Giants Team Grades: Week 3 vs. Carolina Panthers

Thursday, September 20 2012

Final Score: New York Giants: 36 Carolina Panthers: 7

Giants Team Grades

The Giants went into Carolina being doubted by a large number of people and left showing them once again that they are not a team to be looked down upon.  Even with injuries to starters Hakeem Nicks, Ahmad Bradshaw and David Diehl and rotation players in Domenik Hixon and Michael Coe, the Giants were still able to pull of a convincing victory against a dynamic Panthers squad.  The grades for the Giants this week would even make an honors student envious.

Passing Game: Grade A

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Eli Manning did not duplicate his 510 yard performance he had against Tampa Bay just four days earlier but it was not needed this time around.  Manning was efficient and effect right from the start, opening the game with two completed passes to set the tempo for the Giants offense that was running like a well oiled machine the whole game. 

Manning completed 27 of 35 passes overall and could have done more damage if called upon to do so.  Part of Manning’s success was the play of the offense line; Manning was barely touched, only being sacked once late in the third quarter.

Ramses Barden had a breakout, career night, reeling in nine balls for 138 yards.  The nine catches matches the amount of receptions he had all of last season.  Barden stepped up as he was filling in for the injured Hakeem Nicks.  Martellus Bennett picked up some slack as well, scoring a touchdown for the third game in a row, a first in Giants franchise history for a player in his first three games with the team.

The only negative for the offense was the settling for field goals, as they ended up attempting and knocking through five of them.

Running Game: Grade A

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This one is all on Andre Brown.  Making his first career start in front of hundreds of friends and family, Brown dominated the Panthers.  He rushed for 113 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries, also adding three receptions for 17 yards. 

Brown is providing a spark to a running game that has been lackluster for more than a season now.  General manager Jerry Reese compared Brown to Derrick Ward, just a bigger version and it shows with the versatility Brown has the spark he is giving the offense just like Ward did in 2008.

Brown finished his runs with toughness and tenacity, evident by the 71 yards he rain for after making contact with a defender.  According to ESPN stats and info that is the most by any Giant player since Brandon Jacobs in 2010 when he ran for 72 yards after contact. 

The offensive line opened up gapping holes for Brown, who trucked right through and dominated the Panthers front seven. The only negative for the Giants rushing game was rookie David Wilson, who only got one carry for -2 yards.

Passing Defense: Grade A

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The Giants were able to keep Cam Newton and the Panthers offense off balance all night, never allowing Newton to get into a rhythm and bothering him all night. The Giants were able to get to Newton on two occasions for sacks and intercepted him three times.  He finished the game 16 of 30 for 242 yards.

Steve Smith had only for receptions for 86 yards, most of which came after the game was already in hand.  One thing that sticks out is that Panthers tight end Greg Olsen had seven receptions, but the Giants were able to reduce the big plays and when your targeted at such a high volume, 14 times to be exact, your going to make some catches.

Prince Amukamara, Jayron Hosley and Corey Webster all stepped up for a razor thin Giants secondary.  Keep and eye on the injury report as the week goes on though, as Hosley was forced from the game in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury and Webster broke a bone in his hand but was able to continue in the game.  Michael Boley also added another interception to his season total, giving him one in every game thus far this season.

Rushing Defense: Grade A

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At first, it looked like it was going to be another one of those here we go again type nights for the Giants coaching staff and fans alike.  DeAngelo Williams started the game off strong but overall the Giants run defense stepped up.  They held the dangerous Panthers read option offense to 60 yards on 20 carries. 

Newton was able to find the end zone, but was not the destructive force he is capable of being, as he only gained six yards on six carries.  The Giants came into the game prepared as they did not want to be embarrassed like the Saints defense was by Newton and company in week 2.

Special Teams: Grade A

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Lawrence Tynes was outstanding, nailing all five of his field goal attempts, staying perfect on the season.  Tynes made from 47, 49, 30, 36, and 27 yards.  The makes were huge by Tynes because it kept the momentum on the Giants side.  If he had missed any of those field goals, the Panther crowd would have gotten into the game, giving Newton and the Panthers offense something to feed off of as the Giants sucked the life out of the crowd right from the start. 

Weatherford was not used often but when called upon he did his job.  He landed both his punts inside the 20 yard line, averaging 38 yards per punt with a long of 41 yards.

