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| Dec 13 After the roof of the Metrodome collapsed, John Mara suggested to the NFL several times the Giants' game against the Vikings be moved to the New Meadowlands Stadium, a la the '05 Giants-Saints game. "But that didn't get very far," Mara said.
Vikings
quarterback Brett Favre, whose NFL-record games-started
streak stands at 297, said he wouldn't have played Sunday and it remains to be
seen if he can give it a go on Monday. "It does buy a little time. This is unbelievable,"
Favre told USA Today. Gamblers are following the money -- and Big Blue all the way to Motown! Las Vegas shifted its viewpoint on the Giants' Week 14 game against the Minnesota Vikings after the tilt was moved from yesterday afternoon to tonight, then from Minneapolis to Detroit. Tom
Coughlin was asked if the long layoff will affect the team physically. Coughlin
said his coaching staff will try to use the down time to be as productive as possible.
Monday morning, they'll take a quick look ahead to the Eagles because they have
a short week to prepare for their divisional rivals. After
a bonding period that has reached "we're kind of getting tired of each
other," according to Justin Tuck, they will get back to business. Detroit's
Ford Field was not the venue they expected, nor was Monday night the anticipated
moment of kickoff. But they have to get their mind back to football after that
long, winding trip with plenty of uncertainties. Footage
of the collapse from Fox cameras inside the dome revealed, they might have
saved stadium workers from serious injury. The snow ripped a hole in the roof,
which quickly descended as an avalanche crashed into the middle of the field and
toward each sideline. VIDEO
NFC
East News .Dec
12 - UPDATE- Latest News - Metrodome
official Bill Lester said Sunday morning that the stadium is unlikely to be
ready in time for kickoff on Monday night.
Dec
12 The
Giants' matchup with the Vikings, originally scheduled for Sunday afternoon
at 1 p.m., has been moved to Monday night because of a blizzard that created unsafe
conditions at the Metrodome. The game will kick off at 8 p.m. and will be broadcast
by Fox to the New York and Minneapolis-St. Paul markets. There is no word yet
on whether out-of-market fans can watch the game. The
Giants will wake up this morning in Kansas City, of all places, get on a plane
for the completion of their flight to the Twin Cities and spend another night
on the road in preparation for a Monday night game against the Vikings at Mall
of America Field. If there is such a thing as a recipe for failure, this would
certainly qualify. Asked earlier this week what player is not receiving enough attention on the 8-4 Giants, defensive captain Justin Tuck immediately identified Rich Seubert. Mention Seubert to rookie guard Mitch Petrus, and he'll gasp with awe about what Seubert has done this season. And with Adam Koets sidelined for the season, the Giants have no other healthy centers on their roster. In fact, the person who seems least impressed with Seubert is Seubert. Dec
11 - UPDATE - Latest News - Minnesota's
record snowstorm and ongoing blizzard conditions have forced Sunday's game
between the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings to be rescheduled for 8 p.m.
ET Monday night, the NFL announced. Dec
11 - UPDATE Weather
reroutes Giants to Kansas City on their way to Minnesota. The Giants took
off shortly after 10 a.m. today and made it as far as Kansas City. Dec 11 Coming into this season, the Giants seemingly had a huge question mark in the middle of their defense after the release of Antonio Pierce and their inability to grab a linebacker early in the draft. The team added veteran Keith Bulluck a week before training camp with the intention of playing him in the middle. But Jonathan Goff impressed in the preseason, allowing the Giants to slide Bulluck to the outside. Goff's solid play has continued in the regular season, with the coaches' crediting him with 49 tackles, including 10 for a loss. Steve
Smith fell down during practice, which is exactly what Giants coach Tom Coughlin
wanted to see. Smith and his partially torn pectoral emerged from the fall without
issue. He called it a normal fall, but it showed him -- and his coach -- that
he'll be ready to play on Sunday. Smith expects to play. Fellow wide receiver
Hakeem Nicks hopes to play. Both are officially listed as questionable. The
Giants have left such a brutal mess in their wake that their dangerous pass
rush had to weigh on the mind of Vikings interim coach Leslie Frazier as he pondered
The Favre Decision this week. He admitted it did concern him "to a degree, but
a much lesser degree than most would imagine." But the pass rush does have an
impact on what the Vikings are able to do. The Giants have prepared this week
for both Favre and his backup, Tarvaris Jackson. No matter who plays, the Giants
are planning to bring the pressure. And they're pretty sure that pressure will
be on the Vikings' minds. Dec
10 The
Giants once used Ahmad Bradshaw as their starting running back. That was when
the season began -- and six fumbles ago. Now, he's on the quest to regain that
role from Brandon Jacobs. In the meantime, he's still proving to be a valuable
part of the Giants' offense, particularly in one area not expected for a ballcarrier
under 200 pounds to be utilized: third-and-short. So far this season, Bradshaw
has gotten the ball 14 times on third downs with 3 or fewer yards to go. He's
converted 10 of them. And lately, it has picked up. Shawn Andrews wears a contraption around his waist to support an ailing back that has already required two surgeries, two nights in a hospital around Thanksgiving and kept him out of the Giants' past two games. His teammates joke about the belt, but it improves his posture and maintains a good position while he sits and drives -- small enhancements Andrews hopes produce a speedier recovery. "I know it's kind of funky and guys been giving me jokes, but it helps," the guard said. "I've heard 'chastity belt,' everything." The only way receivers Steve Smith or Hakeem Nicks were not going to be able to return to the field for Sunday's game awas if they experienced any kind of physical setback during this week. The players were able to practice on Wednesday and were on the field again Thursday, making it even more likely they will be back as the Giants starting receiver duo. Smith has been out four games with a partially-torn pectoral muscle and Nicks missed the past two games with a lower leg injury. David Diehl was back at his left tackle spot and will return to the lineup this week as well. The
Giants' 44-7 loss to the Vikings in last season's finale remains a point of
conversation this week for more than simply the embarrassment of the loss. Some
Giants believe the Vikings inflated the score, even though Minnesota did not score
in the fourth quarter and relieved quarterback Brett Favre. Perry Fewell is building virtually his entire defensive game plan for Sunday's game against the Vikings around one rather large assumption. It's an assumption that has been proven true for as long as Brett Favre has been an NFL starting quarterback, 297 games and counting. When his team plays, regardless of the circumstances, he starts. NFL News Dec
