Giants Top 10 Moments of 2011-2012 Season

It's been five months since the Giants were in a sea of red, white, and confetti, celebrating their latest run through the NFL's elite to another Lombardi Trophy. Eli Manning collected his second Super Bowl MVP, and the Giants took down Tom Brady and the Patriots for the second time in four years.

Now it's time to re-live the Top 10 moments of a Giants season that was filled with people writing them off during their game in Dallas, and an improbable run into and through the playoffs, and ending with a Super Bowl Victory.


10. Manning, Nicks lead fourth-quarter comeback against Cardinals (Week 4)


The Arizona Cardinals looked to be in full control of the game after Beenie Wells rushed for his third touchdown of the game and gave the Cardinals a 27-17 lead. With under four minutes in the game, Manning hit Hakeem Nicks  for 26 yards, and set up a TD pass to Jake Ballard.

Less than two minutes later, the Giants were driving again. Manning hit Victor Cruz for a first down in Cardinal territory, and Cruz willingly went down and then let go of the ball. The Cardinals challenged but the play stood as Cruz willfully gave himself up. With under three minutes, Manning connected with Nicks again for the go ahead score. The Giants went on to win 31-27 and improve to 3-1, and was the first of many late fourth quarter comebacks by Manning and the Giants.

9. Manning beats Patriots in the fourth quarter (Week 9)


 After losing the lead with just under two minutes left in the game, Eli Manning orchestrated one of his many fourth quarter drives. Manning hit tight end Jake Ballard on a third down to keep the Giants alive, and after a pass interference call on New England, Manning hit Ballard in the back of the end zone with 15 seconds left. The win brought the Giants record to 6-2, and also foreshadowed a meeting between the two teams on February 5, 2012.

8. Giants stop Falcons twice on Fourth and One (NFC Wild Card)


Yes the Giants defense made one of the top moments of the season. The Giants were heavily criticized all season, and rightly so, for their poor play during the regular season, but they turned it around in the playoffs. The Atlanta Falcons were driving on the Giants, but the Giants D stuffed Michael Turner on third and one, and then stopped Matt Ryan on fourth and one to get Eli and the offense the ball.

In the third quarter, with the Giants leading 10-2, Matt Ryan connected with Roddy White for 14 yards, setting up another fourth and one for Atlanta. The Giants D stuffed Matt Ryan for the second time in the game, and gave the momentum back to the Giants who went on to win 24-2.

7. JPP, Giants stun Cowboys in Dallas


The Giants were all but finished against the Cowboys. They trailed 34-22 with four minutes to play. Manning hit Jake Ballard for a touchdown and cut the lead to 34-29.

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On a third and five, Tony Romo overthrew a wide open Miles Austin, and it forced the Cowboys to punt. Manning was at it again and he led the Giants down to the Cowboys one yard line with just over a minute left. Brandon Jacobs scored two plays later, and the Giants converted on the two-point conversion.

Romo led the Cowboys down the field, and gave the Cowboys a chance to tie the game at 37. Kicker Dan Bailey hit the 47 yard field goal attempt, but the refs blew the play dead for a timeout by Tom Coughlin and the Giants.

Bailey's next attempt would be blocked by Jason Pierre-Paul and would preserve a 37-34 victory for the Giants. The win tied the Giants with the Cowboys atop the division, and keep their playoff hopes alive.


6. Giants win the NFC East, get into playoffs (Week 17)


 It was a do or die game for the Giants and Cowboys. The winner would take the NFC East title and get into the playoffs. The Giants got off to a fast start, with the help a 74 yard touchdown pass from Eli Manning to Victor Cruz. Ahmad Bradshaw scored twice, one rushing and one receiving, and the Giants held a commanding 21-0 lead.

The Cowboys fought back to cut the lead to 21-14, but the Giants answered scoring the final 10 points and beat the Cowboys 31-14.

The Giants won the NFC East title and were set to face the Atlanta Falcons the next week at MetLife Stadium.


5. Victor Cruz, enough said

The Giants receiving core consisted of Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham, and Domenik Hixon through the first two weeks of the season, but when Hixon went down against the Rams with a torn ACL, the Giants looked to UMass grad Victor Cruz. It did not take long for Cruz to have an impact for the Giants. The next week Cruz caught two touchdown passes from Manning in the Giants 29-16 win over the division favorite Philadelphia Eagles. The next week Cruz made a circus catch in double coverage against the Seattle Seahawks, and flashed his salsa dance for the first time in front of the home crowd.

