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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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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Giants Wk. 4 Outlook: Light at the End of the Tunnel

(Giants' Steps takes stock of the Giants' injury prospects and reviews some Week 3 storylines.)

Before I say a word, let me preface this article with this:

KNOCK, KNOCK!

The Giants have been bombarded with injuries through the first three weeks of the season. They started off Week 4 with 11 players listed on the injury report, including key contributors DE Justin Tuck, WR Domenik Hixon and RT Kareem McKenzie, projected starters DT Chris Canty, CB Aaron Ross, and surprise addition RB Ahmad Bradshaw. Although it is the longest injury report of the season for Big Blue, things might actually be turning a corner on the injury front…

Speaking of Corners

In spite of the absence of one of last year’s starters, Ross, and last year’s primary nickleback, Kevin Dockery, the Giants secondary has been stellar in 2009. The Giants boast the league’s best pass defense, allowing only 124 yards per game through the air, and they are tied for fifth in the league in interceptions with 5. Perhaps most impressive, they’ve done it with only three healthy corners.

Corey Webster has continued to build off of a Pro Bowl-caliber season in 2008. He consistently shuts down the opposing team’s primary target. His tip-toe sideline interception in Week 1 was one of the sickest picks I’ve ever seen. Second year man Terrell Thomas continues to mature with every passing week. His coverage skills are very impressive and as his awareness develops, this will only lead to more turnovers. Rookie FA Bruce Johnson has been one of the best surprises of this young season. And then there were four:

What's up Dock?

With a full week of practice under his belt, Dockery is expected to return to the mix against KC. The defensive backfield has been outstanding at about 60% strength. How good can it be at 75%? At 90%? Opposing offenses are about to find out.

Is the Giants Passing Attack About to Get More Dangerous?

While some savvy Giants fans may have predicted the team’s pass defense would shine in 2009 (author included), I don’t know that any realist could have anticipated the success Eli Manning and company have enjoyed with the passing attack. The Giants’ QB has been stellar in the early stretch of the season, completing 65 percent of his passes, with 5 touchdowns, 1 interception and the third best QB rating in the league at 104.1.

His targets have been equally superb, despite two of the top four wide receivers missing time. The two – Hakeem Nicks and Hixon – appear poised to return this week. In their absence, Steve Smith and Mario Manningham have become the top receivers in the NFC. Smith leads the way with 277 yards, and Mannigham is close behind with 263. Both players have caught two touchdown passes through three games.

Nick flashed speed and play-making ability in the pre-season.

Inject first round pick Nicks, who led the league in receiving yards during the pre-season, and the steady Hixon back into the fold, and I don’t know that defenses will know where to focus their energies at the position.

The 36-5

When the Giants finished massacring Tampa Bay last week, with LG Rich Seubert on the sidelines with a sore shoulder and RT Kareem McKenzie in the locker room with a knee sprain, it appeared an impressive streak might be in jeopardy for the most consistent offensive line in football.

A major piece of the Giants’ successes in recent years has been the fact that the same five men have started 35 consecutive regular season games. With Seubert not even on the injury report Week 4 and McKenzie practicing fully all three days, the legend of the “Iron Line” grows…

Kenny Phillips Elects Surgery

While the line manages to stay on the field, there was some off-the-field news from Giants Land this week. Safety Kenny Phillips, placed on IR last week, underwent successful micro-fracture surgery on Tuesday. He broke the news on his blog.

Phillips will not be allowed run to for at least four months, but he was back at the Meadowlands for treatment on Thursday. Phillips feels extremely confident he will be back on the field ready to go next season. He is already able to put weight on the knee and claims he is feeling no pain. Encouraging signs – attitude and physical indications both – for the young Giants play-maker’s recovery.

Getting Stronger

Bradshaw, Tuck and McKenzie are all slated to play Sunday, and Dockery, Nicks and Hixon could all return to action as well. Rookie LB Clint Sintim has been getting increased reps and should be back very soon. The upcoming games against the Chiefs and Raiders are critical for the younger players, and those that haven’t seen the field in a while, to get reps in before a very difficult four-game stretch against playoff caliber teams.

The Giants have been impressive in spite of the injuries, but with this current crop returning to the field, it’s about to go up a notch. The tunnel is long, but there appears to be light ahead…for the Giants at least.

Other teams? They won’t see light…just blue.

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Giants 3 - 0
Sack Count: 3
Take-away Count: 7

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GSTV Graphics Teaser

Hi everyone. I'm just checking in quickly to share some of the new graphics I hope to use in upcoming episodes of GSTV with you. I admit, I spend far too much time messing around with video editing software, but on the bright side, I might actually be getting decent at it...

This is the first video I've directly uploaded to the blog and not just embedded from YouTube. Check it out below...

Please let me know what you think!

I will be back Friday with a look at the Giants' injury situation heading into Week 4's contest in Kansas City. Looking forward to a great game for Big Blue, and another chance for the G-men to showcase their dominance!

Go Giants!

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Giants 3-0
Sack Count: 3
Take-away Count: 7

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