N.Y. Giants: Tom Coughlin Fires Defensive Coordinator Perry Fewell

From the desk of:  DO IT FOR THE DUKE

No defense for his defense...

NEW YORK GIANTS FOOTBALL: Tom Coughlin Wields Ax At Two Members Of Defensive Staff.

Preamble: No Quarter...
I thank the Giants for losing the final game of the season.  It keeps things in proper perspective, for we need to call the Giants what they were: a woefully inconsistent team.

I can't have a late season surge against the Titans, Hogs, and Rams, change any minds or lend false hope; not again.

Last season, this team lost six straight games.  This season, they lost seven straight games.  The only team they defeated in 2014 with a winning record were the (9-7) Houston Texans in Week Three.  Otherwise, their 25-24 Week Thirteen loss to the Jaguars was truly the low point of their disappointing 6-10 season.

Problem #1 - Building Up The Offensive Line Still The Way To Daylight 

Tom Coughlin Staying For A 12th Season; Who On His Staff Should Stay, 
And Who Should Go

Tom Coughlin Adresses Problem #2: Defensive Staff - Perry Fewell and Peter Giunta Fired.

Someone needed to pay a heavy price for what transpired this past season.  On Wednesday, it was announced that Giants head coach Tom Coughlin fired his friend and defensive coordinator of five seasons, Perry Fewell.

Not a single Giants fan was pleased to hear Coughlin's support, and apology for Fewell during the team's recent post-season presser.  But, Tom Coughlin is no fool; he knew he needed to make a change.  The results over the last two seasons screamed for corrective action.  This in effect was the unspoken trade off for Coughlin not getting fired himself.

The Giants will now move forward with a totally revamped cabinet; their new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo, and an as yet to be determined new defensive coordinator.

Word is former defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is among the lead candidates to get interviewed for the job.  He is someone I would welcome back with both arms, and not necessarily because we won a Super Bowl with him.  The fact is, he's been the only coach to get any kind of inspired play out of Giants linebackers.

That said, I still feel the Giants linebackers coach of the last 6 seasons, Jim Herrmann, needs to join Fewell on the unemployment line.  He has largely failed to develop or elevate guys like Michael Boley, Mathias Kiwanuka, Jacquian Williams, Kieth Rivers, Spencer Paysinger, or anyone, to higher levels of play.

In a somewhat surprising move, however, Tom Coughlin also dismissed his cornerbacks coach, Peter Giunta, who has been on his staff since 2004.

I tend to blame Perry Fewell's system for much of the confusion routinely demonstrated by the corners, not necessarily Peter Giunta.  Coach Coughlin perhaps knows better on this one.  That said, Peter Giunta is unemployed and I say he has Perry Fewell to thank.

My only question then, if Giunta goes, why does safeties coach Dave Merritt get to stay?



Mike

N.Y. Giants: Tom Coughlin Will Return For A 12th Season

From the desk of:  DO IT FOR THE DUKE

Colonel Coughlin Will Return!

NEW YORK GIANTS FOOTBALL: Perry Fewell Leading Candidate To Receive Pink Slip; Tom Quinn May Follow.

The Giants have been to the playoffs five times under Tom Coughlin, but not since 2011.  In fact, this year marked the 6th time they have failed to make the playoffs in Coughlin's 11 years as head coach.

The era is now officially sandwiched by 6-10 records.  In 2004, the Giants launched with a 6-10 record in Coughlin's first season.  With last Sunday's loss to the Eagles, they matched it.

This was also their second straight losing season, and now sport a 22-26 record since winning Super Bowl XLVI.

Was Tom Coughlin the reason for the Giants inconsistent play these last few years?

If Tiki Barber were still around, he'd still be whining how Coughlin repeatedly gets out-coached.   Well, he's not around, and that's really not the Giants case.  That is why Monday morning ownership announced Tom Coughlin will be back next season (coaching in the final season of his contract that is).

For 2015, it's the right move.  The Giants usually get this right, so, we'll cross the 2016 bridge when we get to it.  However, for some of Colonel Coughlin's lieutenants, it may prove a bridge too far.

