Under the Lens: Giants Dominate Raiders, 44-7

GSTV breaks down the Giants 5-0 start.

How terrible are the Raiders? Or perhaps more accurately, how good are the Giants? It’s hard to tell when a really good team destroys a really bad team just which piece of the equation matters the most. Sunday, and though the first five games for that matter, with the exception of Dallas, it’s been tough to assess if the Giants are that dominant, or the competition just that pathetic.

Sunday’s thrashing of the Raiders showcased the balance, depth and talent on the Giants roster. Big Blue came in banged up, beat up a bad team, and came out in pretty good shape. With any luck some guys will get back healthy this week, and the team can build off of an impressive performance and bring its best down to New Orleans next Sunday.

Let’s take a look back…

Pro’s

There’s always a lot to love when a team wins 44-7, and hey, let’s face it, this game could’ve been 51-0 if the refs did not discount C.C. Brown’s red zone fumble recovery for a touchdown. Here’s what stood out from Sunday’s dominant performance:

Eli Manning – Eli’s day was done before half-time and in his limited work, Eli was perfect. He had a perfect QB rating of 158.3, highlighted by two PERFECTLY touchdowns to Mario Manningham and Hakeem Nicks and another PERFECT deep ball to all-round legitimate beast Steve Smith. Eli is off to the best start of his career. Accordingly, the Giants are off to their first 5-0 start since 1990.

The Wide Receivers – Manningham, Nicks and Smith all performed very well against Oakland. Smith led the team in receiving yards, and through five weeks, still leads the league in receiving yards and receptions. Manningham bounced back from a drop-alicious performance against KC to haul in his third touchdown of the season and Hakeem Nicks continues to find his rhythm in the offense. His non-catch against Asomugha down the sidelines was especially impressive.

Ahmad Bradshaw – Derrick who? Bradshaw had his second 100 game of the season, and only needed 11 carries to do it. He found the end zone twice and added 55 yards receiving. He has quickly confirmed that the Giants running game will be the same monster to contend with as it was last season, despite the departure of 1,000 yard-rusher Derrick Ward.

“Russell back to pa…SACK!!” - After tallying only 3 sacks in its first three games, the vaunted Giants pass rush seems to have arrived. With 11 sacks in the last two games, six against Oakland, including 3 that forced fumbles, it’s looking like the Giants defensive line is in fact as talented as many were saying it was. Credit goes to the players up front for some outstanding play and the coordinator on the sidelines for some outstanding play-calling. It should not be overlooked that two of yesterday’s sacks came from the secondary.

DE Dave Tollefson sacks Jamarcus Russell in the second half of Sunday's game.

Back-up TE’s – Tight end is one of the few spots on the Giants roster where depth is a concern. With Kevin Boss missing the game due to injury, back-up Darcy Johnson and rookie Travis Beckum both saw a lot of the field and performed nicely. As both young players get much needed experience, they should continue to evolve into reliable back-ups, or even compliments, to Boss.

Special Teams – The Giants back-up linebackers are some Special Teams studs! With Bryan Kehl out recovering from a surgically-repaired finger, I was not sure how the coverage units would perform. Jonathan Goff stepped up and had a huge game on Teams, along with Chase Blackburn, Zak DeOssie and rookie Clint Sintim. Those guys were all over the field…reflecting their talent as well as an outstanding job by the coaching staff.

Tynes – 3 for 3! Attaway!

Con’s

There really isn’t much to complain about, but there was only one reason why we could not get the shut out Sunday:

Sinorice Moss – Domenik Hixon and Danny Ware can’t get back on return duty soon enough. If not for Moss’s bone-headed play on a punt return, Oakland never gets the ball at the 15 yard line and never comes close to scoring. I like the Moss’s attitude, but his erratic decision-making on return duty will not fly when the competition gets tougher.

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Game Balls

Everybody played very well, but if a few individuals are worthy of special attention, they are as follows: Eli Manning, the Wide Receivers, Ahmad Bradshaw, Justin Tuck (6 tackles, 2 sacks and a FF), Jonathan Goff, Terrell Thomas (did you see that pass defensed?) and Bill Sheridan.

I apologize for the abbreviate version, but I gots thangs ta do! Post a comment if you’d like more explanation or have other nominees.


When the Giants Go Marching In

Sunday’s win was a great momentum-builder for Big Blue heading into their much anticipated contest with the Saints next Sunday. The game will be a great measuring stick for both teams, and I will take a closer look at the NFC showdown later in the week.

