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Monday, December 8, 2008

Blink

Into each life some rain must fall.

Even the magnificent Bears defense of 1985, the best defense I ever saw, and probably will ever see, lost one game. Life is not perfect. The Eagles had 10 days of rest, and I strongly believe that that had more to do with the Giants' loss than anything else. Westbrook was healthier than at anytime since the beginning of the season. (How about shadowing him on 3rd down with a Safety instead of Pierce?) They wanted the game more than the Giants. The Giants are 11-2, they are division champions, they are going to bounce back from this loss the same way they did after Cleveland. And if they cannot make the adjustments necessary, then they don't deserve the bid for SB XLIII we all feel they have a legitimate shot at. I believe they will get the answers. And if they don't, then we can look for answers ourselves.

When Osi was put on season-ending IR, I nearly jumped off the skyscraper, but came to my senses a few hours later and said two things needed to happen: they needed to move Kiwi back to DL and they needed to start Bradshaw. Hours after that, they moved Kiwi back, but I am still waiting like the jackbrown that I am for #44 to get the ball. At this point, all I want is touches for the guy because he is #3 on the totem pole. He got 5 touches (all runs, all to the right(?)), and the Eagles are playing run as much as possible. So you see, the point here is that we are at a moment where someone is going to blink. The Giants have a tool in the shed, a card in their hand, that needs to get played in order for them to show YET ONE MORE GEAR in their engine, the GEAR that can put them over the top. The gear that can "help" them win a championship. I strongly feel that this card would have changed the offense this afternoon. Why? Because even though the Eagles are undersized, they were committed to stopping the run and that is why Hixon would be able to get behind everyone while Burress would not. So the answer is delayed pass to the TE or RB after they chip. It blows my mind that you have an open field runner like Bradshaw who can make people miss and yet you do not use him. Everyone keeps telling me (except my politically incorrect clone Nature) that Jacobs and Ward are fine, we can go all the way with them, and my answer is: fine, let's go all the way with them but please get #44 the ball too. On days like these, it is simply impossible for me to believe he would not have made a difference, and probably a big one. I see the things #36 did and I say- let #44 do those same things.

So who is going to blink? When do the Giants coaches acknowledge that w/o Burress, it would be nice to be able to have something ELSE in the offense that stretches the defense? If the Giants offense keeps getting stacked at the line of scrimmage, it is going to be IMPERATIVE that the gmen find passing answers, and when the weather is inconducive to passing, what are you going to do? Blink? Or admit I am going to lose if I do not try something a little different, like using my fastest and most versatile back to take some pressure off of Eli and Hixon and the rest of the WRs. Like I said, necessity is the mother of invention. Nothing like the defense loading the box and losing your double covered WR for you to either respond by embracing change or BLINKING.

Remember, IT IS THE WIND. There was no wind in Tampa Bay or Dallas or Green Bay or Glendale AZ. There was no wind this season vs Washington (when we had no Burress and they loaded the box). YOU HAVE TO ASSUME MANNING IS GOING TO HAVE WIND IN THE MEADOWLANDS IN JANUARY. How do you meet that challenge? Tap that versatile asset sitting (okay, Nature, WASTING) on the sideline and get him in the game. If we get dealt this hand and do not play this card, then the Killdrives and Kilbrowns et al will come out of (wind) storage.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

As for yesterdays game, without Plax we need to use #44 just like the Eagles did with #36. Ahmad is as good as Westbrook but why we didn’t and don't utilize this tool. I just don't understand. I did see Bradshaw cut a blitzer at the knees that was semi effective but it still allowed some pressure on Eli. If that was Ward or Jacobs, they would have met the blitzer straight up and Eli would have had a clean pocket to throw from. I know Parcells would always talk about how he would not start players who could not pick up the blitz no matter how good they where. I keep hoping that Killdrive knows something that I don’t but I’m not holding out to much hope.

Bottom line, without Plax, we need to do something else to make the offence go and the gameplan yesterday is not going to cut it come playoff time in January. If we have another day like the 86 championship game was played in weather wise, we are in a world of trouble with Killdrive running the show.

Looking ahead long term, yesterdays loss will come back to haunt us for years to come. Andy Reid is a great coach. McNabb is a very very good player. If we had won they would have had one foot out the door but now we might be stuck playing the both of them for a few more years. If reid goes then most likely so does Johnson and that a win, win, win for us. Heck, why not go for it all and trade Westbrook because he is too injury prone.

Anonymous said...

One more thing since you mentioned the 85 Bears.

The greatest game every not played would be the 85 Bears vs the 86 Giants. Two of the greatest teams to ever set foot on a football field.

Motown Blue said...

Our concerns were evident with the D yesterday......mediocre pass rush and slow footed LBs in coverage.

The whole team laid and egg with poor tackling missed assignments, dropped passes and poor routes. So I cannot blame this too much on Brownbride and Spags.

The long lay off and a healthy 36 was a concern for me going into the game. First it gave Johnson time to, in the words of Barber and Shockey, out-coach browning Gilbride. Gilbride will make adjustments and provide a few good games to make prolong our suffering. But the one major factor that scares me about this team is Gilbride's lack of ability to make adjusments timely. Andy aptly stated what they needed to do to overcome their LBs over-aggressiveness against the run.....44 in slot, screens, WR bubble screens, 89 screeens and quick flares. It reminded me of one of the worst game plans in memory, the Vikings game last year (same conditions, but smarter QB this time).

Just hope Ross, Webster and Jacobs are minor injuries.

Who will solve the mystery of #44????

Daniel said...

According to ESPN, Syracuse has reached out to Giants Offensive Coordinator Kevin Gilbride to fill its head coaching vacancy!

Let's go Orange!

I'm sorry if there are Syracuse Alums out there who vomited a little bit when they read that, but this would be great news for the Giants!

xtian said...

first off, lots of ppl here--like me--have been complaining about bradshaw not getting the ball more.

hey, if jacobs and ward are kicking ass, then bradshaw does not need to get the ball that much, save him for the playoffs, but times when they are struggling or behind--like against the eagles--he needs to be unleashed because he has take-it-to-the-house potential.

Motown Blue said...

Correction: It was the Deadskins not Vikings game re poor game plan in bad conditions. Another concern as it relates to Eli is his wobbly throws. Lack of tight spiral is a concern at home in the playoffs.

Craig said...

Gilbride turned down the opportunity at 'Cuse. hahaha

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