Team Giants History

Oct 7 Not every important player is limping, and the majority of the Giants yesterday were at practice getting ready to face the Texans on Sunday in Houston. So why does it feel like half the team is hurting? All nine players listed on the injury report sat out, and although several of them are expected back as soon as today, it certainly was a disconcerting sight to see so many key players not out on the field.

David Diehl showed up for work Wednesday thinking he was the Giants' left tackle. Then he found out he was being moved to left guard. Thursday he will be back at left tackle. And on Sunday? He expects to be the Giants' left tackle again, but he will just have to wait and see. Injuries are forcing the Giants to scramble their offensive line a bit, including a possible mammoth shift that could affect three positions.

When Mathias Kiwanuka said he was hopeful he would play this coming Sunday against the Texans, it immediately smacked of a player hoping against long odds it would happen. Three days later, after a second opinion on the bulging disc in his neck, Kiwanuka's hopes of returning to the field immediately apparently remain a long shot. In fact, Tom Coughlin indicated there’s a chance the team won’t wait very long for Kiwnuka's disc to settle down.
The Giants don't want to give up on Kiwanuka this early, but at some point, if the determination is that his neck is not improving to any great extent, the team will have little choice but to replace him on the roster. "We are going to wait," Coughlin said. "But there will be information forthcoming from the medical people that will tell us what the extent of it is, where the so-called waiting period would end and when the decision would have to be made."

The push to correct Bradshaw's fumbling problems is under way. And it was the perfect day for the running back to begin his ball-security session, since he wasn't going to have a full practice load because of a sore ankle he suffered late in the Chicago game Sunday night. The NFC's Offensive Player of the Week wasn't alone on the sidelines, however. Injuries kept nine players from fully participating, and alarms had to go off because of some of those injuries.

One of the overlooked storylines from the Giants' victory over the Bears on Sunday was the fact two undrafted rookie wide receivers (Victor Cruz and Duke Calhoun) dressed for the home team while Ramses Barden was inactive for the third straight week. Barden, a third-round pick who has yet to live up to the hoopla that came with entering the NFL the same size as Plaxico Burress right after Burress shot himself in the thigh, indicated the other day he hasn't been told why he's not getting a uniform on Sundays.

After his unit pitched a near perfect game against Chicago, the Giants' defensive coordinator must get them ready to face a far better balanced Houston offense. Adrian Foster is averaging 6.3 yards per carry and former Giant Derrick Ward 6.0 per try. Matt Schaub has a 95.6 passer rating.

Looking back at the Bears
Most of it was the fault of his offensive line, which looked as if it had decided that it simply was Cutler's day to die.
Cutler queries demand answers, including whether diabetes was factor.$1.6 billion New Meadowlands Stadium are club PSLs, which don't count in determining whether a game is subject to local blackout rules.

Oct 6 On Monday, Tom Coughlin was asked why he still has patience for struggling rookie punter Matt Dodge. "I'm a very patient person," the Giants coach deadpanned. Well, someone's patience is starting to at least run a bit thin. The Giants brought in 11-year veteran punter Hunter Smith for a workout on Tuesday, Smith's agent, Tom Mills, confirmed. Mills said Smith believed he had a solid workout but left without signing a contract. Mills has yet to speak to the Giants about the workout but believes his client could be an option for the team moving forward.
Jeff Feagles suggests the Giants hire a sports psychologist to help rookie punter Matt Dodge harness his talent and shed his inconsistency. The former Giants punter, who retired following last season, told ESPN that as a young punter he struggled and received help from a sports psychologist. Feagles went on to punt 22 years in the NFL, including the last seven with the Giants Feagles, 44, is not contemplating a comeback, as he said one of his knees "is so shot I can’t handle it."

The 24-year-old Ahmad Bradshaw is the Giants' running game right now, with 75 carries for 382 yards and three touchdowns through the first four games of the season. He's even the reigning NFC Offensive Player of the Week after his 129-yard performance in the Giants' 17-3 win on Sunday night against the Bears. But he's also had three very preventable fumbles - the same number he had in 163 carries last season - including two that likely cost the Giants touchdowns in each of the last two games. And that's bad. Potentially very bad.

When Madison Hedgecock went down with a hamstring injury in the fourth quarter of Sunday night's game against Chicago, Bear Pascoe went right into the game, played fullback for the Giants and did a pretty good job. Of course, Pascoe is a tight end by trade. So the obvious question is, how many reps did he get in practice as a fullback? "With the offense?" Pascoe replied. Uh, yeah. "With our offense?" No, with the Saskatchewan Roughriders offense. Yes, with the Giants' offense. “None," Pascoe said.

Osi Umenyiora's impressive, three-sack performance on Sunday very nearly didn't happen. In fact, if Mathias Kiwanuka hadn't been lost to a neck injury, Umenyiora might not have played at all. According to two league sources, Umenyiora needed an injection in his left knee in order to play in the Giants' 17-3 win over the Bears after suffering a new injury during an incident in practice last Thursday. "It's all probably related to the hip," one source said. "He is banged up beyond belief."

Nearly every week David Diehl, the Giants left tackle is reminded about the freakish athletes he must keep off Eli Manning's back. It is doubtful Dwight Freeney was asked in Week 2 how he planned to deal with Diehl. It is unlikely Peppers spent much time last week ruminating out loud about Diehl's pass block tendencies. Don't expect Williams to speak of Diehl this week in Houston nearly as much as Diehl is quizzed about Williams.

Eli says booing of Tiki 'unfortunate' - "Not that I feel bad for Tiki, but it's unfortunate how everything has happened. My brother told me that when they introduced him there were a lot of boos. It's just unfortunate because he was a great player for the Giants, had a great career, and was a great player in my first years here and helped us win a lot of games when I wasn't playing particularly well. "It's unfortunate how it's all happened, but I think he's definitely deserving of making the Ring of Honor.

Oct 5 This year, after beating the Panthers in the opener, the Giants lost to the Colts and Titans while giving up 67 points. Just like there was a difficult transition to Steve Spagnuolo, the Giants are still adjusting to the schemes and personality of new defensive coordinator Perry Fewell.
"I think it was the first time we ran our game plan effectively," said safety Antrel Rolle, one of those assigned to prevent those receivers from getting open quickly, a trademark of offensive coordinator Mike Martz's attack. "I think we did an excellent job of covering, but sometimes guys were there before the receivers got into their routes. It definitely worked hand-in-hand."
Of the remarkable 10 sacks the Giants amassed -- nine against Cutler in a record-breaking first half -- eight of the sacks came with the Giants rushing only their four defensive linemen. The Giants knew the Bears were scrambling on the offensive line without left tackle Chris Williams and felt confident they could apply pressure without using any extreme tactics.

They may have an opportunity to do even more damage on Sunday against the Texans (3-1), who have allowed 11 sacks in four games - second-most in the AFC. "We'll figure it out," Tuck said. "I'm sure Perry will have something up his sleeve. The biggest thing is making sure that we bring that energy to the football field that we did (Sunday) night."
The Giants recorded sacks on six straight passing plays by Chicago. Six straight. That's incredible. Some of them were Jay Cutler's fault, some of them were great rushes and some of them were coverage sacks. Whatever the case, that's a staggering figure.

The Houston Texans are off to the best start in franchise history, and they've done it without some of their top players. Now, they're getting back linebacker Brian Cushing, who rejoined the team Monday after serving a four-game drug suspension. Coach Gary Kubiak says last year's Defensive Rookie of the Year will play for Houston (3-1) in Sunday's game against the Giants (2-2).

Maybe it was a sense of desperation that gripped the Giants by the throat, or the Ring of Honorees, or Jessie Armstead's impassioned, inspirational speech, or the brisk Sunday night atmosphere, or all of the above. But the Giants returned to work yesterday believing the pride and the love of the game had returned with them.

Every week, Giants coach Tom Coughlin is told not to worry about running back Ahmad Bradshaw fumbling the football. Bradshaw receives reminders about Coughlin's oft-cited mantra of holding the ball "high and tight," and assures his coach on a weekly basis that he's getting the message. Yet in three of four games this season, Bradshaw has fumbled the ball away.

For weeks, Giants center Shaun O'Hara was being treated for tendinosis in his left Achilles and was frustrated because he was getting worse, not better. Apparently that's because what he really had was bursitis in his left ankle. That's what O'Hara learned last week when he went to get a second opinion from Dr. Martin O'Malley, a foot and ankle specialist in Manhattan.
O'Hara yesterday said a new diagnosis and a new form of treatment has made a big difference and, for the first time in a while, he's sounding encouraged that he can get back on the practice field this week and play on Sunday in Houston.
When asked whether the revelation of bursitis was a change in diagnosis from the team's perspective, Coughlin said it wasn’t and that both conditions had been listed on the team’s injury report. O'Hara disagreed. "No, it wasn’t something we talked about." he said.

Oct 4 Giants win over the Bears 17-3 | Photos |

On The Game: Game 4
Gamegirl "...Even though the Giants were winning on the field, it wasn't turning into a nice lead. Seeing them put together some big plays and a nice touchdown drive to turn it into a 10-0 game in the third quarter, made me feel a whole lot better....."
Mikefan. "...The Giants defense was certainly up for this game. Osi Umenyiora led a nine sack first half attack that knocked Jay Cutler out of the game. His backup, Todd Collins, was also gone by the end of the game. Unfortunately, the Giants offense took their time to get going....."

ESPN - Giants' 9 sacks in first half send Jay Cutler to bench with concussion.
Giants.com - FINAL: Giants 17, Bears 3.
Giants.com - Giants Postgame Transcripts.
StarLedger - Giants bounce back with 17-3 victory over Chicago Bears.
StarLedger - Giants tied for first in NFC East after 17-3 win over Bears.
StarLedger - Giants offense turned things around in the third quarter.
StarLedger - Giants punter Matt Dodge drops a ball, botches a hold but rebounds in second half vs. Bears
StarLedger - Giants' Tom Coughlin always finds a way when his back is to the wall.
StarLedger - Giants announce all 30 inductees into team's Ring of Honor.
NYDailyNews - Giants sack Jay Cutler nine times, record 10 total in 17-3 win over Chicago Bears.
NYDailyNews - Tiki Barber heartily booed by Giants fans, who, along with Big Blue players, support Tom Coughlin.
NYDailyNews - Tiki Barber showered with boos at Giants Ring of Honor ceremony; punter Matt Dodge still struggling.
NYDailyNews - Mathias Kiwanuka hopes to play Sunday, says bulging disc in neck is different from Antonio Pierce's.
NYPost - Defense rescues season, Coughlin.
NYPost - Ahmad provides the spark.
NYPost - Throwback slugfest perfect honor for Big Blue greats.
NYPost - Big Blue honors 30 of its best.
NYPost - Giants blitz.
NYPost - Giants report card.
NYPost - Kiwanuka hopes to return next week.
Record - Giants defense overwhelms Bears, 17-3; record 10 sacks.
Record - Giants pull back from the edge of oblivion.
Record - Big Blue honor lords of the Ring.
Record - Tiki Barber's ears Ring-ing with boos.
Record - Giants honor kicking pioneer Pete Gogolak.
CBSsports - Giants batter Cutler, clamp down on Bears.
Chicagobears.com - Bears throttled by Giants sack attack in discouraging loss.

