New York Giants: Their Best Defense Was A Good Second Half Offense

From the desk of:   DO IT FOR THE DUKE

 

1985 Season - Phil Simms

Holds N.Y. Giants Record For

Most Passing Yards In A Single Game; 513 Yards

 

NEW YORK FOOTBALL GIANTS:  Sometimes The Best Defense is a Good Offense.  For The Times When There Is No Defense, Giants Turn To Eli.

 

My Top Three Concerns On Offense:

The Game That Was - Week Two

As far as the manner in which Tampa's Head Coach Greg Schiano decides to run his team, that's fine.  Just be consistent.  In my book, the Bucs need to pull that college stunt all season long now to justify themselves.  As far as the Giants were concerned on the play, I have but one massage for them - Assume nothing and prepare for everything.  If Tampa's defense was in their stance, the Offensive Line should have been prepared.  Twenty and twenty five years ago, this happened more frequently.  It's really no big deal.  Now as a Giants fan, what is there not to love about Coach Coughlin's response?  That's is one righteous dude.  And that's all I have on Schiano-Gate, for we have bigger and better things to tackle.


That was a close one.  But it was a game I saw coming.  Tampa almost beat the Giants the same exact way they defeated Cam Newton and the Panthers in Week One.  The only difference between this game for Tampa and last week's game against Carolina was.....Eli Manning.  After a miserable first quarter, and overall poor first half, Eli posted the second highest total passing yards in Giants history.  He fell just s few yards short of Phil Simms' club mark.  For Eli however, five hundred ten passing yards are a career best.


My top concerns on Offense revolve around continued dropped passes, David Wilson's recurring nightmare, and injuries.


Martellus Bennett, while making plays and scoring, is dropping big passes.  What started in Week One, continued in Week Two.  He will no doubt need to improve his receiving.  However, indications Bennett and Eli will make a strong connection remain strong.  Then there was the curious end-zone play designed for Will Beatty who was declared eligible on the play.  Eli's pass wasn't perfect.  However, his offering was too catchable for Beatty not to pull in.  Were not for mishandling the ball, the play would have went for an easy touchdown.


I saved the most glaring dropped pass for last.  On the Giants opening drive Dave Wilson dropped a loaf of bread placed perfectly into his basket by Eli Manning.  Of the three dropped passes mentioned here, I feel this was by far the most egregious.  Why?  Because Martellus Bennett still gets the benefit of the doubt; because the pass to Beatty was a gimmick play; and because David Wilson is an unproven rookie whom the Giants are overly dependent on since the departures of D.J. Ware and Brandon Jacobs.  And now that Ahmad Bradshaw suffered his first dent of the regular season, the Giants backfield situation and their reliance on Wilson is exacerbated.


One player's failure however, is another player's opportunity.  And in the case of Andre Brown, he hit the daily double.  After Ahmad Bradshaw went down in the first half with a neck injury, and with Wilson off pondering his existence somewhere on the sidelines, Andre stepped in and carried thirteen times and gained seventy one yards.  He also rushed for a touchdown.


While the arrival of Andre Brown is a nice story, David Wilson devolving before our eyes is a bigger story.  He is off to a most inauspicious NFL start.  In his first two games as a professional, he has both fumbled and dropped an easy pass, twice occurring within the opponent's twenty yard line.  He is yet to complete one full quarter of football without incident.  No..., rather he is yet to complete a half-quarter without incident.  That has to wear on one's confidence.  And I'm sure a taskmaster like Coach Coughlin is not making his rookie existence so pleasant right about now.  Where can this young man's mind set be at this moment?  The Giants situation still remains.  Big Blue needs David Wilson with a clear mind no later than Thursday night as Ahmad Bradshaw will be out versus the Panthers.


The MCL injury to David Diehl is also very concerning.  With Will Beatty already in the game, Sean Locklear was playing more Sunday afternoon, than he did all of last year.  Should Diehl miss significant time, an already thin Offensive Line will be pushed to its limits and talent.  Why beat around the bush?  In spite of my anxiety, they protected Eli superbly Sunday afternoon, allowing him to get off fifty one sack free attempts, and in effect helped propel Eli to pass for over five hundred yards.  They also regrouped, and created just enough daylight for Andre Brown to have a fine game.


Where would the Giants be without Hakeem Nicks?  And where exactly is his injured foot taking the Giants?  From Monday through Saturday, fans are made to believe Hakeem's injury is the worst thing that could befall a bi-pedal creature.  Then on Sundays, he hobbles to greatness.  But you can't like the way he limped around after one particular tackle around his ankles.  Making matters worse, Domenick Hixon will be out of Thursday's game with concussion symptoms.  I just finished saying last week how happy I was to see him back too.


Chalk Week Two up to Eli and a resurgent Offensive Line effort.  The Giants are 1-1 after two games.  The pressure of dropping to 0-2 have been narrowly averted.  All is well again.  There is nothing more to see here.  Go back to your farms now.  Thank you for your concern.  Move along.





Mike.BTB