T-Rock's Take on the Giants

Hmm... when its really windy, how about not throwing the ball 5 out of the first 6 plays might be a good start. Oh, and not throwing it for a total of 52 times. That probably isnt a good idea. And running Jacobs wide? No good. Run him between the tackles. Does anyone remember that flanker screen they used to run when Coughlin first got here in '04? I never saw it after that season. Maybe bring that back, using Moss and Bradshaw like Tiki was used on that play. Also, throw the ball to Shockey more. He's a pass catching TE first and then a blocker. He needs to play a bigger part in the offense. Oh wait...

The reason the Giants have not being scoring is based on the following (outside of Inconsistant E):

1) The receivers were getting seperation 10-15 yards down the field. Now Plax can't run, Toomer can't catch, Moss goes runs the wrong way and Smith up until last week was presummed dead by most fans.

2) The O-Line dominated the opposing teams D-Line and linebackers. Now it looks like Eli always has someone in his face or is rolling outside because the pocket collapsed.

3) THe double headed monster of Ward and Jacobs. Keep guys fresh, change of pace, quickness and power. Now with Ward hurt and COughlin unwilling to give Bradshaw a chance, the other team can just game plan for one back.

4) The disappearance of a TE threat. Even before Shockey got hurt, he was MIA for our gameplan.

5) Finally, any semblance of consistancy from all the above mentioned parties.

That is why we don't score anymore.

Bascially it's simple. THEY NEED TO CATCH THE DAMN BALL. People want to hate on Eli but how are you suppose to do anything when you put balls right on the money and guys drop them. I'm calling out all Giants WRs to catch the ball. Our greatest Wr of all time had a 50 yard possibly td catch fall out of his hands, are you kidding me? You WIn as a Team and you Lose as a team, but if I had to I would not blame this on Eli or Coughlin, I would blame it on the WRs and the Defesne. That 3rd and 9th draw play for a TD, was patheic, they just walk right into the endzone. But this is what they do, they hate G stadium and will win in buffalo with their backs agains the wall like usual.

Arthur...

I don't think they can turn it around. When your OC runs repeatedly (13 times!) left into a brick wall with NO success... until the team is behind by 13 points with a QB who's not going to be able to win it through the air late because of the weather, there's really nothing to discuss.

The OC is unimaginative, unable to adapt in the face of adversity, (why keep throwing deep when the short routes outside the numbers were working? Why not a SINGLE quick hitting slant all game when the DBs were giving 10-12 yard cushions?), and absolutely predictable in his play calling (14 straight running plays, 13 of them to Tiki on second downs in the Philly playoff game last year, 13 straight runs to the left against the Skins Sunday are just two glaring examples)

Plax hurting...Smith hurting...Moss unable to grasp the playbook...a revolving door at RB...an inconsitent QB...Amani at about 80% of his peak years...Shockey ineffective while playing is now out...Boss, Bradshaw, and Moss can't block a sneeze with a tissue so I don't see much help coming from there...and Moore and Hedgecock with what, 10 career catches combined?

There's no changing it now. It is what it is. Opposing defenses have figured out that removing Burress from the equation results in shutting down the Giants' offence and our braintrust hasn't come up with a single counter to that fact. With the safeties rolling to Plax on every single play, you'd think a few hitches complete to Moss or Smith would open up hitch and go for an easy pitch and catch for one of them later in the game.

I'm just a fan...how come I can see this all plain as day, yet our OC runs into a brick wall 13 times, never establishing a thing, before he has to go to the chuck and duck to get back into the game? And why does TC continually allow it?

I'm afraid we're done, Arthur. Injuries and the inability to adapt to what's been taken away have killed them again.

Come on Margi, have some heart, have you been paying attention all season. Face it they can't win at home but they love it on the road. They will pull it out.

Tom...

The question was, How do you fix the offense?

I believe the Giants are a good, solid team with some fundamental problems that they've overcome (defensive secondary, linebackers) and growing symptomatic problems (injuries, inability to adapt to what the DEF is doing)

Primarily, right now as constituted, the Giants have increasingly serious issues with their playmaking ability because of injury. Eli has few viable weapons at his disposal and the fact is, the coordinator is NOT putting him in position to succeed. On 8 first half running plays to their left on first or second down last week, Jacobs got less than 2 yards, leaving a second or third and long for Eli to try and overcome (in that weather, the percentage of success in those situations, which is already fairly low, drops dramatically). Yet when they ran right, there was moderate to outstanding success. Instead of sticking with what was working, however, they went back to the left. Why?