Cruz finished the season with 82 catches for 1,536 yards, and 9 touchdowns.

4. Jaqcuian Williams strips Kyle Williams (NFC Championship)

The Giants and San Francisco 49ers were tied at 17 in overtime of the NFC Championship game. The Niners punt returner, Ted Ginn, was not available so backup Kyle Williams was the man. Earlier in the game Kyle Williams let a bouncing ball deflect off his leg, and it was recovered by the Giants, and led to a Giants touchdown.

Now in overtime, Kyle Williams caught the ball and tried to run before securing the ball. Rookie Jacquian Williams stuck his hand in and knocked the ball loose before it was secured. Devin Thomas jumped on the loose ball and the Giants were on the San Francisco 24 yard line.

Four plays later Lawrence Tynes kicked a 31 yard field goal and sent the Giants to the Super Bowl, just like he did four years ago.

3. Victor Cruz 99 yard TD catch (Week 16)


The Giants were facing off with the rival New York Jets, who they share the stadium with, and the game had an impact on both teams playoff hopes.

The Giants were trailing 7-3 in the second quarter, and were facing a third and long on their own one yard line. Eli Manning found Victor Cruz for a ten yard completion, but Cruz wasn't done. Cruz changed direction on Jets corner back Antonio Cromartie, and was off to the races. Cruz took it to the house for a 99 yard touchdown that gave the Giants the lead for good, and the Giants won 29-14.

From that play on, the Giants began a run that would take them all the way through the playoffs, and into the Superbowl.

2. "The Catch II" Manning to Manningham (Super Bowl XLVI) 

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With the Giants trailing the Patriots 17-15 with under four minutes in the fourth quarter, it was up to Eli Manning to lead another game-winning drive. The Giants were backed up on their own 10 yard line when Manning dropped back to pass. He looked right, saw nothing, came back left and let one go down the sideline for Mario Manningham. The ball was thrown where only Manningham could catch it, and Manningham did while keeping both feet in bounds.

The 38 yard pass set the Giants up for the eventual game-winning score in Super Bowl XLVI, and will now be known by Giants fans as "The Catch II".

The Manningham catch came four years after Manning hit Tyree in Super Bowl XLII for one of the greatest catches in Superbowl history.

1. Giants win their fourth Lombardi Trophy


The Giants completed their improbable run by winning their fourth Super Bowl in team history. The Giants defeated Tom Brady and the New England Patriots for the second time in four years, and Eli Manning left no doubt that he is an elite quarterback with his second Super Bowl MVP trophy.

The Giants scored with just under a minute left to take 21-17 lead over the Patriots. Tom Brady led the Patriots out to the 50 yard line with enough time for one more play. Brady hoisted the ball towards the end zone, and the Giants knocked the ball down and sealed the victory.

Head Coach Tom Coughlin preached one word to his team all year "finish", and thats what the Giants did. The Giants ended the season, including playoffs, on a six game win streak and won seven of their last eight to capture the Lombardi Trophy.

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Rough Start to OTA's for Giants

It seems like yesterday that the Giants were playing against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLI, but in actuality there is a new NFL season right on the horizon.  This week was the beginning of Organized Team Activities for teams in the NFL.

With their Super Bowl rings in hand and June 8^th being the date set to visit the White House, the Giants are preparing to defend their title this fall and winter.  The start of OTA’s signals the start of a new season, meaning it is again go time for the Giants.

OTA’s are relaxed spring practices.  They do not include pads and have no live hitting.  It is an opportunity for rookies and veterans alike to get a feel for each other, building chemistry and continuity.  Teams are also only allowed to have up to 14 practices scheduled for the “down time period” of the NFL.

The Giants have a large number of people returning from season-ending injuries trying to get back into shape.  This gives them an opportunity to get re-acclimated with teammates and coaching staffs.  With such a relaxed atmosphere, there is nothing that can possibly go wrong you would think.  The worst thing usually is veterans holding out wanting a contract extension or more money.  For the Giants, worse things happen.

Through the first two days of OTA’s the Giants are two for two in losing a player.  During the first workout, cornerback Brian Witherspoon was lost for the season again, tearing his ACL for a second consecutive season on the same knee.