As defensive coordinator, Perry Fewell's defense routinely ranks towards the bottom of the NFL.   Their run defense should be nicknamed the Alaskan Pass, because of the six months of daylight they provide, while their confusion in the secondary often makes them look like a Keystone Cops casting call.

This season was no different.  Despite injuries, there was enough talent to at least get a more representative showing from week to week.  The real problem lies with Fewell's style itself; it's overly complicated and clearly ineffective.  We've known this for years.

Sure, he earned some credit for limiting Tom Brady and helping win a Super Bowl.  But, Aaron Ross and Corey Webster threw their coach under the bus, admitting things didn't change until Fewell abandoned his failed system in time for the (2011) playoffs.

I'll say this for Perry Fewell, he's been persistent (stubborn) with regards to that dumb layered system no one can figure out.  Alas, he spent his credit..., and now it's time for him to go.

Special teams coach Tom Quinn is also reportedly on the hot seat, and for good reason.  Like Fewell, Quinn's dismissal has been several years in the making.  For at least the last two seasons, his units have either been inconsequential, or guilty of too many questionable performances.  The loss of David Wilson certainly hindered the Giants return game.  And to his credit, Tom Quinn has been here for both Super Bowls.  I'd give him one more season, but then his assistant Larry Izzo must pay the price for him.

Who Else Should Get Big Blue Pink Slips And Who Should Stay:

While I'm still a little ambivalent regarding Ben McAdoo, the organization thinks highly of him, so, he's obviously safe.

I think Danny Langsdorf is Eli Manning's 4th QB coach?  His 3rd at least....  but at this point in Eli's career, that shouldn't matter much.  Eli otherwise actually had a very good season in Ben McAdoo's system, with Langsdorf coaching him on the side.  Danny worked with Drew Brees in his previous gig with New Orleans.  (Drew Brees and the Saints sucked this season.  Just saying....)

I've been rough on guys like Rueben Randle and Preston Parker.  But Wide Receivers coach Sean Ryan still managed to at least get improvement out of Randle.  And, as talented as Odell Beckham Jr. appears to be, a 21-year old rookie still needs a good coach teaching him.  Sean Ryan also oversaw the emergence of the salsa dancer Victor Cruz.  Truth is, Eli Manning has benefited from a quality list of receivers ever since Ryan took over as coach in 2005.  In recent years though, the deeper the Giants dipped into their depth, the more tipped balls and blown routes we witnessed, which also coincided with Eli's escalating rate of interceptions.

Kevin Gilbride Jr. is a harder coach to rate.  The tight ends coach hasn't had much to work with lately.  Second year Larry Donnell hasn't been featured much ever since his hat trick early in the season.  You could say Martellus Bennett had a good season under Gilbride.  Otherwise, there's not much to point at in his 5-year body of work, but nothing much to criticize either.

Pat Flaherty has served as the offensive line coach for all Tom Coughlin's 11 seasons.  In my opinion, he is a fine coach.  Any criticisms regarding the offensive line should be redirected at Jerry Reese; this is his mess to figure out.  And you might as well include running backs coach Craig Johnson into this mess as well.

On the other side of the ball, if Perry Fewell is on the hot seat, then defensive line coach Robert Nunn should be starting to sweat as well.  Over his six years, he's endured the departures of Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, Barry Cofield, etc.  But, simply put, this year's defensive line anchored by JPP (who's late season surge doesn't sway me) and Cullen Jenkins played atrociously.   They did so because of poor technique and attention to detail, over-pursuit, failure to contain, and other coaching related issues.  Time has depleted this unit, but this coach brings nothing to the table.

Jim Herrmann is the linebackers coach, and perhaps the most inconsequential coach of the bunch. Jerry Reese's treatment of the position makes this so.  At the same time, Jim Herrmann has largely failed to inspire guys like Michael Boley, Jonathan Goff, Mathias Kiwanuka, Jacquian Williams, Kieth Rivers, Spencer Paysinger, etc., to higher levels of play.  They almost had a keeper with the now defunct Jon Beason, but rookie Devon Kennard actually looks like a real deal linebacker.

