By Alex Lewin - InReeseWeTrust.com 11/3/09
I don't really know where to begin. It looked all so bright, all so glamorous a season was upon us. Five weeks in, Giants fans were thinking Super Bowl. Three weeks later, we are thinking top 10 pick. Ok, I won't go that far, but what the Giants showed me and everyone else out there on Sunday is that they are not ready to compete anytime soon. To list the things that went wrong during the game would be like listing all of the words in the dictionary. Whether it was C.C Brown, or Eli, or Pierce, or Osi pretty much everyone laid an egg in the game.
Let's start with the first drive of the game. The Eagles get the ball, and on the third play run 41 yards WITH THE FULLBACK. In my life as a Giants fan and as a fan of the NFL and college Football I HAVE NEVER IN MY LIFE SEEN A FULLBACK RUN 41 YARDS FOR A TOUCHDOWN. I was flabbergasted, shocked, disgusted, embarrassed all rolled into one. Still, I turned to my buddies watching the game and said, "first drive, no big deal, you know what [Michael] Strahan used to say, 'the first drive you always felt out your opponent.' No big deal." Wrong. Two plays later Eli threw a great pass to Asante Samuel, the only problem being Samuel is on the Eagles not the Giants, and ran 30 yards to set up a first and goal for Philly. The Giants actually did a good job forcing 3rd and 18 and then gave up an 18 yard pass for a touchdown TO THE TIGHT END. We are not talking about Antonio Gates or Tony Gonzalez, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT BRENT CELEK, TOM SELLECK's LONG LOST BROTHER. Even though we blocked the extra point, you knew it was over. 13-0 not even five minutes went by.
But then the Giants do what they do best, reel you in, and cut it to 16-7 and they were getting the ball to start the second half. So what do they do? Exactly what I predicted them to do, give up a Touchdown. But then they proceeded TO GIVE UP ANOTHER TOUCHDOWN to end the half down 30-7. AND THEN THEY FUMBLED TO START THE SECOND HALF!!! This game was very reminiscent to the game vs. the Saints way back in 2006, when the Giants were in their annual late season collapse and lost 30-7 to the Saints at home breaking out the fire Coughlin chants. The game was over after the first, and the Saints kept piling it on, sort of like this game.
Here is what bothered me about this game, not that they lost, not even that they were blown out, because I have seen that way too many times with the Giants before. It was the fact they did not seem to care. Down 33-17 after a big defensive play and a touchdown by the offense, they were practically still in the game. But there was no emotion, no trying to fight back nothing. It got even worse when they went down 40-17 and they were not even in the two minute or hurry up offense. They just did not seem to care. So you know what, why should I? I give everything to this team, my money, my passion, basically my soul, and they go out there and disrespect me like that. Not by losing don't get me wrong, but by NOT CARING, NOT TRYING TO WIN. I was going to make the 4 hour trip from Syracuse to the Meadowlands this weekend to see my beloved G-Men take on the Chargers, but you know what, I decided not to. I decided not to because they betrayed me in this game by not trying to win. By quitting in the first half and by not showing up in the 2nd. If you quit, I quit, and that was my stance with the Knicks for years, and is my stance as of now with this team. Now, is the season over? Absolutely not. The Giants are still a very good organization, and Coughlin is a very good coach and the Giants have very good personnel. However, here is what I think they need to do to succeed this season.
-Take away the offensive play call duties from Kevin Gilbride. Gilbride has been atrocious since he has got here. Sure he has had his moments, but for the most part his play calling has been bland and very predictable. This year, it has been downright Jon Hufangel esc. Let Coughlin call the plays, open up the offense and GET THE BALL TO HAKEEM NICKS.
-Fire Bill Sheridan. I am being serious, I would fire him immediately. Against the Cowboys, Saints, Cardinals, and Eagles (all the good teams we have played) the defense has been awful. They are out of place, and the calls are putrid. For example, on DeSean Jackson's Touchdown to make it 23-7 why are they playing Cover 2? They need to prevent a Touchdown, even a field goal is fine, play Cover three or prevent, but no, they play Cover 2, Jackson runs by everyone including CC "Cant Cover" Brown and scores and effectively ends the game. Have Mike Waufle the D-line coach for many years run the defense. But most likely keep Sheridan and then fire him at year's end. The linebackers were never good to begin with, so why would you promote the linebackers coach as your defensive coordinator?
- Choose an identity? What do the Giants want to be, are they a running team like last year, or they a passing team like the first couple of games? What are they? The Giants need to choose an identity and fast.
- Do something with CC Brown. The loss of Kenny Phillips was gigantic, something I did not realize at the time, and this is evident by the play of CC Brown. I do not kid when I say this, CC Brown is slowly becoming one of the worst Giants of all time. The blown assignments and bad reads he makes are PATHETIC. After watching him play I am shocked he is in the NFL. I thought Frank Walker was bad, this guy makes Walker look like Deion Sanders.
- Make it easy for Eli. We all know Eli had the most success when the offense was simple during the magical Super Bowl run in 2007. Right now he is trying to do too much. Which gets me to my next point. I am sitting there and it finally, after all these years hits me: Eli Manning will never be a great quarterback EVER. He is extremely clutch, and is capable of winning a Super Bowl, maybe even two, but he will NEVER BE GREAT. He misses so many throws and so many reads that guys like his brother, Brady, Brees, Rothlisberger, even Favre don't miss. Take that throw down the middle to Boss he missed. The throw to Moss he missed. Nicks was wide open for a touchdown and Eli did not see him. I love Eli, but I am sorry the guy is never going to be great. They had to give him that $100 million contract because he is good enough to lead them in the future, but he will never be a top 5 quarterback, and never somebody who will make all the throws when you need him to.
The Giants have a long road ahead, but there is plenty of time to right the ship. The next five of eight games are at home, a place they have not played all year it seems, so maybe they can step things up there. We will see, but as of now, you cannot be confident in this New York Giants team.
Alex Lewin can also be read at ineptfassel.blogspot.com
