Giants' Steps Back on its Feet

Hi everybody. After a short hiatus to move back home and enjoy a holiday along the way, I'm back on American soil and Giants' Steps is back up and running.

What a win last week against the Seahawks. If I can, I'll get an episode up on You Tube recapping the game, but I'll just say a few things about it here...


ON THE GAME

• That's what happens when the Giants execute to their potential.

• Sunday's whooping confirmed what I and many other Giants fans have thought for a while - this team is loaded. Without Burress , the Giants biggest offensive weapon, the team poured it on, led by its "#4" and "#5" receivers Domenik Hixon and Sinorice Moss. Great games by both players.

• When you set up Brandon Jacobs early, all three backs can get enough carries to make an impact. And what an impact they make. All three had great games, combining for over 200 yards and 2 touchdowns. Jacobs is simply a special player, and Ward and Bradshaw could also start in this league. Bradshaw had a beastly run towards the end where he broke a handful of tackles and cut up the Seahawks defense like an expired credit card. He was one cut away from taking it to the endzone but it looked like he lost his footing.

• Eli Manning has turned a corner and remains in his Super Bowl-winning form. He's making smart decisions, not forcing anything, and being tough in the pocket. Most importantly, he's protecting the football. He played a phenomenal game on Sunday. People are even starting to question whether he's better than Peyton. This past year at least, he just might be...

• Kevin Gilbride deserves a lot of credit for the way he called that game - spreading the ball around, pounding Seattle in the mouth, attacking down field, and using all of the weapons at his disposal. He even mixed it up with a reverse in the first quarter to Hixon. This was an area I thought the Giants needed to improve in and last week, they did. Keep it up, KG.

• When the play-calling is sound and spread out, the Giants get in the end zone. 7's, not 3's. They scored on their first 6 possessions and had over 300 yards of offense in the first half alone.

• On defense, after allowing the Bengals to convert 60% of their third downs in Week 3, the Giants shut down the Seahawks, allowing only 1 third down conversion and 13 first downs for the entire game. They stuffed Seattle's third-ranked rushing attack and held them to only 60+ yards on the ground.

• The Giants D also got their second takeaway of the season on a 44 yard Kevin Dockery INT. Great job by Doc finally getting his hands on the ball, and a nice run back. Speaking of the secondary, Dockery, Ross, Webster and company are playing some lights-out football right now.

• K John Carney showed signs of why he may not be the obvious upgrade to the injured Lawrence Tynes. A number of his kickoffs Sunday failed to reach the 10 yard line; one went out of bounds.

ON OTHER STUFF

• If not for a couple of penalties on defense, the score of Sunday's game might have been 44-0.

• Antonio Pierce: since when does that guy NOT wear sleeves?

• I'm very happy for Sinorice Moss. People have questioned whether or not he was "ready" to contribute. Granted the guy's first two seasons have been disappointing, but after finally being healthy and having a very strong pre-season, I thought this year it's just been a matter of getting the call. Glad that he did, and I hope he can continue to find opportunities even with Plaxico back.

• Speaking of Plax- welcome back, let's play football.

• In other WR action, congrats on your first NFL catch Mario Manningham...the first of many I hope.

It's certainly been a good week for Big Blue. What cracks me up though is how now the same people who were dismissing the Giants as a fluke, or claiming they'd lost too many key players to contend again, are now comparing them to the 2007 New England Patriots and singing the repeat song. I heard one reporter even asked a Giants player if he thought the team could go undefeated. Ridiculous.

The season is young, and you don't crown a champion in Week 5. It's a long, tough road through an NFL season and one blowout victory will not make you or break you. One thing for sure though is the Giants are a deep, talented team and with a lot of weapons and a lot of confidence.

Confidence and the championship attitude could carry the Giants far this season. The keys are taking it one game at a time, improving each week, and playing not just better than your opponent, but as well as you can.

The pieces are in place for another special season. Next stop, Cleveland.

Continue reading "Giants' Steps Back on its Feet"

Gameday Preview, Week 5: Seattle Seahawks

Giants look to break the bye-week trend against Seahawks

Heading into Week 5's showdown with the Seattle Seahawks, three story lines from the past two weeks lend a new level of drama and significance to the game: the defending champion Giants are undefeated and in 1st place in NFC East; they have a dismal 4-15 record after the bye week; and they will try to buck that trend this week without suspended wide receiver Plaxico Burress.

QB Eli Manning's play is one reason why the Giants are
currently on top of the toughest division in football.