Coaching Staff: Grade A+

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The Giants coaching staff did an amazing job in preparing for this week.  Not only were they without Nicks, Bradshaw, Diehl, Hixon and Coe, they also had a short week playing on Thursday night.  Even with so many things up against them, they were still able to get the Giants prepared enough to dominate the younger and seemingly overwhelmed Panthers.

The Giants have played three road games in the last two seasons with less than seven days of rest and are a perfect 3 and 0 in those games, outscoring opponents by 22 points total according to ESPN Stats and Info.  That is a testament to Tom Coughlin and the Giants staff as a whole, as they are able to get their squad prepared in even the most difficult of scenarios.

Giants De-Claw Panthers in Rout

Thursday, September 20 2012

Post Game Recap

Final Score: New York Giants: 36 Carolina Panthers: 7

Giants De-Claw Panthers in Rout

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The underdog, down and out team is what the Giants make a living off of and Thursday was no different.  Facing and up and coming Carolina Panthers squad on short rest and decimated by injuries, the Giants rallied together and hammered the Panthers 36-7.  The Giants dominated every facet of the game, putting on an impressive display even faced with the challenge of overcoming so many injuries.

Heading in the game, the Giants were without Hakeem Nicks, Ahmad Bradshaw, David Diehl, Domenik Hixon and Michael Coe, all major contributors so far this season.  That did not matter Thursday night, as the Giants were able to get out to a quick start and had their replacements step up and fill the voids left.

Unlike the first two games of the season, the Giants were able to get off to a fast start that fired up the whole team.  The Giants trailed for most, if not all, of their first two games of the season, being down 14-3 against Dallas in the opener and 24-13 at the half against Tampa Bay; Thursday was a different story as the Giants scored on their first four possessions putting their opponent in the early hole for a change.

Eli Manning was the driving force in scoring on the first four possessions, as he led methodical drives that just sapped all of the energy out of the Panthers defense and the crowd.  With the help of a suddenly lively ground game thanks to Bradshaw’s replacement Andre Brown, Manning was able to pick apart the Panthers secondary with doctor like precision. 

The 25 point fourth quarter against the Buccaneers from Sunday seemed to fuel the Giants Thursday night, as they carried over all the momentum and stunned what was expected to be a game Carolina Panthers squad.

The offense had the added dimension of a running game tonight thanks to Bradshaw replacement Brown.  Making his first career start in front of family and friends, as Brown is from North Carolina, the results were outstanding.  Brown ran for 96 yards in the first half alone, hitting the hole hard and finishing off runs by running through and over Panther defenders. 

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Brown also excelled around the goal line, a place the Giants have been struggling.  Brown scored two touchdowns, finishing with 113 yards on 20 carries on the night.  He also added three receptions for 17 yards.  Brown gives the Giants a very nice change of pace back once Bradshaw returns and a reliable option it would seem if Bradshaw is out for an extended period of time.

Ramses Barden got the call in replacing Nicks and stepped up big time.  The 6’6” former third round pick has never been able to show what he can do on the field, but tonight showed glimpses of the abilities that he has. 

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Barden had struggled to get on the field because of injuries and an inability to break press coverage, but he took full advantage of the opportunity placed before him and had a monster game in place of Nicks.  Barden finished with nine receptions for 138 yards, seven of which came in a break out first half in which the Giants took control.

The effort put forth by Barden was huge, as he gave Manning another option behind Victor Cruz.  The performance will also benefit Barden in the long run, as he showed tonight that he is a capable performer and can handle more playing time in the case another injury happens and while Hixon is still recovering from his concussion.

The offense was able to click and run so smoothly because of the play of the offensive line.  Manning was virtually untouched outside of a late third quarter sack and the running game hasn’t seen holes opened up like that in quite some time.  Will Beatty started at left tackle with Sean Locklear at right tackle with the injury to Diehl and were able to keep Manning up right and get the running game going.

Jayron Hosley stepped up again, as his progression and playing time have had to be accelerated because of injuries in the secondary. 

Hosley put pressure on Cam Newton with corner blitzes and had an impressive interception of Newton after a pass went of wide receiver Brandon LaFell’s hand. 

