A Three-Part Series: Expensive Stadiums Bound for Doom?

For an 18-hour period, Jerry Jones boasted a grin that seemingly spawned from a time capsule set to the mid 90s.

 

Jones recently admitted to countless sleepless nights during the grueling three-year process of the stadium’s construction. But on August 21st, a night that will be remembered not just exclusively for Dallas, but for an entire sports nation, Jones would reap the benefits of the stress that came with taking a gigantic step in the advancement of building a stadium.

 

Not so fast.

 

I personally saw the stadium last December when I was in Dallas for the Sunday night battle between the Giants and Cowboys, and it resembled a spaceship that landed in Texas by accident, not an actual place that 53 football players could deem “home.”

 

This was merely from the outside. On the inside, jaw-dropping pictures of revolutionary installments made the stadium even more of an enigma. Such a place could not be conceived, nor built by man, correct?

 

From an architectural standpoint, it is an incredible feat. However, from a football fan’s standpoint, there are unmistakable flaws in the stadium’s design. The scoreboard that makes the Madison Square Garden jumbo-tron look like the tv in your basement in 1968 hangs from the top of the ceiling and extends from one twenty-yard line to the other.

 

60 yards for those that don’t care to do the math. Without numbers, it can simply be labeled as the biggest television set in the world.

 

There’s no doubt that this gigantic television screen is an amazing intricacy of Cowboys Stadium. There are just a couple of defects that come with it.

 

For the fan, it detracts from the game experience. The screen is so massive that it may be impossible for one to ignore its presence and simply watch the game. It’s human nature for a set of eyeballs to be captivated by a 2,100 inch HD television set.

 

However, this makes a crowd much less inclined to simply watch the game that is transpiring right under their noses. It’s a privilege to witness 22 players on a field at a time in person. Now, thousands of people will be paying big bucks to essentially watch a football game on a giant television.

 

Additionally, from an actual football standpoint, the jumbo-tron creates a major headache for teams league wide.

 

It took all but half a pre-season game for controversy to flare for the typically attention-starved Jerry Jones. At one point, Titans backup punter A.J. Trapasso ricocheted a punt off the scoreboard prompting coach Jeff Fisher to chuck his red flag in response.

 

Earlier this year, Daniel Murphy smacked a ball to deep right field and it landed right in front of Citi Field’s “Mo’s-Zone.”

 

It was initially ruled a double but the replay confirmed it had to be a home run because the ball suddenly redirected after coming within distance of the bright yellow Subway sign. Therefore, common sense dictated that it had to be a home run and it was ruled just that.

 

A similar circumstance may occur in Texas Stadium this year. What if a punt strikes the board and the punt returner muffs it, but it is inconclusive if the ball hit the screen? If the game were decided on this play, a storm of debate would emerge regarding the outcome of this game. Think back to Ed Hochuli in Week Two.

 

Jerry Jones appears to be in denial of this issue, responding harshly to the reporters that question this architectural renovation. He deflected any criticisms in the direction of the Titans punter, in which he claimed that Trapasso’s punt was deliberately kicked into the scoreboard.

 

“How high is high if somebody just wants to sit there and kick straight up? If you look at how you punt the football, unless you’re trying to hit the scoreboard, you punt the ball to get downfield. You certainly want to get some hangtime, but you punt the ball to get downfield, and you sure don’t punt the ball down the middle. You punt it off to the side.”

There is clear hypocrisy in Jones’s statement. Veteran punters Craig Hentrich (Titans) and Matt McBriar (Cowboys) both agree that five seconds of hangtime likely would lead to the ball coming in contact with the scoreboard.

Coupled with distance, five seconds of hangtime is what punters strive for. In 2004, the average hangtime for a punt was 4.6 seconds. If that’s the average, can you imagine what a Pro Bowl punter could attain?

From what it appears, a punt that goes at least a quarter of the way up the gargantuan scoreboard.

Let’s say the Competition Committee repudiates any adjustments to Texas Stadium. What’s the worst that could happen? Well, it would not grant the Cowboys the homefield advantage that Jones boasts that it will.

Sure, the Cowboys can build their team around the scoreboard (never thought I would say that in a sentence) and preach a line-drive style of punting to Matt McBriar. But what happens on the road playing in a more conventional stadium?

The line drive punts would not bode nearly as well, especially at the Meadowlands or Lincoln Financial Field or any other venue played in harsh weather.

And if the punts hit the scoreboard on a regular basis, then punt return success would fluctuate rapidly. Coverage units would be worn out running down the field, thus allowing the return teams to attain a greater chance of a big return.