9 The
word toughness is not often used to describe Eli Manning, but it certainly
applies. On Sunday against the Vikings, he will start his 100th consecutive regular-season
game, becoming just the sixth quarterback in NFL history to do so. Brett Favre,
of course, is first all-time with 297 consecutive starts. Peyton Manning, at 204,
is the only other quarterback to crack 200. Then, there are three non-active streaks:
Ron Jaworski (116) Tom Brady (111) and Joe Ferguson (107). Brett Favre was still unsure of his playing status for Sunday's game against the Giants as of Wednesday night. "You do know the history of Brett Favre," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. "Based on that alone, you think that he will play." On the Vikings' injury report, Favre, 41, was listed as a non-participant in the team's practice due to chest, ankle and right shoulder ailments. "Putting on a shirt is a little sore right now," Favre said. "Putting socks on is a little bit of a struggle." Getting
wide receivers Hakeem Nicks and Steve Smith back from injuries for Sunday's
game at Minnesota will likely open up the team's passing attack, which has been
limited in recent weeks. In the past two weeks, Manning has thrown a total of
only four passes more than 20 yards from the line of scrimmage. He's completed
just one of them -- a 23-yarder on a deep out to Mario Manningham this past Sunday. Stadium News Dec 8
Play
of subs and castoffs like Derek Hagan, Devin Thomas and Will Beatty give Big
Blue a Giant boost. "Pleasantly surprised, yes," was how defensive tackle
Barry Cofield put it. "You expect there to be a significant drop-off when
you lose the quality of guys that we lost. But it's a testament to the coaching
we have and a testament of the guys that we put in there." When an NFL team gets down to its third offensive left tackle, it also may be down to its third quarterback. It's so difficult to find an athlete big enough yet nimble enough to protect a quarterback's blind side that left tackles have become a high-priced premium in the league. The Giants started the season with veteran David Diehl, coming off a Pro Bowl season, as their left tackle. After Diehl was injured in the Seattle game, Shawn Andrews, a former Pro Bowl guard with the Eagles, filled in admirably for two games. Then when Andrews' back flared up, they inserted Will Beatty, last year's second-round draft pick, into the lineup. Darren Sharper is gone from Minnesota, which is no small thing considering he has four career interceptions vs. Eli Manning - two that he returned for TDs. But he isn't the only Viking who has given Manning fits over the years. Minnesota seems to bring out his worst. The only decent performance he's had against the Vikings came in 2008, when he was pulled at the half because the Giants already had the top seed in the NFC locked up. The other three were all disasters. Giants guard/tackle David Diehl said during an interview with ESPN Radio he will return to action Sunday against the Vikings after missing the past four games with hip and hamstring injuries. "I'm actually doing excellent. Rehabbing, everything's been going awesome," he said. "I made a lot of progress last week and I thought I was going to have the opportunity. I was close but I just wasn't there. "But I'm playing this weekend." NFC
East News Dec
7 Tom
Coughlin and his coordinators will go through the necessary charade this week,
pretending that Brett Favre might not start against the Giants in Minnesota on
Sunday, that maybe it will be Tarvaris Jackson at quarterback inside the dome.
But really we all know the deal, or at least have a very good idea how this will
play out. The
Vikings (5-7) are 2-0 under Leslie Frazier -- their first winning streak.
The first bit of adversity came on the third play from scrimmage, when Favre was
hit in the back by linebacker Arthur Moats as Favre rolled out to pass. Frazier
said that if Favre is healthy he will start against the Giants next Sunday. "No
quarterback controversy," Frazier said. "Great job by Tarvaris. I don't want to
take away from anything he did. He had a great game." After a day on which almost everything went right for the Giants at the Meadowlands, they were hit with this cold reality: Almost everything else around the NFL went wrong. At least it did for them, when the Bears (9-3), Saints (9-3) and Packers (8-4) all won on Sunday to take some of the excitement away from the Giants' 31-7 win over the Redskins. Throw in a win by the Eagles (8-4) on Thursday night and it has created a harrowing playoff picture for the Giants (8-4) as they head down the stretch. In the NFC this season, 10 wins might not be enough. Survive and advance, right? That's what it’s all about this time of year. And that's what the Giants have managed to do. No, it's not the playoffs yet, but they've managed to survive a somewhat difficult two-game stretch. It wasn't difficult because of the opponents. It was difficult because of the injuries they've suffered, particularly on offense. Sunday,
after the victory over the Redskins, the players and coaches reminded one
another what it felt like when they were hammered by Minnesota 44-7 to close out
last season. "Let's just say we haven't forgotten what happened there. I'll
just leave it at that," right guard Chris Snee said on a conference call
with reporters today. "We know what the final score was and we know what
happened there. It's already been talked about." The Giants are hoping this season is turning out to be like 2007. The Redskins can only wish that's the case. What I mean is that's the last time they won a game against the Giants. Heck, that's the last time they were even competitive in a game against the Giants. Since that night when Todd Collins led a wind-blown upset victory, the 'Skins haven't even held a lead over the Giants. Steve Smith wants in on the action and he thinks this week could be the week. The wide receiver missed the past four games with a partially torn pectoral muscle, an injury he said he was told could take six weeks to heal. Smith is hoping to shorten that timetable and says he has a "good sense" he will be able to play in Sunday's game at Minnesota. Dec 6 Giants win over the Redskins 31-7 | Photos |
ESPN
- Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw help Giants steamroll Redskins. Game
12 Preview - Giants (7-4) vs Redskins (5-6) Dec
5 With
heavyweights such as the Eagles and Packers (at Lambeau) looming ominously
later this month, the Giants face the closest thing to a must-win game today against
their old nemesis, Donovan McNabb. It’s a better-not-lose game. It
was a sign of leadership that Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora stood up at halftime
last week and inspired their teammates. And it was sign of resiliency that their
teammates responded with what Antrel Rolle called "a guts and heart victory."
It's a good thing for the Giants to know they can rely on that, when necessary.
