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The New York Giants may not have beaten the Dallas Cowboys in the most convincing of fashions, but the fact doesn't change that the 29-24 victory gave Big Blue a vice grip on first place in the NFC East as the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins and Cowboys all lost and find themselves in tabloid turmoil.
Let's take a look at how bad things are for our division rivals before taking a look at what's going on with the Giants and what's in store this week against Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The quarterback thinks the team deserved to get booed while onlookers think the quarterback should get the boot and the team should already be thinking about next year. The luster has faded quickly from the Cowboys opening night victory over Big Blue, and the team sits at 3-4, no longer has owns the tiebreaker and is more than two games behind the Giants.
In Philly, the quarterback thinks he deserves to get benched and the coach may or may not be going down that road yet. Either way, Michael Vick, Andy Reid and the Eagles are going down circus-style, with the head coach making desperate changes to save his job and players pointing fingers at each other. Also 3-4, they're in the same hole as the Cowboys but have beaten the Giants once and have a Week 17 matchup looming.
Believe it or not, DC may be the in the best shape of the bunch: they did get spanked by the Steelers and idiotically gave the Steelers a free shot at Robert Griffin III, but they've got more reason to hope than they've had in years. Hope for the future behind RG3 makes their 3-5 record, basically second place in the division, not seem so bad.
New York Giants and the Midseason Swoon
The Giants are happy to stay under the radar and watch Dallas and Philly meltdown. But the schedule gets tougher as the weather gets colder and the Giants have to be happy with the cushion they've earned in the division…despite having a reputation for getting to 5-2 or 6-2 and falling apart.
Coach noticed red zone production, or lack thereof, too
Coach Tom Coughlin was probably cursing at the offense more than we were cursing our televisions after watching the offense convert only one touchdown and three field goals from five turnovers (not including JPP's pick-six). Coughlin won't ramp up red zone practice reps as it's always a priority, but called it the team's "Achilles heel."
Hurricane Sandy has blown through
As they get ready for Pittsburgh, Coughlin gave players Monday off as Hurricane Sandy shut down business in the tri-state area. That means no update on the injuries to Antrel Rolle, Chase Blackburn, Bear Pascoe and Keith Rivers. We should know more about the injuries, and the possibility of the return of Kenny Phillips and Rocky Bernard, today or tomorrow.
NFL gives Cowboys clockwork a pass
Tom Coughlin called shenanigans on the timekeeper at Cowboys Stadium over the sequence that allowed Romo to run three plays in ten seconds. The league has chimed in to tell Coughlin to shut it, and one unofficial study agrees with the league, but Coughlin doesn't sound satisfied.
Stevie Brown gets a nickname and some praise
His play in Kenny Phillips' absence has garnered some attention around these parts, but after yesterday's two touchdown plus a fumble recovery performance he's getting some big praise. Likely to stick around in a three-safety big nickel package even when Phillips and Rolle return, Brown's mixed good play with the good fortune of the ball finding him.
That's always a winning combination and has earned him a nickname we scream at the TV every time he picks one off (and that we saw a few of our commenters using yesterday, which makes it official): Down Town Stevie Brown.
Victor Cruz! and Hakeem The Dream welcome Mr. Down Town to the nickname club.
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Not looking to inflate his already gargantuan head, but I think it was Demo who coined the nickname “Down Town Stevie Brown.” Norm gets credit for the Cruz! thing, too.
I don’t know it’s possible to inflate that ego any further. He’s in Alec Baldwin / Donald Trump territory.
The greatest, most expensive, classiest ego ever.
Not much rhymes with Brown …
it’s just a play on former, original MTV VJ Downtown Julie Brown.
@ Simon, not ALL of us shout that at our TV’s. Some of us prefer to use the Uncle Luke song “Doo Doo Brown”, since we can continue to shout and dance around while repeating the phrase. i also read another good one for him today, but can’t remember it.
i don’t remember who on here came up with ‘Swag’ Hosley, but i’ve been using it, and it was catching on with some of my fellow Big Blue crew. It’s been hard to use it the last couple games, but that’s to be expected from a rookie CB. If these guys continue to develop, i can see a starting secondary of Brown, Hill, Swag, and Prince. i love my boys from the ‘U’, but if we’re going to keep Cruz, Nicks, and the Black Unicorn, it might have to come at their expense.
also… does anybody else shout “Ruuuuuuue” when Randle makes a play, ala “Cruuuuuuuuuuz” for Salsa Cruz?
