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The New York Giants are down to three healthy receivers following the news that Ramses Barden likely won't play again this season. With one of those receivers being rookie special teams player Duke Calhoun, and Steve Smith not expected back until early December, reinforcements are needed. Badly.
And former Giants wide receiver Derek Hagan should be on his way.
There were a few names thrown around on Monday, but none of them make any sense compared with Hagan, who has a fair amount of ability and brings a full season and two training camps of experience with the Giants playbook to the table.
Consider some of the other names bandied about:
- Kevin Curtis: Former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver coming off knee surgeries and a bout with testicular cancer. We're thrilled for him that he's ready to return to the field, but he's far from the solution to this problem. I'd take Hagan.
- Dezmon Briscoe: A former Cincinnati Bengal practice squad player who caused a stir when he took more money to jump to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers practice squad, his name was thrown around in the comments section yesterday. A 6th-round draft pick who has never played in an NFL game? I'll take Hagan.
- Samuel Giguere: Former Indianapolis Colts practice squad player currently on the Giants practice squad, he's the only other guy that makes a bit of sense. As thin as Big Blue is at the position, it's possible that Giguere gets called up briefly in addition to a free agent signing.
There's not much to it here. The Giants are lucky that in week 11 there's a player sitting on the couch waiting for a call who happens to knows their playbook as well as Hagan should. Now, just keep your fingers crossed that Derek has kept in shape, and didn't spend all his down time with Little Debbie.
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I do believe that we CAN beat the eagles. However, its going to take fewell implementing a gameplan that produces pressure on vick and contains him. I believe that our corners when they are not being forced to try and play a tampa 2 scheme can cover any receiver. Case in point is corey webster he has at times locked down the best of the best receivers 2007 owens, moss, and driver. roll safety help of either phillips or grant to thomas’ side and we should be able to keep them in check although they will still be dangerous and if you give them enough opportunities they will beat us. Which is why the second phase to winning this game is getting the running game going and when they force 8 go with quick passes to nicks or crossing routes to manningham… If I had to boil it down to 3 key points they would be
1. Instill a pressure defensive scheme
2. Dline produces
3. Run the Ball, Control the ball, Control the Clock
And in an article related note I would love it if we signed hagan he is good, and knows our playbook
Without trying to be overly negative, I think the biggest concern as a result of last week’s debacle, is this team’s resiliency
the first half/second half dichotomy is by now legendary
it has been so utterly and thoroughly consistent, there has to be a bigger reason than luck of the schedule (i.e., all easy games in the first half/hard games in the second) or injuries
as to the former, easy/hard, for the most part, have to end up being about equally dispersed – especially if you are taking a seven year snap shot
as to injuries, every team has them – some lesser, some greater – some teams overcome (look at the Pats sitting at 7-2 after losing their NO 1 WR, having no running game, and a defense that is made up largely of first and second year no names)
my guess ( and of course it is only a guess) is there is something in the psyche that Coughlin and Gilbride bring to this team that precludes resilience
call it panic; call it lack of imagination
whatever it is, it seems like this team is more prone than most to hitting a speed bump and immediately careening off the highway
in ’08 the team was 10-1 when Plax shot himself
they eked out a win that same weekend over a hapless Redskin team but then suffered successive beatdowns by the Cowboys and Eagles before eking out an OT win against Carolina and then falling flat immediately thereafter
last year needs no reminders
but ’07, ’06 and ’04 were all the same (’05 a little different but still a decided petering out as the season wore on)
maybe as Krow notes, the Giants just can’t think on the fly
they come up with a game plan; it works for awhile; then a team like Philly figures out how to attack it; the rest of the league takes notice; and the Giants can’t correct
maybe when things start going south the coaching staff just freezes
certainly Sunday looked like a game that after Dallas’ second long completion and the score sitting at 9-3, demanded a change in defensive philosophy — yet none came
perhaps the players really are not as talented as we always say
at least some of them
for example, once again our LB crew looks pedestrian at best
our secondary certainly looks exploitable suddenly;
our running game has not really been a factor the last 2 weeks (even in the Seattle beat down, Bradshaw was held in check)
Eli continues to average 3 turnovers a game
our TE’s scare nobody and are, in any event, rarely used
and our receivers drop too many passes
Dodge is an enigma — as likely to be truely awful as very good
not sure what the answer is, but unless and until the Giants show they can pick themselves up off the mat and beat a good team at a time when they need to, they will unfortunately be who we thought they were all along
Jim… to address your previous post. Yes, I think you summed up my position well. Our Giants are a talented squad that comes into the season with a purpose… a philosophy. One that they honed over summer camp, pre-season, and early games. And it’s effective. But as teams take notice they try various schemes to negate it. Eventually someone finds one… and the rest is history.
