Loading ...The New York Giants come into their final preseason game with a little more uncertainty than they are used to. The first unit has had struggles on both sides of the football throughout the preseason, and there is still some concern about depth at certain positions. There have been rumblings that New York could be looking around the league after final cuts for some help at quarterback and in the secondary, and tonight’s game will certainly have a considerable impact on what this roster looks like going into the week one showdown with Carolina.
Today, we look at what Tom Coughlin and the Giants need to find out, and accomplish in their preseason finale.
Play the Starters Limited Snaps, Get in Rhythm
Eli Manning and the first unit offense had a lot of trouble getting going against the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday, and the group really didn’t find much more success against the Steelers or Jets in their previous preseason games. Now those are three very good defenses, but the fact of the matter is this – with the injuries and inconsistency across the offensive line, this group has really been unable to get in sync, and that’s an issue going into the regular season. Two strong series’ for the starters could go a long way in building confidence for this team going into week one.
Decide on Keith Bulluck
Bulluck is expected to be the starter in the middle for the New York Giants this season, but Tom Coughlin will have to decide whether or not Bulluck is physically ready to be the starter and play a full four quarters of football in week one. If Bulluck can show Coughlin aggressiveness and a consistent motor, he should be the guy in the middle against the Carolina Panthers on September 12th.
Sort Out the Return Game
The Giants return game is clearly not the strongest unit of their football team. Punt and kick returns have been mediocre for the majority of preseason, and no one has emerged as the clear number one returner with the loss of Domenik Hixon.
Is Rhett Bomar Enough?
Bomar will once again play extensively tonight, and he will have to come out and make the Giants decision a little bit easier as to whether or not they should pursue help at backup quarterback. With Jim Sorgi being placed on IR this week, the Giants are down to just Bomar behind Eli Manning – and the second year signal-caller has had an up and down preseason performance to this point. He’s struggled with accuracy and completing the intermediate pass, but Bomar has also showed flashes of ability in getting the team points with his mobility and the big play.
Decide on the #5 Cornerback
Let’s just put this on the table because there really is no other way to put it – Courtney Brown has been absolutely undressed in every game he’s played for this team this August. The depth at cornerback looks very shaky, and while the Giants would like to have five or six corners going into the season, the argument can be made that they only have four legitimate NFL cornerbacks on their roster, with a struggling Bruce Johnson as the #4 guy. This could be a crucial issue for the Giants – as Corey Webster and Aaron Ross have both had significant injury issues in previous years.
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Intelligence Report
Five things you need to know about the Giants:
1. Ahmad Bradshaw’s about to become the best running back in the NFC East: There, I said it. He has always had the speed and power, but now he’s finally healthy. Bradshaw’s a 50-yard run waiting to happen, and I think the Giants are going to be much better along the offensive line. Tom Coughlin is going to sell out to establish the running game, and Bradshaw will be the biggest beneficiary. Brandon Jacobs will still serve an important role, but he’s not the feature back anymore. You want a prediction on Bradshaw? OK, here it goes: 1,250 yards, 10 TDs.
2. Perry Fewell will take this defense back to the Steve Spagnuolo days: The new defensive coordinator’s unit is still a work in progress, but we’re already seeing a more effective pass rush in the preseason. Justin Tuck was banged up throughout the 2009 season. Now that he’s healthy, he’s becoming a vocal presence on and off the field. He has also gone back to intimidating quarterbacks from various spots along the line. I love that Fewell is moving around players such as Mathias Kiwanuka and Osi Umenyiora all the time. This defense isn’t going to be nearly as predictable.
3. Keith Bulluck was an important signing: I know the Titans were ready to move on without him, but Bulluck is exactly what the Giants needed. He’s a physical presence who has a tremendous amount of credibility across the league. He may knock Clint Sintim out of a starting spot at outside linebacker. I didn’t know how Bulluck would function coming off the knee injury, but he’s improving with each practice. He’s a high-energy player who will help give the defense an identity. This is a big-time upgrade over Danny Clark, who actually did a pretty nice job at times.
4. Steve Smith and Hakeem Nicks are equally dangerous: Smith will have a ton of catches again, but it’s Nicks who can break open a game at any moment. The Giants rival the Eagles in terms of depth at wide receiver. In fact, they probably have a little more depth with players such as Victor Cruz making significant moves in camp. Mario Manningham needs to take the next step and become a more consistent player. If he’s able to do that, the Giants will be as dangerous at receiver as any team in the league.
5. Antrel Rolle has given the defense a completely different look: The Giants were held hostage by the safety position after Kenny Phillips was injured in 2009. The combination of C.C. Brown and Michael Johnson will give fans nightmares for years. Rolle has brought a swagger to the back end of the defense. He’s an excellent fit for the locker room and he’s poised to have six or seven interceptions. Deon Grant was also a nice pickup. If Phillips is anything close to 100 percent by the start of the season, the Giants have the chance to be really good at a position that killed them last season.
– Matt Mosley, ESPN.com
http://espn.go.com/nfl/preview10/team/_/name/nyg
I’m sorry, I may own a big blue bus and all that that entails, but when ESPN starts giving us love I get the weebies. Next thing you know SI will put Eli on the cover and EASports will release a special edition Madden 2011 with Bradshaw on the cover.
Doomed I say, doomed!!
John Clayton looks like Mr Makey from South Park, right?
http://totallylookslike.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/128760817162036681.jpg
100%.
He also looks like a retarted irishman.
Mmmmmkay.
Kujo, the draft is today right? What time schedule are we on? Same as this site?
yep 8:45pm Eastern..Hope JC makes it..His drafting prowess was quite entertaining last year..
Update up top
http://www.giants101.com/2010/09/02/preseason-game-4-thread-patriots-giants/
????
WTF? Spammed by an NBA player? Does that make us famous?
nah, it’s just Del Curry’s kid.
Looks like some sort of auto-linking bot of some kind on that flip video website. At least they have a link back to here on it. That’s great. So if 50% of the people that read Stephen Curry’s diary show up here, we’ll have half of a new reader…. ;-)
http://ticklemykittens.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/spam.jpg