The Nail in the Coughlin

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Here are the facts. Football is, and never will be, a beauty contest. After six straight weeks of defeat, it seemed as if the Giants finally found a necessary resurgence in the running game. New York tallied 21 straight points in Jacksonville to begin the game, as RB Rashad Jennings scored two touchdowns on the ground. 21-3 was the halftime score, and with a dominant first half, the Giants performance was a refreshment to the previous woes. Against Dallas last Sunday, New York went into the locker room with a 21-10 lead, but failed in scoring more than a touchdown in the second half, as Dallas finished the game outscoring Big Blue 21-3. The lucky number of 21 was not lucky last week, and unfortunately for New York, the number was a curse for a consecutive week. Jacksonville marched down the field for 22 unanswered points, and Jaguars kicker Josh Scobee nailed the game winning field goal in the final minute of regulation to seal the victory, beating New York by a final of 25-24.




New York falls to 3-9 on the year, carrying a seven game losing streak, their worst streak since the 2004 season (the first year under Tom Coughlin). Coughlin's status has remained ambiguous, but a loss to the 1-10 Jaguars has surely put the nail in the coffin. The year has been lost, but after 11 seasons, 2 Super Bowl championships, and five years of failing to make the postseason in the last six seasons, Coughlin's tenure as the Giants head coach is finally coming to an end. The turn of events have been disappointing and unfortunate, but reality must sync in, and the slate must be wiped clean. Tom Coughlin's legacy will be discussed among the greatest who have coached the game, but sooner or later, well, time runs out for everyone. 

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With four games remaining, the nightmare season is finally coming to a close, but the state of the Giants season is still a conundrum. Currently, the Giants are looking at the fifth pick in the NFL Draft, and with serious holes at offensive and defensive line positions, a viable solution may be to think about the Spring, and simply ride out this season's wave the best they can, ignoring the win and loss columns and focusing on the fundamentals of good football. 

Here is this week's breakdown. There isn't much that hasn't been covered over the last seven weeks. 

The Story of the 2nd Half

The absence of production in the second half was already mentioned above, but the inconsistency to play all sixty minutes has been a huge problem all year. In last week's heart breaker, 21 points were scored in the first half, The same occurred Sunday, and the commitment of playing all four quarters is inadequate, and the production is surely unacceptable. In the end, three Giants turnovers cost the game, and these careless mistakes have been difficult to fix. 

                                                                                                                       The Giant Plague

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What has left this season in shambles is the endless list of injuries on offense and defense. Aside from the IR players who have been sidelined for quite some time, the depth of the Giants roster has reached its limit, and the practice squad men who once laughed at making the roster, may be given an opportunity to step on the field. Offensive-lineman Geoff Schwartz left the game in the second quarter with a sprained right ankle, which lead to OT James Brewer filling the void. Sadly, the injuries kept piling up, as the substitute Brewer left action with a
concussion in the 3rd, along with strong DE Robert Ayers leaving with a pectoral injury and starting RB Rashad Jennings with ankle problems. "Help Wanted" should be a sign posted outside the facilities, because Big Blue has run out of players. 

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To anyone still watching this team, it is clear that consistency is the major concern of the Giants offense and defense. Jacksonville may have been a "free-bee" for a win, but the Jaguars are paid professionals, and nothing is given in the NFL. Moving on to next week, New York visits a depleting Tennessee Titans squad. Although the Giants are surely capable of coming out victorious, it is very difficult to pick a Giants team that is 1-5 on the road to knock off the Titans. This game is a toss-up.

Prediction: TEN 29, NYG 24 (NYG +3.5)

Giant Chances Wasted

In what appeared to be a war of attrition, the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers fought aggressively on defense in what turned into a bloodbath ballgame, but the overall talent of the Niners held off Big Blue, as New York fell 16-10, moving to 3-7 on the year.

Here's this week's breakdown.

DEFENSE PLAYS 4 QUARTERS

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The Giants' main concern entering Sunday's contest was how a depleting pass rush and secondary could maintain the ground and passing game of Colin Kaepernick. New York was abused by Seattle's ground game the week before, but the overall performance of the Giants defense was adequate. The first Niners drive was halted after a Frank Gore fumble, and San Francisco's ground game was pressured by the New York defensive line. In comparison to last week's yard allowance, the defense made big plays in their territory, and the consistency and confidence Tom Coughlin was looking for was most certainly found by the eleven men protecting their turf. The game was lost, but not in credit to defensive blunders, They most certainly held their own.

