Bleacher Report - New York Giants

NY Giants vs. Atanta Falcons: Five Keys Moves to Beating Atlanta

Richard Resch — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:45:16 -0500

1. Run the Ball

Last week, the Carolina Panthers rushed for 185 yards on 34 carries, a 5.4 average. Their top two running backs combined for 30 carries, 174 yards, and two touchdowns.

Needless to say, the Atlanta Falcons can be run on, and that was the key to the Panthers' 28-19 victory.

Likewise, the Giants must get back to what they used to do best and pound the ball. For various reasons, Kevin Gilbride has not called Brandon Jacobs' number all that much recently–by the way, it's 27.

Over the last four games, he has amassed 20 carries only once. But over those four games, he has averaged 5.1 yards per carry, a dramatic difference from his struggles early in the season (he has his average up from 3.4 to 4.1 yards per carry).

With Jacobs looking healthier and stronger than earlier in the season, he should easily be able to handle 17 to 20 carries.

Ahmad Bradshaw, on the other hand, has struggled recently.

Over the last four games, Bradshaw is averaging only 3.1 yards per carry. He is suffering from a foot injury, but this is the same injury he has been dealing with all season, and it should not keep him from contributing. Bradshaw is still explosive, and he's going to have to be a part of our run game if it's going to be as successful as it was last season.

Gilbride must not give up on the run game if it does not work early, and he cannot abandon it again when it is successful. Balancing run and pass, as well as balancing Jacobs and Bradshaw, is key this week.

2. Focus on Matt Ryan

I am not suggesting that the Giants should not pay any attention to the Falcons' running game. Obviously that would not be smart.

But the Falcons' No. 1 weapon, running back Michael Turner, suffered an ankle injury and is likely to miss this weekend's game. His replacement, Jason Snelling, is a solid runner who is capable of carrying the load. But he is not nearly as dangerous as Turner.

The Giants should aim to stop Matt Ryan and the passing game, forcing the Falcons to beat the Giants with their wounded running game.

Ryan, talented as he is, is going through a bit of a sophomore slump. He has a QB rating of 78.8, and over his last five games, he has seven touchdowns to 10 interceptions.

One of the possible reasons for his slump could be the increased pressure he's seen. In the first five games, he was sacked only twice (4-1 team record). But in the last four contests, he has been sacked 10 times (1-3 team record).

The Giants must pressure the young quarterback and force him to make mistakes, as he has been prone to do this year.

3. Cover Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez

The Giants have had some problems covering top-tier receivers this season, and Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez certainly fit that profile.

During their four-game losing streak, the Giants have allowed teams' No. 1 receivers (Vincent Jackson, DeSean Jackson, Larry Fitzgerald, and Marques Colston) to average 5.5 receptions, 96, yards and one touchdown.

White may not be as big a name as these guys, but his talent puts him in the same tier (except for maybe Fitzgerald...he's a freak).

Gonzalez may be a tight end, but he is as dangerous a receiver as most teams' No. 1 wide receivers. Together with White, Gonzalez creates a dynamic one-two punch.

The Giants will have their hands full covering these two, but the return of Aaron Ross should help give the secondary the boost it needs. For all of the problems with this secondary, very few teams can match the Giants for cornerback talent and depth with Corey Webster, Terrell Thomas, and Ross all healthy.

4. Don't Throw an Interception, Don't Lose a Fumble, Don't Allow a Sack

These are all bad things, and allowing them to happen will be detrimental to the Giants' chances of winning.

This is not revolutionary, but let's face it, it's great advice. Don't make mistakes, and your chances of winning are much better.

The Panthers followed this blueprint, as they did not allow a turnover or a sack, and they handled the very same Falcons team that will be facing the Giants this Sunday.

It was just the second time this season that Jake Delhomme did not have a turnover–they won both games–and the first time he was not sacked.

The last time Eli Manning had a game like that, the Giants beat the Raiders 44-7. Since then, Manning has been sacked 11 times, been intercepted six times, and lost one fumble in four games.

So quick recap: Don't make mistakes and do everything perfectly, and you'll probably win.

5. Coach Like Your Job Depends on It

...because for some of you, it does.

Coach Tom Coughlin (who is most certainly not on the hot seat) likened the Chargers game to a one-game playoff (as opposed to those classic NFL seven-game playoff series).

Well, this game against the Falcons almost is a one-game playoff. The loser will drop to 5-5 and will be behind a handful of teams for a wild card spot. The winner will take a huge step forward towards the playoffs.

It's not an elimination game per–se, but the loser will have almost no room for error.

So, if the Giants have a chance to put the Falcons away this Sunday, the coaches must not go into their shell and call conservative plays at the detriment of the team.

"Playing it safe" always seems like a smart decision in the short term, but if it means leaving the door open for the opponent to come back, it may prove riskier in the long run.

