SuperFan: Giants vs. Panthers (12/29/09)

A Sad, Gutless Farewell

By Superfan           

            So, Giants fans, here we are.  One week left in the regular season, and we’re officially out of the playoff hunt.  Not the situation anybody wanted, but one that shouldn’t be too much of a shock to anyone who’s been watching this season progress.  I’ll tell you one thing – the team I saw last Sunday certainly didn’t deserve a playoff berth. 

What I learned from Sunday…

            What bothers me most is that the game began with such promise!  That first drive was going perfectly.  We were moving down the field methodically, averaging about 5-7 yards per play, gaining first downs and killing that clock.  Then, suddenly, Madison Hedgecock got called for a holding penalty on what looked like a picture-perfect touchdown pass to Steve Smith.  And it wasn’t just a holding penalty; it was a blatant tackle that occurred right in front of the referee, when a chip would’ve sufficed.  Soon after, Mario Manningham carelessly fumbled away a completion down near the end zone, and the wheels completely fell off.  From there, it was all downhill.

            You’d think the guys out there would have a little pride, given what was at stake on Sunday.  Not only were we playing for our playoff lives, but it was also the Giants send-off to their home for the last 30 years.  AND THE ENTIRE TEAM FORGOT TO SHOW UP.  It made me physically ill to sit there and watch the whole game.

            Coughlin and his coaching staff put in 18-20 hour days, seven days a week.  And for what?  To see an offense that becomes completely unglued after a promising opening drive ends badly?  To see a defense show up, void of aggression?  Maybe Bill Sheridan wasn’t the answer to Steve Spagnuolo’s departure, but you can bet he put a lot more effort into this game than any of those pretenders did on the field.  Our defensive needs in the off-season are many.  They can be fixed through free agency and the draft, but to be a consistent winning team in December in the NFC East (like the Philadelphia Eagles have been – yes, hearing that should sting), a lot of soul searching and self-examination needs to start, and it needs to start this week in Minnesota.

            Michael Boley – I’m calling you out.  No more half-assed arm tackles.  Osi – I feel your pain, but you’ve been beyond miserable against the run all year.  Jacobs – you’re not Adrian Peterson, stop trying to run like him!  You’re a power back!  ACT LIKE IT!  It should take more than one guy reaching for your ankles to take you down.  Kevin Dockery – you didn’t play the way a starter in the NFL is expected to, and you know it.  When you’re head-on in a one-on-one situation near the sideline, there’s no excuse for getting juked out of your jock.  The list goes on and on…

The stadium deserved a better performance

            My friends and I went to the game with all the passion and optimism in the world, expecting our beloved Gmen to send the stadium off with a huge statement victory, helping us inch ever-closer to a potential playoff berth.  We were in our seats up in the mezzanine a good hour or so before kickoff, and watched with pride as the Giants stretched and warmed up for the last time in the stadium.  Not a single one of us had any doubt that we’d win this game handily, making for a truly joyous day of celebration for the landmark that is Giants Stadium.  Even Jimmy Hoffa seemed to be sending optimistic vibes from way underneath the building’s foundation.

            As miserable as it was, I forced my friends and myself to sit there until the clock ran out.  Forget the embarrassment that took place on the field – we owed it to the stadium, and to the franchise.  The team is bigger than one embarrassing performance, or one unfulfilled season.  That stadium has been home to some of the greatest experiences of my life, and I wasn’t going to let one heartless performance by the guys wearing Giants uniforms ruin its send-off.  The guys playing might not have cared enough to give it a fitting goodbye, but it didn’t mean the fans should disrespect it as well.  As upset as the game made me, I still walked out of the stadium with my head held high.  Not too long ago, it was the home of champions, despite the phonies playing it in last Sunday.  I felt really bad for Lawrence Taylor, especially.  To come in and watch the final Giants home game in the stadium, after calling it home for the entirety of his pro bowl career, only to see that embarrassing performance?  Those guys didn’t deserve to wear blue that day.  If only LT (or even Sehorn, for that matter) could’ve suited up.  Now those guys know what it means to play with heart and passion.  Hopefully, the guys who embarrassed themselves out there at least felt bad about it, but I doubt it.  The team I watched play last Sunday had absolutely no heart, and no pride.  They CERTAINLY weren’t Giants, that’s for sure.

Where do we go from here?

