Seriously: If the Giants Lose Their Next Game, Their Season Is Over

In the middle of October, the New York Giants were a football team that had won 21 of its previous 26 games.

 

In the middle of November, they may be one home loss (Atlanta) away from their season coming to an unofficial end.

 

Mathematically, a 5-5 record in the floundering NFC would not eliminate the Giants by any means. But a third straight home loss to a team that has yet to beat a 10-win team on the road in the Mike Smith era would confirm what many currently believe: that the Giants are simply not good enough to earn one of six NFC playoff slots.

 

The Falcons are not a bad team by any means. With the reliable Tony Gonzalez drawing coverage away from the explosive Roddy White, the Falcons passing attack is something to be reckoned with. And after a slow start, Michael Turner has compiled 300 rushing yards in his last two games, and is on pace for twenty touchdowns.

 

But there are holes around the team that detract from the skill players, er, skills. Through eight games, Matt Ryan has thrown just one less interception than he did in all of 2008. And after a stellar first two months of the season, the offensive line has allowed Matt Ryan to be sacked ten times in his last three games.

 

Defensively, the Falcons leave something to be desired. They have relinquished nearly 370 yards per game, which is good for 24^th in the NFL. Additionally, they are ranked 31^st in defending third downs.

 

Maybe most importantly, the Falcons are 0-3 against teams with a record better than .500 in 2009, losing by a combined score of 98-58. Their record on the road is a mere 1-3.

 

While the Giants aren’t exactly world-beaters at this juncture of the season, there is certainly no reason the Giants should lose this game if they plan on making a run late in the season. And if they squander this opportunity, their season may be effectively over.

 

Yes, the Eagles were 5-5-1 before they began a memorable Super Bowl run that was stymied in Arizona. But they relied on a miracle week 17 that likely won’t be seen for a long time.

 

Couple that uphill battle with the fact that a loss to the Falcons would be the Giants fourth loss in the NFC and their prospects would be even bleaker. With a win over the Panthers on Sunday, the Falcons would march into Giants Stadium with a 6-3 record.

 

If the Giants falter once again and the Falcons leave Giants Stadium with a 7-3 record, the Giants would be effectively three games trailing one Wild Card slot with six games to go. 

 

The other Wild Card is likely to be the Philadelphia Eagles or Dallas Cowboys, whom the Giants play in back-to-back weeks in December. Each squad is playing well right now, and it is certainly realistic that whichever team doesn’t win the division will enter the playoffs via the Wild Card.

 

For the Giants to be able to pull off a miracle run following a potential loss to the Falcons, it would have to start with a flight out West on three days rest to face the Denver Broncos. Defeating the Broncos at Invesco Field is an incredibly challenging task, especially in a do-or-die situation. The Broncos biggest strength is protecting the quarterback and spreading out the field, which appears to be the kryptonite for the Giants defense. That could be a task too tough to handle.

 

Antonio Pierce, your calendar needs some tweaking. Your Super Bowl is against the Falcons, not the Chargers.

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Giants Offense May Be Their Only Hope if They Plan on Playing Into January

Some could say that with the way the Giants defense has been playing, Eli Manning’s performance doesn’t even matter.

 

Looking forward, Manning’s game may be the only thing that matters.

 

It’s hard to look ahead to the postseason right now and allocating one of the six spots to the currently floundering New York Giants. But this is a team that has not missed the playoffs as long as Manning has started from week one and boasts a resume that includes a remarkable 21 wins in 26 games since the 2007 regular season finale.

 

So let’s give them a spot, then gaze into the road ahead that likely will not contain a merciful first-round bye.

 

As a Wild Card team, the Giants potential three-game stretch that would culminate in an appearance in Miami, could be the most treacherous imaginable. The initial round could place the Giants at the site of their last playoff win; in Arizona.

 

While the Cardinals offense does not pose the same threats as the Patriots team in 2007, the Giants defense lacks the same dominating potential that was on display throughout that post season.

 

Even if they do maximize their performance, the Cardinals will be able to get into the 20s. It would be up to Eli Manning and the rest of the Giants offense to stay stride for stride with the Cardinals.

