Big Blue View

Fantasy Football Friday: Giants vs. Falcons Preview

2009-11-20T21:35:12Z

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

Hakeem Nicks could be looking at a big day against the Falcons struggling secondary. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

The Giants get back to action on Sunday after an excruciatingly long bye week on the heels of four straight losses. While the Giants were resting up, our fantasy teams were chugging along without them (and mine suffered its worst loss of the season - I need you Steve Smith!). What can we expect from them this weekend? Here's some advice:

Start

Brandon Jacobs, RB, NYG - Fully rested after the bye week and coming off four straight good performances only limited by the Giants not giving him the ball, I think the Juggernaut breaks free this weekend. The Falcons have the #25 ranked run defense, so there should be some holes for Jacobs to exploit. The only people that will stop Jacobs this Sunday are the Giants coaches.

Steve Smith, WR, NYG - Did you know Smith is the #6 receiver in points-per-receptions leagues and only drops to #10 in non p.p.r. leagues? Even in his "quiet" weeks he's been a solid option. The Falcons have the 28th ranked pass defense, so I expect another good week from Mr. 3rd Down.

Hakeem Nicks, WR, NYG - After scoring in four straight games, Nicks has quited down a bit, but everytime he touches the ball he's a threat to take it to the house. Call it a gut feeling, but against a bad pass defense I think the Giants will be able to spread the ball around a bit, and I think Nicks could actually have a better game than Smith.

Tony Gonzalez, TE, ATL - Maybe the best tight end in NFL history, the big guy's still got it. 44 catches for 501 yards and 4 TD's through 9 games - he's no longer the best TE in the league, but he's still in the top 10 and should be starting in almost any league.

Jason Snelling, RB, ATL - Just because the Giants shut down LaDanian Tomlinson's corpse doesn't mean I'm ready to trust their run D. They always seem to struggle against backup running backs (Tashard Choice & the Eagles fullback are just two of the more recent examples), so Snelling scares me a little bit.

Roddy White, WR, ATL - He's one of the best fantasy receivers in the league, and has really only had two subpar performances this year. He's coming off of two straight games without a TD, and I wouldn't be shocked if that changed against the Giants secondary.

Eli Manning, QB, NYG - I debated this one a bit. On the one hand, Eli had three terrible performances in a row before a very good game against the Chargers. On the other hand, he looked great against the Chargers, has had two weeks to rest up his foot, and is going against the #28 pass D in the league. Ultimately I felt like the pros outweighed the cons, so I think he'd be a good bet to start and at least have a passable game this Sunday.

Sit

Matt Ryan, QB, ATL - Ryan has thrown an interception in his last 6 games, and at least two INT's in 4 of those games. He definitely seems to have regressed after his brilliant rookie year and a strong start to this season. The Giants pass D is still statistically one of the best in the league (I know: lies, damn lies, and statistics), and looked a bit better without CC Brown against the Chargers (until the final drive, anyway). They're also should be getting Aaron Ross back. Matty Ice still has a great future ahead of him, but I don't think you'll be able to tell this weekend.

Ahmad Bradhsaw, RB, NYG - He's been pretty awful lately, averaging under 3.0 YPC over the past three games. I don't trust his ankle right now, and until he proves on the field that he's healthy and can make the cuts that make him so effective, I wouldn't start him.

Michael Jenkins, WR, ATL - He hasn't caught a TD all year and has been flat-out mediocre at best. That could change this weekend, but I wouldn't bank on it.

TC still has sense of humor

2009-11-20T19:52:16Z

You might not be laughing about the state of the New York Giants these days. Head coach Tom Coughlin, though, showed Friday he still has a sense of humor.

Check out this exchange talking about how healthy his team is heading into Sunday's game.

Q. Everybody made it through the week healthy, all 53 guys?

A. So far. We haven’t showered yet.

Sarcastic, yes. But also funny.

New York Giants notes: Hating the Dallas Cowboys isn't hard

2009-11-20T13:40:04Z

Hating the Dallas Cowboys comes almost as naturally to New York Giants fans as rooting for our own team. In fact, it's pretty much a requirement.

So, when The Washington Post's football blog, The League, asked me to weigh in on why the Cowboys are one of the most loathed franchises in sports, I was only too happy to oblige.

Here is a small snippet of what I wrote for the Post.

Dallas hasn't won a playoff game since 1996. Yet, ask Cowboy fan and he will tell you his team was the best in the league each and every one of those seasons. Everybody else just got lucky. In the eyes of Cowboy fan, the team has not yet been created that deserves the privilege of stepping on the same field with Dallas.

(Read the full piece here.)

Gilbride to Buffalo?

I know you guys heard the story Thursday of how Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride is on the short list of candidates for the now available Buffalo Bills head coaching job. Well, Ernie Palladino asked KG about the Bills job, and many of you will love what KG had to say.

Gilbride said today that he'd have no trouble accepting the job if the Bills came calling in January. Gilbride said he enjoyed his two years there, from '02-'03, as the offensive coordinator. "I'd certainly be interested," Gilbride said today. "I loved Buffalo and the people. You know, there's nothing much up there, so they're all crazy for the Bills. And I got along with (owner) Ralph Wilson great. "Besides, we're northeast people. I'll go anywhere I have to, and we have, but we'd rather stay in the northeast whenever possible."

Now, before you go and get all excited remember that this is highly unlikely to happen. There is, after all, a long list of potential coaching candidates, including many big-name ones, in line before KG.

You guys also know I have often defended Gilbride, and I happen to agree with the outstanding Giants beat writer Mike Garafolo, who had this to say about KG when reporting the Buffalo story the other day.

"I keep telling you the guy is good and better than you think."

Remember this about fans and offensive coordinators. We were complaining about play calls long before KG came on board, and we will be complaining long after. And we aren't the only ones. Fans around the NFL, and beat writers, make a habit of it.

As an example, in Philadelphia this week even quarterback Donovan McNabb is publicly second-guessing offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg.

So, all I'm saying is be careful what you wish for.

Other Stuff

KG did meet with the media Thursday and actually talked about the Giants. Turns out he was just as confused by the strange interview running backs coach Jerald Ingram gave last week as I was. (Full Gilbride transcript)
Defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan said the Giants see the returning Aaron Ross as a cornerback, not a safety. (Full Sheridan transcript)
I'm not sure I believe him, but Brandon Jacobs played the good soldier Thursday and said he isn't bothered by his limited workload in recent weeks. (Full Jacobs transcript)
Cornerback Terrell Thomas said Thursday he expects fewer mistakes from the secondary the rest of the season.

"Our defense is hard, it’s complex. Things change at the last second," Thomas said. "Now, they have a good eight games, a good bye week to get adjusted to the defense and how we play it, too – how we play with each other. "It’s hard to line somebody up and say, ‘You’re playing the deep half. This is what you have,’ Something might happen and you have to adjust to it. We didn’t and we were all off. I think we’re back on track as a secondary."
What If Sports simulations have the Giants winning this weekend. The simulations don't mean much, but I always get a kick out of them, anyway.
SB Nation's NFL Power Rankings, voted on by the football bloggers, show the Colts on top.