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The Top 10 Moments in New York Giants History

John Fennelly — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:03:50 -0500

Here are the top ten moments in the history of the New York Football Giants in chronological order. The Giant shave a long, illustrious history and it was difficult for me to whittle down all the great moments into a list of ten. These are the events and games that I felt were the most important - in no particular order, so hold your fire. Enjoy!

Begin Slideshow

Giants vs. Falcons: Two Teams Heading in the Wrong Direction

James Mardikos — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 02:35:15 -0500

The Giants are two years removed from a World Championship in which they pulled off probably the biggest Super Bowl upset of all time against the previously undefeated New England Patriots. They are also now a year removed from the Plaxico Burress accidental shooting, and their promising 2008 season was ruined

The Atlanta Falcons are two years removed from the Michael Vick fiasco, but are one year removed from an improbable playoff appearance which was orchestrated by Vick's replacement Matt Ryan.

While both teams had opposite routes, the New York Giants, and Atlanta Falcons both had high hopes coming into this 2009 season. Some even predicted Super Bowl runs for these two teams after their playoff appearances from just a year ago.

And after the first five games of each team's season, it seemed like the prognosticators were looking like geniuses after the Giants roared out to a 5-0 start, while Atlanta was 4-1.

Going into their match-up on Sunday at the Meadowlands, both teams find themselves at 5-4, and really struggling.

Where people believed that the Wide Receiving core of the Giants would be their downfall without Burress, to the contrary they have actually been one of the strengths, with the emergence of Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, and First Round Pick Hakeem Nicks.

The problem with the Giants is a defensive unit that was supposed to be their strength. A season ending injury to safety Kenny Phillips has been the biggest blow, while corner Aaron Ross, defensive tackle Chris Canty, and linebacker Michael Boley have all been nicked up and missed time, exposing the team's lack of depth in those areas.

The one area where depth was never a problem was the Giants vaunted defensive line. However, All-Pro's Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck have been lack-luster at best this season, while backup Mathias Kiwanuka and usually productive DT Fred Robbins have both been almost non-existent.

With the Giants not getting as much pressure on the QB as in years past, the secondary has been exposed and was downright torched the past four weeks by Drew Brees, Kurt Warner, Donovan McNabb, and Philip Rivers.

As for the Falcons, their much hyped quarterback Matt Ryan has just been too inconsistent this season. The Peyton Manning comparisons need to stop. Halfway through the season and Ryan has already thrown more interceptions than his stellar rookie of the year campaign of a year ago.

The problem seems to be the presence of tight end Tony Gonzalez who was acquired this off-season.

Jon Gruden, during the Falcons-Saints Monday Night Football a couple of weeks ago explained it perfectly, "He locks into Gonzalez almost every play"

And therein lies the problems, when Ryan locks in, the secondary locks in, and therefore the end result is the interceptions.

Gonzalez of course is arguably the best receiving tight end of our generation, but Ryan needs to realize he has a Pro Bowl Receiver in Roddy White, and he needs to look his way more often (White already has a 200 yard game this season, why wouldn't you look more his way).

The job doesn't get any easier with the injury to their Pro Bowl running back Michael Turner last week. Jerious Norwood will be replacing him, but Norwood isn't an every down back, and this just gives the opposing secondary that much more of an advantage.

Can the maligned secondary of the Giants take advantage of this?

Or will Matt Ryan find his rhythm against the depleted corps?

Sunday's matchup is almost like an elimination game in my mind. With the NFC South obviously out of reach for the Falcons with the Saints 9-0, Atlanta is in good position for a Wild Card, and with a win against the Giants highly improves those chances.

As for the Giants, they need to stop this losing streak, and with Dallas, and Philly just plain enigmatic, the NFC East crown isn't out of their reach.

Do or Die? We'll see Sunday

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Spagnuolo Owes a Giant Thank You!

Craig Santucci — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:07:02 -0500

A good coach develops over time. He has traveled the ups and downs and weathered the storms. Perhaps these developing coaches have looked bad at times and some have had the rare opportunity to be celebrated while basking in the light of success.

Over the years two specific up and coming Giant coach's cut their teeth in the NFL as a NY Giants Coordinator. These two gentlemen went on to become legends in the game.

These two coaches are: Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick.

John Fox the Carolina Panthers head coach was also the New York Giants DC from 1997 to 2001 and continues to grow a nice body of work.

Today we are mid way through the 2009 season and most writers and the fantasy junkies want to discuss the mid season grades for the players. Call me crazy...but as we face the bye week and calm before the storm, I reflect back on the years past and how a certain individual might owe the NY Giant franchise a very big "thank you".

Highlight...Steve Spagnuolo...the new head coach of the Rams.