            There are obviously a lot of questions to be answered this off-season.  What we, as fans, should really hope for is that the Giants at least show some heart and toughness in their last game this Sunday in Minnesota.  While it won’t mean anything for us regarding January’s second season, it would be nice to see the players are still proud of the “NY” logo they wear on their helmets.

            Regarding the off-season, I’d love to see Jerry Reese go out and get us a shutdown corner.  I realize Webster and Ross have been out the last few weeks (Ross nearly the whole season), and as a result we’ve been playing with back-ups, but that doesn’t change my opinion.  I really feel like we should look into the free agent market, or the trading block, and get ourselves a Charles Woodson or a Brian Dawkins. Although I have been very encouraged by what I’ve seen from Jonathan Goff since stepping in for the injured Antonio Pierce, I think we should use the draft to build up our linebackers and safeties.  If there’s anything we’ve learned this season, it’s that you can’t have enough depth in those areas (it’ll be nice having Kenny Phillips back next year, that’s for sure).

Random thoughts:

• Is anyone else really bummed out that the Jets, not the Giants, have the last home game of the season in the stadium?  As bad as our last performance was (plus the fact that the Jets still have a shot at making the post-season), it seems only fitting that the last game in Giants Stadium would be played by the team with the same name.  Jets fans will get to walk out with chunks of the stadium.  All us Giants fans got was a bitter taste in our mouths and a poster.  What’s up with that?
• Having several weeks off of work for the holidays, I’ve managed to see two movies since coming east.  They were “Sherlock Holmes” and “Avatar” (in 3D).  Both were AWESOME!  I highly recommend them to anyone who loves the experience of going to the movies.
• My new year’s resolution:  convert one Eagles fan into a Giants fan in 2010.  I know it’s next to impossible, but I figure if I find one out in LA, far from their home turf, it might be a little easier.  Plus, it’s always a real pleasure to turn fans from the dark side to the side of good.  I’m setting the bar pretty high for next year!

In conclusion…

             Its going to be a really tough January.  For many, it means not even being able to watch the NFL playoffs, simply because it hurts so much to see two teams from the NFC East playing, not one of them being the Gmen.  But we’ll survive it.  Let’s finish the season on a positive note next week, and start getting ready for next year!  If you want to contact me, feel free to e-mail me at gmensuperfan@gmail.com.  You can also find me on Facebook, under the name “Gmen Superfan.”  Until next week, GO GMEN!!

             

 

SuperFan: Giants vs. Redskins (12/22/09)

Capitol Gains

By Superfan

            On a weekend where every team we needed (and expected) to win let us down (except the Steelers), the Giants took it upon themselves to go out there and take care of business. Talk about a statement!  I realize some people may say, “Oh, it was just the Redskins.”  I know I’m not the only Giants fan who was a little worried about heading into Washington, thinking that this could very well be a trap game.  They have a very tough defense (fifth in the league against the pass), and have recently played very competitive games against both Philadelphia and the Saints.  Well, we scorched them for 45 points, with 21 of them coming through the air.  And despite the fact that Jason Campbell made Gus Frerotte seem like a Redskins’ quarterback legend in comparison, our back-up defensive backs managed to keep some playmaking receivers (Moss, Randle-El) in check all game.

Thoughts About the Game

            I haven’t seen our offense click like that since the NFC Championship Game against Minnesota in 2000.  Especially that first drive, where every play seemed to work to perfection.  If there was one thing that stood out about our offensive performance Monday night, it was the absence of mistakes.  That’s all due to great preparation, and superior execution.  Another great notch on what’s been Eli’s best regular season of his career.

            For those fans out there who still rag on Eli, I feel sorry for you.  You’re letting one the best quarterbacks in our team’s history play before your very eyes, and you fail to appreciate it.  Do you realize Eli is now only the third quarterback in Giants history to throw for more than twenty-five touchdowns in a season?  You know who the other two were?  Y.A. Tittle and Fran Tarkenton.  Pretty impressive company, if you ask me.

            While it’s often the last thing most fans think about when watching a football game, I couldn’t help but notice how well our kickoff team played.  It certainly helps our defense when their starting field position is deep in their own territory after every one of our kicks.  Congrats for finally reaching their end zone, Mr. Tynes! 