Do you know what time it is? It's Ernie P. time

2009-11-20T12:00:13Z

It's Friday, and that means time for my weekly swap of questions with long-time New York Giants beat writer Ernie Palladino. My answers to these same questions are over at Ernie's Giants Beat.

Ernie and I have largely been on the same page with most of our answers this season. Interestingly, The Aaron Ross question below (which was Ernie's question) is the first time I can remember where we completely disagree.

Ernie wants to see Aaron Ross at corner with Terrell Thomas moving to safety. I want Ross at safety, since Thomas is doing a good job, Ross has some experience at safety and I am afraid doing the opposite might cause problems at two positions.

I will be interested to see how you guys feel about this one.

1. We haven't seen much of the no-huddle offense this year. Do you think a return to it in spots could help the Giants' offense?

Ernie's Answer: Absolutely. This subject caused quite a spirited and divided debate at my place (http://erniepalladinosgiantsbeat.blogspot.com) on Tuesday. Remember back in '07 and '08 when they ran the no-huddle? It was so effective that it had all us reporter types asking why in the world they only use it in spots. It had to be explained to us that it's actually exhausting for the offense because the wide receivers have to sprint back to the line to set up for the next play. That makes sense, but we're not talking about using it all game long. We're talking key spots, especially when the offense appears it's about to stall. The thing about the no-huddle is that it's not necessarily a hurry-up, though some similar principles apply to the two-minute drill. It forces the defense to keep the same personnel on the field because of the possibility of a quick snap. And keeping that defense static opens the possibility of mismatches downfield. And you can run out of it. Honestly, except for the inexperience of a receiving corps that probably benefitted from the tranquility of the huddle while getting the play, I don't know why the Giants stopped using it. Maybe now that Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham are more experienced in the offense, and therefore more able to make those snap adjustments you need to make from the no-huddle, we'll be seeing more of it. If they're ever going to go back to it, this would be the ideal time.

2. Just how big is this game with Atlanta?

Huge. Bigger than the San Diego game. Why? Because this is a conference game that could figure into a tie-breaker situation at the end of the season. Let's say the Giants finish 9-7 and are in the wildcard hunt. A win here gives them a head-to-head over Atlanta. Plus, the division tie-breaker includes conference record as the fourth criteria. In fact, if they're going to throw away any game from here on out, the Thanksgiving night matchup with Denver would be the one. All the rest are conference and division games, and they're all basically must-win games.

3. Now that Danny Ware can carry the ball, how would you use him?

Sparingly. Well, maybe that's too strong a word. I'd throw him in there in the fourth quarter when leading to kill the clock, much as the Giants deployed Ahmad Bradshaw for the most part. Look, Ware seems like a pretty strong runner. But there is still an issue with the elbow he dislocated on the first kickoff of the season. Until the coaches stop worrying about his ability to secure the ball, I'd be very cautious about overusing him. Besides, what this offense needs is not Danny Ware, but more Brandon Jacobs. I've long held that Jacobs needs to get the ball between 20 and 25 times. With Bradshaw penciled in for another seven to 10 carries at least, there would be few carries for Ware, anyway. The fact that Kevin Gilbride and Jerald Ingram just can't wait to put the kid in concerns me. They should be more worried about getting Jacobs in there more. I'm not saying Ware won't someday become a great back. But at this point, he's an extra, not a star. And he should be used as such.

4. Assuming Aaron Ross will be able to play, would you put him at cornerback or safety?

I stick him at corner. If he'd been playing all along, I'd have switched him to safety three games ago. He played a bit there in college and, to me, seems like a good enough tackler to handle the job. But there's a learning curve that goes with switching a guy over, and having been out since the summer with that hamstring problem, putting him at safety right now would be a bit of an overload. I'd rather see him work his way back at corner, with Terrell Thomas going to safety. Remember, we don't know how much Ross can play. Chances are he's going to have to start with a limited workload -- a few snaps -- to prove to the staff he's back all the way. After a couple of games and a possible return to starter, then you can think about switching him if necessary. But I have a feeling that if Thomas goes over there, Ross won't need to move, anyway.

New York Giants Notebook: 11.19.09

2009-11-19T14:15:16Z

Good Morning Giants fans, only 3 more days until the Giants take the field and get this whole thing turned around.
Here is your morning news and notes from the world of the New York Giants:

In speaking with the media yesterday, Eli Manning said the bye week gave the Giants time to take a fresh look at this season: (click link for full transcript)

We looked at the whole season. You look at the good things, you look at the bad things. You make some corrections, you see what you are doing well and what you need to improve on. You learn from all those things. It is a good time to analyze your play and where you can improve and what you need to fix for the next seven weeks.

If Tom Coughlin is excited to finally have almost his whole defense back and ready to go: (click link for full transcript)

Well, obviously we have had some injuries and we have had guys we have had to get back. We have got them back. So we are excited about that. Now let’s hope we can build some endurance and some opportunities on the practice field to get these guys ready to play.

Atlanta coach Mike Smith talked about whether or not Matt Ryan is going through a sophomore slump: (click link for full transcript)

I think his numbers are comparable when you start talking about completion percentage and touchdowns to where they were at this time last year. Of course, Matt had an outstanding rookie season and playing quarterback in the NFL, to me, is one of the most difficult positions there is. We know that Matt has got to play better. He knows that he has got to play better. But there is a learning curve and it is not something that happens in a very short time. It is something that you have to experience and Matt is going through those experiences right now.

More after the jump.......

I'm just going to post this, and stand back: the Buffalo Bills are rumored to be interested in Giants Offensive Coordinator Kevin Gilbride as their new head coach. Before you go getting too excited, you should also know they are looking at Mike Shanahan as well.

Michael Boley tells NJ.com that he is out to show the Falcons on Sunday what they are missing. I have a better idea Michael.....SHOW THE GIANTS WHAT THEY ARE MISSING INSTEAD!!!!!

And Boley better be ready to show somebody something, because The Fifth Down says he may be covering Tony Gonzalez on Sunday.

A chat with The Falcoholic

2009-11-19T12:28:46Z

via i.cdn.turner.com

View full size photo »

The Atlanta Falcons come to the Meadowlands to face the New York Giants Sunday in a make-or-break game for both 5-4 teams. This week I chatted with Dave Choate, lead blogger over at The Falcoholic, about his team.

Dave Choate: I guess the most obvious question is what exactly happened over the last four weeks to the Giants? Can you pin it on any one thing?

Big Blue View: How did I know that would be the first question? What happened to them? They are missing in action. If they turn up somewhere down South, please let me know. Actually, it has probably been a combination of factors. Through five games they only played one good team (Dallas). The last four weeks have all been against very good teams, and they have exposed the flaws in the Giants defense.

Also, it is entirely possible that this team is not as good as we thought it was going to be. The defense has not been dominant, although Sunday will be the healthiest they have been all season.

Dave Choate: That makes sense.

With the Falcons also struggling, how concerned are you about our ability to hang some points on that defense?