It would be a better thing if they could come out inspired when the game starts. Will
Beatty will make his second NFL start at left tackle today, as David Diehl
(hamstring) and Shawn Andrews (back) remain out of commission. In his debut at
left tackle for the Giants last week, Beatty showed the potential the team envisioned
when in 2009 they made him a second-round draft pick out of UConn. Kevin
Boss has been somewhat overlooked in his career for a few reasons: He's not
one of the main targets in an offense loaded with them (when they're healthy,
of course), his quiet personality doesn't lend itself to headlines like Jeremy
Shockey used to draw (which is a good thing), and his prowess as a blocker often
makes him more vital in that role. But when Boss makes catches, he makes them
count. Former
Giants Dec 4 When the Giants lost Steve Smith, they lost Eli Manning's most reliable receiver. And when they lost Hakeem Nicks, they lost their best receiver, too. But for all the worries those injuries caused, one thing seemed to be forgotten. The Giants still have Mario Manningham. And he might be their most dangerous and elusive wideout. "It shows," Nicks said Friday. "I think that's something that he has in his game that's definitely top notch for him. That's what he does well - run after the catch." Over and over, the Giants do it in a game: send in a big, heavy offensive lineman to play tight end. The team doesn't have a really bruising blocking tight end, not with Bear Pascoe having to play the fullback position. And even if they did, a beefier offensive lineman bulks up the protection for quarterback Eli Manning. So Will Beatty has played tight end this year. So has Shawn Andrews. And Kevin Boothe, Adam Koets and Jamon Meredith. Barry Cofield said he thinks a lineman-as-tight end is actually to the defense's advantage. "It takes out one of the receivers," Mr. Cofield said. "You know they're not going to throw to the lineman." Or are they? For
the greater part of a Giants game, you can't see Kenny Phillips. Well, at
least not if you're watching at home. The Giants' third-year safety is about 20
yards off the ball, back where he often likes to be, playing downhill, seeing
more of the field and covering as much of it as he can. Very few passes have come
his way. So if you're wondering where the former first-round pick has been, he's
back there doing what C.C. Brown, Aaron Rouse and Michael Johnson couldn't do
in 2009. At
the beginning of the season, the Giants' special teams werre a complete disaster.
But they now rank third in the league with their kick coverage, holding returners
to 19.9 yards (the Redskins are ranked second at 19.3). "We've added guys, too,"
coach Tom Coughlin said, asked if players are grasping the coverage better now.
"Jason Pierre-Paul, [Dave] Tollefson, so you have some bigger bodies that draw
more attention." On punts, the Giants' coverage hasn't swarmed around the returner
as much as it does on the kickoffs. They're 30th in the NFL, allowing 13 yards
per return, and watched the Cowboys' Dez Bryant bring one all the way back during
the Giants' Week 7 victory. Tom Coughlin was asked about the little time at halftime now (12 minutes). "There's not a lot of time. Players barely get to the training room to take care of their personal needs, get back in their chair for the coordinators..." Asked about what he normally has time to do Coughlin replies, "Bounce back and forth with the staffs - offense, defense, special teams. Talk about whatever is apparent and has to be directed. Sometimes I'm just listening. Sometimes I invoke. But most of the time it's a very - people have to get their information shared. It's not an interruption time. It's a time for people to gather information and make decisions on the second half. Sometimes it requires a thought or two, but not very often. You're moving." The return of key players sidelined by injury in recent weeks appears closer but will not occur tomorrow when the Giants play host to the Redskins. Offensive linemen Shawn Andrews and Shaun O'Hara, returner Will Blackmon and wide receiver Hakeem Nicks have already been ruled out after missing yesterday's practice. Tackle David Diehl and wide receiver Steve Smith are doubtful after limited participation in the week's final practice. Defensive end Osi Umenyiora and cornerbacks Brian Jackson and Aaron Ross are all expected to play. They were each ruled probable. Dec
3 Giants
defensive end Osi Umenyiora said his knee and hip, which were giving him problems
earlier this season, have been feeling much better the past two weeks. "I'm
definitely feeling better," Umenyiora said after practice today. "My
knee’s feeling great, my hip's feeling good. Everything's feeling good right now." Mario Manningham is only in his third season, but right now he is the last experienced wide receiver standing for the Giants. He showed this past Sunday that he was up to the challenge, catching a 26-yard touchdown pass, his fourth touchdown over the last six games. With Hakeem Nicks and Steve Smith sidelined, he's told the veterans, "I'll hold down the fort until you get back." There were moments early in the season when Justin Tuck took a look over at rookie defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul and wondered if he was ever going to amount to anything with the Giants. "There were times I was thinking, 'Maybe we made a mistake with that 15th pick,' " Tuck said yesterday. "He's proved me completely wrong. Giants
safety Antrel Rolle compared booing players to booing members of the military.
