Post-Game Overreaction (Preaseason Week 3)

I wrote this shortly after coming home from the game on Saturday night.  For various reasons I wasn't able to finish and post it.   I've tempered in the past few days, but the point of the Post-Game Overreaction is to give you my instant raw emotional response, so I haven't altered this at all.  I'll give you the cooled down, more logical evaluation soon.

What do I think?  I'll tell you what I think.  I think it's going to be a long year for the G-men, and by extension, me--and by further extension, my wife.  I continuously raised the issue in the off-season that one of the Giants main concerns on defense, other than the obvious need at safety, was the play of their defensive tackles.  They were too soft last year, and they are still too soft.  The Giants seemed to think that rookie Linval Joseph would add some strength in the middle, but he gets pushed around like a blocking sled whenever he gets double-teamed.  Barry Cofield and the oft-injured Chris Canty struggle in this regard as well.  Amazingly, fat Rocky Bernard has been one of the Giants most consistent tackles in preseason.  A pass rush from the outside doesn't do any good if the QB can just step up, and that's the problem right now.

The linebackers remain an issue as well.  Clint Sintim is a real disappointment as he was given every opportunity to take over the starting SLB spot, and has completely failed to seize his opportunity.  Keith Bulluck looks like an old linebacker coming off of knee surgery--why I thought for a minute he'd look like anything else is beyond me now.  Honestly, the Giants best 3 linebackers at this point are probably Jonathan Goff, Michael Boley, and Gerris Wilkinson--which is not exactly an all-star cast.

It was obvious that Ravens' QB Joe Flacco had pretty easy pre-snap reads to make.  Find whoever Bruce Johnson or Courtney Brown is covering, and throw to him.  He abused the young corners all night.  You can say that the Giants will be better when they have Terrell Thomas and Aaaron Ross back, but honestly, for how many games do you expect Ross to be healthy?  His latest ailment is plantar fasciitis--which Eli suffered last year and is one of those lingering injuries that doesn't go away. You can't dismiss your back-ups as not important, as they will be called on at some point this season. Right now it doesn't look like the Giants have much depth on the back-end of this defense.  The good news is Corey Webster played outstanding last night.  Forget about the interception, that was more luck than anything else, I was more impressed with how he more or less shut down everyone he covered.  If I had to give a game ball, it would go to Webster.  Let's hope he and Terrell Thomas never get hurt this year.

As concerned as I am about the defense, it does not compare to my concerns regarding the offense, in particular the offensive line.  The Giants missed the warning signs brewing on their aging offensive line and it could cost them big.  Shaun O'hara's ankle will be an issue all year, and so might Chris Snee's knee.  Guy Whimper, Adam Koets, and William Beatty do not appear to be guys you want to count on.  Beatty is particularly disappointing.  I really thought he would win a starting job this year, but after watching him closely last night, it's clear he is nowhere near ready.  He was flat out beat all night.  The once cohesive unit is also suffering from a serious lack of communication.  No way to tell how much of that is on them, and how much is on Eli, but there were several plays last night when they allowed for a free rusher to get in right off the snap.  They remain confident and say once they get everyone back they'll be fine, but that's part of the problem.  There is no way this aging group stays healthy all year (they haven't been healthy yet), so the Giants need guys to step in and be reliable.  I don't see it.

The only good I can take from this game is that the Giants have sufficiently lowered my expectations enough that I'm pretty sure they'll meet them this year.

Ten Things To Watch: Giants vs Ravens

Saturday night the Giants travel to Baltimore for their only real road game of the preseason.  I'll be at the game in my 1986 Jim Burt jersey, so I hope to give you my impressions of the team live.  Several players are likely to miss the game, some of the key guys are Shaun O’Hara, Aaron Ross, Terrell Thomas, Chris Canty, and Ramses Barden.  The injuries are getting frustrating now, and now the Giants won't get a preseason game with their complete starting 11 on either side.  So it will likely be another half-assed sloppy effort.  God help us.  In any event, as always, here are ten things I'll be keeping an eye on.

1.  The linebacker rotation - Not really sure what's going on with this group--not really sure they do either.  It's looking more and more like Jonathan Goff will get the start in the middle, with Michael Boley and Keith Bullock on either side of him, but a rotation is likely.  Keep a close eye on how Fewell rotates in Gerris Wilkinson and Clint Sintim.

2.  The running game - I know most teams prefer to pass more in the preseason to work out their timing, but this team needs to regain its identity on the ground and I hope to see them sustain a little ground attack Saturday.

3.  Jay Alford, Kenny Phillips, and Keith Bulluck - these three key defense players who are all coming off injury are hoping to ratchet up the intensity this week.  Let's hope we see all three back to form.

4.  The not-so-special special teams - I know I say this every week, but I just want somebody to show something.

5.  William Beatty vs Terrell Suggs - Suggs moves around, but if and when he's lined up on Beatty I'll be anxious to see if the young tackle can hold his own, or if he's over-matched.

6.  Eli Manning - we haven't seen much of Eli, and the last time we did he nearly got his head taken off.  It looks like Hakeem Nicks and Steve Smith will both play, so it will good to see if the trio are in sync yet or not.

