Loading ...A note from Mike Garafolo’s OTA report the other day mentioned that the Giants were doing lots of running drills, which isn’t all that surprising or telling, but it got me thinking: are we going to see the same ‘run first, run heavy’ Giants team that we’re accustomed to seeing under Tom Coughlin?
After all, Eli Manning threw for about 800 more yards than he did in the previous three years, setting career highs in touchdowns (27), yards per game (251), completion percentage (62.3) and passer rating (93.1) without setting a career high for passing attempts. And he did all this behind an offensive line that was banged up and uncharacteristically inconsistent, and (perhaps because of that reason) a running game that was at times non-existent.
Manning also has a battery of weapons that make opening up the passing game tempting: first round draft pick Hakeem Nicks will join young but reliable pro-bowler Steve Smith to create a stellar starting duo; the immensely talented (if mentally inconsistent) Mario Manningham will have a chance to break out as the third WR; TE Kevin Boss is still solid as a rock. Throw in complementary targets like Travis Beckum, Ramses Barden and Domenik Hixon and you’re looking at a deep and versatile core, with plenty of directions to spread the ball around.
But here’s the question: just because they can, does that mean they should?
Eli Manning put up career-best numbers, to be sure. But in trying to pick up a woefully unproductive running game and overcome a defense that gave up points like it was going out of style, it looks like this passing game production should be taken as less of a statement about where the offense is heading, and more of a indication about how pitiful the rest of last year’s team was (and yet again, to the lingering Eli Manning haters, yet another instance of Elisha stepping up to the plate when it counts).
Unless the Giants running game falls apart like it did last year, there’s no reason to devise Saints’ or Patriots’ style game plan where throwing the ball 45 times is optimal. Running the ball maintains time of possession (a Coughlin fave), keeps the defense fresh, and ultimately makes the quarterbacks’ life a heck of a lot easier. Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw and the rest of the crew are too talented not to get 25-30 carries among them. Last year’s eye popping numbers were more a function of necessity, less the birth of a new direction for the Giants offense. It sure is nice to know Eli can do it if he has to, but I don’t see Tom Coughlin and Kevin Gilbride coming to camp with a playbook that looks much different from seasons past (even if Jerry Reese has given them all these shiny new toys to throw to).
With what happened to last year’s team, a reestablishment of the running game seems of the utmost importance, and not just as far as X’s and O’s are concerned. This team needs to reassert an aggressive mentality, the ability to simply win physical match-ups and outplay your opponent, on both sides of the ball. The running game is the perfect start to establishing that physical mentality.
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Great. . . here come the stats
Any of the Giants rookies signed yet?
my main man NORM!!!!!!! wat up bro. i would be all rolled up with an I P A in one hand and a “special” cigar in the other……. but its only 3:15 in phoenix and i am stuck in the office untill 4pm……. , but i feel ya bro!!
And you know what else, i DO think the giants coaches, i.e. killdrive and coughlin, go into games saying ” we gotta run it this many times and only throw it that many times. How could you really think that they do not do this.
Killdrive also would rather play for a FG than a touchdown ALWAYS!!!! if you get lucky and break a tackle and get into the endzone, that’s a bonus.