Minutes later, he clarified the statement and said he wasn't comparing the jobs
of NFL players and troops. Rolle said the only connection he was trying to make
was between the soldiers risking their lives and the football players who suffer
severe injuries. Dec 2 Here is the first commandment of the NFL Playoff Bible: Thou shall win home division games. The Giants know what’s at stake Sunday at New Meadowlands Stadium as they attempt to get their first home NFC East win against the Redskins and old friend Donovan McNabb. For
six seasons, Tom Coughlin needed to navigate a division that included Eagles
quarterback Donovan McNabb. There was a moment of relief during the offseason
when it was learned McNabb would be traded -- until it was realized his destination
was Washington, where the Giants would still be subjected to McNabb twice a year. The Giants certainly had a run of bad injuries recently, particularly ones that were concentrated at key positions, such as wide receiver and offensive line. But none of them were knockout blows, the kind of crushing losses that put a team’s season in jeopardy. And frankly, given the way the schedule set up -- three straight games against teams with losing records, starting with this past Sunday’s victory over the Jaguars -- the timing of the injuries was pretty good. Will
Beatty turned in a solid performance against the Jaguars. He allowed only
one pressure of Eli Manning and was not flagged for any penalties. Most importantly,
he helped keep alive the Giants’ four-game sackless streak. One more game without
a sack and they’ll set a franchise record. Help
is on the way for the Giants' banged-up offense - maybe even much sooner than
they thought. Both receiver Steve Smith (pec) and tackle David Diehl (hamstring)
said there's at least a chance they'll be able to play on Sunday against the Washington
Redskins. And receiver Hakeem Nicks (leg) said he's shooting for a return next
week - one week ahead of schedule. Dec 1 Devin Thomas was claimed by the Giants last week after he was waived by the Panthers. It’s his third team in seven weeks. He was unceremoniously released by the Redskins earlier this season, an abrupt departure from the team that selected him in the second round of 2008 draft. On Sunday, Thomas has a chance to play against the Redskins for the first time. For all of Eli Manning's faults (16 interceptions) and his many detractors (How many experts won't even put him in the NFL's Top 10?), one thing should be clear to everyone by now: He consistently finds a way to win. He is heading into his 99th regular-season start on Sunday with a record of 57-41. To
those of you who saw fit to make your feelings known at halftime last Sunday
at New Meadowlands Stadium, shame on you for booing the Giants as they came off
the field trailing the Jaguars 17-6. So says Giants safety Antrel Rolle. Justin
Tuck said that the Giants' 24-20 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday
was "a tale of two halves" and he wasn't kidding. It was like watching
two different teams in two different games. The difference was especially dramatic
on defense, which is why this game is so hard to evaluate. In the first half,
the Giants were being blown off the line of scrimmage. In the second, they were
the aggressors. In the first, they appeared to miss assignments and leave open
lanes. In the second, they didn't. Nov
30 The
personnel on the field during the first offensive snap of the Giants' 24-20
win over Jacksonville on Sunday was not the lineup anyone could have expected
at the beginning of the season, but each of the 11 players shared something in
common: They possessed more than a year of experience in offensive coordinator
Kevin Gilbride's system. When
Antrel Rolle looked at the sidelines in Week 2 in Indianapolis, he couldn’t
believe what he was seeing. No energy. Long faces. Terrible body language. Nobody
stepping up to lead. He spoke out about that two days after that blowout loss,
sparking a mini-firestorm, not to mention a referendum on the Giants and their
leadership abilities. For too long the Giants, and many of their fans, have pointed to Tom Coughlin or other coaching factors when things go wrong, but the Giants showed with their second-half comeback over the Jaguars Sunday, that it's really about them doing the little things right. It's about playing with emotion, staying in their defensive lanes, executing simple, effective plays on offense and not turning the ball over. The defense has to play with the same kind of fiery intensity and emotion it summoned in the second half against Jacksonville to ensure the Giants will be playing deep into January. There is no reason to believe that the players can't do it. They get their first opportunity against Washington, a despised NFC East rival, on Sunday at the Meadowlands. Don’t
expect any reinforcements to be taking the field Sunday when the Giants face
the Redskins at New Meadowlands Stadium. None of the five injured offensive starters
are expected to be healthy enough to make a return just yet.
ESPN
- Giants halt slide as Eli Manning delivers late TD. Game
11 Preview - Giants (6-4) vs Jaguars (6-4) Nov
28 Maybe
a month ago, this game Sunday against the Jaguars would have looked like a
soft place to land for the Giants. Only now the Giants have lost two in a row
and the Jaguars have won three in a row, and who knows? Who knows if the Giants
will be as sloppy Sunday as they have been so many other times this season, all
the way back to when the Titans came to town and smacked them around early? As much as coach Tom Coughlin wants his reeling Giants to have a balanced attack this weekend at the New Meadowlands Stadium, that will be hard this weekend. Leading receivers Steve Smith and Hakeem Nicks are sidelined with a partial pectoral tear and a leg injury, respectively, and third-year pro Mario Manningham is the team's only wideout who has played all season. When
Brandon Jacobs receives the first Giants carry this afternoon, it would be
easy to paint a portrait of the full circle of a season that could have been lost.
But for Jacobs, the season has been about acceptance more than change, Jaguars rookie, former Rutgers lineman Kevin Haslam at 6-5, has played tackle and guard on both sides, displaying the versatility he developed over four seasons at Rutgers, where he started at all offensive line positions except center. One Friday before a Saturday afternoon kickoff, he was asked to switch to guard after practicing at tackle all week. "A little more heads up would be nice but you do whatever you can to make it on the field," Haslam said. Nov 27 Brandon Jacobs was fined $20,000 because of a pregame incident in which he had an exchange with fans at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field. The NFL termed the violation "unsportsmanlike conduct toward fans." Despite
listing Shawn Andrews as doubtful (a 25-percent chance to play, according
to the NFL's official terminology) instead of out against AFC South co-leader
Jacksonville, coach Tom Coughlin didn't appear to be that optimistic when talking
about Andrews yesterday. "He experienced so much discomfort that he was having
trouble sleeping," Things were going so well for Kevin Gilbride this season. He was running one of the most explosive offenses in Giants' history. They were scoring points at a record pace. Now, just in time for the stretch run, the offense is hemorrhaging players, including two Pro Bowl offensive linemen, one Pro Bowl receiver and another receiver who was on his way to a Pro Bowl season. Add in three key injured reserves, and it's a wonder how the Giants' offensive coordinator will be able to get his battered unit to generate any offense at all. Jacksonville will be without both of its starting offensive tackles against Big Blue's fearsome pass rush after Eugene Monroe was ruled out yesterday due to a failed baseline concussion test. The Jaguars already are missing starting right tackle Eben Britton for the season due to injury. That means either former Giant Guy Whimper or undrafted rookie Kevin Haslam from Rutgers will start at left tackle against Osi Umenyiora, while journeyman Jordan Black takes on Justin Tuck on the right side. Nov 26
During
Giants practice Wednesday, when the defense failed to make a play, the players
were talking to each other about what it could have meant. Not just for the defense.