So there you have it Jerry. After pouring $1.2 billion into an other worldly stadium for America’s team, this is what everybody is talking about after its debut.

 

In the coming days, I’ll be commenting on two other stadiums that are near completions of their controversy-laden inaugural seasons in Major League Baseball: Yankee Stadium and Citi Field.

Will the New York Giants’ Young Wide Receivers Get a Chance To Shine?

In a game loaded with positives, the Giants 24-17 victory over Carolina came with one unanimous negative.

Where were the rookie receivers that the Giants held on to as opposed to trading for Braylon Edwards?

They were on the field. In fact, they played for virtually the entire second half. But aside from the instances in which Jon Gruden and Ron Jaworski were salivating over Ramses Barden, their names were scarcely called in game action.

Third-round pick Ramses Barden had a 20-yard reception on a poorly covered third and 17. He also was overthrown on the Giants last offensive play on the game, one that could have put the Giants in position to win it with a field goal.

Some speculate that Barden could have attempted to lay out for the reception, but he was at a poor angle and appeared to have trouble locating the ball.

First round selection Hakeem Nicks was very quiet, too. Throughout the first half, Nicks was frequently located by ESPN cameras behind Giants coaches, standing helplessly with his helmet on.

He got his chance in the second half, albeit a minimal one. He jumped too early on a long pass down the sideline, but redeemed himself with a nice snag on a quick slant. Other then that, he was essentially transparent.

Unfortunately, if this is how the rotation goes throughout the preseason, the mediocre performances for Barden and Nicks will become a trend.

Let’s face it: A wide receiver can only do so much in spite of poor quarterback play and a horrendous offensive line. For two rookies, it is even harder to adapt.

This is starting to parallel to the legend of Kenny Phillips that permeated throughout New York tabloids in August of 2008. He was anointed the defense’s x-factor by many, but promptly went on to serve his meager role as a rotational safety without much freedom.

Similarly, Barden provoked many headlines detailing the 6’6″ receiver’s raw talent and advanced knowledge of the game. But like Phillips, the sentiment is starting to emerge that No. 13 will be exclusively used in the red zone. Barring injury or extremely poor performances by his peers, his impact between the 20s will be minimal.

Hakeem Nicks has had a less explosive camp than Barden. He’s caught everything thrown his way, but has lacked spectacular moments and has missed extensive practice time with a lingering hamstring injury. Like Barden, Nicks’s possibility to contribute was squashed by the sub-par talent around him.

The next three preseason games will be very revealing. If Coughlin continues to rotate his young receivers in with other on-the-bubble talent, Nicks and Barden will be hard-pressed to turn some heads. This will likely deter them from convincing the coaches to rank them high on the depth chart come September.

However, if the Giants alter their strategy and allow Nicks and Barden to be on the field at the same time as Eli Manning, they will get their chance to shine. And if they take advantage of it, their chances of contributing when it matters will be bolstered.

Ten Random Notes From Last Night’s Giants Game

I was thinking of writing a game recap and an overall analysis of what transpired on Monday night. But I realized that would be rather pointless, and decided to shorten it to a 10-part slideshow of little (and random) things I noticed.

In what started out as an exciting affair, the game took a turn for the worse with sloppy plays and a plethora of penalties. Although there is much good to be taken out of the first pre-season game, there are definitely going to be aspects in which Coughlin is pulling his hair out.

Hopefully this slideshow won’t make you do the same.

A New Dawn Has Set in For The New York Giants Passing Game

Plaxico Burress. Amani Toomer. Jeremy Shockey. Tiki Barber.

All were at a reasonable age to maintain top performance when Eli Manning was in the process of completing his first season as a starter in 2005. Each presented distinct match-up nightmares for the opposing defenses. And all of them were integral in the New York Giants grand plan or surrounding Eli Manning with weapons as long as he boasts a New York Giants uniform.

None of them remain.

The only wide receiver that has been along for every second of Manning’s wild ride with the Giants is David Tyree.

And the only bond between the two is that Tyree caught Manning’s first career touchdown pass to a wide receiver, and a certain 32-yard catch that will be linked with Super Bowl greatness until the end of time.

Presumably, Tyree will be given the pink slip by the end of August and the overhaul will be complete. No more can Eli lean on targets that had established themselves when Eli arrived in 2004.

Now everything is flipped upside down. Come Sept. 13, Eli’s primary targets will likely be Steve Smith, Domenik Hixon, Ramses Barden, Mario Manningham, Hakeem Nicks, and Sinorice Moss.

The average age of the projected opening day receiving corps?

Roughly 24 years young.

Additionally, the combined career receptions amongst the six is only 11 more than the combined age.

