The Giants three weeks ago were sitting at 6-2 with the division looking to be a formality, the Cowboys switching Qbs, the Eagles coming off a few bad losses, and the Redskins all but dead and buried. Three weeks and three losses later and the Giants are on the cusp of not making the players, so what in the world happened to the Giants.
Injury Bug
It all started with the season ending injury to LaVar Arrington and increased at an exponential rate. Soon following the Giants lost half of their starting defense including both ends Umenyiora and Strahan who were very much responsible for the Giants 2005 success and who were just beginning to garner a dominant 2006 pass rush. Soon after the defense passed the virus to the opposite side of the ball and reliable receiver Amani Toomer was lost for the year and followed by the loss at the all important left tackle position when Luke Petitgout was lossed for the remainder of the regular season. Its one thing to continue winning through a few injuries but when you suffer major injury after major injury to every position and especially the defensive and offensive fronts of course your team is going to struggle to win. You suffer 9, 10 injuries to your starters and you're not going to beat good teams like the Bears.
Effort
You can't question the effort levels of most players on the field but you can of one particular New York Giant, and his name is Plaxico Burress. Burress in back to back weeks gave up on passes down the field that were intercepted, if you're going to desire your quarterback to just throw it up so you can make plays, how can you possibly give up on the ball. Effort receivers and intelligent ones, break up the pass which was intercepted by Pac-Man this weekend and in both cases they make the tackle and do not allow for a big return. Plaxico on the other hand lolligags after the cornerback, gets pouty faced and brings down the team. He needs a kick in the ass.
Attitude
The Giants have two offensive players in Plaxico and Shockey who want the ball at all costs and turn into pains in the ass when they do not get balls thrown their way. Sure everyone is happy when the offense is clicking on all cylinders but when they don't get first downs obviously one or both will not be getting balls, which leads to heads slumping down or bitching on the sidelines, can't be good for the teams psyche.
Finger Pointing
One way to tell a team that is going in the wrong direction is the team speak. After the loss to Jacksonville on Monday Night Tiki Barber came out and moaned that the coaching staff gave up on the run. Tiki you gained 27 yards on 10 carries, that's horrible. If you gain 2 yards on first down, how do you expect your team to get first downs, when you don't get first downs you can't run the ball. Look in the Mirror, Tiki points the finger at others way to much.
Tom Coughlin then gets upset at this of course as any coach would. And what does he do the following week, well of course he throws Eli Manning under the bus saying how stupid he was for making that pass in the 4th quarter and that it was inexcusable. You know what was inexcusable Tom, you losing your cool and flipping out at Kiwanuka after his bonehead play when the Titans still had 57 yards to drive in order to just tie the game. Quite hypocritical there Tommy.
Team Leadership and Coaching
Obviously Eli Manning does not have the greatest leadership skills for this team. His receivers abuse him on the sideline when they don't get the ball and he doesn't seem to have the personality to confront them on the sideline and get them to shut up.
Coughlin has seemingly lost the discipline of his team further exploiting the attitude problems of Shockey and Burress. Furthermore he loses his cool during the game and seemingly panics on the sideline which certainly can't give the Giants players a sense of confidence. And if there is something that Eli appears to be lacking more than anything its confidence on his throws. Coughlin currently is doing a terrible job and his coaching in the 4th quarter on sunday was atrocious.
Personally, I believe he underutilizes Brandon Jacobs who is as fast as anyone on the field a bigger than any linebacker, he should get a minimum of ten carries a game.
Eli Manning's Accuracy
The first half of the season Manning appeared to have turned the corner and was completing passes at an almost 60% clip, the lst three games, quite the opposite. His turnovers are up and he is beginning to float balls high much like he did in his struggles of the past. In order for the Giants to click, his accuracy needs to return. This corals the attitudes of Burress and Shockey, helps move the chains and get Tiki rushing attempts so he has no excuses and puts points on the boards.
The Fix All
So what could possibly be the Fix All to the Giants woes, and get Giant fans back on the bandwagon. Simply enough all they have to do is beat the hottest team in the league, the Cowboys, at home this week. They do that and they move back into first place in the East, firmly establish a footing in the Wild Card standings and get back on the right track. In order to do that they need Eli to play very well, and they need to slow down the immortal Tony Romo, two tasks that seem improbable as we stand now, but eventually both are going to happen. One thing to their benefit it looks as if a few injured players including Osi will be back this weekend.
The Saving Grace
So even if they lose this weekend what do the Giants have working in their favor, well the NFC is absolutely terrible. Even at 6-6 they would still be positioned at no worst than tied for the final wild card spot in the NFC, with teams the likes of Minnesota, San Fran, Atlanta or St. Louis, not exactly world beaters. If the Giants can get their roster back to somewhat healthy and can get atleast one win in the upcoming two weeks, they should have no problem sneaking into the playoffs.