“It was heartbreaking,” said cornerback Terrell Thomas, who is returning from his own season ending knee injury last year.  “Just a basic Cover 2 drill, seemed like the knee just gave out.”  Witherspoon added depth to a Giants squad that was very thin in the defensive secondary last season.  Backup Antwaun Molden was also taken off the field with a hamstring injury, but his is not thought to be serious.

The injuries for the Giants did not end there.  Earlier today, on the second day of OTA’s for the Giants, Wide Receiver Hakeem Nicks fractured his right foot.  He will be out for approximately 12 weeks.  The Giants are hoping he can be back during the preseason.

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 If for any reason Nicks’ rehab does not go as planned, the Giants will have a huge void in their offense.  Victor Cruz has added pressure with the departure of Mario Manningham and the loss of Nicks will only magnify that.  Hopefully Nicks is back as soon as possible as he is a very important part of the Giants currently and into the future.

New York Giants Draft WR Rueben Randle in 2nd Round

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With the 63^rd overall pick, 31^st in the 2^nd round of the 2012 NFL Draft, the New York Giants selected Wide Receiver, Rueben Randle of LSU.  The Giants were in need of a WR after Mario Manningham left this offseason via free agency with the San Francisco 49ers.  This was not only a value pick for the Giants, who contemplated drafting Randle with their first round pick, but also a pick that filled a need.  This is the earliest the Giants have selected a WR since drafting Hakeem Nicks in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft.

Randle is 6’2” tall and weighs 210 pounds.  Randle was able to produce on an LSU team that focused on the running game and defense, with 917 yards and eight touchdowns on 53 receptions.  Overall, Randle finished his three season at LSU with 93 receptions for 1,634 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Scouts had only positive things to say about Randle. “Randle is a confident pass catcher with strong hands.  Can make tough catches over his head.  Consistently shoes ability to snatch on the run.  Outstanding body control to adjust.”

Randle should have no problem fitting in with this Giants team.  With the loss of Manningham, the Giants have a hole on their offense that Randle can come in and compete to fill.  He has experience playing both flanker and split end in college and has good size. The Giants do have other players that will compete with Randle including Ramses Barden, Jerrel Jernigan and Domenik Hixon so a job will not just be handed to him.  The Giants were able to add another talented receiver to their depth chart at the very least and someone who can have a big impact later down the road.

The Giants are a team that competes every season, so they are looking to add people who are ready to contribute right away with their top picks.  They very well may have found someone to fit that profile in Randle.  Marc Ross, director of college scouting, says Randle is NFL-ready.

“I really didn’t think there was a chance we were going to get him,” Ross said.  “Actually, we talked about a little about him yesterday with our pick.  Reuben is an NFL-ready receiver.  What I mean by that is this guy is strong, he can catch the ball, he is a good route runner and has got position-savvy.  He knows how to get open.  To me those are the successful receivers in the NFL.  Our guys that we have now, Hakeem and Victor, you put them on at the combine, you won’t notice them but if you put them on the football field, they just take their game to another level and this is hoe Rueben is in our eyes.”

Ross later added, “The way LSU plays, they run the ball and they play defense … so he didn’t get a lot of chances.”

It was a rough wait for Randle.  He was not consoled by the fact that the Giants had considered him with their first round pick, because that meant another full day of sitting around and waiting in the green room.  He was the last player remaining in the green room at the draft.  “I wasn’t trying to worry myself with the whole situation,” Randle is quoted as saying. 

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Randle was relieved when he received that call from Tom Coughlin at the end of the 2^nd round.  “He just asked me if I was ready to come in and compete,” Randle said in reference to his conversation with Coughlin.  Randle told the reporters interviewing him that he indeed was.  Randle could not have ended up in a much better situation, getting to join the reigning Super Bowl Champs and having a chance to come in and contribute right away.  He also gets to play with one of the premier quarterbacks in the NFL in Eli Manning, giving Manning yet another option on offense to go along with first round pick David Wilson. 

New York Giants Draft Preview: Quarterback

This is the first in a series of posts where I will discuss the Giants current outlook and needs for the upcoming NFL Draft position by position.

The first position I will be taking a look at is Quarterback.

At quarterback, the depth chart for the Giants goes Eli Manning, David Carr and Ryan Perrilloux. 