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Unfortunately, Hosley was forced to leave the game in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury, just adding to the injury list for the Giants.  Hosley was not the only defensive back to get injured, as Antrel Rolle had to be taken to the locker room in the fourth quarter after banging his knee on a camera and Corey Webster broke a bone in his left hand but as able to return.  The Giants can not afford any more injuries in the secondary even with Prince Amukamara having made his debut this week.

Not to be lost in the shuffle was the performance of Martellus Bennett, as he had six receptions for 73 yards and another touchdown.  Bennett has scored a touchdown in his first three games as a Giant, the first time a player has accomplished such a feat in Giants franchise history.

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Lawrence Tynes also had a strong game for the Giants, as he continued his perfect season going 5 for 5 on field goals and knocking all three of his extra points in as well.  Tynes performance will be overlooked by many people, but he played a key part in the victory as he was able to keep adding points on the board for the Giants and keep the pressure on the Panthers, never allowing them to build any momentum.

The Giants will get some much needed rest heading into their next game against Mike Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football September 30^th. 

What to Watch For: New York Giants vs. Carolina Panthers

Thursday, September 20, 2012

New York Giants vs. Carolina Panthers

What to Watch For

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On a short week, the short-handed Giants will travel to Carolina to take on Cam Newton and the Panthers.  It is the second primetime game for the Giants this season and hopefully this one goes better for the Giants than the first one did against the Dallas Cowboys.  Here are a few things to watch for in the game tonight.

-Lacking Some Firepower

The Giants will be heading into a tough environment tonight without some key players.  Starting wide receiver Hakeem Nicks was a surprise scratch Wednesday night after originally being listed as questionable.  Nicks did not even make the trip, as he struggled to do much of anything at practice this week and the team decided it would be better for him to sit this one out. 

Starting running back Ahmad Bradshaw will also miss the game tonight with a neck injury and starting tackle David Diehl is out with an injury to his right MCL.  Diehl’s prognosis is still unknown, as his injury may be severe enough to keep him out for an extended period of time. 

Eli Manning will also be without third receiver and return man Domenik Hixon, who suffered a concussion Sunday afternoon and was not cleared to play this week.

The odds are stacked against the Giants but that is something they are used to and embrace.  Do not be shocked to see them come out firing with a chip on their shoulder.

-Who is Going to Step Up?

With so many injuries to playmakers on the offensive side of the ball, the Giants will need some people to step up and fill the shoes of the starters.

Manning still has Victor Cruz and Martellus Bennett to rely on, but another receiver has to step up.  Look for Ramses Barden to start opposite of Cruz with Rueben Randle and Jerel Jernigan splitting time as the third receiver. 

This is a huge chance for Barden, as he was in danger of getting cut this past preseason.  If he can put on an impressive showing, the Giants may have the second coming of Cruz.  Last season, it was week 3 in which Cruz had his breakout performance.  Barden should come out ready to show that he is a worthy NFL receiver and someone the Giants should give more playing time to.

Randle and Jernigan will not only have to make up for Hixon as the third receiver, but also on punt return.  Randle had an impressive return that was brought back because of a penalty Sunday against the Buccaneers but both should have opportunities to show the Giants what they are capable of.

-Will the Running Game Show Up

The Giants running game struggled all of last season and hasn’t been strong through the first two games of this season either.  With Bradshaw going down with an injury, someone is going to have to step up and that someone is Andre Brown.

Brown is expected to make his first career start Thursday night over rookie David Wilson after an impressive showing against the Buccaneers.  Brown, who entered the game with -1 career rushing yards, finished the game with 71 yards rushing on 13 attempts and a touchdown in addition to 2 receptions for 19 yards. 

Brown will also be responsible for blocking for Manning, as Bradshaw is the Giants best blocking running back.

Brown will need a breather here and there and that is where Wilson will come in.  Wilson may not be getting the start, but he will play a pivotal role in the offense this week as he has the ability to be a weapon in the passing game, something the Giants will need with Nicks being out.

-Which Defense Will Show Up?

With the offense being so depleted, this is an opportunity for the defense to make up for some of their short comings the first two weeks of the season and carry the team.

The Giants secondary has been getting torched on and off the field, as injuries have been piling up week after week.  This week, Prince Amukamara is expected to make his return from a high ankle sprain, giving the Giants an upgrade that is sorely needed.