Game 4 Preview - Giants (1-2) vs Chicago (3-0)
The Bears showed on Monday night that maybe they're more of a team to contend with than what was expected. Julius Peppers blocked a field goal in the third quarter, and in the fourth Devin Hester had a 62-yard punt return for a touchdown. Brian Urlacher forced a Green Bay turnover and the ensuing field goal gave the Bears a 20-17 win.
Bears Offense - Under offensive coordinator Mike Martz's guidance quarterback Jay Cutler has thrown 6 touchdowns against 2 interceptions and he has a quarterback rating of 109.7. That's a far cry from last year when Cutler threw 26 interceptions, the most by a Bears quarterback since 1947 and the most in the NFL.

Oct 3 That was the rallying cry for many of the Giants this past week as they settled in Monday night. The Giants knew they had the Bears coming up next and wanted to see them arrive at New Meadowlands Stadium with a perfect 3-0 record. The Bears obliged, edging the Packers 20-17 to emerge after three weeks as the NFC's only unbeaten team. Who would have thought that? The Giants tonight get a chance to shake free of their two-game losing streak and cast away the negative vibes hovering over them this early season.

There will be 30 names, 15 over each end zone, honored tonight. Some of them are no-brainers, Hall of Famers like Wellington Mara, Lawrence Taylor, Harry Carson, Mel Hein, Rosie Brown and Frank Gifford. Others like George Martin, Joe Morrison, Phil Simms, Amani Toomer and Michael Strahan, were Giant "lifers," spending long and productive careers with the organization..

Jason Pierre-Paul posed for photos with Giants coach Tom Coughlin Friday night at Coughlin's Jay Fund Gala, an annual event for Coughlin's foundation that assists children with leukemia and other cancers and their families. Hours earlier at the Giants practice, Coughlin could not have predicted that Pierre-Paul might start for the Giants on Sunday against the Chicago Bears, and at the very least play an important role in the defense.

A sign hangs in the auditorium at the Giants' practice facility that requires little explanation but much obligation: "PENALTIES LOSE GAMES." The Giants committed 11 penalties in last week's loss to the Tennessee Titans, including five personal fouls. They are 23rd in the NFL with 7.7 penalties per game. It's an increase of nearly two penalties per game from the 5.9 the team averaged in 2009.

No matter what happens, Tom Coughlin is safe this season. Remember, the Giants started 0-2 in 2007 giving up 80 points to the Cowboys and Packers, before going on to win the Super Bowl. But if things get really ugly and Coughlin goes after the year, then Bill Cowher is the logical replacement.

When Bill Parcells was looking for a leader for one of the greatest Giants teams ever assembled, he turned to the obvious choice. He already had George Martin and Harry Carson controlling his locker room. But he wanted more out of his quarterback, Phil Simms.

The Post has learned that Plaxico Burress, just over one year into his prison sentence for violating New York gun laws, will be watching his Giants on television for the very first time Giants co-owner Steve Tisch intends on informing Giants players about his "uplifting" first visit yesterday to the Oneida Correctional Facilty in Rome, N.Y. Asked what his message would be, Tisch said: "I'd love Plaxico to know that part of why we want to win tonight's game is for him."

Brian Jackson was not signed off the practice squad earlier this week to save the day, but he was added to the roster to help save the special teams. Jackson has been working on every special teams unit -- he could move right in as a gunner in coverage -- and he's supposedly solid enough in those departments to get a uniform against the Bears.

Injured Giants safety Chad Jones getting plenty of mental lifts recently. "I was supposed to have another surgery, but they ran a test on the nerves in my heel and the test came back real good," said Jones, who has lost count of the procedures he's undergone but estimates the total at roughly 10. "The nerves were starting to regenerate themselves."

Oct 2 In a surprising announcement, Giants defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka will not play Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears with a bulging cervical disc. Kiwanuka visited team doctors on Thursday after feeling a stiff neck. An MRI was conducted and revealed a bulging disc. It’s unclear how and when Kiwanuka suffered the injury. A team official said the initial prognosis includes avoiding contact with his head and neck, and physicians will monitor the disc. There is set timetable nor treatment for the injury."
Mathias Kiwanuka was sitting at his locker Friday afternoon, discussing how he wanted to be "the guy" for the Giants' defense. Now it's suddenly unclear when - or if - Kiwanuka will play with that defense again. Kiwanuka, who has four of the Giants' six sacks this season, is now out indefinitely after a bulging cervical disk was discovered in his neck Friday afternoon.
As the Giants try to adjust to Kiwanuka's absence, they still will be able to start Tuck and Umenyiora at defensive end, and their depth chart at the position includes rookie Jason Pierre-Paul and veteran Dave Tollefson. Umenyiora missed practice yesterday with swelling in his knee, but Coughlin believes he will play tomorrow.

Clint Sintim took snaps with the first-team defense this week while starter Keith Bulluck struggled with turf toe. Bulluck is hoping to play, but he’s officially listed as doubtful. "I just want to play," Sintim said. "And I've said that since Day 1. I want to play football, I want to play on defense, I want to play. And hopefully this week will be my opportunity."

It's true, says Keith Bulluck, who certainly would know. Those Titans are a bunch of low-down, dirty, agitating, instigating, exasperating, double-dealing rapscallions. "That's Titans football, how it's played," the linebacker said. "Talk tough and back it up. "Playing there for 10 years, being here for just two months, it's a different way of life. Players may feel like when they get a chance to play some of the bigger-market teams like the New York Giants or Dallas Cowboys, you want to make a statement."

Matt Dodge is having a heckuva time trying to fill the shoes of the retired Jeff Feagles, netting just 33.0 yards per kick, which is 25th in the league. And with the Giants hosting the Bears -- and frightening return man Devin Hester -- this weekend, Dodge is a popular topic of conversation among Giants watchers right now."

Former Giants
Amani Toomer couldn’t run one mile back in high school, but he’s ready to charge through 26.2 at this year’s New York City marathon. An added challenge: Toomer will start off the Nov. 7 race dead last, behind about 45,000 runners.
Antonio Pierce did not pull many punches when asked yesterday on ESPN radio yesterday if he likes Tiki Barber. "Personally, I'm not a fan," he said. "No, I'm not a fan. I respect the way he plays the game, I respect how he was as a football player.

Oct 1 Justin Tuck thinks that sometimes football gets too complicated. The Giants' defensive end has studied the undefeated Bears offense with quarterback Jay Cutler and sees a simple answer to stop them Sunday night. "Sack him," Tuck said. "I think we make the game a little bit too complicated sometimes. "Just hit him." The Giants' defense needs to get to Cutler not just for the sacks, they need to put pressure on him to create turnovers. The Giants are tied for seventh in the league in takeaways and are hoping to take advantage of Cutler under pressure.
Keeping Cutler under wraps is the greatest defensive challenge for the Giants, because the Bears don't run the ball very well (3.2 yards per rushing attempt) or very often. Their two running backs, Matt Forte and Chester Taylor, have combined for 54 carries. On the other hand, Cutler has thrown it 91 times as the Bears have beaten the Lions, Cowboys and Packers. Three times in the game-winning drive last week Cutler could have been intercepted but penalties or drops sunk the Packers and saved Cutler. "Cutler is pretty hot right now," Justin Tuck said, "even though he is throwing a lot of balls that could've been and should've been picked off."

Stopping Greg Olsen, who hauled in a team-high 60 catches last season, is an important part of the Giants' defensive game plan on Sunday. "You'll try to match up with the most athletic person you have," Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell said. "If it's a (linebacker), it's a (linebacker). If it's a DB, it's a DB. He has a height advantage over a lot of the DBs, too, so you got to be careful how you match that up." The Giants struggled against Indianapolis Colts tight end Dallas Clark (five catches, 83 yards, and a TD in Week 2) and Baltimore Ravens tight end Todd Heap (6-69-1 in the preseason).
Sunday's game against the Giants represents the first game back home in New Jersey since Greg Olsen's senior year at Wayne Hills in 2002 when he led the Patriots to their first State sectional championship. Olsen never got the chance to play in Giants Stadium, so he is looking forward to the opportunity of suiting up against Big Blue in their new building. "For me to go to the Meadowlands, 20 minutes from where I grew up," Olsen said, "it's going to be special."

Keith Bulluck has never experienced turf toe before, so he did not know whether the injury that's been bothering him this week will sideline him for Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears. He suffered the injury on the third play of last week's game and played through the injury. "After the game, it was sore," Bulluck said. "And at night, and the next day, and the next day..." He's working to reach the point that he can put pressure on the foot, understanding he'll need to withstand pain. Turf toe is an injury that has the potential of lingering, too.

Once upon a time, long before he delivered two Super Bowl triumphs to the team he watched as a Jersey Boy in the Polo Grounds and in Yankee Stadium, they couldn't wait to throw Bill Parcells under the Big Blue Bus. Now, only two seasons and three games after Tom Coughlin became the only other Giants head coach to raise the Lombardi Trophy to the heavens, that ominous Big Blue Bus is back, driven by misguided Giants fans who fear that Tiki Barber is right about their team being in crisis. And here's the message to the drivers of the Big Blue Bus from Ring of Honoree Bill Parcells: Back up, and get off Tom Coughlin's back.
Tiki Barber played with exactly 15 of these Giants who have won four of their last 14 games, performing much like the Giants did in his final season, 2006, the last time coach Tom Coughlin seemed doomed. Barber doesn't have to know all these new guys to know the ways players think. "Tom's a great coach, we all know that, he has been one since his days at Boston College," said Barber. "He can get the locker room back by having guys disseminate his message correctly and have guys believe it. "It's not so much X's and O's for the head coach, more about being able to find a way to motivate 53 different personalities.

Bill Parcells is an ardent supporter of Tom Coughlin. Tiki Barber is an occasional critic. Both will join the Giants' "Ring of Honor" at halftime of Sunday night's game against the Chicago Bears, and both responded Thursday to criticism that Coughlin's currently enduring with differing perspectives. Barber perpetuated the notion that Coughlin is embattled when he said in an interview with Yahoo! Sports this week that Coughlin's control of the team is "slipping away." Parcells was asked about Barber's comment and his take on Coughlin, who has won a Super Bowl with the Giants but also watched his team commit five personal fouls in the second of two embarrassing losses.
One thing is certain: Barber doesn't like Coughlin much, to this day. Even now, Barber won't thank Coughlin for stopping his fumbles, crediting instead running backs coach Jerald Ingram. Barber remains the foremost Coughlin critic, dumping early-season problems largely on the coach. "(Coughlin) treats me pretty fine," Justin Tuck said. "He did a good job of evolving. When I first came here, he wasn't the coach he is now." There is unfortunately, another difference these past two seasons. Coughlin's coordinators haven't coordinated very well and his players aren't as good and they are making a bunch of dumb mistakes.