Eli Manning is coming off his best season as an NFL quarterback and no longer has to answer questions about his standing amongst other QB’s in the league or how elite he is.  Manning is coming off his second Super Bowl MVP award and is in the prime of his career.  Manning cut down his career high 25 interceptions from 2010 to only 16 in 2011, not only improving his ball control but making everyone around him better; a sign of a great leader and quarterback.  New pieces were all over the offense, and Manning still managed to put up career numbers and keep everything clicking.  From undrafted players Victor Cruz and Jake Ballard becoming major contributors to playing behind what was a makeshift offensive line at time, Manning never broke stride and kept the team moving. 

What makes Manning’s season that much more impressive was the performance of the Giants running game, or a lack there of.  This season Manning will be relied upon heavily again, as the Giants are in the midst of a changing of the guard on the offensive line and new players will need to be worked into the offense.  Much like last season, Manning will need to develop chemistry with new receivers.  With Mario Manningham leaving via free agency, the Giants are looking for a new third receiver.  Also, the Giants signed new Tight End Martellus Bennett to solidify the position after injuries ravaged the Giants during the Super Bowl when Ballard and Travis Beckum both went down with knee injuries.  Thankfully for Manning and the Giants, they will have a full off-season to work everything out unlike last year because of the lockout.

God forbid if Manning was ever injured, the Giants could do worse than David Carr.  The former number one pick out of Fresno State has starting experience and is a seasoned veteran.  Carr also plays an important role during practice and on the scout team.  Perrilloux has something the Giants must like because they signed him back to the practice squad numerous times this past season.

The last time the Giants drafted a quarterback was Rhett Bomar out of Sam Houston State in 2009 in the 5^th round.  If the Giants are to take another quarterback this year, it will not be more than a developmental pick.  It is safe to say the Giants are pretty set at QB currently.  If they were to look at a QB in this year’s draft, Darron Thomas of Oregon and Jordan Jefferson from LSU are two names to keep an eye on.  They are both great athletes, but could use some time to learn the position and who better to learn from than two former number 1 overall picks? 

The necessity of a quarterback on a scale of 1-10 for the Giants I would put at a 1.  Manning isn’t going anywhere and is here for the long run. 

Five Giants Games to Keep Your Eyes On

With the Giants being the reigning Super Bowl champs, every team will be gunning for them.  They also have the toughest schedule in the NFL this upcoming season, so every game will be important for the Giants in their quest to repeat as champs. 

Like every year, divisional games will be crucial.  The Giants get right into divisional play on opening night against the Dallas Cowboys week 1 at MetLife Stadium.  Much like last season, winning the NFC East may be the route to the postseason for the Giants.  Handling business in division is something that playoff teams and Super Bowl contenders do season in and season out. 

Another crucial game for the Giants this season is against the New Orleans Saints during a daunting December stretch of games.  No one is sure how the Saints will look by that time though because of the limbo the franchise is currently in stemming from the Bounty Scandal and the breaking news of potential wiretapping being done by GM Mickey Loomis.  One thing we know for sure is that the Saints will be without mastermind Head Coach Sean Payton.  With that being said, here are five games to keep and eye on and circle on your calendars.

Week 6, Sunday October 14^th @San Francisco 49ers

The Giants return to the Bay Area to play against the 49ers for the 3^rd time in the last 2 seasons. The Giants lost there in the regular season 27-20, but won the NFC Championship Game there on the road to the Super Bowl 20-17 in overtime.  The 49ers will be playing some familiar faces to Giants fans, as the 49ers now employ Mario Manningham and Brandon Jacobs on their offense.  Last year both meetings went down to the wire and were hard fought games that could have gone either way.  This also is the first game in an 11 game stretch in which the Giants will play post season participants last season or division foes.

Week 9, Sunday November 4^th vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

This match-up pits two of the most respected franchises in the NFL against each other.  Any game that includes a Super Bowl winning quarterback starting for both teams is a big game.  It is also a big game because those two quarterbacks, Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger were selected in same draft so they will forever be linked together.  It is also an opportunity to see where the Giants offense is at going up against one of the best defensive units in the NFL.  This game against the Steelers is the first of what is yet another tough November and December for the Giants. 