Big Blue View: I'd be concerned about Notre Dame being able to hang some points on that defense, to tell you the truth. This team was supposed to be built around a dominant defense and it just hasn't worked out that way.

Injuries (Kenny Phillips, Chris Canty, Aaron Ross, Michael Boley, Justin Tuck) have really hurt this team. They get Ross back for the first time all season on Sunday and will be as close to full strength as they have been all season. Maybe, just maybe, we start to see the defense the Giants thought they had.

So, summarize the Falcons season for me. They have an identical record to the Giants at 5-4. Are they as inconsistent as that record indicates?

Dave Choate: Inconsistency might be a light word for what's going here.

Some weeks, they have had excellent passing performances, other weeks the ground game has been superb, and other games every single phase of the offense and defense is terrible. The game against the Panthers last week was one of the worst I've seen in a long time, and we also lost Michael Turner. I'd say he's got less than a 25% chance of playing against you guys.

Big Blue View: The Giants are always proud of their running back depth. Explain to me how big of a loss Turner would be to the Falcons?

Dave Choate: The way he's been playing in recent weeks, it's a tremendous blow. Jason Snelling is a capable replacement in the short-term, but there's no depth behind him unless speedy back Jerious Norwood comes back from injury, and he's not 100% yet. Our only other option would appear to be Aaron Stecker, who really isn't much more than a special teamer at this point.

Big Blue View: I look at this Sunday as a HUGE game. To me, it determines whether or not the Giants are true playoff contenders, or if they are just pretenders playing out the string until next season. Do you feel the same way from an Atlanta perspective?

Dave Choate: If we lose this game, I'm calling it: We're basically out of the playoff hunt. It's absolutely critical that we try to put you away, considering that you're one of the top threats in the wild card hunt. I agree it's critical.

Will the Giants look to attack the Falcons through the air with their new-found plethora of receiving options, or will they stick to the run?

Big Blue View:: Well, every time I try to figure out what game plan offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride will employ, or that I think he should employ, I end up giving myself a headache. I support the guy, but around here folks love to rip him. Anyway, that's a long-winded way of saying I have no idea what Gilbride will actually decide to do.

Dave Choate: I think your best bet is to pass, honestly.

Big Blue View: Here, though, is what I hope he does. I hope he gives you guys a steady dose, as in 25 carries or so, of Brandon Jacobs. The big fella has hardly been utilized at all during the losing streak (51 carries in 4 games) and it's time for them to start riding him.

As for the pass, I just hope they stay with the short and intermediate stuff. One problem they had for a few games is falling in love with trying for the deep ball. Great when it works, but it leaves you wanting to throw the remote through the TV when it fails on 3rd and 2.

The Giants always strive for balance. I just think failing to use Jacobs enough is leaving your best weapon on the shelf.

Dave Choate: I'd tend to agree. But I think the Falcons have had a fundamental problem generating a pass rush in recent weeks, which leaves a medicore secondary out to dry.

Big Blue View: Actually, that sounds a lot like the Giants. With Kenny Phillips out for the year, and Ross not having played yet, the secondary has been exposed.

Dave Choate: Remarkable the extent to which our teams' struggles have mirrored each other, really.

Says something about the weight of expectations.

Big Blue View: Tell me a little about Matt Ryan. Seems like he has been more inconsistent this season than he was as a rookie?

Dave Choate: He actually had a great start to the year. And it's gone downhill rapidly in recentweeks.

I think he's looked shakier in the pocket, and at least part of that can be attributed to better pass rushes he's been facing. But something he's been doing with maddening regularity is sailing passes over receivers' heads, often with disastrous consequences. Ryan's still got a very bright future, but the coaching staff has to help him sort out his mental struggles.

Big Blue View: OK. Here is a question I always ask. If you could take one player off the Giants roster and put him in your lineup, who would it be? Why?

Dave Choate: Without a doubt, Osi Umenyiora. Dude's a beast and we need the pass rushing help he could provide desperately. There are a lot of worthy candidates on the Giants, but he's the first name that comes to mind.

How about you? Same questions, but with the Falcons?

Big Blue View: So, here comes the part of that question I hate. I'm not an expert on your roster, but I would say this. We could use help at linebacker, and if you have a playmaker you would like to give us we would take him.

Dave Choate: That would be Curtis Lofton. Extremely tough middle linebacker, league leader in tackles and a guy who you can count on to be involved in every play. Hits hard enough to jar the football loose, too.

Rapid fire questions, here.

Big Blue View: Giants, 27-24; I expect a huge game from Eli; Jacobs and 100 yards depends on whether he gets enough carries.

Here are a couple for you

Can the Falcons run without Turner? A prediction?

Dave Choate: I expect Jason Snelling to pick up at least 75 yards without Turner, and I'm predicting a 21-17 Falcons win, crazily enough.

New York Giants News & Notes: Jeff Feagles a Pro Bowler?

2009-11-18T12:15:21Z

The 2007 Giants and Cowboys will both tell you that Pro Bowl balloting is a meaningless honor, but it's pretty funny that the only Giant who is currently leading his position in voting is punter Jeff Feagles, who has not been having his best season, to say the least. The Giants are a 5-4 team desperately clinging to their playoff hopes, so they shouldn't do as well as they did in Pro Bowl voting last year, but I have to think at least one of Chris Snee, Shaun O'Hara, or Justin Tuck deserves to be a starter.

Giants Enjoy Bye Week

With the Eagles and Cowboys losing and the Michael Turner injury, the Giants had their best Sunday in over a month. Ralph Vachianno recaps.

The bye also helped the Giants get refreshed, with reports that practice this week has been sharp.

Perhaps most importantly, Justin Tuck and Eli Manning were able to use the bye week to heal up some of their injuries. The Giants need those two as healthy as they can be if they want to contend for the Super Bowl this year.

Other Notes

The Giants are lodging a complaint about having to travel to Denver to play on Thanksgiving on a shortened week.
The NY Times 5th Down Blog continues its countdown of the top Giants moments at Giants Stadium with Tiki Barber's 206-yard game against the Redskins the Sunday after Wellington Mara passed away.

For you Sirius subscribers, Reby Sky, aka NYGiantsGirl, is scheduled to be on the Howard Stern Show...

2009-11-18T02:23:24Z

For you Sirius subscribers, Reby Sky, aka NYGiantsGirl, is scheduled to be on the Howard Stern Show tomorrow. That also means with any luck she will be on Howard TV a day or two after that.

Breaking news: Bills fire Jauron

2009-11-17T22:35:02Z

From NFL.com:

The Buffalo Bills have fired coach Dick Jauron after directing the team to a 3-6 record.

Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell is expected to become the Bills' interim head coach, a Bills source told NFL.com's Vic Carucci. The team said Jauron's replacement would be announced later. Jauron's successor is expected to come from the current staff and be on an interim basis only.