            How about the job Goff has done filling in for Antonio Pierce these past two weeks?  An interception against Philly, and a really big sack against the Redskins.  Like what I’m seeing so far. 

            I can only imagine what an eye-opener it must have been for Bruce Allen (their newly appointed GM).  You have to think he was just sitting there with a checklist, marking off numerous roster spots that will need replacing.  Here’s the good news, Bruce – Dan Snyder, Vinny Ceratto, and Jim Zorn have set the bar very low. 

            Speaking of setting the bar low, how about that whole situation at the end of the first half?  Line up for a fake field goal, call a timeout, then line up in the EXACT SAME formation?  What did they think was gonna happen?

A Fun Day of Travel

            The game itself made for one hell of a travel experience.  Having flown back east for the holidays, my dad and I were able to catch the 2:00 pm Acela train to Washington, D.C. from Penn Station.  The train ride itself was great (minus some disgusting microwavable hot dogs), but waiting in Penn Station was a total mess.  Someone’s gotta do something about that place – talk about your all-time fire hazards.

            When we arrived in D.C., my dad seemed keen on having me zip up my jacket aboard the Metro.  I don’t know if it was because he was concerned for my safety (you’ll always be your father’s son, after all), or because he was born and raised in Bethesda, Maryland.  Regardless, I ignored his request, making it a point to remind him that we were in D.C., not Philly, and therefore he should relax.  Which he did.

            We arrived at the stadium around 7:00, where we met up with my Uncle Michael (my dad’s brother), and my cousin Alexandra, on break after her first semester at the University of Maryland.  While it’s unfortunate that they both happen to be huge Redskins fans, it was a pleasure to watch the Giants beat the stuffing out of the dead-skins in their seats (thanks again!!).

            Just before the game started, my dad and I hung out on the field for a bit, where it looked like there may have been more Giants fans with field passes than Redskins fans.  As the game started, we headed into a suite as my uncle’s guests, where (once again) the Giants fans outnumbered the Redskins’ faithful. 

            The best part of the game experience was that the suites at FedEx Field have huge windows that open in front, so we still felt very much a part of the crowd.  Also, the crab cakes were DYNAMITE.

            At game’s end, my dad and I hitched a ride back with the team train, which was quite a thrill.  I’ll tell you what – the train food back was a whole lot better than it was on the ride in!     

 

Random Musings

• I couldn’t help but notice a lot of random fans at the game wearing Eagles jerseys.  What was that about?  Did they simply have a small selection of football apparel to choose from, or were they deliberately trying to piss off both sets of fans?  Maybe they were counting on the whole “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” idea to come into play.  Only, which side would be which enemy?  Either way, that’s gutsy.
• While moving from the bus out of the stadium to the train that would take us the rest of the way to Newark, the entire team (players, coaches, family, press, friends, etc.) filed onto one very narrow escalator, which took us up to the platform.  While on it, I noticed that Eli was standing directly behind my left shoulder, and behind him and slightly to the right was David Carr.  Now, you must realize that this escalator was kind of slippery, since people had been walking on it with snow-covered shoes all day.  Considering all this data, I couldn’t help but picture the scene where I would be “that guy” to slip on the escalator, knocking Eli backwards into Carr, and sending the whole group tumbling down the escalator.  Could you imagine what that injury report would look like?  How could a fan possibly live with himself/herself?  That’s the first and second-string quarterbacks, out with one fell swoop!  Yikes.

Wrapping Up…

            What better way to head into the final game at Giants Stadium than with so much on the line?  It’s only appropriate that both the Giants and Panthers are coming off of dominating victories.  I also feel confident that the Giants won’t let their blowout of Washington affect their preparation or motivation for the match up against Carolina.  This team knows we need to take it one game at a time, and whatever might be riding on our big game in Minnesota won’t mean a thing unless we take care of business at home first.  Giants Stadium has been host to some amazing football over the years, and it’d been a shame to go out on anything less than a spectacular performance. 

            Despite Dallas’ surprising victory over the Saints, we’re still very much in this!  Assuming we can take care of our own business, we’d only need either Dallas or Green Bay to lose one more game!  Two games to go!  Each one’s a playoff game!  To keep talking Gmen football, or any questions/comments, feel free to send me an e-mail at gmensuperfan@gmail.com.  You can also find me on Facebook, under the name “Gmen Superfan.”  Merry Christma-Hanu-Kwanz-ukah everybody, and until next week – GO GMEN!!!!

