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Quick HitNew York Giants Acquire QB Sage Rosenfels from the Minnesota Vikings

September 3rd, 2010 at 9:07 PM
By SimonGC

According to Alex Marvez of Fox Sports, the New York Giants have traded for Vikings third-string QB Sage Rosenfels. Marvez’ report indicated that terms are not yet available, but one has to wonder if there are a bubble player or two headed to Minnesota.

{Update: Nope. NFL.com ticker reporting that the compensation is a conditional draft pick. Looks like the Giants got a guy with some decent experience on the ultra cheap. It also means the bursting of the bubble for one more bottom of the roster guy.}

The trade for Rosenfels was necessitated by the injury to Jim Sorgi. Rosenfels most likely becomes Eli Manning’s backup, pushing Rhett Bomar to third-string.

The Giants also acquired RB Darius Reynauld in this deal.

P.S. Don’t forget to read Rich O’Callaghan’s Post Preseason Thoughts

Post Preseason New York Giants Thoughts 9/3

September 3rd, 2010 at 6:57 PM
By Rich O'Callaghan

The preseason is over, and the New York Giants are just nine days away from their 2010 season opener, at home against the Carolina Panthers. During the off season, I was extremely confident that the Giants would be a great team this season, but following the first three preseason games my confidence sinking. After last night’s win against the Patriots, the starting unit finally gelled, and now my confidence is back up. Here are a few thought I had on a few of the Giants impact players at the conclusion of the preseason:

  • Antrel Rolle - The Giants new safety did not disappoint this preseason, and proved how much the back end of the defense has been upgraded, following a disastrous 2009 season. Rolle intercepted passes from both of the AFC East’s pretty-boy quarterbacks (the Jets’ Mark Sanchez and the Patriots’ Tom Brady…no offense Chad Henne) during the preseason opener and the preseason finale respectively. Following each interception, Rolle showed the speed and vision that makes him such a threat, returning the pick against the Jets 59 yards to the one yard line and the interception against the Patriots 28 yards. Giants fans have to be excited to have an electric playmaker at safety, following the embarrassing play of C.C. Brown and Aaron Rouse a year ago. Rolle’s presence alone means the Giants defense will be much improved in 2010.
  • Shawn Andrews - The big and versatile offensive linemen showed why he is a two time Pro Bowler last night, looking immovable in pass protection and like a bulldozer in the running game. I think that Andrews has the fire back in him, which he lost in Philly, and wants to prove to the world that he is still one of the best offensive lineman in the league. The Giants needs to give Andrews that opportunity, and start him at left guard during the season opener against Carolina. With a offensive line of David Diehl, Andrews, Shaun O’Hara (if his ankle checks out), Chris Snee and Kareem McKenzie the Giants will have a stout offensive line which will be able to open huge holes in the running game. I think that this move is inevitable, but will more than likely not happen until midseason, when Andrews becomes familiar with the Giants schemes and plays himself into football shape. I think it would greatly benefit the offense and especially the running game if the front office showed some guts and started Andrews right away.
  • Ahmad Bradshaw - If he can stay healthy and the Giants offensive line can open hole for him, I am projecting a huge season for Ahmad Bradshaw. I am not exaggerating when I say I think he can eclipse 1,700 total yards this season, score 12 touchdowns and make the Pro Bowl. Bradshaw is a big reason why I stand by my prediction that the Giants win the NFC East, he is known nationally, but he becomes a star in 2010.
  • Clint Sintim - I hate to say this, since I correctly picked him in my mock draft in 2009, but I am beginning to question if Sintim has a future with the Giants. He will be a very good player in this league, but he is a pass rusher and not much else, who seems destined to play rush linebacker in a 3-4 defense.  He lacks the instincts and the ability to shed blockers that is required to be a successful outside linebacker in the 4-3 defensive scheme. I was predicting a monster year for Sintim, but now I do not see it. I would not be surprised if he is eventually traded to a team where his skill set could be best utilized in a 3-4 scheme at some point in the near future.  Kansas City, I’m looking at you.
  • William Beatty - I lobbied for Beatty to become the Giants starting left tackle all off season, after his impressive performance as a rookie when forced into action last season, and thought that he would force David Diehl inside to left guard. Man was I wrong. Beatty has had his struggles this preseason, but he was not terrible, he just is not remotely ready yet. While Diehl is not your prototypical left tackle, he really proved his worth by putting together a fantastic preseason, playing physical, tough and with a mean streak. Diehl belongs at left tackle, and with Shaun Andrews looking to take over at left guard, I am starting to think Beatty could be a talented reserve for a long time. He needs to watch Diehl, learn from him, and get stronger, tougher and nastier before he is ready for a full time starting position.
  • Hakeem Nicks - There is no longer any doubt, Nicks is going to beyond break out this season, and it is going to be amazing. Although he was only in the game for the first two offensive series last night, he touched the ball four times (3 receptions, 1 carry) and totaled 48 yards (15 on the carry). Giants Quarterback Eli Manning threw another pass to him as well, which was well defended and broken up. So Nicks was targeted (at least) five times last night, with four touches, in two series. Stretch that out over an entire game, now a full season. When Nicks gets the ball, he is one of the tougher receivers in the entire league to tackle, he totaled 411 YAC (Yards After Catch) in 2009, good for 22nd (RBs and TEs included 12th ranked wideout) in the NFL and he missed two full games. It is going to be fun watching him become a star this season, and Nicks’ development is another reason I predict the Giants to win the NFC East.
  • Rocky Bernard - I was one of the people who questioned Bernard after last season’s horrible performance, and ripped him on this site when he blamed his underwhelming 2009 on a lingering shoulder injury, which I thought was nothing more than an excuse. I may have to apologize for that. Bernard has arguably been the Giants best defensive tackle this preseason, and I think its safe to say he will be a major part of the rotation this year. Maybe his shoulder injury was the problem, and maybe he turns into the player the Giants thought they were getting when they signed him to a lucrative contract last summer. A rotation of Chris Canty, Barry Cofield, promising rookie Linval Joseph and a healthy Bernard should be a productive one for Big Blue.

