New York Giants: Big Blue M*A*S*H Unit

From the desk of:   DO IT FOR THE DUKE

NEW YORK GIANTS FOOTBALL: As The Injuries Keep Mounting, Beware The Browns.


The Giants injury list is as long as lines around Foot Locker for Jordan re-issues - which is to say, ridiculous.  In order of which injury I believe are most crucial to Giants success to the least worrisome injury, I cite the status of Michael Boley, Kenny Phillips, Rocky Bernard, Jayron Hoseley, Keith Rivers, Chris Snee, Hakeem Nicks, David Diehl, Ramses Barden, and David Bass as the most troublesome.


If last season taught us anything, is that without Michael Boley, everything breaks down.  He is the unsung glue which keeps the defense together and functioning as one.


Kenny Phillips was off to his best start.  He is one of the team's best tacklers.  Most importantly, the Giants simply can not sustain any more injuries to the secondary.  Ditto goes for Jayron Hosely.  Corey Webster might as well be hurt; which he is, sporting a cast on his hand.  His season has been terrible thus far.


Losing Rocky Bernard would be huge.  The Giants are already minus Chris Canty at defensive tackle.  Philly killed the Giants primarily on cut-backs.  Otherwise, Rocky Bernard and Linval Joseph have been pretty solid plugging up the middle.


Keith Rivers concerns me because I'm starting to question if this guy will ever stay on the field.


In place of Chris Snee and David Diehl, Mitch Petrus now gets an opportunity to show last season was no fluke.  He provided the O-Line with a spark last season.  Let's see if he can do that again.  Sean Locklear hasn't become a problem.  So I guess that is a good thing.


Hakeem Nicks we knew about.  Now, third string Ramses Barden is out as well.


This much is certain.  No one feels sorry for the defending Super Bowl champions.





Mike.BTB

N.Y. Giants: On Kevin Gilbride, and an Offensive Line Preview

From the desk of:   DO IT FOR THE DUKE

NEW YORK GIANTS FOOTBALL:

It Is Time To Give Coach Kevin Gilbride His Due Praise.

Previous Post ~ Eli Manning Is Now Beyond The Coach

Offensive Line Preview

I give.  I know when I've been defeated.  Therefore, I here-by cease and desist my yearly vitriol and caustic attacks against the Giants offensive ring master.  While that's not entirely true, he does deserve the benefit of the doubt from now on.  Kevin Gilbride is entering his seventh season as Offensive Coordinator.  And while under his directive, Big Blue's Offense launched dual Super Bowl efforts over the New England Patriots; make that Bill Belichick's Patriots.



Damn!  Kevin Gilbride never left me short for subject matter.  But what can I say now?



Regardless of my Bill Parcell's era philosophy and belief in Smash Mouth Football, Kevin Gilbride's implementation of the running game is no longer up for discussion.  But not because of the former QB's insistence with passing the ball, and because of his history orchestrating the Run-and Shoot.  But because the way the Giants traditionally run the ball is now in flux.



Not only is the Giants' All-Time rushing touchdowns leader; Brandon Jacobs; gone to San Francisco, welcome to year two of reconstructing of the Offensive Line.  Last season, GM Jerry Reese decided to part ways with Shaun O'Hara and Rich Suebert.  This season, Kareem McKenzie was hacked from the Giants once record-setting Offensive Line.  I personally thought the seven year Giants Right Tackle was coming off one his best seasons.  The anemic Giants running game experienced its most success last season rushing to the right side between McKenzie, and Chris Snee.  But the Giants enjoyed even more success running outside Right Tackle; that being Kareem McKenzie.  For the moment, he remains an unsigned free agent.  But then again, with regards to the running game, the Giants rushed the ball dead last in Football last season.  So anything is fair game at this point.



That leaves two members of the famed Offensive Line left; David Diehl, and the already mentioned, Chris Snee.  David Diehl continues to get ping-ponged back and forth between the left and right sides of the line, as well as from Tackle to Guard.  Which will it be this season?  We'll see.  The plan was to have him take Kareem McKenzie's spot on the right side.  But for the moment, that remains to be seen.  Entering his tenth season, he will turn thirty-two years old once the season starts.  While still a very good lineman, it seems logical he will be the next player to get replaced.



Chris Snee continues to play at an All-Pro level.  He turned thirty in January, so there is still a lot of football remaining in this kid.  Entering his ninth season, the Giants Right Guard was perhaps the team's best run blocker last season.  When the Giants needed daylight, they looked between Snee and McKenzie.  Snee will now have a new partner on his right side this season.



To Chris Snee's left, will be returning Center, David Baas.  I rode him hard last season.  To be fair, there was an adjustment period for him, he played through a neck injury, and dealt with some minor issues.  But he finished strong, and played very well in the NFC Championship Game against his former team, the San Francisco 49ers.  I still feel he is undersized.  But if he plays the way he did down the stretch last season, he may yet turn into a bright spot on the Line.



The biggest questions for the Giants Offensive rest on the left side.  At Left Tackle, Will Beatty is supposed to finally take over.  His eye injury last season necessitated David Diehl's shift to Left Tackle.  So it stands to reason, Will's health this season will go a long way towards determining the Offensive Line's continuity and stability.   Now that he's back, Beatty is charged with protecting Eli Manning's blind side.  I'm not exactly overwhelmed with confidence he can.  Will Beatty is more of a technique and finesse player.  I'm concerned how well he can handle brute force and ignorance on the end.  But that was the plan last year, and remains so this year.  Will Beatty is no stranger to Giants fans.  And he's proved to be a very capable player before, despite my reservations.



Left Guard is perhaps the largest question mark of the Offensive Line.  What is certain, the position will have a new starting player.  Whether Mitch Petrus wins the job, or Kevin Boothe proves best, will be determined over the pre-season.  In either case, I am comfortable with the Giants' options.  I especially like Mitch Petrus, who provided an instant spark in the running game last season, when David Baas went down with an injury, and the Line shifted, creating a spot for Petrus at Left Guard.  That's when Kevin Boothe filled in at Center very admirably.  Kevin Boothe however, is the favorite this season to win the Guard job.  And that's fine with me.



Who will be backing up the forward ranks remains to be seen.  Jim Cordle I'm certain will make the team.  Sean Locklear is becoming an increasingly important back-up player on the left side.  James Brewer returns from last season but still has much to prove.  And rookie Brandon Mosely just might play his way onto the team.



As a unit, the Offensive Line returns with familiar names.  There is a continuity factor that should work in the Giants favor.  Good health can only make this unit better.  Despite last season's rushing numbers, this unit can be very good.  But after Mitch Petrus, the Giants start to suffer from a  considerable lack of depth.


A greater conversation incorporating the backfield follows next.





Mike.BTB

N.Y. Giants ~ Super Sizing The Offensive Line

From the desk of:   DO IT FOR THE DUKE  ~  Super Bowl XLVI Edition

NEW YORK GIANTS FOOTBALL:     Should Big Blue Consider an Offensive Line Shake-Up for the Super Bowl?  It Wouldn't Be a Risky Move and Might Make a BIG Difference.