On a veteran team that is built for immediate success, these exact statistics have been the culprit for all the skepticism lent to the Giants passing game.

However, there’s always a semblance of hope in an otherwise bleak situation. The lack of a distinguished veteran receiver may mean that Eli can’t rely on solely one or two targets as he did with Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer.

But it does mean that this group will grow together. They will learn from their mistakes together. They will enter the prime of their careers together.

And on the heels of granting Eli Manning the largest sum of money for any quarterback in the NFL, Giants brass should be consoled that there appears to be a plethora of young talent dispersed through the wide receiver depth chart.

Of course, it’s natural for pessimism to creep in given the lack of experience. Many have stated that given Jerry Reese’s willingness to expend multiple draft picks for receivers that have had success on the NFL level, he isn’t confident with the players currently on the roster.

Conversely, this argument can be repudiated by stating that Reese didn’t pull the trigger on a trade that likely would have cost a first and a third round pick, which were converted into Hakeem Nicks and Ramses Barden.

Speed bumps should be expected.

Drops and mis-communications are going to become a natural occurrence in the grueling six months to come. However, so will the explosive yards-after-catch plays that were non-existent when Amani Toomer and Plaxico Burress were Manning’s primary targets.

Patience will be mandatory if the Giants want to achieve their ultimate goal of playing a game in February. If the offense is able to persevere through the inevitable growing pains, then the offense will be more dangerous then ever late in the season, and will have stability for many years to come.

Once and for All: Why Eli Manning Is Worthy of Big-Time Cash

Naturally, as soon as the details of Eli Manning’s inevitable extension were exposed to the media, the Giants have taken criticism from not only fans around the nation but also professional analysts.

These criticisms are valid. The freshest memory of Eli on the field is not him guiding the Giants to an improbable Super Bowl championship, but his shoulders slouched in the fourth quarter of a lame playoff game against the Eagles to cap off an even lamer stretch run.

There’s no doubt this ended the Super Bowl honeymoon period that Eli earned through the Giants epic playoff performance that is now two years in the past. Now, Giants fans are hungrier then ever when they look at a team that is extremely well-rounded, and could easily be ranked top five on each side of the ball by year’s end.

Onus, thy name is Manning.

Before the pressure cooker even heated up, the Giants decided to grant Manning a loaded extension that will allow Manning to receive up to $97.5 million from 2010-2015. This has provoked the question: why is Manning becoming the richest quarterback in the league when his career has been defined by inconsistency?

Because he knows how to win.

Courtesy of fantasy football and advances in resources, analyzing an NFL player has become a statistics-driven art. And when one identifies Eli Manning and his meager 76.1 career passer rating, there is no inclination to label him a top five (or even top 10) quarterback. 55.1 percent career completion percentage? Let’s face it, not many would sign up for that.

Except, of course, the Giants.

Despite his inconsistencies, they know there are plenty of other quarterbacks that would deter them from hoisting the Lombardi at the end of the year, which is the only true goal for an NFL franchise.

Think about it. There’s class A: Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and Drew Brees (He hasn’t won anything, but any team in the league would take him as their quarterback).

Eli finds himself in class B, along with guys like Donovan McNabb, Tony Romo, Phillip Rivers, Carson Palmer, Aaron Rodgers, Matt Ryan, Jay Cutler, and Ben Roethlisberger.

An argument could be justified that one would be most inclined to take Eli over all of the other quarterbacks. McNabb has been one of the best quarterbacks in the league the last ten seasons and is a borderline Hall-of-Famer. But he also appears to be troubled by pressure situations, and has been plagued by injuries. Due to his ability to stay healthy and poised in all situations, some teams may be prepared to take Manning over McNabb.

Romo is a fantasy football dream, but until he produces in December and January, he’s simply a tease.

Phillip Rivers has been terrific the last couple of seasons, but in 2006 he blew his chance with an absolutely loaded Chargers team that went 14-2 in the regular season and lost in the divisional round against New England.

Additionally, since we’re comparing him to a guy who plays in New York, his passes that have the hang time of a punt would not cut through the wind of the Meadowlands as they do in the crisp San Diego air. And to put it vaguely, it would be interesting to see how he and the New York media would get along.

Carson Palmer burst onto the scene in 2005, but what have he and the Bengals done since?

Jay Cutler has an arm that makes scouts salivate, but his career record is below .500. What good are his perfectly placed bombs if his team doesn’t win?

Matt Ryan is on a remarkably rapid pace to blast his way into class A. But right now, with only 16 regular season games on his resume, it would be tough to take him over a Super Bowl winning quarterback. The same goes for Aaron Rodgers, who had an impressive first season.