Spags learned from one of the best...the late, great Jim Johnson, the former defensive coordinator for Philadelphia Eagles. In Philadelphia, Steve learned how to master the 4-3 defense and developed his skills to dial up blitz packages that could not be stopped by a mere mortal offensive line.

Steve Spognuolo earned his stripes moving up the coaching ladder from the Eagles Defensive Assistant to Defensive Back coach to Linebacker coach in 2004. That's eight season honing his craft under one of the Best Defensive Coordinators in the NFL.

In 2007...the New York Giants opened the door and gave Steve Spagnuolo his first big start by hiring him as the new Defensive Coordinator for the NY Giants.

Would he finally bring something special back to the Big Blue?

The NY Giants have lived on defensive for so long...one could only hope this tradition would thrive once again! Spagnuolo was inheriting a defensive history that was more than good...they were legendary.

Players like: Huff, Tunnell, Robustelli, Martin, Carson, Taylor, Van Belt, Burt, Pepper Johnson, Armstead and Strahan! That's a list of players that could easily swallow up a new Defensive Coordinator, however, Steve Spagnuolo was up to the task.

He took over for the defeated and unaccomplished Tim Lewis and immediately put the swagger back in the Big Blue Wrecking Crew! This first time Defensive Coordinator took over the 4-3 defense with a fever and tenacity that reminded fans of the old days.

In 2007, Spag's first year at DC his defense lead the NFL in sacks and won Super Bowl 42 in style against the New England Patriots. His ferocious defense sacked Tom Brady five times which was most Tom Brady had been sacked all year in one game.

After this memorable ride to the Superbowl...the New York Giants made Spagnuolo one of the highest-paid defensive coordinators in the NFL with a new three-year contract, worth roughly $2 million a year.

In 2008 the defensive unit followed up with a strong performance ranking 12th for yards allowed, 5th in the NFL in sacks and 10th against the pass. In '09 with two years of great defensive and tradition restored...Spagnuolo was given a four year 11.5 million year deal from the St. Louis Rams to put the heartbeat back in the their franchise.

Yes, the Rams are a team in need of talent and possibly a life preserver, but this past week Spagnuolo once again showed a glimpse of greatness by holding the league's leading MVP candidate, Drew Brees to only 223 yards and two touchdown. Let's be honest...this is not a celebration because the Rams still lost; however, I recognize a suburb defensive effort and a coach hard at work.

I hope the Rams don't eventually crush Steve Spagnuolo and I hope he turns the team around but more than anything I hope somewhere in the bowels of Giants Stadium there is letter or a voice mail for the Giants management, expressing his gratitude.

And maybe, just maybe in time, we can convince the Spag's to come back to the Giants to replace Sheridan or follow Tom Coughlin when he decides to retire.

New York sure looks better than St. Louis right about now...especially during the bye week!

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NFC Playoff Picture: Nine Teams, Four Spots Remain

Richard Resch — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:00:36 -0500

With the NFC South and NFC North all but locked up, there are four remaining playoff births up for grabs in the NFC.

While divisional leaders Dallas and Arizona have the upper hand, their hard work is not nearly over. The Eagles, Packers, Falcons and Giants are all 5-4, and are right in the playoff hunt.

At 4-5, the 49ers, Panthers and Bears are on life support, but their dreams are not dead yet.

What it all boils down to is that with seven games remaining, there are nine NFC teams fighting for four spots in the playoffs.

Cardinals (6-3)

The Cardinals have a two game divisional lead over the 49ers, and have by far the easiest remaining schedule. They still get to face the Lions once and the Rams twice, giving them three easy wins. They must travel to Tennessee to play an improved Titans team and finish up at home against an improved Packers team, but these are two games they should win.

A home game against the Vikings will be tough, and they must also travel to San Francisco to play a huge divisional game on Monday night. But even with these tribulations, the Cardinals missing the playoffs would be an epic collapse.

Opponents Record: 23-40

Opponents Over .500: 2

Three Home, Four Away

Cowboys (6-3)

The Cowboys have a one game lead on the Giants and Eagles, and they have yet to play divisional doormat Washington. They still face tough battles against the Giants, Eagles, Saints and Chargers, but a game against the Raiders should be a gimme.

With three games they should win easily, the Cowboys only have to beat one more good team to secure ten victories. It's tough to imagine the Cowboys missing the playoffs.

Opponents Record: 33-30

Opponents Over .500: Four

Four Home, Three Away

Eagles (5-4)

Though their remaining schedule seems similar to the Cowboys, they do not get to face a cupcake team like the Raiders, and only get to face the Redskins one more time. On the flip side, they have already played the powerful Saints.

Still, Philadelphia's schedule includes some tough road games, including the Bears, Falcons, Giants and Cowboys. Home games against the 49ers and Broncos wont be walks in the park either.