ON TOP OF THE HEAP

At 3-0, the Giants have exclusive possession of first place in a very talented and competitive NFC East. Dallas and Washington trail with records of 3-1, and Philadelphia brings up the rear at 2-2. As the Giants enter a four game stretch against non-divisional opponents, it presents them with a great opportunity to keep a one game cushion before the final 9 games of the season when they have to play 5 divisional games.

The NFC East arguably features the four best teams in the conference this season. It's an extremely talented and competitive division, and every game counts...

This tight competition adds another layer of relevance to this week's match-up with the 1-2 Seahawks. The Giants lead the overall series 7-5, but Seattle has won the previous two meetings, both of which were played at Qwest Field, home of the infamous "12th man." This week's game will be played at Giants Stadium, and the Giants are hoping that the Big Blue faithful can function as a 12th man in their own right. The G-men should take whatever help they can get if they're hoping to shake the post-bye week pattern...of losing.

Listening to the "experts" discuss this trend, there sounds like there is no single cause to blame for the Giants' lack of success following the bye. It seems as though it could just be an unfortunate coincidence...that has haunted Big Blue since the bye week's inception in 1990.


BYE-BYE BYE-WEEK BLUES?

Remember this though, the Giants had a bye week last January. The following week they won the Super Bowl. If any Giants team can kick the habit this week, it's the 2008 Giants, for precisely the reasons I've been emphasizing this whole year: a champion's attitude, excellent preparation, and getting the job done on game day.

Seattle is also coming off of a bye week. Under current coach Mike Holmgren, they too have fared poorly, going 2-7 following the bye. Other facts of note: the Seahawks have gone just 3-8 in their past 11 games east of the Mississippi River. And under Holmgren, the 'Hawks are 14-25 in the East, and only 6-19 since 2003. In the last two seasons away from Qwest field, they are a mediocre 7-9, compared with a 12-4 record in front of their home fans.

Favored to win the NFC West at the beginning of the season, the Seahawks have been decimated by injuries, mostly at wide receiver, and have struggled to find wins early in 2008. Their only win came in Week 3 against the lowly Rams. While they post some impressive numbers offensively - 11th in the league in points and yards per game (25.7 and 336.7, respectively), and second in the league in rushing yards per game at 166.3 yards per game - Seattle also struggles in some categories. They are 26th in the league in points allowed (26.7 points a game), and 25th in the league in pass yards allowed per game (226.3 yds per game). This could be an excellent opportunity for Eli and company to break out the deep ball they've been so keen on since training camp.


BURRESS-LESS

That task may be complicated this week though as the Giant passing attack will have a different look: they will be without their top weapon - suspended receiver Plaxico Burress. I haven't spoken much about this issue on the blog, but here's the breakdown:

• First, it sucks that this had to happen but I think it was the right decision. Team comes first and nobody, no matter how productive, is above the team. That's how you win games; that's how you win rings.
  

• Second, football aside, there may be some bigger problems here that I hope Plax and his family can resolve. There's been talk about domestic disputes, police, and other things. He's got an infant son at home, and that is no kind of environment for a baby to be in.
  

• Third, Plaxico has had a history of disciplinary problems his entire career. There's been rumors circulating that he's been fined around 40 times since joining the Giants. Maybe so, but no one can deny that he hasn't proven himself on the field. He went out for every game last season when he couldn't even practice and had a career year. If this suspension does not affect him or the locker room negatively going forward, then I say forget about it, move on, play football.
  

• Finally, this could potentially be a blessing in disguise. The Giants are loaded at WR with talented players not dressing or seeing any playing time come game day. Without Burress, everybody moves up the depth chart and Sunday's game could be a prime opportunity for the young guns - Smith, Hixon, Sinorice Moss, and Mario Manningham - to show what they can do, not only to the fans but also to the coaching staff. I mentioned in my Bye Week Report that maximizing the use of offensive talent would be crucial to the Giants' progress this season. Week 5 forces the coaches to put these guys under the spotlight. I think they'll like what they see...

KEY MATCH-UPS

And that brings us right into the Key Match-ups for this week's showdown.

• Giants' young WRs vs. Seahawks' secondary: Domenik Hixon will start in place of Burress, while Steve Smith will stay in the slot. These two are already proving themselves as reliable targets for Eli Manning and both have already made an impact on the passing attack this year. Third year player Sinorice Moss only has one catch this season and has seen little action, but as I've mentioned before on the blog, he had a strong preseason and is healthy for the first time in his career. Rookie Mario Manningham has yet to be active for a game, and this week he is battling an illness that may or may not affect his availability for Sunday. How these young players perform in Week 5 will have a critical impact on the outcome of the game.
  