7.  Jason Pierre-Paul and Linval Joseph - Again, I know I'm like a broken record, but I'm still not sure what we have with these two.  Both had rough games last week so let's see if they can bounce back.

8.  Plenty of ice bags on the sideline - these injuries are so ridiculous right now, let's just get everyone healthy and start this thing over.

9.  Crisp play - This is the dress rehearsal, so it's time for the first teams to knock off the mistakes and miscues.  The Giants need to look like a team ready to start the season.  Thanks to injuries, I fear we won't see that, but here's to hope....

10.  Something to get excited about - The first two preseason games were very bland.  Granted, they were preseason games.  But really, what have the Giants done to make you get excited about this season? The first game had Victor Cruz, but let's see a starter step up and take over a game.  Or better yet, a whole starting unit.  I want to see the defensive line dominate, or the secondary shut down, or the running-backs run wild.  Just give me something to make me think 2010 will be better than 8-8.

Stuck In The Middle With You: The Saga Continues

Just when we think we have it figured out....

It seems that Clint Sintim's poor play in the first two preseason games has got Tom Coughlin and Perry Fewell thinking he may not be there best option on the outside.  The man they've picked to replace him is Keith Bulluck, the guy that the Giants signed to be their starting MLB.  That means that Jonathan Goff is likely to once again be your starting MLB.  Bulluck moves over to SAM, and Boley remains at the WIL

But wait, there's more!  It seems that in Perry Fewell's system, SAM is really more like the WIL and the WIL more like the SAM in basically every other system.  So Bulluck is now playing the SAM, which is similar to the WIL he played in Tennessee, and Boley is playing the WIL, which is similar to the SAM he played in Atlanta.  Got it?  If not, don't worry, even the Giants players have been joking about their own confusion with the somewhat backward system.  Hopefully they figure it out by week 1.

Just to confuse things a little more, it should be noted that Gerris Wilkinson--who's looked good for a change--has also been taking snaps with the first team at the WIL--or is it SAM?  What should we make of this?  Well there are two possibilities.  The pessimist (which I tend to be) will say that it is clear the Giants are unhappy with their linebackers and are desperately trying to find a combination that will work.  The optimist will say the Giants are simple toying with different personal packages so they can use different sets in different scenarios.  I'll let you be the judge.

Position Preview: WR (The Kids are All Right)

Most of my position previews have opened with some reference to how disappointing the unit in question played in 2009.  Not this time.  The Giants WR were probably the lone bright spot in an otherwise dark and depressing season.  That being said, the young WR corps made a hell of a lot of mistakes, and need to improve in 2010 if the Giants are going to compete for a championship.  Hopefully the chemistry will build as the Giants return everyone from last year, with the exception of Domenik Hixon, who was lost for the year with a torn ACL.

When the Giants won the Superbowl in the 2007 season, Steve Smith was the young inconsistent rookie who showed flashes of what was to come (e.g. the big third down reception on the last drive of the Superbowl).  Three years later and Smith is now the Giants' most consistent receiver and the veteran leader of this group.  At least he should be.  Hakeem Nicks made a strange remark during OTA's that Sinorice Moss was the units leader--God help us.  In any event, Smith is the Giants best receiver.  He is also the most underrated WR in the league.

Nicks is the favorite to start alongside Smith.  Like Smith in 2007, Nicks, although often inconsistent, showed flashes of brilliance in his rookie year (remember his up and down game against Philadelphia at home last year?).  The issue for Nicks is going to be his health.  He's been nicked up (no pun intended...OK it was intended) quite a bit in his young career and is currently battling a slew of minor bumps, bruises, and strains.  The good news is injury woes are not uncommon for young receivers (I have no idea why but it seems rookie WR never stay healthy their first year) and Nicks showed he is resilient enough to come back from injury.  I like Nicks this year--I like him a lot.

The sometimes dazzling, often infuriating Mario Manningham is likely to be the guy you see lined up in the slot this year.  Manningham can make plays, but is a little too inconsistent to be an everydown player.  The other wild card is Ramses Barden.  The 6'6" second year receiver has once again wowed everyone in practice, and has once again--at least so far--failed to produce in games (even fake ones).  Now he has a stress fracture in his back that will likely bother him all year.  God knows I know nothing about being a 6'6" receiver, but I think it's pretty safe to say your back is pretty important.  I fear Barden might have a rough go of it in 2010, but if he can battle through the injury, the Giants would love to use him as both a back-up and situational (i.e. red zone) wide-receiver.

The bubble battle is likely between Sinorice Moss, Derek Hagen, and Victor Cruz.  I think Hagen is a lock at this point.  He's a valuable special teams player and a solid back-up wide receiver.  The Giants kept 7 wide receivers last year, so it's possible both Moss and Cruz make the roster now that Hixon is out for the year.  But the Giants also only kept 3 safeties in '09, which turned out to be a critical mistake.  I think they stick with 6 on the active roster and 1 or 2 on the practice squad.  Cruz is obviously the fan favorite, but we should be cautious.  He hasn't shown he can contribute on special teams yet, and if you're going to be the sixth wide receiver, you damn well better.  Then again Moss hasn't done much in that department (or any other for that matter) either.