If the past few weeks are any indication, and the Giants play with the same precision and physicality they’ve showed off in the early stretch of the season, they will use their measuring stick to whip same Bayou behind. I smell 6-0…

Will Drew Brees be next?

Go G-MEN!


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Giants: 5-0
Sack Count: 14
Take-away Count: 10

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Continue reading "Under the Lens: Giants Dominate Raiders, 44-7"

Under the Lens: Giants K.O. KC

GSTV weighs in on the Giants' 4-0 start.

Road Warrioring

The Giants completed the sweep of their 3-game road trip Sunday with a convincing 27-16 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, and improved to 4-0 on the season. The win makes the Giants only the seventh team in the last 19 years to sweep a 3-game road trip in the regular season. It is the second time a Tom Coughlin team has pulled off such a feat, and it brings to mind the 2007 Giants' impressive playoff run on the road to Super Bowl XLII (ahhh...still lovin' it).

In all honesty, after beating the Cowboys on the first leg of the trip, Big Blue had no business not going undefeated on their road swing. The real question in my mind was "How dominant can this team be against inferior competition?" After last week’s total annihilation of the Tampa Bay Bucs, my hope was Big Blue could put on a repeat performance against KC, that way I'd get to call this post “A KC Masterpiece.” But alas, while the win was impressive, it did not showcase the Giants' best football. That is okay right now, but when the competition picks up in a couple weeks, the Giants will have to elevate their game.

This week, we take a look at where the team can build and where they need to improve, as we go...duhn, duhn, duhn..."Under the Lens."

Under the Lens

"Under the Lens" is a hastily-named segment that assesses the pro's and con's of the Giants' performance each week. Against Kansas City, the G-men provided plenty to consider in each category:

Pro’s

Steve Smith – Another double-digit reception, 100+ yard performance has solidified the third-year receiver’s status as…well… as everything: Eli’s “go-to guy,” a reliable target in the clutch, a legitimate number one receiver, “the real Steve Smith,” you name it. After his 11 catch, 134 yard, 2 touchdown performance, Smith leads the NFL in receiving yards, receptions AND receiving TDs. He is averaging over 100 receiving yards a GAME.

Smith celebrates one of his two touchdown catches on the day with fellow WR Mario Manningham.

Michael Boley – This guy is looking like more of a play-maker every week, and that’s something the Giants have not had at linebacker in a long time. Boley is just beginning to find his rhythm after off-season hip surgery, which doesn’t appear to have slowed him down. He was all over the field Sunday, recording 5 tackles, 1 sack and 2 passes defensed. I expect we will be hearing a lot more from #52 as the season progresses.

The Pass Rush – After two games without a sack, and only 3 sacks through three games, I’m sure many of you were thinking the same thing as me: “Wha’ haaaappen?” Sunday, the Big Blue wave finally crashed down on the opposing QB, taking down Matt Cassel five times. The treacherous trio at DE recorded a sack apiece, as did free-agent acquisition Rocky Bernard and Boley. They say sacks come in bunches. I’m hoping to see a bunch more as the season goes on.

The Whole Defense – Don’t look now, but the Giants have the best overall defense (232.2 ypg) and top pass defense (115 ypg) in the league. The unit put in another strong effort in Kansas City, holding the Chiefs to under 200 yards of total offense, including only 88 yards through the air. It’s not perfect yet, but great job from the top down to a unit that will only get better as the year goes on.

Con’s

Eli Injury – It’s always terrifying when the most important player on the team can’t finish the game. Eli’s injury could have been a lot worse at first glance. Thankfully, it is not a dreaded Achilles injury (Mike Garafolo has more on the Eli story) and the quarterback, hopefully, will not miss significant (if any) time. Eli’s a tough guy and has played through worse. With a little luck, he’ll be ready to go next week to continue his assault on opposing defenses.

Red zone offense – After seeming to address the issue last week in Tampa Bay, the Giants’ red zone offense took a step back this week against one of the worst red zone defenses in the league, going only 1 for 3 on trips inside the twenty. Moving the ball up and down the field at will is all well and good, but the G-men will need points to put stronger competition away.

Manning to Manningham – The explosive young receiver struggled to make plays on the field for the first time this season. He dropped three of the balls thrown his way, one of which resulted in an interception. Certainly, the onus is on Manningham to make the play if the ball is in his hands, but Manning also needs to acclimate to Super Mario’s quickness to get the ball out in front of the target so he can better make a play on the ball.