The secondary will have their hands full tonight, as the Panthers employ a talented receiving core highlighted by All-Pro Steve Smith.  They also have an up and coming second receiver in Brandon LaFell who will need to be watched and a more than capable tight end in Greg Olsen.

One problem the secondary has struggled so much is that the front seven has not been playing up to their potential.  The Giants are not generating much of a pass rush with their star studded defensive line of Justin Tuck, Jason Pierre-Paul and Osi Umenyiora, putting the cornerbacks in a tough position. 

The job will not get any easier for the front seven tonight, as the Giants will need to figure out a way to contain the dynamic Cam Newton.  The key to slowing down Newton is to contain the run game and force him to become a passing quarterback.  This season alone shows that, as the Panthers struggled week one when they only ran the ball 13 times but beat the Saints in week 2 running the ball 41 times.

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Hakeem Nicks, 3 Other Starters Out Thursday Night

Hakeem Nicks Ruled Out

The New York Giants announced Wednesday that starting wide receiver Hakeem Nicks will not playing in Thursday night’s game against the Carolina Panthers.

Nicks, the reigning NFC Offensive Player of the Week, will not even be making the trip down to Carolina after being listed as questionable earlier in the day and being downgraded to out just hours ago.

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Nicks did not participate in any type of practice or walk-through this week, not even taking part in the jog this morning.  Tuesday was a scheduled day off for Nicks, who still suffers from soreness in his surgically repaired ankle.

Nicks was quoted as saying that he felt pretty good Tuesday, so either he suffered a setback or was not feeling as good as the Giants had hoped, leading to the downgrading.

The team opted to play it safe with Nicks, as the Giants have a very short week with the quick turnaround with a game Thursday night.  Resting Nicks is most likely the best scenario in the long run for the Giants.

Nicks is not the only prominent Giant that will not make the trip, as starting running back Ahmad Bradshaw, offensive tackle David Diehl and third receiver/return man Domenik Hixon are all not making the trip.  All three players suffered injuries in Sunday afternoon’s victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as Bradshaw injured his neck, Diehl his right MCL and Hixon suffered a concussion.

Rookie defensive lineman Adewale Ojomo will also not be making the trip.

With the injury to Nicks, Victor Cruz will take over as the top wide out.  Look for Rueben Randle, Ramses Barden and Jerel Jernigan to also get some action, as they will be moved up the depth chart with the Hixon injury as well. 

Andre Brown will take over lead back duties for Bradshaw; something he earned with his performance Sunday.  Brown ran for 71 yards on 13 carries and caught two passes for 19 yards in relief of Bradshaw.

The Giants are likely to go with the shift they put in place when Diehl went down Sunday, with Sean Locklear moving to right tackle and Will Beatty taking over at left tackle.  

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Jets Fall to Panthers in Third Preseason Game

businessinsider.com

Jets vs Panthers Post Game Recap 8/26

The New York Jets lost their third game of the preseason to the Carolina Panthers by a score of 17-12, as the Jets weren’t able to score a touchdown yet again.

Mark Sanchez was unable to get the Jets a touchdown this preseason, as he wont be playing in the fourth game. Sanchez did look ok against the Panthers though passing for 123 yards on 11 for 18 with an interception that bounced of the hands of Stephen Hill. Sanchez also was let down by Santonio Holmes who dropped a pass that would have netted a nice gain.

Tim Tebow didn’t look very good throwing the football on Sunday night, as he threw for 55 yards on 4 for 14 passing with a head scratching interception that hit Reggie Smith in the numbers. Tebow did show that great running ability that he has rushing for 45 yards on 5 carries including a 20 yard rush that got the crowd excited.

The Jets rushing offense continued to struggle, as Shonn Greene only rushed for 47 yards on 13 carries for a mere 3.6 yards a carry. Backup running back Bilal Powell didn’t have much success either rushing 8 times for 29 yards also only 3.6 yards a carry.

The Jets receiving core was at full strength against the Panthers with Santonio Holmes, and Jeremy Kerley back in the lineup. In his first game of the preseason Holmes caught 1 pass for 8 yards, and had one bad drop. Stephen Hill was targeted the most out of the Jets wide receivers making 5 catches for 68 yards with one 32 yard catch. Hill did however had a costly drop that hit off his hands right and bounced right to the Panthers for a interception. Dustin Keller did start the game with a nice catch for 24 yards but came up hobbling with a hamstring injury and week 1 is in question for him.