Coaches Peter Giunta (corners) and Dave Merritt (safeties) are okay in my book.  Like Pat Flaherty and Sean Ryan, they've been here for both Super Bowl runs.  What issues I have with the secondary largely revolve around Perry Fewell's system.

Coaches that should be given a Big Blue boot:

• Perry Fewell
• Robert Leonard (Defensive Assistant)
• Robert Nunn
• Jim Herrmann
• Larry Izzo (Special Teams Assistant)

UPDATE:  just learned Danny Langsdorf has taken the offensive coordinators job at Nebraska.


Mike

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 ~ Media Wakes Up to Secondary Issues

From the desk of:   DO IT FOR THE DUKE




NEW YORK GIANTS FOOTBALL:  Apparently, There is a Problem in the Giants' Secondary.  Who Knew?


I said this after Week One :

"....Rex Grossman picked apart the Secondary like a fruit basket.  Jason Pierre Paul wasn't going to stop the Skins by himself.  Nice game by him by the way.  But otherwise, Washington went through us like we were wet toilet paper.

 

If Osi and Tuck play, does the Secondary have as a bad a day as they did?   Answer; - Probably!  They are all familiar with the smell of getting toasted.  We've seen this act from Aaron Ross; Antrel Rolle; Corey Webster; Kenny Phillips; and Deon Grant before. The book has been out on these guys for some time now.  Be aggressive against them and they will give up huge plays.  Prince Amukamara was supposed to improve our depth. But he's out.  Kenny Phillips is the only player with any real hopes for major improvement in his play.  The rest of the cast is comprised of seasoned vets.  What you see is what you get with them.  And many times last season, they've made us look away.

The Secondary problems will be the more visible on TV.  That unit will look the worst doing what they do.  But football fans know full well, our lack of linebackers; our soft white under belly for some time now; is going to kill us."

I said this on October 18th:

".....The Corners and Safeties are suffering a major lack of communication and I want to know what Corners Coach Peter Giunta and Safety Coach David Merritt are doing about it.  Because the huge plays; the huge breakdowns in coverage; the huge lack of communication at times; are becoming routine now."

If you follow my Giant blogs, then you know I've been flipping out on Secondary Coaches; Peter Giunta and David Merritt; all season long.  So why all of a sudden is the putrid play by the Secondary such a revelation to everyone in the Media now?  And why are they using the same exact words I used back in September and October in describing our calamitous Secondary today?  I could have told you the Giants were going to surrender thirty-plus points consecutively to the Saints, Packers, and Cowboys back in September!

Heading into the Saints game, I continued with this:

"......the hairs on the back of my head stand up because of the state of confusion which exists between our Corners and Safeties.  Their lack of communication has not only been confounding, it's also high time Coach Giunta and Coach Merritt had these issues resolved.  And if they haven't by now, then Perry Fewell should have.  This isn't the first time I brought this up.  And tonight, they're getting put under the microscope."

After the Packers game, on December 5th I posted a blog titled: SECONDARY ISSUES A PRIMARY CONCERN.  On December 12th, one of the local tabloids teased an article with this:

In the aftermath of Big Blue's last second, blocked-field goal victory in Dallas, many, if not all things said about the Giants' Secondary still hold true today.  Only, what more can little old me say about it now that ESPN, the Talkies, and the papers have this late breaking scoop covered?



You know where to find me.






Mike.BTB

N.Y. Giants ~ Life After the Monday Night Fiasco?

From the desk of:  DO IT FOR THE DUKE

NEW YORK GIANTS FOOTBALL:

Certain Hall of Famer, Michael Strahan, Paid the Giants' Defensive Line a Visit to Impart Some of His Knowledge.   I Have Better Advice For Them From the Mouth of Another  -   "...Let's Go Out There Like a Bunch of Crazed Dogs and Have Some Fun!" - quote; LT.