"I am announcing today that I am relieving Dick Jauron from his duties as our head coach, effective immediately," Bills owner Ralph Wilson said in a statement. "I have tremendous respect for Dick and thank him for all of his efforts during these past four years. While this was a very difficult decision, I felt that it is one that needed to be made at this time for the best interest of our team. We will now focus on moving forward and preparing for our game this week in Jacksonville."

New York Giants notes: Falcons story should sound familiar

2009-11-17T16:20:03Z

by Donna McWilliam - AP

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan.

View full size photo »

Reading about the 5-4 Atlanta Falcons these days feels an awful lot like reading about the 5-4 New York Giants.

Here is an example.

Matt Ryan is struggling. Michael Turner is hurting. Jason Elam can't seem to make a field goal.

Yep, the Falcons definitely have plenty of things to worry about as they head into a decisive stretch of the season.

Now, at a time when some doubts may creeping into the team psyche, the Falcons face three games over the next four weeks that will likely determine the course of this season.

Coming off a surprising trip to the playoffs last season, the Falcons were convinced this would be the year they finally broke the franchise's streak of never having consecutive winning seasons. A 3-1 start certainly bolstered those hopes, but two wins in the last five games have undoubtedly caused some to wonder if that ignominious streak will continue.

"It's not about just being average," receiver Roddy White said. "A lot of us are going out there saying, 'I've got one job, I'll just do that.'... We've all got to get out there and do more, be more productive."

The Falcons are being vague about the status of Turner, the star running back who has a high ankle sprain.

There is also concern about a sophomore slump for Ryan, the young quarterback who was so impressive as a rookie. He has thrown 12 interceptions already this season, one more than he threw all of 2008. One blogger has even gone so far as to raise a comparison to Michael Vick.

We're all a little queasy about Ryan's slump because of our collective experience with the Falcons' last young phenom signal-caller. Mike Vick's best season was his first year as a starter. He regressed thereafter to the point that his Untergang was a blessing in disguise for the franchise. There is a slight sense of deja vu for Falcons fans with Ryan having played on a very high level as a rookie and then regressing as a second-year player.

Giants notes

The Giants believe they can, and will make the playoffs

"We’ve got the personnel in here to do it," said Jeff Feagles. "We showed we can win a lot of games in a row. We did it at the beginning of the season, there’s no reason we can’t do it at the end."
Eli Manning Transcript
Justin Tuck Transcript

For the New York Giants, time is now for some changes

2009-11-17T12:15:09Z

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

Hopefully we will see a lot more of linebacker Clint Sintim (97) for the remainder of the season.

Browse more photos »

The bye week is over. The New York Giants have had time now to look in the mirror and assess what has gone wrong during their current unexpected four-game slide into mediocrity.

The question now is simple. What can they do to turn things around over the next seven games? Can they get back to being the team we all thought they were going to be, and that they were through a 5-0 start?

Defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan was asked last week about using the bye week to make changes in areas where his defense has been struggling. His answer, I thought, was instructive not just for the defense but for the Giants as a whole. I am taking a little editorial license with Sheridan's remarks, removing the parts where he specifically discussed red zone defense.

"You can sit back and look at a nine game self-scout and kind of take a picture of what you are doing ... How you are playing defense and what kind of calls you are or are not making. It gives you a chance, about a couple of days to do that, to maybe rethink some thoughts defensively about what you can do maybe a little differently," Sheridan said. "You can’t make dramatic changes but you definitely can modify it ... I think you can step back and take a look at what you are doing and maybe consider some other types of things."

Like I said, I think Sheridan's words apply to the entire team. Tom Coughlin, Kevin Gilbride, the players -- everyone. Now that they have had time to think about what has gone wrong, can they make some changes to get this ship sailing back in the right direction?

Here are my suggestions for things I would like to see the Giants do differently during the remaining seven games.

A lot more Brandon Jacobs. Is he running well? Isn't he running well? I'm tired of talking about it. Fact is, during the four-game skid he simply hasn't been running enough. In four losses Jacobs had 7, 13, 20 and 11 carries, 12.75 per game. In the five previous wins, Jacobs had more than 20 carries three times and no less than 16 in any game. He averaged 20 carries in those five victories. When the Giants are playing football their way, dominating teams physically and controlling the clock, Jacobs is punishing defenses 17-25 times per game. It's time to stop protecting the 6-foot-4, 270-pound Jacobs and start using him. As Yogi Berra would say "it's getting late early around here."

Stick with the short passing game. The Giants offense got back to the short, ball-control type passes against San Diego, and it's a trend I would like to see continue. There is a time and place for the long ball, and it is awesome when it works, but let's be honest. After beating up on JV teams the early part of the season Gilbride and Eli Manning fell in love with it. The Giants best receiver, Steve Smith, is a machine on short-to-intermediate routes. Mario Manningham and Hakeem Nicks are showing the ability to turn short throws into huge plays. Kevin Boss is a quality tight end. You don't have to throw the ball 40 or 50 yards downfield to make teams pay for stuffing the box or blitzing the house. Short, quick completions they can't cover -- and ones that occasionally turn into huge gains -- will do the trick. Besides, we are heading into that time of year in the Meadowlands where we know throwing the ball down the field will become more and more dicey. So, stick with what you do best, and what has the best chance to succeed.

Give me some Ramses Barden. Please. I know the third-round pick from Cal-Poly is a work in progress. And I know he has to contribute on special teams to be active on Sunday. But the guy is a 6-foot-6 physical freak, and he needs to be given an opportunity to get on the field and make a couple of plays. Even if Barden doesn't run perfect routes, I saw over and over during training camp that he can use his size and strength to make plays in traffic even when he seems covered. C'mon, now! Is Sinorice Moss really helping the special teams enough to keep Barden inactive every Sunday? I don't think so.

Unleash Danny Ware. We all love Ahmad Bradshaw, but it is plain to see that AB's foot and ankle injuries are slowing him down. His production just hasn't been the same in recent weeks. Ware has fresh legs, gobs of talent and he is dying for an opportunity. I think it's time the Giants give him one.

More Clint Sintim. During pre-season, a lot of folks thought Sintim, the second-round pick, would be the Giants rookie who had the biggest impact this season. A leg injury has derailed the young linebacker, but he is healthy now. Danny Clark might grade out OK on film, but we all know he is not a play maker. The Giants need play makers on defense right now, guys who are fast, strong, athletic and can make plays that change games. Michael Boley and Chris Canty might be those kinds of players. Sintim, too. The Giants need to get him on the field and see what he can do.

Less zone blitz. In fact, no zone blitz. Rip it out of the defensive playbook. I really, really hope that Bill Sheridan has looked at his propensity to call zone blitzes -- something he promised he would not do -- and realize that is the dumbest defense ever invented that is not called the prevent. Dropping Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora and Mathias Kiwanuka into coverage against tight ends is stupid, a recipe for failure. Let them do what they are paid to do, and what they do best, go crush some quarterbacks.

