HITS
Lawrence Tynes. The best of the worse, he accounted for the only scoring this week, including a 52 yarder which was his longest field goal since he hit a game-winning 53-yarder against San Diego when he was a member of Kansas City on October 22, 2006; and a 39-yarder.
MISSES
I’m going to make this very easy and give a BIG miss to the rest of the team because quite frankly, this was one of the most uninspired performances I’ve seen in a while. Both sides of the ball looked completely unprepared, were undisciplined and sloppy in their play. In a nutshell they brought a turkey onto the field and let the fans down that support them every week. This team should be embarassed from top to bottom.
We’ll start with the offense, which has the same quarterback and same offensive line. The quarterback has regressed so badly in terms of his decision making to the point where he was so desperate to do something that he nearly took a safety in his own end zone. How about scanning the field on passing downs and finding some of those receivers who are so wide open?
The offensive line? Well it’s finally happened. Age and injury has caught up with this group that used to blast open holes big enough for a truck to drive through. These days? They jut can’t seem to dictate the tempo in the trenches as they’re constantly pushed back by defenders who get to the running backs. Expect this to be the last year this starting five works together, as someone is going to the bench – guaranteed.
The receivers? When they’re good, they’re very good. But when they’re bad, they’re dropping balls, cutting off routes, and not fighting for yardage. Granted it doesn’t help when the quarterback is under duress, but sometimes when a receiver sees that, he needs to turn and adjust his route to help out rather than standing there posing for the camera.
The running game? It’s a shell of its former self as the the afore mentioned offenseive line, tight ends and fullback are just not creating the space that they used to create with any regularity.
The coaching? I’ve tried to be patient. I’ve tried to look at things objectively and to be fair about things, but I can no longer do so after seeing this performance tonight. This was simply THE WORST performance I’ve seen from a coaching standpoint all year – New Orleans included. I realized that execution is part of it, but players need to be out into positions to make plays, and I didn’t see that on either side of the ball. So I cannot defend this coaching staff any longer.
Defensively? I think the Broncos’ decision to go for it on fourth and five said it all about how far this unit has fallen. Yet when I asked three defenders about that play, only one – LB Michael Boley – showed any emotion about the decision, viewing it as a slap in the face.
Which brings me to my final point. This team is in deep denial right now. They sit there week after week, loss after loss, and tell the media that they’re a good football team. Their head coach tells the media about how well they practices and how they spent quality meeting time. Well it’s just not translating onto the field as a collective group. If it was just a handful of guys not “getting it,” then okay, but for the entire team to look so uninspred and so ill-preapred, well, I have to lay that at the feet of the coaching staff.
While it’s still possible for the Giants to earn a playoff spot, I’m really starting to believe that they’d be much better off not making the playoffs as there are far too many holes on this team that just cannot be fixed in a week or two.
MUSINGS
Know that timeout the Giants took on the second play of the game? Whaddya bet that caused head cach Tom Coughlin to hesitate on challenging that incomplete pass by Hakeem Nicks on the next possession? Eli Manning, who did a better job last week of snapping the ball with several seconds left on the clock, was right back to running the play clock down to the nub, hence that timeout.
Coughlin and Manning, after the game, said that the radio signal went out on them and Manning elected to take a timeout rather than take a delay of game penalty. Just a sign of things to come for the Giants this week.
Think Denver had any respect for the Giants’ defense? All you need to know regarding the answer to that question is that with fourth and five, on the 29, Denver went for it and connected with TE Tony Scheffler for a 22-yard pick up, as he beat Michael Boley in coverage.
INJURIES/LINEUP CHANGES
GIANTS: In addition to LB Antonio Pierce (neck) and RB Ahmad Bradshaw (ankles); the Giants inactives were OL Guy Whimper and Adam Koets; CB Kevin Dockery; WR Sinorice Moss; WR Ramses Barden; and CB DJ Johnson
LB Antonio Pierce, who has been sidelined indefinitely by a bulging disc in his neck, will remain inactive noted orthopedic surgeon Dr. Robert Watkins concurred with the original diagnosis of rest. Pierce is hoping that the disc will ultimately shrink to where he won’t need surgery. Originally the prognosis was six week; my understanding is that that prognosis is still the case.
No word on whether injured reserve has been discussed for Pierce, but it wouldn’t surprise me if it happens. Pierce, who visits Dr. Watkins in Los Angeles, didn’t make the stopover in Denver to be with his teammates for their Thursday night game.
RB Danny Ware has informed the team that he wants to be known as “DJ Ware” from this point forward. DJ is apparently what his family has always called him to avoid confusion with his father, who is also named Danny.
So for those keeping score of the roster at home, that’s five Johnsons; two DJs; a Manning and a Manningham; a Ross, Boss, and Moss; and a Hedgecock in a pear tree.
Michael Boley, last week’s NFC Defensive Player of the Game, was this week’s defensive captain. The two game day captains were Rich Seubert and Domenik Hixon.
Corey Webster bruised left knee in second quarter, but returned to the game. TE Darcy Johnson left for a brief period to have his shoulder X-rayed, but he too returned to the game.
S Michael Johnson suffered a groin strain in the second quarter and did not return. He was replacfed by CC Brown, at the strong safety spot.
Ware suffered a concussion late in the third quarter and did not return. He was replaced by rookie Gartrell Johnson. He seemed cohesive after the game, but teams of course are being more cautious with concussions, so Ware’s status remains up in the air.
DENVER: Tom Brandstanter, 3rd QB; T Ryan Harris (toe); RB LaMont Jordan (back); WR Kenny McKinley; OG Seth Olsen; DL Chris Baker; WR Brandon Lloyd; LB Jarvis Moss.
THE FINAL WORD
If there’s a bright side to this whole fiasco it’s that the Giants don’t have to play again for ten days. We all saw what happened the last time the team had an extended break, so who knows? Maybe the extra time off will help them finally get their act together as they prepare for three straight games against NFC teams which are going to be critical in determining ho gets a wild card spot.