Lastly, there’s Ben Roethlisberger. Although his performance in his first Super Bowl was dreadful, Roethlisberger vindicated himself by leading an amazing drive to bring home the Steelers sixth Super Bowl championship. The man knows how to win, and that’s why a vast majority of the league would love to have him leading their team.

The only real issue with Ben is injuries. He rarely misses time on the field, which further proves his indisputable toughness, but these injuries may hurt him down the road. It’s feasible that Manning’s career will last four of five more years than Ben, which could yield the Giants at least one extra championship.

What does this prove? That there are reasonable complaints with every quarterback not named Brady, Brees, or Peyton. Eli has a considerable amount of flaws, but his track record proves he knows how to get it done.

He and his brother are the only two quarterbacks in the league to have their team in the playoffs in each of the last four seasons.

If you ask any coach in the league what they would rather have, a trophy-armed quarterback that dwindles when it matters most, or a mild-mannered quarterback whose performance in most games are merely “decent,” but manages to step up his game in dire situations, the coach would immediately point to the latter quarterback.

And Eli is the latter.

What Exactly Could Go Wrong for the Giants This Year?

An argument could be presented that the last time this much optimism extended throughout the Giants’ fan base, media, and players was in 2003.

This nugget alone should provoke Giants fans to shudder and level their expectations. For those that are blessed enough to be unfamiliar with that season, the Giants finished the season at a miserable 4-12 and made the Ray Handley teams of the past look like the ’72 Dolphins.

Will the 2009 squad falter in such a way? Highly doubtful. The only way this team’s season will culminate in double-digit losses is if the New York Mets injury bug makes its away across the river and infects the Giants as it has the Mets.

In a period defined by the NFL’s mediocrity, the Giants have too much talent, too much depth, and too much continuity to flounder into the depths of hell that the 2003 Giants experienced so suddenly.

With that said, there are circumstances that could deter the Giants from attaining the success many believe they are destined for. Like any other NFL team, there are certain phases of the Giants game that can be exposed and contribute to a disappointing season. Here are some, and not so obvious, potential problems the Giants could face this season.

 

1. Deja Vu All Over Again?

Osi Umenyiora knew something was up. So did the Giants’ team doctors. In the beginning of the 2007 season opener in Texas Stadium, Umenyiora’s knee was tweaked awkwardly and forced him to leave the game. He was able to come back the next week against Green Bay, but the injury hampered him throughout the season.

“I had to constantly ice it and take anti-inflammatories just to stay on the field,” said Umenyiora. “It was painful then. There were things I couldn’t do. I couldn’t do lunges, I couldn’t do squats, I couldn’t jump high, I couldn’t do a bunch of things without taking those medications.”

After the unforgettable Super Bowl run highlighted by the defensive dominance, in part to Umenyiora’s ability to fight through pain and hit opposing quarterbacks, the Week One knee injury appeared to be a distant memory. Except to Umenyiora and the doctors.

The pain remained and damage had been done, yet Umenyiora chose not to address it. As a result, his season was terminated in Week Three of the preseason on a play in which he wasn’t touched. It was apparent this injury was inevitable.

Umenyiora’s cohort, Justin Tuck, is in the midst of a similar experience. In November, he suffered an injury that provoked bone spurs to hamper him (and his performance) throughout the next three months.

Many thought that Tuck would be most inclined to accept surgery to ensure that his injury would be completely rectified. Not so fast. When asked a day after the season ended in a sobering 23-11 loss to Philadelphia, Tuck said he would decline surgery because he doesn’t “like getting cut up.”

Considering Umenyiora used similar logic and promptly had his knee collapse on him in the preseason, there is reason to worry the same fate may be in store for Tuck. With one awkward turn of the foot in the hundreds of battles he will have with offensive linemen in practice and in games, the spurs that were treated with mere rest may re-emerge and hamper Tuck in 2009.

The Giants do have incredible depth within their defensive line. However, this was not designed in order to protect against injuries. This unit was bolstered in order to provide the Giants with the luxury of having a seven-man rotation in the league’s most physically demanding division.

If the Giants lose Tuck’s services due to his stubbornness, it will be a blow to their overall chances.

 

2. The Replacements

Brandon Jacobs is not only convinced he’ll be able to improve off his 1,100 yard, 15-touchdown season, but that he’ll be getting more handoffs then the 219 he accumulated in 2009.

Two hundred and nineteen yards doesn’t appear to be much, but it’s a long shot for Jacobs. The Giants locked him up to a four-year contract extension in the offseason and are apt to keep him fresh for the final years of his deal.

