Big Blue Review: Giants @ Cowboys

The Giants entered week seven on the back of a 27-0 humbling at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles and responded with a shrug and a whimper rather than a necessary emphatic performance at AT&T Stadium on Sunday.

The Giants walked into Philadelphia aware that, if they pulled off wins in their next two weeks, they would enter the bye week 5-2, with three wins over division rivals and a firm hold of the NFC East. Dallas and Philadelphia have looked good this season, but close wins over poor teams have led some to question how strong they really are.

But both Dallas and Philadelphia are too good for New York, and Sunday was a reminder to all that the Giants are not yet contenders. The Giants had hoped that the script would be that of the plucky underdogs bloodying the nose of the playground bullies, but it played out more like a horror movie.

If the Philadelphia game was a crushing capitulation, it was a case of 'good, but not good enough' against the Dallas Cowboys. The Giants had pressured Tony Romo (Jason Pierre-Paul had a phenomenal game, besting Tyron Smith for two sacks, six tackles and three hits/hurries), kept DeMarco Murray and Dez Bryant in check, showed some offensive prowess of their own and went into half time tied 14-14.

One thing that had categorically not worked in the first half was the run game. The offensive line simply could not run block, and yet Tom Coughlin and Ben McAdoo religiously stuck with rushing on first down, even when Eli Manning had the time necessary to pass all over the Cowboys' defence. I understand that you cannot simply abandon the run altogether, but I'd have expected to see the ratio of pass plays to run players edge in favour of the former while chasing the game. It led to a lot of 3rd-and-long situations, and quick passes could have both neutralised the Cowboys blitzing defence and put the ball into the hands of the Giants' most dangerous playmaker - Odell Beckham, Jr.

Coaching can also be called into question when discussing the Giants' discipline. If Tom Coughlin's time in New York can be given a storyline, it is that of a harsh disciplinarian who tapped into his softer side, won the locker room over, and led the team to victory in Super Bowl XLII. Despite this, he has always preached mental toughness and maturity, so it is surprising to find the Giants so plagued by indiscipline. Larry Donnell fumbled twice on Sunday (one of which sealed the Giants' fate), and the offensive line had another night to forget, with Will Beatty responsible for two drive-killing penalties.

These issues are all, fortunately, correctable. What isn't, however, are injuries. The Giants have thus far lost David Wilson, Jerrel Jernigan, Victor Cruz, Trumaine McBride and Walter Thurmond III to season (or in Wilsons' case, career) ending injuries. On top of that Geoff Schwartz will be out of action until at least week nine, and Rashad Jennings, Jon Beason and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie are all hugely limited by injuries of their own. The Giants are a middle-of-the-road team, and now they are a middle-of-the-road team with an increasingly depleted roster. It's not a good position for any team to be in.

Tom Coughlin's men could pull off an upset at home later in the season, but for now Big Blue are 3-4, and have a number of major issues that need to be corrected before Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts roll into MetLife stadium in week nine.

Put simply, the Giants are what everyone expected. The three-game win streak raised expectations - and power ranking positions - through the roof, but ultimately the giants are a team still very much in the process of rebuilding. The pieces are there to be successful, and 3-4 is a better record than the 1-6 record they had in 2013, but the 2014 Giants are an incomplete team that will feast on weak teams and come undone against the tougher teams on their schedule.

Big Blue Review: New York Giants v Atlanta Falcons

With a 30-20 win over the Atlanta Falcons, the New York Giants advanced to 3-2 and a +.500 record for the first time since the end of the 2012 season - officially making all that talk of Eli being benched and Coughlin being fired a thing of the past.

The Falcons' visit to Metlife Stadium really was a game of two halves. The first half saw the Atlanta Falcons' first-ranked offense move the ball with relative ease. The Falcons' were suffering from a depleted offensive line void of key starters in Joe Hawley, Lamar Holmes, Justin Blalock and Sam Baker, but the makeshift unit still managed to frustrate the Giants' defensive line - a performance that was underscored by a clinical ten-yard touchdown run by Steven Jackson in the first quarter. Julio Jones bested Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie for eight catches and 88 yards, and Matt Ryan finished the first half going 17-of-27 for 166 yards, without being sacked once.