Week 12, Sunday November 25^th vs. Green Bay Packers

The past two Super Bowl champs meet up for a second consecutive season in the regular season at MetLife Stadium in a Sunday Night Football primetime game.  Last years regular season meeting was a shoot-out with the Packers coming away with the victory 38-35.  The Giants, however, came away with the win in the more important playoff game, shocking the Packers in Lambeau Field in the divisional playoff round handily 37-20.  It will be a tough task for the Giants defense to hold Aaron Rodgers in check for two games in a row. 

Week 15, Sunday December 16^th @ Atlanta Falcons

Yet another rematch from the playoffs last year, the Giants will pay a visit to the Falcons. The Giants dominated the NFC Wildcard game last postseason, dismantling the Falcons 24-2.  This time around it will be a much more difficult match-up outside the friendly confines of MetLife Stadium and visiting the Georgia Dome.  This game is the third-to-last game of the season for the Giants, so winning could be very important in fighting for a playoff spot or for positioning.  This is the first of two very difficult back-to-back road games as the Giants will visit the Baltimore Ravens the following week in what has the potential to either be season defining or season ruining games. 

Week 17, Sunday December 30^th vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Since taking over as Commissioner Roger Goodell has made it a point to have meaningful games throughout the season.  The solution to this was having divisional games for every team the last week of the season.  Last year the Giants faced the Cowboys for the NFC East title on the last weekend of the season, and it is very possible they could be heading for the same thing this season.  Having the hardest schedule in the NFL, it is conceivable that winning the division may be the route the Giants take into the playoffs.  Beating the Eagles would go a long way in helping that cause, especially at home.  It would be a nice victory for the Giants haven’t beaten the Eagles at home since 2007.  We all remember what happened when the NFC East title was on the line in 2010 when the Eagles visited the Giants.     

New York Giants Start to Free Agency

There was a ton of euphoria surrounding the Giants following their rousing Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots for the 2nd time in 4 years. Eventually you have to move on and start focusing on next season. That time is now for the New York Giants. 


Tuesday, March 13, the free agency period will open up in the NFL and players will begin flooding the waiver wire and open market. But for certain teams, like the Giants, tough decisions and hard work are already being put in before free agency begins. 


The Giants have over 20 free agents, and it will be impossible to retain all of them, so they will have to pick and choose smartly which players are worthy of keeping, and which they will need to let go and eventually replace. The Giants have already re-signed Wide Receiver Domenick Hixon, who is coming off his second ACL tear in back-to-back years, Cornerback Bruce Johnson, who is coming off an ACL tear suffered in the pre-season, and Tight End Jake Ballard, who suffered an ACL tear during the Super Bowl. 


One player who may not be lucky enough to return is Wide Receiver Mario Manningham. After having a so-so season, dealing with multiple injuries, Manningham may have priced himself out of the Giants price range because of his performance in the Super Bowl and throughout the playoffs. There have been conflicting reports as to the percent chances that Manningham is leaving, but general consensus is that Manningham will leave because he believes he is worth top receiver money, and the Giants will need to find a way to pay Wide Receivers Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz in the next two off-seasons. 


To free up some cap space, the Giants and Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning agreed to a restructuring of his contract. They were $9 million over the cap at one point, according to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter. But Reese the restructuring of Eli Manning's contract has given them some relief; approximately $6.75 million in cap space according to reports. Manning's base salary is now $1.75 million, down from $10.75 million, according to the NFL Players Association. The franchise quarterback will still get all of that money with $9 million of that $10.75 million being paid up front and guaranteed according to the Newark Star-Ledger. Manning's 2012 cap number counts for $9.6 million now, down from $16.35 million according to the New York Daily News. 


Restructuring Eli’s contract alone will not get the Giants the cap relief they need, so other tough decisions needed to be done. Some high profile moves the Giants made were releasing long-time Giants Brandon Jacobs and Kareem McKenzie. The Giants and Jacobs could not agree to a restructured contract, ending his seven year tenure with the team. The Giants were going to be on the hook for a 4.9 million dollar base salary and $500,000 roster bonus, so releasing Jacobs saved the Giants $5million in cap. Just like in years past, the Giants are taking the approach to add younger talent to the offensive line, telling Kareem McKenzie that he can go shopping to find a new team. McKenzie joined the Giants after 4 years with the New York Jets, and was a very important piece to both Super Bowl victories. Giant fans will miss McKenzie, who was both a warrior and mentor on the field for eight seasons.