 

Manning’s play of late has conjured memories of some of his dastardly stretches that were dispersed throughout his early seasons. With the integration of several new young targets, consistency was anything but a given before the season started. But an explosive 5-0 start that lent Manning some early MVP talk, placed a heap of expectations on the Giants offense for the rest of the season; and they haven’t come close to living up to it.

 

There have been sensational plays scattered over the past month, but porous throws, miscommunications, and drops have rightfully overshadowed them. Each week the offense has progressively looked more out-of-sync and points have been hard to come by.

 

As an outsider, no one from the media nor from the couch can accurately distribute the blame. Manning has been inefficient, the play calling has been questionable, and receivers are not getting open.

 

Can these issues be solved? This will be the Giants deciding question for the season. If they are able to avenge their previous loss to the Cardinals and win on the road, their next game would be located in another dome against the New Orleans Saints or Minnesota Vikings.

 

And if the Giants are able to pull off another upset, then there will be another uphill battle against whichever team they didn’t play in the divisional round; in a dome.

 

This would virtually guarantee the Giants defense allowing at least 20 points a game;offense, the onus is on you.

 

Ideally, the running game would resurrect memories of the 2007 playoff run in which they pounded away at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, and the New England Patriots successfully to keep the defense fresh and open game for Manning. But their performance the last month has been shaky too, so the offense’s fate may be squarely on Manning’s shoulder.

 

Right now, the prospects are dim. A tantalizing three-game stretch against potentially three of the league’s most efficient quarterbacks is a scary test to ponder given the 112 points the Giants defense has relinquished the last three games.

 

However, the league does change fast and what may seem certain in November could be far from the truth as the days become shorter and the raindrops turn into snowflakes.

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Sunday Night’s Game Will Prove to Be Giants Biggest Test Yet

An October matchup consisting of two undefeated teams generally leads to an exciting affair. Prior to last Sunday, the New York Giants had won 18 of their last 21 road bouts and boasted a 5-0 record and elite rankings all across the board.

 

Meanwhile, the Saints were 4-0 and had been similarly dominating throughout the 2009 campaign. Number one offense vs. number one defense, and a variety of stars on each side of the ball to boot. A sure-fire can’t miss game for even a casual football fan.

 

Only problem was it didn’t work out that way. All that did happen was a 48-27 thrashing that conjured memories of the 45-7 beat down the Giants took from the Saints in the midst of a dreadful 0-8 stretch to close out the 2003 season.

 

Some say it was over at halftime. I say it was over before it even started.

 

I’m not going to sit here and make excuses for the Giants, who got manhandled on both sides of the ball. But I will say that the challenges that lay ahead for the Giants this Sunday will prove to bear more about the team than this past weekend.

 

Through five games, all of which impressive wins, the Giants hadn’t established an identity. It sounds like an oxymoron but it can’t be disputed. On both sides of the ball, no weaknesses had been exposed. And with the injury bug quietly running rampant around this squad, it was no secret that the Giants were from perfect heading into the showdown in the Superdome.

 

This combination, coupled with the Saints having an extra week to prepare and get amped up for the battle of unbeatens, proved to be too much to overcome for the Giants. The Saints were a great team who were clearly fired up to revive their status back to elite for the first time since 2006.

 

Conversely, the Giants had proven to be a good team while compiling victories against lower level teams. The only problem was their intensity was on cruise control. And their standards for their opponents were as low as the ratings for The T.O. Show  this past summer.

 

“It was like going from J.V. to varsity the way they were playing offensively,” said defensive tackle Barry Cofield of playing the Saints.

 

While many believe this would be a revealing test for the Giants, Sunday night’s clash with the Arizona Cardinals will prove to be the team’s first true challenge for the team in blue.

 

Now that their weaknesses have been exposed, how will they adjust? When the Cowboys running game in week two carved up the Giants, they responded by shutting out both the Buccaneers running game and entire offense in a 24-0 blowout.

