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.

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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Eli Leads Giants Comeback over Buccaneers

Sunday, September 16 2012

Post Game Recap

Final Score: Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 34 New York Giants: 41

Eli Leads Giants Comeback over Bucs

The second game for the season started off poorly for the Giants, much like the opening night game against the Cowboys; this time around, the Giants were able to get it together and mount a successful comeback against the Buccaneers, pulling out the 41-34 win.  The Giants were down 27-13 early in the third quarter before they came storming back behind the heroics of Eli Manning.

Manning was awful in the first half of the game, throwing three interceptions.  The interception before the half by Eric Wright was returned 60 yards for a touchdown, as all three of Manning’s interceptions led to touchdowns for the Buccaneers.  The first interception off Manning was by linebacker Mason Foster and put the Buccaneers at the Giants 28 yard line.  The second, by Brandon McDonald, seemed to be caused by a hold on Victor Cruz that was not called and put the Buccaneers at the 26 yard line after a 40-yard return and ending at the 13 after Andre Brown was called for a horse collar tackle.

Manning bounced back in a strong way in the second half, looking more like the quarterback that led the Giants on a Super Bowl run last season.  Manning threw two touchdown passes with under seven minutes remaining in the 4^th quarter, an 80-yard one to Cruz and a 33-yard touchdown toss to Martellus Bennett.

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 After the Giants defense surrendered the lead on, Manning marched the offense back down the field for a third time and the game winning touchdown score by Brown. 

Manning light up the Buccaneers defense for a career high 510 passing yards.  One reason for Manning’s success was the pass protection off the offensive line and running backs; Manning was not sacked once in his 51 drop backs and was only hit twice. 

With Manning having such a big afternoon, the receivers also benefited with monster games.  Cruz, playing with a heavy heart after the passing of his grandmother earlier in the week, caught 11 passes for 179 yards and the 80-yard touchdown.  Nine of the 11 catches came in the first half alone for Cruz, as he bounced back in a big way after dropping three passes in the opener against Dallas. 

Hakeem Nicks was not to be upstaged by his teammate, as he also had a monster game.  Nicks reeled in 10 balls for 199 yards and a touchdown, dominating the Buccaneers secondary, specifically cornerback Aqib Talib, whose holding and penalties couldn’t even slow down Nicks.  Nicks looked to be limping a few times after falling and being tackled awkwardly, but was able to finish the game and have a major impact. 

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New tight end Bennett had another strong game for the Giants after coming over from the Cowboys in the off-season.  Bennett had a rough first half, having a touchdown pass hit him in the facemask, but bounced back like all the other Giants in the second half when he made an adjustment and made a great catch on his 33-yard touchdown.  Bennett finished with five receptions for 72 yards and the touchdown. 

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After losing starting running back Ahmad Bradshaw to a neck injury, the Giants had to turn to Brown as the lead back and he responded well.  Coming in the game, Brown had -1 career yards, but was able to bring a dimension to the Giants they have been lacking in a running game.  Brown ran for 71 yards on 11 carries and the game winning touchdown, also converting a critical two-point conversion in the 4^th quarter to tie the game up at 27.  Brown’s performance definitely earned him more playing time, as he showcased both power, speed and ball security, something the coaching staff holds in high regard.

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In addition to Bradshaw, the Giants suffered more injuries in the first half.  Wide receiver Domenik Hixon was knocked out of the game with a concussion and starting right tackle David Diehl was knocked out with an MCL injury.  The injury to Diehl forced the Giants to do some shuffling across their offensive line, as Sean Locklear was moved to right tackle and Will Beatty was brought in to play left tackle. 

Beatty struggled in the first half, a common theme for all of the Giants, as he dropped a high pass from Manning as the extra tight end and committed two false start penalties.

Again for the Giants the defensive backfield struggled.  Corey Webster struggled at times in the first half, giving up big plays to Vincent Jackson, who finished the game with five receptions for 128 yards and a touchdown.  Webster was able to redeem himself later in the second half, intercepting Josh Freeman. 

Michael Coe surrendered the touchdown to Jackson in the first half, but like Webster was able to redeem himself with stronger play in the second half.  Coe did not start the game, as Jayron Hosley got his first career start.  Coe would come in and play the outside when Hosley would slide over and be the slot corner.

The end of the game also saw a confrontation between head coaches Tom Coughlin and Greg Schiano.  Coughlin was upset that the Buccaneers defensive linemen went down and cut center David Baas knees and knocking down Manning, even though the Giants were kneeing and were in "victory formation".  Coughlin and Schiano shared heated words after the game shaking hands, when Coughlin was visibly upset with what had happened. 

Next up for the Giants is a visit to Carolina to play against Cam Newton and the Panthers.  It is a quick turnaround for the Giants, as they play the Panthers Thursday night.

