Loading ...I know what you’re thinking: “Really? A “What To Watch For” for the last preseason game?” Well, we here at G101 like to reflect the intensity that the NFL brings to the table, so, ummm….blame them for this, not us.
Seriously, there’s not all that much interesting about the final preseason game. Many of you probably aren’t even watching it (and thus, probably not reading this). For those of you that are, here are a few things to keep your eye on in tomorrow’s final tune-up before Big Blue hosts Carolina in week 1.
Rhett Bomar
Bomar’s been playing for a job all preseason, but this time he trots out there knowing the guy who was in front of him is on season-ending Injured Reserve. Bomar will know it is his absolute last chance to have any influence on the Giants decision wether or not to replace Jim Sorgi with another veteran QB. With Eli Manning probably not playing more than a series (or two), and Dominic Randolph cleaning up in garbage time if he’s lucky, Bomar will get most of the game to throw the ball to, and most importantly against, second- and third-stringers.
Wondering exactly how long will Bomar play? Tom Coughlin thinks you should stop asking stupid questions:
Does it make a difference if he plays three [quarters] versus two and a half? He’s going to play a lot. Same thing. Same thing he’s been doing.
Bruce Johnson
With Aaron Ross injured (again), Bruce Johnson becomes an extremely important player for the Giants as the nickel back. Expected to progress as a player in his second year, Johnson’s had an up-and-down training camp and preseason (although last week’s initial performance as the team’s nickel back was clearly one of the “down” ones). Not only should Johnson should get relatively extended work in this game, he’ll get to work against Wes Welker and Julian Edelman, the kind of speedy receivers he’ll generally be matched up with.
The deep depth guys behind Bruce Johnson will also be interesting to watch. No one from the group of D.J. Johnson, Courtney Brown and Seth Williams has played well enough to make the roster. Can any of them can make a final impression?
The Return Jobs
A couple weeks ago it seemed like DJ Ware would be returning kicks, with Aaron Ross back deep for punt returns. This week, Ware’s just returning from his second concussion in the last 8 months, and Ross is in a walking boot. Mario Manningham probably gets a chance to show he can be trusted with the punt return job, but a litany of guys are still in play for the kick return job. Victor Cruz!, Andre Brown, Tim Brown and the winner of the Ware/Gartrell Johnson battle for the 4th RB spot are all in play for this job. Speaking of Ware and Gartrell Johnson, they’ll both probably see a fair amount of action tomorrow night, and Ware better hope he stays healthy if he wants to make this team.
As usual, we’ll be here with an open game-thread tomorrow night, followed by a recap of the game and an analysis the next morning. Enjoy your last bit of frustratingly meaningless football Giants fans. The real fun starts soon.
Other Notes:
- Don’t forget to tune in to Football Reporters Online Presents: Pro Football NYC tonight at 8:00 EST! Although he won’t be on live tonight, this is a show our very own Dan Benton will soon become a regular of. So start showing it some love!
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I am hoping to see both Tim Brown and Victor Cruz on returns.
I know we’ll see Danny Ware on KOs; if we don’t I think it is a safe bet that he gets released
I’d rather not see Andre Brown returning kicks; he hasn’t looked very good back there and I’d love to see all the reps go to T Brown and Cruz.
Jim, I think the only thing to really watch in this game is special teams play. I’m really hoping that Dodge can continue punting like he did last week, as that was a huge concern of mine.
ironically, given the way the Pats approach these games, and given how much Bomar has already played, there is a fair chance the the Giants may chem the Pats’ pseudo-defenses up thus keeping Dodge off the field
The Pats never play much of any starters in the 4th game. to the extent any play, it will be on their special teams. I hope TC gives T Brown and V Cruz a chance at the outset so its starters viz. starters
that will be the best look for these 2 guys
I don’t know, but I suspect Coughlin will play his starters more than a few series tomorrow night. He’ll want them to get some of their timing down.
I also suspect we will get at least a bit of a look at the battle for roster spots among Alford, Bernard, Cofield, Tollefson, Blackburn and Kehl. And that’s worth watching carefully.
But I agree that the real game-within-the-game is all about special teams. There are a lot of questions to be answered in that phase of the game, and those answers should start to arrive tomorrow night.
I’m actually going (don’t ask why…it’s simply a chance for face time with parts of my family) so if anyone wants impressions about anything from the game ask me what you’d like me to take a real look at and I’ll try. I am not going to spend much time worrying about the outcome or the plays. I’m more interested in personnel observations, but I can spread my attention if anyone likes.
And I ask again, where are jcharles and JD in Dallas?
KD, I will sound like exactly what this board doesn’t want, but it’s my view that serving on juries is one of those obligations of citizenship that are important. We seem to have devolved into a society that focuses completely on what rights citizenship confers without wanting to know much about what we owe in return. You sound like you would be a good juror. Go ahead and do your civic duty. You will be better for it. (And before you ask, I have served on three, two state and one federal, including one after which we were offered protection for our families by the government).
As always, I will be interested in how our offensive line plays. I’m not sure whether O’Hara, Seubert, Snee or McKenzie will play, and if so, for how long. Regardless, I am definitely interested to hear how they look, what assignments they miss, how their footwork is. I’m also interested to hear about Andrews. His little one-on-one session with the coaches kind of flew under the radar this week amidst the doom and gloom of the previous game. But if he continues to progress, he’ll displace Seubert sooner rather than later.
O’Hara is definitely out. Whoever opens at center may well be our center game 1
I agree about the Jury duty it is a privilege and an honor. Football is a nice diversion but there are much more important things in life.
I have no expectations. This game should not be played. I hope Coughlin simply plays the bottom 25 guys who are competing for the final 3 spots on the roster ( I think my math is correct 75-53 =22 +3, give or take a few bodies).
Actually, there is something I would like to see. There have to be a few guys on offense who can step into the role of QB and throw a pass once and a while. I would like to see that.
I’m with you man..I wouldn’t even mind if our starting 22 didn’t even dress tomorrow night…
FF55– I am really starting to get worried about jcharles. If he’s not here by week 2, it might mean the worst.
I would start checking Metro Phoenix penitentiaries…
i’m gonna email him tonight to check in
hope he’s alright he’s hilarious
isn’t he on tour?
From last thread, I read that Sinorice reads this site. So here’s a letter to him if he does indeed read this.
Sinorice,
If you are reading this sorry, but you suck as a player. Glad that you are promoting this site because it’s the best Giants news on the internet. But I am sorry I only call it like I see it. I bleed blue and only want the best players on the team and you are not one of them. I am sorry. You seem like a nice guy, but I hate you as a player. Good luck in life. Keeping tweeting G101, but please don’t ever suit up for the Giants again.
Sincerely,
jcrown92,
loyal G101 reader long time poster
jcrown… Thats not nice if he does read this, it is not his fault that the Giants have kept him around when he hasn’t performed up to expectations.
“I definitely say that that experience was invaluable just finishing out the end of the season, getting those snaps under my belt,” Goff said.
If he seems a man of few words, that’s because the 24-year-old has always been one to let his game do the talking. He wouldn’t necessarily tell you that he got his degree in mechanical engineering from Vanderbilt before he was drafted, or that he was named student-athlete of the month in January 2007, made the SEC honor roll that year or that his work in friction-based welding was mentioned in a published paper.
“You can’t play football forever,” Goff said. “It’s just a fact of life. I guess you could call it a Plan B. I decided a long time ago that I didn’t want to be a coach or on television. I don’t want to be a television personality. It’s not my cup of tea.”
http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/columns/story?columnist=mcmanus_jane&id=5520885
Few words… and fewer tackles.