 

SuperFan: Giants vs. Eagles (12/16/09)

Not Dead Yet

By Superfan 

         Sunday night was really hard to swallow.  To score 38 points on offense, and LOSE?!?!?!  The defense I saw out there was the worst I’ve ever seen wearing a Giants uniform, and I’ve been around for some bad defenses.  That was pathetic. 

            I feel bad for the offense.  Going back to what I mentioned earlier, our offense scored 38 points on Sunday.  Defense or special teams didn’t help that total – it was all the offense.  Eli played (without question) one of the greatest games of his career.  Jacobs and Bradshaw finally ran for over 100 yards combined, and looked great doing it.  When things click like that for a team, they deserve to win.

            Despite a few really bad games sprinkled in, Eli’s had one of the best overall seasons of his career this year.  Unfortunately, it’s been overshadowed by the poor defensive play.  Here are his season stats so far, with three games still left to play:

·      3,316 passing yards, 60.4% completion percentage, twenty-three touchdowns passes, and a quarterback rating of 93.0%. 

Not quite as inconsistent as we all thought this year, huh?  Take away one or two of his bad games, and he’s come close to having an MVP season!  And don’t forget, Eli didn’t even show his best stuff in 2007 until the playoffs arrived.  

 

Unfortunately, everything that our offense did great, our defense did that much worse.  With almost the same dominating cast they had last year!  It’s one thing for a new coordinator to need some time adjusting to his responsibilities with a team, and them having a few hiccups as a result.  But the fact that this defense has gone from one of the best to laughable in such a small span is ridiculous.  I realize it’s not kosher to change coordinators mid-season, but does anyone really think things could have gotten any worse this year if we had?  I’m being honest.  Nothing against Bill Sheridan, but I think at this point it’s pretty clear that he’s not up to the task of controlling our defense. 

 

We were at my condo to watch the game Sunday night.  It was JJ, his brother, Ryan, myself, and the beagle.  And one hell of a busy grill (thanks again JJ for the crazy barbecuing skills).  We must have changed our seating situation about five different times, and each time we thought we fixed the problem, the Eagles would drive down the field and score.  It was a terrible, helpless feeling.  Needless to say, dinner was the only thing we enjoyed that night.

 

All that being said, we’re still in this thing!  I hate to keep doing this, but in order to stay positive, I must continue making comparisons with this season and the 2007 season.  What I’m truly hoping is that this year’s Eagles are to us what the Cowboys were back in 2007.  We lost both regular season games to Dallas in ’07, then beat them on the road in the playoffs.  If we make it to the post season this year, and survive the first round, chances are we’ll take a trip to Philadelphia the following week.  When you compare the matchups between the two teams those two years, it’s a little scary:

·      In 2007, Dallas gained netted 801 yards and scored 76 points in their two regular season victories against us.

·      In 2009, Philadelphia netted 765 yards and scored 85 points in their two regular season victories against us.

            In no way am I saying that since it worked out for us then, it’ll work out the same way for us now, but it’s nice to reflect on that and realize that all hope is far from lost.  If we win out, and Dallas loses just one more of their games, we’re in.  That’s a big if, but a legitimate scenario nonetheless.

 

NON-GMEN THOUGHTS FOR THE WEEK:

·      My sincerest thoughts and prayers go out to Chris Henry’s family and the entire Bengals organization.  What a great athlete, what a horrible tragedy.

·      Even though it’s with the Redskins, congratulations to Bruce Allen on getting back into the NFL!  One of the smartest football minds I can think of, it’s a shame the Buccaneers treated him the way they did.  While I’m not thrilled that our division rivals will finally have someone intelligent making their big football decisions, I’m very happy to have Bruce back in the league.  About time.

 

            We’ve got three huge games to go.  Washington, Carolina, and Minnesota.  They’re all winnable games, and games we have to win if we want to even think about the playoffs.  Speaking of Washington, I’m gonna be headed that way for the game Monday night.  Don’t kow where the seats are yet, or where we’ll be tailgating, but check my Facebook page for updates.  I’m on there under the name “Gmen Superfan.”  You can also reach me through e-mail, at gmensuperfan@gmail.com.  Until next week, GO GMEN!! 