Opponents Record: 33-30

Opponents Over .500:Four

Three Home, Four Away

Giants (5-4)

The Giants do not have an easy game on their schedule, and if they lose at home to the Falcons, they can pretty much forget about the playoffs.

Their easiest opponent is the Redskins, but that game is in a hostile opponent's stadium on Monday night. If the Giants are going to make the playoffs, they'll have to win some games in prime time, as three of their remaining five games are at night, including a Thanksgiving battle in Denver.

The good news is that their key games against the Eagles and Cowboys are home games.

Opponents Record: 37-26

Opponents Over .500: Five

Four Home, Three Away

Packers (5-4)

Green Bay may have saved their season with a huge win against the Cowboys, and now they might have the easiest schedule of any of these teams. Their games at Pittsburgh and Arizona will be very difficult, as they should be significant underdogs in both contests.

Home games against the Ravens and 49ers should be tough battles as well, and it's never easy to play in Soldier Field, even against the woeful bears. But games against the Lions and Seahawks should be walks in the park. That is, if the offensive line can stop acting like a revolving door for pass rushers.

Opponents Record: 29-34

Opponents Over .500:Three

Three Home, Four Away

Falcons (5-4)

Although they only play three teams with records better than .500 (Giants, Eagles, Saints), all three of them will be very tough games. Don't be fooled by the easy opponents record, that is mostly due to the fact that they play Tampa Bay twice, whose 1-8 record does not accurately represent the way they have played since Josh Freeman has taken over as quarterback.

Their two games against the Bucs, as well as games against the Jets and Bills are certainly games the Falcons should win. But there's a good chance they will have to win all four of them, plus one against one of the tougher opponents if they are going to make the playoffs.

Opponents Record: 28-35

Opponents Over .500:Three

Four Home, Three Away

49ers (4-5)

At 4-5, the 49ers have some serious catching up to do. Luckily, they have one of the easiest schedule remaining. If they can survive their next five games, they finish the season at home against Detroit and then on the road at St. Louis. At this point, the Lions and Rams will be falling all over themselves to get the #one overall pick.

But before their soft landing, the 49ers face four teams with winning records, as well as the Seattle Seahawks. If they can beat one of the Packers or Eagles on the road, and one of the Jaguars and Cardinals at home, they'll have a good shot at 9-7.

Heck, if they can win all of the games they should, and beat the Cardinals at home, they'll have an outside shot at winning the division.

Opponents Record: 26-37

Opponents Over .500:Four

Three Home, Four Away

Panthers (4-5)

Carolina has played much better lately, and they may even be one of the better teams in the NFC. But their awful start, combined with their treacherous schedule will likely leave them out in the cold.

If the Panthers cannot sweep their next three games (Dolphins, Jets, Buccaneers), they may have no room for error in their last four games. That's bad news, considering the fact that they finish the season against the Patriots, Vikings, Giants and Saints.

Opponents Record: 38-25

Opponents Over .500:Five

Four Home, Three Away

Bears (4-5)

The Bears have an interesting schedule: two games remaining against one-win teams (Rams and Lions) and two games remaining against eight-win teams (Vikings twice).

Even if they can win three of those four games, they might have to win out against the Eagles, Packers and Ravens; three teams fighting for playoff spots.

Opponents Record: 33-30

Opponents Over .500: Five

Four Home, Three Away

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Why the Patriots vs. Colts Showdown Was Depressing for NY Giants Fans

Michael Fitzpatrick — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:04:33 -0500

Whether you’re a Patriots Fan, a Colts fan, or simply a football fan, Sunday night’s showdown between the Patriots and Colts was one of the most riveting games seen in quite some time.

However, if you’re a New York Giants fan, you may have inexplicable felt a wave of depression sweep over as you watched Sunday night’s game.

It may have happened while watching Tom Brady connect with Randy Moss for yet another big play.

Or it may have happened while watching Payton Manning completely take charge of the game and call one successful audible after another.

Or it may have even happened as you scanned through the box score in your Monday morning paper saw how Brady threw for 375 yards and three touchdowns and Manning threw 327 yards and four touchdowns.

Those stats in the context of Sunday night’s game would have presented no surprise. After all, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning will likely go down as two of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game.

However, the depression many Giants fans may have felt upon seeing these two heavyweights go head-to-head on Sunday night was likely sparked by the realization that the Giants are paying Eli Manning more than each of those quarterbacks.

Both defenses were severely struggling on Sunday night; very similar to the way in which the Giant’s defense has been struggling over the past month.

The difference?

The Colts and Patriots were able to makeup for this fault by relying on their explosive, high-scoring offenses which were led by two highly talented, and highly intelligent quarterbacks.

The Giants do not have that luxury. Eli Manning simply does not possess the skill, knowledge or instincts to take over a football game the way Peyton and Brady did on Sunday night.

He will never be that guy.

