Despite Slow Start, Giants Blow Out Browns

Sunday, October 7 2012

Post Game Recap

Final Score: Cleveland Browns: 27 New York Giants 41

Giants down Browns despite Slow Start

Before there was a sweat broken by either team, the Giants found themselves down 14-0 to the winless Browns.  It proved to just be a little blip on the radar for the Giants, who eventually got warmed up and rolled the Browns 41-27, rattling off 20 unanswered points in a 13 and a half minute span.  The Giants will need to avoid slow starts like this as the outcome will not be as pleasant against upper echelon teams.

This was a game the Giants needed to have and after a rough start they handled business.  This was a prototypical trap game for the Giants, but they overcame the slow start and finished strong.  No one epitomized that more than Ahmad Bradshaw.

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Bradshaw started the game by fumbling, after running into Chris Snee on the first play from scrimmage.  The Browns followed the turnover with a touchdown, putting the Giants in the early hole.  Bradshaw ran like a man possessed the rest of the afternoon, tearing the Browns defense up for a career high 200 yards on 30 carries and a touchdown.  Bradshaw also contributed in the pass game with four receptions for 29 yards. 

It was an impressive performance for Bradshaw and one the Giants needed badly; backup running back Andre Brown suffered a concussion on a kick return in the first quarter, leaving Bradshaw as the workhorse.  David Wilson made a cameo in the backfield and made the most of it, ripping off a 40 yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.  Wilson looked like he was shot out of a cannon with how fast he was moving, looking to have a lot of pent up energy after not being featured in the offense much throughout the season thus far.

Eli Manning also did his thing for the Giants, even without starting wide receiver Hakeem Nicks for the third straight game and Martellus Bennett suffering a hyper-extended knee.  Ramses Barden also was out with a concussion, but the next players in line stepped up and performed extremely well, as Manning showed once again that no matter who is put on the field he can make them produce.

Rookie second round pick Rueben Randle got his first extended action of the season and made the most of it, catching six balls for 82 yards.  Whatever talk he had with Manning during the week in practice must have worked, as Randle had his most impressive showing thus far in his young career. 

Domenik Hixon also had a strong game, starting opposite of Victor Cruz with Nicks’ absence.  Hixon caught five balls for 55 yards, working all over the field for the Giants.  Cruz had a big game for the Giants as well, catching all three of Manning’s touchdown passes.  He ended the game with five receptions for 50 yards and the three touchdowns.

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The Giants defense at first look at a very underwhelming day, but a few players stood out and both happen to be substitutions.  Stevie Brown, starting for the injured Kenny Phillips at safety, and Will Hill seeing his playing time increased because of injures, both had major impacts on the game. 

Brown made a momentum changing interception in the second quarter off Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden, which the Giants turned into a touchdown to a tying score.  On the ensuing kickoff, Hill forced a fumble on return man Josh Cribbs and Brown was on the spot to make the recovery. 

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Brown has been very productive when on the field filling in for Phillips and Antrel Rolle.  Brown should continue to start in place of Phillips, but Hill will not be seen for at least four weeks.  Hill was suspended four weeks by the NFL for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.  Tyler Sash will take Hill’s roster spot for the time being, as he is also returning from his own suspension because of the same incident.

Next up for the Giants is a rematch from the NFC Championship game, as they will travel to San Francisco to take on the 49ers and some old faces in Mario Manningham and Brandon Jacobs.  

Eagles Hold Off Comeback, Drop Giants

Sunday, September 30 2012

Post Game Recap

Final Score: New York Giants: 17 Philadelphia Eagles: 20

Eagles Hold Off Comeback, Drop Giants

It was another classic game in the rivalry between the Giants and Eagles that ended in a way becoming too commonplace for Giants fans.  The Giants were outplayed and lost a heartbreaking game, giving them nine losses in the last 10 games including the playoffs. 