 

SuperFan: Giants vs. Cowboys (12/8/09)

A Long Way From Over

By Superfan

“SHOW ME SOMETHING.” In one way or another, it seems every Giants fan posed this challenge to the team heading into last Sunday’s big match-up against the Cowboys. After what happened against the Broncos, not only did the Gmen need to win to stay alive in the playoff hunt, but they needed to prove to their fans and themselves that what happens out there every Sunday (or Thursday, or Monday) means as much to them as it does to us. And they did just that, in impressive fashion. Not to jump the gun, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say something finally clicked for us in the Meadowlands last Sunday. As soon as they went down 10-0 early, some switch flipped on, the metaphorical chip got wedged just deep enough into the team's collective shoulder, and it looked like they all universally thought, "Okay, enough is enough!” By the time we’d captured the lead just before the half, I could feel the reassuring pride coursing throughout my body like red blood cells. The New York Football Giants were back.
We’ve been here before, and have shown everybody we’re more than capable of coming back from the depths of mediocrity with our backs against the wall. Let's remind this league why we (not so long ago) used to be labeled one of its elite.
Statistically speaking, it wasn’t our best-looking win of the year. Eli completed only 11 of 25 passes, with an interception to go along with his two touchdown passes, and Jacobs and Bradshaw each had less than fifty yards rushing. But when it comes to aspects of the game that actually matter (statistics only really matter in fantasy football, not real football), this was by far our biggest win of the year. The Giants had to make a statement to the rest of the league, and that’s exactly what they did.

First thing’s first, a big kudos to Bill Sheridan and the defense. He’s been under the microscope for weeks now, and he stood his ground and came through. They shook up the lineup a bit, moved some guys around, did a few things differently, and boy did it pay off huge. Yeah, I know Romo completed 41 passes for nearly 400 yards, but he also had to throw the ball 55 times! Why? Because we held their three-headed rushing trio (Barber, Jones, Choice) to less than fifty yards (combined)! When we played the Cowboys in week two, those three ran for a combined 228 yards. Nice adjustment, if you ask me. Also, guess how many penalties were called against our defense on Sunday? One. (Well, two, technically, but the first ended up getting offset.) That’s a direct result of great coaching (the offense also only had one penalty called against them all game, by the way). I’ve criticized him plenty when the defense hasn’t played well, so I’ll absolutely give him big time props for what transpired at the Meadowlands on Sunday. Great job, Coach. Keep it up.
Even though his big play came on a receiving touchdown, it might as well have been a run. That one play showed me that Brandon Jacobs, the bulldozer we all know and love, is ready to reintroduce himself to the NFL. Pity to those fools who have to face him the rest of the way. It’s going to hurt.

The one issue that stood out to me during the game was how open Jason Witten seemed to be in the middle of the field all day long. Although, I’d gladly let Witten have a big day receiving if it means shutting down that rushing game. In the end, it wasn’t as close as the final score indicated, and a lot of those passing yards came against our prevent defense in what may as well have been garbage time.

Since the Giants won the last two times we watched them play at his house, JJ and I had initially planned to watch the game at my cousin Larry’s. It was then that I had a startling realization – we were also at his house last year when the Giants got beat up by the Cowboys in their second meeting. Sorry Larry, but I’m sure you understand that sacrifices have to be made to ensure a victory for the Gmen. It’s for the team.
So JJ and I wound up watching the game at my house with Ryan and the beagle (Pete). Unfortunately, since we only had the local feed, we were stuck waiting for the Redskins-Saints game to end before we could watch the Giants. Damn Redskins. Of course that anger faded fast as the game wore on, and it was nothing but Big Blue pride from then on. The assurance first came for me when we scored those quick 14 points just before halftime, and became legitimate after Dominik Hixon’s picture-perfect punt return for a touchdown. By the way, how great is it having a threat like that returning kicks for us? What a weapon!