Lets call out the Offensive Line last week for what it was; Bad - if not downright woeful.  From the four quarter-plus disappearance of the Running Game, to the woeful pass protection last week, the O-Line's performance was a total fail in almost every sense other than the final score.  I'm willing to give the San Francisco Niners a large portion of credit for their own performance last Sunday.  They backed up their well earned reputations as a stout, smart, stingy, and hard hitting Defense.  They relentlessly beat and battered Eli Manning all game long and at times overwhelmingly manhandled the Giants up front.  But aside from the 49ers due credit, the fact remains, The O-line was near disastrously out-played.  Only Eli's durability and resiliency and ability to throw in the rain while under duress saved their hides in San Francisco.




The entire starting five were all equally ineffective Sunday.  Collectively, the Offensive Line couldn't push a refrigerator, much less part the Niners Front Line for the running game.  Pass Rushers were getting lost on stunts and hitting Eli unabated at times.  The middle, consisting of Center David Baas; Kevin Boothe to the Left; and Richard Snee to the Right; got pushed open like swinging kitchen doors at a popular lunch time diner.  And the edges with David Diehl on the Left and Kareem McKenzie on the Right, allowed pocket protection to bend in on itself like a pretzel.




After each and every QB hit and through six sacks allowed, they could have done more as a group to shove red jerseys away from Eli after whistles had long blown.  This game is all about attitude and about being tougher up front.  Sometimes you take a yellow flag to send a needed message.  Even a guy like Coughlin can appreciate that.  As O-Linemen, you can't let opposing players hover over your QB like teams have this season.  David Diehl did some pushing back Sunday.  But I hardly saw it from the others.




Left Tackle David Diehl was having an increasingly tougher time as the last three games wore on.  Against the Falcons, Coach Gilbride gave the lion's share of responsibility for the running game to the right side of the Line leaving Diehl to merely worry about Eli's blind side.  Against the Packers, Gilbride changed up and went left side intensive with the run game.  Diehl delivered consistent however short positive yardage.  And his pass blocking slipped a bit.  Then this last Sunday, Eli thankfully didn't suffer any blind-side hits.  But Diehl will still have to take his share of blame for pass protection that fell apart in San Francisco.




Ditto goes for Right Tackle Kareem McKenzie.  He's had a tremendous season but played as bad a game as he's had all year.  Kareem's man too often came free on Eli's front side but the QB hung in there anyway knowing the hit was coming.  Moving forward against New England, I'm sure last Sunday was just an aberration coupled with the heat San Francisco was generating.  I trust David Diehl, Chris Snee, and Kareem McKenzie in particular, will all have a much better game in two weeks against an old foe.  The Giants best running has come off the Tackles this season.  And in two weeks, they'll be needing to go with what works best.




With that said, we must once again revisit the Giants situation at Center.  This is the Super Bowl we're talking about here.  Which means I could care less how much David Baas costs Jerry Reese.  Shaun O'Hara is not here anymore and so the fact remains, his replacement is the smallest and weakest link in the Offensive Line.  The loss of Will Beatty earlier in the season is not the biggest factor affecting the Offensive Line.  Instead that gave Mitch Petrus an opportunity to show he can be effective.  The biggest factor affecting the Line actually turns out to be a lack of size at Center.  The former 49er did not come to New York and perform as advertised.




I'm sorry.  I've been picking on him for a while.  But it is what it is.  Not surprisingly to me, Center Davis Baas had the worst game of the bunch Sunday.  Go back to your DVR's and see for yourself.  Additionally, I do not believe his printed bio-stats.  They don't match the player.  Just look at him.  When you watch him break the huddle, he's the smallest player of any Giant Offensive Lineman, not to mention of any opposing defensive lineman.




Regardless, heading into this last game against New England, I have but this one question:  How well can David Baas play against New England's Defensive Tackle Vince Wilfork?  My answer is he doesn't match up well at all.  As a matter of fact, the match up down right scares me considering the disruption Wilfork can create up the middle.  More importantly, solutions should no longer go ignored.  The Giants must run the ball behind the Right again and at least open up the middle as best they can; especially since they have the personnel in hand to do it.  And therefore, this is my last big push for Kevin Boothe to start at Center, and for Petrus to start at Left Guard.  It's warranted because of the results they've produced before, and because it wouldn't at all be a risky move.  They've played well together in Baas' absence this season.




If this sounds harsh, it still rings true; David Baas has been an utterly useless run blocker and has exhibited only descent (...to good) pass blocking skills.  What he has excelled at however, is bringing the running game to a grinding halt!  He does a better job keeping a guy in place on pass blocking than he does pushing his man forward on the run.  And that's why any Daylight that once existed up the middle has now been blocked-up by a human wall.  Chris Snee and Kevin Boothe have been left to pick up his slack and as a result the running gaps between the Guards have disappeared; not just recently, but all season.  This has for long been the condition with Baas starting at Center.




There was a moment in Sunday's game when Baas was taken out of action due to a temporary injury.  Mitch Petrus was slotted into Left Guard, while Kevin Boothe slid over to Center.  For starters, Boothe gave Eli better snaps.  David Baas' snaps were consistently low all game long.  How many times did we watch Eli in the shot-gun crouching down to receive snaps?  Then with big Mitch Petrus in at Guard, for a few plays at least, the running game found yardage up the middle; just as it did in mid-season when David Baas missed several games.




I'm not wishing harm on the guy by no means.  But I am guilty of believing David Baas leaving the game was a good thing for the Giants' run game as Petrus and Boothe have been played far more effectively together on the left side than when Baas plays to Kevin Boothe's right.  Both Boothe and Petrus are additionally quite larger than the smaller Baas.  And I find it ponderous much of this has gone largely unspoken about.




Just so as to leave off on a more positive note, Gilbride finally remembered most of the Giants' success running the ball this season has been to the right side behind Snee and McKenzie.  In overtime, they created some room for Ahmad Bradshaw just in the nick of time.  And on that note, my next posting will concern the Running Game and Kevin Gilbride's odd; bizarre; and gross mishandling of the running game....AGAIN!  The Giants' running backs themselves are at the bottom of the list of things wrong with the rushing game.  If you follow my blog, you know what I'm talking about.  I've already provided all the numbers supporting Gilbride's confounding mis-management.




Lucky for them, Eli made everyone look great last Sunday.







Mike.BTB

N.Y. Giants ~ A Big Line of Contention

From the desk of:   DO IT FOR THE DUKE

NEW YORK GIANTS FOOTBALL:   Big Blue Thinks Running Game is "All Right" by Them.


POST:  Victory Over Atlanta; a N. Y. Reintroduction to Giants Football




Hark!  What romp through yonder gridiron breaks?  It is the rush, as Chris Snee and Kareem McKenzie continue to be the sun.  For there is an abundant supply of Daylight on the right side of the Giants' Offensive Line.




Duh!




For whatever consecutive weeks now (excuse me..., all season long), the Giants have done their best running behind the right side of the Line.  Between Right Guard Chris Snee and on either side of Right Tackle Kareem McKenzie,  Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw continue to find big holes and proceed to rush through them with power.  It's the other side of the O-Line that has slowed the running game down, and the quagmire started at Center, not with Left Tackle Will Beatty.