Let's talk about the mindset of the game, and the first drive of the game while the fans were loud and excited at the possibility of what the night could bring. If I were the head coach, my first order of business would be to get the Redskins to quit. It's been a miserable year for them, they're demoralized, it's cold, their chances for the playoffs are remote, and it's nearing the end of the season. I would run the ball down their throats until they quit. Run, run, run...demoralize them...punch them in the mouth. After the long 17 yard run to the right, and a first down in their territory, keep running until they stop it consistently. If the Giants score a TD on THAT drive...and then hold them 3 and out or so, the game is won. The Skins begin to quit. Instead, they gave the Skins hope. They played right into the trap...make Eli beat you on this cold and windy night...they hit a few plays to take a lead, and the Giants could not recover. The staff screwed the pooch on this one, big time.

Where and what evidence from the past (other than finally sticking to the running game in the second half of the first Skins game) do you see that they'll do anything differently against the Bills? What lessons do you think were learned? The Giants' staff has proven over and over that they do NOT learn from the past. They repeat it over and over, and opposing defenses know this. That's why following a robust first half of the season, the Giants are now averaging what, 10-13 points a game since October 1st?

They do NOT adapt. The opposing defenses have adapted, and we have not countered. It's not about trick plays, gadgets, etc...it's that they're not trying the slants to Moss, Smith, or Toomer when they're given to them. It's that they're not getting the TE over the MIKE for a quick hitter off the line. It's that they're not getting Bradshaw into the game WITH Jacobs in a two back set so you don't know if it's a off tackle to Jacobs or a pitch to Bradshaw on a stretch play. It's not taking advantage of the safties constantly rolling to Plax.

It's also not going to change, though they still may win on Sunday because I don't see Buffalo scoring that easily on the Giants.

OK...I got my rants out...

What will it take? What IS the answer?

I firmly believe that the offensive braintrust should be in a room somewhere analyzing every play call of the last 5 games from a DEFENSIVE mindset (invite Spags in to get his opinion) and try to figure out why they're being thwarted. What is the cause...NOT the symptom. What are the defensive alignments taking away, and how many times was the play doomed from the start? From there, determine how to attack that alignment successfully. What is the antidote to that particular front? That cover scheme? What weapons could we deploy to bait that coverage for later exploitation? I'd have Spags sitting right there saying what he'd do in that situation, and then ask him how I could attack it and win.

I would wager dollars to donuts that Spags hasn't been asked ONE time to look at the tape and tell them why the offense is being beaten so consistently.

Simple:

1) more Bradshaw as a change of pace - Jacobs is at his best in the 3rd and 4th when the opposing D is tired. Bring Bradshaw in to pound out some long runs (plus there's just no way Bradshaw drops 5 passes in one game)

2) How about Coughlin takes the play-calling reins away from Gilbride? Just like when Fassel stripped Payton of the play-calling duties when their offense went into the tank at the end of the 2002 season (then the Giants had one of the hottest offenses in the league before the awful 9ers game - and we all know they would have gone into Tampa and destroyed the Bucs - who beat the Raiders for the Super Bowl that year - that game still makes me sick). I think perhaps this team just needs a new voice calling the plays. I don't think Coughlin would have thrown 52 times yesterday if he was the one calling the plays!

I agree that they should be using more short routes, which by definition are higher percentage plays, assuming the receivers can catch the damn ball. Aikman made this point a few weeks back during the Chicago game. Eli should be doing more play action, for that matter. I never played the game, but it seems there's a real conservative mindset to the offense. Not much creativity, not much of the unexpected. I realize they're not playing with the strongest hand personnel-wise and with all the injuries, but my sense is opponents really don't have much to fear other than Plaxico getting free.

The Good:

Despite what all the Eli haters keep spouting on this board, I contend that he's a decent QB who's capable of being an excellent one. He needs to be more consistent but in the future we'll hopefully see no meltdowns like the Minnesota game. Besides, there aren't any better alternatives via the draft or free agency so you haters (probably the same folks who booed Phil Simms for all those years) need to deal with it.

The OL is solid if not spectacular.

Plax is a top 5 WR when healthy as is Shockey at TE, so we're also good there (though Shockey is hurt alot, so I hope Kevin Boss blossoms sooner rather than later).

Hedgecock appears to be a find at FB. How did the Rams let this guy go?

The Bad:

Much as I hate to say it, it seems to me Amani Toomer is finished. He no longer gets separation and his speed is gone, so they need a viable replacement for him. Hopefully, Steve Smith can step into that role. He gets a pass for this year since he's been hurt but I'm expecting good things from him next season. It's obvious at this point that Sinorice Moss is at best a 3rd receiver so we might want to look into replacing him. What a waste of a second round pick.