More importantly, they want to keep him fresh for December and January when his punishing style wears down defenses that are already battling fatigue during the latter parts of the season.

Couple that with the inevitable nicks and bruises Jacobs suffers with his in-your-face running style and 220 carries is generally an optimistic expectation for Jacobs.

However, the Giants will predicate their offense off the running game more than ever this season, so there’s at least 200 other carries that will be given elsewhere. And not to the guy who ran for 1,000 yards as Jacobs’ backup last season.

That guy is Derrick Ward, and he was offered a boatload of cash by the Buccaneers in part from being the beneficiary of Jacobs blasting through the defense for four quarters. He took the money, and left the Giants with three talented, yet inexperienced running backs behind Jacobs.

Ahmad Bradshaw is the lead horse to start the race for the No. 2 slot on the depth chart, but that could change. Danny Ware, originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Tennessee Titans in 2007, raised eyebrows in the 2008 preseason.

His most striking feature was that he was an exceptional downhill runner and smoothly kept his feet moving forward, reminiscent of his predecessor, Derrick Ward.

To be fair, Ware’s performance was strictly against guys who will be lucky to make it on a UFL roster. Bradshaw has performed well in the brightest of spots against the toughest of defenses. Ware can’t lay claim to such a feat, and thus it is Bradshaw’s spot to lose.

However, there have been instances that Bradshaw stopped the heart of his fundamental-preaching coach by letting the ball flop around the turf for the defense to snatch.

Officially, these plays were not ruled fumbles but Bradshaw’s incessant need to scrap for an extra yard has resulted in the ball squirting out nano seconds after he makes contact with the turf. This year, he may not get so lucky.

If Bradshaw is unable to hold onto the ball and Ware is unable to carry his preseason legend status over to the regular season, then the Giants may have a situation on their hands.

Fourth-round rookie Andre Brown would be next in line but he is unlikely to perform in his first season in blue. If none of these three step up and the onus is placed on Jacobs, this Giants rushing attack could lead to major problems for the rest of the team.

 

3. Cracks in the unbreakable force?

Remember when Joe Theismann declared the Giants to have the worst offensive line in the NFL? I don’t either. And neither do defensive coordinators, who generally are unable to decipher a method that could vanquish the Giants dominating front five.

But in a position that demands maximum strength annually, it is hard for the same group of linemen to maintain success. And thus, father time may finally be ticking on the Giants offensive line.

David Diehl. Rich Seubert. Shaun O’Hara. Chris Snee. Kareem McKenzie. Only two combined Pro Bowl appearances, several 1,000 yard seasons, and a quarterback who has not missed a regular season game since 2005.

Although the line was stellar in 2008, there were red flags raised from different directions. Right tackle Kareem McKenzie’s back has been acting up more frequently, which could mark the beginning of the end for him.

Left tackle David Diehl has struggled against dominant speed rushers, and that does not bode well in a division that contains Trent Cole, DeMarcus Ware, and Brian Orakpo if he reaches his potential.

The Giants addressed these potential issues by drafting William Beatty in the second round. However, many feel he is a project that is not ready for immediate success in 2009. This essentially leaves the Giants without a fallback if McKenzie’s back continues to flare up and Diehl begins to be exposed on a more regular basis.

From top to bottom it’s patently obvious that this Giants team has the ability to send out Giants Stadium with a Lombardi. But these issues serve as a reminder that there will be obstacles that have to be conquered in order for the Giants to attain greatness.

Has Adrian Peterson Actually Hurt The Minnesota Vikings?

The Minnesota Vikings have been arguably the most turbulent franchise throughout the young 21^st century. 2000 was a year of offensive prowess powered by the jaw dropping passes from first-year starter Daunte Culpepper and the equally staggering catches by Randy Moss.

 

This campaign, which ended in a 41-0 drubbing laid on by the NFC champion New York Giants, appeared to be the beginning of a run that would land the Vikings at least one championship.

 

However, as is life in the NFL, the Vikings never put together consecutive years of success. Coaching transitions, inconsistency in drafting young talent, egos, and injuries have halted the Vikings from becoming an upper-tier team in the NFC.

 

In 2006 it appeared that the Vikings were in full-fledged rebuilding mode. Brad Childress brought a new attitude to Minnesota that was a breath of fresh air from the disappointing Mike Tice era. Tarvaris Jackson, an inexperienced yet extremely talented quarterback from Alabama State, instilled a hope amongst Vikings brass that the search to replace Daunte Culpepper was finally complete.