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The Giants had their opportunity to win, as Eli Manning put the Giants ahead half way through the fourth quarter, but the Giants defense could not contain the Eagles offense.  Manning put the Giants in place for a game winning field goal from Lawrence Tynes, but had them in better position before a questionable throw to Ramses Barden that resulted in 10-yard offensive pass interference on Barden.

Manning had a good game, but had an opportunity to make it an excellent game if not for some uncharacteristic mistakes by the usually calm and cool-mannered Manning.  Manning started the fourth quarter with an ugly interception, not seeing Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie on a pass intended for Martellus Bennett.  The Eagles converted that turnover into a field goal, giving them a 16-10 lead.  That was a big shift in the game, as it was at least a six point swing, potentially 10 as the Giants were banging on the door of the end zone.

Manning was able to redeem himself following the Eagles’ field goal, as he manufactured an 83 yard drive on five plays, giving the Giants a 17-16 lead.  Manning hit both Barden and Domenik Hixon for big plays, ending the drive with a six-yard touchdown pass to Bear Pascoe.

After the defense was unable to hold the Eagles scoreless, Manning had his shot to win the game.  Manning was able to drive the Giants down to the Eagles 27 yard line thanks to two pass interference calls against the Eagles trying to guard Barden.

Manning went to the well one too many times, attempting another deep pass to Barden on the sidelines, this time resulting in an offensive pass interference and moving the Giants back to the Eagles 37 yard line, setting up Tynes for a 54 yard field goal instead of 44. 

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It was a moment of lapse in judgment for Manning, who if given the opportunity would definitely do it different next time.  The Giants were already in field goal range for Tynes, so the deep pass was unnecessary; a running play to set up Tynes in the middle of the field would have sufficed. Also, Barden was well covered and was put into a bad position by Manning, who took responsibility saying it was not the correct throw. 

The penalty also put the Giants in a tough position, as they had no timeouts remaining and with only 15 seconds left in the game.  Running a play was too risky, as it was third down so the Giants would not have been able to spike the ball to stop the clock and if the player was unable to get out of bounds the game would have been over.

People will criticize head coach Tom Coughlin for the decision, but he made the correct decision in my opinion because he at least gave his team a chance to win the game with the 54 yard kick.  Had he ran another play, Tynes may not have even had an opportunity to kick.

Manning was missing his best weapon in Hakeem Nicks for the second straight game, but saw a big performance from Hixon in his place.  Hixon led the Giants in receiving tonight, gaining 114 yards on six receptions.  Hixon stepped up much in the way Barden did last week against the Panthers.  Even with the strong performance by Hixon, Manning and Giant fans alike are anxious to see Nicks return to the field.

The secondary became even more of a mess tonight; yet another starter went down with injury.  The Giants entered the game without rookie Jayron Hosley, who had a hamstring injury and Kenny Phillips suffered a gruesome looking knee injury in the first half and was replace by Stevie Brown.  Michael Coe and Antrel Rolle were dealing with hamstring and knee injuries entering the game, but were active.  Corey Webster was also active even with a broken left hand. 

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The Giants secondary is decimated and losing Phillips would be the most devastating blow of the bunch.  Terrell Thomas being lost in training camp hurts, but Phillips is who sets up the defense and is an intimidating presence in the defensive backfield.  He is a leader out there and the Giants were visibly affected after he left the game, becoming gun shy against the speedy Eagles’ offense.

The Giants return to MetLife Stadium for their week five game against the Cleveland Browns.  This has trap game written all over it, as the Giants have a huge match-up with the San Francisco 49ers in week six.  After the loss tonight though, full confidence should be stored in Coughlin and the coaching staff to come out strong against a very young and inexperienced Browns team.

What to Watch For: New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Sunday, September 30, 2012

New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles

What to Watch For

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The Giants and Eagles will look to renew their rivalry tonight for the first time this season in primetime on Sunday Night Football.  This is a huge game for both teams, as the next time they meet will be the last week of the regular season.  Which ever team gets the win tonight will at worst keep pace with the Cowboys for first place in the division.