A little faith, Tom. The worst thing a head coach can do is play not to lose, rather than show faith in his eam and play to win. TC played not to lose at the end of the San Diego game, and ended up losing. If he allows the Giants to take a shot into the end zone and it doesn't work I can stomach that loss a lot easier. I also think TC's lack of faith is hurting the kicking game. Coughlin is so afraid of returns he has Jeff Feagles kicking everything out of bounds, and now Feagles -- one of the best directional punters ever -- is all screwed up. He's got Lawrence Tynes kicking squibbers and bouncers and God-awful looking kickoffs all over the place. Show a little faith in your coverage teams. And your quarterback, Tom. That's what you did in 2007. Don't show fear. Show belief.

Poll

Will the Giants make the playoffs

Yes

871 votes

No

209 votes

1080 votes | Poll has closed

For the New York Giants, optimism has to be the order of the day

2009-11-16T12:00:22Z

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

New York Giants general manager Jerry Reese, left, and coach tom Coughlin.

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As a New York Giants fan, it has been difficult to feel good the past several weeks. We have seen lots of bad football, especially on defense, some inexplicable coaching decisions and, ultimately, four bad losses in a row.

All of which has turned what looked like it would be a great season into what, right now, is a head scratcher.

Yet, I have always tried to be a voice of reason around here. When things have gone bad and others headed for the ledge, I have always been the one of the voices trying to talk panicked fans back from the brink.

My wife would never believe it considering my day-to-day grumpiness, but I am always optimistic about this Giants team. I have been thinking a lot lately about whether or not that optimism is misplaced. Even before settling in and watching a Sunday full of NFL games not involving our Giants, I had concluded that my optimism is, indeed, well-founded.

Oh, and what happened Sunday?

Carolina 28, Atlanta 19
Green Bay 17, Dallas 7
San Diego 31, Philadelphia 23

Yep, all the teams the Giants are chasing for a playoff berth lost. The Giants are now tied with the Packers, Eagles and Falcons for a wild-card berth, and are just a game behind the Cowboys in the NFC East.

As 'Step Up and Make Big Plays' said in Sunday's Open Thread "This has been absolutely the best week for the NY Football Giants in the past month."

The season is far from lost. In fact, it is just beginning. You can moan about the Giants' remaining schedule if you like. It will be difficult, without question. Or, you can look at it this way. The Giants have in front of them home games against Atlanta, Dallas, Philly and Carolina -- all teams with designs on the playoff spot the Giants seek. What better way to control your destiny than head-up against your primary competition. They have road games against Denver, Minnesota and Washington.

So, this won't be easy. But then again, is it supposed to be?

General Manager Jerry Reese was adamant during a recent conversation with Ralph Vacchiano that he has lost no faith in a team he sees as a Super Bowl contender.

"We have a great opportunity to right the ship and I fully expect us to do that. I really do," he told The News. "Our coach has been in hard spots before. He always comes out with a good plan and great leadership. I'm not betting against him, I can tell you that."

In fact, Reese said, he's already seen signs that Tom Coughlin has begun to pull the Giants out of their slumber. He pointed to the fact that the Giants "played much better" last Sunday in their 21-20 loss to the San Diego Chargers. He also pointed out that with the return of linebacker Michael Boley and defensive tackle Chris Canty, and with the expected return of cornerback Aaron Ross next Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, the beleaguered defense is starting to get most of its missing pieces back.

That could be enough to jump-start the Giants. And as they learned in 2007, all it takes is one win to get a team on a roll.

"We still have a great opportunity to qualify for the tournament," Reese said. "That's what's important to us. If you qualify and you get some momentum going through the playoffs, things can happen.

"But our No. 1 goal is to just win one game. That's what's most important for us right now. The players have a few days off to clear our heads, come back with a good attitude and some great fortitude to be determined to go out and get things thing turned around. I believe we'll do that."

(Full transcript of Reese interview)

Am I buying what Reese is selling? Yes and no. Yes, in that the Giants have a chance. It is right there for them to take. No, in that I am not sure right now that this team is good enough. They still have to show me, and they need to start Sunday against Atlanta. Lose on Sunday it will pretty much be time to start thinking about 2010.

The flip side of that is that I am not buying the doom and gloom of the vary passionate, very vociferous, very small minority of Giants fans who want everyone fired and the team completely rebuilt after four bad games.

Fans are emotional. We all react, and often over-react, based on the last thing we see. And we all know that what we have seen from the Giants lately has not been pretty.

That does not, however, mean this is a football team that needs to be gutted and rebuilt. Accuse me of living in the past if you must, but you don't make it to the playoffs four straight years and win a Super Bowl without a coach who knows what he is doing. Without a general manager and a personnel department that knows how to stock a roster with quality players, especially young ones who will be around for a while. Without quality ownership that won't panic at the first sign of trouble. Without a quality core of players and leaders around whom to build.

I don't believe recognizing that the Giants have those things in place is living in the past. I believe that is feeling good about what the team I root for has, and believing that it has much of what it needs already in place to bring continued success for several seasons to come.

Will this season work out the way we all thought, or at least hoped, it would? I don't know. Coughlin doesn't know. Reese doesn't know. You don't know.

If it does, marvelous. If it doesn't, then it doesn't. Stuff happens and good teams miss the playoffs every season. Good teams, and good organizations, have down seasons sometimes.

Whether the next seven games turn out beautifully, or beastly, for our Giants I still feel good about the future of this team.

Game day Open Thread

2009-11-15T18:00:37Z

No Giants game today, of course. If you want to chat about today's games, though, here is an Open Thread for your use. Enjoy the day, gang!

Clarifying Kevin Gilbride's remark about the running backs

2009-11-15T14:06:15Z

When offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride said the other day he does not control the Giants running back rotation -- running backs coach Jerald Ingram does -- that caused confusion and set off a bit of a firestorm around here.

So I reached out to some of the Giants beat writers for their thoughts on the situation. Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News took the bait and offers this interpretation of the lines of authority.

My understanding is that it's basically correct. Ingram sets the RB rotation and Gilbride calls the plays based on who's in. Some of that is because Ingram is on the field and knows better who is tired, who is hurting, etc. Some of that is just delegation of responsibility that's at least a little bit necessary.

Now, I'm sure before hand they thoroughly discuss who is going to be in the game when, and how many carries each guy should get. But if Gilbride is dissecting the defense and calling the offensive plays, you don't want him charting how many plays each RB gets. You want him focused on the scheme and the calls. But there is a plan. For example, Coughlin said he wanted Jacobs in and fresh at the end of the San Diego game -- which he was. It was up to Ingram to make sure of that, so he put in Bradshaw in the late third and early fourth quarters to give Jacobs a breather. But in the end, the Giants got the guy they wanted in the game at crunch time.

I'm also sure that Gilbride knows ahead of time who'll be in on what drive or in what situations -- goal line, third downs, etc., etc. I'm also guessing he probably has the power to scream into the headset "Get me Jacobs". Ditto for Coughlin. Ingram doesn't have complete authority in that regard. He's just in charge of making sure the RBs rotate in accordance with the plan that was discussed during the week.

As I have thought about the situation I figured this was largely the case. Having Ralph spell it out makes me feel a little better, though. I hope it helps you guys, too.