Injury Bug
It all started with the season ending injury to LaVar Arrington and increased at an exponential rate. Soon following the Giants lost half of their starting defense including both ends Umenyiora and Strahan who were very much responsible for the Giants 2005 success and who were just beginning to garner a dominant 2006 pass rush. Soon after the defense passed the virus to the opposite side of the ball and reliable receiver Amani Toomer was lost for the year and followed by the loss at the all important left tackle position when Luke Petitgout was lossed for the remainder of the regular season. Its one thing to continue winning through a few injuries but when you suffer major injury after major injury to every position and especially the defensive and offensive fronts of course your team is going to struggle to win. You suffer 9, 10 injuries to your starters and you're not going to beat good teams like the Bears.Effort
You can't question the effort levels of most players on the field but you can of one particular New York Giant, and his name is Plaxico Burress. Burress in back to back weeks gave up on passes down the field that were intercepted, if you're going to desire your quarterback to just throw it up so you can make plays, how can you possibly give up on the ball. Effort receivers and intelligent ones, break up the pass which was intercepted by Pac-Man this weekend and in both cases they make the tackle and do not allow for a big return. Plaxico on the other hand lolligags after the cornerback, gets pouty faced and brings down the team. He needs a kick in the ass.
Attitude
The Giants have two offensive players in Plaxico and Shockey who want the ball at all costs and turn into pains in the ass when they do not get balls thrown their way. Sure everyone is happy when the offense is clicking on all cylinders but when they don't get first downs obviously one or both will not be getting balls, which leads to heads slumping down or bitching on the sidelines, can't be good for the teams psyche.
Finger Pointing
One way to tell a team that is going in the wrong direction is the team speak. After the loss to Jacksonville on Monday Night Tiki Barber came out and moaned that the coaching staff gave up on the run. Tiki you gained 27 yards on 10 carries, that's horrible. If you gain 2 yards on first down, how do you expect your team to get first downs, when you don't get first downs you can't run the ball. Look in the Mirror, Tiki points the finger at others way to much.
Tom Coughlin then gets upset at this of course as any coach would. And what does he do the following week, well of course he throws Eli Manning under the bus saying how stupid he was for making that pass in the 4th quarter and that it was inexcusable. You know what was inexcusable Tom, you losing your cool and flipping out at Kiwanuka after his bonehead play when the Titans still had 57 yards to drive in order to just tie the game. Quite hypocritical there Tommy.
Team Leadership and Coaching
Obviously Eli Manning does not have the greatest leadership skills for this team. His receivers abuse him on the sideline when they don't get the ball and he doesn't seem to have the personality to confront them on the sideline and get them to shut up.
Coughlin has seemingly lost the discipline of his team further exploiting the attitude problems of Shockey and Burress. Furthermore he loses his cool during the game and seemingly panics on the sideline which certainly can't give the Giants players a sense of confidence. And if there is something that Eli appears to be lacking more than anything its confidence on his throws. Coughlin currently is doing a terrible job and his coaching in the 4th quarter on sunday was atrocious.
Personally, I believe he underutilizes Brandon Jacobs who is as fast as anyone on the field a bigger than any linebacker, he should get a minimum of ten carries a game.
Eli Manning's Accuracy
The first half of the season Manning appeared to have turned the corner and was completing passes at an almost 60% clip, the lst three games, quite the opposite. His turnovers are up and he is beginning to float balls high much like he did in his struggles of the past. In order for the Giants to click, his accuracy needs to return. This corals the attitudes of Burress and Shockey, helps move the chains and get Tiki rushing attempts so he has no excuses and puts points on the boards.The Fix All
So what could possibly be the Fix All to the Giants woes, and get Giant fans back on the bandwagon. Simply enough all they have to do is beat the hottest team in the league, the Cowboys, at home this week. They do that and they move back into first place in the East, firmly establish a footing in the Wild Card standings and get back on the right track. In order to do that they need Eli to play very well, and they need to slow down the immortal Tony Romo, two tasks that seem improbable as we stand now, but eventually both are going to happen. One thing to their benefit it looks as if a few injured players including Osi will be back this weekend.
The Saving Grace
So even if they lose this weekend what do the Giants have working in their favor, well the NFC is absolutely terrible. Even at 6-6 they would still be positioned at no worst than tied for the final wild card spot in the NFC, with teams the likes of Minnesota, San Fran, Atlanta or St. Louis, not exactly world beaters. If the Giants can get their roster back to somewhat healthy and can get atleast one win in the upcoming two weeks, they should have no problem sneaking into the playoffs.
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