The dark-horse candidates looking to earn a roster spot--or at least a practice squad look--are rookies Tim Brown, Duke Calhoun, and Nyan Boateng.  I've noticed both Calhoun and Boateng have been given a lot of looks on special teams in the first two preseason games, but it's hard to evaluate how they've done on TV.  Brown, like Cruz, was impressive in camp but hasn't had a real shot to show what he can do in a game yet.  He got good separation and made a nice catch on that long pass against the Steelers, but Bomar lead him too far to the outside.  I think Brown (a Rutgers alum) has got a good shot of landing on the practice squad.

The Giants WR's are young and fast and are hopefully only going to get better.  This could be a strong unit for years to come, and one of the few I'm not too worried about in 2010 (what a difference a year makes).

Post-Game Overreaction (Preaseason Week 2: Giants 17; Steelers 24)

~ All things considered, I think Rhett Bomar played pretty well.  Would have liked to see him do a little more against the Steelers' backups but he hung in against a good defense (and a ton of pressure) in the first half.  With the exception of  interception at the end of the half--which was either a miscommunication or an awful pass--he played smart, and looks capable of being a back-up in this league.

~ The stadium looked a lot better in blue

~ Hakeem Nicks: if you're going to get thrown out of a game, at least get your money's worth.


~ Ahmad Bradshaw looks like he's set for a big year.  DJ Ware (until he got knocked out) and Andre Brown looked good as well.

~ Tom Coughlin benched Bradshaw and Antrel Rolle to start the game for being late to a meeting--I'm not sure benching two veterans in a preseason game is much of a punishment.

~ Jason Pierre Paul looked slow and timid.  I'm guessing he was confused, because he never looked timid in college.  All-in-all an absolutely awful performance.

~ Linval Joseph played well with the first teamers, but struggled with the second team.  He seemed to play more shaded on the center with the second team (which drew more double-teams), although I'd have to watch the game more closely to determine if that is true or not.  Either way, the Giants still lack a DT who can really take on a double team, and this could be a big issue going forward.

~ It's understandable, but Keith Bulluck looked really slow.  Kind of like a guy who hadn't played football in a long time.

~ It's good to know that Steve Smith is still really really good.

~ Overall, the defense definitely looked better.  Fewell showed a lot more looks last night.  It's a lot harder to play against this defense when you don't automatically know they are in cover-2.

~ Osi Umenyora and Justin Tuck played very well.  Tuck had to enjoy running by Flozell Adams

~ The Giants offense need to get at least most their starters back by next week if they are going to find any kind of rhythm before the start of the season.

~ Has Clint Sintim made a tackle yet?

~ Matt Dodge is not very good.  Maybe one day he will be, but do you really want to develop a punter?  If he doesn't get it together the Giants really need to start looking for other guys to bring in.

~ I'm glad Tom Coughlin kicked the field goal in the 4th quarter.  It's more useful to get your kicker practice from 40+ yards in live action than it is to see if your back-up QB can complete a 4th and 13 pass. 

~ I've been down on him since the Giants picked him up last year, but I have to admit Rocky Bernard played pretty well.  Chris Canty was disruptive at times too.

~ Aaron Ross is clearly the team's best option as a punt returner.  Still not sure who's going to handle kick-offs.  Andre Brown runs hard but he's not a play maker.  Then again, the blocking on kick returns has been so bad I'm not sure Devin Hester could make anything happen.

~ Victor Cruz may not of had the game he hoped for, but he actually played pretty well at receiver.  Scratch him off the punt returner depth chart though.

~ Still waiting on Travis Beckum do something...anything.


~ Don't panic about the O-line, they'll be OK once Snee gets back.

Ten Things to Watch: Giants vs Steelers

1.  Eliminate the mistakes - Monday night's game was sloppy.  As it was the first preseason game, I can understand, but now I want to see improvement.  I realize a lot of starters are out, but the dumb mistakes and miscues need to be eliminated.

2.  Keith Bulluck and Kenny Phillips -  Both are expected to make their 2010 debut tonight.  Say a prayer, and keep an eye on their knees.

3.  Linval Joseph and JPP - Let me just tell you I'll be keeping an eye on these two all preseason.  I'd like to see a breakout performance by at least one of them.

4.  Rhett Bomar - Here's your chance kid.  The Colts failed to resign Sorgi partly because of concerns over his shoulder, now the Giants understand.  Can Bomar really be the back-up?  He'll get the start and likely play nearly the whole game against an excellent defense, so we'll find out.

5.  Special Teams - Kicks, coverage, returns, all were ugly on Monday night, and all need to improve tonight.  Like to see somebody step up in the return game.  Victor Cruz?....just saying.

6.  Running game - It never got going last week, but I did like what I saw from all of the backs.  Let's see if they can get a few holes and make something happen.