That’s not to say that Eli is not a good quarterback, because he is. He performed extraordinary well during the Giants Super Bowl run back in 2007.

However, remove the 2007 playoffs and Super Bowl from your memory, and what do you have?

Yup, that’s right...you have a good, solid quarterback; but by no means an elite quarterback.

He’s just not in that class...no matter what his bank account says.

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New York Giants Gain Some Serious Ground in Bye Week

Jeff Shull — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:32:12 -0500

The New York Giants finally gained some ground in the NFC playoff picture, and they did so without stepping foot on the gridiron.

Thanks to Atlanta, Dallas, and Philadelphia, the Giants finally got some good news after a terrible month.

As I predicted in my radio show on Blog Talk Radio , the Falcons went into Carolina and lost. Every week my co-host and I do an upset lock of the week, and that was mine.

Carolina is improving every week which helped the Giants this time, but when they face off late in the season, the Giants better be prepared for a dog fight.

The loss places the Giants and Falcons in a tie for the two Wild Card spots along with the Eagles. That makes this week's matchup with the Falcons that much more important.

With the teams slated evenly in terms of their record, the Giants will need to get a leg up in order to have any hope of making the playoffs.

Not to mention the simple fact that they need to win this game for themselves. Four losses in a row take their toll, but if the Giants can rebound off a bye week, it will be the cornerstone for a strong finish.

It should make for a good game considering the teams are so evenly matched, but the Giants have typically not been very good after bye weeks. Hopefully, Coughlin will make us forget the past.

Coughlin is 2-3 with the Giants after a bye.

With losses by the Eagles and Cowboys, the NFC East just got that much more crowded. Who knew Giants fans would be the happiest we've been in the past five weeks when they weren't even playing?

The Chargers are going through their typical season: start awful and rebound to win their division. After a 2-3 start and the Broncos starting 6-0, the two are now tied for the division at 6-3 (Denver holds the temporary tiebreaker with a win at San Diego).

They handed the Eagles their second loss in a row and forced them into a second place tie with the boys in blue. The two still have a date with destiny to possibly decide the fate of the division when the Giants face the Cowboys and Eagles in two consecutive weeks at Giants Stadium.

The Cowboys also did the Giants a favor by going to Green Bay and basically laying a goose egg on the scoreboard. They got a score in garbage time when the game was already all but over.

Nothing makes me happier then jawing with "Cowboy Fan", especially when the Giants have already won in Dallas. Their fans will claim they are the better team because they have the better record, but it really upsets them when all I say is "Week Two, argument over."

Living in Texas, I am force fed Cowboy bologna every week, but when they lose they all disappear. I cannot wait until the 'Boys go to New York.

I have not yet lost fate in my team, but if they lose this week they can basically kiss the playoffs good-bye.

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NFC Power Rankings: Week 11

Richard Resch — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:53:29 -0500

1. Saints (9-0)

It's a bit worrisome that they had to battle it out for 60 minutes to beat the lowly Rams, but they got the win. They've done enough to prove they are elite, and in two weeks, they'll get another chance to prove it against the Patriots. (Last Week: 1)

2. Vikings (8-1)

Brett Favre to Sidney Rice is turning into one of the best combinations in the league. Percy Harvin and Bernard Berrian give Favre a handful of playmakers to choose from. They also have this kid out of Oklahoma they use to rush the ball. (2)

3. Cardinals (6-3)

Down 14 at home to the Seahawks, the Cardinals unleashed the beast and won by 11. That beast's name is Beanie Wells, and he gives the Cardinals a balanced offense. It's scary to think of how good their offense would have been last year with a legitimate force at running back. (4)

4. Cowboys (6-3)

After all the nice things I said about the Cowboys, they went out and almost threw up a goose egg. Despite catching for over 100 yards, Roy Williams had another suspect day with a huge drop and an even bigger fumble. It's looking like the trade for Williams, which sent a first and third round pick and more to the Lions, was an epic mistake. (3)

5. Eagles (5-4)

Their loss to the surging Chargers is not a surprise, but their loss of Brian Westbrook is huge. This team has totally abandoned the run and is less dynamic in the passing game without Westbrook. Donovan McNabb tried to put the team on his back, but a good team like the Chargers was able to handle the Eagles. (4)

6. Packers (5-4)

An impressive victory over the Cowboys puts them right back into the playoff race. The offensive line is still a big problem. (10)

7. Giants (5-4)

The Giants took the week off and had their best day in a month. Coach Tom Coughlin should give the team more days off (although you can argue they've taken the last four Sundays off). (7)

8. Falcons (5-4)

The loss to the Panthers is a big one, but the loss of running back Michael Turner is an even bigger blow. They have now lost three of their last four and are about to play their biggest game of the year against the Giants. The winner of that game takes a huge step towards the playoffs. (6)