• Giants' running game vs. the Seattle front 7: The Giants' talented offensive line should have something to prove this week. Not only are they going up against an athletic, talented Seattle front 7 that can get after the quarterback, but they'll also be looking to rebound in the running game after struggling against Cincinnati. In Week 3, the Giants' running attack failed to generate its usual momentum, as the Bengals shut down Brandon Jacobs and threw off the rhythm of the entire Giant running attack. Look for a faster start this week to set up the vicious three-pronged ground game. When Jacobs can pound it successfully, Ward becomes all the more dangerous, and Bradshaw becomes all the more explosive.
  

• Giants' LBs vs. the Seattle running game: Seattle currently boasts one of the strongest running attacks in the league, albeit in part because of compensating for a depleted passing attack. The Giants defense is coming off of a lackluster performance against the Bengals in which they gave up nearly 5 yards a play and converted on nearly 60% of their third down attempts. With a stout front four, it will fall to the Giants' Linebackers to shore up the run defense and take away the Seahawks' running attack. This will put more pressure on QB Matt Hasselbeck and feed into the Giants' pass rush.

Seattle WRs Bobby Engram and Deion Branch
will make their season debuts this Sunday.

• Giants' secondary vs. the Seahawks' WRs: Seattle will have a healthy wide receiving corps for the first time all season as play-makers Deion Branch and Bobby Engram return to action. It will be up to the Giants' secondary to shut them down and take away as many of QB Matt Hasselbeck's weapons as possible.
  

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Those are some key match-ups that will have considerable impact on the outcome of this game. Here are a few other general things to pay attention to on Sunday:

• Gilbride and the WRs: How are the young wide receivers used in their new roles. Can Gilbride dial up the right plays and take full advantage of the talent at his disposal?
  

• Eli and the WRs: How comfortable will Eli be without his favorite target out there on the field? Will he still maintain his outstanding early-season form?
  

• Turnovers: The Giants need to start taking the football away from the other team. It's been a point of emphasis during the bye week, and players have had their opportunities in the first three games. With any luck, this week they will start taking those opportunities.
  

Now for a few players to keep your eyes on...


PLAYERS TO WATCH

Normally, each week I spotlight one offensive and one defensive player to keep your eye. Well, this week, in the interest of not being repetitive and telling you to watch out for Domenik Hixon again (you should really pay attention to all the young WRs), I've decided to spotlight two defensive players instead.


DE 97 Mathias Kiwanuka - Kiwi's been dealing with a sore ankle for the last two games. He has said the bye week allowed him to rest it and the ankle is feeling much better. He got his first sack of the season in Week 3, I look for him to add to that this week. If he's as healthy as he can be, he will only be more explosive and dynamic, and that will open up opportunities for the rest of the front four to get at the QB.





CB 27 Sam Madison - The old timer saw some of his first action of the season in Week 3 and showed up to make a big time bat-down in over time. One of the best players in the secondary last season in my mind, I expect Sam could see more playing time now that he's healthy again, especially if the defense is struggling to get off the field or missing opportunities to get a take away.

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I'm looking forward to Big Blue getting back in action this week, in what should be a great game. I look for both teams and the crowd to come out fired up. If the Giants bring their A game and successfully make some needed improvements in areas I've mentioned above, I think they'll take it.

Prediction: Giants win, 27-16

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NFL.com's preview of Seahawks@Giants

Giants.com's Seahawks Scouting Report

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And the rest of it here.
Continue reading "Gameday Preview, Week 5: Seattle Seahawks"

Big Blue, the Bye and the Beast, Pt. II: The Focus

(To read Part I, click here.)

The Giants' early season success this year has followed the same formula as their post-season success last year: playing tough, playing as a team, and taking care of the football. It has also helped that they haven't had to play the Bucs, Cowboys and Packers in the first three weeks, but by and large the Giants are winning games because they have the winning intangibles to go along with their tremendous talent.

Perhaps most significant of these intangibles is what I'll call a champion's attitude: confidence, swagger, and mental toughness. This attitude has jumped out at me this season as it seems to permeate into every facet of their play. I get the impression that not only do the G-men believe they can win any game they play, but that they also know what it takes to prepare and perform at a level necessary to do so. Winning the Super Bowl will do that for you...