Giants' fans would have been concerned by the re-emergence of the self-defeating New York Giants in the first half. In a bizarre sequence of events, Quentin Demps picked off Matt Ryan on third down before fumbling the ball on the return, and a Prince Amukamara penalty gave the Falcons great field position and a first down. The defence forced a punt before a roughing the punter penalty on Jason Pierre-Paul gave the Falcons yet another first down. The defence were competitively quiet in the first half, but still managed to hold the Falcons to just one touchdown.

The Giants' emerged after half time trailing 13-10, and did so a team transformed. The Giants' class of 2014 made a huge impact, with 2014 Heisman Trophy finalist, and fourth round draft pick, Andre Williams rushing for a touchdown after Rashad Jennings went down injured. Williams ran hard all afternoon, and ran over Falcons defenders on many of his carries. Odell Beckham, Jr. finally made his Giants' debut after a preseason of injury and almost no practices. He was moved all over the offense, and early in the second half showed exactly how dangerous he can be when he got open with ease on consecutive plays. Only an overthrown pass by Eli Manning - who was otherwise consistently calm and composed - and a defensive penalty prevented them from being touchdowns. Beckham Jr. finally found the endzone in the fourth quarter with a 15 yard pass from Manning.

The defence raised their game as well, with the Falcons' offensive line finally overwhelmed by their defensive counterparts. Jason Pierre-Paul was phenomenally disruptive - repeatedly hurrying Ryan and causing penalties. Robert Ayers and Jonathan Hankins continued their good form, with the latter effectively sealing the win with a sack on fourth down late in the game. As a unit they hit Matt Ryan eight times. The Giants' were exposed at linebacker, however, with the group seemingly unable to cope with screens or short routes by running backs out of the backfield - a deficiency disguised by the dominance of the line and secondary.

The Falcons may have also been 2-2, but this win legitimises the Giants. It proves that their offence works against a tough defence, it proves they can win in the fourth quarter (they trailed 21-10 with 21 minutes left), and it proves that the defence can keep up with the best in the league. It also validates - for now - the selection of Odell Beckham Jr. in the first round. Even though their opponents have a combined twelve wins (at the time of writing) compared to the Cowboys (nine wins) and Eagles (seven wins), the Giants are still being viewed as the runts of the litter in the NFC East. This win should have changed that perception for the time being.

Big Blue Review: New York Giants v Houston Texans

When the 2014 season fixtures were announced, Giants fans were buoyed by three winnable (but not necessarily easy) games against Detroit, Arizona and Houston. In week one the Giants fell victim to the high-powered offence of the Lions, and in week two they collapsed against the Cardinals on the back of a plethora of farcical self-inflicted wounds including fumbles, dropped passes and special teams blunders.

They also picked up injuries to key players such as Jon Beason, Devon Kennard and Walter Thurmond III, weakening a side already hindered by the absence of Odell Beckham, Jr. and Geoff Schwartz.

So the Giants came into week three in desperate need of a win, and the odds were not exactly in their favour. They had floundered to a disappointing 0-2 record while the Texans, last seasons' worst team, were 2-0. In 2007, the Giants lost their first two games before rallying after a change in approach from Tom Coughlin. This week, Coughlin allowed rap music to be played during practice to lighten the mood. Ultimately it seemed to have made a difference.

Despite this, the game got off to a bad start, and it looked as if the ridiculous errors from the Cardinals' game were to continue. After a long drive, tight end Larry Donnell fumbled the ball on the Texans' five-yard line, and on the next series the usually-reliable Zak DeOssie snapped the ball over kicker Josh Adams' head. Two long drives, and no points scored. The Giants should have been 10-0 up, but had nothing to show for it.

Eli Manning was clattered by J.J. Watt early on; fans would be forgiven for thinking that it would be a long day for the Giants offensive line, but the much-maligned unit emerged as the catalysts for the Giants' first win of the season. They paved the way for a 176 yard, one touchdown performance by Rashad Jennings, and kept the Texans' defensive line at bay as Eli Manning completed 21 of 28 passes for 234 yards and two touchdowns.

The Giants' offense has been described all-too-often as a "work in progress", this game appeared to see them finally clicking. It wasn't the prettiest performance, but it was effective and showcased how dangerous the Giants can be under Ben McAdoo.

Victor Cruz appeared to redeem himself after his error-strewn game against the Cardinals with five catches for 107 yards and a touchdown.