[NOTE: I will post an open thread later today if you guys want to use it to chat about any of today's games.]

New York Giants News & Notes: Giants Using Bye Week to Get Healthier & Better in Red Zone

2009-11-14T12:00:41Z

The best thing about having a bye week this late in the season is that it allows some players who have been banged up to get healthy, and hopefully minimize the risk of further injuries during the stretch run. We saw how the Giants ran out of gas last season after having an early bye. Hopefully this year will prove the opposite.

On that note, Ralph Vachianno reports that Aaron Ross is practicing and looks to be ready to return when the Giants play the Falcons next Sunday.

Still, Ross said, "I wasn't nervous at all" yesterday. "I felt really good to tell you the truth. I've got to get a little bit of the rust and cobwebs off, but a couple of more days of practice and I'll be all right."

Tom Rock writes that the return of Danny Ware might give the Giants the missing link they've been missing on offense this season. According to running backs coach Jerald Ingram:

"You've got your banger, your third-down back and your speed changeup guy, and away we go," Ingram said of Jacobs, Ware and Bradshaw, respectively. "We put it on our shoulders and we try to motivate the offense as well as the defense and get everybody happy."

Tom Coughlin has stated that the Giants will be working on both their red zone defense and "green zone" offense (I still hate calling it that, especially with the way the Giants have looked down there). This has been an issue for way too long now, and it's almost embarrassing that the Giants have been so bad inside the 20s.
The NFL has fined Ahmad Bradshaw (chop block), Kevin Dockery (unnecessary roughness on a fair catch), and Clint Sintim (roughing the passer) $5,000 each. The good news is that San Diego's Eric Weddle has been fined $7,500 for his helmet-to-helmet hit on Kevin Boss. You know, the one that didn't draw a yellow flag on the field.

New York Giants news & notes: Love numbers? You'll love this

2009-11-13T16:00:41Z

Just when I thought I knew every nook and cranny of the Internet where I could find information about the New York Giants and the NFL, along comes someone with a new one.

I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks. And you can always uncover a new and fascinating Web site.

I didn't exactly 'uncover' Pro Football Focus. One of the other football bloggers here at SB Nation brought it to the attention of all of the football writers across the network. I am, however, going to sing its praises.

I'm not a stat geek. I have hardly spent an exhaustive amount of time at the site, but I have uncovered some information I haven't been able to find anywhere else.

Here are some examples. These numbers are through eight games by the way, which is my only minor complaint. By Thursday night, I'd hope to see the Giants-Chargers game included. Regardless, the numbers are instructive.

Remember back in the pre-season when we were wondering how snaps would be apportioned among the defensive linemen? Well, the numbers are right here. Oh, and Fred Robbins' horrid grades show why the Giants need Chris Canty to play well the rest of the way.
As much as we kill 'Bad, Bad C.C. Brown' Pro Football Focus' grading system rates fellow safety Michael Johnson as an even bigger liability in the secondary. I will admit I haven't quite digested the site's grading system. I just know they are studying every play, and the results are fascinating.
Want to know exactly what areas of the field Eli Manning appears to have the most success throwing to? Well, here is a quadrant-by-quadrant breakdown.
Want to know why Derek Hagan is on the active roster every Sunday and Ramses Barden isn't? Well, these numbers show you how valuable Hagan is on the Giants' coverage teams.
Want to know which offensive lineman grades out the worst thus far? You might be surprised that it is not Kareem McKenzie. McKenzie, though, has given up the most hits on Manning.

There are lots of numbers like these. If you love stats, you'll love the site.

We all know the Giants have put themselves in a tough spot when it comes to making the playoffs. Another site I happen to like, Cool Standings, gives the Giants a 36.7 percent chance for a fifth straight playoff appearance. Just to make you feel even worse, back when they were 5-0 Cool Standings gave the Giants a 92.2 percent chance of making the post-season.
SBNation.com's Weekly NFL Power Rankings have the Giants 15th. By the way, those are voted on by SBN football bloggers. I wasn't even that kind to the Giants, to be honest.
Former NFL coach and current FOX Sports NFL analyst Brian Billick isn't sure the Giants have the personnel to stop their current slide.

"The things that concerned you about the Giants coming into the season again were: Where are their big-play receivers, and how is their back seven going to hold up? Now, we're seeing that those questions were legitimate.

I don't know how good this receiving corps really is and I don't know how good their back end is. Like I was saying about Tomlinson, I don't think things are really right with Brandon Jacobs, either. Also, there may be no answers to fixing that secondary. There is no one who is going to ride in on his white horse to resurrect it. It just isn't going to happen.

You just have to do those things that will protect that secondary. What were the Giants known for when they won their Super Bowl — getting pressure with a four-man rush. Well, today very few teams can get to the quarterback with just a four-man pass rush. Minnesota can do it and Dallas is showing signs of being able to do it, too. New York, with former defense coordinator Steve Spagnuolo running the show the past two years, found ways of doing that. But that back end is pretty suspect now, so I'm not sure the Giants can do the same things."

Here the complete up-to-date stats for the Giants thru nine games.

Passing

		Passing									Rushing					Sacks
	G	Rating	Comp	Att	Pct	Yds	Y/G	Y/A	TD	INT	Rush	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD	Sack	YdsL
David Carr	4	97.9	15	24	62.5	172	43	7.2	1	0	7	29	7.3	4.1	1	2	11
Eli Manning	9	89.5	165	275	60	2070	230	7.5	15	8	10	40	4.4	4	0	13	82

Rushing

		Rushing						Receiving
	G	Rush	Yds	Y/G	Avg	Lng	TD	Rec	Yds	Y/G	Avg	Lng	TD
Ahmad Bradshaw	9	103	515	57.2	5	38	4	10	96	10.7	9.6	55	0
David Carr	4	7	29	7.3	4.1	12	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
Brandon Jacobs	9	151	617	68.6	4.1	31	2	10	56	6.2	5.6	22	0
Gartrell Johnson	2	11	39	19.5	3.5	11	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Eli Manning	9	10	40	4.4	4	13	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Hakeem Nicks	7	1	9	1.3	9	9	0	23	407	58.1	17.7	62	4
Danny Ware	3	2	9	3	4.5	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Receiving

		Receiving
	G	Rec	Yds	Y/G	AVG	Lng	TD
Travis Beckum	5	5	35	7	7	15	0
Kevin Boss	8	19	283	35.4	14.9	30	2
Ahmad Bradshaw	9	10	96	10.7	9.6	55	0
Derek Hagan	7	4	26	3.7	6.5	12	0
Domenik Hixon	6	8	62	10.3	7.8	13	0
Brandon Jacobs	9	10	56	6.2	5.6	22	0
Darcy Johnson	2	4	40	20	10	14	0
Mario Manningham	8	34	491	61.4	14.4	49	4
Sinorice Moss	4	1	18	4.5	18	18	1
Hakeem Nicks	7	23	407	58.1	17.7	62	4
Steve Smith	9	61	719	79.9	11.8	43	5

