E-GIANTS
Dave Klein was the Giants' beat writer
for The Star-Ledger from 1961 to 1995.
He is the author of 26 books and he is one of
only four sportswriters to have covered all the Super Bowls.
Dave has allowed TEAM GIANTS to reprint some of his articles.

By DAVE KLEIN
IF JIM FINN REALLY CAN'T MAKE IT BACK, WHO WILL BE THE GIANTS' FULLBACK?

There is a chance, although it's not formalized and the way things are it probably won't be until it formally announced that fullback Jim Finn will not be playing for the Giants any time soon.

He has a shoulder injury, which head coach Tom Coughlin confirmed last Friday, and there is really no timetable established for a definitive answer to the problem.

The indication is that the Giants must have felt it could mushroom into a problem since they tried in vain to sign restricted free agent Vonta Leach from Houston, only to see the Texans surprisingly match the offer, rather high (said to be $5.2 million over four years) for a kid with next to no NFL experience.

There is no other fullback on the roster at the moment, just Finn, the ghost of Leach and a free agent running back -- described as "a bruiser" -- named Robert Douglas (6-1, 230, virtually no chance), so this could be a problem when the season opens.

On the other hand, who says a fullback is absolutely, positively necessary? It isn't exactly a luxury, but there are ways to get around it, and today, on the eve of the three-day minicamp, why not explore some of them?

First of all, the duties of a fullback are varied, and in the current mode of pro football they don't usually include running the ball to any great extent. Rather, the first duty is to be the ever-present blocking back, a job at which the undersized Finn excels except when he is physically overmatched, and that has happened more frequently as he gets somewhat older (this will be his eighth season and he is only six feet tall).

His blocking effectiveness has been more due to his quickness than his power, and that should be considered a clear and obvious cause for his shoulder injury. Fullbacks get pounded more often than not; the head-on collision between a fullback and an inside linebacker, both with four to five yards of a head start, is often horrific.

So the fullback blocks, whether the running play is inside, up the middle, off guard or wide, on a toss or a slant outside tackle. He is there. He has to be there. The success of the rush often depends on him.

The fullback also has clear and definitive job descriptions with respect to pass blocking. He is there. He has an assignment. He is often the key to a quarterback's health or a concussion.

So what does one do without a proven, experienced fullback? There should be a capable blocking tight end nearby, who can drop into the backfield, pin the defensive end on sweeps and close down the linebacker on inside runs. He would have an advantage of sorts since tight ends are generally more experienced as pass receivers but less adept at blocking on the run or pulling out with a running back.

The three-step pass drop might take some of the pressure off the formation without a true fullback, although if that's the direction the Giants choose, you can almost bet that most of the time you'll see two tight ends in the game -- the starter Jeremy Shockey and whoever wins the backup job, which at the moment can be either Darcy Johnson or impressive fifth-round draft pick Kevin Boss.

But playing the game without a fullback is risky at best; at worst, it can prove to be hazardous to the health of running backs and quarterbacks.

There is, however, one more consideration. During the off-season, the Giants engineered a minor trade with Cleveland, in which they surrendered the non-productive wide receiver Tim Carter in exchange for running back Reuben Droughns. That's a 6-0, 220-pound experienced veteran of eight seasons. Is it possible that with the 6-4, 265-pound Brandon Jacobs on the field as the featured back, with Droughns in the game as the quasi-fullback and with a second tight end hanging around as well, the Giants might make it work?

Yeah, it's possible. But two tight ends and two backs on the field would limit the creativity of the passing game, too.

QUICKLY NOTED -- Former Giants' linebacker Jessie Armstead seems ready to sign a contract with the Giants so that he can retire as a Giant. ... "It's a perfect opportunity," he said. "You see guys do it sometimes, like Emmitt Smith did [in Dallas]. It's something special." ... So was Armstead, absolutely.

From Chris G. -- (The quarterback trade) "That was a very good point your reader brought to the table. I never looked at it that way, and while Phil was a leader and we loved him I think a lot of quarterbacks would have done well in that safe system and with that defense and L.T. on the other side giving you the ball twice a game extra. Eli is a gentleman as well, which is a breath of fresh air. I have this sad feeling New York may not be home for a guy like him, and fans have a way of driving guys out of here. But the reality is I think Philip Rivers gnaws at us more then Ben Roethlisberger, but not much anyone can do except let the kid settle down. He is still a kid who is being micro-managed and coached by way too many people."

From Frank G. (The parking situation) -- "I feel for Mike V.'s frustration; no one is more upset than me about the parking. I usually entertain 20 to 30 guests at my tailgates and we all arrive at separate times, etc. I did give the matter some thought and that cooled my jets. What are they (the Giants) supposed to do? They are building a new stadium and they need the space for equipment, dirt, space to build, etc. There is no choice. Also the Giants are just following the other teams' models with a new stadium and licensing fees for seats, etc. The Eagles did this in Philly and fans flipped out, yet the stadium is still full every Sunday, just like it will be filled with Giant fans in the new stadium in East Rutherford. It is a sign of the times, so get over it. If the Philadelphia market could bear those financial changes I am quite sure the New York market can bear it. I for one can't wait to get in there and spend my money watching my beloved Giants. So you go to one, two or three or games a year, however many you can afford, instead of all eight. It frees up some family time on the other six Sundays."

Check out Dave's website at E-GIANTS where you can subscribe to his newsletters which run much more frequently than what is available here.
- Team Giants

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