-Will the Giants Run Game Continue?

Ahmad Bradshaw will be making his return to the starting lineup tonight after missing last weeks game with what has been described as a “bulge” and “inflamed disk” in his neck.  While being out, Andre Brown has more than filled the void, rushing for 184 yards and two touchdowns in the last two games.  He has also given help in the passing game, adding five receptions and 36 yards.

Head coach Tom Coughlin and offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride both said the Giants would ride the hot hand in the game, so it will be interesting to see how the carries are divvied up. Brown has earned an expanded role in the offense and the more successful the Giants are running the ball, the less time Michael Vick, LeSean McCoy and the Eagles offense is on the field.

-LeSean McCoy vs. Osi Umenyiora

McCoy and Umenyiora will be continuing their rivalry tonight the first time the Eagles take the field.  They have developed a beef with each other that has been very public with a lot of the action taking place on twitter and through interviews.

The back and forth resembles something you would see on Monday Night Raw and seems playful, but McCoy and Umenyiora genuinely dislike each other.  Hopefully they meet each other tonight on the field and Umenyiora and the Giants can keep McCoy in check.

-Return to Where it All Began

Victor Cruz will be making his second appearance in Philadelphia, this time though as a starter.  Week three in Philadelphia is when Cruz burst onto the scene and the salsa touchdown dance was born thanks to a two touchdown performance against All-Pro Nnamdi Asomugha.

Hakeem Nicks is again out with injury, so Cruz will be asked to step up once again and build off his success against the Eagles after catching nine balls for 238 yards against them last year.  Look for Ramses Barden to also build off of his career and breakout performance against the Panthers in week 3, earning his second start in a row. 

-Keep Up the Pressure

Michael Vick has been getting beaten up this season and the Giants need to continue that trend.  The Giants had success last season because they hit Vick every chance presented to them, hitting him hard so that he remembers them and becomes more skittish.

Vick has more turnovers alone this season than every team in the NFL outside of the two.  He has thrown six interceptions and fumbled five times while losing three.  The Giants were able to lay a licking on Cam Newton last week and will have to try and do the same this week with the more fragile Vick. 

If the front led by Jason Pierre-Paul, Justin Tuck and Umenyiora can put pressure on Vick it will make the job of the rest of the defense that much easier.

The Giants-Eagles rivalry has been one-sided for the most part recently, with the Eagles taking seven of the last eight meetings including the 2008 playoff game.  It will not be easy for the Giants to turn around their fortunes, but if they want to win the NFC East they will have to beat the Eagles at least once if not twice.  

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. 

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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Giants Drop Third Preseason Game to Bears

Friday, August 24^th 2012

Final Score: Chicago Bears: 20 New York Giants: 17

Giants Drop Third Preseason Game to Bears

In what is the biggest tune-up for the regulars before the regular season begins, the Giants had a good performance.  The starters looked sharp for the Giants, performing very well in the two-plus quarters of action they saw. 

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Eli Manning had a good night for the Giants, completing 17 of 21 passes for 148 yards and a touchdown.  He looked to be in mid-season form and will most likely see very limited or no action in the last preseason game Wednesday night against the Patriots.  Manning’s backfield mate for the game David Wilson was electrifying as well.

Wilson, who was making the start for the injured Ahmad Bradshaw, showed many of the qualities the Giants thought he had when they made him their first round pick in this past season’s draft.  Wilson had five carries for 49 yards and two receptions for 26 yards.  He showed the big play ability the Giants are hoping he brings, with a 20-yard run and a 29-yard reception. 

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Wilson was impressive, using an array of moves to make plays for the Giants offense.  He looked fasted, broke tackles and was physical finishing off his runs always falling forwards and not being driven back. 

The rest of the running backs did what they were expected to as well, as D.J. Ware was brought in on third downs behind Wilson and Andre Brown got goal line duty, scoring a touchdown.  Da’Rel Scott was also impressive in a strong outing, making an impact on special teams as well.