Former Giants
Plaxico Burress - It will be an Odd Couple reunion of two old friends, from vastly different walks of life, when Giants co-owner Steve Tisch and Plaxico Burress embrace tomorrow inside the Oneida Correctional Facility in Rome, N.Y. And when he does get out, would he like a reunion with his old team and teammates? "He would love to come back to the Giants," Tiffany Burress said.

Sept 30 In 2008, the Giants set an NFL record for fewest turnovers in a 16-game season with 13. That was '08, although the way the team has started this season, it feels more like 1908. In just three games, the Giants (1-2) have turned over the ball 10 times: four in the opener against Carolina and three times each against Indianapolis and Tennessee. That's the first time they've had at least three turnovers in three consecutive games since a four-game stretch spanning the 2002 and 2003 seasons.

It is fair to say Phil Simms during his 15 years with the Giants never had such talent to throw to. Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham give Eli Manning every option he needs, other than a big, imposing target to throw the ball up to. Nicks has had problems this season with drops and deflections glancing off his hands for interceptions, but he also is tied with Austin Collie of the Colts for the NFL lead with four touchdown receptions.

The news that Giants leading receiver Mario Manningham suffered a concussion in last week's loss to the Tennessee Titans made the depth chart behind Manningham clearer --and more telling. Rookie Victor Cruz, who entered training camp as a mere roster hopeful, would become the team's No. 3 receiver if Manningham is out Sunday night against the Chicago Bears. Ramses Barden would be No. 4.
Mario Manningham seemed fine to Tom Coughlin after Sunday's game, and again on Monday morning. That's why the Giants coach was "a little bit surprised" when the receiver began showing the effects of a concussion Wednesday. Manningham, the Giants' No. 3 receiver, was sent for more concussion-related tests after he had what Coughlin called a "slowdown" Wednesday morning.

Tom Coughlin has indicated there might be personnel changes on special teams this week. Chase Blackburn has one in mind. "Hopefully I'll be up," the Giants' linebacker and special teams captain, who missed the past two games with a knee injury, said Wednesday. "Hopefully that's the personnel change we can make." Blackburn practiced fully and believes he's in line to return on Sunday against the Bears.

Matt Dodge has been dabbling in directional punting since he was drafted by the Giants in the seventh round of April's draft. But Wednesday's practice marked the first time he was asked to aim for the white paint on the sideline. It will seemingly be the game plan for Sunday to neutralize Devin Hester. It's what Jeff Feagles did in 2007 when he limited Hester to a total of 15 yards on three returns. If it works for Dodge, the Giants will benefit. But if not, it could be a disaster for the muscular, strong-legged punter who doesn't exactly specialize in touch or direction.
If there is one player on the undefeated Chicago Bears (3-0) that worries the Giants (1-2) this week, it's the 27-year-old Devin Hester, one of the NFL's most dangerous and dynamic return men. That was evident to anyone who watched his 62-yard punt return for a touchdown against the Packers on Monday night. And if it wasn't, all Coughlin had to do was pop in a tape from 2006, when Hester embarrassed the Giants by returning a missed field goal 108 yards for a touchdown.
Matt Dodge said, "You've got to admire how awesome he is, but this is great for me. I can see what I can do against one of the best returners of all time." The seventh-round draft pick with the booming leg has averaged 44.6 yards per punt, but he has put just one inside the 20, had another blocked and often missed his spots.

For the second straight week, the Giants will start Adam Koets at center instead of the injured Shaun O'Hara. After that, it's anyone's guess as to when O'Hara will be back. "I was hoping initially it was a two-week period," coach Tom Coughlin said Wednesday. "But I'm not sure now what it is."

Tiki Barber once thought Tom Coughlin had lost control of the Giants' locker room in 2006. Now, four years after his retirement, Barber can see Coughlin's control "slipping away" again. The former Giants running back made that assessment in a video for Yahoo! Sports this week, when he said Coughlin is "at a crisis" and may pay for it with his job.

Sept 29 Last week Antrel Rolle's message was clear. This week it was difficult to decipher. The Giants safety insisted the team is completely behind Tom Coughlin, but in the same interview said that all the players weren't on the same page. "Before we worry about the Bears (next opponent) or anyone else, we have to come together as the New York Giants, as Big Blue," Rolle said in his weekly spot on WFAN.

Michael Strahan still sees plenty of talent on the team he led to a championship three years ago. But he also sees a team that's "coming unraveled" as it struggles to fill its obvious leadership void. That's why Strahan endorsed the harsh words from Giants safety Antrel Rolle about his own team on the radio last week.
Leadership and Strahan eventually came together the way he surged to the quarterback: relentlessly. He evolved from an emerging star defensive end with self-serving qualities into a bona fide elder statesman able to back up his words with deeds, a gap-toothed grin and a sharp wit that cut through any uncertainty as to the message he marked for delivery.
There was a time Michael Strahan despised nearly everything about Tom Coughlin's ways. That time was 2004, when Strahan and his teammates believed Coughlin was acting more like a dictator than the new coach of the Giants. By the end of the 2006 season, one could hear in Strahan's voice the star defensive end was beginning to see the method to Coughlin's madness.

When the Giants come out of their locker room Sunday night searching for direction, they need only look at the names that will be emblazoned over the end zones. The first 30 members of the Giants' Ring of Honor will be unveiled, and among them are quarterback Phil Simms and defensive end Michael Strahan. They were leaders in their own ways. Simms led by example. He mentioned as much Tuesday on a conference call about the Ring of Honor.

The Giants don't just lose anymore. They lose big. The Giants - - after their 29-10 loss to the Titans on Sunday - - are now 4-10 in their last 14 games. The average score in those games is 31.5 for their opponents, and 22 for the Giants. The average margin of defeat in the Giants' 10 losses? A startling 18.9 points per game. When the going gets tough, the Giants seem to fall apart.

It's only Week 4 and the Tom Coughlin watch isn't on. But apparently, for ex-Steeler Jerome Bettis, it's never to early to start the Bill Cowher-to-the-Giants talk. Eight months after Bettis first pegged Cowher as Tom Coughlin's eventual replacement, he's done it again, this time in a column published on Sports Illustrated's website. In the story, Bettis insisted that Cowher will "be coaching again very soon." And he speculated that it might happen with the Giants, where a coaching change "could be imminent."
The Giants have looked awful in the past two weeks in blowout losses against the Colts (38-14) and Titans (29-10), but it's highly unlikely there will be an in-season coaching change. And Coughlin still has time to turn his 1-2 team around. "I expect Bill Cowher to be coaching again very soon," Bettis said of his former coach, who lost his wife, Kaye, to skin cancer in July.

The relatively short but unquestionably eventful Giants career of Michael Johnson likely came to an end yesterday when the team placed him on injured reserve with a herniated disc in his back. Johnson was replaced on the roster by defensive back Brian Jackson, a rookie who was with the Jets this summer and is best remembered for getting tied to a goal post and subjected to all sorts of sophomoric abuse in a scene that went public on "Hard Knocks."

Sept 28 - UPDATE		Rolle On The FAN: Antrel Rolle Discusses Giants' Woes.
Safety Antrel Rolle joined WFAN's Benigno & Roberts on the heels of Sunday's disappointing loss to the Tennessee Titans. There were 11 penalties against the Giants, five of which were 15-yard personal fouls. "I don't feel like the game was so undisciplined," Rolle said. "Sometimes guys lose themselves in the football game, whether it's for the good or for the bad. I think everyone is overreacting to the fact that we got 5 personal fouls. Will it happen again? I don't know."

Sept 28 A week after the Giants (1-2) looked completely unprepared in a loss to the Colts at Indianapolis, they played with an utter lack of discipline against the Titans and lost a game they could have easily won. Right now they are a runaway train. If Coughlin doesn't get them under control, they will quickly jump track and derail the season.
One thing that really seemed to trouble the Giants' coach: the interception off the hands of Hakeem Nicks early in the game. The same thing had happened in the opener against the Panthers. Especially when they run a simple hook route like Nicks did on that play. "The ball Hakeem tipped was probably the most common and simplest of routes that are probably one of the two or three individual routes you start with," Coughlin said. "If you're going to throw some things out to get back to basics, that stays in."
On CBS' telecast of the game, there was no linking Coughlin to the embarrassing mistakes made by his players. The network did have its Coughlin Cam cranking. It revealed nothing. Coughlin is conscious of how out of control he looks when he wigs. He rarely melts down on the sidelines anymore.

It is still early, but that doesn't change the fact that right now the Giants are a bad 1-2 team. Their lone victory came against a pathetic Carolina team. They were completely outclassed, and soundly beaten by Indianapolis. Against the Titans they committed 11 penalties (six personal fouls) and three turnovers (two inside the Titans' 6-yard line) and missed two field goals. Tennessee only had to sidestep the stumbling Giants to pick up the victory.
Even the most optimistic fans have to be worried. Because other than the quarterback, it's impossible to pinpoint one aspect of this team that's looked even slightly better than average. The offensive line? It looks old, slow and -- most damning in the loss to Tennessee -- undisciplined. The running game? The definition of average so far, ranking 14th in the league at 115 yards per game. The receivers? Even the most routine passes have become tip drills for the opposing secondary. The defense? Only two teams -- winless San Francisco and Buffalo -- have allowed more points.
It's hard to argue that any of the Giants' units has been worse than the special teams. Punter Matt Dodge had a miserable opening game, including one punt that was blocked for a safety. Then, as the field goal holder, Dodge was chiefly responsible for a 5-yard delay of game penalty in Sunday's 29-10 loss to the Titans, forcing Lawrence Tynes to back up to a 44-yard attempt -- which he missed. "That's bad football. That's all that is," Coughlin said. "And [Dodge is] not the only one responsible. You've got a group out there. Get up and go. Let's get up there and go."

A day after being dragged off the field as 19-point losers despite having dragged the Titans up and down the field most of the way, the Giants and their head coach were still coming to terms with a defeat that sure felt a little more cataclysmic than the average tough day at the office. "We know what we're capable of," Eli Manning said. "We know there's a lot of talent in this room, and we know that when we play to the best of our ability that there isn't a team in the league we shouldn't be competitive with." But even Coughlin knows that only goes so far.

Shaun O'Hara has tried everything to relieve the pain in his left Achilles, including a platelet-rich plasma therapy injection. So far, though, nothing has worked. That's why the Giants' starting center went to see Dr. Martin O'Malley, a foot and ankle specialist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan, for a second opinion Monday after sitting out the Giants' 29-10 loss to Tennessee on Sunday.

For the first time in franchise history, The Giants will honor the organization's icons during a ceremony at halftime of Sunday night's game against the Chicago Bears. Thirty players will be named to the "Ring of the Honor." The entire list will not be revealed until Sunday, but the team released the names of six players/coaches on Monday: Phil Simms, Michael Strahan, Pete Gogolak, Tiki Barber, Frank Gifford and Bill Parcells.