                                                                                    ELI RETURNS TO 2013 WAYS

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5 interceptions from Eli Manning were the deciding factor in the Giants' heartbreaking defeat. New York's first offensive drive started successfully with a touchdown (their first TD on their 1st drive in 20 games), but the consistency of the offensive game was absent. A potent San Francisco pass rush forced Manning to move, which lead to poor decisions and regrettable throws. Between the numbers, Eli connected with Rueben Randle for 7 catches worth 112 yards, but the long ball outside the numbers was not cooperative, as Frisco's safeties reacted to the routes and forced ugly interceptions on Manning's behalf. Aside from the interceptions, many fans scratched their heads over the offensive play calling late in the game. With New York trailing by six, a miraculous catch by Odell Beckham Jr. put the offense inside San Francisco's 5-yard line, and from there, Eli chose three consecutive fade routes to Beckham Jr., Rueben Randle and Larry Donnell. Considering how horrendous the running game performed, throwing four straight plays made sense, but running identical plays three consecutive times was not only obvious to the viewers, but also to the Niners' defenders. The drive resulted in a fatal interception, and Eli Manning must take full blame for Sunday's contest. Eli's woes put the knife in the Giant's back, and for a man who takes up roughly seventeen percent of the Giants' total salary cap
next year, the front office may take action in finding an alternative option at quarterback. Eli isn't the reason for the team's failures, but if Tom Coughlin does not return, it will become even harder for Manning to adjust to a new head coach and coordinator. Manning grew as a quarterback with Coughlin on the sideline, and change is not always effective to an athlete who has known one method of play for nearly a decade. 

THE OFFENSIVE LINE

Where to begin. Since Shaun O'Hara and Chris Snee's retirements, the Giants have struggled in finding strong offensive lineman to fill the voids. Last season's woes were credited to an abysmal offensive line, which lead to Eli Manning's worst statistical year. This spring, New York drafted Center Weston Richburg from Colorado State, and in 2013, Offensive Tackle Justin Pugh out of Syracuse. From the start of this season, the offensive line has failed in holding their ground, which has resulted in poor pass protection for Manning and little to no holes available for the running game. With a young inexperienced group, teams look to the veterans for leadership and support. Unfortunately, the Giants' only veteran is LT Will Beatty, who has lacked in production and has been a huge disappointment the last few years. The Giants have lucked out with Beckham, but next year's first draft pick must go to a low-risk, high potential offensive lineman. The Giants can no longer afford this lack of production. 

THE FUTURE

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The Giants now stand at a record of 3-7, tied for last place in the East. The difficult stretch of games has finally come to an end, but five consecutive losses has practically knocked the Giants out of playoff contention for the fifth time in six seasons. With or without Tom Coughlin as the head coach next year, the future of Big Blue must be taken into consideration this Spring. Although New York's six remaining games are in their favor, it seems less likely that they will keep the train moving. With that being said, this will be a positive for the 2015 Draft. A record of 5-11 or 4-12 can potentially land the Giants a Top-5 draft spot, which would allow GM Jerry Reese to focus in on the best offensive lineman in the country. The term "tanking" is not the s
olution, but it is time to let reality kick in; the season is lost, the injuries are deep, and the depth is minuscule. Put the season behind and look toward the future. It is hard to judge a football team that has over eight starters on the Injured Reserve list. With that being said, a healthy Big Blue will be capable of great things next year. Cross your fingers. 

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With the season over, New York still has a few games for fans to be excited about. Dallas visits the Meadowlands this Sunday coming off a bye week, and a good old fashioned rivalry will be renewed. The Giants are now left to play spoiler, and if the heart and dedication to playing football is present, there is no doubt Big Blue can upset a few competitive opponents. 

Prediction: DAL 34, NYG 23 

Winless in Seattle

Another week, another gut-wrenching defeat for the New York Giants. In a shortened week of preparation for last Sunday's opponent, the Seattle Seahawks, it was imperative for the banged up Giants squad to step up their level of play. New York gave their all in the first three quarters, but lost control of Seattle's running game in the fourth, as the defending champs crushed Big Blue 38-17. 

