there are a bunch, I guess. The line kept Eli upright for the majority of the game. The defense did a pretty solid job against the run game. Prince and DRC did real well on the outside.

Giants didn't have Beason, didn't have Cruz. Didn't have JPP either, but he is a dumb motherfucker who is probably out all season, so I don't even count him. There were rookies starting at MLB and Safety. Left tackle is a rookie too. Giants came out of there pretty unscathed in terms of injuries. Meriweather came up with a huge play on that hit that caused the INT. Just got to the team, out there making plays.

Oh yeah: Dez broke a bone in his foot, needs surgery, out 4-6 weeks.

Follow @realtlkfb on twitter for live tweeting during the games from here on out!

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Who is That?: Offense



Few days ago, I gave you a solid list of defensive players you may see this season, ones that you may not recognize in Giants blue. Today, you get the offense.

Offensive Line: The regular starting left tackle, Will Beatty tore his pectoral muscle in May. With him out until late October, there have been some shifting around. Theres a rookie at left tackle, Justin Pugh (RT last year) now at LG, 2nd year man Weston Richburg (guard last year) is at Center, Geoff Schwartz* at RG, and a newcomer at RT.

Ereck Flowers #76 - LT

 The number 9 overall pick out of Miami is an absolute monster of a human. 6-6 329 is tremendous for an offensive lineman. Raw with his pass blocking skill, but his size and technique make him a quality run blocker. Combo blocks with Pugh looked good this preseason, so watch for a lot of running towards that left side.

 Geoff Schwartz #74 - RG

 Is he new? No, but he only played 2 games last year for the Giants. Signed last off season, his injuries made him yet another problem for an offensive line that was weak to begin with. Guy is a 7 year vet. In 2012-13, according to Pro Football Focus, Schwartz played better than any guard not named Evan Mathis on a per-snap basis. He is a great run blocker and hopefully can stay healthy to open some holes.

Marshall Newhouse #73 - RT

 6th year man, played 15 games on the Bengals last year. Before 2014, he was on the Packers. Played LT for 13 games in 2011 (15-1 record), and all 16 + 2 playoff games in 2012.

Tight Ends: Larry Donnell will be getting the start, but the 2nd string may play a solid role in the offense as well. You have seen Daniel Fells, but you may not know who the next guy up is.

Jerome Cunningham #86 - TE

 Out of Southern Connecticut State, Cunningham an UDFA, worked hard enough at his craft to land himself on the practice squad last season. Solid size at 6-4 240 is much better at receiving than he is blocking.

 Runningback: Rashad Jennings is back, along with Andre Williams. Jennings was the bell-cow last year, but Williams showed some definite promise. In the offseason, the Giants grabbed a great pass catcher and 3rd down running back form a team we love to beat.

Shane Vereen #34

 Vereen was Tom Brady's man out of the backfield for the past few years. In the Super Bowl last year against the Seahwaks, he set the Super Bowl receptions by a running back record, at 11. 52 receptions last year, 47 the year before that. He will be a great outlet for Eli right before he gets destroyed by the pressure from this mediocre at best offensive line.


Wide Receiver: OBJ is back at full strength this year, remember he only played 12 games. Victor Cruz was scheduled to be back by week 1 from his awful knee injury, but it is a calf injury keeping him out as of now. Preston Parker will be stepping up in the slot. With Randle opposite OBJ. However, the Giants did add two wideouts this off season.
Jeremy Davis # 18

 Out of UCONN, Davis was the most prolific receiver in school history. Picked in the 6 round this year, he beat out 2014 preseason star Corey Washington to grab a spot on the roster. Guy uses his size (6-2, 216) to make highly contested catches. Guy has a motor, and should be flying around Specials to start.

Dwayne Harris #17

 Yes that Dwayne Harris, from the Dallas Cowboys. Spent 5 years in Dallas, mostly as a special teams guy. A great K/P returner, with career averages of 26.5 yards on 77 KRs and 11.1 on 87 PRs. Not a great receiver by any means, but can use his speed and run after catch to make defenders miss. Hands aren't the best, but screens and straight fly's may work wonders.

Fullback: The Giants surprised a lot of people with the release of Hynoski. Guy was a great worker, and always did his job. His TD celebration was hilarious as well. All good things must come to an end though, and Hyno the Rhino was cut.

Nikita Whitlock #49

This guy has a great story behind him. All his life he played nose tackle. Was a HS Player of the Year at the position in Texas. In his senior year at Wake Forest, his coach advised him to, "start catching some balls." Reason for the change in position was Whitlock's size. At 5-10 250, there wasn't much of a shot for Whitlock in the NFL as a nose tackle. Signed to the practice squad last year in December, made a great impression this preseason. Best part? He actually played some defensive tackle in the final preseason game against the Pats. Came away with a fumble recovery late in the game to seal it.

Thats it for the newcomers. Enjoy the game tonight, and the rest of the season!
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Thursday, September 10, 2015

Who Is That?: Defense.




Want to start the blog off with sending my condolences to Tyler Sash's family and friends. Sash was found dead at the age of 27 at his home in Iowa, cause of death is unclear. Sash was drafted in the 6th round in 2011 by the Giants, and won a Super Bow ring that year. A great special teams player, but was released in 2013.

With that said...

New season = New players. Can be rookies, new signees, or players that never really got a shot in recent years. This post, and the one coming tomorrow, should help you know who's making plays on Sunday night and beyond.