I am glad to have escaped any major damage from the storm although I had at least one narrow escape from a large branch which came down a foot or so from my den where I was watching TV .I do have all power and cable so to me this was a minor inconvenience more than anything . But living close to the water , I see the tremendous damage done to those areas which will take days even weeks to get back power and drain water .
I am glad that there are enough updates to let me come on and comment and take my mind away from the cleanup work I have to do although I am heeding safety advice and I will not be doing it for a while anyway . I hope all my fellow G101ers came through this storm without any damage or inconvenience and we will be back to talking about our beloved Giants
Glad to hear you’re ok. We made out ok here too. Tree’s are down and half my town is without power. We are lucky and still have power. Other friends and family have not been so lucky. I hope all others are ok and safe and hopes and prayers go out to all that have to deal with this massive clean up. In the mean time thank god for the Giants.
ff55- I think we get the scheme and the bend, but don’t break stuff. I understand the philosophy totally. I still have problems with it.
1. It’s infuriating to watch as a fan. Even if we win the games, it is a major blood pressure stimulant.
2. If we do score quickly or fail to move the ball effectively the defense can spend a ton of time on the field and wear down quickly. I think we gassed Rocky Bernard midway through the season opener.
3. It allows opposing QB’s to get comfortable and find a rhythm. Especially makes sub-par QB’s look much better than they are. How many times have we complained about not blowing out inferior opponents. Some use the term “playing down” to our opposition. If you want to make young players feel confident, let them play us.
4. It’s a recipe for keeping opposing teams in the game. Opposing teams are able to possess the ball for long periods of time and score enough points to keep it close. Eli wouldn’t have as many come from behind wins as he does if the defense wasn’t allowing teams to take the lead.
5. It’s passive and risk aversive. It’s the style of defense that teams with inferior talent use to keep themselves close against superior opponents. We have the talent to succeed with a more aggressive style and to impose our will on opponents. It’s a waste of talent.
I know we are stuck with it. I know that we are 6-2 with it. I still don’t like it.
I agree completely. This defensive style is best paired w/ the type of offense that we USED to have. Long, time consuming drives coupled w/ the defense forcing the opposing team to do the same makes for a substantially shortened game. When your offense is quick-strike (and capable of regularly scoring in less than a few minutes) your defense tends to wear very quickly. The genius philosophy behind bend, but don’t break becomes bend, and then break.
Hey, I agree. I hate this stuff and think you’re correct on each and every point. All I’m saying is that Fewell was this before he got here and his system has, so far, helped win a championship and has us in great shape this season to date. I hate it. I would love a more aggressive approach and think it would be even better.
But we have to recognize that this is what Tom Coughlin hired, and it HAS worked out okay. Fewell is doing a pretty good job of establishing a mode of play that we may all despise but that wins a lot of games. My biggest problem with it is that I worry, a LOT, about what happens when we run up against a team in the playoffs that doesn’t make a lot of mistakes on that given day. Does our Rope-a-Dope defense then cost us a championship?
the problem is the last 2 weeks we did break, we broke with big plays for TDs, and we broke on the last (and last ditch) offensive possession by our opponent. tough to say his scheme is working. Eli saved our bacon the first time; Dez’ fingers the second.
But not altogether comforting with Big Ben Illegitimate R, Discount Double-Check, Mr Scandal and the Ice Man on the horizon.
Just to weigh in on the defense debate …
This isn’t a Presidential election … we don’t have our choices narrowed to two corporate, hand-picked hacks. Here we still have a democracy of options. We can actually be creative. This means that Fewell is allowed to throw in some blitzes … to mix up man and zone coverage schemes … and to be as clever as he likes in confusing the other team’s offense.
It’s this seeming inability to ever generate a surprise that drives me crazy. I mean after maybe 17 catches you’d think someone would have a little different wrinkle on the 18th ? After a couple dozen 3 and 4 man rushes maybe once or twice you send a safety ? Mix it up … make them think … it’s not all one or the other. I hate to say it, but try some different things once in a while. Break the pattern. Make them uncomfortable.
*disclaimer* I’m not saying we should blitz every play … I’m not saying I totally disagree with an approach that won us the Superbowl. A little variety … that’s all I’m after.
Those are excellent points Chad Eldred. So let’s assume for a minute that Fewell is playing with the cards he has. Fewell has 3 above average defensive linemen and JPP. He has average to slightly below average linebackers.
A few average DB’s and two above average safeties.