If you've been following DO IT FOR THE DUKE - You know the following things:

*  Ever Since David Baas lost time due to concussion symptoms, and the Offensive Line was reconfigured with Mitch Petrus at Left Guard, and Kevin Boothe sliding over to center, I have begged, if not screamed to keep that combination together.

*  You know I've been harping about the Giants' inability to run the ball off-Center when David Baas plays.  Problem is, he's the free-agent big money import.  He's going to play.

*  And you also know I've long been saying the Giants have had their most success running the ball this season behind Chris Snee, and Kareem McKenzie, who incidentally is having a phenomenal season run blocking.





While David Baas continues to get a free pass by the real people who cover the team, or others who just write about Football professionally, they've finally stumbled upon the fact the Giants run the ball very well behind Snee and Big Mac.  As if.




For starters, these are the same experts who long ago pronounced Brandon Jacobs a has-been.  They mocked his supposedly depleted ability to run a football, and continually pointed to the fact the Giants owned the worst running game in the League without knowing why, other than to wildly blame Jacobs; harp on the dicier aspects of his personality; and to simply say the O-Line has been horrible.  I swear, if some people on the radio didn't read the papers as show prep, they'd have less than a clue as to what they were talking about.  But I guess it's playoff time now and so they actually have to take their ride off cruise control as Giants football is the only talk in town right now (...along with the Rangers that is!).  And low and behold, they saw how well the Giants ran behind the right side of the Line.




I think to myself sometimes  -  I do this for fun?  And I have to remind myself  -  Yes, I do.  Never-the-less, it's time to kick this conversation up a notch being as the locusts will be looking for more to much on.  You like apples guys?  Try these apples.




Here's the proof in the pudding that validates everything I've railed about this season regarding the running game and about who should be, or not be playing on the Offensive Line:

Versus Atlanta....

*  The Giants rushed LEFT nine times for thirty-one yards.   3.4 average gain.

*  The Giants rushed UP THE MIDDLE eight times for thirty-one yards.   3.4 average gain.

*  The Giants rushed RIGHT thirteen times for one hundred-one yards.   7.8 average gain.




On the Left, David Diehl was up against John Abraham.  Remember he slid over from Guard to play Left Tackle again, due to the original injury to Will Beatty that necessitated adjustments to the line.  Diehl had his hands full Sunday.  He was called for two uncharacteristic holding penalties that are occurring a little more frequently lately.  Diehl allowed Abraham to record the only Atlanta sack of the game but only let him touch Eli one other time. 




Run Blocking however, the Left side of Diehl and Kevin Boothe at Guard was the only portion of the Line to give up plays for negative yardage; - Minus two yards a pop, twice.  Then tack on two more plays that went for No Gain.




Up the Middle, David Baas' pass protection was solid.  But four more rushing plays went for No Gain!  And one holding penalty highlighted David Baas' day.  However the math speaks for itself.  To the Left of Center there were six plays that went for No Gain and two more plays went for negative yardage.  While to the Right, there was only one play that resulted in No Gain.  When Mitch Petrus played Guard and Boothe was at Center, that tar pit in the middle solidified and became firm running ground again.  Very simply, Boothe and Petrus are both bigger than Baas.  And Diehl, Petrus, and Boothe played much more cohesively together in Baas' absence than with him.




The Right side needed no such help from Center.  First a quick mention that Chris Snee was also called for a penalty.  That made four of the seven Giants' penalties against the O-Line.  But back to run blocking, the only play that went for No Gain occurred during the Giants' very first possession of the game.  And of course, this side of the Line was where all the Daylight was.





Of the Giants' running plays that went for fives yards or more, here is your break down:

*  LEFT - Three Plays ~ eight yards; eight yards; fourteen yards.

* MIDDLE - Two Plays ~ ten yards; fifteen yards.

* RIGHT - Four Plays ~ thirty four yards; thirty yards; seven yards; nine yards.  And they didn't need any help from Center.





The Giants pulled the Guard and Tackle on many plays which was another nice wrinkle by Kevin Gilbride.  Coach pulled them from Left to Right knowing where his bread was getting buttered.  And I'll also credit him for the creativity.  But none of that would have been necessary if the free agent Center was watching on the sidelines.  I'm not calling him a scrub.  He's not.  Maybe he needed a season to acclimate, and deal with injury.  I'm just saying there was an O-Line combination that over three games showed themselves to be more effective at running the ball.




Don't let last game fool you.  Don't you think the Packers figured this out about the Giants by now?  And that they'll be planning for it?  Granted, I think we'll be able to run the ball effectively against them regardless, just as we've been able to for a few weeks now.  But I'd like the Giants to take the step towards strengthening that Left side.  A large part of Smash Mouth is not necessarily about play selection and schemes, so much it's about being stronger than the guy in front of you.




Looking back with an eye on next Sunday, maybe..., if we're running the ball well, Eli throws one less pass against Green Bay the last time we played and doesn't get an interception returned for a touchdown.  Maybe if we were running the ball better and letting a pounding running game have an accumulative effect and getting first downs in the fourth quarter, we don't kick the ball back to Green Bay with too much time on the clock.  Then they don't return said kick to midfield and set themselves up for an easy field goal and the win.




Eli's Big Blue Ariel Crew has already demonstrated they can score against Green Bay.  The Giants can not only score against Green Bay's defense, they can perhaps score often against them.  But without a sound and powerful running game, we will never be able to gain a measure of control.  An effective running game will reduce the number of times we put the football in Aaron Rodgers' hands.  Then the plan is to let the Defense do the rest.  But if you noticed against the Falcons, the Giants' running game ultimately had them quit on the field.




Solidify the Left, and let's continue to run for daylight with power in Green Bay.







Mike.BTB

N.Y. Giants ~ Playoffs Return to the House of BLUE

From the desk of:   DO IT FOR THE DUKE

2011

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE

WILD CARD WEEKEND

Atlanta Falcons
Wild Card

vs.

NEW YORK GIANTS
NFC East Champs

From

"GIANTS STADIUM"
in
A GIANTS TOWN

NEW YORK GIANTS:   May The Magical Force; Power; and Historic Tradition of BIG BLUE Football Be With Us.

DO IT FOR THE DUKE!

Footballs are not round, which means things usually go smoothly up to a point.  A football has two points, which makes things doubly-difficult.  And as footballs are not perfectly round, players are not always perfect in their execution of the fundamental strategies involved with negotiating said Football. The ball we call Pigskin takes strange bounces when they hit the ground.  And if not thrown correctly, they also do confounding things in the air.  And what's worse is when it lands in the hands of the other team.  In the Game we call Pigskin, sometime players take strange bounces off people too.  And if not tackled correctly, confounding things happen as well.


The idea on offense is to matriculate the football into the other team's end zone.  Defense is about preventing that from happening.  Some teams do one or the other better than their opponents. Sometimes they do both equally well.  In what can be a humbling or rewarding pursuit of those endeavours, sometimes the efforts result in good times, and sometimes they result in bad times.


Since 1925, the New York Football Giants have had a few bad moments.  They've had some pretty cool moments as well.