 

In a relatively small media market and with little talent to boast, the Vikings were going to spend the next couple of seasons developing their 2006 second-round quarterback and surround him with viable weapons through the draft and free agency. There was little sense of urgency to compile division championships because they simply weren’t very good.

 

But with the seventh pick in the 2007 NFL draft, that all changed.

 

There was no doubt that Adrian Peterson was a physical freak coming out of college. The Oklahoma product punished defenses from the moment he stepped on the field as a true freshman. Remarkably, he finished second in the Heisman voting as a freshman. His next two seasons at Oklahoma were limited by injuries that some NFL scouts worried came from his taxing running style.

 

This deterred some teams from selecting Peterson, but not the Vikings. And they reaped the benefits immediately. Peterson broke the all-time rushing record for a rookie and easily won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Simultaneously, he sparked the Vikings to a surprising run in which a Week 16 Sunday night victory against the Redskins could have catapulted them to a Wild Card berth. However, they lost that game, and finished the season 8-8.

 

While Peterson’s startling rookie campaign brought the Vikings life and a renewed sense of faith within the Vikings fan base, it also created the pressure to win. With a dominant running back tandem in Peterson and Chester Taylor, along with a solid offensive line and a talented defense, the Vikings were forced to abandon their multi-year plan to regain NFC prominence.

 

Heading into 2008, Tarvaris Jackson was not granted the necessary time to develop what many scouts believed he needed in order to reach his potential. Instead, Head Coach Brad Childress placed a leash on the quarterback many thought would be the future of the Vikings franchise.

 

Sure enough, all it took was an 0-2 start for the Vikings to pull Jackson in favor of veteran Gus Frerotte. All of a sudden, the Vikings had strayed away from the plan they hoped would allow them to reemerge as an NFC power.

 

Now, all the Vikings have proved to be is a .500 team with flashes of brilliance, but also long stretches of mediocrity. After grabbing back the starting position in December, Jackson actually played well down the stretch, en route to a division crown for the Vikings. But all positive sentiments coming from that month were washed away in a very pedestrian playoff performance against the Philadelphia Eagles.

 

Many believe that Vikings are a win-now team. If Brett Favre signs with the Vikings, then that would confirm that statement. They would be a win in 2009 team. But down the road, many questions would linger: After being benched on multiple occasions, is Tarvaris Jackson the future? What about John David Booty, the Vikings 2007 fifth round pick from USC?

 

The Vikings have very little direction right now. Talent? No doubt. But even with an established veteran at quarterback, gaping holes remain on the current roster. Pedestrian wide receivers, porous special teams, and lack of discipline on the defensive side of the ball highlight their list of weaknesses.

 

Simply put, the Vikings progression has been rushed by the sudden urgency to win, which was triggered by their star running back’s explosion onto the NFL scene. Now, the Vikings are in a win-now position, without the pieces to do it.

 

 

New York Giants: Linebacker Issue Casts a Cloud of Uncertainty

With the steady departure of some of the most flamboyant personalities in Giants’ history, the months of June and July have been eerily quiet.

 

There have been no anonymous sources chomping at the bit to alert the media of a certain tight end’s outcries against the front office. No messages from ex-teammates that criticize the team’s trophy quarterback on national television. It may be dull for the tabloids, but Jerry Reese and Tom Coughlin wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

However, the termination of off-the-field issues has not prevented a slew of questions stemming from the events that transpire within a 60-minute game clock.

 

Namely, the linebacker position.

 

Largely ignored in favor of the ineptitude of the offense down the stretch, the Giants linebacker corps came up staggeringly small during the stretch run. Antonio Pierce was missing tackles, Chase Blackburn reverted back to the career backup that he was, and Danny Clark simply wore down after being a pleasant surprise through the first half of the season.

 

And the defensive performance suffered mightily because of it. The entire starting front was battling through injuries but was still supplying adequate pressure. However, there were countless occasions in which the quarterback was able to avoid the initial pressure, bounce outside, and either scramble or shovel it to the running back for a chunk of yardage.

 

What could that be attributed to? Lack of speed from the linebackers.

 

If the quarterback was able to escape the clutches of Mathias Kiwanuka or Justin Tuck, he was able to attain breathing room and take advantage of a defense that had been scrambling for six or seven seconds already. Pierce, Clark, and Blackburn simply could not catch the quarterback or the running back.

 

This resulted in an inability for the Giants defense to stymie the opposing offenses on third down. The Giants allowed the Eagles to move the chains seven times in 14 third down opportunities.

 

It was no secret the Giants would have to alleviate the sudden speed deprivation within the linebacker corps. Within the first week of free agency, the Giants lured 26 year old Falcons linebacker Michael Boley to move up north by signing him to a five-year deal worth up to $25 million.