The offensive line did look much better protecting the quarterback as Austin Howard was impressive not allowing any sacks, and doing a very good job on a good defensive end in Charles Johnson. Wayne Hunter did get some playing time with the second unit, and proceeded to allow Tebow to be sacked.

The Jets defense did look very good again holding one of the bright young stars in the NFL in Cam Newton to a sub-par game. Cam was only 6 for 15 with 60 yards passing, and rushed twice for 16 yards. LaRon Landry had another nice game for the Jets showing that if he can stay healthy and on the field he will be a great add. Landry had his 2^nd interception of the preseason, and had 4 tackles. Bart Scott also looked good recovering a fumble, and had 3 tackles. Jets rookie Quinton Coples seems to have a knack for getting to the quarterback, as he was able to get another sack against the Panthers.

Jets special teams was pretty solid as Nick Folk won the kicking job going 3 for 3 on his kicks, and Josh Brown who went 1 for 2 was let go on Monday. T.J Conley was able to bounce back from a tough game against the Giants with 2 punts for 113 yards for a whopping 56.5 yards per punt. Joe McKnight continued his last season kick returning success returning 3 kicks for 98 yards including a 42 yard return.

The Jets will be playing their final preseason game of the season as they look to score a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday.

Nick Folk Wins Kicking Job

northjersey.com

The New York Jets decided to stick with kicker Nick Folk for another season releasing Josh Brown on Monday.

Josh Brown who was brought in after being cut by the Rams probably did himself in on Sunday by missing a 45-yard field goal against the Carolina Panthers, and Brown was out played in camp by a little bit too as the Jets were leaning towards Folk heading into Sundays game.

 Special team’s coordinator Mike Westhoff last Friday called it "absolutely the most efficient, competitive battle I've ever seen. I've had some great kickers in my career, but no one's had a better camp than these two guys have had. It's the best kicking competition I've ever seen."

Nick Folk was able to hit all four of his attempts this season but does lack the touchback power on the kickoffs that Josh Brown had. Last season for the Jets Folk was 19-25 on his attempts, but the Jets will hope he can get some more touchbacks during regular season.

Wayne Hunter gets Benched

newsday.com

Wayne Hunter gets Benched

The New York Jets and head coach Rex Ryan finally benched Wayne Hunter, and will be starting Austin Howard at right tackle in Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers.

Wayne Hunter was by far the Jets worst offensive lineman last year, and with allowing 2 ½ sacks in his first preseason game against the Giants it showed that he is clearly not a starting lineman.

Rex Ryan said "We're gonna give Austin Howard a shot to be with this first group. I thought he earned that right. He played extremely well against Cincinnati, did OK against the Giants, but really played well against Cincinnati, and this is what I wanna do. I'm gonna put him in that situation, and we'll see how he does this week."

Austin Howard was signed by the Jets last November from the Ravens practice squad, and has played in 4 games in the NFL with the Eagles in 2010.

The Jets will hope Howard is the answer at right tackle, but in all likelihood the Jets will be having problems at the position all year unless they can make a move of some sort.

Jets Trade for Jeff Otah

panthers.com

Jets Trade for Jeff Otah

The New York Jets were able to acquire Right Tackle Jeff Otah from the Carolina Panthers, by sending an undisclosed conditional draft pick for the 26 year old Otah.

Otah will be competing for a job with last years starter Wayne Hunter who is coming off a very bad season, as he was a glaring weakness on the line all season allowing 8 ½ sacks, and 11 penalties.

The trade for Otah will instantly start a competition for the starting spot, as the trade for Otah shows that the front office doesn’t have much faith in Hunter. Hunter does however have one supporter as offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo has given Hunter a vote of confidence.

"This guy is the starting right tackle," DeGuglielmo said at the time. "Until they tell me otherwise, until they ship him out of this building or until they shoot me dead in my office, that son of a gun is going to be the starting right tackle. And he's going to play well."

Jeff Otah does come with a big question mark about his health as he has missed 31 of the last 35 games due to knee injuries. Otah has also recently tweaked the same knee that cost him to miss so much time in OTAs, but a MRI showed no damage.