For those inclined to do so, there's every reason to dwell on the bad stuff that's happened to the Giants in the playoffs during the Tom Coughlin era.  The Carolina Panthers; the Philadelphia Eagles twice - It's all fair game because that's the way the football bounces around here as well as across the landscape of the NFL.  Sometimes the football drops right in your hands like an Eli to Plaxico Super Bowl winning catch, and other times you look like a fool chasing it (or a player) down; which is exactly what happened against the Eagles last season, ending Big Blue's quest to make the 2010 playoffs.  Include extreme cases as well, like when organizations ultimately have no control over a player's desire to go out to a club packing heat in the waist band of a pair of loose fitting sweatpants, and what we come to understand is no one really knows where a two pointed ball will bounce next; even if it's pointed at your own thigh.  As much street cred as that gets you on the open market, something like that does everything to shoot down the chances of defending a team's NFL title.


The Giants haven't been expected to win anything since the 1986 Super Bowl season.  And even then, John Elway terrified a lot of Giant Fans; especially after watching the way Elway beat the Browns in the AFC Championship Game.  OK, maybe they were expected to win the Flipper Anderson playoff game that ended the 1989 season.  That one still hurts.  But the Giants were underdogs against the Bills in 1990.  They surely weren't favored against the Ravens.  And they sure as hell didn't stand a chance against the Patriots in 2007.  Part of the reason is because the Giants have never been flashy about scoring points; until now.  Eli, Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks have changed all that.


Welcome to the first Giants' home playoff game since Big Blue defeated the Minnesota Vikings 41-0 to become the 2000 season's NFC Champions.  That was a long time ago "On a field of green painted mud" when Wellington Mara chided the Media as he accepted the George Halas Trophy on behalf of the "worst team" to win the NFC Title.  John said that was Pop's last greatest moment before he passed away.


Was Wide-Right miraculous?  Bill Parcells had confidence Scott Norwood would miss from 47 yards out on grass.  But yeah, it's a good thing that went our way.  Was that 44-0 win in 2000 "improbable"?  Probably; pardon the pun.  Was the 2007 run to the Super Bowl just as unlikely?  Maybe.  Can a win today against Atlanta spark another run towards a Lombardi Trophy?  You never know.  We'll see about that.  But can the Giants win today?  Yes, they can.


I called up 1050ESPN this morning.  Jody McDonald was on with Amani Toomer as his co-host.  I called and brought up my point about the Giants running game being considerably better when Kevin Boothe plays Center, and Mitch Petrus plays Left Guard.  Amani Toomer agreed.  I'm not tooting horns here.  I just want the Giants to do today what the Giants are capable of doing best.  And the fact of the matter is, David Baas is hindering the Giants' ability to matriculate the ball up the field via the ground; and more specifically, up the middle.


Eli and Matt Ryan are both capable of destroying each other's Secondaries.  The Giants' pass rush however is much better than Atlanta's.  So of the two teams, I think the Falcons will look to RELY on the run more and sooner.  With Michael Turner running behind an Offensive Line that "plays to the whistle", they certainly can get it done.  Establishing the run for either team is a different matter of strategy though.  In either case, the Giants will need to run the ball better.  The best way to keep Matt Ryan from hurting us, and keeping Michael Turner from rumbling through us, is to keep them on the sidelines.


Yes; for the Giants this season, passing the ball has been at the heart of winning, and in the absence of a better running effort and Secondary lapses, here we are.  But what an effective running game will do is give us a greater measure of control over our opponent, just like it did last week against Dallas.  Like I said, Atlanta can and will look to do the same.  So we need to be better at it.  And we can be.


We can run with a front line combination that has performed very effectively together this season; Kevin Boothe at Center; Mitch Petrus at Left Guard; and David Diehl at left Tackle.  Forget the opponent for a second.  Kevin Boothe is a bigger body at Center than David Baas is, and with Mitch Petrus the Giants still maintain a large presence at Left Guard. That's pigskin point one.


Pigskin point two in a game played with a ball not perfectly round is as follows.  To prevent the Falcons from matriculating the ball up-field through an air attack, I would like for Aaron Ross; Corey Webster; and Safeties in the slot; etc.; to play receivers closer to the line of scrimmage.  I'm not demanding bump-and-run coverage; although some of that would be nice.  But I do not want them giving the Falcons ten yard cushions to start plays with.  In almost every instance, during their read and react, they consistently get caught flat-footed on the receiver's break.  Get closer to them and constantly keep your feet in motion!  I can't believe coaches Peter Giunta and Dave Merritt aren't telling them this themselves!  I'm not a coach damn it!  I'm a freakin blogger.


Last thing - Last week I watched Hakeem Nicks hold the Pigskin like a loaf of bread.  He didn't fumble or anything.  But that's a proactive shot across the Giants' bow.  Brandon Jacobs also fumbled last week, but the Giants luckily recovered.  Among the oldest, truest, and time tested ways to matriculate the football into the other team's end-zone is to hold on to the damn Pigskin!  Don't get sloppy.  Take care of all the little things and something big will happen.

That's it.  Those are my loose ends.  Everything I wanted to say heading into this playoff game, I've said already in these posts:


*  RUSHING TO THE CENTER OF THE PROBLEM
*  DEFENSIVE SYNCHRONICITY
*  G-MEN AND THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
*  ELI LEADS GIANTS' GROUND GAME?




Let's Go Giants!  Let's DO IT FOR THE DUKE!





Mike.BTB

N.Y. Giants ~ Rushing to the Center of the Problem

From the desk of:   DO IT FOR THE DUKE

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE

2011

WILD CARD WEEKEND

PLAYOFFS

Atlanta Falcons

vs.

NEW YORK GIANTS

FROM

GIANTS STADIUM

NEW YORK GIANTS FOOTBALL:   Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performances.



POST: DEFENSIVE SYNCHRONICITY
POST: G-MEN and the DEPARTMENT of DEFENSE
POST: ELI LEADS GIANTS GROUND GAME VERSUS DALLAS





This is it.  This game (and the playoffs in general) are exactly the reason why I spend all the time I do talking about Kevin Gilbride and his implementation of the Running Game.  This is the time of year it matters most.  In order to expect the running game to perform well in January, you have to start pounding on Labor Day.  The Offensive Linemen need to be in step with their backs; and the backs in step with their Linemen.  By late December, they should all be moving as one.  It's choreography of a savage nature; but choreography none the less.  And I have a saying that is perfect for this situation > Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performances.





The Giants are about to take-on one of those high powered dome teams in the winter wind of Giants Stadium.  Both quarterbacks are capable of exploiting one-another's Secondaries.  So more and more, it's looking like the team with the better running game will win.  Another way of saying that is which ever QB gets his hands on the ball least, loses. 





Then again, the Giants haven't had this problem the last two seasons, for they haven't made the playoffs since the 2008 season.  For Giants Fans and the club as well, this season has been something of an anomaly.  The Giants' once formidable running game officially ended when Jerry Reese released Shaun O'Hara and Rich Seubert prior to the season.  This year, the Giants have rushed to form the least potent ground game in all of football.  At least that's what the stats say.  And to the less trained eye, the stats do not lie.  But to the more learned Giants Fan, we know what's really at work.  Don't we? 





The problem with some of us older Giants Fans is that all this passing makes us break out in hives.  We were raised on Smash-Mouth Football.  But I will say this, maybe by necessity or maybe by design, Coach Gilbride has actually done better this season when compared to last.  He's actually shown more (...slightly more) commitment to the Running Game this season.  And I appreciate it Dude. 