 

Except that was a step (or two) down in competition. The Cardinals pose similar problems as the Saints did, with arguably better players at the skill positions.

 

And unlike last year, Kurt Warner is getting the ball off rapidly to his playmakers and letting them do the rest. Once again, the Giants defensive line won’t be able to bail out the Giants secondary. It will be up to that depleted unit to shut down one of the league’s most potent passing games.

 

There are no more excuses if the Giants defense fails to step up. The blueprint to beat Bill Sheridan’s defense has been revealed and the Giants will have the same amount of time to sure up their weaknesses as the Cardinals do to expose them.

 

By 11:30 Sunday night, we will find out how good this defense really is.

 

 

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Why The Criticism? Brandon Jacobs Is Still The Giants Go To Guy

I guess a dominating 5-0 record to open the season isn’t enough anymore.

Despite the Giants leading for a staggering 83.6% of the season, the incessant need for criticism has locked in on Brandon Jacobs and his meager 3.6 yards per carry through the first five games.

It started in week 3 when Tony Siragusa took time to digress from the Giants demolition of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to repeatedly mention Brandon Jacobs was not himself. He then explained that Jacobs has to learn how to harness his rare power and speed, a comment to which the likes of Rodney Harrison and LaRon Landry rolled their eyes in response.

Jacobs ran well the next week against the Kansas City Chiefs, but failed to compile 100 yards in 21 carries. Meanwhile, Bradshaw ran for 64 yards on twelve carries, running around and through Chiefs defenders.

Bradshaw’s shredding of the Oakland Raiders coupled with a mediocre showing by Jacobs has some believing the criticisms. If Bradshaw is averaging 10 yards a pop, how come Jacobs took three carries inside the five and failed to get into the end zone?

Simply put, the Raiders defense is designed for an Ahmad Bradshaw to thrive, not a Brandon Jacobs.

Now here’s a more elaborate explanation.

The Raiders have defined failure since Rich Gannon threw more touchdown passes in the Super Bowl to the Buccaneers then Raiders. And through each passing year, discipline and performance has declined.

Ahmad Bradshaw’s sensational runs after tucking the ball away are indeed a credit to the young back’s skills, but can also be attributed to the Raiders horrific discipline on defense. On his second touchdown run, Bradshaw made a tremendous cut to the inside and raced into the end zone untouched.

His ability to take advantage of the Raiders poor gap discipline and lack of speed allowed him to dominate this game for 165 total yards. Meanwhile, Brandon Jacobs is built to run through defenses as evidenced by his paltry 67 yards on 21 carries.

Does this make Bradshaw a better back than Jacobs at this moment? No. Jacobs has back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons and several 20+-carry games to go back on. Bradshaw has never touched the ball more than 20 times a game and has not proved he can sustain success for a full season.

Jacobs has.

These two are excellent compliments to each other, perhaps even more effective than the Jacobs-Ward combination that combined for more than 2,000 rushing yards in 2008. Jacobs still poses fear in the minds of defenders, regardless of what the numbers show.

After all, his two-yard carries that Giants fans are growing impatient of ultimately contribute to Bradshaw’s 24-yard burst in the middle of the third quarter. These two are helping each other out in the hopes of bringing home a second Lombardi in three years.

So how about you guys start enjoying 5-0?

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NFL Week Four Predictions: The Seahawks Over the Colts?

Hey guys, running short on time so I’ll skip the Week Three recap and go straight to the picks:

Week Four selections

Bucs at Redskins

Ravens at Patriots

Lions at Bears

Titans at Jaguars

Raiders at Texans

Bengals at Browns

Seahawks at Colts

Giants at Chiefs

Bills at Dolphins

Jets at Saints

Cowboys at Broncos

Rams at 49ers

Chargers at Steelers

Packers at Vikings

Season record: 30-18

 

Upset Pick

This may be a stretch, but I like Seattle over the Colts. The Colts are coming off too hard, and may be due for a letdown. Couple that with the fact they are playing a lowly regarded, out-of-conference opponent, and there’s a strong chance they take this game lightly.

