New York Giants Fire Defensive Line Coach

The bloodletting continued today for the reeling New York Giants, who announced that veteran defensive line coach Mike Waufle has been fired.

Waufle has been the team’s d-line coach since 2004, when Tom Coughlin took the reins as head coach.

During his tenure, the Giants’ defensive line became one of the NFL’s most productive, spurred by the likes of Pro Bowlers Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, and future Hall-of-Famer Michael Strahan.

It was the decrease in sack production, though, that led to Waufle’s firing.  The Giants only had 32 sacks this season, as opposed to 53 in 2007 when they were Super Bowl champions.

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Giants News: Bill Sheridan Is Fired

DC Let Go After Tumultuous Inaugural Season

The Giants have announced that defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan has been fired.

Sheridan, who many feel is to blame for the Giants’ poor defensive performance this season, took over the defense when Steve Spagnuolo left last year to become the head coach of the St. Louis Rams.

The Giants surrendered 427 points this season, a franchise-high for a 16-game schedule.  They also allowed opponents 40 or more points in a game five times, another infamous franchise record.

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Giants Disrespect Fans In Meadowlands Finale

Big Blue Ends Stadium Era In Disgraceful Fashion

As a Giants’ fan and aficionado for four decades, I’ve seen many highs and way too many lows.

That being said, I have never been more embarrassed to be a Giant fan than I was yesterday.

Even when the team was horrible, the fans could always expect them to go down fighting. Yesterday, with their playoff chances on the line, the Giants played perhaps the most lifeless, inept, effortless game in the 34-year history of Giants Stadium.

The defense, which even during losing seasons has been a source of pride, turned in an unfathomably flat, pedestrian effort that sent even the most hardcore fans towards the exits.

The fans came to give the stadium a proper send-off. So did several Giants’ legends such as Lawrence Taylor, Joe Morris, and Ottis Anderson.

They were treated to a disgraceful, prideless display by a crop of overrated millionaires masquerading as a Giant football team.

 

Where Do They Go From Here?

Tom Coughlin stays. His coordinators go. No discussion. Time for a change, the results warrant it. The entire defensive coaching staff should be replaced.

Antonio Pierce…thanks and goodbye. There is some young linebacker talent there, but a new defensive leader/centerpiece needs to be brought in.

GM Jerry Reese needs to get cold-blooded and can some people.  Lack of effort will no longer be acceptable. It never should have been accepted in the first place.

Anyone that doesn’t want to be a Giant should be accommodated.

Brandon Jacobs and Osi Umenyiora get one more shot.  Their mouths moved pretty well this year, unfortunately the bodies did not follow. Shape up or ship out.

Keep adding weapons on offense for Eli Manning and sure up the aging line with quality bodies.

The offseason should be an active one for these Giants. Look for LOTS of new faces in 2010, including ones in the stands….

 

 

 

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D.C.Comics: Jim Zorn Sticks It To Daniel Snyder

Outgoing Coach Has His Say Without Any Words

Ask any Redskins fan what they think of Daniel Snyder.  Ask Hall-of-Famer John Riggins, too. 

We can’t print those thoughts here, just like Washington “Head Coach” Jim Zorn chose to hold his tongue this week.

That didn’t prevent Zorn from having his say. Instead of ranting on how bad an owner Snyder is, Zorn decided to humiliate him in front of the whole world.

There was no way the Redskins were going to beat the Giants last night.  New York had their backs to the wall and Washington, although playing well, were just playing out the string for a lame duck coach.

Zorn decided to have a little fun for himself.

First, the Redskins chose to kickoff to the begin the game after winning the coin toss,  a tactic that is almost unheard of in today’s offensive-friendly NFL.  The Giants took possession, went on a nine-minute scoring drive and never looked back.

Then, with his team down 24-0 right before the half, Zorn decided to fake a FG and run a play called “the swinging gate”.  The play entails having eight players line up on the left side of the field as receivers and the holder (punter Hunter Smith) must take the snap, elude three unblocked rushers and toss an alley-oop into the fray.  Of course the play didn’t work, the pass was intercepted…..and, of course, Smith was plastered by the Giants’ rush. 