Patience, grasshoppers….

TYNES!! – Make your field goals, dude.

When you win the game, the positives will usually outweigh the negatives. This week was no exception. Let's give out the game balls.

Game Balls

Bryan Kehl –First play of the game, first game ball. Kehl is emerging as a force on Special Teams. He showed great reaction time recovering Jamaal Charles’ fumble on the opening kick-off, shades of his play on Tashard Choice against Dallas in Week 2.

Bryan Kehl recovers a Chiefs' fumble on the game's opening kick-off.

Steve Smith – A legit beast, as alluded to above.

Hakeem Nicks – Congrats on your first NFL touchdown! The first-round pick showed off his play-making ability with a magnificent juke n’ move touchdown reception, taking the ball 54 yards for the score. That’s a nice way to announce your return from injury… With Nicks, Smith and Manningham in the mix, this passing attack could be a force to be reckoned with.

Eli Manning – Another outstanding day for the QB, heel issue aside. Manning’s 3 TD’s on the day tie him for second in the league in TD’s with eight on the season. He also continues to deliver a QB rating of over 100. Hard to see the Giants not being successful if he can keep that up…

Brandon Jacobs – A solid game by the big man. Answered the critics, ran well, hit the holes with aggression and power.

Kevin Boss – Outstanding awareness on the final offensive play of the first half. He shook off his injury to line up for the snap allowing the Giants to put an extra three points on the board before the half.

Boley – Great game for the new guy…

Antonio Pierce – Great game for the old guy…Pierce has been outstanding through the first four games. His preparation and awareness on the field are second to no one in the league, and he translates that into great play on the field.

Always Room for Improvement

The Giants have been impressive through four games, but they know they can be better. More importantly, they know they have to be. Their success on this three game road trip is a testament to the coaching staff and the focus in the locker room. Now we will see how those attributes come into play as the level of competition goes up a notch in the coming weeks.

Oakland will provide one more "tune-up match" to prepare for the tough four game stretch leading into the bye week. If the players can continue to work their way back from injuries, and Eli can recover quickly from his heel injury, I am confident this team will address the issues holding them back from the next level.

With the number one defense in the league - a unit getting better with each passing week - and one of, if not the most dynamic offense in football, it's exciting to think what the "next level" will look like for this team.

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Giants 4 - 0
Sack Count: 8
Take-away Count: 8

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Under the Lens: Giants @ Browns, Week 6

As you probably know by now, Cleveland throttled the Giants 35-14 on Monday night, handing Big Blue their first loss of the season and their first loss since December of last year. It also snapped the team's impressive road winning streak at 11. But while losses are inevitable for any team in the course of an NFL season, the way the Giants lost Monday was very disappointing.

WR Braylon Edwards (left) was a big part of Cleveland's win on Monday Night.

Across the board, Cleveland outplayed the G-men and dominated the game. If not for 10 Browns' penalties, this game could have been a lot worse. The Giants' offense failed to establish any momentum as Eli turned the ball over three times, while the Giant defense was practically non-existent. Cleveland marched up and down the field, racking up 454 yards of total offense and hitting big play after big play. There's a lot for Big Blue to work on coming off of this game if they are going to get back on the winning track this week against San Francisco. Let's a take a look...

NOT-QUITE-OFFENSIVE OFFENSE

The Giants' offensive woes on Monday night are perhaps not immediately evident looking at the statistics, save one: the 3 interceptions. The G-men had a respectable 373 yards of total offense, including 181 yards rushing. They had 23 first downs (more than the Browns) and converted 5 of 9 third down attempts, 56 percent, and Jacobs and Ward both had solid outings, with Ward quietly picking up his first 100 yard game of the season. The rushing attack was one of few bright spots for the O, so let's start there.

• PRO - Solid Rushing Performance. As I said, 181 rushing yards in a game is pretty solid, and wouldn't you know, the Giants remain the leagues premiere rushing attack averaging...that's right...181 yards per game. D-Ward led the way with 101 yards and averaged over 10 yards a carry on Monday night, while the rushing game as a whole averaged 7.2 yards per carry, impressive numbers.
  

