BAL 33 NYG 14
In last week's recap, we talked about a simply embarrassing showing in ATL and noted that the Giants had too many of these games. Well, the Giants were undressed yet again, losing 33-14. Given that the last TD was in scrub time, the Giants have effectively been outscored 67-7 in the last 2 games. Not that these last two games were important or anything...
At the end of the half of both games I had a pretty good feel for whether the Giants could come back and make it a game. Early in the season vs TB, you can check my tweets for a certain amount of optimism and hope that permeated the 1st half and the game. They came back and won that contest. But there is not the same feeling right now. Why? Too many of the same themes we talked about last week:
- Eli is bad Eli right now. He is not making plays. He misses WRs when they have defenders beaten. He is not helping the team win ball games w any consistency at all.
- The DL is not getting a pass rush. Tuck is invisible (and did not dress due to an injured shoulder). JPP is not making impact plays. Osi is gone. And without a pass rush, it is so much easier to take 7 step drops and convert 3rd and 18 and 3rd and 20 backbreaking first downs.
- The Giants cannot stop the run. Memo to Jerry Reese: LBer still matters, and because RGIII is in your division for 2 games per year w that option run, you better upgrade LBer in a hurry. In this game, Rice carved up the Giants like a Xmas turkey.
- Gilbride's offense lives and dies by the X Wide Receiver. In 2008 it was wheels coming off once Plax went down. In 2012, the Giants offense took the gas pipe once Nicks became hobbled. Manning (see above) has not helped. But we do not see the adjustments that are needed when your X WR is no longer able to make the plays that an X is supposed to run. This NYG blog will not repeat for the 50th time what those adjustments need to be. Read the attached link for Nicks' own (pre-game) admission of what he cannot do this season.
Let's look at the bright side. No complaining about the red zone!
Let's talk for a moment or two about Corey Webster. CWeb is one of many reasons why the Giants have two Super Bowl rings. He took the opponent's X WR head on in 1-on-1 coverage on plenty of snaps over the past 5+ years. Down the stretch in 2007, he got matched on some of the best WRs in the game, like Randy Moss, Terrell Owens and Donald Driver. His pick of Favre in OT sealed a Super bowl appearance. And in 2011 he bent but did not break against weaker WRs. In 2008 he was a shutdown corner. So now that we are in 2012 and his career is in decline, we honor all that he has done for this franchise. If Terrell Thomas was healthy in 2011 and 2012 like maybe he could have been, perhaps TT would be drawing the tougher WR assignments and shielding CWeb from some of the abuse we see on days like today. But alas, that is not the case with this depleted corps that is playing rookie after rookie. So CWeb gets exposed. And while I am defending Webster's overall record, it does not help any of the Giants CBs here in 2012 that the DL pass rush is so anemic game after game. We salute you Corey Webster for two Giant SB rings.
There is one game left in the season. Some people think this can be 2007 or 2011. It is more like 2009. The Giants need a lot of help to get into the playoffs. The 2nd half of the season needs to be aired so that we understand the reality of the situation:
- After a 6-2 start, the Giants are 2-5 in the last 7 games.
- The road warriors are the road warriors no longer. They are 0-4 in their last 4 road games. They would be 0-5 if not for a misplaced finger by Dez Bryant. Yes, the last real significant road win was vs the Niners back in Week 6.
- BAL 533 yds NYG 186 yds
- The Eli "tired arm" gets more support, anecdotal or otherwise. He limped into the bye with QB ratings that descended from 87 to 79 to 58 to 41 to 56. After the bye, he posted a 114, 98 and 100, followed by a 39 and a 78 today which was padded by a late TD. He underthrew Randle on a big completion and he underthrew Hixon when Hixon had the BAL defense beaten.
- The Giants identity and resources are put behind its DL and their QB pressure. And the Offensive Line generally protects Eli more than adequately. This year the team only has +4 more sacks on Defense than the OL has given up. Last year that differential was +20.
- After allowing 533 yds, the NYG are unofficially the 29th ranked Defense as measured by yds per game (stats not updated on NFL.com)
A final thought. Just like in 2009, after this game Coughlin was at a loss for words or any understanding of why the ugly and uncompetitive defeats are occurring. His teflon will last as long as he wants it to. I just draw the line at these uncompetitive showings. I can accept narrow losses where the team shows up and fights. I cannot accept how this franchise can get embarrassed in must-win after must-win games. This is not the NY Jets. Yet the NY Giants are losing with less competitiveness than that dysfunctional franchise. We saw Rolle giving Fewell a few heated sentences on the sidelines late in today's game. I do not care that this team is one year removed from a Super Bowl. It is never an excuse for teflon. There is dysfunction when a team of this caliber is getting beaten so badly.