There was no other reason to run this play other than to purposely embarrass the organization….

Lastly, Zorn brought back QB Jason Campbell in the third quarter after a shaken Campbell left the field before halftime.  The Giants had been slamming him almost every snap. 

Even though backup Todd Collins was looking sharp, Zorn re-inserted Campbell, who continued to take hits from the Giants.  Zorn is on his way out the door, perhaps he wanted to stick it Campbell as well…….

ESPN originally focused on Snyder after each faux pas, but after awhile he went missing. The cameras shifted to new football czar Bruce Allen, who appeared to be chomping at the bit to rip this team apart and start anew.

Snyder has done it again. 

Yes, he owns the NFL’s most-valuable franchise, and yes, he’s wasted another season with his meddling in areas in which he has no expertise.

Who would want to be the head coach of the Washington Redskins these days? Not too many.  Bill Cowher wants no part of it.  Mike Shanahan would consider it, but only if Snyder allows him unprecedented autonomy, which won’t happen.

The Redskins ended up with Zorn because they could not land a veteran head man.  He has always been considered a seat-warmer and now after two seasons of humiliation, emasculation and agita, he will be gone.

I’m not alone in saying I’m glad Zorn was able to get a few shots in on his way out the door.

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NFC Playoffs: Giants, Cowboys Vying For Final Spot

Eagles, Pack Firmly in Drivers’ Seat

The playoff scenarios and its associated math are usually incalculable this time of year, but with three weeks to play this season things are uncharacteristically simple: There is only one spot remaining for the NFC’s postseason party.

That spot will be occupied by either the Dallas Cowboys or the New York Giants since the New Orleans Saints, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, Arizona Cardinals, and Green Bay Packers have the first five slots locked down.

Currently, the Cowboys occupy the sixth seed at 8-5 with the Giants right behind them at 7-6.  Everyone else in the conference is under .500 and either mathematically eliminated or fading fast.

Dallas has a one-game advantage over New York, but must maintain that lead in order to qualify for the postseason.  The Giants swept the Cowboys in their season series and hold the initial two-team tiebreaker.

That will not be easy for the Cowboys to do. This week, they travel to New Orleans to face the undefeated Saints.  They follow that trip with a jaunt to Washington, and close the season by hosting the hated Eagles.

New Orleans is hell-bent on going undefeated and the Cowboys will be without DeMarcus Ware.  Their chances are slim.  The Redskins are playing well as of late.  The Cowboys barely beat them at home three weeks ago, winning 7-6 in the final minutes.

The Eagles would love nothing more than to send the Cowboys packing for the second year in a row.  There is talk that the Cowboys may not win again this season, completing another late season swoon.

That means the Giants would only have to win one of their final three to make the playoffs. The Giants wind their season down with a Monday night game in Washington, at home against the Panthers, and a trip to Minnesota.

The Giants usually handle the Redskins well.  The Panthers are all but done and the Vikings will be playing a meaningless game come Week 17.

Also keep in mind that the Giants played the Vikings last year in Minnesota in Week 17. The Giants had the top seed in the NFC wrapped up and played their starters sporadically. 

The Vikings won on a late FG in a game they needed to win to qualify for the playoffs.  Perhaps they will return the favor to the Giants this season.

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For The New York Giants The Playoffs Begin This Week

Bill Parcells always said the teams that won from Thanksgiving on were the real contenders.

Well, Giants, it’s that time of year.  There were no happy holidays for the Blue last season, but maybe this year will be different.

Did they get the bad football out of them over the past four games?  Has the bye week helped refocus this seemingly lost bunch?

Perhaps. With seven games to play, New York holds its destiny in its own hands. The teams they have to beat are all right there in front of them on the upcoming schedule.

It begins this week with Atlanta and Denver. Then Dallas and Philly in consecutive home games before heading to Washington.  The season ends with Carolina at home and Minnesota on the road.

Can the Giants right their ship and take five of these last seven games?

Sure they can.

With new defensive strategies and a return to the three-pronged running attack, the Giants can beat anyone.

And they might do just that.