Sept 27 Giants lose to the Titans 29-10 | Photos |

On The Game: Game 3
Gamegirl "...I'll just point out the things that got me going as I watched today. The crowd was thrilled to see Kevin Boss make his first catch of the day and take it 54 yards as the Titans defenders struggled to bring him down. Wow! At the end of the second quarter with the Giants trailing by seven, Mario Manningham made a great sideline catch to stop the clock with 42 seconds left......"
Mikefan. "...What you saw today was a Tom Coughlin coached team way out of control, and out of control teams don't win many football games. The Giants put up less points (10) than the penalty flags they earned (11) and as a result lost a game they could have won....."

ESPN - Titans defense forces 3 turnovers in win over Giants.
Giants.com - FINAL: Titans 29, Giants 10.
Giants.com - Giants Postgame Transcripts.
StarLedger - Giants claim they were better team in 29-10 loss to Titans.
StarLedger - "We beat ourselves" says Ahmad Bradshaw as penalties, turnovers hurt Giants.
StarLedger - Giants can't afford to shut coach Tom Coughlin out now.
StarLedger - Live blog: Undisciplined New York Giants fall, 29-10, to Tennessee Titans.
StarLedger - Rutgers products Kenny Britt, Jason McCourty shine for Titans in victory over Giants.
StarLedger - Delay of game penalty, missed field goal exemplify Giants' special teams woes in loss to Titans.
NYDailyNews - Giants implode with turnovers and penalties in 29-10 loss to Tennessee Titans.
NYDailyNews - Giants got 'careless' in 29-10 loss to Titans, need to be disciplined, Ahmad Bradshaw says.
NYDailyNews - Kareem McKenzie's two personal fouls encapsulate Giant's lack of discipline in Titans loss.
NYDailyNews - Coughlin: "This is a game we should've won".
NYPost - Giants done in by mistakes in loss to Titans.
NYPost - Hey, coach, what game were you watching?
NYPost - Giants ignore comedy of errors in rationalizing ugly beatdown.
NYPost - Manning can't explain left-handed shovel pass.
NYPost - Kicking, coverage errors doom Jints.
NYPost - Britt catching on big with Titans.
Record - Giants turn out sloppy performance in 29-10 loss to Titans.
Record - Ahmad Bradshaw's blunders seal Giants doom.
Record - An alarming lack of self control.
CBSsports - Humiliating doesn't begin to describe Giants' performance
Tennessean - Tennessee Titans use turnovers to steal win over Giants.

Game 3 Preview - Giants (1-1) vs Titans (1-1)
Last week the Titans put themselves in a hole right away by allowing the Ben Roethlisberger-less Pittsburgh Steelers to score on an 89 yard kickoff return. The rest of the Steeler's scoring was just four fieldgoals but their defense was a killer. After three turnovers, coach Jeff Fisher pulled Vince Young and threw in Kerry Collins to start the fourth quarter, but he could only carry a 19-3 score to a 19-11 loss.
Titans Offense. Running back Chris Johnson ran for 2,006 yards on 358 carries last season. Only five others have done that before, Eric Dickerson, Jamal Lewis, Terrell Davis, Barry Sanders, and O.J. Simpson. Johnson says he wants to be the first to do it twice.
Titans Defense. They ranked 31st in the league last year defending against the pass and 11th against the run. Over their first two games this year, they are top ranked 1st in total yards allowed so far. Some of that was helped by going up against a Pittsburgh team fielding quarterbacks Charlie Batch (25 yards) and Dennis Dixon (18 yards).

Sept 26 The Tennessee Titans and New York Giants thought they put all the concerns about their franchises to rest in the opening weekend of the season. Impressive wins over Oakland and Carolina seemed to indicate that the franchises were back on the right path after missing the playoffs in 2009. Disappointing performances in Week 2 against Pittsburgh and Indianapolis left a lot of people scratching their heads, wondering about both teams.
Wiith the emergence of Houston after two games, the AFC South appears to be a stronger division than "the Colts and those other three" it has been in the past. Tennessee won eight of its final 10 games last year and started this season with a win over Oakland.

Nobody on the Giants knows the Titans -- or star running back Chris Johnson -- better than Bulluck. And after playing a limited role in last week's loss to the Colts, Bulluck will fill an important spot against the Titans. It will be critical for the Giants to stop Johnson, who receives greater attention while quarterback Vince Young struggles.
Giants DT Linval Joseph was Johnson's teammate at East Carolina and once witnessed Johnson run a 40-yard dash in under 4.1 seconds. Joseph said the time was changed to 4.3 to make it more believable. "Fastest guy I've ever seen," Joseph said. Joseph told his teammates that Johnson is a "hard worker," and said you can see what Johnson can do by simply typing his name into YouTube.

Despite a strong passing attack, the Giants are still a power running team at heart. Or at least they should be, like they were in 2008 during their 11-1 start. Ever since the start of the '07 season, they have been a two-back team based on a simple philosophy: Let Jacobs pound away mercilessly at the defense. Then hit them with a quicker, smaller, fresher back such as Ahmad Bradshaw when the defenders are on their heels.

They have been challenged, and not just because they were embarrassed on national television. They have been called out by their own teammate. Their character, toughness and leadership have become open questions. But for the Giants, the question isn't about what happened last week, either on the field in Indianapolis or in their locker room. The only question that concerns them is what happens next. They'll have a great chance to show their true character Sunday afternoon when the Giants (1-1) face the Tennessee Titans (1-1) at the Meadowlands in what should be a bruising, grinding, physical game.

Tom Coughlin likes to turn the page from one game to the next each Tuesday morning. However, he had difficulty this past week flipping over the page that read, "Colts 38, Giants 14." Fallout from Sunday night's pasting in Indianapolis lasted well into the week, what with Brandon Jacobs' helmet-throwing incident and Antrel Rolle's provocative radio interview. Today's game against the Tennessee Titans was pushed to the rear as Coughlin had to discuss his players' actions, which went against the grain of his "team first" philosophy.

Doing his best to dispel the notion that in return for a radio station's paycheck athletes say nothing, Antrel Rolle provided the FANdroids bang for their buck last week. "Evan (Roberts) and I were looking at each other in amazement with the kind of stuff he was throwing out there," said Joe Benigno, who co-hosts the WFAN mid-day soiree, where Rolle dropped dime on the Giants on Tuesday. Among other things, Rolle accused the Giants of fostering a "controlled" environment. "Everything can't be controlled," Rolle said. "And right now everything is controlled within this organization. Everything is controlled.
After an embarrassing loss to the Colts last Sunday night, Rolle perceived a lack of fight, leadership and energy from his coaches and teammates. Only two games into his Giants career, Rolle saw ominous signs of a situation opposite of the one for which he signed up. So after the game plan against Indy kept him from roaming the way he believed the Giants would let him, after his teammates seemed to accept losing, after he gave team leaders a chance to speak up, he bubbled over."

Sept 25 Justin Tuck's participation in Friday's practice was limited with a left shoulder injury. It's the same shoulder that bothered Tuck last season and was surgically repaired during the offseason. Tuck is listed as questionable, although he said he'll "absolutely" play in Sunday's game against the Tennessee Titans. "Last year, I was injured," Tuck said. "This year, it's just hurting."
Tuck banged up the shoulder Sunday night in Indianapolis but came right back into the game. He was not on the injury report until Friday's episode. "I just woke up stiff," he said. "Maybe I slept on it wrong. Maybe I have to go buy a new mattress or something."

Ahmad Bradshaw said he's ready to run behind Adam Koets this Sunday against Tennessee. In fact, the Giants' running back said he's pretty sure he won't even be able to tell the center in front of him is Mr. Koets and not the 11-year veteran Shaun O'Hara. Except for maybe one thing. "It'll probably be a little quieter up there," Mr. Bradshaw said.
It's great work if you can get it, being a reserve Giants offensive lineman: Six-figure pay, Sundays always off. Adam Koets, who likely will be at center against the Titans tomorrow because of Shaun O'Hara's sore Achilles tendon, has waited three years and two games to get his first NFL start. That's almost as long as the Giants wait in the locker room before road games. But Koets said he's ready, and just like the Maytag repairman, why wouldn't he be?"

Kevin Boss, who said he wished he could have helped block Colts defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, boosts the Giants' running game help as a blocker, according to coach Tom Coughlin. "He gives us the size dimension at the tight end spot," Coughlin said. "There's no run from a standpoint of a power run that we would not run with Kevin over there."

The Titans have the top defense in the league through two weeks. Their pass defense has been superb, as they've allowed only 171 yards through the air. This week, they realize they're facing a different kind of pass offense that relies on deep in cuts, corner routes and balls up the seam.

Sept 24 Last week it was about stopping the pass. This week it is about stopping Chris Johnson. Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell sold out to stop Peyton Manning's passing attack last week, using only six players up in the box and as many as six defensive backs on the field at the same time. Manning foiled the strategy by calling for more running plays (43) than any game in his career as the Colts embarrassed the Giants, 38-14, by going completely against past history and essentially running it down their throats.
Chris Johnson's breakaway speed makes him a threat to score every time he touches the ball, but his ex-Tennessee teammate Keith Bulluck thinks he can be contained. "You watch the Pittsburgh game, he didn't do anything. You watch the Oakland game, he had one big run. Chris Johnson is a home run hitter. He's the best running back in the league with that 4.3 speed, but he's definitely a home run hitter. He puts no fear in my heart. I put no fear in his heart. It's football. It's going to be a physical contest and I see Big Blue coming out on top."

Titans coach Jeff Fisher was Giants linebacker Keith Bulluck's only NFL coach before Bulluck came to New York during the offseason. Bulluck was sometimes critical of Fisher, and the two experienced much turbulence in Tennessee. When Bulluck was asked Tuesday night about their relationship, he called it a "player-coach relationship" and said he would not go out of his way to see Fisher on Sunday.
It's not Lawrence Taylor facing the Giants, mind you, had that showdown ever happened, but Bulluck's presence opposite the team for whom he played linebacker for so long will indeed be part of Sunday's game when the Titans visit New Meadowlands Stadium.

Some have questioned coach Tom Coughlin's job security, which Giants play-by-play man and Sirius/XM host Bob Papa dismisses as baseless speculation this early in this season -- especially with the Giants' patient management. But Papa did acknowledge that the Giants shocking the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII in the 2007 season feels like a distant memory. "I think they realize the currency from the Super Bowl is kind of in the past and three years in the NFL is basically an eternity," Papa said. "They realize it has to be done on the field by making plays."
Plenty of kinks in Giants' armor. Yesterday, under increasing suspicion of not having the horses, the Giants ran a dog-and-pony show when coach Tom Coughlin, that once-and-apparently-again old meanie, had his meetings with captains Eli Manning, Justin Tuck and Chase Blackburn on the field at the end of practice, in full view of reporters. "It was a nice day to be outside," said a smiling Coughlin. Indeed, it was a lot nicer than it was inside Lucas Oil Stadium Sunday night, when Peyton Manning handed the ball off more than he ever had in a game because never had he seen such opportunity to do so.