For those of you who can’t seem to understand why our 3rd round draft pick (Ramses Barden) is inactive nearly every week, I sympathize with your confusion, but also see why the Giants are doing what they’re doing. They’re giving him the Mario Manningham treatment. He barely saw the field last season, spending his time learning from the guys around him, studying the playbook, and mastering his craft. As his production this season has shown us, it really paid off. I have a feeling the team’s handling Ramses Barden the same way. I realize that we have few tall weapons, and it would be nice to have his presence in the red zone, but you have to look at the big picture. In no way do I mean to knock him, especially because no one was more excited about drafting him than I was last April, but at this point in his very young career he brings little more to the table than a big body in the red zone. Wouldn’t it be better to let him master his craft, become a threat all over the field (instead of just twenty yards from the end zone), become a great downfield blocker, and use the last active spot on the roster for someone who adds depth in several areas in the meantime. After all, Hixon doesn’t score a touchdown on that punt return without Derek Hagan’s magnificent block downfield. Trust me, the coaches realize the potential they have with Barden. They’ll know when he’s ready.

(Back to the situation at hand…)

Here’s my take on the Gmen’s season so far, and what it all means: you can’t expect to have a storybook ending without encountering some serious hurdles along the way. If you remember correctly, the 2007 season was a fairly unpleasant and bumpy road up until the last few weeks in December, starting with our big win in Buffalo and continuing on through the Super Bowl. Conversely, last year was a very dominant season (minus that one really bad game against Cleveland) that ended miserably in early January. So forget about the previous twelve games. If we can keep going and get into the playoffs as a hot team, that would be just as valuable to our chances at making a run as home field advantage will be to the Saints or Vikings. Like we proved two years ago, you don’t have to be hot all year. Only when it matters most.

Some non-Gmen thoughts from around the world of sports/entertainment:
• I can’t believe I forgot to mention this last week, but congratulations to Derek Jeter for winning S.I.’s Sportsman of the Year award! Love him or hate him, the guy represents everything that’s great and pure about the game of baseball. Like Ted Williams was for baseball years ago, and Babe Ruth before him, and the countless others from years past, Derek Jeter has become the face of the sport. Years from now, when people think back to baseball in the 90s and into the 21st century, Jeter will be who comes to mind. In a period clouded with new problems like steroids and free agency, Derek Jeter stayed with one team and remained one of the purest, consistent, clutch, humblest, and most passionate players in the game. Hats off to you, Jeet. Atta boy!
• Have you all been watching this season of Dexter?!?! WOOOOOW!!!!! What an amazing show. My blood pressure reaches near-heart-attack levels every time I watch it, but it’s totally worth it. Can’t wait to watch the finale this Sunday after the Gmen are finished with Philly…

Okay, fans, here we go! From Dallas to Philly, the final quarter of the regular season is about to get under way. It doesn’t get any better than this! To talk Giants’ awesomeness, or any questions/comments, feel free to shoot me an e-mail at gmensuperfan@gmail.com, or look for me on Facebook under the name “Gmen Superfan.” Every game’s a playoff game from here on out. We still control our destiny! Keep on bleeding blue, and until next week, GO GMEN!!!!

SuperFan: Giants vs. Broncos (12/1/09)

So Many Questions, So Few Answers

By Superfan

After viewing last Thursday’s abomination, I have decided that it’s extremely unfair to have teams play any time after 4pm on Thanksgiving. This past week, I was so focused on the upcoming game in Denver that the holiday itself kind of just happened. I couldn’t really enjoy the time I spent back east with the family, nor could I savor what’s supposed to be the most delicious meal of the year. Instead, I just went over every possible scenario for how the game could play out in my head. Of course, when the game was over, I damn near lost everything I’d devoured hours earlier. I’m sure there were lots of Giants fans out there who weren’t so lucky, and recycled their turkey dinners that very same night. That’s just not fair to the chefs.

It may sound redundant at this point (which makes things all the more disconcerting), but this debacle is getting out of hand. Especially when you watch teams like the Vikings this past Sunday, and the Saints Monday night, how can the Giants be expected to do anything playing with such inconsistency? We’re heading into week 13 – all of the stupid penalties and missed communications should have been fixed months ago!

Once again, what frustrates me more than anything is that we in no way got outplayed last week. If anything, the Broncos seemed to do everything in their power to keep us in the thick of things all game. The fact that they only had 16 points on the board at halftime, despite several long drives into our territory in the first half, was miraculous. Despite our defense holding them to field goals on three out of four scoring drives in the first half (giving our offense chances to get back in it), our offense responded with a performance that was beyond anemic. To be more specific, they gained a total of 43 yards on six offensive possessions (one more possession than the Broncos had, by the way). How did those possessions go? Punt, punt, punt, fumble, punt, and punt. The middle four were three-and-outs.
What’s worse, it seems like each week we’re unable to make any sort of adjustments at halftime. In the second half, the Giants’ offense gained 219 yards on five possessions, but only came away with six points to show for it. Most of those yards came on their final 7-play, 84-yard scoreless drive that ran out the clock at the end of the fourth quarter (AKA – GARBAGE TIME). How did all five of those possessions go? Field goal, field goal, fumble, interception, end of game.