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NFC East Report: Smash-Mouth Style A Thing Of The Past

In years past, this would have been a big deal, but the once mighty NFC East is not what it used to be. The Cowboys are in neutral, the Redskins are in disarray and the Eagles just lost to the Raiders  The Giants are the best of an extremely beatable bunch.

The division has had at least one wild-card entry since 2005, but the perception that the NFC East is the conference’s toughest division is pure myth.

Yes, it was true once. The NFC East was the league’s flagship division. From 1975-95, the NFC East sent 13 teams to the Super Bowl, winning eight.

Those days are long gone.

Since the great Dallas dynasty’s last Super Bowl victory (SB XXX) fourteen years ago, the NFC East has had only three teams make it to the Super Bowl: The Giants in 2000 and 2007, and the Eagles in 2004.

Since SB XXX, the Dallas Cowboys have played seven playoff games, losing six.  Their lone victory was a wild-card win over Minnesota in 1996. That’s right: America’s team has not won a playoff game in 13 years.

The Washington Redskins last won the Super Bowl after the 1991 season (SB XXIV).  They have only qualified for the postseason four times since, never advancing further than the divisional round.

The Philadelphia Eagles have been to the playoffs seven times in the new millennium. After the 2004 season, they bested the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship game, but went on to lose to the New England Patriots, 24-21, in Super Bowl XXXIX.

In addition to that, the Eagles advanced to the NFC Championship on four other occasions, losing to a different club each time.

The New York Giants have been to the postseason six times since 2000. They ascended to the Super Bowl twice during that period. They lost Super Bowl XXV to the Baltimore Ravens and defeated the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.

In their other four playoff appearances this decade, the Giants have been eliminated without winning a single game.

The real facts are as follows: Since 1996, the NFC has been represented in the Super Bowl by the West four times and the other three divisions (West, North and South) three times each.

Oddly enough, none of the four teams that had represented the NFC the most times in the Super Bowl before 1996 (Dallas, San Francisco, Minnesota and Washington) are among those teams.

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NFC East Report: Smash-Mouth Style A Thing Of The Past

In years past, this would have been a big deal, but the once mighty NFC East is not what it used to be. The Cowboys are in neutral, the Redskins are in disarray and the Eagles just lost to the Raiders  The Giants are the best of an extremely beatable bunch.

The division has had at least one wild-card entry since 2005, but the perception that the NFC East is the conference’s toughest division is pure myth.

Yes, it was true once. The NFC East was the league’s flagship division. From 1975-95, the NFC East sent 13 teams to the Super Bowl, winning eight.

Those days are long gone.

Since the great Dallas dynasty’s last Super Bowl victory (SB XXX) fourteen years ago, the NFC East has had only three teams make it to the Super Bowl: The Giants in 2000 and 2007, and the Eagles in 2004.

Since SB XXX, the Dallas Cowboys have played seven playoff games, losing six.  Their lone victory was a wild-card win over Minnesota in 1996. That’s right: America’s team has not won a playoff game in 13 years.

The Washington Redskins last won the Super Bowl after the 1991 season (SB XXIV).  They have only qualified for the postseason four times since, never advancing further than the divisional round.

The Philadelphia Eagles have been to the playoffs seven times in the new millennium. After the 2004 season, they bested the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship game, but went on to lose to the New England Patriots, 24-21, in Super Bowl XXXIX.

In addition to that, the Eagles advanced to the NFC Championship on four other occasions, losing to a different club each time.

The New York Giants have been to the postseason six times since 2000. They ascended to the Super Bowl twice during that period. They lost Super Bowl XXV to the Baltimore Ravens and defeated the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.

In their other four playoff appearances this decade, the Giants have been eliminated without winning a single game.

The real facts are as follows: Since 1996, the NFC has been represented in the Super Bowl by the West four times and the other three divisions (West, North and South) three times each.

Oddly enough, none of the four teams that had represented the NFC the most times in the Super Bowl before 1996 (Dallas, San Francisco, Minnesota and Washington) are among those teams.

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Business-Like Giants Focusing On One Game At a Time

The New York Football Giants as a franchise have always been considered “establishment.”

They have traditionally practiced conservatism on and off-the field, in the locker room and in the media.

This week the 3-0 Giants face the 0-3 Kansas City Chiefs, but you would never know that by listening to the comments made by the coaches and players.

