The Giants Are All Out of Whack
I feel like I must give a warning before you continue to read this article. I did not watch the whole Giants’ game this weekend. I probably caught about 80% of it and must admit I did not fully throw myself into the game as I normally do. Instead, I was busy watching the Yankees clinch the pennant. I forgot how much I love October baseball, especially when your team is winning. While I am pretty sure the Giants are still number one in my heart, with a few more inept performances by the coordinators I may have to reconsider my personal power rankings.
Last week I tried to explain my problems about each player twitter style. I swear that looked like a good idea when I proof-read the column. But when it officially posted I wanted to puke. I wish I could say I was drunk. So this time I am going to do an old fashioned list. Player or coach’s name followed by a short or not so short comment about his play.
Offense
Eli Manning - The Giants are going to have a problem for the rest of the season, and I am not sure if anyone in the organization knows it. For half of every remaining home game Eli Manning will not be able to throw the ball. He simply does not have the arm strength to throw the deep ball and routes to the outer parts of the field. The Giants are going to need to rely on the running game, screens, and crossing patterns to move the ball up the field. Against Arizona Eli kept switching to deeper patterns because he noticed the safeties at the line. It was extremely good gameplanning by the Cardinals as the safeties did not always blitz and would turn around, sprint 30 yards, and play deep coverage. Eli has to do a better job before the snap (Chris Collinsworth figured out Omaha and explained Eli misidentifying the Mike linebacker) and has to make better decisions once the play is underway.
Brandon Jacobs - Then numbers were good, but it still does not seem like the Brandon of old. Maybe it is because he is not seeing as many carries, but it also appears like the line is not opening up the big wholes like they did last year. Jacobs cannot gain the head of steam to run over the linebackers and safeties. I would not be surprised to learn that he has been playing through an injury.
Ahmad Bradshaw - I didn’t see the fumble (I believe Mariano was getting through the eighth when that happened), but this match-up did not seem to favor him. Arizona is an extremely quick defense and would not over pursue leaving the cutback lanes he is adept of finding.
Hakeem Nicks - Great play not to give up on his touchdown. He will supplant Manningham as the #2 receiver soon.
Mario Manningham - Someone has the dropsies. He is so quick and creates good separation but seems to have trouble catching the ball in stride. He kind of reminds me of the kid in Little Giants who needs to put all the stick ‘em on his hands to catch the ball. Some advice Mario: just picture a roll of toilet paper.
Offensive Line - Last year it seemed like Jacobs and Ware were getting two yards ahead of the line of scrimmage before getting through the hole because the line got off the ball so well. This year…not so much. The pass blocking has been decent and a lot of the sacks have been Eli’s inability to move in the pocket. Eli is very good at stepping up in the pocket, unfortunately sometime he steps right into a defender. William Beatty was extremely decent in his first start.
Kevin Gilbride - He ceases to amaze me with his play calling. Some of the problem may be Eli switching out of play so often, but I still do not understand why Gilbride has fallen in love with the pass so much this year. It seems the Giants are running more shotgun and three receiver sets than ever. I’d like to see Beckum in the games more…I really like the set with Boss (when healthy) in the slot and Beckum lined up at the old fashioned tight end spot. I’d like to see more power running and play-action calls. This is not a run n’ shoot team, especially now that the weather has turned.
Defense
Justin Tuck - He is the one of two elite player still on this defense (Corey Webster is too and Kenny Phillips was before getting hurt). Tuck plays the pass and run equally well and there is now no question who is the best defensive end on the team.
Osi Umenyiora - He seems hesitant off the line, almost like he is thinking too much. I’d like to see more speed rushes from him and better use of his hands. He is being locked down by average left tackles.
Danny Clark and Chase Blackburn - These guys are slow. Clark has been serviceable in his year and a half with the Giants. Blackburn is a glorified special teams player. This defense looked a lot more athletic with Michael Boley in there. Hopefully he comes back soon and can be a three down player.
Corey Webster - I’m going to say something that not many people will agree with. This man is the second best corner in the NFL. The guy with the tough name in Oakland is first, then I cannot think of someone I would rather have than Webster. Some may say Darelle Revis and I cannot really tell those people they are too wrong, but Webster rarely gets thrown at anymore. Sheridan needs to play more man coverage to use this man’s skills.
Michael Johnson - One of the more underrated players in the league. A seventh round pick out of Arizona, Johnson has emerged as a very good safety. The guy is quick, covers well and plays the run excellently. I really hope Phillips can recover from his surgery because the Giants would have two young, exciting safeties.
CC Brown - The man has to be cut. I really think Terrell Thomas is moving to safety (if) once Aaron Ross comes back from injury. I’ve never seen a safety get fooled by play-action so often, nor one who plays the ball in the air. On top of all this, I do not find him to be the great tackler he is reputed to be. He is terrible.
Defensive Tackles - Robbins has been great, Cofield has been decent, but where has Rocky Bernard been. I feel like I haven’t heard his name once all year, which is not a good thing for one of your big money free agents.
Bill Sheridan - He dialed the blitz more against the Cardinals, but he still lacks the creativity that Spags had. His blitzes and coverages are easy to read and allows the opposing team’s quarterback to make the proper adjustments pre-snap. I also want to see better in-game adjustments. It seems like the strategy going into the game is the same one used in the fourth quarter.
Overall
The Giants need to do two things with the remainder of the regular season. First and foremost, just make the playoffs. Even if it is the sixth seed. Second, they need to get healthy. With Boley, Ross, and Canty this defense looks a lot difference. Thomas can move to the second safety spot with Bruce Johnson and Kevin Dockery playing the nickel and dime respectively. Add Boley’s athleticism and this defense looks totally different.
Gilbride and Sheridan need to hit their strides as well. Gilbride needs to go back to the old “boring” offense, while Sheridan needs to grow as a coordinator. I really do have hope for the latter as he has seemed to grow slowly as the season matures. I think this team will look totally different in Week 18 than they do now…and I really pray for the better.
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