7.  Victor Cruz - flash in the pan or a real find?  Let's see what he can do for an encore.

8.  Gerris Wilkinson - I must admit I overlooked Wilkinson's play in my cursory viewing of the Jets game, but evidently the coaches were impressed.  Wilkinson even found himself taking snaps with the first team this week thanks to his play Monday night.  He'll probably get some time at MLB with the first team tonight, so let's see if he can finally step up or continue to disappoint (like his fellow 2006 draft pick Sinorice Moss).


9.  The D-line:  They were very disappointing in week 1--everyone was.  Hopefully we'll see a little intensity, and a little pass rush.  As a bonus, keep a close eye on DE Dave Tollefson.  Since publishing the last 3-up/3-down column, I've regretted snubbing Tollefson.  He looked like a dead man walking when the Giants drafted JPP but he is making it very hard for them to get rid of him.  They've even played with him at LB in their all-D-end front (which is yet to be revealed).  The preseason is really all about guys like Tollefson--guys working their tail off to try and earn a roster spot.

10.  Do I really need to say it?  Just stay healthy.

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Well I'll admit, I'm playing golf so I'll be a little late the the party tonight, but I have it recording so I should be able to catch up pretty quick.  Follow me on twitter (or check my twitter feed on this site) to see my real-time reactions to the action.

Final Training Camp 3-Up/3-Down

The Giants close camp in Albany today and head back to East Rutherford (meaning practices will be for the most part closed from now on).  I may still give you a few more "pre-season" 3-up/3-down posts, but this is obviously the last one for training camp.

3-Up:

Victor Cruz:  I mean, come on, no explanation needed.

Phillip Dillard:  He’s only going to be a back-up this year, but after watching just 1 preseason game I’m willing to bet he is the Giants “long-term solution” at MLB.

Lawrence Tynes:  He’s been on fire in camp, let’s hope “Mr. Inconsistency” can keep it up.

3-down:

Sinorice Moss:  Moss is a tendered restricted free-agent (meaning the Giants don’t owe him anything unless he makes the team), so with Cruz lighting it up, now is the time to dump the last big mistake of the Ernie Accorsi era.

Ramses Barden:  He may not have been on this list if Eli had gotten that fade to him (and he came down with it), but what we saw of him on Monday night didn’t look good.  Now he’s out indefinitely with lingering back issues.  Starting to wonder if this guy will ever live up to the hype.

Jim Sorgi:  The shoulder was a concern when he was signed, now he could be out the rest of the preseason. If Rhett Bomar plays like he did on Monday night, Sorgi’s stint as a Giant might be a short one.

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In case you missed it, the Giants signed former Eagle and 2-time Pro Bowl Guard Shawn Andrews late last night.  Andrews was a beast early in his career but has been plagued by back--and maybe a few mental--issues.  Jerry Reese said the Giants staff have been monitoring his progress and liked what they saw from him in a workout Thursday.  Andrews can play both guard and tackle so the Giants are probably hoping his back can hold up enough for him to be a solid back-up, but he did sign a 6-year deal laden with insentives just in case he shows he can get back to form.  Seems unlikely that Andrews will, but it's also a worthwhile gamble. 

Post-game overreaction (Preseason Week 1: Giants 31; Jets 16)

Normally this column will appear shortly after the game ends, when I’m still feeling the adrenaline (and alcohol). Unfortunately, I was away for Monday night’s game and only saw the game in its entirety last night on my DVR.

The Giants’ preseason opener can be summed up in one word: sloppy. Their performance was marred by dropped passes, a blocked punt, a shanked punt, slips in the secondary, the goaline defensive personnel debacle,  miscommunications on routes, and of course “the audible” that resulted in the starting QB’s head being cut open. Still, they won the game. Now normally I would say winning or losing a preseason game is meaningless, but it was clear from the start the Jets were trying to win this thing. They kept their starters in a full half, and they ran multiple defensive fronts and multiple blitzes. They can say what they want, but they wanted to make a statement, and I’m not sure they really made one.  It just sits better with me knowing the G-men won the first game in the new stadium.  That being said, it would be hard to argue against the fact the Jets starters outplayed the Giants’ starters.  Long way to go for this team, but here’s my random observations after a single viewing of the game:

~ How about that Victor Cruz? I told you to keep an eye on this kid, but I had no idea the Paterson Catholic alum would put on this kind of performance. I thought Derek Hagan also played well. Sinorice Moss might want to start packing his bags.

~ I know I'm stating the obvious here, but the hit Eli Manning took was absolutely ridiculous.  He'll be fine, but its quite possible he'll miss the next preseason game (or 2) because I can't imagine him putting a helmet on until that cut is completely healed.  Not good considering he was clearly still out of sink with his receivers.

~ Barry Cofield was awful. He got a little pressure on pass plays but got pushed around on runs. Chris Canty and Rocky Bernard were not much better as the defense really struggled against runs up the middle. Jonathan Goff also struggled a bit at reacting to the run from his MLB spot and over-pursued on a few plays. On the bright side, I liked what I saw from Linval Joseph, who seemed to hold his ground better than Cofield or Bernard. I’d like to see him get some reps against Pittsburgh’s first team Saturday night.