Any time your team loses a game, and if spelled out the opponent's point total starts with the letter "F" ....and it's not Fourteen points we're talking about, it invariably means you're team is F'd - as in Frightful; Feeble; and Futile.  Ultimately, we're talking about a Frustrating team on the heals of a Freakin' Fiasco and an overall Friggin' mess the Giants have created for themselves.  Fugheddaboudit.




There's never a good time to have a bad game.  But the Giants should have been so lucky.  The Big Black and Blue Bleeding Crew are playing their most horrific football at the worst imaginable time.  They've been getting progressively worse with every loss over their last three games.  They went from competing against the Niners to getting embarrassed against the Eagles.  Then....




....Then in something resembling the opening scene from James Bond's Live and Let Die,  the Saints rolled a casket with a blue NY logo on it down Bourbon Street.  French Quarter revelers at the Monday Night Football Fiasco, along with a national audience watched the Saints rip the collective spirits out of whatever on-field Defensive personnel the Giants had left.  And with that, the cake was cut ushering in the annual late season Giants Pity Party .....N'orleans style.




Big Blue left New Orleans behind having been voodooed into shock, and leaving the Fans bone-shivering scared for their playoff lives.  So how bad was it? - Even though this is the Age of Offense, it was as bad as any generation of Giants Fans had ever seen before.  The Giants' Defense allowed the Saints to gain five hundred and seventy-seven yards in total offense en route to an utterly demoralizing forty-nine point undressing of a (depleted, and...) now completely exposed Giants Defense.  Over two-hundred of New Orleans' yards came on the ground alone.  The sad reality is Drew Brees and New Orleans could have easily broken fifty points.




Most people outside of Vegas believe this Sunday's game against Aaron Rogers and Green Bay is shaping up to be another complete disaster for the G-Men; which if they get embarrassed again, may start to mean the Gag-Men.  Well..., that's the perception at least.  And increasingly, it's rather well deserved.  Because the Giants have given Fans and Media alike, every reason to question whether they were good enough to contend in the first place.  Looking back, they have a win against the Patriots.  But the Eagles' miserable loss to the Seahawks this past Thursday night reinforces once again the fact we lost to a vastly pathetic Eagles team in a very pathetic manner.  And the Giants present situation as a result of that loss, (along with Seattle), brings everything into question regarding the Giants' success this season, or lack there of.




But, ....oh yea; the injuries.  Rrriiiiight.




So..., Who Dat gonna help Coach Perry Fewell figure this one out in time for the undefeated Green Bay Packers?  Because his side of the ball quite honestly looked completely amateurish against the Saints.  I'm going to tell you right now, Peter Giunta and David Merritt are two of his problems.  But first.....




Blitz... This is Giant Fan.  Come in Blitz...!  Over?




Uh..., has anyone seen the Giants' Blitz lately?  What happened to that?  Perry Fewell dialed-up some pretty nifty blitzes...once.  But it seems like that was a long time ago - much earlier in the season to be exact.  Several times, during better days before this current three game tail-spin, I expressed concern that the Giants' "over-reliance" on sacks would come back to haunt this team because of underlying issues with the Giants' thin Linebacking ranks.  In at least four of the Giants six wins, in addition to Eli's heroics, the Giants let their opponent hang around until finally getting a late game saving sack.  And well, - BOO!  Over the last four weeks Perry Fewell has been relying on the front guys to take care of the pass rush on their own.  As a result, we're getting killed on third downs.  Problem is, Justin Tuck is a compromised player this season, and Osi is Useless-Some-More-a.  He left last week's game and will miss this Sunday's game against the Packers.




Allow me to digress a moment, as I ask my fellow Giant Fans who expressed displeasure with GM Jerry Reese's  hard-line stance against Osi during his off-season holdout - How do you like his handling of Kevin Boss; Steve Smith; and in this particular example; Osi; now?  We know Osi is great on the field, but our problem has been keeping him healthy.  Welcome to the riskier side of hold-outs and hard line bargaining.




However, Jerry Reese let Barry Coffield go.  He is clearly a sorely missed player in the defensive middle.  Chris Canty has been putting forth a respectable effort in Coffield's place, as has Linval Joseph.  But they, along with the Linebackers are complicit in allowing back after running back to storm through the middle of the field on us.