Justin Tuck says there is a "Giant Way," and whatever that way is, Antrel Rolle wasn't following it. When the former Cardinal questioned the team's leadership during a radio appearance this week, it landed at the feet of the Giants' defensive captain. Tuck said Thursday he needs to familiarize some of the newer teammates with that Giant Way.
Justin Tuck wonders if he should have gathered his defensive teammates for a quick meeting after the Colts' Donald Brown scored on a seven-yard touchdown run to finish Sunday night's opening drive against the Giants. "I might have called a huddle on the sideline after that first drive," Tuck said yesterday. "Because we came out a little sluggish."
Tuck even gave credence to Rolle's theory the team was sitting around too long in the locker room. "But we'll get it right," Tuck said. "I'm not worried about that." Perhaps he'll get it right with Rolle's help. "If there's anything I can come to you about, if there's anything you want to talk to me about," Rolle said he told Tuck, "we'll get this thing done together."

If Shaun O'Hara cannot start at center this Sunday against the Titans -- and it's looking more and more that's going to be the case -- Adam Koets will make his first NFL start. Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride yesterday sounded as if he's not expecting O'Hara to play -- he missed his second straight day of practice because of issues with his left ankle and Achilles -- and said Koets is next in line.
Adam Koets has been with the Giants for four seasons but never started a game on the offensive line. He arrived a tackle, became a guard and center and started last week as an extra tight end when depth diminished. When O'Hara missed time during the preseason, the Giants moved guard Rich Seubert to center. Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride said that will not happen Sunday and it’s Koets' job if O'Hara is out.

Sept 23 Before the Giants move on to Sunday’s game with the Titans, they needed to clean up some residue left behind. Antrel Rolle certainly did not back down from the harsh assessment of the team he offered up during his weekly WFAN spot, when he questioned everything from team leadership to the defensive scheme to how early Coughlin requires the Giants to be at the stadium on game day.
Antrel Rolle didn’t take back any of what he said. While he wouldn’t go into detail about what he meant when he talked about the team being too "controlled" or why the "dog" in this team isn’t being unleashed at the moment, Rolle said he meant everything he conveyed on Tuesday. And he claims others are feeling the same way on several issues.
Justin Tuck admitted Tom Coughlin and others asked him to be more vocal. One more thing Tuck admitted recently: his body language often sends the wrong message. He called it his “lazy” walk, though his play on the field when healthy has proven he’s anything but lazy. So while Rolle didn’t mention any players by name, it’s possible he saw Tuck - the defensive captain, as voted by the players - remaining quiet while walking as if he was sulking. Meanwhile, the offensive captain is Eli Manning, who has never been one to be vocal.
The way he chose to say it was definitely an issue. Several players weren't thrilled that Rolle decided to air the Giants' problems - especially since public grievances were a major issue for this team in 2006. Eli Manning suggested that maybe Rolle, who played his previous five seasons in Arizona, just didn't realize what a big deal his words would be in this town. "I think sometimes you have to remember where you are," Manning said.

The centerpiece of Tom Coughlin's reform movement following the tumultuous 2006 season was an 11-player leadership council that he trumpeted as a way to foster communication and understanding with his players. Well, it was nice while it lasted.
The creation of the council in 2007 was greatly praised as a sign of Coughlin's more understanding nature, and the Giants rewarded his faith by winning the Super Bowl. This year's team captains are Eli Manning (offense), Justin Tuck (defense) and Chase Blackburn (special teams), but after three years Coughlin has decided to junk the leadership council.

Keith Bulluck, 33, was signed by the Giants in late July after spending the first 10 years of his Pro Bowl career with Tennessee. A season-ending knee injury last December sealed the Titans' decision not to re-sign him. While Bulluck told reporters yesterday that he has no "ill will" toward the Titans for not bringing him back, he remains disappointed that he couldn't finish his career with the franchise.
Titans Coach Jeff Fisher might be ready to move on, but Giants linebacker Keith Bulluck isn't ready to let go. This summer the Titans said publicly that they wanted Bulluck - the franchise's all-time leading tackler and a 10-year veteran - to return. They said the two sides exchanged contract numbers. Bulluck remains adamant that the Titans made no overtures, a point he was all-too-eager to reiterate while speaking with Nashville media Wednesday.

Giants offensive tackle Kareem McKenzie feels passionately about cautioning NFL players not to drive drunk. "You have to," said McKenzie, who was arrested in 2008 for driving under the influence, "because going through something and seeing someone else go through it, you can't help but feel for them." The latest player for whom McKenzie feels is Jets wide receiver Braylon Edwards, who was arrested and charged with a DWI on Tuesday after a breath test revealed his blood-alcohol level was twice New York’s legal limit. "The police officer did his job," said McKenzie, a former Jet.

Brandon Jacobs is done taking out his frustrations on his helmet or the media. Now, he says, he's ready to take them out on the other team. The Giants' angry backup running back promised that Wednesday, two days after he aired his grievances to Tom Coughlin and Jerry Reese. He said he finally got his sought-after explanation for the loss of his starting job. And, after a lengthy, all-inclusive apology for his recent behavior, he insisted he's "absolutely in the right frame of mind."

Stadium News
Both the Giants and Jets require pre-paid parking permits to get onto stadium property. Game ticket holders cannot pay cash at the entrance. As a result, surrounding businesses have offered parking and shuttle service. Fans can take a bus up to five hours before kick-off. But waiting for the shuttle after the game, when 82,500 fans are all leaving at once, becomes a challenge.
Jets superfan "Fireman Ed" Anzalone could face a simple assault charge after allegedly shoving Tinton Falls resident Christopher Black during the Giants-Jets preseason game. Black’s lawyer, Alexander Iler, said Black was arrested by the New Jersey State Police shortly after returning to his seat and "banned from the Meadowlands." He was charged with improper behavior. Anzalone was allowed to stay.

Sept 22 In an interview on WFAN, Giants safety Antrel Rolle vented about plenty of things, including the game plan against the Colts, his teammates' energy, his own energy and even the logistics of the team's schedule for a road trip. All of the above were criticisms he either couched or ones that were outright questionable. But there was one topic on which Rolle was very clear and very critical without hedging his bets. It was about the lack of leadership in the Giants' locker room.
New Giants safety Antrel Rolle didn't like what he saw before the Giants were blown out in Indianapolis on Sunday night. Not from his new teammates, and not from his new coaches either. So Rolle came out firing in an interview on WFAN criticizing the coaches for both the overly "controlled" environment they've created and for giving the Giants far too much downtime before the game. The result, he said, was a locker room full of players "just sitting around, being lackadaisical."
The Giants got to the game at Lucas Oil Stadium too early: "Getting to a stadium three hours and 15 minutes before a game, I've never heard of that,'' Rolle said. "Two hours is more than enough time to get done what you need to get done. It's pretty much unheard of. I feel like we were way too relaxed.''
Rolle spent his first five NFL seasons with the Cardinals. He was the Giants' No. 1 priority in free agency and signed to a five-year, $37 million deal. The non-competitive nature of the Colts game got Rolle thinking that The Coughlin Way is holding back something that the Giants desperately need.
Safety Antrel Rolle spoke with Joe and Evan about the Giants 38-14 loss to the Colts on Sunday. "It felt like the team was very, very flat," Rolle said. He partially attributed this from too much downtime in the days leading up to the game.

Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell. After showing different looks against the Panthers, he became far too one-dimensional with his Cover-2 man schemes for most of the first half. At some point, he needed to bring a safety down low and he didn’t do it soon enough. Coach Tom Coughlin. In the end, it falls on him who's active and who's not. And dressing only two DTs was a horrible decision.

The answer to what this Giants team is, is probably somewhere in between their 31-18 opening-day win over the Carolina Panthers (who ... ugh ... lost at home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, by the way) and Sunday night’s 38-14 blowout loss in Indianapolis. But the warning signs are still the same as they were on Day 1: No power in the running game, lack of a pass rush, and holes in the read-and-react secondary.

Brandon Jacobs was fined $10,000 by the NFL today for his tossing the helmet into the stands in Sunday night's loss to the Colts. "I want to apologize one more time for accidentally tossing my helmet in the stands," Jacobs said in a statement released by the team. "It was something that happened because I was frustrated with the game, and I had no business tossing my helmet in the first place, and I am thankful that nobody was hurt."
The helmet nearly hit Jeff Lasiter, a 30-year old Colts season-ticker holder since the mid-'90s, who was at the game with his father, sitting about six rows from the field near the 40-yard line. "The two women in front of us were very fortunate they were able to catch that out of their peripherals and react to it by sliding their heads to the side," Lasiter said in a radio interview.
Jacobs insisted that was an accident, that he was aiming for the bench and just missed badly. He apologized for the incident immediately after the game and apologized again in the statement released yesterday by the Giants.

Keith Bulluck’s two worlds will collide at New Meadowlands Stadium on Sunday when the Giants play host to the Titans. A two-time All-Pro, Bulluck was long the heart of the Titans defense, at one point starting 135 consecutive games and becoming a favorite among fans. The Titans signed linebacker Will Witherspoon during the offseason and let Bulluck walk - just as they moved on from former iconic Titans such as Steve McNair and Eddie George."

Sept 21 Kareem McKenzie is two weeks into his 10th NFL season, long enough to understand that the issues with pass protection in Sunday's 38-14 loss to the Indianapolis Colts are easily explainable. "Blocking people, plain and simple," McKenzie said one day after the Giants allowed four sacks and six quarterback hurries. McKenzie and left tackle David Diehl struggled against Colts edge rushers Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, who both recorded two sacks. Coach Tom Coughlin noted that it was not simply speed rushes but also bull rushes that hurt Diehl and McKenzie.
Kevin Boss didn’t like watching the Giants-Colts game on TV Sunday night. “It was tough just feeling helpless and not being able to be out there helping my teammates out,” said the Giants’ starting tight end, who sat out with a concussion sustained last week against the Panthers. “The feeling of being helpless and being on my couch instead of being out there helping them out.” Boss is hopeful that feeling will go away on Wednesday. He believes he’s on track to return to practice and to play on Sunday against the Titans.
Wondering why Eli Manning was on the field late in the fourth quarter Sunday night, with the Giants trailing 38-7 and the ravenous Colts pass-rushers zeroing in on him? Manning wasn't. "It's my job to be out there and compete and try to get into a rhythm," Manning said yesterday. It certainly wouldn't have raised eyebrows if Tom Coughlin pulled Manning -- at the very least to protect him from injury -- and let backup Sage Rosenfels take a few snaps. Manning stayed in, though, and with 1:52 remaining fired a 31-yard scoring pass to Hakeem Nicks to make it a 38-14 final. "Sometimes you get there and say, 'Hey, we need to work on some stuff.' At least we ended on a touchdown, that's one good thing to look at," Manning said. "We ended on a touchdown."

Brandon Jacobs has made it clear he's angry about being a backup running back. And the truth is, Tom Coughlin doesn't really care. "That's fine," Coughlin said Monday. "But there's a way to go about that. Go on the field and prove it. Talking about it and constantly bringing this up is not the answer. I know (reporters) enjoy that part of it, but that's not what it's about."
Tom Coughlin clearly isn’t on Twitter and doesn’t spend the days after embarrassing losses surfing the Internet for rumblings, rumors and reports about his team. So the Giants' coach had no idea there was a report stating Brandon Jacobs would soon be asking for a trade. Nor is Coughlin aware of Jacobs actually making such a request. "As far as I know there's been no request for any trade," Coughlin said.