Using last week's game against Dallas as reference, the Giants held on to the ball nine more minutes than Dallas did.  Yet both teams got off almost the same number of plays and were almost equal in total yardage for the game.  While Dallas elected to run the ball sixteen times all game, the Giants can thank twenty five rushing attempts and several more scrambles by Eli Manning that a) - kept the clock moving, and b) - kept the ball in our hands.  So, credit the Giants' nine more minutes of possession to the running game.  Another way of saying it is called keeping the ball away from Matt Ryan.  But I prefer Smash Mouth, thank you.





Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs have had exactly one game each in which they've rushed for 100 yards.  While Ahmad Bradshaw has missed substantial time to foot injuries, Brandon Jacobs rumbled for 100 yards when allowed to rush the ball "twenty" times.  What's important is we know, because they have demonstrated to us at times, both backs are still very capable of devouring yardage with power.  Fortunately for them, Eli's elite season has covered up the running game's short-comings.  But the point is we know our backs can still run. 





So lets get right to the heart of the Giants problem with the running game as it stands right now.  Ask yourself, which Offensive position touches the ball the most?





As established, this is the first season without certain future Hall of Fame Center Shaun O'Hara and Left Guard Rich Seubert.  When Will Beaty was lost early for the rest of the season, the job of Left Tackle was given to Kevin Boothe.  To replace O'Hara, the Giants brought in former 49er Center; David Baas.  And with him at Center, to a large extent, the Giants running game has come to a screeching halt.  There has been no yardage to be had by running off-center.  There has been no surge off the line of scrimmage.  As a result, both Bradshaw and Jacobs have found it nearly impossible to find daylight up the middle.





When David Baas was sidelined with concussion symptoms, Kevin Boothe slid over to Center and Mitch Petrus was given the responsibility at Guard.  And for three consecutive games, the middle opened up and to a certain extent, so did the running game.





Now here's the thing -  with or without David Baas at center, the Giants have been able to run consistently well between Chris Snee and Kareem McKenzie, and between David Diehl and Kevin Boothe/Mitch Petrus.  Even more yardage and success has come when the Giants run outside either Tackle.  That's been there all season long.  But the middle turned into an East Rutherford Tar Pit until the Giants inserted Boothe at Center.





Upon reinserting David Baas into his starting role, the middle of the line caved in on both Jacobs and Bradshaw again.  Against the Cowboys, we suffered short yardage shrinkage after Coach Gilbride called for plays up the middle again.  I can't stress enough this is not a Brandon Jacobs issue.  Defenses are pushing our Line backwards and meeting the rush at the line of scrimmage or worse, two and three yards into our backfield.  And I will say again, that wasn't the case when Booth and Petrus played together.  I'm also not going to pin fourth and failure-to-go on Coach Gilbride either.  There's a fine line between placing blame with coach or player.  But it's clear to me, David Baas has not been up to snuff.  It's not that he's bad, or isn't worth playing.  I'm not here to knock him.  It's just that Kevin Boothe has played better while Mitch Petrus responded quickly with quality play at Guard, and as a result, the running game found much more daylight up the middle.





Eli Manning has had a career season, and thank goodness.  Because with the running game in a state of suspended animation, Eli, Nicks, and Victor Cruz are all we've had.  But as I pointed out with the Dallas game, just because the running game isn't amassing huge swaths of acreage, that doesn't mean the running game is without it's purpose and overall game effectiveness.





Will Eli Manning win this game for us (if in fact that's what's in the cards for us)?  Most likely.  But a good running game can help us control the game, keep the ball in our hands, and minimize exposing the Giants' Secondary to Matt Ryan.  We've had a bad habit of letting teams hang around causing Eli to play hero.  That's partly a defensive issue.  But it's also partly due to the running game being slowed down to an NFL low.  





The Falcons may very well turn around and try the same tact with Michael Turner, who's far from being a slouch.  You just don't hear about him much because nobody cares about Atlanta sports; not even their own city.  <   That's called Smack!  But it stands to reason, in spite of Eli and Ryan, which ever team is able to run the ball more successfully will win.





I can not ask Coach Gilbride to not attempt running up the middle.  Yes, there are beams of daylight behind other parts of the Line.  But the middle still must be mastered in order to run successfully and more importantly, for first downs sake.  What I CAN ask the Giant powers that be is that they start Kevin Boothe at Center; Mitch Petrus at Left Guard; and David Diehl at Left tackle.  I ask that because that combination has been the most effective enhancement to the running game by far.  In Eli we trust.  But tradition has always been in December/January; in Giants Stadium; it's smash-mouth we celebrate and crave.  Me?  I'm a pragmatists.  I'd settle for something in between right now.





I'm just going to say, C'mon Coach  - be creative and try keeping the Offense on the field.  That's not to say the players are off the hook.  The Giant receivers need to catch and hold on to the damn ball!  They lead the League in dropped passes.  That will no do Sunday.  Additionally, the Giants were lucky to recover Brandon Jacobs' fumble against Dallas.  Turnovers also will not due.





At Tight-End, I'll be honest, if Jake Ballard is going to be hobbling around, I don't need a hero.  I'll take my chances Eli can utilize a very gamely Bear Pascoe and Travis Beckum.  They teamed up on four catches last week.  If we can depend on them for four or five catches Sunday, and make their blocks, they will have served their purpose very well.





That's it.  The playoffs are a triumph of the Will, if I may.  We know the Giants have a killer instinct in them.  But sometimes the dog in them shows up instead.  There's never a good time to have a bad game.  But a good old fashioned game where they just line up across a man and out-muscle them would be great.  Smash-Mouth is an attitude.  And that's the part that gets lost on Kevin Gilbride.  His mind his forever fixed on the perfect pass play.  But even a blind dog can feel the warmth of daylight.  So run Coach; Run To Daylight.





We know what Eli, Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz will be attempting to do.  Via Con Dios on that one Boys.  Eli was even the key component to last's week's rushing effort.  Were it not for Eli's legs, the Giants do not rush for 100 yards against Dallas. 





All I ask for Sunday is that Kevin Boothe be given the start at Center, and that Coach Gilbride runs the ball thirty times.





...And "Run with Power!"





Let's Go Giants!






Mike.,BTB

N.Y. Giants ~ Romo? Victory May Be in Kevin Gilbride's Hands

From the desk of:   DO IT FOR THE DUKE

2011

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE

East Division Title Game

Dallas Cowboys

vs.

NEW YORK GIANTS

NEW YORK GIANTS FOOTBALL:  Kevin Gilbride is the Key to Powering Up a GIANT Win and Limiting Romo's Chances of Exploiting Our Secondary.




When Center David Baas missed time to injury and Kevin Boothe moved to Center and Mitch Petrus filled in at Left Guard, running holes suddenly opened up the middle that previously were not there before with Baas playing.  Prior to Baas being sidelined, the Line assignments were breaking down causing Jacobs to get met at, or behind the line of scrimmage.  Not even Bradshaw broke through.  The Offensive Line's push/surge forward never....pushed.  They got pushed instead.  But the fans chose to focus their ire on Jacobs forgetting Shaun O'Hara and Rich Suebert were longer opening up holes for him (them) and because he generally has a big mouth.  But everyone likes the way he dealt with Rex Ryan last week right?!  Don't be a hypocrite!   I digress.