The writer of this article can not, on the one hand, blast the Giants for lack of defensive backs, linebackers, underperforming DLs and OLs while, in the same breadth, claim that this "caliber" of talent is dysfunctional. Either they are a playoff team that is "dysfunctional", OR the under-performance of the DLs (and OLs) this year were simply masking the lack of overall talent required to remain a play-off type team. It does not take a football expert to discern which is which.
@Straighttalk69When you lose 67-7, that is the divide that does not add up. Every team has injuries. The Giants may not be able to win the past two weeks, but we expect some fight. The Ravens were not exactly world-beaters themselves, having just fired their OC. Yet they ran over the Giants 533-186 yds (and the last bunch of Giants yardage was in garbage time). The lack of any competitiveness these past 2 weeks is what is dysfunctional.
The real problem was solely squared in on and that's the inept offense. The same offense that could've kept this game close yesterday and last week has been painful to watch. Think about it even against Atlanta and yesterday all we had to do was put points on the board in crucial situations and give our team a rest. In Atlanta it was the ever so easy drive until we get into the redzone or dead zone (as I like to call it with a Killdrive manned offense and a scottish bum for a kicker). As soon as we get down in the redzone against every team the last 2 months its run run pass or pass run pass. Also, we're not talking creative slants or draws or screens we're talking 3 step drops where eli either takes the brunt of the pressure and throws it into the dirt or its a failed pass to cruz or a hobbled nicks.
This last game yesterday even going down 14-0 we score its 14-7 we get a crucial defensive stop and just need to sustain a drive and put points on the board and Shitbride has to run wilson or AB into the teeth of the defense on first down and now its second and long and a pass is next. Then without a reliable receiver eli is not in rhythm and makes hard 3rd down passes. The coaches should've given the rookies more opportunities and benched Nicks to either rest or get better. After the first couple games back from the injury against the bucs every DC in the league knew Nicks was a decoy. I agree Barden was an A-hole for the Cromartie PI that lost us the sheagles game but he still had some great games while nicks was out. He could've been the X receiver we needed. I have a bad feeling the g men let him walk and someone like the pats or eagles pick him up and he becomes a stud. Regardless, the point is if we score there or even get a fg the game is totally different we are within 4 points, the defense gets more rest and the outcome of the game is changed.
The problem is the offense has never had that "no matter what'' threat of Cruz, 100% Nicks, and Manningham to score at any point in the game. Instead Eli looks lost and gilbride is punchless. He has made zero adjustments and for what its worth the cost of resigning Super Mario (3.2 mil/yr) and Jacobs(1 yr/ 1.6 mil) made too much sense for us to ignore them. Say what you want about Jacobs but he was a vocal leader and was one of the key cogs of last years run. Without those 2 we don't win a SB last year period. And for the 4.8 million it would've cost I'd gladly cut Canty's fat fucken ass or Pumpkin head Baas and still have change.
Still without the offensive threat and zero 2nd half of the season adjustments by Gilbride teams had us figured out like a book. ATL did delayed blitzes and didn't give up anything deep which easily worked to shut us out. A fat goose egg with all this talent. If anyone has to go its gilbride. Our defense at least showed up in the redzone. We just needed offense this year in some critical times and could never get that production. Steelers game, Redskins game, yesterday's game, the eagles game, dallas game both times. Inefficiency in the dead zone has killed this team. We've all said the Killdrive is a one trick pony. It all boils down to Nicks he hadn't been the same all year but especially after the drug dealing, gun toting 1st round bust scumbag aqib talib intentionally leg dropped Nicks knee in the Tampa Game he really hasn't done anything.
The biggest problem of all is Tynes. Old 45 yarder Tynes. His leg is weak. If you go back to my post from 2 years ago and even Andy's we stated Tynes would cost us at least 2 games that year. Turns out it may have been only one, but this year it was 3. Flat out 3 games and hurt any momentum in 5 other games. Could've hurt us against the saints had it not been for David Wilson. The Steelers, Redskins, and Eagles games were all losses that could've been rectified had it not been for a horrible kicker. He can't hit anything over 45 yards and that is pushing it. Think about that our division record would be 4-1 heading into this weeks game against philly and our record this year would be 11-4. We could rest our guys or play for a first round bye and home field advantage!! Makes me sick!