But for the offense. Defensive captain Justin Tuck said. "Guys understand
we have to pick up our play because we have five, maybe six starters out on the
offense. We realize that. "It has to be now. We can't wait." There's a chance the Giants could be forced to work in yet another kickoff and punt returner for Sunday's game against the Jaguars. Will Blackmon, signed Oct. 28, has handled the dual role the past three games but he sat out practice yesterday for the second straight day after coming out of the game in Philadelphia with a bruised chest. If Blackmon is unable to go, the choice will come down to re-installing Darius Reynaud into the kick return job or else handing the kickoff return duties to receiver Devin Thomas, who on Wednesday was signed off waivers from the Panthers. Giants left tackle Shawn Andrews was unable to practice because of his lingering back trouble Thursday, and was later taken to a local hospital, according to a source familiar with the situation. It was not immediately clear whether Andrews, who missed all of the 2008-09 seasons with back problems that required two surgeries, was admitted. On Wednesday, while announcing Brandon Jacobs had taken over the starting role from Ahmad Bradshaw, Tom Coughlin also mentioned the coaching staff has plans to get D.J. Ware into the rotation at running back. It's something Coughlin has said in the past but, for many reasons, it's yet to materialize on a consistent basis. Michael Clayton, who signed Tuesday, has been spending three hours a day just trying to catch up with the new terminology. He's most comfortable going across the middle from the slot - Steve Smith's spot - but he's most familiar with the West Coast offense, even in Omaha, where veteran Jeff Garcia was throwing the ball. Yet he says he's a quick study. Clayton says he doesn't expect the Giants to give him anything he can't handle. It's just another game on the schedule. That's the way Tom Coughlin views every week in the NFL, no matter the opponent or what the stakes may appear to be. When Coughlin and the Giants face his former team Sunday, the showdown with Jacksonville at New Meadowlands Stadium represents not just the crossroads of the season for Big Blue, but the crossroads of his coaching tenure. ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer talks about Eli Manning and the Giants playoff hopes with the Post's Justin Terranova. With the injuries starting to pile up are you be concerned about another Giants' second-half collapse? "Last year they couldn't stop people defensively and when you can't do that it's just demoralizing. Their defense is playing pretty well, even against the Eagles. The Bears and Giants are the two teams I am tracking for the final playoff spot because the loser of the Saints-Falcons race will get the other wild- card spot. The Giants are better than the Bears and if they get to 10 wins they should get in the playoffs."
Nov
25 Michael
Clayton had played games in front of more than 90,000 fans while at LSU. He
was also an NFL first-round pick of the Buccaneers and signed a $26 million contract
with Tampa Bay last year. So the thought of playing for the Omaha Nighthawks of
the UFL was understandably less than appealing. Now, he's up in East Rutherford,
trying to rescue a corps of wide receivers that has almost as many injuries as
receptions right now. And Clayton's not alone. Former Redskins second-round pick
Devin Thomas is on the way. The team claimed Thomas off waivers from the Panthers
yesterday while placing fullback Madison Hedgecock on season-ending injured reserve. Tom
Coughlin finally had enough of Ahmad Bradshaw's fumbles this season, and now
the shifty running back has even fumbled away his starting job. Coughlin benched
his butter-fingered running back Wednesday and returned Brandon Jacobs to his
old starting role at least for the Giants' game this Sunday against the Jacksonville
Jaguars. The reason was obvious since Bradshaw has fumbled an NFL-worst six times
in 10 games. Head Coach Tom Coughlin on the Jaguars - "The Jaguars are coming off of three wins, two of them in spectacular fashion. They feature an outstanding running game, an outstanding running back, good offensive line, lots of team speed, speed on special teams, returner's ability. The defense is very physical - they get after you with a good front, a good front seven.... They're a good football team. We look forward to a very physical battle this weekend here at home." Jaguars Head Coach Jack Del Rio was asked how hard is it to prepare for the Giants receivers when they're all kind of new at this point. "For us, what we have to do is get the Jaguars prepared to travel up to New York and take on the Giants. That's one aspect of it and we'll do the best we can, with those they have and those they're bringing in, to sort through it and understand what they like to do schematically, conceptually, and put a plan together." The
Eagles victory over the Giants last week was costly for two players. Eagles
cornerback Asante Samuel was fined $40,000 for two hits on receiver Derek Hagan,
and Eagles offensive lineman Todd Herremans was fined $10,000 for his chop block
on defensive tackle Chris Canty. Nov 24 The
Giants' desperate search for a healthy receiver took them to the United Football
League, where they found former first-round draft pick Michael Clayton. Clayton,
the 15th pick of the 2004 draft, signed a deal with the Giants Tuesday and he
immediately became the most accomplished healthy receiver on their roster. Giants waive tight end Jake Ballard, lose cornerback Brandon Hughes to Eagles. Giants tight end Jake Ballard was waived by the team Tuesday in a transaction that will make room on the roster for wide receiver Michael Clayton. Ballard could land on the practice squad once he clears waivers. The Giants are saying Hakeem Nicks is expected to miss approximately three weeks. Can it get worse for Manning's potent but mistake-prone passing attack? Already operating without his most polished target, Steve Smith (who has a partially torn pectoral muscle), Manning will be without both starting receivers this Sunday against the Jaguars and next week against the Redskins. On
offense, the Giants couldn't consistently find a way to free Hakeem Nicks
(6 catches, 65 yards) from double coverage - - a huge sign that they're missing
Steve Smith, and certainly an even bigger danger now that Nicks is out for three
weeks. They were also completely ineffective running the football, in large part
because they were dangerously predictable. Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs ran
17 times - - 13 times to the right side. If the Giants are going to make anything of this season, they are going to have to be more careful with the football. Manning has 16 interceptions and five lost fumbles while running back Ahmad Bradshaw has lost the ball five times on fumbles. In all, the Giants have turned the ball over 30 times -- less than two seasons removed from setting an NFL record for fewest turnovers with 13. Giants DT Chris Canty rips Eagles guard for two 'dirty' blocks. David Diehl, watching the game on TV, was irate after seeing the hit. Being an offensive lineman, he knows which hits are dangerous. On Monday, in an interview with The Star-Ledger, Canty was seething and ready to talk openly about a pair of low blocks by Eagles guard Todd Herremans during the Giants' loss in Philadelphia Sunday night. Nov
23 Steve
Smith posted a photo on the internet last week in which he was sitting in
the trainer's room with fellow Giants receivers Ramses Barden and Victor Cruz.
