Needa Pass Rush
10-19-2005, 06:51 AM
New York Daily News - http://www.nydailynews.com
Giant softies
By RALPH VACCHIANO
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Wednesday, October 19th, 2005
Tom Coughlin stood in front of his players on Monday morning and listed all the good things they had done on Sunday in Dallas. He praised the team for its resiliency, the offense for the way it rallied, and said he was impressed with the play of the special teams.
Then he asked, "What's missing from this presentation?"
What he said was missing in Big D was the "D".
Blame the offense all you want for the Giants' 16-13 overtime loss to the Cowboys - certainly Eli Manning and Co. deserve it after all the opportunities they let slip away - but the defense does not deserve all the credit it has been getting. For the fourth time in five games the Giants were shredded by an opponent's passing attack. And they were completely unable to stop the Cowboys when it mattered most.
And that's not just in overtime when Dallas marched 51yards with ease for the game-winning field goal. By then, the Cowboys had controlled the clock (and kept the Giants' offense on the sidelines and out of its rhythm) with two scoring drives that lasted more than eight minutes - a 16-play, 83-yard touchdown drive in the first half (8:02) and a 15-play, 79-yard field goal drive in the second (8:48).
In other words, the reason the Cowboys were able to hold the ball for more than 40 of the game's 63 minutes wasn't just because the Giants had four three-and-outs.
"What was missing is the fact (the Cowboys) had 25 first downs, they were 9 of 16 on third down, and they threw the ball for almost 300 yards (actually 312)," Coughlin said. "At some point in time, we have to take responsibility for getting them off the field defensively."
Unfortunately that's something the Giants haven't done all season. In the first five games they've allowed nine drives of five minutes or longer, including five in the last two games. Meanwhile, Drew Bledsoe became the third opposing quarterback in five games to top 300yards passing and Keyshawn Johnson became the fifth receiver to top 100 receiving.
And this time, they can't use the excuse defensive coordinator Tim Lewis used during the bye week - that the numbers were a result of trying to protect big leads. The Giants' biggest lead was 6-0 and the teams were never more than a touchdown apart. Instead, Coughlin chided the beleaguered secondary for "not enough concentrated, tough, hard-nosed coverage in the underneath areas and even to a certain extent on the outside."
That sounds like coachspeak for "soft."
And that's a problem because the Giants, despite what happened on Sunday, have the offense to make a run at the playoffs in what is a wide-open and mediocre NFC. But they're not going to get there if the defense continues to be one of the league's worst.
At the moment, that's what it is - ranked 31st, giving up an average of 417.2 yards per game. Yes, they're second in the league with 18 takeaways, but as defensive end Michael Strahan conceded, "Turnovers do not mean you're going to win the game."
Defense is what's supposed to be what wins games in the NFL. A little better defense in Dallas and the Giants would be 4-1.
Ron around <pin to broncos locker wall>
So much for Ron Dayne just needing a fresh start. The Giants' No. 1 draft pick in 2000 will make his hardly anticipated return to Giants Stadium on Sunday, and he'll be doing what he always did here - standing on the sideline. He's third on the Broncos' depth chart and has 53 yards on just 13 carries.
Tiki gets passed over in air attack
Before offensive coordinator John Hufnagel gets skewered for abandoning the running game and ignoring Tiki Barber, consider this:
Last year the Giants ran the ball on 44.5% of their plays (424 of 951). This year it's 43.4% (125 of 288). Last year, Barber touched the ball on 39.3% of the plays (374 of 951). This year it's 32.9% (95 of 288). That's less than four fewer touches per game. And remember, the Giants didn't have Plaxico Burress last year. Plus, Barber is still on pace for 1,270 rushing yards.
That said, it would help if Eli Manning would occasionally dump the ball off to Barber, who can be a dangerous weapon in the passing game. He has only seven catches for 91yards and he's been thrown to only 10times. After averaging 59catches in his first eight seasons, he's on pace for a measly 22.
Toom & gloom
Speaking of players missing in action, has anyone seen Amani Toomer? Manning apparently hasn't. Arguably the greatest receiver in franchise history, Toomer has just 11 catches for 146 yards. So is this the beginning of the end for Toomer? Probably not. Toomer is signed through 2008. He's due $2.4 million next season, but the cap hit would be twice as much if he were cut.
Giants' clipboard
Hot seat
Offensive coordinator John Hufnagel. It's never a good sign when players even tactfully criticize the play-calling.
X's and O's
Before Brandon Jacobs' fumble in Dallas, the Giants had run 10 'goal-line' plays inside the 5. Jacobs ran three times, Barber once and Eli Manning attempted six passes.
Whispers
If Dom Capers is fired in Houston, which seems likely, could he land in New York? He was Coughlin's defensive coordinator in Jacksonville in 1999-2000.