• CON - Offensive Play-calling. Given the rushing attack's impressive numbers, it's a little bit baffling that the team only carried the ball 25 times. Granted, they fell behind late in the game and needed to throw the ball, but this team should be running the rock 30-35 times a game. Starting the second half out with a deep bomb that was picked off, instead of pounding it when the Browns were only up 3 was just bizarre. And balancing the run and pass was one thing, but balancing the pass alone was another. After lighting up the Seahawks from every direction in Week 5, it seemed to me like the pass attack was a little too Plax-heavy. He's a tremendous weapon, don't get me wrong, but does anyone else think he could be just as dangerous as a distraction for opposing defenses?
  

• CON - Turnovers. Obviously. When you go -3 in the turnover differential, you're probably not going to win too many games. Eli threw some bad balls that I'm sure he'd like to get back. 1 INT through 4 games, 3 INTs in one game. As we've seen, the offense's stats weren't too bad on Monday. Take away the turnovers, and you've got a different ball game.

Shake it off, Eli.

PROJECTION - Up. While some are clamoring that the Giants' lucky streak is over, Eli's back to his old self and the coaching staff should be fired, I'm pretty sure that this game was an anomaly and not the norm. Eli, despite a bad game, was still the same confident, Super Bowl-winning quarterback he was the first four games. His demeanor with the media was completely different from how it's been in the past. He's his own biggest critic and will work hard in the film room and on the field to correct these easily fixable mistakes.

The coaching staff too will learn from Monday's lessons and refine their game plan before going in to face San Fran this week. It's all about three things: run, run, and run. Rush the ball 60-65% of the time and spread the ball in the passing game and things will be okay.

If only the defense were so easy...

THE DEFENSE RESTS

To put it bluntly, the Cleveland Browns abused the Giant defense in Week 6. As I mentioned, they accumulated 454 total yards: 310 yards through the air and 144 on the ground. They averaged a ridiculous 10+ yards a play in the passing game and a solid 4.8 yards with the rush. They converted on 9 of 13 third downs, and did not punt the ball a single time. There was a lot to dislike about the defense on Monday night.

• CON - Did not Control the Line of Scrimmage. The rushing statistics give it away. When you can't stop the run, your defense is going to have a long day. Cleveland has a solid offensive line with a pair of talented tackles. Jamal Lewis was able to run the rock so effectively because the Browns controlled the line of scrimmage. The Giant front four could not get penetration, and the linebackers just did not contain well.

Jamal Lewis runs it in for the score in the second quarter.

• CON - No QB Pressure. The Giants for the last season plus have been known for their ability to put pressure on the QB. Naturally though, when you don't control the line of scrimmage you're not going to put too much pressure on a quarterback. When you give Derek Anderson, a Pro Bowler last year, 10 seconds to throw the ball, he's going to make some plays, especially with the talent around him. Cleveland had been underachieving all season and they finally showed up to play on Monday. Sadly the Giant D just wasn't ready for it.
  

• CON - Poor Tackling. You make mistakes against a good team and you're going to get burned. The Giants had been technically sound for most of the first four games, but Monday you saw missed tackles, tackling guys forward giving them additional yards, and some all-around sloppy play.
  

• CON - 3rd Down Efficiency. The G-men could not get off the field. Even with the Browns committed 10 penalties, they could not stop them on 2nd and 3rd downs.
  

• CON - No Turnovers. In a game when the defense could not even force a punt, it might seem a bit excessive to fault them for not producing any turnovers, but that's what they get paid to do. If this defense is going to turn things around, they need to start forcing offenses to turn the ball over.
  

PROJECTION - Up, because you can't really get much worse. There's too much talent on this defense and on the coaching staff to not fix this. I trust that the players are sufficiently embarrassed enough that they will not have a repeat performance any time in the near future. Spagnuolo will dial up some new schemes and the D should look more like its old self.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Not much to comment on here. John Carney has dropped on the impressive-o-meter in the past few weeks and word is Tynes will be back in uniform very soon. Whatever happened to Domenik Hixon returning kick-offs? I guess he was on PR for a while, but oh yeah, the Browns didn't punt the ball on Monday.

GAME BALLS

Not much love to go around this week, but Steve Smith, Jacobs, and Ward had commendable outings. Hopefully next week, we'll bounce back and there will more to celebrate.

NEXT UP: SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

The Giants will come back home to face another NFC West team. This is a must win game for the Giants in my book, as they can't have to go into a very difficult stretch 4-2. They are 2-0 against the West so far this season. I suspect that Eli and offense will rebound and the defense will be in better form. It's a statement game for the G-men. Let's see what they have to say...