We aren’t agile. We just don’t adapt particularly well to change. As a group the players are not clever. The coaching staff is competent, but rigid. They don’t anticipate the ‘change up’. And even after it happens they struggle to come up with a response.
The result is a team that has difficulty beating the smarter clubs, struggles in the closing stretch of the season, and is ill-suited to the single elimination playoff format. Eventually someone game plans us to death.
7 years of history would seem to support you
and I would suggest the only way to change that is to bring in an entirely new coaching staff
It doesn’t have to be a full clean sweep. In our legendary Superbowl run we had Spags pushing the defensive buttons. That burst of innovation and adaptability turned the tide. For once WE were the team that was difficult to figure out. At least on one side of the ball anyway. And as you may recall our offense was power running/controlled passing. A strategy we abandoned to ‘stretch the field’… go figure.
Gramps could easily be the HC… if he had inventive, tactically-wise coordinators. In fact that might even be a perfect scenario.
ah…here we go again..One loss after 5 wins and que the Jimmy Stoll new coaching staff rhetoric..As predictable as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west..
Nice piece Simon..2 of those 3 are guys I suggested in the comments section. I am glad somebody reads my posts. I think Hagan gets signed and hope he is in tip top shape. Glad yet concerned that no one else signed him
Wasn’t Hagan also a capable gunner?
I thought he was our best..I just am concerned that we cut him for a stiff like Duke Calhoun and nobody else signed him..Lots of Teams had WR issues and all passed on him..
GIANTS 101-WHERE ONE GAME GOOD OR BAD DETERMINES THE WHOLE SEASON!
LOL! I love this place!
Giants loose to Indy-6 and 10 team
loose penalty filled game to Titans – Coughlin has lost team -top 10 daft pick
Giants destroy Seattle- Going to the SB
Giants loose to Cowboys- lucky to squeak into playoffs as wildcard
Philly gets destroyed by Washington- not a good team..Wildcard at best
Philly destroys Washington- Greatest team ever..we stand no chance vs them
All I can say is thank god for Posters like Nosh and Troy Thorne who actually get it and need to post more..
Demo: Well said. I was writing my post below, so hadn’t seen yours.
+ 1. Unbelievable pessimism.
Immediately after watching Sunday’s debacle, I hit the road for a three-day trip, so I haven’t had the chance to post at all, and haven’t read the earlier postgame threads.
But to offer a couple of quick thoughts:
1) As this site’s resident Ramses Barden booster all season long, it was great to see what I’d been waiting to see in a real game: the kid has talent, he’s got good hands, and he can make plays. He’s going to only get better, and I predict that he’s going to have a breakout season in 2011. Very sad for both Barden and the Giants that he got hurt just when his moment of opportunity had arrived.
2) Sunday’s performance surely raises all sorts of questions, and the was a whole lot to be critical of… but I wouldn’t overreact TOO much. Am I nervous about the hated Eagles? Yes. But I remain optimistic that the Giants are a good team. HOW good we shall find out in the coming weeks.
*there was a whole lot to be critical of
you mean the season didnt end with Sunday nights loss and Monday nights Eagle show?
5 straight wins = Super Bowl Express
1 loss = First stop Ankle Grabberville!
Imagine the schizophrenic posts if we beat the Eagles this Sunday.
yeah, it never ends man..we should change the name to Flybytheseatofyourpants.com
Demo– Yeah I gave you guys credit for bringing up Briscoe. Walter was mentioned by like garafolo or someone on Twitter. Giguere is just the obvious candidate.
I just received word from an intrepid G101 reporter that today’s workout will include Patrick Williams, a WR from the Seattle practice squad. We’ll keep our eyes out for more names…
You guys? I am the one who threw both out there..I expect to be quoted and listed as a reference in your articles…Dont make me go FF55Yrs on your **** and call you a plagiarist..
As I mentioned just after we added Giguere to the practice squad, a friend of mine who is a Colts fan said Giguere looked good in preseason with them, and is also a strong ST gunner.
i think its 50/50 he gets the call up..I’d sign he and Hagan and send Reyfaud packing..I’m not sure he could make it to the parking lot without getting tackled though