With the performances in the preseason so far, the primary backup to Bradshaw should be Wilson’s job to lose.  He has performed well and brings the most to the Giants offense of all the running backs.

The receiving core was highlighted by the play of Ramses Barden.  Barden had his best showing of the preseason, snagging three receptions for 46 yards and a touchdown.  He also drew a pass interference flag on a fade pattern in the end zone.

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Barden was squarely on the roster bubble heading into the last two games of the preseason, needing strong performances to show the Giants he deserved to stay on the roster.  For at least one game, he stepped up.  Developing chemistry with Manning will go a long way for Barden, who hasn’t been able to get the necessary reps in the pat because of injuries.

The special teams for the Giants were a strong point Friday night as well.  Steve Weatherford had another terrific night punting, and Da’Rel Scott made a big play blocking a punt.  Scott probably cemented his spot on the roster with his performance on special teams, as the Giants value players who can do the little things and making plays on special teams is always a positive.  On the kickoff after the Giants scored off Scott’s block, Mark Herzlich was run into by Eric Weems, causing a fumble that the Bears recovered on their own two-yard line. 

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All wasn’t positive for the Giants though, as the injury bug bit again in the secondary.  For the second straight week, the Giants lost a starting cornerback to injury; this time it was Prince Amukamara. 

Amukamara suffered a high ankle sprain when tackling Brandon Marshall in the first quarter.  His x-rays taken were negative, but a high ankle sprain can take weeks to heal. 

The injury is a big blow to the Giants, who were hoping Amukamara would be able to step into the hole left when Terrell Thomas was injured.  Thomas remains out indefinitely after re-aggravating his torn ACL and Jayron Hosley is still sidelined with turf toe.  A Hosley return would go a long way for the Giants as he was performing well in the secondary and on special teams as a punt returner.

Michael Coe, Justin Tryon and Bruce Johnson all have a big opportunity to make a name for themselves now that they will be pressed into playing time. 

Mathias Kiwanuka also suffered a strained groin, but he has already said that he will ready for the regulars season opener against the Dallas Cowboys.

Up next for the Giants is the Monday deadline to cut their roster down to 75 players and then the preseason finale Wednesday night against the New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium.

Giants Camp Preview: Quarterbacks

A new NFL season is right around the corner as training camp is quickly approaching.  Leading up to the start of training camp, we will have a run down position-by-position for the defending Super Bowl Champion New York Giants. 

The fourth position we will take a look at is quarterback.

The projected starter at quarterback for the Giants is Eli Manning, with his backup expected to be David Carr. 

There are no new editions at the quarterback position, nor any players leaving. 

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The player to watch for the Giants at quarterback is obviously Manning.  Manning is one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL and in the prime of his career.  He is coming off his second Super Bowl victory and Super Bowl MVP award and only getting better as a player.  You can not do much better than David Carr as backup, as he provides a veteran presence behind Manning for the Giants in case Manning ever has to miss game time.  The Giants also like third-stringer Ryan Perrilloux, but it is unlikely for him to make the roster unless he beats out Carr as the Giants tend to carry only two quarterbacks as a time.

One strength that Manning provides this team is his ability to make those around him better.  Last season, Manning was charged with working in a new third receiver and starting tight end.  Manning was a big reason for the emergences of Victor Cruz and Jake Ballard as major contributors last season.  To make matters even tougher, he had to do all this behind a revamped offensive line and no team training because of the lockout limiting training camp.  This season, again, Manning is being asked to develop a new tight end and third receiver behind an offensive line that has shuffling parts.  There is no reason to believe that Manning cannot do it again, as players like Martellus Bennett, Bear Pascoe, Rueben Randle, Domenik Hixon, Ramses Barden and Jerel Jernigan are all thought to have more talent that the group last season. 