Seattle gave Chicago a run for their money last week, and I expect them to do the same to the Colts on Sunday.

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NFL Week Two Review and Week Three Picks

Week two consisted of a mix of atypical and ho-hum finishes. The Patriots faltering at the expense of a very loquacious Jets team is currently classified as a shock. But down the road, when we see that this Jets team is legitimate and the Patriots don’t have the horses to protect Brady this win will not be looked upon with the same regard.

Meanwhile, under the “what else is new?” category, the Cowboys continued their trend of being unable to stand strong on the defense in historical games for their stadium, old and new. After sending out their home by giving up roughly 160 total rushing yards on two consecutive series, the Cowboys managed to send their fans home distraught in a more pedestrian fashion.

Trailing by one, Eli Manning dug himself out of a first and 20 hole and ultimately put the Giants in range for Lawrence Tynes to hit two game winning field goals. And for the second consecutive home game, Jerry Jones and his booger-laden finger were sent home with a loss that would be placed under “worst-case scenario,” had Jerry mapped out all possibilities.

Unfortunately for the Steelers, kicker Jeff Reed was unable to hit either of his game-sealing and potentially game-winning kick. And now they’ll heading to the Jungle to face a Bengals team riding high after a 31-24 victory over the Packers.

As for the Broncos, they are within striking distance of a 3-0 start as they take on the Oakland Raiders. Although the Bengals and Raiders are no gimmes, they are the teams you can get your season jumpstarted by playing. After this game, they get their first legitimate test of the year in week four as they host the Cowboys to start a brutal stretch that will span the rest of the season.

And now, after a meager 9-7 showing after a 13-3 start, here are my week three picks:

Week Three

Chiefs @ Eagles

Packers @ Rams

49ers @ Vikings

Titans @ Jets

Falcons @ Patriots

Jaguars @ Texans

Giants @ Buccanneers

Redskins @ Lions

Browns @ Ravens

Bears @ Seahawks

Saints @ Bills

Dolphins @ Chargers

Broncos @ Raiders

Steelers @ Bengals

Colts @ Cardinals

Panthers @ Cowboys

Record: 22-10

What to watch for:

Before the year I was intrigued by the 49ers. But not enough to pick them for the playoffs. Mike Singletary has imposed an attitude change there, but would that compensate for the lack of skill at skill positions? What about at quarterback?

So far, it’s been so good. A 2-0 division record against what is thought to be their main competition in the West. And now, they bring Weapon 59 against the Vikings own freak Adrian Peterson. It’s as close to a mono e mono situation that Peterson will encounter, as Willis quickly emerged from budding star to full blown mega star.

I think the 9ers take it. And if they do take the 2-0 Vikings home opener, it’s a type of win that could really let a season take off. Keep an eye out for this one.

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Eli Manning Continues to Thrive When Lights Are Brightest

For the second time since Super Bowl XLII, the Giants offense was placed in a do or die situation. Go down the field and victory shall be yours. Relinquish the ball on downs, and watch that “W” slip out of the palms of your hands, and be replaced with a less appetizing “L.”

 

As long as Eli Manning has been at the helm, the latter has been as commonplace as a quiet day out of Jets camp. Even when Manning was struggling to establish himself, the youngest Manning had been shockingly calm when the stakes were highest.

 

Although the final tally culminated in 33 points for the road team at the Jones Mahal, the offense had been erratic for most of the game. Manning will be the first to admit that there were poor decisions and equally deplorable throws that flared up throughout the game.

 

Gift-wrapping a present for Spencer that was just out of his grasp. An overthrow of a wide-open Steve Smith after evading pressure, and an under throw of him on a critical third down at midfield.

 

Manning’s same eyebrow raising throws and goofy twitch were just as prominent on Sunday night as they had been during his roller-coaster ride that spanned his first three seasons.

 

But amidst all the fanfare and sideshows that transpired in a semi-circus like fashion, Manning proved once again to a record-breaking audience (on both television and literal setting), what the Giants have known for a while now: The guy will lead you to victory.