~ Jason Pierre Paul played about how you might expect: inconsistently.

~ With the exception of the number he wore (#49, which I assume is due to a lack of available LB numbers), I really liked what I saw from Phillip Dillard. He doesn’t always get to the right spot, but he flies around with a lot of energy and seemed to attack the hole on running plays better than Goff. It looks like he has at least past Gerris Wilkinson on the MLB depth chart.

~ I think there is no point in trying to evaluate the starting offense's performance. They were up against one of the best defenses in the league (who didn’t seem to be holding back anything) with their top receiver, both starting guards, and their top 3 TE’s all out. That being said, there were too many miscues for a unit that has had the same coordinator for 4 years.

~ The makeshift O-Line the Giants put out Monday night was not very good, but William Beatty showed me he is at the very least willing to work hard. Beatty showed genuine hustle as he got down field on that long catch and run by Bradshaw. Beatty’s block downfield help spring Bradshaw for an extra 20 yards.

~ I thought both back-up QB’s played pretty well.

~ I realize the Giants were in a base cover-2 set all night, but the defense better figure out a way to get off the field on 3rd downs. They need to start by getting a better pass-rush, which was disappointing Monday night.

~ I liked that the first person to run up and congratulate Victor Cruz after his 3rd TD was defensive coordinator Perry Fewell. You don’t often see that.

~ It was interesting that Ramses Barden started over Mario Manningham. It was also interesting that Barden once again failed to translate his success in practice to the field.

~ The Giants special teams were absolutely awful. Poor tackling on coverage, absolutely no return game, and nothing went right with Dodge’s punts--a shank, a blocked kick, and one boomed out of the endzone when they were trying to pin the Jets inside the 20. The Giants are obviously still looking for someone to replace Hixon in the return game. If no one steps up, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the them pick someone up after cuts are made (remember they signed Hixon after week 2 in 2007).

~ Despite poor blocking, and really no significant rushing yards, I like what I saw from all of the Giants running-backs. I also like that Bradshaw seems to be the starter. Coming off the bench might help Jacobs.

~ Chris Canty has the most ridiculous facemask I’ve ever seen. It looks like something you’d strap Hannibal Lecter into.

~ So far they’ve called it just a sprained MCL, but I hope Blackburn isn’t out for too long. He’ll never be a full-time starter in the NFL, but he’s a solid back-up and special teammer.

~ I just have to hope the Giants are getting the injury bug out now. It will be a long year if this is a sign of things to come.

Ten Things To Watch: Giants vs Jets

I know, the preseason (blanks) but I got to admit, I’m excited to see Big Blue on the field again. We all know the starters will probably only play 1 or 2 series, and anyone with so much as a toothache won’t play at all, so I wanted to give you my list of ten things (in no particular order) I’m interested and/or hoping to see:

#1 Everyone stays healthy – I admit this is a lame beginning to what is sure to be a pretty lame list, but it’s hard to come up with 10 things to look forward to in a preseason game, and let’s be honest, this is all any of us really want anyway.

#2 The Return Game – Let the battle begin. Not sure who Coughlin will let risk injury in a preseason game to return kicks, but someone has got to fill the void left by Domenik Hixon.

#3 The Draft Picks: JPP, Linval Joseph, Phillip Dillard, Mike Petrus, and Adrian Tracey – They should see a quite a bit of action in their NFL debuts. Looking forward to seeing what they got.

#4 The “other” draft pick: P Matt Dodge – He’s got a big leg but has been inconsistent at times in camp. Anxious to see how he handles game pressure, and interested to see how weird it looks to have someone other than Jeff Feagles back there.

#5 The “look” of the defense – We’re certainly going to get “vanilla,” but at least we’ll get a taste of what Perry Fewell has been churning. As a bonus, I’m also interested in the “look” of Fewell on the sideline. The ever-exuberant coach should combine with Coughlin to make the league’s most animated sideline.

#6 Rex Ryan’s sweat line – It should be a steamy night in East Rutherford, look for Rex to be pitted out by kickoff, and a little belly sweat breaking through by halftime.

#7 WR Ramses Barden – He is once again tearing up camp, I’m interested to see if he shows it on the field, even if it is a “fake” game.


#8 The New Stadium - Its first primetime action. Unfortunately it will be done up in Jet’s Green. You know what, I take it back. I’m not interested to see it--scratch this one

#8 (revised) The back-up QB’s – Two new faces vying for a spot behind Eli, let’s hope at least one of them looks competent.

#9 Undrafted WR’s Victor Cruz and Tim Brown – both have impressed in camp, both should have Sinorice Moss worried. Let’s see what they got.

#10 - The G-Men kick some ass – I don’t care about winning or losing, but it would be nice to see at least the G-men starters rough up their overly cocky cross-town rivals. If you haven’t grown sick of the Jets yet, just tune into WFAN and listen to the radio commercial of Mark Sanchez referring to his team as the “New York Football Jets” and I’m sure you’ll feel the same resentment I do.