What’s a guy to do? In some quarters they call it bend but don’t break the hang around defense. Passive until the opposing offense gets close to the goal line and the field compresses. At that point you don’t have to worry about the inability to cover wide and deep. The underneath zone now shrinks to the point where a spry grandmother could cover it.
That’s made to order for the Giant linebacker corps.
More “suddenness” from the pass rush. JPP finds himself in the unenviable position of being the best defensive lineman and the best linebacker on the team. Witness his stop of Jones on a over the middle pass that had JPP not been around would have resulted in yet another conversion of 3rd and over ten against this Giant defense. In fact witness the plays against the run the kid has made since he’s been on the team. Those are plays that a good linebacker makes on a regular basis.
I’ll say it once again; the team needs a defensive running mate for JPP. Joseph is a fine DT. But his impact is not felt all over the field. Tuck is worn down, and Osi is Osi.
There is not a single linebacker on the team with instinct, range, speed and eye popping athletic ability in one package. Someone tenacious enough to fill gaps and make tackles that otherwise only JPP makes.
A real quality side line to side line linebacker for God’s sake.
The malady is played out time and again right before our faces Sunday after Sunday and everyone makes excuses for it. Yes, in Reese we trust. And I am onboard with that. But he needs to bring in a kid that the DEFENSE can trust just as much. JPP is magnificent there is no doubt.
Reese brought him in. He needs to make an effort to bring in a linebacker of similar impact.
Because bend but don’t break will be broken before too much longer. Even if Herzlich works out (and I pray to God he does) that hyper athletic element, the Yang to JPP’s Ying is still desperately needed.
We wonder why the Giants play the type and quality of defense they are playing. The reasons are plain to see:
1.Defensive line no longer has 3 dominant players of the 4
2.They do not attack because there’s only one player to attack with (Guess who)
3.Weak corner play. Prince is coming around but not there yet.
4.No linebackers good at blitzing
5.No DB’s (corners) good at blitzing.
Yeah, thats bend but don’t break territory.
Kiwanuka at DE is the best bet. Let Jacquian, Rivers, Herzlich, heck even Paysinger play linebacker. Use three safeties with newfound Down Town Stevie Brown.
Just get Kiwi back in the flow at DE.
So then are you saying that our defensive talent is on par with New England who is comparable is points per game? Are we less talented than teams like Miami? Seattle? San Diego? Dallas? Come on, seriously? I’m not being a homer. We have much better talent than defenses that are comparable or ahead of us statistically. You say we only have JPP, I say those teams don’t even have a JPP.
Ok, here’s the thing- Either Perry Fewell is not that good of a DC or we’re severely overrating our players. His tenure here has been marked with nothing but mediocrity and late game collapses. I really cannot justify this by saying we won a SB with him, I just can’t. The Ravens won a SB with a terrible offense, that doesn’t mean they had a good OC. Let’s take a closer look at what we’ve had since Fewell was here:
2010
16th in ppg allowed
7th in ypg allowed
Tied for 6th in ypp allowed with 7 other teams
39 turnovers
Epic collapse(s) when our season was on the line.
2011
25th in ppg allowed
27th in ypg allowed
23rd in ypp allowed
31 Turnovers
Absolutely horrible for most of the season, and only turned it around with the talk of him adjusting his scheme.
2012
8th in ppg allowed
24th in ypg allowed
30th in ypp allowed
24 Turnovers after 8 games.
Still proving time and time again that it’s very difficult to stop teams when absolutely needed.
How is this a good defense? Because it forces turnovers? Please…..Turnovers are one of the most hit or miss “stats” in the game. Injuries? Everyone has them. We have a defense that is horrible in some areas, mediocre in others, and great in only 1 area. Forcing turnovers.
We’re looking at a season full of shootout type games with a couple of better games against bad offenses mixed in. Remember when everyone says “Oh, that team is only winning because of all the turnovers”. Yeah, WE’RE that team.
And yet the Giants are 6-2 and a couple of games up in the NFC East .
A couple of things stuck in my mind as I was reading
RLHJR
‘He needs to bring in a kid the DEFENSE can trust ”
Well it seems to me we have a few “kids” now (italics mine) and no matter what their talent , they STILL have to learn to play the scheme . Even with someone as talented as JPP that didnt happen overnight and for kids with lesser talent it certainly takes longer so let the kids learn and dont bemoan the fact that despite misgivings the Giants are 6-2
I will remember what the other thoughts were in a few