The potential weakness for the quarterback position for the Giants is the offensive line.  Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride has admitted during camp that he is concerned about the line.  He may not be overly concerned, but there are some things that raise some question marks.  Gilbride has an old face in a new place in David Diehl, who is moving to right tackle, and a left tackle in Will Beatty that is dealing with chronic back problems.  Kevin Boothe is being given the responsibilities at left guard and David Baas should improve upon a rocky first season as a Giant that was derailed by injury.  Manning needs to be protected by this line, as they surrendered 28 sacks last season and six in the NFC Championship game in San Francisco. 

The wild card for the Giants quarterbacks is the running game.  If the Giants are able to get a consistent running game, it will make Manning that much more dangerous.  Last season the Giants finished last in rushing.  Imagine the potential stats Manning could garner with a strong running game to play off of with the deep play action routes the Giants like to use.  Manning threw for 4,933 yards and 29 touchdowns last season, carrying the offense without an effective running game to rely on. With an improved running game, Manning may also have some pressure relieved in late game situations, not having to mount as many comebacks with a stronger running game. 

Giants Fall to Jaguars to Open Preseason

Friday, August 10^th 2012

Giants Drop Preseason Opener in Jacksonville

The first game of the preseason for the New York Giants gave an opportunity for players to show why they deserve a spot on the 53 man roster with the defending champions.  It also gave some reasons as to why some people shouldn’t. 

There isn’t much to take from preseason games other than getting a look at newcomers. 

David Wilson, the Giants first round pick out of Virginia Tech, was the last running back to take a carry on Friday night for Big Blue.  On his first carry he was sandwiched by tow Jaguars and then broke off a 26 yard burst up the middle quick enough that if you blinked you would have missed it. On his third carry he was hammered for a five yard loss. 

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Wilson also caught two passes, the first of which was a screen play in which he ran over two Jaguars.  In his short appearance, Wilson showed the ability to break the big play and toughness, two things the Giants need from their running game this season that was lacking last year. 

The battle for the backup running back position behind Ahmad Bradshaw looks like it is going to be fierce throughout camp.  In addition to Wilson, the Giants also have D.J. Ware and Andre Brown fighting it out. 

Ware was solid, getting the first crack after Bradshaw Friday night.  Ware got five carries for 30 yards, including a two-yard touchdown, showing elusiveness and quickness.

Brown got the next shot and looked impressive his first two carries which resulted in 19 yards.  He was later stuffed in a third-and-one attempt, finishing with seven carries for 25 yards and one reception for four yards. 

Second round pick Rueben Randle was not to be outshined by his fellow rookie, as he showed some glimpses of his potential as well.  Randle made two receptions on the night, the first a 21 yard catch and the second one a six-yard touchdown in the corner of the end zone.  The touchdown reception was a good look at Randle taking the size advantage he has and putting it to use.

The wide receiving corps are set at the top with Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks, once he returns from injury, but there will be a competition for the third receiver spot.  Randle had a strong showing but will have to hold off veterans Domenik Hixon, who sat with a hamstring injury and is returning from an ACL tear last season, and Ramses Barden, as well as second year player Jerel Jernigan. 

Jernigan just missed making a spectacular play with one hand as it seemed Jaguars corner Williams Middleton was holding down his other hand.  Isiah Stanback did make a highlight reel play later in the game, snagging the ball out of the air with one hand for a touchdown off a pass from David Carr.

Last season’s first round pick Prince Amukamara has some expectation so fill this season especially if he is needed to fill in for Terrell Thomas.  Amukamara struggled in the beginning of the game, being targeted by the Jaguars offense throughout the first drive, getting burned multiple times and eventually surrendering a touchdown to Jaguars receiver Cecil Shorts. 

Amukamara would redeem himself the next drive, stripping Shorts of the ball resulting in the Giants recovering the fumble.  Amukamara is the guy the Giants want replacing Thomas if it comes down to it, he just needs to get more reps under his belt after a rocky rookie campaign.

Free agent tight end signed Martellus Bennett has made some waves in training camp with his mouth and backed it up at least for one game Friday night.  Bennett referred to himself as the “Black Unicorn” because of his blend of speed and size and showed off some of those talents reeling in three catches for 27 yards and a touchdown.  The Giants are expecting good things from Bennett not only in the passing game but blocking as well.