Giant softies
By RALPH VACCHIANO
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Wednesday, October 19th, 2005
Tom Coughlin stood in front of his players on Monday morning and listed all the good things they had done on Sunday in Dallas. He praised the team for its resiliency, the offense for the way it rallied, and said he was impressed with the play of the special teams.
Then he asked, "What's missing from this presentation?"
What he said was missing in Big D was the "D".
Blame the offense all you want for the Giants' 16-13 overtime loss to the Cowboys - certainly Eli Manning and Co. deserve it after all the opportunities they let slip away - but the defense does not deserve all the credit it has been getting. For the fourth time in five games the Giants were shredded by an opponent's passing attack. And they were completely unable to stop the Cowboys when it mattered most.
And that's not just in overtime when Dallas marched 51yards with ease for the game-winning field goal. By then, the Cowboys had controlled the clock (and kept the Giants' offense on the sidelines and out of its rhythm) with two scoring drives that lasted more than eight minutes - a 16-play, 83-yard touchdown drive in the first half (8:02) and a 15-play, 79-yard field goal drive in the second (8:48).
In other words, the reason the Cowboys were able to hold the ball for more than 40 of the game's 63 minutes wasn't just because the Giants had four three-and-outs.
"What was missing is the fact (the Cowboys) had 25 first downs, they were 9 of 16 on third down, and they threw the ball for almost 300 yards (actually 312)," Coughlin said. "At some point in time, we have to take responsibility for getting them off the field defensively."
Unfortunately that's something the Giants haven't done all season. In the first five games they've allowed nine drives of five minutes or longer, including five in the last two games. Meanwhile, Drew Bledsoe became the third opposing quarterback in five games to top 300yards passing and Keyshawn Johnson became the fifth receiver to top 100 receiving.
And this time, they can't use the excuse defensive coordinator Tim Lewis used during the bye week - that the numbers were a result of trying to protect big leads. The Giants' biggest lead was 6-0 and the teams were never more than a touchdown apart. Instead, Coughlin chided the beleaguered secondary for "not enough concentrated, tough, hard-nosed coverage in the underneath areas and even to a certain extent on the outside."
That sounds like coachspeak for "soft."
And that's a problem because the Giants, despite what happened on Sunday, have the offense to make a run at the playoffs in what is a wide-open and mediocre NFC. But they're not going to get there if the defense continues to be one of the league's worst.
At the moment, that's what it is - ranked 31st, giving up an average of 417.2 yards per game. Yes, they're second in the league with 18 takeaways, but as defensive end Michael Strahan conceded, "Turnovers do not mean you're going to win the game."
Defense is what's supposed to be what wins games in the NFL. A little better defense in Dallas and the Giants would be 4-1.
Ron around <pin to broncos locker wall>
So much for Ron Dayne just needing a fresh start. The Giants' No. 1 draft pick in 2000 will make his hardly anticipated return to Giants Stadium on Sunday, and he'll be doing what he always did here - standing on the sideline. He's third on the Broncos' depth chart and has 53 yards on just 13 carries.
Tiki gets passed over in air attack
Before offensive coordinator John Hufnagel gets skewered for abandoning the running game and ignoring Tiki Barber, consider this:
Last year the Giants ran the ball on 44.5% of their plays (424 of 951). This year it's 43.4% (125 of 288). Last year, Barber touched the ball on 39.3% of the plays (374 of 951). This year it's 32.9% (95 of 288). That's less than four fewer touches per game. And remember, the Giants didn't have Plaxico Burress last year. Plus, Barber is still on pace for 1,270 rushing yards.
That said, it would help if Eli Manning would occasionally dump the ball off to Barber, who can be a dangerous weapon in the passing game. He has only seven catches for 91yards and he's been thrown to only 10times. After averaging 59catches in his first eight seasons, he's on pace for a measly 22.
Toom & gloom
Speaking of players missing in action, has anyone seen Amani Toomer? Manning apparently hasn't. Arguably the greatest receiver in franchise history, Toomer has just 11 catches for 146 yards. So is this the beginning of the end for Toomer? Probably not. Toomer is signed through 2008. He's due $2.4 million next season, but the cap hit would be twice as much if he were cut.
Giants' clipboard
Hot seat
Offensive coordinator John Hufnagel. It's never a good sign when players even tactfully criticize the play-calling.
X's and O's
Before Brandon Jacobs' fumble in Dallas, the Giants had run 10 'goal-line' plays inside the 5. Jacobs ran three times, Barber once and Eli Manning attempted six passes.
Whispers
If Dom Capers is fired in Houston, which seems likely, could he land in New York? He was Coughlin's defensive coordinator in Jacksonville in 1999-2000.