He noted in the caption that the injured trio had been recently healthy, thus
encapsulating the team's current woes in a single image. All three receivers are
now injured, and have more company on the sideline. After Ahmad Bradshaw’s fumble in Sunday night's loss to the Eagles, Brandon Jacobs could be seen yelling at his backfield mate. Not because of the fumble itself. Rather, because of Bradshaw's moping afterward. "I was encouraging him and trying to keep his head straight," Jacobs said. "I don't care what anyone says, it was just his time to fumble. He was the chosen one at that point and it happened." Eli Manning has 59 fumbles in 99 career regular-season games. Peyton Manning has 57 in 202. "Not good," Eli Manning said last week when this nugget was pointed out to him. He has a team-high seven fumbles this season, one more than Bradshaw. (Each has lost five of them to the other team.) Manning now stands third on the Giants' career fumbles list, having passed Barber (53) and quarterback Charlie Conerly (54) this season. Manning is on a pace to pass Kerry Collins (61) in the coming weeks, leaving him behind only Phil Simms, who had 93. But Simms dropped the ball over the course of 164 regular-season games, averaging 0.567 fumbles per game. Manning is averaging 0.596, one of the highest rates in the N.F.L. Eli
Manning took a look at the fateful scramble and fumble that proved to be the
endgame in the Giants' 27-17 loss to the Eagles and realized he tried to do too
much when he stumbled forward rather than simply sliding to safety. "Should have
gone feet first," Manning said after seeing tape of the play on which he
caused his own fumble. "Learn your lesson and go from there." Just
two weeks after the Giants were declared by many the best team in their conference,
Coughlin has to do more than make a symbolic last stand. Coughlin has to coach
his brains out to turn this thing around, to lead a reeling, injured club back
around toward a playoff spot. Or else, he may not be coaching here next season.
Yes, somehow, we are back to that again: Six games left for Coughlin to prove
he deserves another contract extension beyond next season, if he even wants one. Giants defensive end Dave Tollefson was convinced his hit on Eagles kick returner Ellis Hobbs was a clean one, even though it caused Hobbs to be carted from the field with what turned out to be an injured disk in his neck Sunday night. Just to be sure, Tollefson watched it again Mondaymorning. And he's still convinced there was nothing illegal or dirty about it. Nov 22 Giants lose to the Eagles 27-17 | Photos |
ESPN
- Five turnovers doom Giants as Michael Vick, Eagles grind out win. Game
10 Preview - Giants (6-3) vs Eagles (6-3) Nov 21 It really wouldn't matter if the enemy quarterback wore No. 12 and was named Randall Cunningham, or wore No. 5 and was named Donovan McNabb, or wears No. 7 and is named Michael Vick. "It's Philly-Giants," Barry Cofield said. "So without all the other storylines, and the 6-3 records, and the battling for first place, this would be a passionate, hotly-contested game no matter what the circumstances. It's gonna be a lot of fun, and I think both sides are very anxious. This is definitely the biggest game of the year to date." Because this one is for top dog in the NFC East. The Giants can expect the usual warm reception when their buses pull up to The Linc Sunday night for the game of the year in the NFC East against red-hot Michael Vick. Eagles fans, to put it mildly, are passionate about their team. "It's probably my favorite place to play because those fans, I don't know the right word to use for them, they are very intriguing," Justin Tuck was saying the other day. "They are very polite - to anybody wearing green." When the Giants team buses make their way through the parking lot a few hours before the 8:20 p.m. kickoff, the players will recognize the greeting. "Eggs, a couple of rocks or two," Tuck said. Did they do it last year? "Definitely," he said. The Giants will show up at Lincoln Financial Field tonight with hopes of taking a one-game lead over the Eagles in the NFC East. One thing they have going in their favor is this season has been so unpredictable going from one week to the next. "I don't know if 'unpredictable' is the word," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said of the possibility his team could defy the odds and come away with a victory. "But it's not surprising because of the way the year has gone and the way things have gone in this league." Everything seems to be going the Eagles' way. Philly is riding the momentum after Monday night's rout of the Redskins, while the Giants suffered a huge letdown against the Cowboys. The Linc will be jumping and it will up to the Giants to take the crowd out of it. The Giants will be fighting their second-half history under Tom Coughlin. "Perry Fewell is going to have change things up and pick his spots against the Eagles' max protection but most importantly, the pressure has to come from the middle to flush Vick out of the pocket, preferably to his right. Tonight, Vick starts against the Giants at Lincoln Financial Field in a first-place showdown that will give one team the upper hand in the NFC East race. Vick starts, but will he finish? "He got hurt in one when he played Washington the first time," safety Deon Grant said. "Washington hurt him, put him out. That means ain't nobody Superman out there on that football field. Anybody can be beat. When they had opportunity to hit him, the first game, they hurt him. They didn't do it in the second game and he embarrassed them. We have to make sure that doesn't happen to us." It is unlikely the Giants tonight will need to be reminded of the speed of Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson or arm strength of Michael Vick, but in case they aren't sure, last week's 88-yard game-opening touchdown against the Redskins showed how much of the field a defense has to cover. "In my career, there haven't been very many quarterbacks to get the ball to me without [me] having to slow down and wait for it," Jackson said. "That's not the case now." With brothers in and out of jail, Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks has found peace and Harmony. "He took another path, and that's the thing that really impressed me about him," says Charlie Williams, Nicks' receivers coach at North Carolina. "It's amazing how he handled things." Tommy Knotts is a renowned prep coach in the Carolinas, an old-school sort who prizes attitude and discipline above all else, and first discovered Nicks' talent at Independence High School in Charlotte. Says Knotts, "I don't remember ever having to get on him, not even one time. We all knew the situation at home was rough, and that's what makes it so gratifying to see what he's doing now." The Post's Steve Serby chatted with Deon Grant, the 31-year-old Giants safety, about tonight's showdown with his friend, Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, and much more. When asked about playing in NYC? "Best experience I've had since I've been in the league for 11 years. It's a true definition of what they call the NFL. If you're not doing something right, they make sure they let you know that you're not doing something right, so you have to have your stuff together up here. I like that part of it; I also like the support and the connection that you can have by playing for a team up here." Nov
20 The
way folks are talking about Michael Vick these days -- with liberal use of
or variations on the term "impossible to stop" -- you'd think he is Barry Sanders.
Maybe Vick has ripened into a player as unstoppable as Sanders was in the 90s.
