N.Y. GIANTS ~ Jacobs and Big Blue Rumble Over 'Skins

NEW YORK FOOTBALL GIANTS:  How Is It That I Am Upset After A Dominant Victory Over A Division Rival Which Kept Us Tied For First Place? 

ASK Coach GILBRIDE!!

I could be happier about this win.  And don't get me wrong; I am happy and quite relieved (for a few days).  But following me, you'd know I expected this outcome.  The Eagles won last Thursday night and the Giants needed to match it.  So, Mission accomplished.

Woo Hoo!

Now, can someone explain to me what my egomaniac Offensive Coordinator, Kevin Gilbride suffers from?  Or did I just answer my own question?  The interception Eli Manning threw in the end-zone during that second quarter drive is on Kevin Gilbride, not Eli!!  What the hell was he calling a pass play for?  It was a bad decision to fling that ball and Eli did another one of those throw and protect yourself  by turning away from the play passes.  I saw it; I know it; Bad decision Eli.  But, the Giants had been running with fury, like they stole trinkets and beads from the Redskins' sideline.  The 'Skins had no answer for the running game and the field was too crowded inside the five yard line.  At the time the Giants were up 14-0.  And then, there went Coach Gilbride showing off again!  What a bad spot for that call.

In that drive, Brandon Jacobs, who was already over 50 yards to that point, put his head down and plowed his way forward for a first down.  He gained another first down shortly after, which just happened to be the 4000th rushing yard of his career.  He was averaging 12 yards a carry, finding holes and running with power.  Even Eli was on the run.  He rolled right on one pass play and hit TE-Pascoe soon after connecting with a pass to Derek Hagan for another Giant first down.  Another pair of rushes by Ahmad Bradshaw got us a first down where the Giants now had 1st and Goal to-go inside the FIVE.  It was then Coach Gilbride struck and called for the Giants' 31st turnover of the season; good for #1 in the NFL.

Why pass there?  You keep running the damn ball until the other teams proves they can stop it!  C'MON!

Additionally, after a first half performance resulting in 6 carries and 74 freakin' yards gained, Coach Gilbride all but made Brandon Jacobs disappear.  For most of the third quarter Coach Gilbride abandoned the run!
At the 6:36 mark of the third quarter, Brandon Jacobs touched the ball for only the second time in the second half and rumbled for 28 yards and another Giants touchdown.  It was Jacobs' 2nd scoring run of the day.  But just prior to that during this same drive, at the 7:00 mark, Gilbride dialed up another pass that nearly got picked off again.  A Washington penalty gave us the first down and it was then, when Jacobs rumbled in for the touchdown.  THAT was the last time we saw Brandon Jacobs!  Eight carries?

In the fourth quarter, the ball was still being thrown unnecessarily with a 28-7 lead.

AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS A PROBLEM WITH THIS?



BIG BLUE ~ Take Two:
NEW YORK FOOTBALL GIANTS Over-Power Docile Washington Redskins.  Maintain Share Of First Place.

BIG BLUE who needed a big win this week went out and won in a Big Blue way. 

They weren't going to get any help from the Packers, Bears, Falcons or the Saints Sunday afternoon.  All those teams would win their games.  It seems only the Bucs cease to factor in Giant plans now after a loss to Atlanta.  With G-Men destiny still firmly in G-Men hands the Giants needed to help themselves Sunday to keep it that way.

They did.

The Redskins were served notice early and often that Sunday would be a long, cold day for them.  The Giants scored on their first two possessions, sputtered on their third, and had 1st down and goal on their 4th possession before Coach Gilbride dialed-up an (Eli) interception in the end zone. 

We are all looking for the healthy returns of Hakeem Nicks and Steve Smith.  But all we needed was for ELI and the passing game to keep the defense honest and make them respect it. This game would be a running game. That's what I believed before the game and that's basically what we got with all Coach Gilbride's excesses aside.  Eli wasn't called upon to win this game for us.  That type of plan wasn't necessary for the Redskins.  But yes, Eli and Gilbride will be asked to win us games on their own, sometime during the rest of the season and maybe even the playoffs.  It's just....   aw-forget it!