One aspect of that attitude is playing one game at a time, and trying to elevate your game each and every week. Champions don't just settle for playing better than the other team, they strive to play better than they did the week before. The Giants' showed a marked improvement across the board from Week 1 to Week 2. Granted, it helped that they were playing the Rams, but still they had issues that needed work in the first game, and they corrected them in the second.

Week 3 was a different story, as the Giants played what was clearly not their best football against a struggling Cincinnati Bengals team. The offense struggled to get into the end zone and could not establish the run; the defense let the Bengals march down the field multiple times and gave up too many third down conversions. Part of this was execution and part of it scheme.

After a narrow escape in Week 3, I think the early bye comes at an opportune time for the defending champs to reflect and correct what is necessary. On the one hand, it's troublesome because it leaves a long, punising 13 week stretch to close out the season (though I think that provides all the more reason to push for that Division Title and 1st round bye), but on the other hand, it allows Big Blue to refocus as their season enters the next phase. The competition is going to get tougher, much tougher, and the Giants need to refocus in order to continue their success.

As Big Blue enters the next phase of their season, improvements in the following four areas will be critical to their continued success:

• Offensive play-calling: One thing is clear about the Giants offense through 3 games - they've got more weapons than they know what to do with...literally. With 3 starter-quality running backs and a six-pack of talented receivers, the Giants have still struggled at times to produce offensively or put touch downs on the board. This is not necessarily for lack of execution, but rather poor play calling. When it's first and goal to go and you don't try running the ball when you've been running wild all day, that's a problem; when Brandon Jacobs is shut down by 9 guys in the box and you don't pass the ball, that's a problem; when you don't utilize the youth and speed at the bottom of the receiving corps when the same old thing isn't working with the 1 & 2 guys, that's a problem.

Giants Offensive Coordinator Kevin Gilbride

• Prognosis: Say what you will about OC Kevin Gilbride, but Eli Manning is very comfortable with him, and he did help win the Giants a championship. Perhaps he is too limited in how he thinks to attack the opposing team: a 1-2 RB punch; there's a depth chart at wide receiver for a reason, etc; but I think that unless the Giants are posting 24 points or more a game and getting the ball in the end zone on consistent basis, Tom Coughlin and the New York media will not let it sit. Gilbride's still feeling out the offense much like the players are still feeling each other out. Things will click eventually...Perhaps a Burress-less offense in Week 5 will give the OC a chance to experiment a little bit more.
  

• Green zone efficiency: The Giants are 5 for 11 in trips to the "Green zone" this season, around 45%. This number needs to improve, and as the play-calling becomes more developed and diversified, it should. The Giants drive the ball very well. If they start coming away with 7's instead of 3's at the ends of their drives, look out.

• Forcing turnovers: The Giants have only forced one turnover through three games. As pretty as Justin Tuck's "pick 6" was, the defense will have to do a lot more as the competition picks up. The Giants have taken care of the football so far, allowing only one turnover themselves, which has helped minimize this shortcoming, but the G-men can't count on that the rest of the season (though it would be awesome). A number of players in the secondary have come close to picking passes off, and during the bye week, it's been a point of emphasis at practice. Steve Spaguolo's says turnovers come in spurts. Hopefully the Giants can start a streak on Sunday against the Seahawks.

• Improving 3rd down efficiency on defense: Finally, the Giant defense will have to improve on third down percentage, where they have allowed opponents a 37% conversion rate so far this season. This number jumped considerably after the Bengals converted 59% of their third downs in Week 3, and it should settle back down in the coming weeks. The defensive game plan against Cincinnati was perhaps more responsible for this figure than any lack of execution. The Giants were playing deep and concentrating on the Bengals pro-bowl wide outs. This left some holes that the Bengals were able to exploit, and I think the Spags and company will make the necessary adjustments.
  

With much to work on, the early bye week could stand to be of great help to the Giants. As I've mentioned, I look at this season in stages, with Stage 1 obviously being the 3 games before the bye. Stage 2 consists of 4 games, starting with Seattle in Week 5 and finishing with Pittsburgh in Week 8. The level of competition in Stage 2 goes up a notch, but it builds gradually each week. This phase presents the opportunity for the Giants to continue to gradually improve each week, and win football games. All four match-ups in Stage 2 are winnable ones, and having a 6-1 or 7-0 record before a brutal 9 game stretch that features 5 divisional games would be a tremendous advantage for the Giants.

