Week One of the preseason isn't exactly drawing rave reviews.
As you would expect.
The Giants' new look defense had a same look result with the starters early --- struggling against the run. That's where we last left things in Philadelphia, when the Eagles ran the football on the gamewinning drive and kicked a field goal to end the 2006 season. As if I needed to remind you.
The offense capitalized on a big special teams play (Derrick Ward's 67-yard kick return) with Jeremy Shockey's touchdown. But the backup quarterback battle mostly resembled a war of attrition.
All of this is true. But focus on two words of that first sentence -- week one. This defense is nowhere near as bad as it played Saturday night. There were major tackling issues -- and that seems like it would be a red flag. In actuality, that's an easily correctable problem.
As is players out of position early (Mathias Kiwanuka.) That's where the adjustments to the new defense are coming in, and that will improve. I'm not going to tell you that this will be a great defense, but I think it will be more than serviceable.
As far as some offensive observations, here's a couple.
Not much to tell about Eli. He threaded the needle quite nicely on Shockey's touchdown, and showed great pocket presence and awareness. Brandon Jacobs ran with good authority, and the offensive line.... wel, it's a work in progress. I'll use the adjective........."OK."
Yes, my parents must be thrilled with their educational investment in me. It's all about the vocab.
Ward has good explosion. I was a little worried about his roster spot, because the Giants like Ahmad Bradshaw quite a bit. But on the return, he broke tackles and was quick. He also ran the ball very well when he got the opportunity.
Sinorice Moss has great quickness, but needs to learn he doesn't need to dance and juke so much. Cut and go. His speed will take most others out of the play.
Bald is not always beautiful on TV. If you have the game in TiVo, watch the beginning. You'll see what I mean.
So remember, WEEK ONE. You'll get your best looks in the first half of the Giants/Jets game. It's the closest thing to a dress rehearsal.
And I promise -- I will start answering questions this week. Send them to giants@wfan.com.
If you’re a true NFL fan, you can’t enough of the game – there’s just no good day to end the season because you’re prepared to watch your team line up 52 weeks a year. Not this year. Not if you are a Giants fan. Embarrassing back-to-back losses of epic proportions likely have left you crying for mercy.
Let’s play “Who said it?” “I mean, we’re playing bad right now. We’ve got to play better. Each man on this team needs to go home and look himself in the mirror and figure out what we want to be this year.” Did you guess one of the Giants? Actually, it was Minnesota defensive end Jared Allen following Monday’s 36-30 overtime loss to Chicago.
The Giants closed their 34-year stay at Giants Stadium with a performance that was typical of the late 1970s team that opened the building – they were inept in an embarrassing 41-9 loss to the Carolina Panthers that drew first-half boos from the fans, many of whom started leaving in the third quarter.
There’s only one way for the Giants to close out their 34-year run at Giants Stadium – with a victory that will keep their postseason hopes alive. It’s too bad the NFL didn’t see fit to allow the Giants...
How about that? Everything clicked on all cylinders and the Giants looked like a championship-caliber team again. Their 45-12 rout over the Washington Redskins was so dominant...
So which Giants’ team is going to show up this week – one that shows you it belongs in the playoffs or one that looks like it co-starred in an outtake of an old Three Stooges movie?
Don’t bother looking at the statistics because they likely would fool you into thinking the Giants won the game. Rather it was the Philadelphia Eagles who took care of business and prevailed, 45-38...
The Giants’ 31-24 victory over the Dallas Cowboys re-enforced four beliefs about pro football – there’s a great deal of parody behind the unbeaten New Orleans Saints in the NFC....
Drip…drip…drip… No, that’s not a leaky faucet. It’s the Giants’ season going down the drain – UNLESS they can start playing up to their potential this weekend against Dallas. No, let’s change that.
Photographs taken by Tom Kaminski in Chopper 880 (except where noted) of the official start of the demolition of Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ on Thursday, February 4, 2010.
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