New York Giants Final 53 Man Roster Prediction

September 3rd, 2010 at 12:32 PM
By Hazem Kiswani

With the preseason wrapped up and teams looking forward to the start of the regular season next week, final roster cuts are the next step between the  New York Giants and their opening kickoff against the Carolina Panthers on September 12th.

Now as we look ahead to the formation of the 53-man roster, keep in mind that the G-Men may look to add a few pieces from other teams after final cuts. New York is lacking a presence in the return game – and could be in the market for a return man, as well as depth in the secondary and may even look for help at quarterback behind Eli Manning. There are a lot of variables for Giants G.M Jerry Reese going into tomorrow, but for today – we will focus on the 53 best Giants going into the season.

That said, it is very likely that you will see one or two outside additions to these Giants after final roster cuts.

Quarterback (2)

Eli Manning, Rhett Bomar

Running Back (5)

Ahmad Bradshaw, Brandon Jacobs, Madison Hedgecock, DJ Ware, Andre Brown

Wide Receiver (6)

Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham, Ramses Barden, Victor Cruz, Derek Hagan

Offensive Line (9)

Chris Snee, Shaun O’Hara, David Diehl, Kareem McKenzie, Rich Seubert, Adam Koets, William Beatty, Shawn Andrews , Mitch Petrus

Tight End (3)

Kevin Boss, Travis Beckum, Bear Pascoe

Defensive Line (9)

Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, Mathias Kiwanuka, Jason Pierre-Paul, Chris Canty, Barry Cofield, Linval Joseph, Rocky Bernard, Jay Alford

Linebacker (9)

Michael Boley, Clint Sintim, Keith Bulluck, Johnathon Goff, Bryan Kehl, Phillip Dillard, Zak DeOssie, Chase Blackburn, Gerris Wilkinson

Defensive Back (8)

Corey Webster, Aaron Ross, Terrell Thomas, Bruce Johnson, Antrel Rolle, Kenny Phillips, Michael Johnson, Deon Grant

Kicker (1)

Lawrence Tynes

Punter (1)

Matt Dodge

NOTES

- The Giants are likely to be in the market for a #5 cornerback, and could also possibly look for a veteran quarterback this upcoming week. That puts Gerris Wilkinson and Jay Alford both in danger of being cut.