What happened to our offense? Eli’s come out and said that the “stress reaction” in his heel didn’t affect his play, and I believe him. It used to be that with this team, as long as the game was close in the fourth quarter, we always had a chance. Eli used to play at his best when his back was against the wall. I realize it’s never easy to play well on the road following an tough overtime win in a short week, but there’s no excuse for Eli to go from having one of the best passing games of his career to one of the worst in less than a week. And I don’t know if it’s even worth complaining about the bad clock management. Giants’ fans seem to have grown accustomed to the play clock being down to five seconds before Eli even starts calling out the blitzes and changing the play. He used to be able to use his cadence as a weapon to draw opposing defenders offsides in critical points in the game. Now, he’s lucky to get the play off in time on every snap. And to use a timeout in the 1st quarter, after your team’s first play from scrimmage, only to follow it with a draw that gains nothing on second down, is inexplicable. I always figured the quarterback went into the first drive of the game with several options of what plays they wanted to try to use to get themselves into a rhythm (kind of like a pitcher in the first inning). There is absolutely no excuse to have to waste a timeout on the second play from scrimmage. Mind-boggling.
Jacobs had pounded opposing defenses for so long that by that point, anyone in the backfield had an easy task of slicing through their front seven. Now, when the fourth quarter comes around, they play their worst. What were Jacobs’ numbers headed into the fourth quarter last Thursday, you ask? Good question. Through the first three quarters, Brandon Jacobs carried the ball nine times for eighteen yards. I don’t know what’s worse – the fact that he only carried the ball nine times, or his two-yard per carry average. When we’ve been successful, it’s because we were able to consistently run the ball against opposing defenses. Despite Derrick Ward’s absence, and Bradshaw being out last week, this is still the same offense that had over 200 yards rushing against the Baltimore Ravens last season! WHAT HAPPENED?!?! It could be their age catching up to them, but our offensive line looks disturbingly off-kilter. At first, I thought the majority of Jacobs’ struggles were due to the fact that he had almost nowhere to go each time he touched the ball, and as a result had to break three or four tackles just to get into the opposing team’s secondary. The past few weeks, however, he looks more and more like Clark Kent did in Superman II after leaving his powers behind in the Fortress of Solitude. Guys are bringing him down on first contact all of a sudden, even in the open field. Either he’s off a step, or defenses have finally figured out how to neutralize his powerful running style. Either way, if we can’t conjure up a way to get our running game back up to snuff, we’re in worse trouble than we thought. I understand he left the game in the fourth quarter last week, but eleven total carries is ridiculous, even if he were to have only played the first three.
What was so effective about our rushing attack last season wasn’t necessarily the yards gained every time Jacobs touched the ball, but the punishment he served against the defenses he faced. We’d let him wear them away with ten to twelve carries in the first half. Sure, he might’ve only gotten one or two big runs, and the rest short carries, but every time a defender was forced to take him down, it took a lot of energy. By the time they reached the end of the third quarter, opposing defenders were sucking wind. It was then that we’d be able to break off big plays both on the ground and through the air.