The Brandon Jacobs situation has been deteriorating for a while. From the start of training camp, it was apparent Jacobs was no longer the starter; Ahmad Bradshaw, coming off surgeries on both feet and one ankle, got all the work with the first-team offense. Jacobs lashed out after getting no rushing attempts in the preseason finale, saying it is "hard to stay positive" and calling the NFL "a cutthroat, back-stabbing business." Coughlin was clearly displeased with Jacobs' meandering run for no gain against the Colts. "We see too much of that east-and-west stuff," he said.
If Brandon Jacobs is serious about demanding a trade, before he talks to Giants general manager Jerry Reese he might want to speak to any one of about 10,000 Fantasy Football GMs who drafted him. They'd no doubt tell him the same thing. "We've tried to unload you -- and it can't be done!" What the Giants have on their hands is a classic case of a player overrating his value. Jacobs is an overpaid backup running back who, despite his 265-pound frame, has developed a maddening tendency to try to run around defenders instead of right over them. He is, in a word, expendable.

The Giants players voted unanimously Monday to authorize DeMaurice Smith, the NFL Players Association executive director, to decertify their union if he decides to do so as part of the NFLPA's strategy to block a lockout in 2011.

Sept 20 Giants lose to the Colts 38-14 | Photos |

On The Game: Game 2
Gamegirl "...It wasn't the kind of game you write home to your mother about, and to make matters worse Eli's mom and the whole family were on hand to see it. The opening kickoff gave some measure of comfort, with the Giants special teams stopping the Colts at the 20 yard line, and that's awesome for them. My good feelings disappeared fast though when Peyton Manning completed his first two passes, each going for first downs, and before long the rest of the 80 yards were gone as well and the Colts were up 7-0....."
Mikefan. "...Special teams looked better and they even managed to down the ball at the Colts 2 yard line in the second quarter, but maybe the entire crew should have stayed on the field. They couldn't have done any worse than the defensive unit allowing Peyton Manning to move the ball 98 yards into the endzone for a 14-0 score....."

ESPN - Peyton Manning, Colts run roughshod over Eli Manning, Giants.
Giants.com - Final: Colts 38, Giants 14.
StarLedger - In second Manning bowl, Indianapolis Colts roll over Giants, 38-14.
StarLedger - In 24-point loss, first half stats tell a sad story for Giants offense.
StarLedger - Giants drop to .500 after 38-14 loss to Indianapolis Colts in Manning Bowl II.
StarLedger - Brandon Jacobs apologizes for hurling helmet into stands.
NYDailyNews - Brandon Jacobs loses cool, Eli Manning roughed up as Giants lose in rout to Indianapolis, 38-14.
NYDailyNews - Giants running back Brandon Jacobs says throwing helmet into stands in Indianapolis was a 'mistake'.
NYDailyNews - Jacobs apologizes, then snaps again.
NYDailyNews - 'Manning Bowl II' shows us that Eli isn't as good as Peyton Manning, and there's no shame in that
NYPost - Giants no match for Peyton and Colts.
Record - Oh, brother! Eli Manning, Giants crushed by Colts, 38-14.

Game 2 Preview - Giants vs Colts
Last week Peyton Manning completed 40 of his 57 passes for 433 yards and 3 touchdowns. Those were impressive stats, but the Colts still lost the game. Their defense allowed a Titans running back named Arian Foster (who?) to run for a team record 231 yards and 3 touchdowns. It was hard to believe that the Colts were the same team that finished last season with only two regular season losses, with one just about a give away since they pulled a few select starters in their next to final game of the season.

Sept 19 The task is a relatively easy one Sunday night for Eli Manning. All he's expected to do is measure up to his brother Peyton. At least he doesn't have to try to stop him. That impossible task belongs to the rejuvenated Giants' defense, fresh off their impressive performance on opening day. But Sunday night in "Manning Bowl II," the Giants' defense has to control one of the finest quarterbacks of this generation. Disposing of Moore is one thing; Peyton Manning is a gigantic step up in class.
Preparing to play Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis offense is about 180 degrees different from getting ready to face the ground-oriented Panthers. Only in the fourth quarter did the Giants exclusively use nickel packages, many of which will be featured in tonight’s second edition of the Manning Bowl. Perry Fewell, the Giants' first-year defensive coordinator, said the Giants' intensity should remain the same whether preparing for a run-oriented team like Carolina or a pass-first team like Indianapolis.

The thing to remember is this: Eli Manning is a little brother now only because of chronology, only because his birth certificate insists that he was born on Jan. 3, 1981, and Peyton’s reports that he was born on March 24, 1976. He is a kid brother by circumstance, not status. That wasn’t always the case.

Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride said he had to take a deep breath before calling the first play of the third quarter a week ago. It was a backside flip to Brandon Jacobs, who admitted he was surprised when he heard the call in the huddle. It’s a play designed to get the defense flowing to one side and then use the element of surprise to run the ball the other way.

Tom Quinn, the special teams coordinator, has a rookie punter, underperforming coverage units and a head coach who sternly declared this week that the "special teams play really needs to be upgraded all around." The Giants rank last in the NFL in net punt defense -- a combination of punter Matt Dodge’s inconsistency and the struggles of the coverage team. They are also in the bottom third of the NFL in kickoff coverage.

The Giants showed interest and even revealed how serious they were about adding Brandon Hughes by paying him more than the practice-squad minimum of an $88,400 salary. It was their way of convincing him to sign with them instead of staying in San Diego. Hughes is earning a weekly rate of a $110,500 salary. He’s one of three players the Giants are paying more than the minimum. Quarterback Rhett Bomar’s salary is $127,500, while cornerback Brian Jackson was given a salary of $106,250 after being cut by the Jets.

Here is the secret to beating Peyton Manning: "You prepare," Mathias Kiwanuka said. "You prepare until you run out of time and then you prepare a little more." Sounds good, but no one has much success dealing with Manning, who last week proved that individual greatness can only go so far. Manning threw for 433 yards and three touchdowns, but his Colts got spanked by the Texans, making Peyton and Co. in a foul mood heading into tonight's nationally-televised Manning Bowl II extravaganza inside Lucas Oil Stadium.

Mathias Kiwanuka, tonight, for the first time in his NFL career, plays in his hometown -- he grew up about 10 minutes from Lucas Oil Stadium -- and he arrives as perhaps the Giants' most versatile player. He plays tackle and end on the defensive line and linebacker in several different packages. Kiwanuka's preference is to stay put and start at defensive end, and he let his feelings be known during training camp. Tuck and Osi Umenyiora are the starting ends and Kiwanuka gets on the field plenty in a variety of roles.

Emotional return home for Mathias Kiwanuka after brother almost died in May motorcycle wreck. At 2:13 in the afternoon on May 28, Ben Kiwanuka, a 32-year-old FedEx ramp agent at the Indianapolis airport, sped along Lafayette Road with his younger brother, Mathias, a Giants defensive end, right behind him. The elder Kiwanuka, who wasn't wearing a helmet, had 30 feet to make a decision. Ben slammed on the brakes and braced himself. "I remember hearing a loud sound," he says. "And then I must have blacked out." Ben Kiwanuka was thrown 100 feet in the air. He broke his fall with both wrists, which were shattered on impact, along with his thumbs. His right arm was lacerated just above the elbow.

Former Giants
Plaxico Burress - The one-year anniversary of Burress' incarceration comes this week. He will not be celebrating it. He will, rather, take it as another day of punishment, another day closer to the freedom that he lost because of a spectacularly poor decision he made on Nov. 28, 2008, the night he went to a Manhattan nightclub called the Latin Quarter with an unlicensed gun.

Sept 18 Last week, the Giants overcame three interceptions, lousy special teams play and a running game that looked better than it really was to beat a Carolina team of undetermined potential. And because of that, coach Tom Coughlin's club plays tomorrow night with house money against a homestanding Colts team under pressure to not fall to 0-2 for the first time since 1998.

The Indianapolis Colts have a pass-happy offense that several Giants players have likened to the "run and shoot." Their quarterbacks and receivers are so good and their offense is so explosive that the Giants cornerbacks will be constantly tested. And Aaron Ross can't wait.

You have to wonder about the effect of losing TE Kevin Boss – and I don’t just mean in the passing game. Boss is probably a better blocking tight end than a lot of us give him credit for. I remember charting runs to his side early in the 2008 season and seeing the Giants were running for more than twice as many yards when they ran to Boss’ side.

Matt Dodge recalls punting in a dome twice before. Once was in college, the other at the NFL combine in March in Lucas Oil Stadium. Dodge returns to the scene of the combine Sunday night, hoping the indoor facility of the Indianapolis Colts will help the Giants’ rookie punter jump-start a career that got off to a shaky start last week against Carolina.

Hakeem Nicks said he plans to be playing tomorrow night despite his bad ankle. Osi Umenyiora, however, looks less certain with a swollen right knee. Nicks was limited in practice yesterday and Umenyiora missed it entirely, and both players were listed as questionable against the Colts. Coach Tom Coughlin said both are likely game-time decisions. "Osi came out here, he did have some swelling, so we sent him back inside," Coughlin said.

A willingness to move around, playing different positions in different packages, is earning DE/LB Mathias Kiwanuka respect from his teammates. Termed a "team guy," Kiwanuka does not object to being moved around -- as long as the Giants are winning -- although it's not his preference, and does mean putting in more hours preparing.

"We want to wait on (William Beatty). A few years ago, we waited on Smith," GM Jerry Reese said yesterday of the then-rookie wide receiver, who missed 11 straight regular-season games with shoulder and hamstring issues. "We were this close to putting him down. We waited on him, and he came up big."

Stadium News
The prices of non-premium tickets for Giants and Jets games saw hefty increases this year, according to a Team Marketing Report released Friday. Jets non-premium tickets escalated 31.8% to an average price of $114.64. Giants tickets are up 26%, to $111.69. By far, those were the steepest increases this season in the NFL, where the average ticket price hike was 4.5% this year.

Sept 17 This is no Manning Bowl, despite NBC's promotional commercial that shows childhood film of the two players with the song - what else? - "Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better." This is a football game between two very good teams and recent Super Bowl winners. This is a chance to see them compete against two defenses in the same game, but not against each other. "Two quarterbacks are never dueling each other," Eli Manning said. "It's not a boxing match."