New York Giants Off-Season Update

With the NFL Draft now in the rear-view mirror, teams are starting their off-season programs.  With OTA’s already done, soon enough mini-camps will begin and before you know it the pre-season and regular season will be upon us.  For the Giants, the defending on their Super Bowl title is being kicked into top gear.

The Giants have been making some roster and personnel moves recently.  The biggest moves are the contracts situations of defensive end Osi Umenyiora and head coach Tom Coughlin.

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Osi Umenyiora’s displeasure over his contract has been publicized plenty over the last few off-seasons.  He has wanted a re-structuring of his contract for multiple off-seasons.  Last season, it resulted in Umenyiora missing practice time, holding out over the contract dispute.  This season, there will be no such problems.  

Umenyiora and the Giants agreed to a restructured contract June 1^st.  Umenyiora was entering the last year of a seven year contract in which he would receive $3.975 million.  Umenyiora has outplayed the contract he signed and had every reason to want more money. 

 This resolution is a win for everyone because both sides are happy and get what they want.  Umenyiora gets the extra money he has been looking for and the Giants get to keep one of the best defensive linemen on their team for at least another season.

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   As for Tom Coughlin, he also received a contract extension.  The extension will keep Coughlin on the Giants sideline through the 2014 season.  The contract will kick in this year, meaning that total is for three years and $20 million as Coughlin’s original contract was set to expire after this season.  The new contract makes Coughlin one of the highest paid coaches in the league; deservedly so.  Coughlin should be able to come back for as long as he wants to coach, leading the Giants to two Super Bowl victories since the 2007 season. 

The Giants have also made a few roster moves, re-signing defensive tackle Rocky Bernard and cutting tight end Jake Ballard.  Ballard tore his ACL in addition to needing microfracture surgery, suffering the injury in the Super Bowl against the Patriots.  Ballard had failed his physical and was subsequently released.  The thought is that the Giants will bring Ballard back once he clears waivers.  Ballard went onto Twitter to show his appreciation for the Giants and his feelings on the future, “Thanks for the love everyone but don’t worry, it’s a business, I’m on the road to recovery, and I believe I’ll be in a Giants uniform in ’13.”

Not all news this off-season for the Giants has been positive though, as offensive lineman David Diehl was arrested on suspicion of DWI after his car hit multiple parked cars in Queens.  There were no passengers, and Diehl was not injured during the process.  If he is indeed charged, Diehl could be facing a suspension from the NFL. 

New York Giants Select Tackle Matt McCants in 6th Round

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With the 201^st overall pick, 31^st in the 6^th round of the 2012 NFL Draft, the New York Giants selected tackle, Matt McCants out of the University of Alabama-Birmingham.  This is the second tackle that the Giants have used a selection on.

McCants is 6’5” and weighs 309 pounds.  To most people that is a monster of a man, but there are scouts that call McCants tall and lean with the ability to add more bulk to his frame.  At UAB, he was the starting left tackle.

Here is the scouts take on McCants:

“Long and quick enough to take away the edge.  Strong for size and can hold ground when beats defender to the top of drop but can give too much ground when defenders get under him before he gets set.  Moves well laterally and can improve with better technique but narrow base and inability to sink hinders ability to redirect quickly at this point.”

The scouting report continues, “Lack of experience at high school level and academic problems raise concerns here.  Can pick up line stunts but inconsistent in this area.  Appeared to have some problems locating assignments at the second level.  Can over-commit to defender and get caught out of position as a zone blocker.  Flashes nasty disposition.  More of a finesse wall-off blocker than a mauler.  Not violent or aggressive enough at the second level.”

The offensive line depth chart is now starting to get crowded for the Giants.  Will Beatty is slated to begin the season at left tackle.  David Diehl is versatile and can play either left tackle or guard, but could potentially move to right tackle.  The Giants also have James Brewer, Sean Locklear and 4^th round pick Brandon Mosley capable of playing tackle already on the roster. 

At this time, McCants really just provides depth for the team, if he even makes the final roster.  Beatty is entering the final year of his contract, so the Giants could be looking at McCants as a potential piece further down the road past this season.  It is never a bad thing having developmental pieces on your roster.  The Giants are very good at developing younger players so that they are able to reload on the run and not have to go into full blown rebuilding processes. 

That is exactly how Jerry Reese sees it.  McCants could possibly be a starter down the future, and they intend on developing him to see what they got.  “Really a pleasant surprise when you watch him,” Reese said.  “He is intriguing.  Long, 36-inch arms.  He is 315 now and I think he will be 325 pounds in a blink.  Very interesting prospect for us.  I think in a year or so he can make some headway and start challenging for a spot in our starting lineup.  I think he is going to be that kind of player for us.”

High praise for a 6^th round draft pick in which the Giants are very high on.  