- Zak DeOssie and Chase Blackburn are two of the Giants more important special teams players. The chances of either one of them being let go are going to be slim, with the issues the Giants have on their special teams units going into the season.

- Dave Tollefson has had another solid camp for the Giants, but with the additions of Jason Pierre-Paul and Linval Joseph in the draft, this could be the year he’s bumped off the roster.

New York Giants Drop New England Patriots in Preseason Finale

September 3rd, 2010 at 9:02 AM
By Dan Benton

Thanks in large part to WordPress not having a recovery process, Simon’s game review was lost amongst the millions of accidentally deleted website posts across the world. So rather than reading his recap, which took approximately two hours, you will be stuck with my positives and negatives, which took about two minutes.

Positives:

Ahmad Bradshaw – Most fans would agree that Bradshaw is extremely talented, but I think many fail to realize that he’s elite. His unique combination of foot work, speed and power makes him one of the most complete backs in the NFL. I’ve been saying it for two years, but in my mind he’s the next Barry Sanders.

Eli Manning – He got very little playing time, but took Big Blue right down the field for what appeared to be an easy touchdown on the Giants opening drive. After looking shaky in week three of the preseason against the Ravens, he looked much more like the Super Bowl XLII MVP last night.

Duke Callhoun – I don’t think this kid makes the Giants, but I feel comfortable saying he earned himself a spot on another team with his 76 yard, one touchdown performance.

D.J. Ware/Gartrell Johnson – Both running backs made the most of their opportunities last night and showcased their value for Big Blue. And although D.J. Ware is a favorite here at Giants 101 (thanks in large part to his interaction with the writers), I’d have to say Johnson looks to be the more valuable of the two.

Bryan Kehl – Holy moly, where did that effort suddenly come from? We’ve been waiting for this guy to step up and he certainly did last night. Not only did he lead the team in tackles, he really buckled down and made some amazing plays along the goal-line that prevented New England from scoring.

Jonathan Goff - It might have been against some second, third and never-stringers, but Goff looked quite impressive at times and undoubtedly eased a little stress amongst Giants fans.

Other Notables – Hakeem Nicks, Shawn Andrews, Antrel Rolle, Kenny Phillips (kid was hitting hard), Mathias Kiwanuka, Michael Boley and Seth Williams.

Negatives:

Tim Brown – The kid looked amazing in camp, but he just didn’t blow anyone away in the preseason. After an extremely poor performance last night, and with Sinorice Moss on IR, it’s safe to assume Victor Cruz is assured of a job.

Courtney Brown – C.C., is that you? Awww you almost got us! Be gone!

Derek Hagan – Dropsies! See you on Special Teams.

Will Beatty – I am extremely disappointed in his regression this season. I truly expected so much more, but it just doesn’t seem to be translating.

Kickoff Coverage – Yuck. That’s all I have to say about that.

Mixed:

Rhett Bomar – This kid is a bit of an enigma. One second he can look amazingly talented, the next second he’s holding onto the ball too long, overthrowing it, dropping down sidearmed, getting it batted down…it’s baffling really. He’s clearly a project, but one worth taking on. Unfortunately, he’s not yet valuable en0ugh to be the Giants’ number two man.

Matt Dodge – The guy has progressed each and every week, but he’s still a tad inconsistent. His punting was great on Thursday night, but botching a snap on an extra point is no good.

New York Giants Vs. New England Patriots Game Recap

September 2nd, 2010 at 11:00 PM
By SimonGC

Rejoice, Giants fans! It’s finally over. No more holding your breath every time a Giants player gets up slowly; no more rooting for touchdowns that don’t matter. The preseason is over, capped off with a 20-17 Big Blue victory over the New England Patriots.