The game on Sunday night will be a chess match, as it always is against Peyton Manning. The pregame? The Giants may have a slight advantage, and against this guy, they'll take anything. They're hoping Manning will not have been able to get a read on what they're doing under new coordinator Perry Fewell and that they can create enough confusion to follow what the Texans did last week.
For most defensive coordinators, the thought of facing Peyton Manning might cause plenty of sleepless nights and a reluctance to show up for the game on Sunday. I mean, who really relishes the thought of battling Michael Jordan or Mike Tyson when they were in their primes; or pitching to Albert Pujols with the bases loaded or trying to outrun Usain Bolt. Undergoing root canal might be a preferred option.
Peyton Manning’s obsession with reading defenses and changing plays at the line of scrimmage has become NFL legend as opponents continue to try and decipher whether all of his histrionics are reality or fantasy. "Some of it is window dressing," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. "Some of it is that he is changing the call."
Deciphering his audibles, his body movements and even what the tone of his voice means on his calls at the line of scrimmage is like trying to solve the nation's debt. "I don't think Peyton knows [himself]," defensive end Justin Tuck said when asked how much Manning is bluffing when he barks out signals at the line of scrimmage. "I have no clue. They said it is a different tone when he is being coy and when he is being for real. I don't know that tone yet."

Spies have not been deployed and bugging devices have not been installed, but David Diehl said he knows what's going on this week in the Colts' defensive team meetings. "They're watching film, and they're getting yelled at," Diehl said. No espionage is needed to reveal the mood in Indianapolis after the Colts allowed 257 rushing yards in a 34-24 season-opening loss to the Texans, who watched Arian Foster rip through the defense for 231 yards -- the most ever against the Colts.

Is Hakeem Nicks going to be nixed for Sunday night's game? The Giants' wide receiver, who caught three TD passes in the opener against the Panthers, wasn't able to work because of an injured ankle Thursday, much to Tom Coughlin's chagrin. "I'm hoping. I'm hoping," the coach said regarding Nicks' availability against the Colts. "Really I was hoping he would maybe be able to do something (Thursday). But that wasn't the case."
Two offensive starters didn't do much yesterday in practice, with receiver Hakeem Nicks (ankle) sitting out entirely and center Shaun O'Hara unable to finish because of a nagging issue with his left ankle and Achilles. Both are expected to be able to play Sunday against the Colts, but nothing is certain given the lingering nature of the problems. O'Hara was on the field for the beginning of practice but had to pull himself out.

Former Giants
Bryan Kehl, waived by the team on Tuesday, was claimed by the Rams on Wednesday.The Rams weren't alone in their desire to nab Kehl. Both the Jaguars and Bears also put in claims for the former fourth-round pick.

Sept 16 Although much of the attention entering a game between the Giants and Indianapolis Colts focuses on the two Mannings at quarterback, it’s a quarterback who will not play on Sunday that can provide the most insight on the matchup.
Sorgi said he will help the Giants defense as much as it wants this week and he said he'd even be willing to travel to Indianapolis if the team asks. But he also knows that against the Colts a little knowledge doesn't necessarily go a long way.
Before joining the Giants in March, Sorgi backed up just one Manning. Now, he has shadowed two Mannings. Sorgi, 29, might not know the Super Bowl MVPs as well as Archie or Cooper, but he has seen the Southern siblings from a unique perspective and said he thinks that the Mannings' playing down the importance of the game is not just a game.

Eli Manning at 29 is five years younger than Peyton. Eli was in just his third season for the first Manning Bowl and was in the developmental stages of his career. "There's a huge difference,'' Peyton said. "Certainly a lot has happened since that game four years ago."
The encore four years later has also generated enormous interest, though Eli Manning said today it might be more fun to the fans and media than the Manning family. After all, who are Archie and Olivia Manning supposed to root for?
It will be billed as a battle pitting brother against brother; Peyton Manning vs. Eli Manning or Manning Bowl II. That makes for a unique storyline for Sunday night’s game in Indianapolis. But that’s more hype than reality.

The Colts gave up 257 rushing yards to the Houston Texans last Sunday in a startling, 34-24, opening day loss. The Texans ranked 30th in rushing offense in 2009, gaining only 92.2 yards per game. And due to injuries, they were down to a running back - Arian Foster - who began training camp as a backup. But against the Colts, Foster carried 33 times for 231 yards. What more could Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw want as they seek to create a 1-2 punch as good as the one Jacobs and Derek Ward provided in 2008 when they both rushed for more than 1,000 yards?

In the NFL, tackle is the premier position on the offensive line, especially left tackle. That’s where a lineman faces the best pass rushers, it’s where one is entrusted with protecting the quarterback’s blind side and it’s where a lineman earns the most money. Through one day at the spot, however, Shawn Andrews believes it’s easier than playing guard.

Of the eight names on the Giants injury report only one comes as a surprise: DE Osi Umenyiora. He's listed with a knee problem and did not practice today. "Wear and tear,'' said Tom Coughlin, who hopes to have Umenyiora available for practice tomorrow.

Free play in season-opener against Panthers could be reason Giants TE Kevin Boss suffered concussion. If Derek Landri doesn’t jump, perhaps Manning doesn’t throw that ball, Boss doesn’t get hit in the back of the head by safety Sherrod Martin, and Boss doesn’t suffer a concussion.
Kevin Boss’ third concussion in less than two years will keep him out of Sunday’s game against the Colts, Giants coach Tom Coughlin announced today. Boss suffered his latest concussion when he was hit in the back of the head by Panthers safety Sherrod Martin on the Giants’ first drive this past Sunday.
Kevin Boss said he believes the concussion that will keep him out of Sunday's game in Indianapolis won’t have him off the field any longer than that. "I'm pretty certain I'll be back the following week,'' Boss said.

Sept 15 If you ask Tom Coughlin, the Giants have 15 defensive starters, but only 11 can play on the field at the same time. Therefore, the coach’s challenge is to figure out who to play -- and when to play them. The Giants unveiled at least five different defensive packages in Sunday’s victory over the Carolina Panthers.
Michael Boley is a starting linebacker, except that he didn’t start the season opener, but probably will start Sunday night’s game in Indianapolis, then most likely won’t start the next week against the Titans. Follow the bouncing linebacker.

On Sunday night, Keith Bulluck will do something he has done twice a season for much of the past decade -- face Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. Bulluck might know Manning better than any Giant outside Eli Manning and Peyton's longtime former backup, Jim Sorgi, who is now on the Giants' injured reserve list.

Eli Manning was still a baby by NFL standards the first time he came face-to-face on a football field with his big brother four years ago. Peyton was already a future Hall of Fame quarterback. There was no way Eli could possibly compare. "I guess we still looked at Eli as maybe kind of in his infancy, if you will, the first time," Archie Manning told the Daily News. "But he's been through some more battles since then."

Tom Coughlin livid over perceived illegal hit by Sherrod Martin on concussed Kevin Boss. The NFL is supposed to be emphasizing a rule this season prohibiting hits on "defenseless receivers." Coughlin believed Boss was clearly defenseless. "If people are following the rules the kid doesn't get touched," Coughlin said. "I mean, that was as blatant and obvious as anything you'll see."

With their depth at cornerback questionable at best, the Giants brought in a few players at the position for a workout Tuesday. One of them was 11-year veteran Dre' Bly, who was recently released by the Lions. In addition to Bly, the Giants also worked out DBs Brian Witherspoon, C.J. Wilson and Cletis Gordon.

Travis Beckum joined the Giants as a 2009 third-round pick with many gifts for a tight end, although superior blocking was not among them. Beckum profiled more as an H-back than a traditional tight end, part of a new wave of players at the position that present mismatches in the passing game but are not relied on in the running game.
The Giants added depth at tight end Tuesday when they signed Bear Pascoe to the active roster from the the practice squad, but they let go of former fourth-round pick Bryan Kehl in a corresponding move. Kehl, a linebackers and special teams player, spent the past two seasons with the team.
Pascoe distinguished himself in training camp last month by remaining healthy when the other four tight ends then on the roster were unable to practice because of injuries. Coach Tom Coughlin praised Pascoe for his perseverance and stamina and for enabling the team to work on many facets of the offense despite the injuries at tight end.

How many teams in the NFL have a better group of receivers than the Giants? How many others can boast a Pro Bowler (Steve Smith) on one side and one of the most talented young receivers in the league (Hakeem Nicks) on the other? And Mario Manningham, who had four huge catches for 85 yards in the opening-day win on Sunday, certainly compares favorably with many No. 3s.

After being a first-round draft pick out of North Carolina in 2009, Hakeem Nicks made the Giants glad they picked him to play wide receiver. He caught 47 balls for 790 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie. In 2010, Nicks is off to a fast start, with three touchdown catches in Week 1 as he looks to surpass those statistics.

To win a game in the NFL, you pretty much have to prevail in two of three areas: offense, defense and special teams. Luckily for the Giants on Sunday, they outplayed the Carolina Panthers on offense and defense, because the special teams were awful.

The marketing of Justin Tuck offers insight into how athletes' images are shaped and sold to advertisers and the public. It also shows why some athletes find lucrative partnerships while others make no impact in the marketplace. Tuck's self-effacing plunge has since grown into three national endorsement campaigns: with Nike, Electronic Arts and Subway.

Stadium News
They didn't talk about it prior to the game, but one of the motivating factors for Tom Coughlin and the Giants prior to their season opener Sunday was historical. They wanted to ensure that the NFL's and the club's record books forever noted that they won the first game in the New Meadowlands Stadium.

Sept 14 The bad news continued for the Giants' tight ends on Monday, when coach Tom Coughlin provided more details of Kevin Boss' concussion and revealed that tackle William Beatty, who played as a second tight end on Sunday, will require surgery for a fractured bone in his right foot. The Giants have Bear Pascoe and Jake Ballard on practice squad, and Coughlin said "we're going to need help there."
Boss left the game in the first quarter with neck and head injuries after Martin hit him as he leaped for a pass. It was a tough throw Eli Manning might have made only because a Panthers' offside penalty gave him a free play. The Giants said Boss, who caught a pass for 11 yards on the first play from scrimmage, suffered a concussion on the play. Boss said he didn’t lose consciousness but was "woozy for a second."
The Giants took a chance by keeping just two tight ends on their final 53-man roster. The move took only four offensive snaps to backfire in Sunday's opener against Carolina. So now there's Travis Beckum, drafted more or less as an H-back, as the only standing tight end on the roster as the Giants get ready for Sunday night's game in Indianapolis.

Kevin Boss' status for Sunday is up in the air, as it should be for any player who suffers a concussion. But it's a little more complicated for Boss, because it turns out this concussion was his third in the NFL ... that we know about. Boss suffered a concussion back in 2008 that kept him out of that season's finale, but the Giants revealed today that he also suffered one last November.
Tight end Kevin Boss has a concussion and is being evaluated. Although players say Boss told them following the game that he felt fine he did take a heavy blow to the back of the neck by safety Sherrod Martin – a hit that many Giants and Tom Coughlin believe should have drawn a penalty for unnecessary roughness.

The coaches will start turning the roster upside down if players who inhabit the special teams units continue to display the unacceptable performance that nearly ruined a 31-18 victory over the Panthers. There wasn't much the Giants did right.
Any improvement on special teams for the Giants the next few weeks won't be aided by Chase Blackburn, annually the leading tackler and last week elected as special teams captain. Blackburn made it back for the season opener after missing three weeks with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee but got hit on the same knee covering a second-quarter kickoff against the Panthers and sprained the MCL once again.