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The rookies from Virginia Tech, Wilson and cornerback Jayron Hosley, had impressive showings on special teams.  Special teams for the Giants were weak last year, lacking an explosion in the return game; Wilson and Hosley have the ability to change that this season. 

Wilson averaged 38 yards a kick return, highlighted by a 48 yard return in the second quarter.  Hosley made a costly mistake muffing a punt, but did have solid returns before the muff going for 34 yards on three returns.

Hosley was also solid on defense, getting a sack and showing solid coverage skills.  If Hosley is able to limit his mistakes, he has an outstanding chance of being a real contributor this season. 

Other Giants to make positive impacts were Adrian Tracy, looking to make an impact in the spot vacated by Dave Tollefson this season.  Mark Herzlich also looked strong throughout the game at the linebacker position and could potentially push Chase Blackburn for his starting spot. 

Next up for the Giants is a meeting with the Jets at MetLife Stadium August 18^th.  It will be the first look for the Giants at Tim Tebow. 

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: Wide Reciever

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This is the third installment in the series of posts breaking down the Giants position by position for the upcoming NFL Draft.  The next position up is Wide Receiver.

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The depth chart for the Giants at WR includes Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz, Domenik Hixon, Jerrel Jernigan, Ramses Barden, Isiah Stanback and Dan DePalma.  The Giants also have Michael Clayton who is currently still an unrestricted free agent. 

Going into this season, the Giants will employ one of the best receiving tandems in the NFL in Nicks and Cruz.  Cruz could experience a rough path this season, at least at the start, as teams now start to focus game plans on him more than last season when he really came out of nowhere.  Another thing on the agenda for the Giants will be to find that third weapon with the departure of Mario Manningham.  The front office is hoping that the available in house options of Jernigan and Barden are ready to assume bigger roles and step up much like Cruz last season.  Do not put it past the Giants to throw these guys into the fire and let them work.  Eli Manning has a knack for developing receivers and turning them into valuable weapons. 

This is a huge opportunity for Barden.  The Giants selected him in the 3^rd round in 2009 out of Cal Poly.  The Giants were hoping he would replace the void of size and a red zone threat after Plaxico Burress was sent to jail.  Barden has not yet shown his full potential whether it is because of injuries or just not enough of an opportunity.  But in limited action he has flashed good hands and obviously has the size. 

Jernigan has experience working the slot in college at Troy University.  A full training camp and off-season under the watch of the coaching staff will do him a lot of good. 

Hixon will also have his fair share of opportunities to take over the third receiver role, but cannot have much trust put into him.  He is coming off his second ACL surgery in as many seasons, so a slow easy process of working him back into the lineup will probably ensue this season to help ensure there are no setbacks.  Last season, Hixon had the first crack at securing the third receiver job until the knee injury ended his season and opened the door for Cruz.

The last time the Giants selected a WR was last years draft with Jernigan.  Before that it was Barden, both 3^rd round picks.  The Giants could use another receiver this year even if it is just for depth because both Mario Manningham and Devin Thomas left via free agency and played key roles on the team.  Thomas was also the main kick return man for most of the season, something the Giants could look for in the WR they have on their board.  The Giants are not going to break their philosophy of taking the best player available, but there is a good chance that player could be a WR.

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Two potential targets for the Giants are Kendall Wright out of Baylor and Stephen Hill of Georgia Tech.  Currently, both are rated to get taken before the Giants selection at 32.  It would be a pretty safe bet though that if either of them fall that is the player the Giants will select.  More realistic options later in the draft include New Jersey product Mohamed Sanu from Rutgers Keshawn Martin from Michigan State.  Adding a WR definitely would not be a bad thing for the Giants, so I will rate the necessity of adding a WR at a 6 on a scale of 1-10 because of the ability Eli Manning has to develop what they already have.