But since the most recent in-season O-Line shake-up, yes, the running game improved substantially with 100+ yards games to show for it.  However, regardless of the situation at Center, the Giants have run their best football outside the Guards, and off-Tackle in particular.  Yet for the longest, Kevin Gilbride kept insisting on running off Center.  Last week's game against the Jets was no different.   Gilbride tried going off Center with Baas reinserted into the line-up.  And once again there was very little to be had there with only Bradshaw managing to bust a run up the gut on the play he destroyed the Jets' Brodney Pool on.




Gilbride seemingly may be catching on now.  Last week, Bradshaw's; Jacobs', and Ware's biggest gains, and most important rushes of the day all game outside the Guards and off-Tackle.  But they didn't come till the second half.  For after several games of 100+ yard results , Kevin Gilbride started the Redskins game with seventeen passes and only five rushing attempts in the first half.  And against the Jets?  He did the same thing.  For a majority of the first half, the score remained 10-3 Giants.  So why on Earth was Gilbride calling for 17+ passes and rushing the ball a mere seven times?  After prior success, for two consecutive first halves, the answer is he ignored what worked.  Last week Eli completed seven passes all game.  Yet for too long Coach persisted until turning to the run in the second half more.  The week prior against the Skins, he very literally waisted the entire third quarter trying to establish (not re-establish!) the run after a mere five first half rushes.




Let's assume Tony Romo's hand will be fine Sunday.  The best way to beat the Cowboys is still to keep the ball out of his hands.  The best way to do that is by possessing the ball ourselves.  Look..., clearly Eli, Nicks, Cruz, and even Ballard are not who they are today ( I say that loosely) without Gilbride dialing up a lion's share of plays for them.  And quite frankly I get this is an uber-passing League now.  But with so many quick strike touchdowns, we're giving the opposition too many opportunities with ample time left to make life very unpleasant.




I'm just saying the name of the game against Dallas should be first downs.  Third down conversions have been a big, big problem.  The growing number of three-down-and-out possessions borders on alarming now.  The Offense is making Steve Weatherford look like a star.  And many of those possessions have been pass intensive; or worst, Gilbride chooses to run on second and long.  But that's neither here nor there.  The Offense needs first downs, because even though the Giants are capable of scoring in the high-twenties or even breaking thirty points Sunday night, the fact remains, Gilbride's pass happy offense leaves the other team entirely too much time with which to work with.  Then the game becomes a battle of who has the ball last.  And for the most part this season, Eli has nearly mastered that aspect; albeit needlessly.  And I say needlessly because of all the time the Defense is made to spend on the field.  The Giants have been losing the time-of-possession battles.  That's a fact.




All I'm asking for is a little ball control and better clock management coach.  I don't mind Gilbride taking chances early in the game; or late; or whenever.  It's nice to work with a lead; especially against the Cowboys.  But at some point during the first quarter, Gilbride needs to show a willingness to run the ball with meaningful power.  This time, he can not afford to blow an entire half and wait until the second half to run to daylight.  No; not this game.  Because this game is most definitely the last game if we don't get things churning forward and making sure the clock is our ally.




Because here's the deal.  Tony Romo can do exactly what Aaron Rogers, Drew Brees, Alex Smith, and what Rex Grossman did twice to the Giants this season; and that is absolutely destroy our Secondary.  We are not playing Marc Sanchez this week who made our Secondary seem buttoned up and tight as a clam.  The Jets never really tried going down field on us.  Romo will no doubt go vertical and over the top on us.  He'll definitely be putting up rainbows for Dez Bryant and company hoping to catch that little pot-o-pigskin worth six points a pop.  And whether I hate the Cowboys or not the fact remains, they can score in a hurry when they need to.




Even as Giant fans hear that Justin Tuck, JPP, Tollefson, and a returning Osi may all wind up on the Line across from Romo together for the first time in a long time, the fact is Romo can shake and bake long enough to make even the best downfield coverage fall apart.  And like I said in my last posting, Tony Romo throws the ball with his body contorted in all kinds of crazy positions while on the run no less, and still gets off passes with strength and accuracy.  It drives me crazy!  And here's problem number two I see about that.  If Jason Witten takes Michael Boley along for a trot down field, Romo will have the entire middle of the field all to himself.




So you see, of all people I thought the Giants would have to rely on this season to be the smartest guy on the field this Sunday, I honestly didn't think it would have been Coach Gilbride.  After all, I put him on my Hot Seat back in September.  Here we are none the less.  And we need him to come up with an effective plan to run the ball behind our best Offensive Linemen, and then set Coach free to do what he and Eli work out together.  But make the running game matter.  Three-and-outs that take all of 1:08 off the clock and are like torpedoes into the bow of the best laid plans; at least against the good QB's of the League.  So if by holding on to the ball by making a concerted effort to get ourselves in third-and-short situations, then execute and ride first downs...., cool.




The more Kevin Gilbride; not Perry Fewell; can limit the opportunities Tony Romo gets to attack our Secondary the better our chances are of winning.  That's right, I'm saying Marc Sanchez is not the right QB to gaining false confidence from.  He was simply not up to the task.  And Perry Fewell's new-fangless- twilight zone coverage-New Jersey devil's trap-....or what ever it is, clearly isn't something Aaron Ross, Corey Webster; the Safeties; Coach Peter Giunta; and Coach David Merritt are understanding very well.  And against Tony Romo, it can easily turn nto - here we go again.  Don't forget..., last game was won because of the stadium lights...riiiight, and because of JPP's giant hand.




So now the cat is out of the bag.  Help us Kevin Gilbride.  You're the only one who can save the Giants from our Secondary getting burnt like breakfast toast in Hell's kitchen.  Get first downs.  Keep the Offense on the field for 38:00 minutes and score some points.  Of course we are going to pass the ball.  It's what has delivered us to this very game and moment.  Of course I don't want to muzzle Kevin Gilbride's passing game.  Just trust the run and keep Dallas having to stop it.  We know which components of our Offensive Line work best and how.  So be smart, creative, and throw hell at them.  But don't get too cocky like is your want, and Run With Power Man.




C'mon Dude, you need to bail your fellow coordinator out this week.  The NFC East Title or nothing, depends on it.




A defensive point of view and more about Perry Fewell is coming in my next post. Check it out.

POST SCRIPT ~ Stuff that wasn't supposed to make it, but I left in anyway:


Perhaps this is the game I've been waiting all season for.  No; I hope this is the game.  You know, the one where Tony Romo breaks Dallas' heart and that of greater Texas in the only way they know how out there - In a BIG way with a total fail effort, then goes on TV wearing that taxi cab's hat and recounts how he blew the game and takes total responsibility.  I love that part.  Anyway, I've been waiting patiently.  But, perchance to dream; -  it hasn't come yet.  Today, a buddy of mine said Romo already had that game.  He said it came against the Jets.  In Week One I asked?  Yeah, he said.  I pondered that for the rest of the day.  And here I am.



Did he really get that out of his system in Week One?  Is this the season Tony Romo finally comes through for the Cowboys and their fans?  If it that happens against us, you know what's going to happen around here...don't you?