9. Panthers (4-5)

They seem to have finally hit their stride and are now playing like a playoff team. Unfortunately, they have put themselves in a position where they must beat teams like the Patriots, Vikings, and Saints if they are going to make it back to the playoffs. (11)

10. 49ers (4-5)

Big win over the Bears to keep their season alive, but this team is still a quarterback away from being a real threat. Alex Smith doesn't look like the answer. (9)

11. Bears (4-5)

So far, the Jay Cutler trade has been a bust. The Bears have lost four of their last five and face the Eagles in what is probably a must-win. (8)

12. Seahawks (3-6)

It's admirable the way they've battled this season, but it's looking like it's time to pack it in and rebuild. (12)

13. Redskins (3-6)

In the most shocking result of the day, the Redskins scored 13 unanswered in the fourth quarter and upset the Broncos. Jim Zorn might want to walk away right now, because this is the best it's going to get. (13)

14. Bucs (1-8)

Although they lost, it was another encouraging game for the Bucs. Down 13 at the half, Josh Freeman led the Bucs to a one-point lead with just over a minute left, but the defense couldn't hold it. (14)

15. Rams (1-8)

The offense was...dominant? Despite the loss, fans can take solace in the fact that Marc Bulger, Steven Jackson, and Donnie Avery can successfully impersonate the Greatest Show on Turf every now and then. (15)

16. Lions (1-8)

They hung around with the Vikings for a bit, but 10 unanswered in the fourth quarter made it a blowout. (16)

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New York Giants File Complaint With NFL About Thanksgiving Week Schedule

bill duke — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:08:01 -0500

Giants co-owner John Mara is unhappy with the NFL for sending the Giants to Denver for a Thanksgiving game

Just as New York football fans are finishing up their holiday dinner on Thanksgiving night in 11 days, the Giants will be getting ready for kickoff 1,750 miles away from home in Denver.

How does the organization feel about it? Not happy.

Giants co-owner John Mara told the Daily News it's a competitive disadvantage for his team to play two time zones away in a short week. Mara, like his father before him, is the ultimate league man, but he filed a complaint with the NFL claiming the Thanksgiving week schedule is unfair.

"It's not an ideal situation," Mara said.

Mara is a long-time member of the powerful competition committee that makes rules recommendations on the competitive aspects of the game. The committee is expected to address the Thanksgiving situation next year.

"I don't mind playing on Thanksgiving," Mara said. "My complaint is sending us all the way to Denver on a short week."

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New York Giants: When The Going Gets Tough...

Robert Domaine — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 13:58:54 -0500

I still remember being excited for the NFL draft way back in April. Following the draft and investigating all of the picks the G-Men made. I remember how excited I was about the free agent signings as well. The team looked so deep on paper and the combination of the draft picks and free agents seemed to address the areas of concern perfectly. Jerry Reese had proven once again, why he is an elite GM in the National Football League.

Then Big Blue started the season at 5-0 and had earned 1st place in the NFC East. Everything seemed to be clicking in New York and the Giants looked like the team to beat in the NFL. Many experts had them ranked the No. 1 team in the entire NFL. The standards by which they make these calculations vary but nobody could deny that the Giants were a very good football team.

I slowly began to notice more names popping up on the injury reports. Some of them placed on season ending IR (currently six players) and some siting out of games for weeks at a time. I became concerned but I wasn't panicking. Then players began dropping like flies. At one point, eighteen different players showed up on the injury report or on IR. I began to get nervous.

Week six arrived and the injuries could no longer be ignored. The New Orleans Saints exploited the 2nd stringers and thoroughly beat the G-Men like no team had done before this year. I thought to myself, the team will regroup and perform better next week. Being 5-1 is not a bad way to start the season.

I was wrong. The Giants would end up losing the next three games. Their record dropping to 5-4 and they found themselves in third place in the NFC East.

This brings us to the current day and the bye week at week 10. No doubt, Coach Coughlin chopped the season up into three or four sections and set goals for the team in each quarter or third of the year. With seven games left in the regular season, the Giants need to come up with a plan of attack that will allow them to make a run at the playoffs. It is difficult to imagine the frustration of the coaches who are not only trying to make the team healthy but also make the players stepping up perform at the same level as the starters. The clock is ticking.

The schedule following the bye week doesn't help Big Blue much either. Five of the seven teams they face are dangerous teams. Atlanta, Denver, Dallas, Philadelphia & Minnesota have all been playing very well. The Giants have only three days off in between the Atlanta game and the Thanksgiving day game against Denver. Washington and Carolina seem to be the only two teams the Giants should beat. The other five games are question marks at this point. At full strength, the Giants could dominate any of these teams. But having so many players injured or playing injured, you have to see the writing on the wall. As bizarre as it may sound, the Giants number one concern should be getting healthy and fast.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going. This is the attitude Big Blue will need to compete in the later part of this season. They know they will be facing some very good teams in the near future and certain players will need to step up. The bad taste of losing must resonate through the locker room and fuel this team to at least five victories. If they finish the regular season at 10-6, then they may still have a shot at the playoffs. That is the reality plain and simple.