Stay tuned for a preview of this weekend's game coming up on Friday, as well as a preview of the game of GSTV.
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Please leave you COMMENTS! A lot of things to talk about this week...
Continue reading "Under the Lens: Giants @ Browns, Week 6"

Under the Lens: Bengals @ Giants, Week 3

Hey all. There won't be a full recap this week on the game as my ridiculous sleeping habits (or lack there of) finally caught up with me on Monday and Tuesday. As if staying up until 4 am wasn't bad enough, the G-men had to make it an OT affair...keeping me up and giving me a near-heart attack all in one.

But, all's well that ends well, and for the Big Blue faithful, Sunday's game ended with what counts: the win. After seven lead changes on the day, Giants' kicker John Carney drilled his fourth field goal of the afternoon to seal a victory for the G-men, 26-23.

For this week's "Under the Lens" - where we take a closer look at some key aspects of each week's game - we'll review the ins and outs of Week's 3 win with a 3-part video from Giants' Steps TV.
Normally, I plan to keep the two things somewhat seperate, but again, not enough gas at the beginning of the week to get both things done.

So, without further ado, I present to you Parts I, II and III of Week 3's recap from Giants' Steps TV(GSTV):

Part I

Part II

Part III

That will wrap up this week's special video-version of "Under the Lens." Later in the week will recap the weekend's "Key Contests" and link up another round of Giants news. Also stay tuned to GSTV. There will be some more vids at the end of the week.

Finally, you may also have noticed the blog's looking a bit different. I'm currently experimenting with some new looks and features in hopes of improving the site. Please be patient during this trying time, and if you have any suggestions, let me know!

Alright, that'll do it.

Be good,

Will



Continue reading "Under the Lens: Bengals @ Giants, Week 3"

Under the Lens: Giants @ Rams, Week 2

Week number two, win number two. The G-men rolled over the Rams 41-13 on Sunday and improved to 2-0, their best start since 2005. The Giants fought for four quarters, and made big plays on both sides of the football. What was most encouraging is that they made important improvements coming off of their first win, and in doing so in such dominant fashion, showed that they have a winning attitude and a gifted group of players that could carry them far this season.

The biggest thing I liked about this game was the score. At the final whistle, it read "41-13," but it could have been 41-6 or worse(better?). I'm still not convinced that Tory Holt caught that pass (nor am I convinced that Kenny Phillips picked it off, as he claims), and both Rams field goals were in the mid-50s range, not exactly close to the uprights. The Rams could not advance the ball past mid-field because the Giants defense shut them down big time. Let's take a look at Big Blue's D first.

D is Nuts

Big Blue's D held the Rams offense to 201 net total yards, 13 first downs (11 excluding penalties), and a 23% 3rd down conversion rate. The Rams averaged a meager 3.7 yards per play. After two weeks the Giants defense ranks second in the league in average points allowed (10.0), third in yards per game (205.0), and fifth in passing and rushing yards allowed per game (129.0 and 76.0, respectively). While the Rams offense was inept, the Giants defense showed why their dominant defense should continue to improve:

• PRO - Pressure on the Quarterback. The 2008 Giants looked like their old selves on Sunday, sacking the opposing QB six times. DE Justin Tuck and DT Fred Robbins each had two , while MLB Antonio Pierce and second-year DT Jay Alford had one apiece. After Osi's injury I think a lot of people underestimated the D-line's ability to bring pressure, especially from the tackle position. I think we're beginning to open some eyes. Guys like Alford and Robbins could rack up a half dozen sacks each this year, as I see it. As for Osi's successor, I think Kiwanuka will get to the QB eventually. Between the ankle injury and Orlando Pace standing in his way, he had enough to contend with last weekend.

"Robbins SMASH!" - Fred Robbins

• PRO - Generating Turnovers. With more pressure will come more opportunities to generate turnovers and make the big play on defense. Justin Tuck notched the defense's first turnover of the season in stellar fashion, picking off Marc Bulger at the line of scrimmage and returning it 41 yards for a touchdown. As I said leading up to last week's game, if the Giants defense is to make the step from excellent to elite, it will need to start generating more turnovers and points. For the first time in many years, I feel like the personnel and athleticism in the secondary and at the LB position are strong enough to make that final step.
  