Unfortunately I am away and may not be able to access my twitter account during the game. I've got it DVR-D though and plan on giving it a careful look tomorrow and sharing my reactions then. Enjoy the Game.

Position Preview: O-Line (is it the end of an era?)

The only position group I love more than the D-Tackles, is the O-line.  I think if I were to make a list of my top-10 favorite Giants, at least 4 would be O-linemen (maybe one day I'll actually make that list).  Anyway, enough praising the big boys, let's get down to some of the the issues to keep an eye on this preseason.

The Giants have been the model of consistency up front as David Diehl, Chris Snee, Shaun O'Hara, Rich Seubert, and Kareem McKenzie have been the Giants' starters since the start of the 2007 season.  However, 2009 was disappointing on many levels, and the lack of running game has lead some in the organization to think a change is needed up-front.  Enter 2009's 2nd round draft pick William Beatty.  The 6'6" Beatty is being given every chance to break into the starting lineup.  The Giants like his size and athleticism and think he has a higher ceiling than Diehl.  The question is can he reach it?   If he succeeds (and that's a big IF) he will likely take over the LT spot, with Diehl sliding over to guard and Seubert sliding onto the bench.  Some seemed to think the transition was a done deal headed into camp, but those are people who don't know Richy Seubert very well  (OK, so I don't really "know" Seubert either, but I do read a lot about him from guys who do "know" him, which I feel makes it OK for me to call him "Richy"--right?).  Remember, this is a former undrafted free agent, who shattered his leg in 2003--an injury that required 5 surgeries and cost him 2 full seasons--only to fight and claw his way back into the starting lineup in 2007.  Everyone associated with the Giants loves #69, and all agree he is one tough, mean S-O-B.  In other words, don't think he's going to kindly hand over his starting job to a second year "kid."  I haven't heard any mention of this, but it seems to me McKenzie shouldn't be guaranteed a starting job either.  If Beatty plays well, I would think the Giants would have the option to move either he or Diehl over to RT to replace McKenzie.  Again, I haven't heard that talked about, but I would think the Giants are certainly considering that an option.

As far as depth is concerned (and it is always a concern when you are talking about the o-line), the Giants, like most teams, have a lot of guys with potential but also question marks.  No matter who wins the starting jobs, the Giants will have either Seubert or Beatty (or maybe McKenzie) as solid back-up options.  Beatty can play either tackle spot, and Seubert can play guard or center.  The Giants also have veterans Guy Whimper and Adam Koets as back-up tackle and center, respectively (Koets is also a tackle, but seems to be getting worked mostly as a back-up center right now).  Koets is untested, but Whimper has shown he is at least a serviceable back-up .  Veteran G Kevin Boothe, is currently on the PUP list, but if he can return from his shoulder injury he adds another experienced back-up to the mix.  The Giants also a 6th round pick on Mitch Petrus, a feisty guard out of Arkansas who seems to be a clone of Rich Seubert (both exactly 6'3" 310 lbs and both nasty, dirty players) to help out in the middle.  Petrus has impressed the team in camp so far, and should a be a solid back-up immediately and a potential starter a year or two down the road.  In the "also attending camp" list you have rookies Jim Cordle (center, Ohio State), Dennis Landolt (guard, Penn State), and Cliff Lewis (tackle, Morgan State), as well as 4th-year veteran Herb Taylor (tackle, Texas Christian by way of the Chiefs and Broncos)  Taylor has also been playing some TE lately because the Giants have had so many injuries there.  Honestly, I haven't heard anything about any of these guys except a few references to them getting blown up by D-linemen in camp, so I wouldn't expect much.

I think the O-line got a little over-maligned last year.  The lack of production in the running game had more to do with the injuries/struggles of the backfield--especially FB Madison Hedgecock and RB Brandon Jacobs.  This group is ageing, that's for sure, but they did send 3 players to the pro-bowl last year.  I know, I know, they were alternates, but that just shows how respected they are by coaches around the league.  I don't think this Superbowl-winning line's era is over just yet.  Reports out of camp are that Beatty has struggled a bit in his reps with the first team.  There's a long way to go, but he might not be quite ready for prime-time.  Guys like Beatty and Petrus may be the future of this line, but I think this veteran group, if they can stay healthy, have got one more year left in them.

Training Camp: 3-Up/3-Down

Latest stock watch from camp:

3-Up:

1.  LB Michael Boley - Several beat writers have commented that the healthy Boley is loving the new system, taking on a leadership role, and making plays. 

2.  CB Aaron Ross - Like Boley, Ross is healthy (for now) and showing the talent that got him drafted as a first rounder.  Seems to be better suited for the zone read-and-react style of Fewell's defense.

3.  CB Terrell Thomas - Not to be outdone, Thomas has been turning heads in camp as well.  This could be a fun battle.

3 - Down:

1.  LT William Beatty - the talk coming into camp was that he was going to challenge David Diehl for the starting LT spot.  Long way to go, but so far he has struggled and not given the coaches any reason to think he will improve the unit.

