Tuesday, October 6, 2009

The Tuesday Two-Step (Inaugural Edition)

I am happy to introduce a new contributor to the Giants’ Steps blog, and a new weekly column: “The Tuesday Two-Step.” Jake “The Bears Guy,” of Giants’ Steps Podcast “fame,” will now be lending his pen and redoubtable vocabulary to the blog, to offer his perspectives on the NFL and provide an outsider’s take on the state of Big Blue. Every Tuesday, he and I will team up to run down our weekend musings in bullet form, and throw out a meaningless Top 10 “Power Ranking.”

So, albeit belated, without further ado...


Step 1: Jake's Take on the NFL

1) Sidney Rice has a magic invisible pogo-stick, which, while very useful for recovering onside kicks, will confuse everyone when he falls and impales himself on it.

2) 49ers vs. Rams: get that weak crap off my TV. How am I supposed to get pleasantly slanted on Mad Dog 20/20 with such poor entertainment?

3) Are the Saints finally real? They and the Giants may be tied as the most balanced 4-0 teams, and both are now the scariest after the lackluster Pats still managed to bring down the Ravens.

4) Peyton Manning is still a franchise unto himself, and a good one at that.

5) Chicago Bears special teams: it's in the blocking.

6) Last night in one of my fantasy leagues, Jared Allen doubled-up Adrian Peterson.

7) If you look at defensive points allowed, it looks like Albert Haynesworth may have been worth it: Titans have allowed 108 points, Redskins 62. Now if only he could carry the ball at the goal line and make the franchise name less overtly racist, Washington would be in business!

8) Nice of the Lions, Bills and Jaguars to stick around the NFL...just in spite of everything, you know?

9) Notably unfair NFL starting QB sequences: 49ers (Montana then Young then Garcia), Chargers (Brees then Eli Manning (sorta) then Rivers), Packers (Favre then Rodgers), Rams (Green to Warner to Bulger), Redskins (Sonny Jurgensen to Billy Kilmer (1971)), Cowboys (Staubach to Danny White to, shortly thereafter, Aikman), Patriots (Bledsoe to Brady to Cassel to Brady), Falcons (Vick to Schaub (sorta) to Matt Ryan). See how this doesn't happen too often, though? Is it too early to wonder about the future possibility of McNabb to Kolb?

10) Was it me or was the uber-hyped breast cancer awareness pink theme a bit understated? Of course I'm colorblind, so maybe I just missed it.

11) The “Roughing the Passer” calls are out-of-hand. The NFL's efforts to protect the quarterback have reached a crossroads, and depending how Goodell and the officials decide to go, the game could be changing beyond recognition. Between the huge offensive lines, the disproportionate salaries, and the more and more persnickety yellow-flag-throwers, QBs might as well be sitting in an office on Sundays (unless your offensive line belongs to the Packers or your office employs Terry Tate).

Step 2: Will on the G-men

1) It was revealed that Eli Manning has actually been having foot problems for a few weeks now, but that’s to be expected when you’re stomping out everyone in sight.

2) Lawrence Tynes will have to pull more than a shoe out of that bag of his if he wants to keep his job…

3) Steve Smith is better than Steve Smith.

4) When his potentially brilliant football career is over, Mario Manningham has a bright future in juggling.

5) Stat of the week: The Giants O-line has started 36 consecutive regular season games together; the Raiders O-line has sucked for 94 consecutive games.

6) The Hamstrings have a better chance of defeating the Giants than the Raiders do, and they’re not even an actual team.

7) Props to WR Hakeem Nicks for scoring his first NFL touchdown, and props for using a prop to celebrate and not getting fined…

8) (From Pat Hanlon) This week, it was 2-for-Tuesday on Weak-side linebacker surgeries at the hospital: Kehl is week-to-week, Boley out approximately 4 weeks.

9) In other Giants injury news: yes.

10) Having Aaron Ross and Aaron Rouse in the same defensive backfield makes me thankful Slim Thug doesn’t do color commentary for the Giants’ radio broadcasts.

11) Lawrence Tynes: Making extra points as nerve-racking as game-winning field goals since 2009.



The Top 10

1) Indianapolis - Peyton Manning runs this...

2) New Orleans - A terrifying passing attack, now mixed with defense and a running game? Big win against the Jets on Sunday, not sure if they'll be so lucky when "the other" New York team comes to town.

3) NY Giants - The deepest team in football, with arguably the most balanced and dangerous offense in the game. Pair that with the best defense in the league, and you're looking at a Super Bowl contender. The question is if they can maintain their excellent play in spite of injuries and superior competition.

4) Minnesota - I believe now...

5) New England - A big win over the Ravens puts Brady's bunch back in the mix.

6) Baltimore - Tough loss to the Pats, but this team has all the pieces in place to win the conference.

7) Pittsburgh - Statement game against San Diego on Sunday night...

8) Philadelphia - Talented play-makers on offense, and a defense that is always hard to handle.

9) San Francisco - Off to a great start to go 7-9

10) NY Jets - Sanchez reminded us not everyone's Matt Ryan; Calvin Pace returns in Week 5 to take the D to a new level of terrifying.

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Now, I believe the Giants have the potential to be the best team in football, but that's contingent on getting people healthy and executing to perfection on the field. I will hold off on giving them the top ranking just yet. I want to see how Big Blue stacks up against the competition from Week 6 on...

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2 comments:

Joe Buettner said...

even Giant fans agree that Peyton Maning and Indy run this! haha, good read bro, keep it up, and good luck to NY in the NFC East!

Will B said...

Hey man. Indy looks good...we'll see how long they can keep it up. I suspect my team will get to the top soon enough.

Thanks for commenting!