That brings me to my final point: The NFC East is far and away the best division in the NFL right now, with all four teams capable of earning a playoff spot. After Week 4, the Giants find themselves in sole possession of first after the resurgent Redskins upset the Cowboys. The Eagles also lost to the Bears in a close game to fall to 2-2. This early lead is not something the Giants can afford to take lightly, and it makes each of the games in Stage 2 all the more critical.

If the Giants can protect this lead, however slim, it will be to their benefit and have major implications for the playoffs in this tight division. The Cowboys are combusting and the Eagles are beat up. Philly will have to play the Redskins in Week 5, who then have a lighter load the following two weeks. If the Giants can get back on track and make the necessary adjustments in the coming weeks, they should be able to stay on top of the heap.

It will all come down to sustaining that champion's attitude, constantly improving, and taking it one game at a time.

Stage 2 starts Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.

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Please leave your comments! I like hearing from readers. Also, you can now subscribe to Giants' Steps via e-mail using the subscription feature on the left side, below the Shot of the Week.

Stay tuned!

- Will

Continue reading "Big Blue, the Bye and the Beast, Pt. II: The Focus"

Big Blue, the Bye and the Beast, Pt I: The Numbers

A look at the standings will tell you that the Giants could not have asked for a better start to their 2008 season: going 3-0 overall , 2-0 at home, and 1-0 in the NFC East before heading in to their early bye week in Week 4.

With a schedule that gets visibly more challenging as the season progresses, racking up as many wins as possible in the early part of the year is critical for the G-men moving forward. This becomes all the more imperative when you look at the division they play in. The NFC "Beast" through 3 weeks is 10-2, and 8-0 against opponents outside of the division. All four teams could take one of what will surely be three playoff spots for the Beast, so every win, even at this early stage in the season, carries a lot of weight. At 3-0, so far, so good.

The Giants celebrate after John Carney kicks the game-winning field goal in overtime in Week 3.

The Stat Sheet: Offense

Through 3 games, the offense ranks third in the league overall, averaging just over 400 yards per game. They have scored an average of 27.7 points per game, sixth best in the NFL. They average 6 yrds per play (7th in the NFL) and have a 3rd down conversion percentage of 46% (T-5th in the NFL).

Eli Manning has looked sharp, reflective of the great strides (giant steps, eh? eh?) he made last year during Big Blue's playoff run. He's thrown for 765 yards, with 4 TDs and one pick so far, and a he also ran one in for a score in Week 1. He continues to show poise in the pocket and make smart decisions with the football. Most importantly, he has continued to display his signature ability to score points when it counts: answering the Rams scores in Week 2 and leading the Giants down the field in OT in Week 3.

Eli's supporting cast on offense has shown flashes of its potential brilliance in the first 3 weeks. The Giants' O-line is physical, athletic, and one of the best in the league. Success starts with them. The receiving corps is loaded with talent, and most importantly, healthy. It is perhaps the deepest and most dangerous it's ever been.

Behind veteran play-makers Burress and Toomer, Steve Smith is emerging as a dangerous weapon in the slot and one of Eli's go-to guys on 3rd down. Domenik Hixon provides Eli with another big target and the Giants with a credible fourth receiver for the first time in years. Sinorice Moss remains buried at the bottom of the pile, but he is healthy for the first time in his career and had an excellent pre-season. Rookie Mario Manningham shows a lot of promise, but has yet to be activated for a game. Second-year TE Kevin Boss adds another weapon on offense with size, sure hands, and open-field speed.

Boss has also developed in his role as a blocker in the Giants' potent rushing attack. The three-headed beast known as "Earth, Wind and Fire" - Brandon Jacobs, Derek Ward, and Ahmad Bradshaw - gives the Giants one of the deepest backfields in the league. Jacobs through 3 games has looked like a monster, and is ranked 12th in the league in rushing. He has rushed for 244 yards on 50 carries: 81.3 yards per game, with 4.9 per carry and a TD. His numbers could be bigger, if not for Derek Ward. Ward ranks 22nd in rushing with 177 yards on 26 carries: 59 yards per game, and 6.8 yard per carry. Bradshaw has not gotten as many carries as his teammates, but showcased his explosive, play-making ability in Week 2 when he posted 2 scores and over 80 total yards, nearly all of which came in the fourth quarter.