2.  G Rich Seubert - Despite Beatty's struggles, a broken hand might keep Seubert out for a few weeks, which is a long time for a veteran trying to cling to his starting job. Note: No sooner did I publish this than we got the good news that Seubert should be back next week

3.  LB/LS Zak Deossie  - The usually steady long-snapper is really struggling.  By Ralph Vacchiano's count, he's misfired on at least 14 FG snaps, and recently launched a punt snap way over P Matt Dodge's head.  He's also apparently not even working out with the LB's anymore, so he better fix whatever is ailing him, and fast.

Overall, it is the Defense that is up, and the Offense that is down.  So far everyone seems to agree that the Giants' D is absolutely dominating the O.  Let's hope that's a sign the defense is set for a big year, not that the offense is headed for a set-back.

In Case You Missed It

~ There may not have been a practice session today, but there was plenty of news.  Those of you following my twitter feed (that's @fatgiantfan) enjoyed the roller coaster that was Hakeem Nicks' knee.  The 2nd year receiver--who it seems everyone is convinced is going to have a huge year--hyper-extended his knee near the end of practice on Tuesday.  It sounded eerily similar to the Dominik Hixon fiasco last month.  He had an MRI that night, but this morning the team announced that he was headed back to NYC for another MRI and closer examination.  It had the makings of a disaster for sure.  But when the dust settled, it turned out the Giants were just being extra cautious and the doctors reported no damage.  Nicks is reportedly already back up in Albany and the team did not rule out him returning to practice as early as tomorrow.  Phew.....

~Sean O'Hara also got good news from the docs in NYC.  His ankle is still swollen, though, and it looks like this could be a chronic injury.  Fortunately, he's one tough SOB, and G Rich Seubert scoffed at the idea that the injury will keep O'Hara out.  Still something to keep an eye on, though.  Back-up C Adam Koets and Seubert filled in for the injured O'Hara with the first team on Tuesday.

~ It seems Osi Umenyiora has had a change of heart.  In a very unusual interview with reporters today he backed off his off-season demands to start:

“Obviously I’ve been very selfish in the past in my demands in some of the things that I wanted.  I don’t really feel that way anymore, right now. There’s enough playing time for everybody. As soon as I get on that football field I’m going to make plays, period, no matter where they put me at. If I’m coming off the bench I’m going to be the best bench player ever....  I’ve been talking to the coaches and talking to everybody around and realized they probably really felt like what they were doing (last year when they benched him) was in our best interests,” Umenyiora said. “It wasn’t nothing personal against me. That’s just the way I have to roll with it.”  (from the bluescreen)

He also talked about his injury and his decision not to have surgery.  Again, it was a bit strange:

“I’m really not looking forward to getting cut open again.  It’s something that I really don’t want to do. But at some point its going to be necessary and at some point, if I feel like I need to prolong my career, it’s something I’m going to have to do eventually....

"Sometimes I think that I do (want to prolong my career), and sometimes I think, ‘Really, what am I prolonging my career for? Everything I wanted coming into the NFL — every single thing — I’ve accomplished. Whether that’s winning a Super Bowl or being an all-pro player or being financially secure, I’ve accomplished all that already. So I’m not sure that’s something I want to continue to do."  (from the bluescreen)

On one hand, Osi's new-found team-first attitude is a welcome surprise. On the other hand, something just doesn't sound right about all of this.  I think it's now clear to Osi that he can't win the starting job outright, and that more than anything else is driving this change of heart.  The "if I feel like I need to prolong my career" line reminds me of Tiki Barber.  Like Tiki, Osi loves being in front of a camera, he is always doing guest-spots on bye weeks and the off-season.  And his comments suggest that like Tiki, he is not interested in tearing up his body for the love of the game.  Not that I blame him....

~ The other Steve Smith (from Carolina) said he's "going after" the Giants' Michael Johnson in week 1 in retaliation for a hit from last year.  Johnson fired back “Who you talking about? The Steve Smith that went to the Pro Bowl?  So you’re not talking about Pro Bowl Steve Smith, right?” 

~ Oh...I almost forgot.  Plaxico Burress may be out of jail in time for this season (still faces suspension by the league).  Rumors are flying about the Giants resigning him but don't waste your time with that nonsense--it's not going to happen.

Position Preview: RB's (rebirth or continued decline?)

I had hoped to get all the position previews done before camp started and got exactly half-way to my goal.  Oh well, it's been a busy summer.  As we turn to the offense, we start with another disappointing group from '09--the runningbacks.

When we talk about the Giants RB's, we have to start with the big man Brandon Jacobs.  In 2007 and 2008, Jacobs was to the offense what Antonio Pierce was to the defense.  He was their emotional leader.  His angry style of running seemed to motivate his teammates.  I remember when he ran over Charles Woodson at the start of the 2007 NFC Championship game I thought to myself, "we can win this."  Sadly, Jacobs was a shell of himself in 2009.  He claims the fix is simple, he just needs to get his legs up coming through the line.  But we all know if it was that simple he would have fixed the problem last year.  Kevin Gilbride said recently he had no idea why Jacobs struggled last year.  I hope I'm wrong here, but I think Gilbride knows damn well what went wrong--he just can't admit it publicly.  The simple fact is big runners--particularly tall ones--don't last.  Their legs just take an unbelievable pounding.  The tires wear thin, and the engine runs out of gas.  Jacobs, like so many power backs before him, has hit the wall. 

