N.Y.Giants ~ Aftermath of Game One

From the desk of:  DO IT FOR THE DUKE




NEW YORK GIANTS FOOTBALL:  Redskins Scalp Big Blue's Season Opener.  And There Was Something Eerily Similar About This Game.

The Overall Lack of Usage and Disappearance of Brandon Jacobs in the Second Half was Inexcusable!


Alarmingly, already in Week One, I noticed there is something disturbingly; critically; and extremely vital; missing from the Giants offensive play-book that without it, the balance of Big Blue's season may find itself in Big Blue trouble; more-so than with the problems they already have in-hand with regard to injuries. 


RE: - The pages of Coach Gilbride's Book-o-Wisdom lacked the updated amendment titled;
Changes in Philosophy; issued over the winter by a one; Head Coach - Tom Coughlin.


I don't want to pick on Coach Gilbride.  But you know what they say; - If you're not being talked about, it's because you're probably doing something right.  But Coach seems to beg for criticism.  And who am I not to give him what he wants?


Brandon Jacobs rushed the ball six times Sunday.  Six!...I said.  He rumbled for a long of fourteen yards and rushed for a total of twenty-nine; good for a 4.8 yards per carry.  Imaginatively, of those rushes came on a 2nd down and 18 to go...!  C'MON Gilbride!  Really?  Now get this.  Brandon Jacobs touched the ball exactly once in the entire second half.  He rushed one time in the third quarter and never touched pigskin again.  


Ahmad Bradshaw rushed four times in the third quarter and caught one ball out of the backfield.  In the fourth quarter, he touched the ball...one time.  In total, Ahmad Bradshaw ran for forty-four yards on thirteen carries; with a touchdown.  Between the two backs, they carried the ball nineteen times. And just for argument sake, they caught one ball each out of the backfield.  As I've explained, the majority; if not all of their day's work came in the first two quarters of the game.


Gilbride however, called Eli's number thirty-two times.  And Manning responded with eighteen completions for 248 yards passing; quite pedestrian (...it was).  And of course, there was Eli's batted ball which went for a pick-6 that happened deep in their own end; something everyone will be frothing at the mouth this week for a chance to air their spew on the talk-shows about.  But what I'd ask Eli if given the chance is, - What the hell is he so scared of?  Eli looks like Gregory Hines sometimes when he starts tap-dancing in the pocket.


In the 2nd quarter, the Giants orchestrated a good old fashioned Giant-like drive.  In 4:44 minutes, they marched eighty-five yards on eight plays capped off by Ahmad Bradshaw's touchdown run.  During that drive, Gilbride called four passing plays, and four running plays.  The ground selections went for +4 and a first down; +3 yards; +14 yards to make it 1st and Goal to go; and lastly Bradshaw's scamper from the two yard line.  That made the score 14-7 Giants.


It was afterwards that Eli suffered his pick-6 and things started to go south for the Giants.


There are many topics to tackle regarding Sunday's game.  Gilbride is one of my most worrisome matters.  But there is still the Special Teams who had a punt blocked and seem to be the same troubled unit they were last season.  And the Defense?  Well, they have many many issues.  The Defensive problems and other pending matters will have to be dealt with in another posting.


I'm on it.





Mike.BTB