The other thing we need is a RB who can stay healthy - either through free agency or the draft. Jacobs and Ward are both pretty good, but neither appears to be very durable. I don't think Bradshaw is big enough (or proven enough) to be an every down back and Ruben Droughns, while both durable and reliable, is plodding and unexiting; he's best suited to his back-up role.

By the way, Jacobs clearly has hands of stone. Makes me REALLY miss Tiki, as I think alot of fans took his receiving skills for granted.

The last thing we need is a new coaching staff. How is it this team laid such an egg against the Redskins with so much on the line? This seems to happen every year. They were unprepared, uninspired and lifeless. The game-plan was better suited to Florida or a dome - not NYC in December. OC Kevin Killdrive should be fired for that disaster. I see the Giants as one and done in the playoffs yet again this year and that's a shame, because on paper they're the 3rd most talented team in the NFC. Tom must go...

The Giants need to run the football more. They need to become the smash mouth offense, their personal are best suited for. On obvious passing downs, they should have Droughns or Bradshaw in, rather than Jacobs. They need to run some plays for Boss. They need to get Smith in the game more. He is a sure handed receiver and would certainly be welcome by Eli.

Anything different but just execute. If they play with desire, with an attitude, any play will work most of the time.
Catch the ball, don't fumble, the first defender makes the tackle. Take what the defense is giving you. Meaning you try a sweep, a run between the tackle, a bomb, a screen and get a feel and go with it until they stop it or adjust to stop it, then change.
Maybe more rotation of players to keep guys fresh. I know we're short on the safety side, but giving guys a rest here and there will keep them fresher in the 4Q.

Arthur, first post here.

I don't think this offense can be fixed this year, I think it can be patched. To fix it they need to fire KB and get someone with new ideas, almost like a Spags for offense. For example look at Garrett in Dallas or Josh McDaniels in New England. These guys can make in game adjustments and stick with plays that work...but now I'm getting off topic so I'll continue with the patch work.

1. They need to increase to tempo of the offense, not necessarily no huddle, but a faster pace will keep the defenses on their heels and hopefully get Eli into a rhythm.

2. Everyone keeps saying this so it feels redundant, but Bradshaw does need to be more involved in the offense, and Smith should see the field more now that he's healthy and since Moss seemed to get hurt again at the end of the game (Strained Muscle or something).

3. Maybe the most important thing is REMOVE THE OPTION ROUTES from the receivers because it's obvious Eli and his receiving crew are not on the same page.

4. I am a big Eli supporter, however, I have to balanced so I have to say he has to stop staring down his receivers...and I know he has a calm demeanor/personality but he needs to chat more with his receivers during the game. To his credit, I think has a nack for reading defenses so I think if Killdrive wants to throw 70% of the time he should take it upon himself to audible to a run play or change deeps routes to shorter ones.

5. Where did the screen play go?? I know it's tough to add a lot of new plays this late in the season but come on...Jacobs in the flat (if he catches the ball) equals big plays, even Bradshaw or Moss.

6. Less predictability. I sit at home call out the plays one after another. The first few weeks of the season it wasn't so easy but now it's a piece of cake, especially when the draw play is coming. Although I must admit, KB had me fooled when he called a 30 yd pass play on 3rd & 1 near mid-field with swirling wind.

7. Lastly, I should've mentioned it this in bullet 4, but there were 2 or 3 plays where Eli could've run for the first down himself but chose to throw incomlete at the last minute.

All criticism is welcome...and I wish some of the coaching staff would read these blogs sometimes.

And I have to throw this out there b/c I said it before the last Giants - Cowboys game, if the defense wants to get to Romo, they must blitz off the edge. You're not getting through their starting offensive linemen. The Eagles did it and got there.

By the way, isn't Gilbride the coach Buddy Ryan slugged a few years ago because his playcalling was non-sensical and idiotic?

I'm not defending Ryan, as punching your fellow coach on the sideline never looks good, from a team unity standpoint, but I think ol' Buddy was on to something. If Spags had hauled off and punched Gilbride after, say, the 30th ill-advised pass play into those frigid, swirling winds, would anyone have been THAT upset? If he convinced him to run a little more, we might've even won.

Who knows?

how about running the ball more, throwing more short passes, and playing a ball control old giant game...

There IS NO CHANGING this disfunctional offense for the last 2 games. Coughlin is too stuburn to bring anything new to the offensive play book. Bradshaw is nobody in Coughlin's eyes, or else he would see more action. What happened Sunday night largely WAS NOT Eli's fault. Since when did Amani Toomer suck royaly at catching the ball?!? Jacobs can't catch for s**t either.