To demonstrate that, however, he'll have to beat up on a Giants defense that is
much better than the porous Washington Redskins unit the Eagles faced last Monday
night. If
you are a quarterback in the NFL, even if you are larger-than-life like Michael
Vick, the last thing you should want to do is awaken sleeping Giants. Or to put
it in a way that Vick would understand all too perfectly: You let sleeping dogs
lie. After
not practicing all week, Shawn Andrews is listed as questionable for his first
meeting with his former team. Though he does sound like he’s confident he’ll be
in uniform. "I don't want to really give any percentages on where I am physically,"
Andrews said, "but I will say I'm excited about where I am right now." We all know how banged up the Giants' receivers are and we know the left side of the offensive line is going to be a problem even if Shawn Andrews dresses and starts. (After all, how long will he last?) So to move the football, the Giants are going to have to run it. This is where RT Kareem McKenzie comes in. David
Diehl said, "God willing I'll be back next week," adding that the truth
is "I just don't know." He has an unusual combination injury, where he actually
hurt both his hip and his hamstring on the same play in the Giants' 41-7 win in
Seattle two weeks ago. Diehl said his hip is fine now, but the hamstring remains
an issue. And while he said, "Each and every day I'm feeling 100 times better,"
so far it's not enough. Nov 19 Andy Reid saw enough sacks in a 2007 loss to the Giants in which Donovan McNabb was dropped 12 times. Since then, Reid has done a good job of game-planning against the Giants’ pass rush. In six meetings of these teams since Osi Umenyiora embarrassed Justice on national TV, the Giants have recorded six sacks. Total. Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell is confident about the gameplan to contain Eagles' Michael Vick. "Oh, I am (hyped up)," he said. "I like the way our guys prepared today for what they do. I think our guys are excited about what we have. Again, we have to come and play 60 minutes of football. Hey, we're going down to win a football game. That's the only reason we're going down there. We're taking that crew down and we're going to go down and win a football game." Most coordinators would be scared, he was told. Michael Vick isn’t afraid of the big, bad Giants. Should Big Blue’s defense think Vick is the least bit concerned about becoming the sixth quarterback it knocks out of the game this season here Sunday night, then the NFL’s hottest player had a clear message for The Post yesterday to pass along: Bring it! It’s the Giants -- specifically, defensive coordinator Perry Fewell and a front four led by Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck -- that will have to adjust, not the Eagles. With the Eagles coming off an offensive performance for the ages, it could be that on Sunday night the Giants are going to have to figure out a way to score early and often, and then score some more. “I’m pretty sure we got plays that will keep us going on the field as well,” Hakeem Nicks said yesterday. Nicks is unlike many NFL receivers in that he doesn’t boast or draw attention to himself, but his understated confidence is a theme for the week. Giants coach Tom Coughlin said T Shawn Andrews feels "a little bit better" Thursday after missing his second consecutive practice with a back injury. Coughlin said Andrews is "stiff and sore," but that Andrews felt he could work in a two-point stance on Wednesday. Right tackle Kareem McKenzie said it was "farcical" to think Andrews would not play, especially because Andrews is facing his former team. But if Andrews doesn't return to practice, his status would remain in question. Nov
18 If
there is a football definition of a quarterback being unstoppable, here it
is: 333 yards passing, 80 yards rushing, four touchdown passes, two touchdown
runs. Michael Vick played a nearly perfect game against the Redskins the other
night in the Eagles' 59-28 victory, and the Giants just allowed journeyman Jon
Kitna to throw a party against them. This does not look like a good matchup Sunday
night in Philadelphia. Michael
Vick, 30, took his record-setting performance in Monday night's 59-28 win
over Washington in stride. He spoke softly about becoming the first quarterback
in NFL history to pass for 300 yards with four touchdowns and run for at least
80 yards with two rushing touchdowns in a game. The Hall of Fame requested his
jersey to commemorate the electric performance. Back in the summer, Derek Hagan thought he did enough to once again make the Giants' final roster. He had heard praises from coach Tom Coughlin during training camp and there was no reason to believe he wouldn't beat out rookie Duke Calhoun for a spot. But he didn't. "I couldn't believe it, I was like, 'What did I do wrong?' " Hagan said yesterday. Hagan didn't make the final cut but he's back, signing on Tuesday with the Giants in need of a healthy body. On
the week Giants tackle Shawn Andrews was set to start against his former team,
one of the reasons Andrews was released by the Eagles resurfaced. Andrews’ back
flared up, keeping him out of Wednesday’s practice and opening questions about
whether Andrews will play on Sunday. Nov
17 When
asked on Monday if the Giants would look into signing one of their former
receivers, Derek Hagan, to fill a void at a depleted position, Tom Coughlin said,
"If he's healthy and he's been working out." Apparently, Hagan is healthy
and has been working out. The
mood swings in the NFL are enough to make your head spin. Six weeks ago, the
Giants were 1-2 and Bill Cowher was looming. Then they won five straight and they
were anointed the best team in the NFC. Now they head to Philadelphia for a showdown
with the unstoppable, invincible Michael Vick and because of the way they played
in a 33-20 loss to the Cowboys on Sunday it’s all gloom and doom. Prison
apparently does a body good. Almost two years away from the rigors of the
NFL in a federal lockup not only turned Michael Vick a noticeably humbler person,
but it also left his body -- particularly those nimble legs -- looking like anything
but that of a 30-year-old quarterback. Nov 16 Did the Giants lose this game to the Cowboys on Sunday or earlier in the week? Tom Coughlin mentioned after the 33-20 loss that he did not like the way the Giants practiced during the week. "It was in the preparation," Coughlin explained yesterday. "We do have to get back to the real solid, solid preparation, which quite frankly we had seen all year long." His players did not disagree. Justin
Tuck knows all about the Giants' history of second-half collapses in the Tom
Coughlin era. And he knows what everyone was thinking when they kicked off their
second half with a horrendous loss to the woeful Cowboys on Sunday. He hopes some
of his teammates were thinking about it, too. And if not, he plans on reminding
