Fanpage
Team Giants

Fanpage

Special Report

Sent: 12-16-16

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 three sportswriters to have covered all the Super Bowls. Dave has allowed TEAM GIANTS to reprint some of his articles.

GIANTS STILL IN STATE OF DENIAL CONCERNING ERECK FLOWERS
-- AND SUNDAY WILL BE CRUCIAL

By Dave Klein
Historically, the Giants have sunk into denial when it comes to the subject of disappointing first-round draft picks.

Like now.

It has become increasingly more obvious, even to the television analysts, that left offensive tackle Ereck Flowers is not improving. His technique is not acceptable, he allows sacks and pressures, he isn't great - or even acceptable - at run-blocking, and yet the coaching staff, from the head man, Ben McAdoo, to offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan and offensive line coach Mike Solari continues to provide excuses and bubbling optimism.

"Ereck is our left tackle," is what Sullivan says, and there is some truth to that statement since we are approaching the 14th game of the season and it's kind of late to make a change - even if there was someone of quality waiting for the chance.

"I thought he got better in the second half," said McAdoo, after the astonishing victory over Dallas last Sunday night.

Well, he didn't. The Giants scored 10 points and won - which hasn't happened since 2002, when they beat the Eagles by the same score in the final game of the season. The head coach then was Jim Fassel, and earlier that season they beat Seattle in the third game, 9-6.

Equally puzzling is the presence of former Giant Will Beatty on the roster. Why is he there if he isn't going to play? He was re-signed out of retirement earlier this season, since the team obviously felt there was going to be a need for another tackle, and yet he just sits. Oh, he is occasionally spotted as the "eligible receiver" on goal line plays, but he has not had a snap.

So why did they sign him?

It is possible that next season Flowers will be tried at right tackle or one of the guard spots, but for now, as Sullivan says, "he is our left tackle."

Why doesn't that statement create a warm and fuzzy feeling among the fans?

Now the 9-4 Giants are preparing to host the Detroit Lions, equally 9-4 but in first place in their NFC North Division, and if ever a game was more important at this point of the season - especially after beating Dallas last week - it's this one.

There is a chance that guard Justin Pugh will finally be ready to play again. He has been suffering with a knee injury the four weeks, and his presence on the line may well prove to be a benefit for Flowers.

Might be nice if the Giants had a dependable running back, too, but Rashad Jennings and rookie Paul Perkins are all you're going to get. Eli Manning has either started to lose that edge (he is 35) or begun to shy away from what he knows will be a powerful impact when Flowers or Bobby Hart or Marshall Newhouse misses a block (or both).

There must be something horribly wrong with Beatty if he's not playing and those other pretenders are, you know?

Need a little more disconcerting news? The best defensive end on the Lions' depth chart, Ziggy Ansah, appears to have recovered from various injuries and the 6-5, 275-pounder will have his eyes riveted on Flowers.

So will the rest of a top-notch D-line, which include the other end, Devin Taylor, and tackles Kerry Hyder and Haloti Ngata. This game has all the earmarks of another 10-7 nail-biter. Lions' quarterback Matthew Stafford has an injured finger (torn ligaments) on his passing hand, and there is no question that the Giants' pass rushers, who did such a devastating job last Sunday, will focus on that infirmity.

And, of course, if Flowers doesn't handle his assignments, Eli may develop a few infirmities of his own. The Giants are listed as 4 to 4½-point favorites, and if they win they'll push their record to 10-4 and that guarantees a season mark of 10-6, which is an almost certain ticket to the post-season.

But, well, there's Ereck Flowers, so nothing is for sure.

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

NOW - Send a request to davesklein@aol.com for a free week's worth of news!

Previous Articles
Special Report
Sent:11-21-16

Ben McAdoo
Special Report
Sent:11-03-16

Eagles
Special Report
Sent:10-19-16

Janoris Jenkins
Special Report
Sent:09-26-16

Shane Vereen

[BACK to GIANTS]

Stop in and visit "Mike's Keys to the Internet"
Links to every newspaper and magazine that's available on the net.

Website by Mike