His return to form was mirrored by that of Jason Pierre-Paul. Both are vital players and the Giants need both to be at their best if the team are to succeed. Pierre-Paul was everywhere, and although he didn't pick up a sack, he was able to frustrate Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Texans' run game for much of the afternoon.

The defensive line will be frustrated to have left a number of sacks on the field, but credit should be given to Fitzpatrick, who proved to be quite elusive when pressured, rushing for a late touchdown. The Giants secondary can be pleased with a performance that saw Antrel Rolle, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Prince Amukamara all intercept Fitzpatrick, who had not turned the ball over in the first two games.

The Giants are still their own worst enemy, however. The 30-17 scoreline could have been 40-17 if not for two avoidable errors early in the game, Amukamara and Rodgers-Cromartie both dropped an interception each, and another miscommunication in the secondary allowed Damaris Johnson to score a huge 44 yard touchdown pass that slashed the Giants' lead to just seven points. That touchdown came on the back of a large gain by running back Alfred Blue, who took advantage of a

In all, this was a convincing win with some correctable errors still remaining. The Texans were void of their biggest offensive threat, running back Arian Foster, and the Giants will still likely struggle against the tougher teams on their schedule. However, after a dire preseason and a poor season opener, the G-Men needed a performance to prove that their new offense can work. Eli Manning asserted that the 2014 Giants are better than the 2013 Giants; they needed a performance to support that theory. They got one.
The Giants go into a short week and a Thursday Night Football game against the Washington Redskins, crucially, with some momentum behind them, and it would seem that the rumours of Eli Manning's demise were greatly exaggerated.

Big Blue Review: New York Giants v Arizona Cardinals

Sorry everyone, no Manningface this week.

Why? Because even though the Giants were their own worst enemy this week, we can absolve Eli Manning of all blame in this "nightmare" start to the season. The Lions game got out of hand early on, and little seemed to click for the G-Men, which makes this week's loss all the more painful. The Giants did click, and they did so - albeit in an unattractive fashion - for the majority of the game; of course, the biggest difference between the Giants and the Cardinals on Sunday was that the Cards took their chances when they were there.

The first quarter was a particularly rough affair for the Giants. Frequently the Giants' defence would force third-and-long, only for the Cardinals' playmakers (notably John Brown and Andre Ellington) to convert these opportunities for first downs. The offensive line play was also poor, with Eli Manning unable to find a rhythm early on as a result of pressure from the Cardinals notoriously physical (even without Darnell Dockett and John Abraham) defensive line.

So, a bad start for Big Blue, but their fate was still far from decided. After two strong quarters in which the offense scored two touchdowns on long drives and the defense held the Cardinals scoreless, the Giants were undone in two fleeting moments of madness that unquestionably turned the tide of the game for the worse. Ted Ginn, Jr. stunned Metlife Stadium into silence with a phenomenal 71-yard punt return in the fourth quarter, and on the ensuing kickoff Quintin Demps handed the ball back to the Cardinals with a fumble. Prior to the Ted Ginn, Jr. 'incident', the Giants had allowed only 33 yards on punt returns. They gave up 71 in one nightmarish moment, and the Cardinals were back - inexplicably - in the driving seat.

Eli Manning said it best: "we've got a one-point lead, and the next time we touch the ball, we're down eight".

From there on the game became a comedy of errors. Preston Parker slipped in the endzone, with Patrick Peterson almost picking Eli Manning off as a result, and on the next play Rashad Jennings capped another potential scoring drive by falling over and fumbling the ball.

The Cardinals could only manage a field goal, and with nearly five minutes on the clock the Giants had time to salvage the game. Chasing the lead, the Giants understandably turned to their receivers and were let down spectacularly. This was the toughest pill to swallow, and Victor Cruz and Rueben Randle either failed to make crucial catches or dropped balls that hit them in the hands. Cruz dropped three passes - one of which was for a potentially huge gain prior to the Ginn, Jr. punt return, and another that would have given the Giants a big first down late in the day.

It wasn't all bad though, and Eli Manning rightly commented that there were signs of improvement. The result and the implosion in the fourth quarter had 'Same Old Giants' written in bold neon signage all over them, but in the second and third quarters the Giants showed exactly what type of team they can be.