Returns

		Kickoff Returns					Punt Returns
	G	KR	YDS	AVG	Lng	TD	PR	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD
William Beatty	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Chase Blackburn	6	1	3	3	3	0	0	0	0	0	0
Ahmad Bradshaw	9	0	0	0	0	0	6	55	9.2	20	0
Kevin Dockery	4	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0
Madison Hedgecock	2	1	8	8	8	0	0	0	0	0	0
Domenik Hixon	6	21	522	24.9	68	0	8	98	12.3	27	0
Sinorice Moss	4	6	109	18.2	29	0	11	74	6.7	16	0
Hakeem Nicks	7	1	16	16	16	0	0	0	0	0	0
Danny Ware	3	2	37	18.5	20	0	0	0	0	0	0
Corey Webster	9	0	0	0	0	0	1	8	8	8	0

Punting

	Punting
	G	Punts	Yds	AVG	Lng	In20	TB
Jeff Feagles	9	36	1414	39.3	59	15	2

Kicking

		Field Goals								PAT
	G	0-19	20-29	30-39	40-49	50+	FGM	FGA	PCT	XPM	XPA	PCT	pts
Lawrence Tynes	9	0 - 0	8 - 10	7 - 8	4 - 5	0 - 0	19	23	80.0%	25	25	100.0%	82

Defense

		Sacks		Interceptions			Tackles
	G	Sacks	YdsL	Int	Yds	IntTD	Solo	Ast	Total
Rocky Bernard	8	1	11	0	0	0	10	4	14
Chase Blackburn	6	.500	5.5	0	0	0	21	13	34
Michael Boley	4	0	0	0	0	0	19	2	21
C.C. Brown	8	0	0	0	0	0	37	4	41
Chris Canty	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	2
Danny Clark	8	1	8	0	0	0	17	10	27
Barry Cofield	7	0	0	0	0	0	9	4	13
Zak DeOssie	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Kevin Dockery	4	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	2
Jonathan Goff	3	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1
Bruce Johnson	8	1	12	1	34	0	10	4	14
Michael Johnson	9	1	6	1	0	0	27	7	34
Bryan Kehl	5	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1
Mathias Kiwanuka	9	3	14	0	0	0	20	5	25
Kenny Phillips	2	0	0	2	22	0	9	4	13
Antonio Pierce	9	1	4	0	0	0	40	15	55
Fred Robbins	8	1	0	0	0	0	16	2	18
Aaron Rouse	7	0	0	0	0	0	3	2	5
Rich Seubert	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Clint Sintim	2	0	0	0	0	0	3	2	5
Chris Snee	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Terrell Thomas	9	1	9	3	49	0	32	9	41
Dave Tollefson	7	1	9	0	0	0	3	0	3
Justin Tuck	8	3.5	17.5	0	0	0	24	5	29
Osi Umenyiora	9	5	47	0	0	0	14	5	19
Corey Webster	9	0	0	1	0	0	27	4	31
Gerris Wilkinson	6	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1

Do you know what time it is? It's Ernie P. time

2009-11-13T12:00:21Z

More photos » by Brian Blanco - AP

One of the subjects Ernie Palladino and I discuss this week is the future of the Giants offensive line, especially someone like Kareem McKenzie.

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Just because it's a bye week for the New York Giants, doesn't mean the real workers around here -- bloggers like Ernie Palladino and myself get to goof off. We still have to provide manna for readers hungry for Giants' stories. So, here is this week's swap of questions with Ernie P.

As always, his answers are below. Mine can be found over at Ernie's house, which he affectionately calls 'Giants Beat.'

1. Given the post-bye schedule, can the Giants fight their way into the postseason?

Ernie's Answer: Well, it's going to be a tough climb, but it's certainly possible. You can look at the need to go 5-2 to reach 10 wins, which would basically lock up a postseason berth and say, "No way. Not how this team is playing." And you'd be right. You could also look at the combined 34-22 mark of their seven remaining opponents, six of which are conference games, and be understandably pessimistic. But I always hearken back to the words Jim Fassel repeatedly used when talking about such matters: "It's not who you play, it's when you play them." Nobody can say how these teams are going to play two, three, six weeks from now. Look at Denver. They jumped off to a 6-0 start but just lost their second straight Monday night, and looked horrible doing it. Do you think Dallas is going to steamroll into the Super Bowl? Maybe. But the Giants did beat them at home and the Cowboys have been known to go into late-season swoons. You really think Washington is going to be all geeked up in Game 14 to save Zorn? I don't. Now, I'm not saying the Giants don't have a big hill to climb even to get to 8-8 (which, by the way, could get them into a wildcard if the wide-open NFC falls right). All I'm saying is the postseason is not beyond the realm of possibililty. Do I think they're capable of turning it around? Now that Aaron Ross is headed back and the team is getting healthier, yes I do. That said, watch them drop six of the last seven.

2. Is the short, controlled passing game Eli Manning exhibited in last week's loss to San Diego the way to go?

Ernie's Answer: Oh, yeah. Notice how much better the tempo was and how well they moved the ball for the most part. No more stupid home-run shots on third-and-2. Instead, a nice, steady movement down the gridiron. When you've got guys like Steve Smith and Hakeem Nicks who can make hay out of the flanker screens and sideline out routes, it's better to use those elements than try to get it all at once. There's a reason Eli went 25-of-33 for 215 yards and two touchdowns, and it wasn't because he was constantly looking 40 yards downfield. If the Giants are smart, they'll limit his downfield shots to two or three per game, and only if they're in the lead. Otherwise, stick with the shorter passes and give me more cowbell, er, I mean, Brandon Jacobs.

3. Many of the players say this four-game losing streak hasn't shaken their confidence. Do you believe them?

Ernie's Answer: Absolutely. Without a doubt. And tomorrow, I'm going to buy that piece of beachfront property Justin Tuck is trying to unload in Arizona. Gave me a good price on it. Are you kidding? I don't care what kind of bravado the players put up. It's all a facade. This is a team that has all but fiddled away a 5-0 start with four straight losses, looking horrible in three of them and then falling victim to their coaches during crunch time of the last one. Put yourself in their situation. Feel your head spinning? Getting a little queasy in the stomach? Guaranteed, that's how they feel. They're searching and self-checking, wondering where the hell it all went wrong. I've never been big on the bye, but I really believe this one comes at an ideal time. If ever a team needed a break, it's this one. Perhaps they'll come back for Atlanta mentally refreshed, having spent some time away from the Xs and Os that right now seem as elementary as hitting a Mariano Rivera cutter.

4. Has the offensive line finally gotten too old to get the job done?

Ernie's Answer: I really like those guys, all of them. But I'm starting to think that some spots may need changing in the near future. Maybe even this year, starting with right tackle Kareem McKenzie. Maybe it's time to put either Kevin Boothe or Will Beatty in there and see what they can do. Kareem just doesn't seem to have the ability to keep up anymore. Granted, he's still struggling some with the groin injury. But he's let up some pressure on his side, and the run-blocking hasn't quite been up to par. David Diehl has also had his problems on the other side. And Shaun O'Hara may be having his most inconsistent season since he arrived here in '04. Of course, I could be wrong. It could be the overall scheme, which now relies heavily on the pass, that is causing all this. Run blocking needs rhythm, and when you're constantly going away from the run, rhythm is hard to generate. These guys aren't consistently blocking downhill anymore, so naturally they don't look as effective. I do believe that if not this year, then certainly next year, the unit that has played together for 39 out of the last 40 games will need some new blood.

