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

Thursday, September 20, 2012

New York Giants vs. Carolina Panthers

What to Watch For

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

-Lacking Some Firepower

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

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

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

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

-Who is Going to Step Up?

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

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

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

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

-Will the Running Game Show Up

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

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

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

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

-Which Defense Will Show Up?

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

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

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

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

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

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Hakeem Nicks, 3 Other Starters Out Thursday Night

Hakeem Nicks Ruled Out

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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.

Giants Drop Season Opener to Cowboys

Wednesday, September 5^th 2012

Post Game Recap

Final Score: Dallas Cowboys: 24 New York Giants: 17

Giants Drop Season Opener to Cowboys

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What started out as an excitement filled night at MetLife Stadium turned sour fast for the defending Super Bowl champion Giants and their fans, as the Cowboys came in and handled beat the Giants 24-17.  This was the first time that a defending super bowl champion lost their season opener since 1999. 

The Giants had some flaws exploited by the Cowboys Wednesday night, as they have some serious work to do.  The running game was again non-existent for a good portion of the game.  On defense, Tony Romo picked the Giants apart as the pass rush was not consistent in getting into the backfield and causing problems.  There was also another injury suffered at cornerback, leaving the Giants dangerously thin at the position and easily exploited by Romo.

The running game again was unable to get going for the Giants.  They also struggled to stop the Cowboys run game, recipe for a disaster for any football team.  Without Brandon Jacobs in the backfield, the Giants are less intimidating on short yardage situations, evident by their inability to score a touchdown on first and goal from inside the five and settling for a field goal.

David Wilson also had a tough debut, as he fumbled his second carry of the night and was benched for the remainder of the game after that.  Fumbling has been a problem for Wilson and the Giants were concerned about it when they drafted him.  He needs to earn the trust from the coaching staff and this will not help him.  He did show some flashes on the kick return duties, showing some of the speed and elusiveness the Giants hope he can eventually bring to the running game. 

Defensively, Demarco Murray was persistent and eventually broke through against the Giants defense, which is without run stopper Chris Canty for at least the first six weeks because of off-season surgery and being placed on the PUP list.  The backbreaker for the Giants was when they had Murray stopped behind the line of scrimmage and were unable to bring him down, looking to ease up some, which resulted in a 48 yard rush.

The improvements Dallas made to the secondary was on display tonight as well, as newly acquired Brandon Carr and first round draft pick Morris Claiborne were able to hold Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks in check.  Last season, Cruz and Nicks combined for 25 catches, 491 yards and two touchdowns in the two games between the Giants and Cowboys; Tonight Cruz and Nicks combined for 10 receptions, 96 yards and no touchdowns.  Cruz also had three drops in the game, the first time a Giants receiver has had that many drops since Mario Manningham in 2009.

One highlight for the Giants passing game was Martellus Bennett, who reeled in four balls for 40 yards and a touchdown against his old team.  Domenik Hixon also made a highlight play with the Giants down 14-3, bringing in a ball Eli Manning threw up for grabs for 39 yards.  That play set up a 10 yard touchdown run by Ahmad Bradshaw and cut the deficit to 14-10.

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Coming into the game, the Giants biggest concerns were at left tackle and right cornerback.  Sean Locklear got the call at left tackle with Will Beatty still having some problems with his back and Michael Coe got his first start in five NFL season at right corner.  Surprisingly, it was the opposite spots that struggled from the start, as David Diehl at right tackle and Corey Webster at left cornerback had problems. 

DeMarcus Ware got his 100^th career sack and didn’t stop there in the first half, accounting for two sacks on Manning in the first half by blowing by Diehl.  Webster, who had the tough assignment of shadowing Dez Bryant for most of the night, got torched on the regular.  He surrendered over 100 yards receiving, giving up big plays to Bryant and falling for a Kevin Ogletree double move that resulted in his second touchdown reception of the game. 

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Ogletree torched the Giants, which no one saw coming.  Ogletree finished the game with eight receptions, 114 yards and two touchdowns.  No one in the Giants secondary could slow down Ogletree, who stepped up big time for the Cowboys as Jason Witten was limited with a lacerated spleen and Miles Austin was still recovering from a hamstring injury, even though he caught four passes of his own for 73 yards and a touchdown.

Ogletree would have actually had a third touchdown if not for a good play by Coe, who was forced from the game shortly after with a hamstring injury.  His status for week 2 is in serious doubt, which is a problem for the Giants as the player he was starting for, Prince Amukamara, may not be available for week 2 either because of a high ankle sprain.