The season is not over yet and anything can happen. The Giants will need to take one step at a time and concentrate on their November 22nd game against Atlanta. Winning that game would be the first step and make things interesting at the top of the NFC East. Having Dallas and Philadelphia lose in week 10 would be a help as well. The Cowboys face the Packers and the Eagles play San Diego.

The Giants have a tough road ahead of them but I believe they will make the playoffs again this year. Getting some of the injured players back into the mix will help. Building confidence week by week as they win games will also help. Each player must focus on his job and responsibilities and perform. The clock is ticking and the regular season will be over before you know it.

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New York to L.A and Back: The Evolution of a Sports Fan

Mike Murray — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 07:59:17 -0500

Do you know what happens when you grow up a die-hard old school sports fan? There are rules!
When I grew up in Brooklyn, you couldn't root for teams just because they all come from the same town.

In old-school New York—that would be the '50s for you newbies—that team in Chavez Ravine was the Brooklyn Dodgers. In Manhattan, there were the New York baseball Giants. And, in the Bronx, there were the Yankees.

If you rooted for one, you didn't root for the others—plain and simple. It just wasn't done. For me, today, it still isn't. Also, most rooting is local. So, for you New York Red Sox fans, you Anaheim Yankee fans... you're traitor fans, plain and simple. You have the right to be, but that's how I view you.

Now, as to the nature of the teams I root for, although I currently reside in New York, I lived in Southern California for 13 years. I consider Long Beach home and will return there Real Soon Now. So, I have divided loyalties spread between two cities: New York and Los Angeles.

I have never rooted for another [NFL] football team than the New York Giants. I started following the Giants circa 1968 at the tail end of the coaching reign of Allie Sherman. He was replaced by Alex Webster.

Over the years, I remember such players as former placekicker Pat Summerall , Fran Tarkenton , Pete Gogolak , Tucker Frederickson , Bob Tucker , and a little known running back/kick returner Rocky Thompson, (No. 22).

In 1978, Giants fans were also subject to a notorious play known in New York as "The Fumble". Quarterback Joe Piscarik ripped defeat from the jaws of victory by fumbling the ball on his own 28-yard line. Herm Edwards returned the fumble for a touchdown allowing the Eagles to win the game.

When I first moved to the West Coast, I flirted with rooting for the Los Angeles Raiders. However, the Raiders didn't stay in Los Angeles very long. I've never liked the Rams; so my loyalties are pretty much ingrained.

Note: The New York football Giants are one of the legacy franchises in the National Football League. The Giants have a storied history in the NFL. Their history dates back to 1925. The football Giants won the NFL Championship in 1934, 1938, and 1956. They won the post-merger Super Bowl in 1987, 1991 and 2008. They were also NFC Champions in 2001.

Lots of sports fans, when they don't have a dog in the hunt, root for the underdog. This would explain my support of the Los Angeles Clippers and Duke college football. More about Duke later.

When I moved to Los Angeles, in the NBA, it was all about the Lakers. Lakers, Lakers, Lakers. Who are these guys? And who are these other guys? Growing up in New York, I know there's nothing better than a good same-city, two-team rivalry. So, I picked the underdog and I don't regret it. Yeah, they're hapless, but one day they're gonna be great and then all of a sudden, everybody in L.A. will be a Clipper fan.

Trust me! L.A. sports fans are front-runners in the main.

Note : In 2006, the Clippers had their best season in franchise history in California, advancing to the Western Conference semi-finals against the Phoenix Suns.

My baseball loyalties are pretty easy to explain. I'm from Brooklyn. The Dodgers broke Brooklyn's heart when they moved to L.A. I personally remember Ebbets Field. It was imposing. And then, it was gone. Replaced by a housing project. Also imposing; not as beautiful.

When the Brooklyn Dodgers abandoned what would normally be the fourth-largest city in America (and the New York baseball Giants abandoned the city for San Francisco), New York's National League baseball fans were left without a team.

In 1962, the New York Mets sprang to life. If you look closely at the Mets' team colors, you'll see the orange of the baseball Giants and the blue of the Brooklyn Dodgers. They played their games in the Giants' old home, the Polo Grounds, across the river from Yankee Stadium. Those early Mets were unbelievably bad. They were so bad, they were lovable.

Eventually, the Mets brought professional baseball back to Brooklyn, albeit minor-league baseball. The Brooklyn Cyclones of the New York-Penn League, a short-season Class A ballclub, plays its games at KeySpan Park in Coney Island.