Here's the breakdown of the Giants' fourth straight loss. 


A Change in Heart Doesn't Change the Talent

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New York entered Sunday's game with twelve men on the injured reserve list. On the list, six consisted of starters on both offense and defense. After losing Prince Amukamara, Trumaine McBride, Jon Beason and Walter Thurmond III to season-ending injuries, the weight was placed on the shoulders of defense. Last week's headline discussed Jason Pierre-Paul questioning the absence of heart in the locker room, which lead to captain Safety Antrel Rolle backing up the performance and attitude of his teammates. Whether or not the mind set was in focus, the Giants successfully battled Seattle for forty-five minutes. However, the final fifteen minutes brought shame to the Giants' style of play and performance. Twenty-one unanswered points were scored by the Seahawks in the fourth quarter, and as the final whistle blew, the Giants were aware of their lack of talent and effort. For a team plagued with injuries, it is difficult to find replacements who match the talent of the starters, and the loss of leadership and talent is definitely an arguable reason to explain the Giants' recent failures. 

Record Days on Defense (Not in a good way)

A final score of 38-17 looks impressive on paper, as one may assume the pass and run game dominated the lackluster defense. However, the passing game was almost non-existent Sunday, as Russel Wilson struggled in finding open receivers down field. The conditions of the game were sloppy and raw, but when the pass game isn't working, the running game must step up to the plate. Seattle totaled 510 yards of offense, but 350 of those yards were credited to the run game. 350 yards! Marshawn Lynch contributed with four touchdowns of his own, and Wilson ran one in for six. Sometimes, a team can still sneak a win after the opposing Quarterback tosses 350 yards, but 350 yards on the ground? That's unheard of. It's so rare to the Giants defensive scheme, that the last time New York gave up more than 350 yards in a game was in 1978 against Buffalo (366 total rushing yards). The 70s were the dark ages for Giants football, but this never occurred under the reign of Bill Parcells, and we would have never expected the same out of a Tom Coughlin team. 350 total rushing yards is embarrassing, and the Giants defense does not have an excuse in the world that will begin to explain their secondary and pass-rushing woes. New York is now dead last in the league in total yards per game to their opponents, allowing on average 404.9 yards. With a questionable new offensive scheme, the defense has been relied upon to step up in crucial situations, but how can this abysmal defense keep the offense in games? They simply cannot. The job security that defensive-coordinator Perry Fewel thought that he once had may be in jeopardy this offseason. 

                                                                                                                    You Down With ODB?

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Of course we are! Odell Beckham Jr. has become the next rookie sensation at the Wide Receiver position. There are a handful of rookies across the league that show promise at the position, such as Kelvin Benjamin and Mike Evans, but Beckham stands out as lightning in a bottle. He flourished at LSU, so maybe it's fair to call him the next "Louisiana Lightning" of New York sports. For a kid that missed training camp, preseason games and the first few games of the season due to injuries, it's truly remarkable what Beckham has amounted to in his first four games. He has three touchdowns in twenty-five receptions, averaging nearly fifteen yards a catch. The competitive edge that Beckham holds should put a smile on the faces of fans, and if healthy, Beckam may be the next brand name receiver in the NFL. Win or lose, it's important for the rook to get some reps against the league's best defenders. 

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The Giants now stand at 3-6 on the year, tied with Washington for last place in the NFC East. It is safe to say that the hopes of postseason football in New York are slim to none, but with seven games remaining, there is still time for the Giants to gain ground and improve their situation. New York hosts the San Francisco 49ers Sunday afternoon at 1pm, and with Frisco coming off a much needed victory over New Orleans last week, it will be an exciting test to see if the Giants offense can tear up the Niners depleted secondary. The defense's performance will be the x-factor for Big Blue, but with a West coast team playing early on Sunday, expect an even match up and a potential Giants win. 

Prediction: SF 26-23 (NYG +4)

Bad Luck Equals Andrew Luck for Big Blue

After losing a heart breaker two weeks prior to the Dallas Cowboys, the Giants marched into MetLife Stadium in dire need of a victory Monday night against the Indianapolis Colts. In a rare occurrence, New York won the coin toss and requested to start the game on offense, but the offense never showed, as Andrew Luck and the Colts stomped all over the G-Men in a gut-wrenching 40-24 loss. 