Despite some early shakiness defending the run and a perplexing plethora of penalties from the secondary, the Giants defence gelled as the game went on.
Jason Pierre-Paul and the Giants' pass rush put pressure on Drew Stanton with ten hits and four sacks, but - to a composed Stanton's credit - were unable to force a turnover. The Giants stopped the Cardinals plenty on third down, and often forced third-and-long situations, but were unable to force a single interception or fumble. Almost all of the Giants' turnovers were self-inflicted wounds, but Cardinals defenders were always there to make plays when the opportunities presented themselves.

After a week one disaster that saw Matt Stafford pile 346 yards and two touchdowns on the Giants' secondary, that same unit held the potentially lethal duo of Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd to just 70 yards and no scores.

Another sign of encouragement for Giants fans was the continued emergence of Larry Donnell. Fans were left despairing after an offseason that left the team without a clear starting tight end, but over the first two games Donnell has emerged as the team's best pass-catching threat. Manning looked to Donnell often and the second-year pro caught seven passes for 81 yards.

As always, any review of a Giants game starts and ends with Eli Manning. The Giants' beleaguered signal-caller has felt the wrath of many (misguided) fans this week, who for some reason feel fit to lay the blame for the team's struggles at Manning's feet.

He quietly had a strong outing, with two picks (one bounced off the shoulder pads of an Arizona lineman, the other a desperation throw when the game was all but lost) unfairly underlining a game in which he often led the Giants on long drives into Cardinals' territory. He spread the ball around well, put the ball in tight spots and placed the Giants in scoring positions, with the game highlighting just how methodically dangerous (also known as 'Peytonesque') he can be when given time by his offensive line. Manning finished 26-of-39 for 277 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

This game wasn't a question of 'who wanted it more?' - a ridiculous philosophy I don't subscribe to because, at this level, everyone 'wants it more' - but several players on both sides of the ball need to at least look like they are trying to win the game. The Cardinals were unspectacular but smart, opportunistic and mistake-free. Sometimes that's all you need to win in the NFL, and it's what the Giants should aspire to be right now.

Four Young Giants Poised to Rise Up In 2014

Giants football returns - finally! - after one of the most disappointing years in recent memory. It was a Giant dud of a season, filled with interceptions from Eli Manning, a decimated offensive line, a patchwork running backs unit, injuries to key players, a disappearing act by the talented Hakeem Nicks and an ineffective pass rush that produced only 34 sacks.

An unforgivable season for a proud organisation not accustomed to losing. The offseason saw a drastic overhaul on both sides of the ball, and many long-term coaches and players were released. Ben McAdoo replaces the much-derided Kevin Gilbride as offensive coordinator and has brought with him a revamped offensive staff, and Jerry Reese indulged in a shopping spree that brought in big-name free agents including Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Geoff Schwartz and Rashad Jennings.

The G-Men looked to get younger on both sides of the football, and this season a group of relatively unknown or unheralded rookie, sophomore and third year players will be thrust into the spotlight as they look to take the reigns at a host of key positions for the Giants.

David Wilson

If you were to turn the clocks back exactly one year, David Wilson would likely have been featured on many articles just like this one. Wilson may have failed to live up to his billing as a first round draft pick, but the physically gifted running back has been cleared to play by doctors, and is now operating in a scheme that that suits his talents far better than the last. Despite the arrival of Rashad Jennings and rookie Andre Williams, Ben McAdoo's west coast offense will likely utilise Wilson in the passing game, where he should feature heavily. With the potential to break off huge runs from swing and screen passes, he is certainly athletic enough to become a nightmare for defences.

Jonathan Hankins

While the departure of Linval Joseph to Minnesota was painful, the presence of Hankins means the Giants won't miss him too badly. The second-year defensive tackle from Ohio State boasts prototypical 1-technique size and in his rookie season, with limited opportunities, demonstrated he has what it takes to be a more-than-effective run-stopper. With vastly increased playing time, fans can expect Hankins to establish himself as one of the league's best run-stopping defensive tackles.

Devon Kennard

Damontre Moore could have been an option here, but the arrival of Robert Ayers makes the defensive end position a bit of a grey area, so I've opted for a more 'left-field' choice.
Only yesterday I wrote about the replacements for Jon Beason, identifying the now-injured (albeit not severely) Jameel McClain as the leading candidate for the temporary vacancy. Thankfully they may have discovered a gem in fifth round draft pick Devon Kennard. Kennard has a chance to stamp his name on the middle linebacker spot if Beason and McClain miss extended time this season, and if that situation doesn't unfold he could realistically start at either of the outside 'backer positions. Big (6'3", 251 lbs), hard-hitting and - most importantly - intelligent, the USC product has everything it takes to breakout this season.