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With Coe out, the Giants were forced to dip even further down their depth chart and use Justin Tryon.  Tyron was subsequently picked on by Romo, as he surrendered the touchdown on first-and-thirty and also gave up the game ending first down to Ogletree on third down.

Next up for the Giants is a week 2 match-up against the much improved Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It will be a homecoming for Tampa Bay’s coach Greg Schiano, who was the former head coach at Rutgers University, and Tampa Bay’s offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan, who is the Giants former quarterbacks coach.  D.J. Ware will also make his return to MetLife Stadium since being released by the Giants at the last roster cuts of the preseason.  

Hakeem Olajuwon to Visit Knicks

Hakeem Olajuwon to Visit Knicks

It looks like Amar’e Stoudemire had such a positive experience this summer in Texas with Hakeem Olajuwon, he has convinced his teammates to also take part.

Stoudemire worked with Olajuwon for two-and-a-half weeks earlier this summer at Olajuwon’s house in Houston, Texas.  Stoudemire came away with much more confidence in his post game, something that will go along way not only for him but the Knicks as well.

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Olajuwon, one of the greatest players in NBA history and inventor of the “Dream Shake: post move, will be flying up to the Knicks training facility in Greenburgh, New York to work with some of the players.  He expects Stoudemire to again take part, in addition to Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler and Marcus Camby. 

Mike Woodson and Olajuwon played for three seasons together in Houston, and it is Woodson who set up the training sessions between “The Dream” and his Knicks.

Olajuwon also offered his opinion on the combination of Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony, as he excelled playing along side super star teammates in Clyde Drexler and Ralph Sampson.

“They both have to realize that the most important thing is not how great you are individually.  You’re remembered for how many games you win.  So to get to play with another great offensive player should help you.  It should make your job easier.  You have to work well together.  You can’t be competitors with one another.”

Many people believe that Anthony and Stoudemire are a pair match together and will never get it done, but Olajuwon is not part of that group; he believes that there is no reason Anthony and Stoudemire can not have the same success he shared with Drexler and Sampson.

Stoudemire has learned post moves now from one of the greatest, but Olajuwon does not believe the Knicks offense should just be Stoudemire posting up with Anthony roaming around the perimeter.

“It shouldn’t be Amar’e just staying in the post because he can be a scorer in the paint and outside.  It’s the same thing for Carmelo.  He can score in the post and outside.  So if Carmelo is in the post, Amar’e can be at the foul line and he can make that shot.  If Amar’e’s in the post, Carmelo can make the shot from the free throw line, too.  They shouldn’t be competing against each other, they should be complementing each other.  They need each other to win.”

The Knicks have a dominant one-two punch in Anthony and Stoudemire, but Olajuwon thinks there is another potentially great offensive player on the roster in Chandler. 

“You can see that he has great timing by the way he rebounds, blocks shots and catches lobs.  He’s got great timing and reflexes.  I haven’t seen him use any moves of his own, though.  But there’s no way a guy with that kind of talent and timing should not have effective moves.  So I want to teach him some moves to all the talent and energy he’s got, it will open up a whole new door for him.  That’s what he should be looking to add to go to the next level.”

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 That is high praise for Chandler from someone who knows a thing or two around the basketball court as a big man.  Chandler is excited about working with Olajuwon, as he was scheduled to go to Texas to Olajuwon’s ranch earlier in the summer, but was unable to attend because of the Olympics. 

This is a great opportunity for the Knicks players who are taking part, as Olajuwon has started to build quite the resume for his training sessions.  In addition to Stoudemire this summer, Olajuwon has worked with Kobe Bryant, Lebron James and Dwight Howard.  All the players said working with Olajuwon was worth it, so hopefully the Knicks players taking part can learn a thing or two and use it to their advantage this season.

Knicks Loss Ronnie Brewer for 6 Weeks

Knicks Loss Shooting Guard for 6 Weeks

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On Friday, the New York Knicks announced that newly acquired shooting guard Ronnie Brewer underwent arthroscopic left knee surgery and will be out for six weeks.  The procedure was done by Knicks orthopedic surgeon Dr. Answorth Allen.

Brewer was in high spirits though after the surgery Friday, as he was able to send out a tweet to his followers, “If y’all haven’t already heard I had successful meniscus surgery.  Started rehab this morning.  Minor setback for a major comeback.  I appreciate the prayers and get well soons from everyone.  Much appreciated.  Will for sure be 100 (percent) for season opener.”