Argue all you want, but Shockey won't be a big loss. In my mind he isn't very good anyway. All hype, no action. Now we get to see K. Boss a little more which is a good thing 'cause now we might find a perminant replacement to Shockey.

Like I said the other day. This group of players and coaches isn't going to win together anymore. So I'm not going to play coordinator, I'll play GM. I'll start by blowing this damn thing up in January after the Giants lose their last 2 games and fall out of the playoffs. Coughlin, Gilbride, and a significant number of players need to just go.

Bottom line: I don't see another win this year.......season's over folks. That could just be the best thing that happens to this organization going into the offseason. I'm out!!

The 2 back set really needs to be used more often, if it is ever used at all. A defense has to play Bradshaw much differently than they would play Jacobs. If you keep them guessing as to who gets it, the play turns into your favor. Then if they load the box to stop Jacobs, you can go stretch play to Bradshaw, or hit a quick pass to a thin secondary.
The play calling needs to be shaken up. Not sure what they were doing last week, and I understand passing to play catch up, but there is no excuse for 52 passes in that wind when you have a solid running game. As stated above, they should have pounded the breath out of Washington's defense with Jacobs until they proved that they could stop it.
Red Zone offense is offensive. No way a team can do well in the playoffs when they can't score in the red zone. Look at where their drives died last week. It was like the 20 yard line was a brick wall. Not sure if it is play calling or execution and I know the windows to get passes into get smaller as the field gets shorter. Bottom line is, it doesn't matter why they can't get it done. The fact is if you don't get it done, you are not a good team capable of winning in the playoffs.
Pump Fake. No clue why Eli so rarely uses it, but they work. Watch Brady make it work to create separation for Moss in double coverage. Burress is slowed by the ankle and needs help getting open. everyone doubles him, and may triple him now that Shockey is gone. In an obvious passing situation, defenses just sit on Burress' routes since they are not worried about a run from Jacobs. A quick pump fake to anyone on a short route could get the safety to bite just long enough to get Plax some separation.

Inconsistency and lack of talent is the big issue, one week is the o-line, next the backs, then the receivers dropping the ball which of course is Eli's fault, and last week well I guess it was Mother Nature. Their is always a good reason but the bottom line is that the offence is average at best . To get better we need a possession receiver and a back that can consistently work the screens and the drop offs, we don't have this type of talent, hope we draft well, and better luck next year as we will not make the playoffs with the guys we currently have on offence

All i'm saying is if we caught those 12 balls we dropped, we would have had more points and Eli would have some rythium, and we wouldn't be having this question of fixing the gameplan. It's simply on the execution of the players.

Hire a new O.C asap?

Still not why everyone is killing the OC and Coughlin. First off if you are down 22-3 you need to a quick score and you will need to throw the ball a lot. If the players executed these plays, and catch the ball, than throwing the ball looks good. Coughlin is one of the best gameplanning coaches around, it's on the players to make the playes, he is not out there catching balls.

read Bob Glaubers column and then tell me the game plan for sunday was good!!!for the negative loony fans the giants are not great but neither are minny, orleans, the redskins, etc..

this is a league of medicrity.......

Jeez! Even the fans are mediocre. In fact, so mediocre, they can't spell "mediocrity".....

If only there was a simple fix to this problem (even though there probably is)

-More Bradshaw, he atleast seems to provide a small spark when he's in there, and he is just fun to watch as a RB or KR

Stop going to Plax so much, how many deep passes did they have to him in atleast double coverage? Spread the ball out, think it was the detroit game, where Eli was on fire, hitting all different recievers......which brings me to my next point

HOLD ON TO THE BALL!!!! 12 drop passes is unexceptable, I dont care if there is a tornado, if the ball is going your way, catch it. Even when the experts were evauluating the Game, they said Eli got no help from his recievers, all it takes is one play to turn the game around

Change of Gameplan, 3rd and 2, have a healthy running back and your going to throw it deep, in windy conditions? no get the first down first, then try a pass attempt

Lets just go back to the short-medium passes the 10-20 yards attempts, also get Boss and Smith involved more (how is Moss for that matter? thought he got injuried? when he caughted that first down and then limped to the side)

More Running attempts, having 51 passes in a game is asking for trouble (Eli did do a good job having 50+ passes and no INT's). I dont care if your down 3 scores, establish the run, Jacobs had over 130 yards (then you bring in Bradshaw)

Keep Eli playing smart, not throwing an interception in last 2 games is pretty good by my count (knocks on wood)

And something that can really help the offense is..........Defensive turnovers. What happen we were getting atleast 1 turnover from our defense a game, then all of a sudden nothing. Short field=some points

Edit: Also some small trick plays might work, Dont like the double reverse, but something like flea flicker might work great or a razzle-dazzle play where Manning tosses back to RB/WR and they throw it deep/or atleast a sideline pass for a first down

Its obvious that Eli is at his best when throwing off of the play action. Problem is playaction doesn't work when you throw 52 times a game. Establish a running game, slow the game down, run the ball. run the ball, run the ball, and then run it some more. Make those LBs creep up to the LOS, make them take their first step up off the snap. That'll open things up....