Mike.BTB

N.Y. Giants ~ O-Line Rushing to the Rescue?

From the desk of:   DO IT FOR THE DUKE

This Week's Posts:

Look Out; Bad Guy Coming Through

Media Wakes Up to Secondary Issues

Giants Answers on Defense Are Few, or Injured

PIGSKIN - Football Sunday; Week Fifteen

NEW YORK GIANTS FOOTBALL:  The Latest Offensive Line Shuffle is Gaining Ground and Pushing Forward.


In the Giants' present situation, their best Defense might be their Offense.  Shall we?


Free agent Center; David Bass; will miss his third consecutive game this week.  The Giants' center lineman came down with sudden headaches just prior to the Packers game stemming from concussion symptoms sustained earlier this season.  Kevin Boothe filled in at Center, Mitch Petrus was inserted at Left Guard, and David Diehl slid over to Left Tackle.  They've done well, for it now seems as if the Offensive Line has struck the right combination.  Behind them, the running game is suddenly rushing to life and finding daylight again.


Initially the return of Ahmad Bradshaw was thought to have kick-started the running game.  But last week, Brandon Jacobs pretty much handled the work load by himself while his Little Buddy got benched by Coach Coughlin for the first half against the Cowboys.  Bradshaw wound up figuring inconsequentially in the second half as well.


This much is clear, Brandon Jacobs has been the biggest beneficiary of the O-Line's improved run-blocking.  But the big guy has also helped himself.  If you noticed against both the Packers and the Cowboys, Brandon Jacobs strung out many rushes along the line and turned up field once he broke outside.  He's been trying to do that all season because frankly, there's nothing happening for the Giants straight up the middle be it earlier in the season or presently; not even for Ahmad Bradshaw.  For much of the season Brandon Jacobs has been continually met at, or behind the line of scrimmage for no-gains and lost yardage.  And for that, along with his mouth, the Media and Fans came crashing down on Big Buddy.


But changes to the Offensive Line may have finally helped get people off Brandon Jacobs' back, and perhaps even made Coach Kevin Gilbride back off his predictable pattern of rushing between the Guards.  I thought then as I still think now, that with David Baas or without him, the Offensive Line has created bigger holes off-Tackle.  But up the middle?


The Giants' O-Line is finally beginning to surge forward with big Mitch Petrus being the new face in there.  The run blocking is pushing into positive territory off the snap and awarding that yardage to the backfield.  And there-in lies the root of Brandon Jacob's success over the last two weeks.  The Offensive Line is getting a decent push forward now.  Where Jacobs was once met by multiple tacklers at the point of attack, the O-Line is currently executing their assignments; they aren't getting over-taken as easily; and are actually pushing forward and giving Jacobs a better field of view.  As you see, it's all relative.


In the case of Brandon Jacobs, I often laid blame with Coach Gilbride's stubborn insistence with repeatedly running the ball off-center to no avail.  It was clear to everyone there was never anything there, and the success the Giants gained inside and outside the Tackles went ignored.  And as we all well know, too many times Brandon Jacobs had six, maybe seven touches a game, managed to pop-off a big play, then only to never be used again.  Throw in what I though was Gilbride's lack of creativity and overall impatience with the running game, and there-in lied my frustration.


Recent success with the running game now brings with it a new set of questions.  Brandon Jacobs rushed the ball nineteen times last week for 101 yards.  And it's safe to say Ahmad Bradshaw will not be getting benched this week.  So who gets the lion share of carries against the Redskins?  Do you let that play out on the field or do you predetermine the running attack featuring one guy, and changing up with the other?  We all know Ahmad Bradshaw is the starter.  But how many touches will Kevin Gilbride take away from Brandon Jacobs this week now that Bradshaw is back?  The Giants like to call the running game a two-back attack.  But Coach Gilbride usually skews the amount of rushes one way; towards Ahmad Bradshaw.  And rightfully so, but I'm just saying Brandon Jacobs is still a major asset to this team when used correctly.


Then there's the matter at Center.  Big Blue is down to their last three regular season games with a trip to the playoffs hanging in the balance.  The question now begs to be asked  -  Do you disrupt what seemingly has been working by reinstating Kevin Baas when he's cleared to return, which could come as early as next week against the Jets?  Shouldn't they be going with what's working best for them right now?  Outside of David Baas' free agent contract, he hasn't exactly written his name in stone at Center yet.  In which case, there is no clear incumbent at Center whom might feel slighted by a non-start.  In the case Baas starts at Center again, big Mitch Petrus goes back to the bench as David Diehl and Kevin Boothe switch back again.  I say we let this latest combo ride out their recent success running the ball.  Sunday's game against the Redskins however, will go a much longer way towards dictating what the Giants must do than I can ever say here.


For two weeks now, Mitch Petrus, Kevin Boothe, and Chris Snee have literally pushed their way into being a forward moving unit.  Let's see if they can further build upon those efforts against the Redskins.  Because in order to win this division and keep the Giants' Secondary out of harms way....they have to.






Mike.BTB

N.Y. Giants ~ TEXAS SHOWDOWN

From the desk of:   DO IT FOR THE DUKE

NEW YORK GIANTS FOOTBALL:

With a Record of "Six and Sick" and Four Games To Go,

Big Blue's Season Boils Down to a Showdown Against

Our Old Nemesis, the Dallas Cowboys.

WEEK FOURTEEN PICKS

POST:  Secondary Issues a Primary Concern

GIANTS  vs.  COWBOYS:

Two things happened on Offense last week that are worth discussing; A) - For the first time in many weeks, the running game rushed for 100 yards behind... B) - a revamped Offensive Line due to Center-David Baas being a late minute scratch with migraine head-aches; and maybe more than just that.


But what that did was get Mitch Petrus inserted into the game at left Guard while David Diehl slid over to Tackle again.  Kevin Boothe moved over and started at Center.  And together, along with the return of Ahmad Bradshaw, turned up the power on the Giants' Running Game again.  Is there something to that O-Line combination?  After all, it was Mitch Petrus' first career start. 


We know Ahmad Bradshaw often finds his own cracks and creates his own holes to run through.  Last week in his return, he didn't have quite the day Jacobs had rushing the ball however.  The clearest evidence the O-Line was doing something right was noticeable in the way Brandon Jacobs got into Green Bay's secondary.  The maligned back rushed eight times for fifty-nine yards.  And with a hop here and a skip there, he could have rushed for much more.  But he's never been accused of being a hurdler, now has he?  Those tree trunks of his were made for running in two directions; straight; and right at people. 


Sounding like a broken record now, with pitches and screens; etc.; the Giants can minimize Dallas' run-blitz which is what every team has been doing against Jacobs up the middle.  Most of Brandon's success has been coming on either side of the Tackle; usually with Kareem McKenzie opening things up and Bear Pascoe doing a better job lately at Fullback.


Last week proves Brandon Jacobs is not just a useless cog with a big mouth.  And the relationship between the O-Line and the backfield is a symbiotic one.  That's why I never came down too hard on Jacobs; not without pointing out the ground work for a poor performance first.  I never did say the criticisms against him weren't fair though.  I just felt he's been misused.