Now consider the Giants' depth of talent with Mathias Kiwanuka and Jason Pierre Paul, who've been the Giants' constant and most consistent pass rushers this season.  Depth and talent we have.  However something just does not compute.  Any harassment the Giants have issued opposing QB's has been nothing more than mere words for several weeks now, as the Giants haven't really laid their hands on many QB's at all lately.  What ever Perry Fewell's reluctance has been lately to dial-up varying blitz packages has not gone unnoticed.  And I suspect the health of Michael Boley has had much to do with that.



Long known to be the Soft-White Under Belly of the Giants' defense, the season-long absence of Jonathan Goff and recent scratch of Michael Boley at Linebacker is absolutely killing this team.  The Giants' remaining healthy Linebackers are simply too young; too inexperienced; and for the moment completely over-matched.  Primarily manned with rookies, they've been confused regarding pass coverage and getting their ankles busted on crossing patterns.  Against the run, they haven't plugged the running gaps exceptionally well and they over-pursue plays there-by abandoning their areas of responsibility.



Last week's game film against the Saints can go a long way towards advancing all their careers because within those sixty minutes of so called football Monday, are all the mistakes a Linebacker can make, revisit, and learn from moving forward.  It's another way of saying Drew Brees took them to school and gave them a hard taught lesson about life in the NFL.  Next lesson; Aaron Rogers.  Study hard boys.




Of all the Giants' defensive sub-units, I understand the Secondary has been victimized the most by the number of injuries they've sustained.  But Corey Webster and Aaron Ross are veterans; not to mention healthy ones at that.  And together, they have been woeful.  There is no pass route disruption at the line in the form of jamming receivers.  There is no contact what so ever within five yards.  And they have a total misunderstanding as to how to go about zone-coverage, as they lay-out more cushion than an IKEA floor display.



I should actually be calling out the regular Safeties, and be a lot harsher about it too.  You know who they are.  But I'll go this way instead; -  Prince finally had his NFL debut; and good for us.  However Kenny Phillips is bordering on doing stupid things lately.



But collectively, the Secondary has joined forces to keep opposing drives in business by consistently missing tackles against the run, giving up huge plays via the air, and blowing big third down and long situations.  To anyone watching, right up to the moment the ball is snapped, they are clearly and consistently unsure of their assignments as evidenced by swivelling heads and excessive exchanges at the line of scrimmage as to who is covering who.  And I put much of that on the heads of Corners Coach Peter Giunta and Coach David Merritt.  There is too much on-field miscommunication taking place.  There are too many issues concerning technique, body positioning, schemes, smartness, and preparedness to go right for the jugular and indict the Secondary for a lack of talent.



In truth, Ross and Webster were never all-pros.  And Terrell Thomas, Kenny Phillips, and Prince Amukamara were supposed to be up to snuff by now.  Injuries at some point to the latter three have slowed that process down considerably.  But this much of a precipitous fall-off in coverage effectiveness must be partly due to instruction rather than blanketing the Secondary with the easy and all-encapsulating......they suck.  Because there is also every reason to point our fingers at Perry Fewell's; Peter Giunta's; and David Merritt's collective inability to stop the no-huddle/hurry up offense teams are now routinely employing against us.  The coaching triumvirate has had absolutely no answer for that....have they?



Sure injuries have been a factor.  But we do not suffer a lack of talent.  And there-in lies the true root of all Giant Fan's frustrations.  It's the lack of execution and a seeming willingness to get outplayed which have plagued us.  That's on the players.  Lawrence Taylor once exhorted - or - excoriated - his team to "...go out there like a bunch of crazed dogs and have some fun!"  Instead the Giants appear to have put their tail between their legs and are having a miserable time of it.  And not for nothing, Justin Tuck is the current poster child of Giants' melancholy.  During the week, Coach Fewell tried the old "chastise my unit like naughty boys" routine.  What he needs however is an epiphany.  A little creative thought into the art of deception will go a long way Coach.  In that respect, Coach Fewell has indeed slipped since earlier this season.  And that's on him.