 

The drive immediately paralleled to Big Ben’s ominous beginning of his Super Bowl drive with a questionable holding call on Rich Seubert.

 

On second and 18, Manning displayed the poise that is starting to define him. With pressure coming from his blind side, Manning calmly slid to his right and set up a manageable third down with a completion to Derek Hagan. He converted, as he did in his next opportunity. Manning threw the ball over the middle of the field with precision en route to setting up Lawrence Tynes’ game winning 37-yard field goal.

 

Michael Strahan summed it up best in a 140-word characterization of Manning on twitter: “Eli is [playing like a champion] too. Looks like a schoolboy but playing like a man.”

 

As recently as a month ago, Peter King and an array of scouts league wide analyzed aspects of the game that were considered essential for a great quarterback to have. Manning did not make his way on the top five for any of these lists.

 

Nothing Manning will ever do will catch your eye.

 

He’s not dropping in passes over triple coverage for touchdowns like his 2004 classmate Phillip Rivers did on Sunday. He may not be the secondary torching in-your-face leader that many were expecting when the Giants mortgaged their future on his shoulder. He may not rack up Pro Bowls and annually lead the league in major passing categories. He won’t be the first name to pop in your head when you plot a list of the league’s best quarterback.

 

Oh well, I guess 28-9 and a Lombardi in the last two seasons will just have to suffice.

 

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Placing Big Blue’s Giant Final Drive Under The Microscope

With 9:23 remaining in a 20-10 game, the 75,000-plus Giants fans were packed into Giants Stadium buzzing with excitement. The Giants had dominated the battle that is typically imperative to win during these NFC East bouts: ball control.

 

With a clearly worn-down Washington defense, many in the stadium—and around the nation, expected the Giants to smash the ball down the Redskins’ throats and milk the clock to seal the victory.

 

But the offensive coordinator, who is the first to receive blame when things go wrong and the last to receive credit when the offense is in peak form, had other plans.

 

Instead of placing the ball in the hands of arguably the most reliable running back combination in the league to ensure victory, Kevin Gilbride elected to win it with his wide receiver troops that have been chastised for nearly nine months.

 

The drive started at the 19-yard line, following a false start by Madison Hedgecock on first down. Instead of setting up a more reasonable third down by methodically running the ball, the Giants were aggressive. They threw the ball three straight times, risking a quick three and out and relinquishing their momentum.

 

Thanks to impeccable execution from both Manning and his receivers, failure never ensued. On 3rd-and-5, Manning dropped a beautiful pass in a tight window to Steve Smith, who adjusted nicely to complete a critical 26-yard pass.

 

At midfield, the Giants continued to impose their passing game on a seemingly perplexed Redskins’ defense. After a run by Brandon Jacobs that went for negative yards, Manning got cornerback Charles Rogers to bite on a pump fake and nearly completed a 25-yard pass to Domenik Hixon. Although they could not connect, the excellent fake drew an illegal contact penalty.

 

After another short Bradshaw run, Manning displayed the kind of adeptness that the Giants paid him the big bucks for this offseason with a 27-yard pass to Kevin Boss that put the Giants in position to make it a two touchdown game.

 

Ultimately, the Giants would finish the drive at the Redskins 11, and Lawrence Tynes proceeded to drill a 28-yard kick to cap off a six-minute drive that contained eight passes in 10 plays.

 

This drive has taken a backseat to Osi Umenyiora’s memorable return and Justin Tuck’s dominant performance. But its importance should not be minimized. The Giants insisted all week that if the Redskins loaded the box to stop the run, the Giants would make them pay through the air.

 

And the Giants did just that on their last offensive series. The Redskins are not a soft defense by any means, and credit should be issued to the entire offense—including Kevin Gilbride—for outstanding execution to cap off a very efficient opening day victory.

Quick Hits

In the Zone?

 

When Bill Sheridan was initially hired he explained that he would try to abandon the use of the zone blitz, stating, “When you get into zone (blitzes), you have down guys dropping. And you’re never going to get away from that, but as much as we can, we’re going to try to orchestrate so that our pass rushers are rushing because that’s our strength. We recognize that and everybody knows that.”