Okay well if you Catch the ball you probably don't have to throw the ball 52 times, and you are down 22-3 so most teams would throw the ball, this is really making me sick, I think i'm going to crawl under my desk and puke. TO ALL GIANTS WIDEOUTS: CATCH THE DAMN BALL!

Accorsi was the Crashman of the Giants. Giving up the farm & then some for an average to mediocre QB in E-LIE. Cut ur losses, draft Colt B and change the attitude around here. The Vikes will be the #5 seed and deservedly so. They, unlike the Giants (who will back in @ 9-7) have a real chance to advance. Giants go 1 and out again! Coughlin an extension? What a joke.

You make me sick, it's one loss, yeah it's a big one but the season isn't over, what if happens when we win sunday and we are in the playoffs, are you going to cheer for the other team? Get a grib.

Let Spags call the plays on offense. It could not get any worse.

Smith back makes next Sunday look promising... Eli will have more healthy receivers to throw to. Losing Shockey sucks (obviously), but Eli hasn't exactly been throwing to him much this year anyway. If Eli and Jacobs work on their passing/catch issues, the offense will benefit... It seems like Jacobs had plenty of open space in front of him on a lot of those drops.

Two words: FIRE GILBRIDE.

The guy couldn't coach Eli out of his bad habits in his old role and he's promoted to offensive coordinator? Our offense completely lacks imagination, and fails to highlight its strength: running the football. It seems like our receivers run the same routes on every play. And NEVER do we send Shockey deep. Now it's too late.

Memo to Tom G:

The season is over, Yojumbo.

Even if we get in the payoffs, you would have to be a citizen of Cloud Cookoo Land to honestly believe we have a chance of beating ANYONE.

You can stick a fork in the G-Men. They are done.

It's time to start over. They tell me Donovan McNabb will be available. McNabb on bad knees is universes better than Eli. Look at his rushes against the Cowboys: 9 for 53 with a long of 28 yards. Yeah! Real bad knees. And guess what? No interceptions. And guess what else? He won.

Dear Mr. Staple:

One word: fumblerooski. Book it.

Please tell the paperboy that the paper goes inside the plastic bag.

Respectfully yours,

Gorilla

Simple to state, hard to create.

GAME PLAN!

I don't see it from the coaches in place.

Get Manning some easy completions and yards so he gets into rhythm, mixing runs and pass. No huddle, play action, whatever gets him clicking. Maybe give Eli the second or third drive of the game to call his own plays and see what happens.

Get Brandon OUTSIDE, at full speed, with only the D-backs to take on. Power sweep, weakside pitchouts, whatever. Hey, even a double reverse from Sinorice. Block the big boys, let Brandon put the little guys in a no win situation, he's big AND fast, they're screwed.

Exploit weaknesses, pound strengths. Over the course of the day, frazzle the weak parts, wear down the strong. The plays should be called with the game in mind, not just the yard markers. They could win the fourth quarter in the first quarter this way.

So, that's how I think the Giants could put their offense together.

Maybe Glauber will put something like this in his next Giants article. Last time I posted to your blog, Mr. Staple, regarding if Eli could be a better QB, I said the coaches and the system were failing him. The windy day made it obvious to Mr. Glauber, but maybe some posting to your blog, may have planted a seed?

What rnargi said. And what t-dips said.

My 2-cents.

-Big BB

The offense hasn't worked because of not getting Shockey involved enough with Plax being unable to spread the field due to his injuries. They should have had specific screens and play action plays designed to get Shockey the ball in space so he can do what he does best and run after the catch. Everyone is saying Shockey has dropped off, but that's not the case. He has been phased out of the gameplan too much. If I'm a coach and I have a player like him who can get the team fired up and create big plays running the ball, I target him 10 times a game. Now that he's gone, they need to look to the other TE's more. They also need to run double moves with Sinorice Moss as well. He is fast as hell out of his breaks and always tricks the hell out of CB's on his hitch patterns. They need to pump fake it to him and let him run some hitch and go's to spread out the field and cause the corners to give him even more cushion weather permitting.