Here are some of the things Giants Coach Tom Coughlin said today:

“You are talking about a franchise that has a great fan base, great tradition. Incredible players have gone through there. New coach working his tail off trying to get his team to where he knows exactly what he has. They have done some really good things.”

“I don’t look at it the way you do – I don’t look at the 0-3, I look at – two of the games were extremely close and we know the Philadelphia Eagles very well. So you have to take spots and look for progress and know that there certainly is a lot of talent there.”

“We just have to do our – again, as I always say, we are concerned about our team and getting our team ready to play and being at our best and improving in the areas that we need to improve on.”

This was Kevin Gilbride on the Kansas City Chiefs’ defense:

“I see a lot of first rounders and second rounders, particularly up front, that look like they fly around real well for the football. So I guess they are able to generate some heat. So we are going to have our hands full.”

Gilbride on the perception that Brandon Jacobs is “tip-toeing”:

“Someone just told me about it. I wasn’t – to be honest with you – sure what the story was until about 15 minutes ago……But I certainly don’t see anybody that is tip-toeing. That has not been — I haven’t been aware of that at all….”

Bill Sheridan on Chiefs’ RB Larry Johnson:

“He is as good a back in my mind that we are going to see…..he’s legit…”

Sheridan on Kansas City QB Matt Cassel:

“We know the kind of year he had a year ago. I think he’ll be good to go. They got pressured last week and kind of got overwhelmed a little bit by some of the pressure that Philadelphia brought. But he is not going to get rattled.”

RB Brandon Jacobs on the Kansas City Chiefs:

“We don’t ever look at opponents as 0-3 and not playing well and all that other stuff. We know Kansas City has a lot of talent on their football team and we know that they can peak at any minute. We don’t want to be the team that they peak on. We are working hard all week long. Working together to get better and to go into the game on Sunday giving it everything that we have.”

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2009 New York Giants: New Faces, Same Results

Injuries, defections, arrests, doubts, criticism. 

You name it, the Giants have been through it.

The football gods are throwing the kitchen sink at the Giants and yet, they won’t blink.  Yesterday against the Bucs, the Giants had exactly 45 healthy players to dress for the game. 

Their required eight inactive players did not make the trip. They were all injured and could not play, even if asked.

It didn’t matter.

The Giants whipped the Bucs, 24-0, in a game where many “experts” were calling for them to get trapped.

Not this team. Not anymore.

The Giants have seen the peaks and experienced the valleys.  Led by their unflappable, emotionless leader QB Eli Manning, the Giants are operating in an even-keeled manner—not getting too up, nor too down.

They basically bodyslammed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with one arm tied behind their back.

The workmanlike approach for this team is not an option, having had to deal with issues that would sink lesser teams. Their depth, professionalism, and leadership have them pointed towards the postseason once again.

On the surface, they never seem to run out of talented players. When someone gets hurt, another comes right in and does the job without missing a beat.

When an injury hits, the front office is right there with a replacement. The coaches know exactly what they want done and the players understand what the coaches want. Not a bad system for success.

In Tampa yesterday, the Giants emptied their bench in the fourth quarter to give the starters a break on a hot, humid day.  The game had been one-sided for too long and the coaching staff did the right thing.

What they actually did was showcase their depth. The Bucs could still not compete even with the Giants’ second string in front of them.

Their receivers have proven that the Giants have moved past the Plaxico and Amani era. Their defense is still healing, but if yesterday was any indication, they are beginning to gel. And Manning has matured into the franchise player the club has always hoped he could be.

We all know that the Giants are at the top of the league as an organization.  But their 3-0 start is not as impressive as some others’ because they defeated three flawed teams: Washington, who just lost to Detroit, Dallas, a team that has trouble winning meaningful games, and Tampa, a team in transition.

This week, they go to Kansas City and then host Oakland.  Two very winnable games that, if they win, will put them at 5-0.

The schedule is not so kind after that: The Eagles twice, Dallas and Washington again, San Diego, New Orleans, Atlanta, and Minnesota.

They don’t seem to be fazed at all by the prospects of facing those teams. They are the standard, that’s why.

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