• PRO - Making Tackles. Of course, the staple of any good defense is strong fundamentals, and for the second week in a row, the Giants were by and large in the right places making stops. Only on a few occasions did RB Stephen Jackson get away from them, and thankfully, the Giants secondary was there to clean up any potential mess.
  

• PRO - Excellent Pass Coverage. The Giants' young, talented secondary continues to look impressive early in the season. Aaron Ross and Corey Webster had statistically quiet, but nonetheless strong games. Kevin Dockery also did well, but on a few occasions he tried to anticipate the play and guessed incorrectly. Thankfully, the Rams offense couldn't make much of these mistakes, and in each instance you could see Steve Spagnuolo giving Dock the "attaboy, now don't do that again" helmet slap...You're not Sam Madison yet, young blood. Speaking of young, rookie Kenny Phillips showed me a glimpse of that speed I keep reading about. He closed the gap on the Tory Holt's "touchdown" like a bolt, really impressive. He claims the pass was also picked off...I couldn't tell much at all from the camera angle. One final note, apparently Ross injured his shoulder in the game. I saw Pierce waving frantically to the sideline at one point, but Fox didn't make any further mention of it during the broadcast so I wasn't sure what happened. On Tuesday Ross, seemed to be fine.
  

• CON - Penalties. If there was one area where the defense could improve on, it would be penalties. The defense committed three penalties, two of which allowed the Rams to convert on 3rd down. This is an area the whole team needs to improve upon, and I look for Tom "I may be nice now but I'm still a disciplinarian" Coughlin to remedy this problem before Week 3's contest.

PROJECTION - Up. This defense can only get better as they gel and build chemistry going forward. I'm not too worried about the penalty situation as I think TC will clear it up. As each element gets a better feel for each other and the young guys internalize Spags's system, I expect to continue to see big things from Big Blue's D.

On an individual level, Justin Tuck is already playing like a Pro-bowler and I think other players on the D-line will start to emerge in a similarly impressive fashion. I think Bryan Kehl could evolve into a real beast at LB and I think Danny Clark is a stand-up guy, great leader, and helluva player. I also really like what I'm seeing from the secondary and expect to see them coming up with turnovers in the very near future...possibly against a talented passing attack like Cincinatti?

Now to the offense...

O, O, O...it's Magic

Eli Manning and the Giant offense had much to work on heading down to St. Louis. After scoring on their opening drive of the season, the Giants' offense stalled on the next three, including two more trips into the red zone, forcing them to settle for field goals. What's more, the Giants did not score a single point in the second half of Week 1.

What happened? Three reasons stood out to me: 1) lack of offensive chemistry, 2) failure to spread the ball effectively, 3) questionable play calls. While Plaxico Burress had his usual plax-tastic performance Week 1, no other Giants receiver had more than 2 catches. On a number of plays the receivers and QB appeared to be on different pages. Similarly, in the back field, Brandon Jacobs put in a beast of a game, but neither he nor Derek Ward got the ball in the red zone, and second-year stud Ahmad Bradshaw didn't even see one carry.

There was considerable room for improvement for Eli and the O going into St. Louis, and improve is what they did...

• PRO - TOUCHDOWN! The Giants offense scored four TD's, three in the air, and one on the ground. Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer, and Ahmad Bradshaw each pulled in an Eli pass for 6 points, and Bradshaw added another 6 on a 30-plus yard dash into the end zone late in the forth quarter. I could do with a few more 40 pointers this season...

• PRO - Balanced passing attack. More impressive to me than how many points the Giants scored was how many people contributed on offense. Eight different players caught a pass in Sunday's win. Toomer led the way with 6 catches for 67 yds; Burress had 5 catches for 81 yds, including a ridonculous move on Rams' FS O.J. Atogwe to break free for the TD; and Domenik Hixon showed that he can provide the Giants with a viable fourth wide receiver option. I think Sinorice Moss could fill this role too this year, being healthy, but it seems like they don't want to give him the chance. He or Steve Smith, or the thus-far inactive Mario Manningham, would be perfect for those Go-routes they kept trying to run with Toomer. How many times was he one-on-one with the CB and just couldn't get by him? Two or three times I felt like a speedier receiver could've smoked the opposing CB. I thought we were working on the deep threat this season...
  