Since I know you guys are having cheerleader withdrawal during the bye week, here is a Tampa Bay...

2009-11-12T20:04:00Z

Since I know you guys are having cheerleader withdrawal during the bye week, here is a Tampa Bay cheerleader in a throwback uni for your enjoyment.

Let's blame Tom Coughlin for everything -- and anything

2009-11-12T18:40:47Z

More photos » by Jeff Roberson - AP

New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin.

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New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin seems to want to take the blame for everything, which is probably what a head coach is supposed to do when things go bad.

TC was quite clear where the buck stops with the Giants during a Wednesday rant.

"I’m responsible for all of the decisions that are made with our football team. The green zone decisions are my responsibility. They are nobody else’s. No one else made a mistake. The quarterback did not make a mistake. The decision was mine. I was asked the other day if I had an opportunity, would I change it; would I do something different?

Well, my answer to that is: does that mean that I can also change the fumbled snap, the ball that we thought was going to be a fourth and inches that ended up being fourth and 10, which nobody has even recognized or talked about that. Can I change the running into the returner on the fair catch penalty? Can I change the 29-yard pass interference penalty? If you will give me a chance to change all of those, I’ll change all of those, too. But it is my responsibility and that is where it stops – right here. Nobody else is to blame. So let’s not continue to grope around trying to figure that situation out.

I will tell you right now, we were doing everything we possibly could to win. We had managed the game very well. Our kicking game had helped us out. We were in a position where we thought that the opponent would have to drive the ball the length of the field and score a touchdown to beat us. And, unfortunately, that is what happened. But the on-the-field decisions are mine.

That little tirade got me to wondering if there are other things TC should be held responsible for, too.

Like the fact that his star safety developed an arthritic knee. Or that 'Bad, Bad C.C. Brown' is a worse player than anyone could have imagined.
Like the fact that Justin Tuck has been playing hurt since Flozell Adams of Dallas tore Tuck's labrum in Week 2 with a cheap trip.
Like the fact that Aaron Ross seems to heal as quickly as a 90-year-old man.
Like the fact that Eli Manning hurt his foot. Shouldn't he have known that would happen and ordered him treated beforehand?
Like the fact that his punter suddenly seems to have decided to act his age.

Probably ought to hold TC responsible for some non-Giants stuff, too.

Like how bad the Browns, Raiders and Rams are.
Like the fact that Jim Fassel has to coach in the UFL. Oh, wait, that one might actually be Coughlin's fault since he has done so well as Giants coach following the miserable end to Fassel's Giants tenure.
Like the fact that Brett Favre is still in the league. Ahh, that one might really be his fault, too.
Shoot, maybe global warming and unemployment are Coughlin's fault, too.

Not sure what the point of this little rant was, to be honest. It just felt good to write. I like TC, and I like the stand-up nature of what he said Wednesday. To be honest, all I care about is whether he can do something about that nasty four-game losing streak. That's what is important.

New York Giants news & notes: Ross has played safety

2009-11-12T13:31:54Z

We mentioned yesterday that Aaron Ross finally returned to practice for the New York Giants. There has been much speculation that if Ross ever got back in the lineup the Giants on whether the Giants would consider playing either him or Terrell Thomas at safety.

Well, Ernie Palladino pointed out something yesterday that I did not know -- Ross has played safety before. And, as he told Ernie in a conversation Wednesday, he is willing to do it again.

"If I'm asked to move, I'd be more than willing," Ross said. "We're supposed to know the whole defense, anyway; know what everybody else is doing."

I can't imagine Ross being able to play more than a handful of snaps. But, if he can play some safety in long-yardage situations I would think that would be a boost to the pass defense.

The Giants assistant coaches were available to the media Wednesday. Check out all the interviews on the Transcripts page. Here are a few highlights.

Kevin Gilbride also dropped a little knowledge in his interview. He always takes a lot of heat over the distribution of carries between Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. Turns out, which back is in the game is not his call. It's up to running backs coach Jerald Ingram. Here is that part of Gilbride's interview.

Q: Is Brandon getting enough carries – not yards but carries?

A: Oh, I don’t know. As I said to you early on when all of you were complaining that he was carrying it too much and not doing it well enough, that in the end of the season I thought the numbers would reflect a solid season for him. I think I still feel the same way. When it is all said and done it will all balance out. But they are trying to get --- Ahmad at the beginning of the year was our hot runner and doing a great job. And everybody wanted to get him more carries. And now everybody wants to get Brandon more. You can’t do it all. So you try to split it up. And it is up to our running back coach, who does a great job. And Tom, again, sets the parameters that Gerald operates in. And you just hope that you have the right guy in at the right time.

Defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan is focused on finding ways to improve the Giants' porous red zone defense.

For large portions of the game we play very well, but for a bunch of different reasons, we haven’t done a great job of stopping people when they get the ball down in the red area. That has got to change because you can play great for 50 snaps a game, but if they get the ball inside your 10 and you are not putting up enough resistance to keep them out of the end zone, they are going to have seven points instead of three. You are going to have a hard time winning games. If it had to be one thing, it is very easy to pinpoint and say that would be it. Doing a better job of executing and keeping people out of the end zone and forcing field goals.

Wide receivers coach Mike Sullivan was asked a couple of questions about everyone's favorite mystery man, Ramses Barden. Here is ssome of that exchange.

Q. In terms of his skills as a receiver, we all figured he would have a little bit of an adjustment period coming from Cal-Poly. But how do you think he has been in terms of his receiver skills?

A. He came in from a program that wasn’t oriented towards a pro style passing attack, so there has been a learning curve. He certainly worked hard and there are some mechanics that have improved in terms of his route running and in terms of his releases. The next step for him is to go right over into the game and based upon his performance in the preseason, while he has showed some flashes, he also showed some areas that he needed to improve and to develop and grow. That’s what the good thing is in terms of how he has been throughout this season. Whether it’s getting sprinkled in with some reps with our offense or being part of the demonstration with the show team, he continues to improve in those areas, so that combined with some of the special teams value which you really can’t separate, those would be the two factors that I think will be critical with getting him more opportunities.

Q. During training camp he was like the star of camp, just doing physical work. Then when it got more into the games and everything he kind of faded?

A. That’s always the big test for a football player, to be able to transfer success into success from practice into a game scenario. That’s the challenge. I think one of the things when you look at the three receivers who have had the most opportunities thus far this season it’s been a combination of health, being able to be out there and stepping up when getting an opportunity. Then making plays when given opportunities. The guys that are able to do that stay out there and are the ones who are going to be out on the field the most.

Sullivan also said Barden needs to show special teams value to be active on game days.