 

I didn’t focus too much on that during the game, but on the Redskins’ final touchdown drive, Sheridan employed the zone blitz. And it was a 16-yard pass to Antwaan Randle El that came with little pressure and even less coverage. Maybe Sheridan is trying to put some extra film up for Dallas next week.

 

The Red Sea will part soon

 

Although the running game did not quite run through the Redskins’ defense as they did other teams last year, there’s nothing to worry about. There were broad running lanes when plays were initially developed, but the holes were swallowed up quickly. By December, that will not be the case. Defenses will be worn down and those runs that went for three yards on Sunday could go up to 15 or 20 come playoff time.

 

Tuck it in

 

Is it me, or does Justin Tuck look like he’s hurt after every play? The dude’s an animal, but I can’t help be worried watching him from my seat walk around groggily for three hours.

 

 

 

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Eli Manning and The Giants: How One Year Makes All The Difference

One year ago, the Giants spent the final Wednesday before their opener against Washington privately coordinating Michael Strahan’s arrival at Giants Stadium for the first time since his retirement.

 

A calendar year later, the preparation and focus has shifted elsewhere. While similar faces remain, the swagger from the 2007 Super Bowl victory has dissipated and a new vibe has infiltrated Giants camp: skepticism.

 

While last year’s Giants team bared its share of weaknesses coming out of the preseason, the city was still numb from the Super Bowl run that had transpired eight months early. These Giants were playing with house money, and even the most demanding of Giants fans were willing to concede that in September.

 

Need proof? Halfway through the third quarter Eli Manning lofted one of his nausea inducing passes 10 yards over the head of Kevin Boss and into the waiting arms of Fred Smoot. It was the exact type of pass that defined his performance against Minnesota or Washington the prior season and drew the ire of talking heads everywhere.

 

The reaction? The boisterous opening-night crowd had been silenced, but instead of jeers or boos in Manning’s direction it sounded more like Jack Cust hit a single at Yankees Stadium rather than a potentially game changing interception. Unwavering silence protruded throughout the stadium.

 

This honeymoon period prevailed throughout the regular season, and for good reason. Manning was playing well, as was the whole team as they compiled a 7-1 record at home in 2008.

 

However, in the playoffs, Manning conjured the memories of his off days with a pitiful performance that culminated in no touchdowns and two interceptions—and a crushing loss to a divisional rival in the team’s first playoff game.

 

Fans were distraught over the loss, but the reaction at the stadium to Manning’s performance wasn’t nearly as ruthless as his other poor games.

 

While Manning ticketed himself into the hearts of Giants fans forever with his magical 2007 post-season, the silence that followed Fred Smoot’s opening night interception will not be present this Sunday.

 

There is no complacency within this fan base and media. With a wide receiver corps that desperately needs to prove itself Manning must once again reassert why he was the Giants number one overall pick in 2004. And why he’s the league’s highest paid quarterback.

 

But if he struggles on Sunday and passes are caught by the players boasting white and red, the boos and restlessness will be prominent in Giants Stadium once again.

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Pre-Season Midway Point: What The New York Giants May Change Up

This past Saturday, I helplessly watched the Giants get pushed around by the Chicago Bears. However I didn’t watch with anger or malice, but rather intrigue and curiosity. How bad can such a good team play?

 

The Giants did not implement any semblance of a pass rush on Jay Cutler. A pedestrian Bears offensive line was constantly destroying the Giants at the point of attack on running plays.

 

Most disturbingly, there were penalties galore. Not heat of the moment infractions, but ones that defined the Jim Fassel era. Illegal formations became a prominent theme for those brutal sixty minutes.

 

It was so atypical of this Giants squad that it was impossible to be worried. Factor in that the Giants had less rest then Tim Lincecum between starts, a lengthy flight, and a talented Bears team coming off an embarrassing debut against the Bills, and the math worked out to a 17-3 drubbing.