them throughout the week. Now Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning and the Giants will have to prove that there will be no second-half collapse this time, that there is no way this band will fold up down the stretch like a Big Blue accordion. And there will be no better time to calm their anxiety-riddled, fickle fans after the Cowboys turned out the lights on them, no better place to silence the nattering nabobs of negativism than Sunday night in Philadelphia with first place in the NFC East on the line against Michael Vick, the Eagles and their hostile fans. Giants
wide receiver Ramses Barden will likely miss the remainder of the season with
what coach Tom Coughlin deemed "significant ligament injury" and a fracture
in his left ankle. Both injuries were suffered late in the second quarter of Sunday's
loss to the Cowboys when Barden attempted to out-jump Cowboys cornerback Orlando
Scandrick in the end zone. After letting Jon Kitna turn out the lights on them two nights ago, the Giants' next task is stopping Michael Vick. Good luck with that, Perry Fewell. Big Blue's defensive coordinator no doubt got little sleep last night after watching Vick and the Eagles utterly humiliate the Redskins 59-28 at rainy, shell-shocked FedEx Field. A day that began with the Redskins' inexplicable decision to give Donovan McNabb a five-year, $78 million contract extension that included $40 million in guaranteed money ended with a masterful performance by McNabb's Philadelphia successor. Justin Tuck was in mid-answer yesterday when the lights went out in the Giants' locker room. "I hope somebody's playing a joke," the defensive captain said. Somebody was. Chris Canty was in the far end of the room having some fun the day after a power outage resulted in multiple delays during the Giants' loss to the Cowboys at New Meadowlands Stadium. Nov 15 Giants lose to the Cowboys 33-20 | Photos |
ESPN
- Jon Kitna tosses 3 TDs as Cowboys stop Giants flat in Jason Garrett's debut. Giants.com - FINAL: Cowboys 33, Giants 20. Giants.com - Giants Postgame Quotes. StarLedger - Suspect penalty called on Kevin Boothe erases crucial touchdown. StarLedger - 'One of those days' brings Giants back to reality. StarLedger - In 33-20 Giants loss, any thoughts of comeback were short-circuited. StarLedger - For Eli Manning, passing game snowballed into perfect storm in loss to Cowboys. StarLedger - Live coverage: Cowboys seal 33-20 win after power outage. NYDailyNews - Giants left guard Kevin Boothe takes blame for pivotal penalty but doesn't believe he held Cowboy. NYDailyNews - Cowboys play lights out to beat Giants 33-20 at New Meadowlands Stadium. NYDailyNews - Giants' switch went to off against Cowboys long before New Meadowlands Stadium lights went out. NYDailyNews - Giants-Cowboys game delayed by power outage caused by blown transformer. NYPost - Giants zapped by energized Cowboys. NYPost - Team failed long before power did. NYPost - Barden injury further thins receiving corps. NYPost - Kitna defies time and Big Blue D. NYPost - Low-key Garrett has high-octane debut. NYPost - Bad route by Nicks results in pick-six. Record - Wake-up call for Big Blue. Record - Giants replay: Kitna star of the game. Record - Giants notes: Injuries mounting. Record - Giants powerless to stop Cowboys, lose 33-20. Record - The lights go out at New Meadowlands Stadium. Record - Cowboys give their all to show new coach they hear his message. DallasMorningNews - Kitna throws 3 TDs, Cowboys top Giants 33-20. DallasMorningNews - Cowboys give fans a big surprise: they finally don't give up. DallasMorningNews - Win shows why Jason Garrett has real shot at Cowboys' coaching job. DallasMorningNews - Jerry Jones: 'It's just a little baby step to where we've got to get to'. Game
9 Preview - Giants (6-2) vs Cowboys (1-7) Nov 14 The coaches have already installed the game plan by the time Eli Manning gathers his receivers and tight ends in a private room every Friday. They've been drilled over and over. They've watched countless hours of film. But it's never enough for the Giants' quarterback, even now in his seventh NFL season. Every Friday afternoon, he gathers his targets for one final film session to break down things he's found on his own during the week. He runs the discussion. He's the one with the coaches' clicker in his hands. Even though the offensive line will again have some different moving parts, RG Chris Snee says he can't concern himself too much with the new players in new places. Rich Seubert will start at center, Shawn Andrews at left tackle and most likely Kevin Boothe will make his season debut at left guard. "Absolutely I trust them," Snee said. "I do my job, I know that's my first responsibility, to do what I have to do but also I'm confident in who we have." Shawn Andrews was asked about the difference between the Giants and Eagles. "If they don't care for you here, or don't like you, I can't tell. I'm not here to cause any controversy, but I'll say, I always used to wonder what it would be like going to other organizations. And I remember I used to hear Coach (Andy) Reid just speak in general saying, 'The grass isn't always greener on the other side.' I'll say this -- the grass around here is tall, it's beautiful. I don't even want it to be cut, I'll walk through it all day long, man. I love it." Usually when coaches get canned at midseason, it's an indictment of the leadership as well as the talent base. The Giants believe that's not the case with the Cowboys. "A lot of times when you see a coaching change during the season they don't really have the players there to get what they need to get done," linebacker Michael Boley said. "They have great players there. It's all a matter of getting it done." With their season in tatters, no doubt there's nothing the Cowboys would like better than to get is done against the rival Giants. That Jason Garrett will be at New Meadowlands Stadium this afternoon in a position of importance comes as no surprise. The wrinkle is he will be in the role of interim head coach for the Cowboys. A different decision here, a changed priority there, and Garrett would be on the other side of this game in a major role with the New York Giants. Head coach? Maybe. General manager? Possibly. Key figure? Undoubtedly. "We tried to keep him," former Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi said. "We really wanted to keep him, but we couldn't work things out. Jason Garrett will be coaching his first NFL game today when the Cowboys try to deliver a devastating blow to the solar plexus of a mortal enemy. Tom Coughlin will be coaching his 233rd NFL game when the Giants try to keep the Cowboys from erupting in a taunting, haunting chorus of "How 'bout them Cowboys" in the bowels of New Meadowlands Stadium. "We're ready for anything this league has to offer," Keith Bulluck said. Eli Manning had thrown two interceptions, his Giants had just surrendered a 93-yard punt return, and they trailed Dallas, 20-7. But with 8:53 left in the second quarter, New York drove 80 yards for a touchdown. They forced a three-and-out, then drove 44 yards for another touchdown and recovered a fumble to set up Lawrence Tynes' 53-yard field goal with seven seconds left. The Giants have not looked back. They are on a five-game winning streak. The Cowboys have not gotten back up. They are on a five-game losing streak.
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