The time table given by the doctors is right in line with Brewers tweet, as the Knicks start camp in 25 days and have their regular season opener in 8 weeks, meaning the 6 week timetable will give Brewer two weeks of preseason to get into shape.

The Knicks say that Brewer suffered the medial meniscus tear in the past two weeks, but cannot pinpoint a specific incident that caused the injury.  Brewer’s agent, Henry Thomas, gives some insight saying that the injury occurred from “wear and tear over time.”

Shooting guard Iman Shumpert is still recovering from his own devastating knee injury that he suffered in the first game of the playoff series against the Miami Heat this past season.  J.R. Smith could be called upon to be the starter initially at shooting guard for the Knicks, even though his skill set is better for coming off the bench.  This injury does open up minutes though, which could mean we see what James White can do in extended playing time; it is a good opportunity for him to show that he belongs not only in the NBA but in an NBA rotation.

Injuries were a problem for the Knicks last season and played a big part in the outcome of the year.  Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire, Jeremy Lin, Baron Davis and Jared Jeffries all missed time during the regular season with moderate to significant set backs.  Davis, Shumpert, Stoudemire also missed time during the playoffs, as Lin missed the series all together.  Staying healthy will be a deciding factor to just how deep this Knicks team can go in the playoffs.  

Knicks Unveil New Uniforms

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Today the New York Knicks officially unveiled their new jerseys for the upcoming 2012-2013 NBA season.  The new jerseys give a nod to the Knicks glorious championship years, and personally, I really like the new look and am glad the changes were made.

The most notable change that fans will notice was the removing of the side piping on both the jerseys and shorts.  The jersey and shorts are both solid one color now.  There was also a solid color waistband added, blue for home and orange for away jerseys, and the Knicks logo is now on the left leg.

There were more subtle changes made as well, including a more rounded neckline.  On the inside of the collar, there is also a message written that says, “Once a Knick, always a Knick”. 

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The quote is something that center Tyson Chandler really appreciates.  “This city embraces us,” said the defending Defensive Player of the Year award winner.  “That’s what New York is about.”

The color for the neckline was also changed to a trimmer gray, which stops at the neckline.  The team says it stops at the neckline to accentuate the “New York” across the front of the jersey. 

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The fonts for the “New York” across the chest and numbers were tweaked as well.  The arch in “New York” was lessened, while the numbers were elongated.  The token logo that used to reside on the back of the jersey has also been replaced in favor of the Knicks “roundball” logo. 

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 “I love them,” said power forward Amar’e Stoudemire, who was part of the showcase with center Tyson Chandler and former Knicks and hall of famers Walt Frazier and Earl Monroe.  “These jerseys are extremely clean.”

“I like them a lot,” Chandler added.  “They’re really comfortable.”

There is some speculation as to why the changes have been made and one common belief is that it is in response to the Nets move to Brooklyn this season.  There is a chance that could be the reasoning behind the Knicks thinking, but it should be noted that the Knicks did not rip off the Nets new old school look.  The Knicks new jerseys have been in the works for months, even before the Nets new look started to become leaked. 

With all of this being said, it really does not matter what the Knicks are wearing and what they look like; what matters more is that they win.  They could run around the court dressed like Dave Chappelle in his Prince Basketball skit and it wouldn’t matter so long they are winning.  Fans should care more about the results on the scoreboard.  

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What to Watch For: Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants

Wednesday, September 05, 2012

Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants

What to Watch For

The NFL regular season will be underway Wednesday night when the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants welcomes the Dallas Cowboys to MetLife Stadium.  The division rivals ended the regular season last year with a 31-14 Giants win and will continue the rivalry tonight.  Here are some things to watch out for during tonight’s game.

-Replacement Referees

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The NFL and the referees are in a labor dispute, meaning replacement refs will be used tonight.  With it being a primetime game, the best crew of replacement refs will be assigned to the game, but even the best replacement refs are not as good as the worst regular refs.  It will be something to watch for as these replacements will have to show a backbone when faced with adversity like a coach such as Tom Coughlin yelling at them at the sidelines.

Another thing that has a high chance of happening is a lot of calls being made that maybe should not have been.  With being under a microscope and every move them make to be picked apart, the replacement refs are more likely to air on the side of caution then not; this could make for a very choppy game stopped by a lot of penalties as the refs try to keep control over the game.  Also, the replacement refs have had trouble with the pace of the game, placing the ball on the wrong hashes and not being able to figure out first downs.  With the regular season now upon us, this will have to be fixed as teams will be running two-minute drills at the end of halves and games and some teams run a no-huddle offense.