 

Tom Coughlin, who understandably looked baffled for four quarters, has voiced his frustrations since the game. Following the debacle, he declared that his team was embarrassed.

 

He then directed his criticisms not to journalists specifically, but the endless heap of compliments that has been laid on the Giants defense the entire off-season. He questions the accuracy of reports claiming the Giants have the deepest defensive line in the league, stating that none of it has materialized. If the players don’t practice or play, it’s not depth.

 

Now he is reiterating the message that is forever linked to the 2007 Giants Super Bowl squad: Talk is cheap, play the game.

 

Wow, this Jets game on Saturday just got a whole lot more interesting.

 

This cliché has never been in the same sentence as a pre-season game, but it applies for the Giants third pre-season game. All hands on deck.

 

Bumps and bruises are no longer valid excuses to avoid dressing up for game action. If someone can play, they will be out there. The Giants projected starting offensive line on opening day will be the starting front on Saturday.

 

If a key starter misses this game, then his injury may be worse then what we initially feared.

 

That’s just one of my predictions for the rest of pre-season. Here are some more, and a few things to watch for:

 

Hakeem Nicks will be catching live passes from Eli Manning

 

Before Monday I was confident this would happen. But with Nicks’s splendid practice in the books, it’s a foregone conclusion. The wide receivers have played well, but no one has jumped off the screen. The passing game has been pedestrian throughout the first two games and an explosive play is imperative on Saturday. Nicks gives the Giants that possibility.

 

Dave Tollefson will play more on the inside

 

Jay Alford’s status looks bleak. He has torn ligaments in his MCL and ACL, and in two weeks he’ll likely be placed on IR. Chris Canty has missed the majority of training camp while he’s adjusting from being a 3-4 end to a 4-3 tackle, and may not play any time soon due to a torn hamstring.

 

This leaves Fred Robbins, Barry Cofield, and Rocky Bernard as the only other tackles that are guaranteed a roster spot. And each of them is currently battling through serious injuries.

 

With a surplus of linemen playing defensive end, Tollefson may prove to be most valuable on the inside. It isn’t foreign territory for the third-year linemen from Northwest Missouri State, who has proven to be versatile for the Giants the last couple of seasons. And it just may prove to be his meal ticket as the season progresses.

 

The Offensive Line will be tested on Saturday

 

Rex Ryan takes his pre-season ball seriously. He sent exotic rushes in the direction of the Rams in the pre-season opener, and has gone as far as calling his reunion with the Baltimore Ravens “special.” A game in which a down didn’t pass in the first quarter that he didn’t rush Flacco (seriously Rex? What are you trying to prove?).

 

In the most crucial game of the pre-season, Ryan will employ a similar game plan to what he’ll be throwing the Texans way on Sept. 13. It will be a good test for the Giants offensive line, which finished the 2008 season with some inconsistent performances.

 

There’s a Quarterback competition going on y’know!

 

Granted, it’s been as exciting as the battle for the fifth rotation spot for the Washington Nationals. But it’s something to be on the watch for. Bomar has only thrown the ball three times this pre-season, while Woodson has hardly been lighting up in his extended time.

 

The offensive line play has been horrendous but Woodson has been erratic, too. Since Manning is playing into the second half on Saturday, we likely won’t see much of Woodson or Bomar. But against New England, Manning will be pulled along with the starters early on. And both kids will have their chance to shine.

 

The irony of all ironies

 

Sept. 3 will be David Tyree’s last game dressed as a Giant. But it will be the first of many playing on the same field along with those on New England. With no receiver emerging, the Giants can’t afford to cut Sinorice Moss and Derek Hagan due to their big play capabilities.

 

That would force Reese to reluctantly cut ties with Super Bowl hero David Tyree. There’s little doubt that Tyree will find a home elsewhere in the NFL, and New England is the perfect spot. His special teams prowess makes him an instant Belichick favorite, and as the Patriots know he is more then capable of sliding into a wide receiver slot if needed.

 

It would be ironic and humorous to those in New York. And it may not attain a positive fan response. But it would be a smart move for the big guys making the decisions in New England.

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