BIG BLUE ~ Take Three:
NEW YORK FOOTBALL GIANTS Run To Daylight With Power.

The running game as we know, supplied the Giants' Offense with everything they needed for a successful afternoon.  That's what December Football is all about; Power Football.

Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs ran "Hog"-wild over the Redskins to the tune of 200 yards and four touchdowns; scoring two apiece.

*Brandon Jacobs had his first 100 yard rushing game since 2008.
*Brandon Jacobs surpassed 4000 yards rushing for his career.
*Ahmad Bradshaw became the 8th back in Giants' history to gain 1,000 yards in a season.

He didn't fumble but I still see him not securing the ball properly.  Regardless, Ahmad Bradshaw played game-horse, getting the majority of the carries and amassing 97 yards rushing.  While I chose to rail against Coach Gilbride for above stated reasons, it was Brandon Jacobs himself who claimed to be pushing for Ahmad to continue getting the carries, as Jacobs hoped Ahmad could also gain 100 yards rushing for the day.  Bradshaw fell three yards short but he made his running-mate very proud while achieving a piece of Giants' history in the process.



Big Blue ~ Take Four:
BRANDON JACOBS - Who's Your Big Blue Daddy?

Come to Papa!!

Brandon Jacobs piled everyone into the back of his Big Blue Mack Truck, and drove home a victory of Giant proportion.  Like a son who did his Pop proud, Brandon ran with power towards daylight and gave credence to everything I've been saying about him all year.

I don't quite understand the reluctance to stand by him...again, as fans.  We spit-shined, polished him and showed him off to everyone, once, like he was "SWEDE" from "Heartbreak Ridge".  He used to be referred to as "Our Bully".  We loved it and him,once, when he menaced defenses.  We rode that TRUCK all the way to Green Bay for a Championship Game.  Then we won a Super Bowl.  Then he held out.  Then he was hurt.  Then we thought he was done.  The he found himself out of our hearts.  Then he had a little attitude flare-up early this season.  Then we thought he was out of his mind.  Then rumors swirled he wanted to be traded.  Then we told him to get lost.

Then he emerged as one of the most important Giants as we move forward.

Well, you can't have it like that!  I never shared those perspectives and I never treated him that way.  That's a fact.

It's time Giants Fans, to again bring Brandon Jacobs into your bosoms and show him love.  He's done everything to earn it.

That's right Brandon ~ Come to Papa.  Who's had your back since WEEK ONE? 

I have.



Big Blue ~ Take Five:
Who Had Donovan McNabb's Back?  The G-Men Did!

Donovan McNabb wished someone had his back; someone other than Jason Pierre-Paul of the Giants that is.  The latest member drafted into the BIG BLUE Brigade had himself an afternoon that gets talked about.  That's what you get in this town.  Tell 'your mom' to sew those two sacks on your sleeve permanently.  That was a hell of a day you had.  Well done.

Like the rest of the Defensive effort; Very Well Done.....But not Great.

Donovan McNabb still passed for over 300 yards and had so many more dropped passes work against him and the 'Skins.  Six turnovers will also destroy the best laid plans.  At one point, I rubbed my eyes a few times because I could have sworn I was looking at a Prevent Defense when the 'Skins scored their lone touchdown.

However, the Giants practically limited all yards after catch superbly.  The Giants also completely shut down the Washington running game limiting them to a total of 74 yards on the ground.  And they in fact, inflicted all those turnovers.  Of course, there are the Giants' four sacks.  We can't forget those.

An otherwise great performance was marred by how easily McNabb can pick apart our secondary.  And again, you can't let the dropped passed go under-spoken.  The defensive unit got a tiny bit complacent in the third quarter, but as part of something bigger that impeded the Giants as a whole all quarter long; namely, themselves.

And on that note, Justin Tuck appears to be doing everything he can, in words and deeds, trying to make sure the G-Men play Big and Blue.  He just may have charged himself with making sure the Giants don't slip off the NFC Playoff slope.

December can do that.  It gets slippery out there if you're not careful.



Next up:  NYGiants Offensive Line.


Mike.BTB