Referee crews and coaching staffs usually build a rapport with each other, something these replacements will not have the luxury of.  When Ed Hochuli’s crew is working a game, you know what to expect from them; the calls they are going to make and the way they go about working the game.  This in turn means you can prepare your players better.  Tonight, each team will go in blind and have to just make adjustments as the game goes on. 

-Giants Left Tackle (Sean Locklear) vs. DeMarcus Ware

Sean Locklear will get the start tonight at left tackle for the Giants after having a solid preseason filling in for the injured Will Beatty who is suffering from a back injury.  Beatty is listed as questionable for the game tonight and could see the field as an extra blocker. 

Locklear will be under the microscope tonight, as left tackle will be a position to watch all season if Beatty can not get healthy.  This could develop into the biggest area of concern for the Giants, especially against someone with the talent of DeMarcus Ware.

Ware averages almost a sack a game in his career against the Giants, so holding him to none tonight would be quite the achievement for Locklear.  The Giants cannot expect that to happen though, so expect the Giants to give Locklear some extra help with the pass rush.  Two tight end sets are an option, as well as Ahmad Bradshaw seeing some third-down duty as he is a good pass protector.

-Giants Pass Rush vs. Cowboys Offensive Line

The Giants have made Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo’s life miserable when they play on the field.  In two games alone last year, the Giants got to Romo for nine sacks and hitting him on countless other possessions.

Jason Pierre-Paul was a monster against the Cowboys last season, accounting for two sacks, a safety, a forced fumble and a blocked field goal on a potential overtime forcing kick to secure a 37-34 Giants win. 

Pierre-Paul is only one of the players the Cowboys will have to worry about, as the Giants have a three-headed monster at the defensive end position when you add in Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora.

Stopping these three will be nearly impossible for the Cowboys, but one way for them to counter it is with a strong running game.  If the Cowboys can get a running game going with Demarco Murray, it will slow down the vaunted Giants pass rush.

-Giants Wide Receivers vs. Cowboys Re-Vamped Defensive Backs

Last season, the defensive backfield for the Cowboys was a mess, so this season they made a point of emphasis to change that.  Welcome in free agent signing Brandon Carr and first round draft pick Morris Claiborne.  They will be tested right out of the gate, as the Giants employ one of the best wide receiver tandems in the NFL.

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Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz are weapons that Eli Manning will look to get the ball to early and often.  Nicks and Cruz will look to continue their dominance against the Cowboys, as they combined for 25 catches, 491 yards and two touchdowns in two match-ups last season. 

Carr started the trash talking earlier in the year, saying that his arrival in Dallas means there will be no more salsa dancing for Cruz.  That is more bulletin board material for Cruz and the Giants, as if they needed any more of a reason to be fired up for an opening night game against a division rival. 

-Giants Defensive Backs vs. Cowboy Receivers

The Giants defensive secondary suffered major blows during training camp, losing starting corner back after starting corner back.  First, Terrell Thomas was lost for the season after re-aggravating his torn left ACL in the first week of practice.  In the second game of the preseason, rookie Jayron Hosley suffered a turf toe injury and was put in a walking boot.  Game three of the preseason the Giants saw Prince Amukamara, expected to step up this season by Giants personnel, hurt his ankle and be put on the shelf for a few weeks.

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This means that veteran but sparingly used Michael Coe will be starting opposite of Corey Webster.  Coe will be asked to take on the monumental task of slowing down either Dez Bryant or Miles Austin.  Coe will have his hands full, but at the same time as a great opportunity to show the Giants that he is a player worth keeping around. 

All of the injuries also mean that covering the slot could be a potential problem for the Giants.  Safety Antrel Rolle may have to come up in coverage, unless the Giants feel comfortable enough using rookie safety Will Hill or Hosley.  The job of these cornerbacks will become that much easier if the Giants front seven is able to get the pass rush they are capable of getting.

Mets Finish Off Sweep of Marlins

Sunday, September 02, 2012

Final Score: New York Mets: 5 Miami Marlins: 1

Mets Finish Off Sweep of Marlins

With the 5-1 win Sunday afternoon, the Mets won their third straight series and seven of their last eight games.  They have moved to six games under .500 with a record of 64-70.  It was the first series sweep for the Mets since they took three straight from the Orioles June 18-20.  The Mets also swept the Marlins earlier in the season in April, but this is the first sweep on the road of the Marlins since 2007.  The Mets also improved their record in day games to 28-21 on the season.