That is why I was very surprised the Giants didn't draft a RB this year.  The Giants have brought back everyone from a year ago:  Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw, Danny (oh sorry, I mean DJ) Ware, Gartrell Johnson, and Andre Brown.  Early reports from camp are Bradshaw looks to be healthy and as agile as ever.  If he stays that way this could be the year he goes from being a fan-favorite to a household name.  You still hear good things about Ware from those who watch practice, but honestly, I didn't see it at all last year.  He seemed soft and unable to make a big cut.  Johnson is a quick back but he showed up to camp out of shape and struggled with his conditioning test, something that I'm sure angered Coach Coughlin.  I think Ware, who can contribute on special teams, beats out Johnson for the 4th RB slot but neither will have a significant impact on the team.  Brown, on the other hand, is an intriguing option.  Remember he was a 4th round pick in '09 but missed the whole season after blowing his Achilles in camp.  He's back, and he's healthy.  He turned a few heads in off-season workouts, particularly with his ability to catch the football.  He could be that 3rd back the Giants desperately need.

Leading the way for the tail-backs will once again likely be veteran FB Madison Hedgecock.  Hedgecock has a little bit of competition this year in second-year man Jerome Johnson who is reportedly a better pass-catcher than Hedgecock (who is absolutely awful in that regard).  Hedgecock struggled last year due to injury, but he was one of the most important cogs in the Giants running attack in 2008, and if he is healthy he should be back to form again.

Whatever the FB situation, Jacobs will certainly start the season as the starting tailback, but I think you will see more and more of Bradshaw and probably Brown as the season progresses.  I hope I'm wrong about Jacobs, but I think it's the end of the road for him.  It could be the start of something for Bradshaw and Brown though.


---Training Camp Update---

C Shaun O'Hara, was sent back to New York today for an exam by team physician Russ Warren on his ankle which swelled yesterday following a conditioning test.  The ankle has reportedly been an ongoing issue for O'Hara but the flare up was unexpected.  I'll keep you posted.

Training Camp: 3-Up/3-Down

I'm roughly 350 miles away, but thanks to twitter I get minute by minute updates from all of the Giants beat reporters on how things are going at camp.  Fortunately for all of you who have lives, I'll keep track of who is getting good reviews and who is getting dogged and summarize it for you....

3-Up:

DT Chris Canty - he's evidently healthy and in great shape.  He was one of the few players Coughlin praised by name after Sunday's practice.

QB Rhett Bomar - The term "throwing darts" was used repeatedly to describe Bomar's morning session.  There could be a real battle for the #2 QB spot.


DC Perry Fewell - the guy opened camp with a hot-potato tournament (ultimately won by Sha'reff Rashad after Kiwanuka was disqualified for a bad throw).  For what it's worth, the players love him.

3-Down:

RB Gartrell Johnson - The only player to struggle with the conditioning test--bad start for a guy just hoping for a roster spot.

DE Osi Umenyora - Hip is looking like it could be a big issue.  On the bright side, it might settle the "who's going to start" controversy.

P Matt Dodge - his first 4 attempts in camp:  shank, shank, shank, fumbled snap.   He did respond with a booming 55-yarder, but let's hope nerves aren't an issue here.

"I ain't Maurice"

Well it's that time of year again.  You know, the one where professional athletes spend their nights sleeping in dorm rooms and their days sweating their (fill in your favorite "private-part" here) off.  That's right, the Giants open camp today at the University of Albany.  For me, this is an exciting time because it means two things:  football season is rapidly approaching, and the greatest show on television (Hard Knocks) will be on again soon.

In case you missed my tweet--and judging by my lack of followers, you did--the Giants were able to come to agreements with 1st and 2nd round picks Jason Pierre-Paul and Linval Joseph, who were their only remaining unsigned rookies. It's the fifth straight season the Giants have been able to get all of their draft picks into camp on time.

Quick story about training camp:  When I was a kid, my father used to take us to watch training camp every year when the Giants still held camp at Fairleigh Dickinson University.  In 1991, the Giants took RB (and soon to be bust) Jarrod Bunch in the first round of the draft.  Now Bunch wore #33--the same number fellow RB Maurice Carthon wore when he played for the USFL's New Jersey Generals.  At camp that year, the very large Bunch walked by us wearing #33.  My father, mistakenly associating the #33 with Carthon, lifted his camera and called out, "Hey Maurice!"  Bunch, who judging by his website is a little full of himself to begin with, was clearly not pleased that someone did not recognize him.  He turned, scowled, and in a intimidating and disdainful tone said, "I AIN'T Maurice!"  I think my father actually snapped a picture of him as the response came, before he realized his mistake.  Of course, calling Bunch "Maurice" was about the nicest thing my father ever called the first round bust.  I think we would have got a much worse response if my father had called out his eventual nickname for Jarrod:  "Hey Bunch of S***!"