The Real Big D

On the defensive side of the ball, the Giants have looked strong, though they struggled against a talented Bengal offense in Week 3. Big Blue's D is currently ranked 6th in the league in total defense, allowing 252.3 yards per game and 14.3 points per game (4th best in the NFL). They have allowed 167.7 passing yards per game (8th best in the NFL) and 84.7 rushing yards per game (7th best in the NFL). The Giants are also fourth in the NFL in yards allowed per play at 4.3.

Prior to Week 3, the Giants were in the top 5 in total defense, run defense and pass defense. After the Bengals managed to convert on 10 of 17 3rd down attempts however (59%), these figures dropped. So far this season, the defense has allowed 37% 3rd down conversion rate, a number will have to decline in order for the Giants to be successful down the road.

One area that is definitely not in question is the Giants' formidable pass rush. In the absence of Strahan and Umenyiora, New York's talented D-line has kept pace with last year's league-leading sack total, amassing 13 through 3 games, tying them for first in that category with the Eagles. The Giants have had 6 sacks in each of the last two games. DE Justin Tuck has emerged as a tremendous force, but to the surprise of some, it is DT Fred Robbins who currently leads the team with 4 sacks. DT Barry Cofield has also played exceptionally well in the middle, while DE Mathias Kiwanuka came on strong in Week 3 after nursing an ankle injury for the first few weeks.

Ouch...

The linebacker corps had the biggest overhaul this off-season, losing two players to free agency and one (Kiwanuka) to the D-line, and is still adjusting to its new personnel. Antonio Pierce remains in the middle and continues his solid play and leadership on the defensive unit. Newcomer Danny Clark is adjusting to the strong side position, and has shown some big play ability in the first few games, knocking down balls and making plays behind the line of scrimmage. On the other side, rookie Bryan Kehl and 3rd year player Gerris Wilkinson have been sharing duties at weak-side. They have shown signs of their athleticism but neither has yet to claim to the position with their play on the field.

The Giants' secondary has been solid. Both starting corner backs, Aaron Ross and Corey Webster have been playing outstanding football in this early part of the season. Ross has shown speed and strong fundamentals. He has amassed 17 tackles on the season to go with one pass defensed. On the side, Webster has been all over the field. Against the Bengals in Week 3, he had 8 tackles, one sack, a forced fumble, and one pass defensed. He has five passes defensed on the season, to go with 11 tackles.

Kevin Dockery has also played well at corner, racking up 15 tackles himself, however in the past few weeks he has missed a number of opportunities for turnovers and made a few mental errors in coverage. Turnovers are one area where the defense has struggled, producing only 1 through three games. Generating turnovers changes games and the Giants must improve in this category as the level of competition increases as the season goes on. The secondary will play a pivotal role in this area.

Elsewhere in the secondary, veteran Sam Madison returned to action in Week 3 after off-season hernia surgery and showed up to make the big play to the ball down on 3rd down in overtime. Madison played very well when healthy last year and I would look for him to see more action in the coming weeks. His eye for the ball and sense for the game should see him out there on 3rd downs and medium yardage situations.

At the other end of the age spectrum, rookie S Kenny Phillips is coming on strong, showing off his speed and his ability to deliver the big hit. If his development continues as many claim it can, the Giants will have a tremendous weapon at the position. Fellow rookie, Terrell Thomas has yet to see action with a hamstring injury. We will see if he can make an impact once he is healthy. He was practicing on a limited basis in Week 3. Perhaps the bye week will provide enough time for him to get healthy and on the field full time.

Can I Kick It?

Finally, special teams is not without its story lines too. 44 year old K John Carney was brought in as a temporary replacement for injured K Lawrence Tynes, NFC Championship hero and recipient of a multi-year deal from the Giants over the offseason. Carney has been superb, going 9 for 9 with two field goals of over 45 yards. He also kicked the game-winning field goal in overtime in Week 3. With Tynes now healthy and seemingly ready to go for Week 5's game against Seattle, Big Blue faces a dilemna as to whether or not to keep two kickers on the roster, and if they don't, who will be let go.

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There are many positive things to like about the Giants' performance so far this season. In this section we've taken a look at how the team stands up with the rest of the league, and how players have performed thus far. But football is not just about statistics and numbers; there are many intangibles and additional factors that come into play, as the Giants are well aware. In the next section we will put all of this into context, including a look at the impact of the early bye week and the NFC East, and assess what the Giants will need to do to continue their winning ways.

Continue to Part II...

Continue reading "Big Blue, the Bye and the Beast, Pt I: The Numbers"