Jason Bay enjoyed his best day of the season, going 2 for 4, driving in four runs thanks to a first inning grand slam.  The homerun was Bay’s first since August 16^th.

It was literally a month’s worth of production for Bay, who accumulated only one homerun and for RBI from August 3^rd through September 1st.

A key to the Mets recent success has been how well the bullpen has performed.  Saturday they had a 16 2/3 innings scoreless streak snapped, but got back to building a new one Sunday, as they threw four scoreless innings.  They have allowed one earned run in the past 22 2/3 innings.

The Mets bullpen has been a disaster all season, compiling a 15-25 record with a 4.83 ERA.  The Mets as a team are a disastrous 22-56 when a reliever allows a run.

A reason for the sweep this weekend against the Marlins was the Mets keeping Marlin slugger Giancarlo Stanton in check.  In the first two games of the series, Stanton went 2 for 8 with his only RBI coming on an infield hit.

That was a great success for Stanton compared to Sunday, as the Mets held Stanton hitless.  Stanton went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts Sunday afternoon, as the Mets held the Marlins most dangerous power hitter more than in check for the weekend.

Manager Terry Collins gave some insight into the Mets plans coming down the stretch of the season.  Zach Lutz is expected to get a start sometime this week at one of the corner infield spots; he is also being considered for instructional ball this winter to learn a corner outfield spot to increase his value and playing potential in the majors next season.  Collins also said that Matt Harvey will make two or three more starts before being shut down and that Zach Wheeler’s season is done as they do not want to increase his inning total any more.  Jenrry Mejia is expected to make some starts for the major league club in September though Collins said.

Next up for the Mets is a three game series against St. Louis starting Monday.  Collin McHugh (1-0, 0.00 ERA) will return to the team to make the start Monday afternoon against Joe Kelly (4-6, 3.61 ERA).

Mets Take Series Opener Behind Davis and Dickey

Friday, August 31^st 2012

Final Score: New York Mets: 3 Miami Marlins: 0

Ike Davis and R.A. Dickey Power Mets to Victory

The good play of the Mets continued Friday night in their series opener against the Miami Marlins, as they took the opener 3-0.  Not much offense was provided by the Mets in the game tonight, but it was not needed as R.A. Dickey dominated the Marlins for his third shutout of the season.

The great performance by Dickey tonight gives him 17 on the season, tying him for the major league lead with Cincinnati Reds’ Johnny Cueto and Washington Nationals’ Gio Gonzalez, who also got his 17^th win tonight.

Dickey threw a complete game shutout tonight, giving him five complete games on the season; that is the most complete games in a season for a Mets pitcher since Dwight Gooden in 1993. 

                                                                                                                       

Dickey was helped out by a move made pre-game by manager Terry Collins, as he inserted Florida native Andres Torres into the starting lineup in centerfield for the game.  Collins cited the spacious outfield at Marlins Park for the move, and it paid off as Torres made a good play with a runner on first and no outs in the eighth inning as the Mets were trying to preserve the shutout and win for Dickey.

On the night, Dickey gave up five hits and three walks to go along with seven strikeouts.  Dickey improved his season totals to a 17-4 record with a 2.63 ERA.

Ike Davis provided all of the offensive fire power at the plate tonight for the Mets, accounting for all three of the RBI’s.  Davis got the Mets on the board in the 4^th inning, hitting a sacrifice fly that scored Ruben Tejada.  Tejada deserves as much credit as Davis for getting the run across the plate, as his aggressive and smart base running put him in position to score on something other than a base hit.

Davis would add the finishing touches in the 7^th inning, launching his 18^th road homerun of the season and 25^th overall on the season.  Davis planted the homerun in the upper-deck in right field.  His 18 road homers are the most in the National League and the 25 are just adding to his career high. 

Jose Reyes went hitless in the game tonight, something that Met fans will undoubtedly take pleasure in as there are still some hostile feelings towards Reyes after he left this past off-season. 

For all of the futility the Mets have faced recently, they have actually been pretty successful on the road.  They have accrued a 73-70 record on the road under Collins, something that should be built off of.  If the Mets can continue to play at or above .500 on the road and excel at home, success should follow soon after.

Next up for the Mets and Marlins is a Saturday night game at 7:10 P.M. ET.  Jeremy Hefner (2-5, 4.65 ERA) will take the mound against Josh Johnson (7-11, 4.00 ERA).