• PRO - Dominating the line. Of course, at the heart of this Giants offense is a beastly offensive line. The unit is tight, tough, and talented enough to take on anybody. They won't fly under the radar for much longer the way this offense is clicking... FB Madison Hedgecock and TE Kevin Boss also made a number of nice plays run-blocking, and deserve a lot of credit. Boss and his fellow TEs look to be improving a lot in the blocking department. When this naturally-gifted pass catcher gets the ball thrown his way, I expect good, good things.
  

• PRO - Earth, Wind, and Fire! Behind the furious five, the Giants boast a treacherous trio in their backfield, freshly dubbed: "Earth, Wind, and Fire." Such an awesome force on the ground is worthy of such an awesome nickname. All three backs had at least 50 yards rushing; Brandon "Earth" Jacobs was just a few yards short of his second 100-yard game in as many chances, and Ahmad "Fire" Bradshaw scored two touchdowns. If we went with another blast-from-the-past theme, could we make Danny Ware "Water" and Reuben Droughns "Heart"? "By your powers combined..."

Jacobs, Ward, and Bradshaw congratulate each other on their awesome new nickname...and Bradshaw's touchdown.

• PRO - Eli Manning is a Super Bowl MVP. Finally, Eli Manning looks like he has turned a corner since last year's playoff push. He protects the football, he makes smart decisions, he moves the offense. With a great line and running game to support him, I expect Eli and his receivers can further develop their chemistry moving forward. If that can happen, I think this Giants' offense can continually score in the mid-to-high twenties.
  

• CON - Penalties. It's hard to find much wrong when your team scores 41 points, but again, as with the defense, penalties were troublesome, especially when they're unnecessary Delay of Game penalties. I think that'll be resolved by next week though...
  

PROJECTION - Keep it up! The Giants offense has the talent to come at opposing teams from any angle. It's a question of building chemistry and remaining consistent. If Eli continues to look Super Bowl-ian, look out NFC.

Special Teams

I didn't forget. A much better effort this week I thought on "Teams." Carney continues to inspire "Lawrence who?" questions...Hixon handled punt return duty this week with R-dubs nursing a calf injury. He definitely added some spark and had a great return towards the end of the game to set up the final touchdown. I understand TC wasn't happy with kick-off returns though. Now that Hixon is over his back injury, will he switch to KR when McQ comes back? I guess we'll wait and see...

Game Balls

Finally, this week's game balls: Eli, Plax, Amani, E.W.F., the O-line, Kenny Phillips for being terrifyingly fast, Justin Tuck for being a beast, and Freddy Robbins.

Up Next: the Cincinnati Bengals

Week 2 was a good momentum builder for Big Blue. They came out, spread the ball, and attacked the Rams weaknesses on offense through four quarters. On defense, they got to the quarterback, tackled well, and made the big play. Week 3's match-up present a challenge and an opportunity for the G-men to continue to build chemistry and momentum in all phases of the game.

Later in the week, we'll look preview Sunday's game and talk about the key match-ups and challenges for the Giants as they look to go 3-0.

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Thoughts on Season Opener

First of all, it was great to get a win, to get a win in the division, and to win at home.

I watched the game on my computer, Friday morning, 7 am Shanghai time, using NFL Gamepass, which is like an internet NFL Sunday Ticket for expats. After surviving on net radio all of last season, I'm hoping my internet connection luck continues for a few more weeks and can continue to stream games until I get back state-side.

Back to the game...In a division as tight as the NFC East, wins against divisional opponents are essential to a team's success. Winning at home is an important area for the G-men to improve on this year after going 3-5 at Giants' Stadium last season. Judging from the atmosphere in the Meadowlands Thursday night, I think the team can build confidence and momentum at home and transition that into a successful winning record in the division this year. We'll need to go at least 4-2 against the Cowboys, Eagles, and 'Skins to have a hope of grabbing the NFC East title. I admit these projections are a little premature, but looking at their schedule, I think the Giants can put together 6 wins at home and reach the 4 division wins mark at least, this season.

The way the team won the game was also encouraging. While far from a perfect performance, I thought the Giants showed a lot of promise on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.

On O:

• PRO: The Giants' opening drive was outstanding, charging down the field with a balanced attack, converting on 3rd downs, and most importantly, getting the ball in the end zone. As the passing game develops more chemistry and confidence, it could develop into one of the league's best, given the depth of young talent on the roster.


• PRO: Speaking of the best, Plaxico Burress looked like a giant among boys, running around like a kid on playground, catching balls at will. After having a pro-bowl caliber season last year on a bad ankle, Plax now says he's at 100%. He's already practiced more this year than he did all of last year. If he keeps up with his opening night performance, secondaries around the league should take notice.