Let’s move on to the biggest concern of all – our defense. Let me list of a few teams for you: New Orleans, Arizona, Philadelphia, San Diego, Atlanta, Denver. What do they all have in common? Well, besides being the Giants’ last six opponents (five losses, one eeked-out overtime win), they are also all teams who, before facing the Gmen, had offenses who had played very much out-of-character the weeks prior. Respectively, here’s how many points those recently “sputtering” offenses put up against us: 48, 24, 40, 21, 31, 26. It seems like the newest trend in the NFL for opposing offenses is to use the Giants defense as an opportunity to bounce back. I never ever thought that could possibly be the case. And don’t let our league rankings fool you – our D is only ranked as high as it is because of how insanely well they did the first five weeks of the season. If you compile stats for the six weeks since, we’re one of the worst. Of course having two defensive leaders on IR (Phillips and the recently-added Pierce) doesn’t help, but I can’t logically pinpoint that as the reason things have fallen apart so terribly.
The fact is, our defense is incredibly soft, and our coaches admitting it each week won’t change results as well as doing something about it would. We’ve got to get more aggressive. I saw good things from the defense right off the bat – including a big sack by Danny Clark during Denver’s first possession, one where they went three-and-out. Unfortunately, the tide quickly turned as the game progressed, as penalties, blown coverages, and missed tackles became the norm. There were lots of times where defenders would bite on a play-fake, and they’d have a huge gainer on a screen because the defender bit, and the next closest guy was back in deep zone coverage. Another week of surprisingly soft, unaggressive defensive play calling.
Kevin Gilbride and Bill Sheridan are both very intelligent football minds, and have proven themselves to be more than competent coaches. For whatever reason, their play calling hasn’t been able to mend appropriately with the players ability to execute efficiently on a consistent basis this year. And if they can’t figure out soon what it is that’s making this year’s team so incapable of playing at a consistently competitive level, and fix it, it’s going to be very hard to make a case in their favor regarding their role with the team next season.

Having traveled back east for the holiday weekend, I watched the game at home in New Jersey on Thanksgiving night. And I’ve never been more impressed at our fellow fans’ dedication to ritual regarding our beloved Gmen. Despite the fact that it was Thanksgiving night, every managed to duck out on their respective gatherings early enough to make it over to our house by kick-off. All the familiar faces were there – my dad, my brother Robby, my friend BJ, Jay (family friend), his son Matt, and me. Good to know the fans at least have their priorities straight.
The game itself was insanely hard to watch, and most of us spent about as much time trying to keep our turkey day dinners down as we did screaming at the television screen. Let’s hope when I head back home later this month, it’s a better experience.

Here are some random sports musings, not entirely Gmen-related:

• In the Tuesday edition of Monday Morning Quarterback this week, Peter King reminded me of something that’s been driving me crazy since I read it. Mike McKenzie was unemployed until two weeks ago. TWO WEEKS AGO!! I realize that our deficiencies lay more in the safety department, and McKenzie’s a cornerback, but still. A defensive back is a defensive back, and when one as talented as he is sitting around watching games at home every week, you gotta at least try to go out and pick him up. We can worry about what would be the best way to utilize him once he’s here. Of course that means nothing anymore, but it’s still an interesting “what-if” scenario.
• I can’t believe how poorly executed NFL Network’s production of Thursday night’s game was. I was excited about the idea of having Bob Papa doing a Giants game on TV instead of the radio. While he was still great, the rest of it was awful. Discounting the whole incident where they aired profanity in a RECORDED segment, they also had bad angles on their replays, came back from a commercial break with the producer still talking over the radio, missed a bunch of plays, and their “studio halftime show” consisted of two very long NFL promos. This is the league’s network, broadcasting nationally on Thanksgiving night. You’d think they’d put in the extra effort to at least feign a top-tier broadcast.
• I wish the Colts and Saints played during the regular season. What an awesome game that would be to watch.
• Love him or hate him, you have to admit the whole Brett Favre ordeal is one of the most incredible stories of the year. If you were to have told me before the season started, just after the Vikings signed Favre, that he would lead them to a 10-1 start and secure Brad Childress’s employment for the foreseeable future in the process, I’d have laughed you out of the room. There’s still a lot of football to be played, but what Brett’s done so far is nothing short of incredible.

As grim as things seem, the season’s not over yet. We get to play Dallas and Philadelphia at home in the next few weeks, and the entire season will ride on each game as we play it. I remember thinking the Giants were left for dead several years ago, then we barely secured a wild card spot with a game left in the season. We all remember how that turned out. In this league, especially if you’re still above .500, there’s always a chance for a miraculous turn-around. It’s our job as fans to believe it can happen, and it’s the team’s job to execute. Hopefully, in about a month, we’ll be laughing about this whole predicament, happily awaiting a playoff match-up. WE’VE SEEN THEM DO THIS BEFORE!! IT CAN STILL HAPPEN, FANS!! LOOK OUT, DALLAS!!

Just as a reminder, you can e-mail me at gmensuperfan@gmail.com, or find me on Facebook under the name “Gmen Superfan.” Until next week, GO GMEN!!