But here we are at the precise point of the season why I always said it's important for Coach Gilbride to give Brandon Jacobs more touches throughout the season.  Independent of Eli Manning, this is the time of season when the Giants need Brandon most.  This is the game when we need THE BULLY, to push Dallas around; and to revive a term; playing smash-mouth football.  With Ahmad Bradshaw back; a seemingly effective combo on the left side of the O-Line; and Jacobs showing he can still thump and bump, the Giants need to regain their identity; stay true to themselves, and play Giants football in order to beat Dallas Sunday.


A guy like Jacobs needs touches; even ineffective touches.  And with Bradshaw still uncertain on his foot, Brandon just may get the touches he's craving for against the Cowboys.  And finally the Giants may have stumbled across a combination on the left side of the O-Line that could finally benefit everyone. Coach Gilbride deserves his credit for sticking with the running game.  And as it turned out last game, Bradshaw turned into the set-up man for the big-rumblin' Brandon Jacobs. 


Go back to Smash-Mouth 101.  Use as directed:   1) - Run the ball. 2) - Run with Power. 3) - Control the clock. 4) - No stupid penalties against the O-Line; and converting third downs all will serve to keep Tony Romo off the field.


So what exactly was the O-Line doing right?  They pushed the Packers D-Line backwards off the snap.  But you can do that against the Packers because in Rogers they trust.  I don't know if the Giants will be able to push the Cowboys' front around as easily.  But let's hope so, because Brandon Jacobs has promised to unleash "The BULLY" against a very chatty Dallas team.  After a week of much flappin' on their part, the Cowboys could use a good slap in the face.  But Jacobs will only be able to "punk Dallas" defenders if the O-Line performs similar to the way which opened up holes last week against the Packers.  And well, Dallas' defense is just a little more stout against the run than Green Bay's is.  But the run must be sold none the less for the sake of Play-Action.


The left side of this O-Line also kept Eli Manning's blind side well protected, while the Line as a whole kept him upright long enough for Eli to engineer better than ten points over the Giants' season average against the Packers...which should have been good enough - But wasn't for reasons other than lack of Offense.


So Offensively speaking, if the Giants are to win the most important game of the season with their playoff chances in the balance, it all has to start up front with the Offensive Line.  They must keep DeMarcus Ware away from Eli Manning.  That will fall on David Diehl, and to a lesser degree, Mitch Petrus, the Tight-Ends and backfield.  With help, I'm satisfied Diehl can handle the challenge and minimize damage Ware brings from Dallas' right side.  Dallas will get through once in a while, but Diehl won't get embarrassed.


Coach Gilbride should also roll Eli right from time to time.  Eli does that fairly well.  When it comes to stepping-up inside the pocket or literally shaking a pocket loose, I don't think Eli is nearly as good as Brees, Rogers, and yes...even Tony Romo.  Inside the pocket, those guys can dance.  Eli not so much.  And then again, Eli's scrambling is a complete wash versus Dallas' speed on defense.  So it looks like there will be a lot of hanging in the pocket for Eli Sunday.  It could hurt at times but Eli can take a good shot.  Eli has been throwing off his back foot again lately, so the closer Dallas gets to him, the more likely they can make Eli do the same.  So it's incumbent on the O-Line to limit most of Dallas' harassment.  At least long enough for Eli to exploit Dallas' Secondary...which Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz should find very.....exploitable.


If the O-Line allows Bradshaw and Jacobs to get to daylight and Eli can successfully continue connecting with Nicks; Cruz; Ballard; and get some other less heralded catches, enough Giants' points should be on the scoreboard by game's end for a win.  And it would certainly be nice if we could score early in the game.  Playing with a lead can help immeasurably with any plan to disrupt Tony Romo.


That's if the Giants can hold back the Cowboys on Defense.


Coach Fewell's reluctance to blitz has left the last bunch of QB's with a ton of time to wait and allow  something to open up down field.  It just so happens in the last two weeks, the Giants have played two QB's who expertly juke and snake their way inside the pocket.  In the process, they've given up damn nearly ninety points.  Tony Romo, like I said, is another QB who slips just out of reach.  The guy hops, dodges, back-pedals, skips, and scats into open spaces, and can either kill you running the ball or by identifying the busted coverage in broken plays.  Even off balance, he gets off amazingly accurate throws.  Because the pass rush never really got to Brees and Rogers in time, they continually side-stepped any on-comers and killed us on third conversions by running when the eight men in coverage kept things tight down field.  It's been a damned if you do; damned if you don't sort of deal.


Is that a message for Coach Fewell to get back to the four man rush and take chances with the Linebackers and hope they are up to the task?  Michael Boley is back.  Chase Blackburn is back from outer space to help.  And Jacquian Williams looks like he enjoys getting physical.  But one of them will have to be responsible for Dallas Tight-End Jason Witten.  Every one in the Western Hemisphere knows he's Tony Romo's go to guy.  Keep him out of the picture, and Romo goes into panic. 


Maybe that's the way to go.  This Defense is never better than when they are on the attack.  Last week's plan almost worked.  This week's plan needs to be different.  Coach Fewell has been compensating for poor coverage by flooding the Secondary with bodies.  But it's turned us into a read-and-react defense at the expense of aggression.  And as a result, we've given up well over 300 points this season.  I'm willing to take my chances that we can force Romo into mistakes before he can abuse our Secondary across the middle or over the top.  If Coach Fewell tries that three man rush again like he did against the Packers, Romo will most certainly run silly on us underneath.  At least with a four man rush, The Giants can maintain containment and keep Tony Romo in front of them like they do with Michael Vick.


So, it's probably time to change things up front.  We need to go after Romo, and force him into hurried and harried mistakes.  After all, he's good at screwing up too.  And he's ripe for a December let-down!  As a matter of fact, I'm banking on it.  I say amp up the pass rush Coach, and make our Safeties and Corners do their jobs.  Nothing ventured; nothing gained.  As inconsistent as Aaron Ross and Corey Webster have been this season, Tony Romo is an old foe whom they should have a full account of his body language by now.  Familiarity has to count for something; no?  After that, I'm just crossing my fingers our Safeties don't get burnt like forgotten toast.


That's all I got.  We know the rest.  This is the Giants biggest game of the season because they made it so.  The Giants were once 6-2 this season.  Heading into Sunday they are now "Six and Sick" with four games to go.  I only see this one way.  The Giants must win out.  I'm not interested in needing help from other teams.  Convince me this is a playoff team by winning your way in.  It all starts in Dallas, Texas, where they like everything big.  But in Big Blue Country, nothing is looms larger than a Giants win.


There's been a lot of smack talk lobbed back and forth between camps.  Both these teams are old, bitter rivals.  The fan bases hate each other.  Both teams stand in each other's way for the Division crown.  And nothing would satisfy either city's fans more than a win Sunday.  But both teams need two wins against each other in order to secure the division.  And there's the matter of some other pressing games as well.  But if your team is set on doing something special, like pulling out a crucial game against a heated foe,  then I can't think of a better team to "make my day" against other than the Dallas Cowboys.

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

"Battle for the NFC East"

NEW YORK GIANTS
vs.

Dallas Cowboys

From

The Double J Ranch

Texas

Mike.BTB