One of the reasons the Giants signed Deon Grant is the leadership he's provided for every team he's been on. Grant, entering his 11th NFL season, came into this year with an impressive string of 144 consecutive starts and, with Kenny Phillips coming back slowly from knee surgery, Grant figured that starting streak would continue for at least a short while. It didn’t happen.

DT Chris Canty got off to a terrific start when he fought off Panthers G Travelle Wharton to make a stop on third-and-2 on the opening drive. Not only did he show great strength in getting rid of Wharton quickly, he also slammed down RB DeAngelo Williams hard to send an early message.

The Saints and Vikings were planning a show of union solidarity prior to kickoff of last Thursday night's NFL opener in New Orleans. "I didn't even know about it when the Saints went and played, it wasn't like they told everybody they were going to do that." said O'Hara, who is in the know as the Giants player representative. "Players right now, our responsibility is our jobs and focus on the games," O'Hara said. "We have people to do the negotiation for us."

Sept 13 Giants win over the Panthers 31-18 | Photos |

On The Game: Game 1
Gamegirl "...Bottom line from this game - The defense played fairly well, especially the front line. Terrell Thomas was a standout in the secondary. On offense, Eli Manning needs to work with his receivers because this isn't a volleyball game. They really need to hang on to the football. Of course I really love receiver Hakeem Nicks with his three touchdown catches (kiss, kiss), and Matt Dodge, well he's still a work in progress with his kicks ...."
Mikefan. "...The offense was sloppy and the defense was inconsistently good and bad, but mostly good today, especially considering how the last game played out between these same two teams. The Panthers probably could have used both quarterback Jake Delhomme and defensive end Julius Peppers but they both are playing elsewhere in the Carolina shakeup that has them going it as the league’s youngest team ...."

ESPN - Eli Manning throws 3 TDs to Hakeem Nicks to help Giants put away Panthers.
Giants.com - Giants 31, Panthers 18.
Giants.com - Giants Player Quotes.
Giants.com - Carolina Panthers Player Quotes.
StarLedger - Giants defeat Carolina Panthers, 31-18, in 2010 season opener.
StarLedger - Ticketholders old and new fill New Meadowlands Stadium for Giants' regular season opener.
StarLedger - The Giants' defense finally looks like the Giants' defense is supposed to look.
StarLedger - Giants GM Jerry Reese pleased by effort of Deon Grant.
StarLedger - Hakeem Nicks catches three touchdowns in Giants' victory.
NYDailyNews - Giants open New Meadowlands with 31-18 win over Carolina Panthers.
NYDailyNews - Giant win has an empty feeling.
NYDailyNews - Perry Fewell makes strides to restore New York Giants' defensive heritage with improved pass rush.
NYDailyNews - Giants' Hakeem Nicks credits practice and film session work with Eli Manning for three touchdown day.
NYDailyNews - Kenny Phillips gets warm welcome at New Meadowlands, which was 5,200 fans short of a sellout.
NYDailyNews - New York Giants and Carolina Panthers don't follow Drew Brees' show of solidarity in opener.
NYPost - Great new beginning: Giants, Nicks open stadium with big win.
NYPost - Bradshaw, Jacobs run wild after slow start.
NYPost - Mistakes & empty seats, but Giants look right at home.
NYPost - Young Nicks has emerged as Manning's go-to guy.
NYPost - It's deja vu for revitalized defense.
NYPost - Boss' injury leaves Giants short at TE.
NYPost - Coughlin hits right note in reflecting on 9/11.
NYPost - Now that's a big 'turnover'.
Record - Giants top Panthers 31-18.
Record - Kenny Phillips back with a big-play bang.
Record - Giants notes: Boss leaves early.
Record - Jets need to understand that it’s my workplace, too.
CharlotteObserver - Nicks, Giants drub Panthers in stadium opener.
CharlotteObserver - Matt Moore era for Carolina Panthers begins with a Giant thud.
Carolinagrowl - Panthers receive failing grades in the passing game.
Carolinagrowl - Beason upset with defense's performance in season opener.
Carolinagrowl. - Turnovers in red zone prove costly in 31-18 loss to the Giants.
Carolinagrowl. - Moore leaves game with concussion; Clausen era could begin sooner than expected.

Game 1 Preview - Giants vs Panthers
The Giants lost badly to the Panthers in the last game played in old Giants Stadium. That 41-9 pasting was not the way the fans expected to see the stadium closed out. Both head coaches are considered to be in danger of being replaced next year after leading their teams to 8-8 seasons. Panthers head coach John Fox is playing out the last year of his contract and was allowed to look elsewhere in the offseason. Tom Coughlin has two years left on his contract and the teams performance last season has created doubts about his effectiveness.

Sept 12 The Giants quit at the end of last season, a collapse that the prideful head coach had to live with for the past eight months. The Giants, three years removed from Super Bowl glory, look like a team on the decline. Coughlin, who has one year on his contract after this season, isn’t coaching for his job - it is impossible to imagine Mara pulling the trigger on his coach so soon after winning the Super Bowl. But he is coaching for his legacy.
John Mara says, "One thing I learned from him (Wellington) is you have to have a certain amount of patience, and when it comes to head coaches, they don’t all of a sudden forget how to coach. There are times where it becomes very evident that you have to make a move, if the players just are not responding to him. I have never felt that that was the case with (Coughlin)."

With a lockout looming in 2011, it would be difficult for the Giants or any NFL team to change coaching staffs. Players may not be around for the entire off-season, when a new coaching staff likes to install its philosophies and systems. No team wants to have that installation start sometime in August after the two sides finally realize they are throwing away millions by being stubborn.

Tom Coughlin says pride, not revenge after team lost 41-9 to Carolina last year, will power Giants Sunday against Panthers. Tom Coughlin swears he never used the word in his speeches to his players this week. He saw no need to remind them of what happened the last time they played the Carolina Panthers, and he didn't want them focused on any feelings of "revenge." Revenge, he said, isn't what's important. He believes there's something far more significant at stake when the Giants open their 2010 season Sunday.
They better pay back the Panthers for running them out of Giants Stadium and out of the 2009 season, and they better pay back their legions of loyal fans for giving them no bang for their bucks. The ones who may have stiff-armed several mortgage payments to buy those dreaded PSLs, not to mention the broken-hearted ones who always thought they would pass their season tickets down to the next generation.
Fans were not excited about the final game in the old building, that 41-9 defeat to a Carolina team that just ran the ball down their throats all day. Forgotten in the defensive malaise was a paltry effort by an offense that turned the ball over three times in the first half as Carolina roared to a 24-0 lead.

Perry Fewell, the highly touted defensive coordinator whom the Bears also tried to hire this offseason, will finally get to open his bag of tricks after a preseason of vanilla defenses that included "10 percent, maybe 20 percent, if that," of his entire scheme.
During training camp, Fewell unveiled packages like the "Big Base" defense that had defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka playing outside linebacker and defensive tackle Chris Canty playing defensive end. And then there was the ever-popular "NASCAR" alignment that features the defense's strength with four defensive ends on the field.

After a breakout year from Steve Smith last season, the Giants receiving corps. is undoubtedly top notch. Even the coaching staff was surprised this became a strength. The reasons: a breakout season from Steve Smith, a quick adjustment to the NFL for a surprisingly explosive Hakeem Nicks and a terrific first half of the season (followed by an inconsistent second half) for Mario Manningham.
Smith set a franchise record with 107 catches, Nicks set team rookie records and averaged 16.8 yards per reception and Manningham blossomed with a 57-catch, 822-yard season. For today's season opener, the Giants expect their passing attack to hit the air flying.

Whereas the Giants’ strength is their defensive line, the Panthers have had to replace their entire line. The four starters today will be different than the four starters from last season, and the departures include Pro Bowl end Julius Peppers. Pay attention to Charles Johnson, who was a situational pass- rusher in his first three seasons and must step in for Peppers.

Keith Bulluck on the linebacker tradition with the Giants. "They have a tremendous heritage of linebackers. I remember growing up there was Lawrence Taylor, Gary Reasons, Pepper Johnson, Carl Banks, Harry Carson ... then you go on to Jessie Armstead, and all the guys that followed -- Antonio Pierce, a great player here as well. Yeah, it's definitely something to live up to."
When the Giants' defensive starters take the field on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers, Keith Bulluck - not Clint Sintim - will start at outside linebacker. Sintim was supposed to be an emerging player for the defense in his second year out of Virginia, but he lost his starting job in the preseason and is now a core special teams player.

Sept 11 On offense, the Giants will be facing a revamped defensive line for Carolina, which is now without DE Julius Peppers and DT Ma’ake Kemoeatu, who both signed elsewhere this offseason. Carolina has four new starters up front – none of whom were starters last season. Look for the Giants to attempt to exploit DEs Everette Brown and Charles Johnson as well as DTs Louis Leonard and Ed Johnson with some draw plays and screen passes for RB Ahmad Bradshaw.

Aaron Ross still isn’t sure exactly when or how he suffered a partially torn plantar fascia in the second preseason game against the Steelers. All he knows is he believed the tape job on his ankle and foot was a problem because his toes hurt. Once he took the tape off and saw his swollen heel, he knew he was in trouble.

They remember the score, but there's something else the Giants remember from their Giants Stadium finale. It was a feeling they never would have imagined. A feeling that their defense was being physically pushed around. They relived that this week, too, watching film of that 41-9 loss to the Carolina Panthers as they prepared for the rematch in their new, $1.7 billion stadium Sunday afternoon. The Panthers, playing without their top rusher, manhandled the Giants last Dec. 27 and bullied their way to 247 rushing yards.

Perry Fewell had lots of things on his mind at the time, like trying to remove the interim from his title in Buffalo. So the Bills’ interim head coach did not pay a lot of attention to the pounding the Giants received from Carolina late last December. He is well aware of it now, however. As the Giants’ new defensive coordinator his first mission will be to slow a Panthers’ offense that netted 247 yards rushing in the 41-9 trouncing of the Giants.

The Giants players haven't discussed having a show of union solidarity before their opener Sunday, the way the Vikings and Saints did before their opener on Thursday night. Most of them didn't even see players in New Orleans step onto the field after the national anthem and hold one finger in the air. Whether they do it or not likely will be discussed Saturday night. The idea certainly had the players' support.

Like the cause of the injury itself, Aaron Ross' status for the Giants' season opener tomorrow against the Panthers remains a bit of a mystery. Still battling painful swelling in his heel, the veteran cornerback was listed as doubtful on the official injury report after what the Giants said was limited participation in yesterday's practice. But Ross was upbeat for the first time since suffering the injury in the second preseason game.

Given the increasingly intense rivalry between their two teams, it would be understandable if the relationship between Tom Coughlin and John Fox was chilly enough to freeze the Hudson River. Coughlin's Giants and Fox's Carolina Panthers have dealt each other memorably costly defeats in recent seasons, so no one would be surprised if these two highly successful coaches could scarcely stand in the same room together.

The New York Giants-Carolina Panthers game is a sellout. The Giants say the only seats available for the first regular-season NFL game in the $1.6 billion New Meadowlands Stadium are club PSLs, which don't count in determining whether a game is subject to local blackout rules.

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