I don't agree that this is dysfunction and in need of a total revamp. I think you have a team that has been giving it their all for a number of years, often in this same situation, tough schedule, injuries, etc, and they've done about as well as can be hoped. I think this year it was fatigue. That's what I see when I hear them talk and watch them play. If you look at games people were complaining they needed to win, should win, Cinci for instance, was at their place and they had racked up some losses and they needed a win. Look at them now, playoff team. They're a very good team, pretty close to the Giants, great receivers, tough D. I swear, every game this year was against a tough opponent and many times it was a must win for them. Frankly, I got tired and wished we could just play Buffalo or KC or someone. I do think it's probably that some of our players have lost a bit, but they played into late January, had pre-season injuries and confusion, had the leagues toughest schedule and were the defending champs meaning everyone gets up for them. Let's see what Reese and the organization does. Fewell had this team hitting on all cylinders last year when they were near full strength, i don't think it's time to make a big change, but it probably is time to give up on some of the vets. Osi, Bernard, Canty. Most of their moves have been great. What have Manningham, Tollefson, Jacobs and Steve Smith done since leaving? Have faith everyone, the Giants will be back, but it does appear they have are going to have some holes to fill.
The last two weeks are inexplicable after crushing the 49ers in SF, giving GB their only loss in the last two months and beating NO. The Giants weak pass rush and no LB's exposed the banged up secondary. Webster looked like a rookie yesterday, not the guy we have seen in the past. Tuck is on the sideline and Osi was nowhere to be found. Baltimore's defense had been pourous the last few weeks, yet yesterday they looked like the Ravens of old manhandling the Giants all game.
The Giants need to do a lot of retooling over the winter and spring on both sides of the ball to match what is going on in their division and in the league. I believe with an infusion of youth and speed, they can remain competitive (Not too mention a real stud LB that they haven't had in years). Next year you will probably have another tough year in Philadelphia; it is hard to see the Cowboys becoming the class of the division and even with RGIII, the Redskins are stil a long way from being a great team. So, the Giants can still be quite competitive, but not if they come back without new blood, ready to play and compete the way we expect the Giants to compete. It will be an interesting offseason.
The only good thing about the last twoweeks s that I won'thave to shell out for playoff tickets! This team seems to gave gotten old and injured over night. Our early draft picks did not make an impact on the team and that is always a problem. It remains to be seen how good these players are or will become.
Absolutely. Perry Fewell and Kevin Killdrive need to go. No excuse for these uncompetitive showings. Ownership always preaches stability but this is the time for some changes...another thing to notice is that Reese needs to modify his drafting. He's had 18 picks in the first three rounds if you combine his six drafts. 6 of these picks, that's one out of three, have been at WR (Smith, Manningham, Nicks, Barden, Jernigan, Randle). No LBers, only Beatty on the OL. Seeing that Chad Jones never played a snap only Phillips at Safety. This definately needs to change
@moneyballnymWelcome moneyballnym. I like how you picked the first 3 rounds, because that is the meat of the draft, where you get the players that MUST stick and make an impact.
WR 6
DL 4
CB 4
S 2
OL, RB, TE, LB 1
The lack of prioritization of LB and OL jumps out at us. You are talking about ~33% of your starters getting 10% of the (coveted) resources. And it has reared its ugly head in the past two games. We get to have the "lookback option" on this one because we have been asking for draft picks at these positions for YEARS AND YEARS.
Wow. This team has disintegrated before our very eyes. I know they scored 14 instead of 0 but this was actually worse than the Falcon game, if such a thing is possible. The Ravens were reeling and we get 533-186? WTF? And, on a side note, the Giants cost me money. No, not on a bet, I bartend Sunday afternoons, and you never saw a crowd clear out as quickly as it did at halftime of this game. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around I was watching "Miracle on 34th Street" on AMC and no one that was left in the bar seemed to mind. (But I mean, how can you put Santa Claus in a looney bin? Put ME there, and let Kris Kringle do what he does best!) Oh well. At least I have my health. Merry Christmas everyone! Hug someone you love.
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Hit the nail on the head. It's not having some off games or some tough defeats that really gets you. It's these complete garbage uncompetetive showings, which seem just as likely as dominant wins under Coughlin. Correct on the Teflon too. The buzz is already that the whole staff ought to be safe due to 2011. I accept that Coughlin will stay. But Fewell needs to go, as does Killdrive (though that's probably a pipe dream as TC and Eli allegedly love him).