Here's the breakdown of the "Giant" debacle. 

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Secondary Concerns Are Primary Problems

New York entered last night's game allowing forty-eight total points to opponents in the first quarter alone, and with a depleting secondary unit, Indianapolis read and took advantage of the holes in the Giants' defense. Although the defense kept the game competitive until the start of the third, the defensive line showed a lackluster pass rush, despite an above average performance by defensive-end Robert Ayers. Jason Pierre-Paul's power and intensity was absent against a strong Colts offensive line, linebacker Jacquian Williams struggled keeping up with slot receivers, and the loss of Prince Amukamara to a torn bicep leaves the cornerback position vulnerable and inexperienced. Dominic Rodgers-Cromartie made a valiant effort to pick off a pass attempt to Colts receiver T.Y. Hilton, but Cromartie failed in holding on to the ball, as he was manhandled in the endzone by Hilton for another Colts touchdown. Amukamara lead the defense in interceptions, and with Prince gone for the rest of the year, the weight will be on the shoulders of Jayron Hosely and Walter Thurmond. With their backs against the wall, New York cannot rely on their defense to keep them in games. 


 "The New York Sock Exchange"

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With credit to WFAN's Al Dukes, Tom Coughlin's struggle to take the challenge flag out his sock resulted in massive chaos on the Giants sideline, as the defensive formation was not set to face the Colt offense. Andrew Luck and his posse noticed the confusion immediately as they rushed to the line of scrimmage to run a play, and as if it only made sense to the Giants, Indianapolis scored six on the play by tossing a dump off pass to Coby Fleener for 32 yards. Tom Coughlin would have most likely lost the challenge, but a stoppage in play prevents a hurry up offense in that situation. It also may be time to keep the red flag in your pocket, Tom.  



Eli And The Offensive Scheme 

Weeks three through five tallied 105 points for Big Blue's offense, but as Week 6 rolled around, Philadelphia's presence scared off New York's lineman, along with the crucial season ending knee injury to Victor Cruz. Eli Manning has now played 13 total games under the new regime of offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo's play calling, and while the offensive targets have depreciated since the preseason, the consistency and execution of the pass and run games have been below par. Don't let last night's statistics fool you. Manning threw for 359 yards and two touchdowns, but those 14 points came in garbage time with the game already lost, and New York totaled only 120 total yards in the first half. The pressure in the pocket forced dangerous and weak throws from Manning, but even the throws on target were dropped by receivers Rueben Randle and Preston Parker. The only silver lining to take from this game is that rookie Odell Beckham Jr. has shown the league that he is lightning in a bottle, and Eli must connect with Beckham Jr. at least fifteen times per game. On the other hand, the running game has been abysmal, as it is evident that the absence of Rashad Jennings in the backfield has impacted the ground game, and with the majority of the touches being given to rookie Andre Williams, the draw play on first down is not the solution to build up a successful drive. Sure, Williams had a decent second half, but the game was out already out of hand, and Indianapolis brought the heat up the gaps from start to finish. 

We're On To Seattle...Or Are We?

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The Giants now sit at 3-5 on the season, holding third place in the division by half a game to Washington. After two weeks of preparation for the Colts, it was imperative for the Giants to come out swinging Monday night, but New York failed in all three phases of the game and now face the daunting task of opposing the defending champion Seahawks in Seattle Sunday afternoon. Three weeks ago when the Giants entered Philly, they stood at 3-2 coming off a three game winning streak. The game against the Eagles began a five game rough patch in Giants' schedule, and since their defeat to the Dirty Birds, New York has dropped three straight, and will most likely fold again this Sunday. From there on out, the Giants host the shaky 49ers and Cowboys, and then travel to Jacksoville and Tennessee the following weeks. By next Monday, the Giants will most likely be 3-6 with their heads looking in to the playoff picture window. With either Dallas or Philadelphia arguably claiming the NFC East, a wild card spot seems like too steep a mountain to climb, as Big Blue would have to finish the year 7-0 or at least 6-1. In all fairness, the Giants' have always been a moody football team, and it is hard to tell where they will stand by Thanksgiving. All we can take from Monday night is that injuries plague a football team, and that perhaps this Giants team is playing to their expectations since September began. There's plenty of football left, but as Yogi once said, "It's getting late early out there."