 

They continued their youth and speed movement by drafting Clint Sintim from the University of Virginia on day one.

 

Both linebackers possess an overabundance of speed, and will be placed into separate roles. Boley is extremely efficient in covering running backs and tight ends due to his savvy and speed and will be asked to do exactly that to prevent another Westbrook or Witten nightmare scenario from emerging in these crucial divisional battles.

 

On the other hand, Clint Sintim caught the attention of the Giants by being a menace to opposing quarterbacks. He led the NCAA in sacks by a linebacker in his final year at Virginia, and gives the Giants even more flexibility in rushing the passer.

 

Suddenly, a position that was exposed during the late season collapse appeared to be a position of strength. However, problems have recently emerged. Shortly after the completion of mini-camp, Boley had arthroscopic hip surgery to repair a torn labrum. His period of recovery is projected to be 8-10 weeks, which will place him on a schedule to return by opening day.

 

Regardless, due to a suspension enforced today due to a 2008 domestic battery case against Boley, he will not play the season opener against Washington.

 

More importantly, the hip surgery will hinder his ability to master the playbook. Due to this roadblock, Boley may have to learn the playbook while trying to cover the likes of Felix Jones and Reggie Bush in the first months of the season.

 

Meanwhile, Sintim has been experiencing some injury difficulties too. He hurt his hamstring in the initial rookie workouts, which held him out of mini-camps. If this injury protrudes up through training camp, the learning curve for the rookie linebacker may become even steeper.

 

This year’s Giants defense has a chance to be special. A devastating rotation in the front four, coupled with the development of an extremely talented secondary gives this unit a chance to be one of the league’s elite. However, if the linebackers crumble as they did to finish off the 2008 campaign, all this talent may go for naught.

 

Tom Coughlin has Come Through for the Giants

On the heels of a devastating 2003 season with losses stemming from porous special teams, injuries, penalties, and a team flat out quitting on its coach, the Giants brass knew right away what they were looking for in a coach.

 

And they didn’t have to look far.

 

Tom Coughlin had been unemployed for only a year before the Giants came calling for him in desperate need of a disciplinarian. General Manager Ernie Accorsi was so confident he would revive the Giants bleak standing that he told Wellington Mara, “If we don’t win with this guy, I’m taking up tennis.”

 

A bold statement coming from a man whose team he had built was in complete disarray and would have to go under a rebuilding phase. But Accorsi, wise to the ebbs and flows of NFL life, knew Coughlin was the exact man to rebuild his player personnel around.

 

Coughlin’s first press conference as Giants head coach came before the inevitable changes, but his stance on transforming the Giants was clear.

 

His initial statement was to restore pride into an organization that was three years removed from a devastating Super Bowl loss that the team as a whole, seemingly, was unable to recover from.

 

Before he was even asked a question, he immediately declared that they would predicate their offense off the success of the running game, and attain defensive success as long as their big guys hold down the opponent’s rushing attack.

 

He reiterated that turnovers and costly penalties would be unacceptable by explaining that in today’s NFL, “More games are lost than are won.”

 

A short while after the press conference, he surprisingly blasted the coach he succeeded by stating the injuries suffered under Fassel’s regime were a cancer, and were more of a mental thing than anything else.

 

Tom Coughlin came into this job in 2004 with a vision. Through the majority of the next three seasons, this vision was denied by hostility in the locker room, an unwillingness to adapt from the softer Jim Fassel to the stricter ways of Tom Coughlin, and the underachieving of prize-quarterback Eli Manning.

 

Coughlin could do little more to repair the third variable in the equation. Manning was progressing at a much slower rate than the fanbase and media was expecting, and suffered through constant criticism.

 

However, the egos and hesitance to accept the new philosophies at the Meadowlands were an uphill battle for Coughlin. Mere months into Coughlin’s stint as a head coach came a controversy in which a group of anonymous players reported to the NFL Players’ Association complaining of workouts that were simply too vigorous. Clearly, the stench of Jim Fassel had not yet left the facility.

 

Coughlin’s insistence to demand all 53 players adhere to his rules protruded to even the persona of Michael Strahan, who arrived two minutes early to an 8:25 meeting, but according to Coughlin’s watch was three minutes late. The two later engaged in a heated argument and the subject was quickly put to rest

 

Nonetheless, the hostility remained. Through the next three seasons, personalities such as Tiki Barber, Plaxico Burress, Jeremy Shockey, and Michael Strahan participated in a conflict of some sort that involved disagreement with Coughlin’s policies. The issues were typically kept quiet, but the dissension between players and coach were blatant.