• PRO: The running game. Behind what John Madden called "the best offensive line in the league" (I don't recall if he meant running the ball or overall), the Giants running attack looked strong, despite questions about the TE blocking coming in. Jacobs led the way with 116 yds on 21 carries, and Ward showed that he could carry the load when Jacobs was on the sideline. Excluding Eli's 2 rushes for -1 yards, the backfield averaged over 5 yards a carry. Bradshaw surprisingly didn't get any carries, but Coughlin told reporters on Friday that was simply an issue of poor planning.


• CON: Field goals, field goals, field goals. After driving down the field at will early in the game, the G-men failed to convert on their "green zone" opportunities. Some would argue that the play-calling got a little too pass-happy near the goal line, and the running attack did not get enough consideration once the team entered the kill zone.


• CON: Sloppy passing. With the exception of Burress, and a few nice catches by the supporting cast, I thought the passing game struggled in its first outing of the season. One reason for that is that it's still early. The QB and WRs will gel together in the coming weeks. Remember Burress, Toomer, and Steve Smith all missed considerable time during the preseason, and Kevin Boss and the TEs are still getting a feel for their roles in the absence of Jeremy Shockey. Also, play-calling needs to improve. Given the success of the run game and Giants' domination of the line of scrimmage, throwing 35 passes seems a little excessive. Eli was also lucky he was picked off another 2 or 3 times. The Redskins' secondary had a number of balls go right through their hands.


• PROJECTION: Up. When TC and co. review the tapes, they will find few things that they can't remedy. In addition to the players getting a better feel for each other, the coaches will also need to get a better feel for the weapons at their disposal. When that happens, I think the WRs will being to carve out their roles within the offense, and the passing game will take off. Also, I think we can look for more of the run game inside the green zone, and a better division of touches between Jacobs, Ward, and Bradshaw in the coming weeks. It's all about chemistry, balance, and confidence on offense, and the new two weeks' opponents present good chances to build in those areas.

On D:

• PRO: Spagnuolo's scheme is still fierce, and even without Strahan and Osi, the D can still put the heat on the opposing QB, thanks to an evolved pass-rushing scheme and a whole lot more talent on the D-line than people are acknowledging. Tuck's sack on the first defensive play of the game set the tone early, and I would like to think it bodes well for the Giants' defense this season.

• PRO: Great tackling. The Giants defenders consistently put themselves between the 'Skins and the first down marker, and more importantly, consistently made stops. I think we opened with three or four straight three-and-outs.

• PRO: Pass coverage. Big Blue's young secondary made some phenomenal plays in coverage. Anybody see Ross go step for step with Santana Moss on that deep ball? I'm not so convinced he couldn't beat his Olympian fiancee in a race.

• PRO: New faces making big contributions. Kiwanuka's impromptu return to DE following Osi's injury may turn out to be a blessing in disguise. The man looked really good against both the run and pass and he showed real athleticism and savvy in his play. Danny Clark, Gerris Wilkinson, and Bryan Kehl also made some nice contributions. I really like the athleticism and attitude they bring to the table and I'll be curious to see how the LB corps gels as a unit this year.

• CON: Not too many negatives to speak on from Game 1. Any time you only give up 7 points in a game, it's a positive. There was a drop off in intensity and pressure in the second half, but I'll go with Garafolo on this one and chalk it up to the heat and a lack of stamina entering the first full game of the season.

• CON: Lack of turnover production. This will come as the unit gels and finds its footing in the regular season.

• PROJECTION: Up. This D could be as dominant as it was last year under a more mature scheme. I look for the D-line to continue to get penetration at the line of scrimmage, stuffing RBs and QBs alike. I also look for an athletic group of LBs and defensive backs to start producing some big plays turnover-wise. The total ineptitude of the Redskins' offense may lead some to question how "for real" the 2008 Giants D is. Holding the opposing team to single-digit first downs and double digit yardage in a half, and forcing 3-and-out after 3-and-out suggests that Tuck, AP and company are a lot more "for real-ier" than the many suggest.

Stay tuned for coverage of Week 1 in the NFL throughout the rest of the weekend. I'm going to pay special attention to the Cowboys and Eagles this weekend, as well as the Rams, the Giants' opponents next week.

Continue reading "Thoughts on Season Opener"