Last week was wholly on the Defense as well it should.  The Offense did what is always does; put up twenty-four points.  That's their season average and another story.  Clearly, a better running game helps keeps Drew Brees off the field, and maybe New Orleans' final score doesn't start with that nasty old letter F.  But going into that game against the Saints, defensively, both teams were relatively even statistically.  That wasn't the case Monday night as the Giants were twice as bad.



The letter F also stands for Coach Fewell.  And he better think of something Fast.  Otherwise, the Giants season is on the verge of being Finished.



More on the Offense is coming; along with my Sunday Picks.





Mike.BTB

N.Y. Giants ~ How BLUE Will the Big Easy Be?

From the desk of:  DO IT FOR THE DUKE

Game Eleven

NEW YORK GIANTS

vs.

New Orleans Saints

FROM

The Big Easy

NEW YORK GIANTS FOOTBALL:  We'll Know Who The Giants Are After Tonight.



Just as we suspected, the Giants lost to a one game wonder when they dropped that dreadful game against Philly last week.  The Eagles' loss this Sunday versus New England proved that out.  And looking back at those GIANT losses to the Skins and Seattle earlier in the season, the G-Men not only gagged away their scheduled soft spots, they are now fresh out of cushion.   From here on out, it's the hard way or bust.


Beginning tonight, what the Giants need to do over these next two games is win at least one.  The Giants' journey to the playoffs is still in their control.  However, within these next two games lies the rest of their season as well as their reputations.  For right now, all that separates them from another late season melt-down and the ensuing Media blitzkrieg that would surely follow is their ability to make their two games against Dallas matter.  And as much as I may hate this, it starts on Monday Night Football.  I don't like the Giants playing on anything but Sunday afternoons at one o'clock.  Anything else bothers me terribly.  And so tonight, I, as well as the Giants have a big problem on our hands.



Defensively, heading into tonight's game we already understand our Linebacking situation is in shambles.  What more can we say about a depleted, and very young, inexperienced group?  Good luck tonight guys.  I mean that.  But what really scares the WhoDats out of me isn't just thinking about how Drew Brees can pick them apart like smiling ducks at an arcade shooting gallery.  No; - actually the hairs on the back of my head stand up because of the state of confusion which exists between our Corners and Safeties.  Their lack of communication has not only been confounding, it's also high time Coach Giunta and Coach Merritt had these issues resolved.  And if they haven't by now, then Perry Fewell should have.  This isn't the first time I brought this up.  And tonight, they're getting put under the microscope.  We'll have answers to some of my concerns regarding these matters a little later in the evening.  For tonight will go a long way towards establishing this team's identity.  Lastly on Defense, I'd like to know how exactly the Giants will combat Drew Brees with a pass rush that is suddenly MIA?  I don't know the answer to that one either..  All I can say is the Giants' sack specialists need to show up.



Defensively, the teams are actually pretty even in most categories.  But the Saints have scored roughly one-hundred more points than the Giants this season.  And if the running game remains stuck in tar, I don't believe the Giants can keep Drew Brees off the field long enough so as to give Eli a realistic chance at going toe-to-toe in a shoot-out.  The running game has to chip in, which includes Jacobs catching more passes out of the back field.  ...The running game MUST chip in in order to win.



With David Diehl moving to left Tackle so Kevin Boothe can play Guard, and Kareem McKenzie apparently ready to go, can the Offensive Line lead the running game to daylight?  In order to keep the Saints 300+ point offense at bay, they better.  If the Giants' intention this season is to not be their own worst enemy..., they better.



We know what kind of game the Giants need to play. It has to be low scoring and dominated by the Defense.  Then we need some key plays on Offense.  We've done this sort of thing before. The big question is can we do it tonight?




I've never lamented injuries with this team.  I do not plan to start now.  But by midnight or so, expect the New York Giants to have a new identity.  ...one way or the other.





Let's Go Giants!







Mike.BTB