Lets start on defense:

Safeties:  Nat Berhe may have been a starter, but he was banged up all camp, and got surgery on his calf. Bennett Jackson was transitioning well after moving from corner to safety, but he tore his ACL.  Rookie 5th round pick Mykkele Thompson tore his achilles. Undrafted rookie Justin Currie fractured his ankle. Looks like Collins and Taylor will get the start. 

Landon Collins # 21 

Collins is a rookie safety out of Alabama. Drafted in the 2nd round, when some had him graded a first round talent. Some questioned his range and coverage ability, but no one questioned his ability to hit a ball carrier. He showed flashes of range in the preseason and grabbed the starting role.

Cooper Taylor # 30 

This is what I wrote on Taylor when he got drafted in 2013:

"5th Round - Cooper Taylor S Richmond - Started at Georgia Tech Second Team All ACC as a freshman. Had a heart condition that caused him to miss sophomore year on a medical red shirt then barely played the next year cause of injuries. Went to Richmond for his last 2 years. Giants will use him as a 3rd safety/linebacker hybrid. At 6-4 228, he is a little big for a safety, a little small for an outside backer. He also ran a 4.49 at his pro day. Freak athlete, that I really want to see play."

This is a big safety. He is still listed at 6-4 228 on his player page, but I would have to assume he has gotten bigger and stronger. Had a scoop and score in 2013 after a blocked punt by Damontre Moore vs the Raiders.

Brandon Meriweather # 22

Free agent acquisition that you should see in different packages. 8 year vet who you may remember from his Patriots and most recently, Redskins days. He runs into trouble when he decides to hit defenseless receivers

Craig Dahl #43

The 30 year old was actually on the Giants in 07 as a UDFA under Spags. Then played in St. Louis when Spags was the head coach from 2009-2011. 43 starts in his career (24 under Spags) and has experience at both Free and Strong safety. Went to San Fran and was a pretty good special teams player, not the greatest safety. Unfortunate, because he may climb the ranks of Giants safety pretty quick. 

 Cornerback: Prince and DRC have the outside. Hosley may have the slot locked. 

 Trevin Wade #31

 This kid flashed ball hawking ability all camp. He has a reputation for taking a gamble for an interception, but it paid off during practice and pre season games. Drafted in the 7th round by the Browns in 2012, played for the Saints in 2013. He has a real shot of breaking into the CB rotation. 

Linebackers: The thing with this position, everyone I mention has a chance to be a starter any given week. This isn't a good thing people. To me, Kennard is the only lock to be a starter every week barring injury. He started to show you what kind of player he could be towards the end of last year. He's relentless to the ball and a skilled blitzer. Beason (sprained knee) should be a lock, but how could you lock him into a position when he is always hurt?

J.T. Thomas #55 WLB (WILL/Weakside) 

Drafted by the Bears in the 6th round of the 2011 draft. Released in 2013 and was awarded to Jacksonville off waivers. Has only started 12 games in his career, 10 coming in 2014. He is now lined up to be a started for the Giants. Yes, a starter. 


Jonathan Casillas #54 WLB (WILL/Weakside)

Signed this off season for 3 years, $10.5 mil. 7 year pro. Saints to Tampa to New England. 2 Super Bowl rings (Saints in 09, Pats in 2014). Was a backup pass coverage LB and a core special teamer in New England. Didn't play in final 3 preseason games due to a neck injury. Had a neck issue in 2012 on the Saints as well. 

 Uani' Unga #47 MLB (Middle)

Added in December of last season to the practice squad. Was not drafted due to a rough knee injury in his last game at BYU. In the injury, he tore his right ACL, MCL and meniscus which kept him out of the combine. Went from walk-on at BYU to team captain. Un-drafted to second string MLB. Guy obviously has the work ethic and hustle. He was fun to watch in the preseason. 


Jasper Brinkley # 53 MLB (Middle) 

Spent the whole summer with the Cowboys, so that is a good thing for this week, at least. Other than that, he is a 7 year vet at 30 years of age. 4 years with Minnesota. Has had hip surgery, and missed all of 2011 because of it. He had 99 tackles (no sacks) for the Vikings in 2012, his best season as a pro. 


Defensive Line: JPP really hurt the Giants with his fireworks. I touch on that below with a link. Look for a constant rotation with DTs and ends. It's a mess. 

Louis Nix III Defensive Tackle

Interesting case with Mr. Nix. He was acquired on Sunday (9/6), waived on Tuesday after failing a physical, and then back with the team Wednesday, after the failed physical was "straightened out". Spent last season on IR for the Texans with knee issues. What I believe happened is that the Giants brought him in, liked what they saw, but said he didn't pass his physical so they could resign him at a lower rate because of the knee history. Nix is 6-2 331 lbs. and looks bigger than that from all accounts I've seen. That big with knee issues, are not good. He's quick for his size and has some solid moves at the line. Has to stay healthy.

Owa Odighizuwa #58 Defensive End

Third round pick of this years draft out of UCLA. Raw and has to work on pass rushing craft. However, he may be called upon early with JPP not coming back anytime soon. 


And that should be it folks, unfortunately theres a chance you see every player in this list more than you should. Depth on defense really isn't a strength, too many injuries. Offense coming tomorrow. Madden simulation and prediction blogs coming Saturday. 


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