Adrien Robinson

In the eyes of most fans and analysts, the Giants have no starting tight end. Following the loss of Martellus Bennett prior to last season and the disappointing Brandon Myers in February, there has been no clear starter at the position. In Kellen Davis, Larry Donnell, Daniel Fells, Xavier Grimble and Adrien Robinson, the Giants have five players with legitimate shots at earning the starting job, but only one has true breakout potential. Adrien Robinson was a raw prospect out of Cincinnati in 2012 (he only caught 29 passes in his entire college career) and remains an unknown quantity in his third season, but possesses all of the physical tools necessary to become an elite NFL tight end. He is easily compared to Denver's Julius Thomas which, given the enormity of the  Bronco's performance last year, is certainly a welcome one.

Fixing The New York Giants

The New York Giants' season is officially over. Their lifeless, "pathetic", 23-0 shutout at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks last weekend put the final nail in the coffin and had Giants fans turning their gaze towards next season.

Ask a fan what he or she thinks the Giants can do to turn things around next season and there's a very good chance that the first thing they'll say is 'fire Kevin Gilbride'. It might not be as simplistic as that, but 'fixing' the Giants starts with the coaching staff - and they should clear house.

Tom Coughlin's past achievements speak for themselves and he has done a great job of keeping the Giants competitive in spite of their many flaws, but I think Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor has a point when he says that Coughlin has done everything he can for the organisation. Firing him isn't an option - he has earned the right to call time on his career whenever he wants - but this season might be the one to retire after. Conversely if the Giants are going to rebuild, having Coughlin steer the ship wouldn't be a bad idea.

Regardless, the majority of the coaches beneath him need to go; his coordinators - Kevin Gilbride, Perry Fewell and Tom Quinn - have been repeatedly out-coached this season and the Giants will not be contenders if they retain them. Gilbride has enjoyed consistent success in New York, but the Giants' offensive production has regressed in recent years with a difficult-to-execute but easily-defended scheme.

Even so, there is only so much a coach can do - and much of the Giants' struggles this year have been down to the personnel on the field. Many are - through no fault of their own - just not good enough, and some (Hakeem Nicks) have all the talent in the world but aren't playing at a level expected of them.

The good news is that there are a number of young players - including Jason Pierre Paul, Victor Cruz, Prince Amukamara, Linval Joseph, John Conner, Justin Pugh, Rueben Randle, Damontre Moore, Will Hill and Jacquian Williams - around whom Jerry Reese can build a contender.

Much of the Giants' struggles have come from a sizeable number of ineffective veteran starters. If we're 'fixing' the team, guys like Chris Snee, David Diehl, David Baas, Mathias Kiwanuka, Brandon Jacobs and Corey Webster will be finished in New York and others - like Justin Tuck, Kevin Boothe, Mike Patterson and Trumaine McBride - have some value (somewhere close to veteran's minimum) but their days are numbered. Short-term contracts will see important locker room leaders like Tuck help ease the transition, but salary cap restrictions mean that Antrel Rolle would, despite his superlative play this season, be leaving the team.

Without Rolle, and with an offensive line in desperate need of repair, it is vitally important the Giants spend the money they do have (expected to be somewhere around $28 million) wisely in free agency. So who do they go after? The interior offensive line has been a liability all season, and I think Jerry Reese needs to make a move for some underrated talents to fix it - Brian De La Puente (centre, New Orleans Saints) and Jon Asamoah (guard, Kansas City Chiefs) are the stand-out linemen on offer. Prince Amukamara is developing into the player the Giants hoped he would be, but the Giants should turn to the 49ers' underrated cornerback Tarell Brown to help him out.

A lot of fans and pundits are making the point that the past achievements of many Giants players and coaches means that the organisation should resist change in the hope that they once again deliver a championship. This school of thought overlooks the fact that what once worked for the Giants no longer does. The Colts, after a radical overhaul following their disastrous 2011 campaign, made the playoffs in 2012 and 2013. The Chiefs, after posting a 2-14 record in 2012, are 11-4 in 2013. These teams, along with other contenders such as the Seahawks, 49ers, Eagles and Dolphins, experienced major personnel overhauls within the last three years and prove that - in today's NFL - you have to adapt or die.