New York Giants Select OT Brandon Mosley in 4th Round

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With the 131^st overall pick, 36^th of the 4^th round in the 2012 NFL Draft, the New York Giants selected Right Tackle Brandon Mosley out of Auburn University.  This is yet another need filled by the Giants with their second pick in the 4^th round.

Mosley is 6’5” and weighs 317 pounds.  He is a very versatile athlete, being a former tight end and defensive end in junior college at Coffeyville Junior College.  He actually recorded 12 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns on offense while recording 35 tackles and blocking a kick during his time there.  At Auburn he started 24 total games at right tackle, starting 13 games and being named to second-team all SEC this past season.  Mosley’s athleticism enables him to play all across the line, able to play at guard in addition to tackle and plays with the gritty, old-fashioned attitude that the Giants franchise covets in their offensive linemen. 

Scouts Inc. report on Mosley is, “Protects the edge well.  Arms are long enough to make it tough for edge rushers to turn the corner.  Powerful punch that knocks edge rushers off course.  Above-average athlete who flashes the ability to redirect quickly when footwork is sound but footwork is inconsistent.  Can give too much ground to power rushers.” 

They continue on saying, “Drivers legs and flashes the ability to move defenders off the ball.  Strong up top.  Locks on and controls defenders when he gets his hands on them.  However, pad level is a concern and can get stood up in the hole when doesn’t stay low.”

The Giants are looking for a new starter at right tackle with the departure of Kareem McKenzie.  David Diehl could potentially slide over from the left side, but the Giants have plenty of options in Sean Locklear and last years 4^th round pick James Brewer.  Mosley has a chance to compete for the right tackle job in camp, but seems more like a lineman the Giants will use for depth because of his versatility.  In all honesty, having a 4^th round selection starting on your offensive line to begin the season is not a position you want to be in.  Mosley has potential to be a starting tackle down the road for an NFL team though.

Jerry Reese adds, “Big, tough smart… just like we like in our offensive line room.  He reminds us somewhat of David Diehl.  This guy has a good concept.  He understands [and] knows how to play.  We think he is going to be a good addition.  We think he could go in there and play some guard as well if we needed him to play guard.  But he is an offensive tackle.”

New York Giants Draft Preview: Offensive Line

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This is the 5^th installment in the series of posts breaking down the Giants position by position for the upcoming NFL Draft.  The next position up is Offensive Line.

The Giants depth chart on the offensive line includes Guards Chris Snee, Chris White and Mitch Petrus, Tackles Will Beatty, James Brewer, Selvish Capers and Joel Reinders, Centers David Baas and Jim Cordle, and combo linemen David Diehl, Sean Locklear and Kevin Boothe.  The Giants also have free agents Kareem McKenzie, Stacy Andrews and Tony Ugoh on the market.

Last season the Giants underwent a huge overhaul across the offensive line.  They started the season with three positions not returning starters from the previous season.  Throughout the season the line was raved by injuries, causing more changes to be made.

This season will be no different, as longtime starter Kareem McKenzie was released and not expected to be retained.  That means Eli Manning will have a new right tackle at the very least. 

Brewer has been mentioned by Reese as a potential player in all of this.  He was selected last season in the fourth round and looked at as a project, but is expected to compete for the right tackle position throughout camp.  Beatty has been cleared to play and is expected to assume his role as the starting Left Tackle. 

Boothe was a valuable contributor all over the line last season.  Boothe ended up getting playing time at both Guard and Center last season and has a legitimate chance of being named the Left Guard this season.  Petrus filled in admirably in three games started last year at Left Guard.  Baas was the marquee free agent acquisition for the Giants last off-season, but did not exactly live up to expectations.  He had an up and down season fighting nagging injuries, but ended it with a Super Bowl victory.

Sean Locklear is the wild card here.  He was brought in with the potential to be an extra blocker for the team, but he has his sights set higher than that.  Locklear is looking to become the starting Right Tackle for the team.  The former Redskin and Seahawk is a grizzled veteran, playing in 105 regular season games and starting 82 of them.  Locklear was a main cog in the Seattle Seahawks run to the Super Bowl in 2005. 

The last offensive lineman the Giants drafted was James Brewer last season in the fourth round out of Indiana University.  Brewer was drafted as a project last season, and the Giants could potentially go in the same direction this year.  The only way the Giants take an offensive lineman with their first pick this year is if that player is the highest rated player remaining on the board.  Mike Adams of Ohio State University could potentially be there when the Giants draft at 32 in the first round.  Another option a little later in the draft is California University’s Mitchell Schwartz. 

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On a scale of 1-10, I would rate the necessity of adding an offensive lineman as a 5 for the Giants.  They have a lot of flexibility currently on the roster, but it never hurts adding more depth.