When I moved to Long Beach— and, yes, I recognize the irony—I couldn't root for the Dodgers. I just couldn't. The other team in town was the Anaheim Angels. Like the Clippers, they hadn't won anything in a while. L.A. was all about the Dodgers. Dodgers. Dodgers. Dodgers. It was a natural fit.

1980. It was the year I was finally able to get into hockey. It began with the miracle run of USA Hockey in the Winter Olympics. Defender Ken Morrow went from the Olympic hockey team to the New York Islanders—Long Island's local hockey team. Since I lived on Long Island at the time, I followed his exploits there.

Again, like the Clippers and Angels, the Islanders were a step-child in their own region. In New York, it's all about the Rangers. Rangers. Rangers. Rangers. Even in their own building, when the Rangers and Islanders meet, most fans are rooting for the Rangers.

Man, I didn't realize how lucky I was. Billy Smith , Mike Bossy , Denis Potvin , Bryan Trottier , Bobby Nystrom. These are just some of the players who taught me about NHL-style hockey. The Islanders went on to become a modern dynasty in sports winning the Stanley Cup four years in a row from 1980-1983. It was a great time to learn and appreciate hockey.

In my years of following the Clippers, several of their better players came through the college program steered by Mike Krzyzewski. So, when my interest turned to college basketball, I started rooting for Duke.

After several years of following Duke basketball, I realized they had a football team, albeit a terrible one. It's not easy to root for Duke college football. I do it nevertheless. There is hope in the form of second-year head coach David Cutcliffe . Coach Cutcliffe is the former quarterback coach of a couple of guys named Manning .

I also follow the escapades of the Long Beach State 49ers/Dirtbags. They have a good program on the West Coast. I try to check in on my alma mater, the LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds, when I can get some information.

It's only lately that I've started to take an interest in rugby. The U.S. National Team's nickname is the Eagles. It's hard for a football Giants fan to root for a team nicknamed Eagles.

I also have some love for tennis, golf, cycling. The spectacle of tennis' Grand Slam and near-Slam events can't be matched for drama. Our endless obsession with Tiger Woods shows no signs of abatement. Cycling? I actually do that myself. You see so much more on a bike than you ever do speeding by in an automobile.

So, now you have some sense of my evolution as a sports fan.

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New York Giants Football Ranting and Raving: Part Four

Craig Santucci — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:20:56 -0500

It's that time again where I Rant and Rave about our New York Giants.

Lets dial up the good and the bad and really break down some good observations that don't get discussed everyday.

Strap in—here we go. Rant & Rave: Edition No. 4.

Rant: Clark Kent

Superman he is not!

While the Giants Clark is well traveled and his experience is very valuable...his production seems almost non existent. He has been on five different teams in nine years and I had hoped that he would have made a bigger impact on this defense by now.

He did win the job at strong side linebacker out of camp, but he only has 29 tackles in nine games!

That's an average of only three tackles a game! I think it's time the Giants give Sintim a chance to run free. I am sure this kid can play.

Rave: Tough Guy's

Being a Giants fan and a season ticket holder for 25 years I have seen many big hits and extremely tough athletes that have worn the New York Giant Blue and White. Tough guys like Doug Kotar, Rob Carpenter, Harry Carson, Keith Hamilton, Brad Benson, Phil McConkey, Marc Bavaro, Maurice Carthon, Jim Burt, Lawrence Taylor, Jeremy Shockey, Tiki Barber...

Love 'em or hate 'em these guys were true warriors. And now we can add Kevin Boss! Have you seen the hits this guy has taken over the last two weeks. In traffic, Boss has manged to haul in Eli Manning's passes only to absorb a huge hit that would kill a mere mortal player.

I love it!

Boss gets the Rant & Rave award of the week!

Rant: Pass coverage

Is it Sheridan who thinks Osi and Justin Tuck should be chasing around tight ends? Someone, please, tell him to stop. Stop the madness. Two of our our best defensive players can be found chasing around tight ends in pass coverage. Is this productive?

Hell, No!

They looked over-matched and frequently out of position dropping into a zone. Please, Bill Sheridan, just let the dogs out of their cages and let them run free at the quarterback.

Rave: Kick Off Gunner

Not to continue this run down memory lane but guys like Reyna Thompson, David Tyree and Chase Blackburn have contributed some huge hits and great coverage on the kick off team over the years.

Stepping out of the shadows the last few weeks has been a healthy Jonathan Goff. Goff was a 5th round draft choice by the Giants in 2008 and is looked at as the replacement for Antonio Pierce in time. To his credit...he has made at least one big hit per week over the last three weeks on the kick off team.

The show stopping smacks make a world of difference for the defense and truly pumps up the fans!

Goff traditionally is hurt and on the Injured Reserve list; however, this year I think he finally gets it and his determined to make a difference.

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