The starters both played two series, with some starters and key backups seeing extended action. Garbage time players didn’t really start trickling in until the end of the 3rd quarter. Here’s your final recap of preseason performances:

The Starters

The offense opened the game with a crisp touchdown drive that washed the bad taste from last week out of the mouth. Eli Manning looked crisp, hitting Hakeem Nicks and Kevin Boss multiple times, including Boss for a 13-yard TD. The offensive line featured all the regular starters in their spots, except for Adam Koets at OC, and finally created some running room for starting running back Ahmad Bradshaw, who found ways to pick up yards even when they didn’t.

The second drive for the starters started off well, with a 15-yard reverse play to Nicks, and then a 19-yarder to Nicks on the next play. Surprisingly, the Giants went back to the trickery the next play with a flea-flicker that, well, it didn’t end pretty and the Giants never climbed out of the hole that resulted from the play. The Giants seemed determined to keep Brandon Jacobs out of harms way.

The defense’s opening drive was just plain ugly. The Patriots ate up the middle of the field and marched to the endzone, in a scene that could have easily come from last week or, sadly, last year. Let’s not harp. As I wrote earlier in the week, it takes new defensive schemes a little time to gel.

The second drive for the defense was pretty darn good though, with the exception of Terrell Thomas who got beat by Wes Welker and missed an easy tackle for a loss on Kevin Faulk. Otherwise, the defense tightened up on the run, got a good play in coverage from Michael Boley, and ultimately the drive ended with Antrel Rolle picking off a prayer of a pass from Tom Brady to Randy Moss.

The Second Teams

Second unit offense featured DJ Ware as the running back, and he looked really good in apparently cementing himself as the 3rd guy in that rotation. It seemed to go straight from Ware to Gartrell Johnson…Why no Andre Brown tonight? Keep an eye on that one.

The offensive line became: William Beatty, Shawn Andrews, Koets, Guy Whimper, Jacob Bender. Koets has played well this preseason, and the first team reps plus extended action probably means he’s earned the right to go if Shaun O’Hara can’t. Andrews played deep into the game, and it will be interesting to see what our analysts think about his play tomorrow. Rhett Bomar had an up and down outing behind a shaky backup offensive line. The young quarterback did make his fair share of nice throws, but was it the kind of outing that convinces a team they don’t need a veteran?

Unbelievably, it looks as if Victor Cruz! could be the fourth receiver.

The second unit defense did pretty well, holding the Patriots to only a FG the rest of the first half. Mathias Kiwanuka seemed to run with the 2’s (Ouch!), but he fought through a called holding play to make a sack. In fact, the second team defense (that still had a handful of starters out there) got a lot of pressure on the QB. Rocky Bernard got some plays with both the starters and the backups, and it looks like his productive preseason has secured him to #3 in the DT rotation.

{Late addition honorable mention for Bryan Kehl, who showed great athleticism chasing down a receiver that used Bruce Johnson and John Busing as turnstiles, and also made a great fourth down play at the goal line. The bad news for Chase Blackburn is that the Giants might have found their new Chase Blackburn.}

Jonathon Goff played most of the game and played very well, making some tough stops including one at the goal line. More importantly, Kenny Phillips got a lot of time in the game. Not quite sure when he snuck on, but he played deep into the game, making some hard hits along the way. Very, very good to see for New York Giants fans.

Special Teams

Matt Dodge’s first punt was Feagle-esque. Very nicely done by Dodge for the second week in a row. There might be some more hiccups along the way, but the intense worries about Dodge being a liability should be put to bed.

Perhaps Dodge’s strong leg is contagious, as Lawrence Tynes continued this preseason’s shocking trend of deep kicks. Tynes actually had a touchback, and another kick that reached the goal line. Unfortunately, the coverage wasn’t as good as the kick, and the Patriots brought it back for 55 yards. Ugly. Better the rest of the night.

Mario Manningham had a good punt return and seems a favorite to lock that job up. Tim Brown also had a nice little one, but his opening kickoff return (not to mention dropping a beautiful pass from Bomar [make that two]) was the kind of bad decision that gets you ticketed for the practice squad. Put your money on a running back not named Bradshaw or Jacobs returning kickoffs. Cruz! maybe.

Thanks for being with us, and look for an in-depth analysis tomorrow. And all throughout the season.