Who was laughing at C-Gold calling the Giants a 10-6 team?
I said if they could just go 2-3 to start the year... ( ideally 3-2) that they could blow through the middle part of their schedule. Those are 4 pretty fortunate games right there in front of them with Jets, Atlanta, 69ers, Miami.
The Giants will start that harder first 5 part of their schedule either 2-3 or 3-2 with their starting running back out, Steve Smith out, Osi had been hurt, Strahan has been getting into playing speed, they were trying to work Kiwi into a brand new position etc.
ESPN and the pundits wrote that team off completly because " Tiki was that entire offense" and they "lost their left tackle".
Let that fucking elitist prick Tiki Barber sit in the booth and criticise Eli and Coughlin all he wants, while the offense doesn't miss a beat with Derrick Ward. Ward has played better than anyone could have imagined, and actually has a style similiar to Tiki.
Derrick Ward proves the point that the Giants are a very "running back friendly" offense, almost in the same way the colts are. Eli is certainly not nearly as good a Peyton, but he IS better than almost all of the other quarterbacks in the league as far as reading defenses go. Look at his pre-snap reads. He points out the blitz, and effectivly calls audibles.
If the defense stacks 8 or 9 in the box, Eli points out the blitz, and isn't affraid to throw the ball down field.
If the defense is shaded too heavy to one side, Eli will call a run audible for his back, giving him a very favorable situation to run in. It is not like Kevin Gilbride calls a play and Eli "has" to run it, he does "omaha" quite a bit. That helps his running back pick up stats and move the chains.
The Giants offense there is actually a threat downfield to throw the pass. Eli doesn't drop back and immediatley turn to his right and throw to his running back in the flat like Jason Campbell, Alex Smith or a lot of the other young quarterbacks. Eli is very into reading the defense and trying to make them pay. Now as he is getting more experience, he is gaining more success. He doesn't have those easy dink and dunk training wheels on where he is " starting" but not really learning anything. The Giants are giving him a lot of freedom.
People were talking about how "average" Eli was, while they were hyping up the Leinarts, Smiths, Jason Campbells, Cutlers etc. How did all those " young guns" work out? Is Phillips Rivers still cleary better than Eli too?
One of the main weaknesses I see with the Giants defense, is their 3 linebackers inability to cover the pass. Antonio Pierce just isn't athletic enough, Kiwi is much more effective in a 3 point stance rushing the passer, and K.Mitchell doesn't have good awareness in the passing game ( and dropped and easy Mcnabb int sunday). Teams with good tight ends ( Dallas) should expose that giants pass rush.
In general I would like to see Kiwi on the line pressuring the quarterback and NOT playing LB, but Spagnola was doing what the Eagles did last year with lineman Juqua Thomas. They would have him line up as a MLB, and disguise which gap he was going to rush the passer from on 3rd and long so that they can more effecticly stunt. I like that.
I also like having Osi at LE, Tuck at DT, Kiwi at DT, and Strahan at RE. That is a freaking sick pass rush. I know Justin Tuck is a little undesized to play DT on 1st and 2nd downs and is more of a natural end, but the guy is so damn quick at DT. He can rack up a lot of sacks with that quickness against slower offensive guards. He is just so damn quick in there at tackle on passing downs.
Aaron Ross looks a hell of a lot better than the rookie CB the Jets took ( D. Reeves). Tell SHSU Horn to keep loading those guys with whatever water they have back in Texas. I think the Giants 4 DBs aren't that bad. I have been very impressed with Gibril Wilson, the guy is playing for a contract and he has been everywhere.
Sam Madison is a much better player in man/man coverage than he is in zone. Dockery isn't that bad, Mcquarters isn't that bad, and I still think Webster will come around. I think the weak link in the secondary is Butler. If the Giants can't get a stud LB in the draft next year, maybe look at bringing in a stud FS or maybe even DT if Joseph is out.
The Giants only 2 losses were to two undefeated teams. Dallas was a pretty close game IN DALLAS, and the Giants weren't that far off of Green Bay before that late fumble on special teams. They were losses, but to two pretty decent teams... now they play the weaker competition.
I'd also worry about Lawernce Tynes. The guy has already missed multiple extra points, and chip shot field goals. I think he missed the first chip shot FG of two games. That hurts when the offense drives down the field to start a game and gets no points.
Not only is tynes shaky as a FG kicker, but his kickoffs are weak as well. Sometimes they do land at the opponents endzone, but he kicks them at such a low trajectory that their " hang time" doesn't give his coverage unit ample time to get on down field.
I personally think that
1) You can't afford to miss XPs and chip shot FGs because eventually it will come back to haunt you, and you will lose GAMES from that crap. A FG kicker is almost like a closer in baseball in that regard.
2) Field position is so important, you NEED a guy who can deliver strong kicks on kickoffs. What if an opponenet were to gain an extra 5-10 yards per kickoff based on a weak kicker?
I know teams don't want to have 2 kickers and 1 punter on a roster, but kickers are so valueable. If the guy doesn't do his job, you WILL lose games. I also consider a kicker who can consistantly pound the ball into the endzone an valued weapon for any team.
would you rather keep a 8th linebacker or 6th receiver who won't do much but be depth and COVERAGE on special teams, or would you rather have a kick off specialist that will pretty much guarantee you extra yards of field position every time he kicks the ball.
I am totally for having 2 kickers.