 

Through all of the complaining, the benefits of Coughlin’s principles have been apparent. They are currently riding a streak of four straight playoff appearances. After stressing the importance of special teams in his introduction, the Giants led the NFL in field position in 2004. While they haven’t led the league since, they have been consistently in the top 10 in this category.

 

Through Coughlin’s first four seasons as head coach, the Giants had just 101 turnovers in 64 games. The Giants increased on this exponentially in 2008, averaging less than one turnover a game through the regular season—placing them with only seven other teams in NFL history.

 

One of Coughlin’s stated goals was to instill the confidence in his team that they could win games in the fourth quarter. In the Giants Super Bowl season, the Giants won a multitude of close games, and lost only one game by single digits: the 38-35 season finale against the Patriots.

 

The list of Coughlin coming through on his initial promises can go on. The adversity he and the team persevered through to become one of the league’s elite is a reflection of Coughlin’s confidence in his philosophies.

 

He had to alter some of his convictions as a coach to propel the Giants to greatness, but even prior to those changes he had still done a marvelous job taking a team that had lost eight straight to end a season into a playoff caliber team.

 

Coughlin’s turbulent ride as a head coach has been both frustrating and frivolous. However, it is imperative to recognize him for accomplishing his stated goals from Day One.

 

Way to go, Coach.

 

How Big a Deal Is Bill Sheridan’s Decision To Call Plays From the Booth?

You know it’s a good off-season when the biggest stir regarding the defensive side of the ball is where the defensive coordinator will be calling plays.

 

Nonetheless, many Giants fans appear to be worried that their first-year defensive coordinator will communicate with Antonio Pierce while sitting roughly 100 feet above the action.

 

Sheridan’s reluctance to call plays from the sidelines has resurrected memories of the defensive coordinator who preceded Steve Spagnuolo, Tim Lewis. In Lewis’ three-year stint with the Giants, he sent in his plays from the press box. Now, Bill Sheridan is planning on doing the same thing.

 

Lewis’ woeful stint sitting in the press box, coupled with Spagnuolo’s immense success on the sidelines, has provoked speculation that Sheridan’s reluctance to call plays on the field will be a problem for the Giants defense, despite his reasonable explanation:

 

“I’m going to work up in the box because you want to make logical, calculated decisions as far as play calling goes. That’s not as complicated as you think, either. If you plan correctly during the week, then you’re just changing your calls on the different downs and distances based on the personnel you have. I think up in the box you have a little calmer atmosphere up there; you’re not down on the sideline where sometimes there can be a lot of mayhem. I’ll be up there calling the defenses.”

 

Although consisting of valid points, his decision has not appeased a plethora of Giants fans who were enamored by Spagnuolo’s animation on the sidelines. Additionally, the Giants players may have grown accustomed to having encouragement or advice waiting for them after every drive.

 

In Spagnuolo’s first training camp with the Giants, Antonio Pierce acknowledged that he was pleased his new defensive coordinator will be with them on game day.

 

“Sometimes when you’re the d-coordinator you’re relaying messages to the assistants, so it’s like you’re getting third party,” Pierce said. “They try to say it the best they can like him, there ain’t nothing like getting it from the horse’s mouth. The vibe, [Spagnulo’s] energy, his emotions, it carries onto the players.”

 

Pierce’s sentiments from 2007 likely haven’t changed much, but he should be quick to alleviate any issue by stating his indifference to Sheridan’s decision. If the players are professional about the situation, their performances should not be inhibited by where their defensive coordinator decides to call plays.

 

To refute the point that a defense can’t attain success when their defensive coordinator is in the stratosphere, the Giants should not look past the last game they played. Jimmy Johnson was coerced into calling plays from the press box due to a back injury he suffered in the divisional round against Minnesota.

 

All his defense did was not allow a touchdown in a 23-11 drubbing of the Giants.

 

Loaded with talent, the Giants defense appears poised to challenge the defenses of the ’80s. They could be that good. With the return of Osi Umenyiora, coupled with the additional stacking of the front four with the likes of Chris Canty and Rocky Bernard, the Giants have a devastating rotation in the front four.

 

Moreover, the Giants fixed their issues in the linebacker corps by adding speed, in free agent linebacker Michael Boley and versatility with second round pick Clint Sintim. The Giants secondary is young, but is loaded with talent that could gel into a top unit.

 

Some believe the team’s multitude of talent on the defensive side neutralizes any potential issue regarding Sheridan’s whereabouts. Others believe it could stunt the overall development of the team on Sundays. While there are arguments for both sides, the only fact is we will find out come December.

 

 

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