Why Brandon Jacobs Busts Loose in Week Six

Coach Tom Coughlin has repeatedly been asked about the performance of Brandon Jacobs this year. Each time, the coach has supported his big back, saying that he’s “running the same” as he did last year and his performance is solid.

While the numbers don’t reflect it—he’s down this year to 3.6 yards a carry from his career average of 5.0—Jacobs should be ready to put the hard hat on and perform up to his standards this week on the road. Here’s why.

 

1. The Giants Offensive Linemen want to dominate the Saints’ strong D-line.

In a published report last week, the Giants offensive line said they wanted to do a better job blocking for Jacobs. During the first five games, I’ve noticed that Jacobs has been running a lot of sweeps instead of the quick hits off tackle that get him to the second level where he punishes linebackers and safety’s.

The Saints have three strong defensive ends, Charles Grant, Will Smith, and Sedric Ellis,  that rush well. With Manning injured, they will attempt to test his heel to see if he can move around to avoid pressure. To cancel all that heat and the potent Saints’ offense, the Giants have to be planning alot of smash mouth and ball control on the ground to keep Drew “Fastbreak” Brees on the bench.

 

2. Brandon’s pride is hurt.

Jacobs has been called out by the media relentlessly on his so-called “soft” play. Fox analyst Tony Siragusa said he was “tip-toeing” through the line a few weeks ago. At 265 pounds, that’s an insult. But to his defense, most of those runs have come on sweeps instead of the off-tackle action he is known for.

In the New York Post today he made a comment about how fans just want to see him “run over people.” For all his power, people forget he has 4.5 speed and can make moves. Brandon needs to get back to that and understand what makes him special—his ability to hit holes assertively, make moves quickly, and then powerfully punish second-level defenders with his strength.

No one wants to deal with that package at the end of the game.

 

3. The Giants Wide Receivers are now threats that have to be dealt with.

Steve Smith is having a Pro-Bowl year and Mario Manningham and Hakeem Nicks are tremendous in one-on-one situations. Teams now have to account for them as home run threats every time they touch the ball. This emphasis on the passing game should give Jacobs a chance to see less players in the box.

 

Prediction : Jacobs turns it up in the fourth quarter and controls the clock, redeeming himself and going over the 100-yard mark for the first time this year. Giants win 17-14.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Three Early Surprises In Young 2009 Giant Season

Watching the 2009 Giants reminds me of a basketball team on a fast break and then turning around on defense and instituting a smothering press defense to disrupt any continuity their opponent might seek to find.

In their first three games, components of this philosophy have been visible. Against Washington, their defense pressed, limiting Washington to 51 yards on 20 carries after one long 34-yard Clinton Portis run.

At Dallas, they fastbreaked, scoring 33 points with their two starting receivers catching 20 balls for 284 yards. They put it all together in week three, shutting out Tampa Bay while going over 200 yards on ground.

Presently the Giants are seventh in scoring offense and fourth in scoring defense. Three players who have benefited from the uptempo style are DB Bruce Johnson, WR Mario Manningham, and QB Eli Manning.

All three are players who do their best work in rhythm and on the fly, improvising, creating on the run. Credit Tom Coughlin for recognizing their strengths and putting each of them in a position to dominate.

Bruce Johnson, the undrafted corner from Miami, has garnered the trust of Coach Coughlin immediately as a rookie, earning time as a nickle back starter. His skill level was immediately recognized in camp, with coaches whispering that he had super-solid man-to-man skills.

He played solidly against the Redskins, ran back an interception back against the Cowboys, and displayed stellar positioning against the Tampa Bucs, batting down two third-down balls thrown his way.

Although he’s played only three games, the non-drafted free agent evokes images of former Pro-Bowl cornerback Mark Haynes, who was known for his strong man-to-man coverage skills.

If Johnson continues on this track, the Giant backfield coaches might consider converting Aaron Ross to a safety position to keep the best athletes on the field at all times.

I’m not trying to put Bruce in Canton, but his body language and play making ability makes him a player who should remain on the field even when CBs Aaron Ross and Kevin Dockery return this week.

The second surprise has been the game breaking play of Mario Manningham. Manninghan has demonstrated something that I haven’t seen from a Giant receiver in several years—the ability to make one-on-one moves after the catch in space with repeated success.

On four occasions this year, Manning has stepped back and thrown it straight down the line of scrimmage to the second-year pro and watched him go “Chris Paul” on his opponent.

The scary thing about this whole receiver equation is that Steve Smith is having a Pro Bowl-level year so far, and I know you might think I’m crazy, but the recovering Hakeem Nicks might end up a better player than both of them. You heard it here first.

Finally, Eli Manning is looking like “Mr. Unphaseable.” The Giants are remaining in the shot gun and forcing teams to run with them, seeing if they can deal with the battering of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw as their shifty, deceptively fast receivers make plays.

Manning is comfortable in the gun and at ease throwing when the defense sells out on the blitz. And so far, he has eliminated the infamous ducks he used to throw in the second and third quarters.

Eli looks hawk-eye focused, and if the running game remains solid, the Giants, who are known for their defense, can become a team on an offensive fastbreak all season.

Look for the Giants to set a record this year, scoring points early and often as the defense seeks to regain the blitzing and sacking form they are known for.

 

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The Rock, Obama, and the New York Giants Offensive Line

Have you ever noticed that Barack Obama and former WWF superstar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson sound alike?

While Obama is wrestling with his many naysayers, trying to bring a health care reform bill that will ultimately benefit more than less, the Giants Offensive Line looks ready to put Brandon Jacobs on smash, threatening many defender’s health with straight-handoff-up-the-gut-no-chaser football.

“Can you smell what the (insert ‘Giants’ instead of ‘Rock’) are cooking,” is the call that offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride and his run-first mentality seem to be serving hot to all comers this year.

The first pre-season game saw Brandon Jacobs left, Brandon Jacobs right, and a whole lot of Carolina Panthers getting their bells rung.

In week 2, the Bears did a good job overall against the still-evolving passing game, however, Jacobs opened up the game running well, putting All-Pro Brian Urlacher on his back with a run that will have NFL defenders sitting up and taking notice.

Jacobs should be extremely happy. He has an offensive line that many in the NFL says is currently the best unit in football. Now in their fourth year together, the line, led by center Sean O’Hara and super-tough guards Chris Snee and Rich Suebert, get tougher as the game wears on and the ball gets handed off.

Tackles Kareem McKinzie and David Diehl are solid, though there are whispers that both players are vulnerable when they drop back into pass protect mode.

All this talk of slippage, however, can be neutralized if Jacobs steps into his role and begins to rumble through defenses on a regular basis and if the line remains injury-free.

Beyond the starting five, there is inexperienced talent, and the Giants’ season could well get derailed if their line is plagued by injuries.

New York led the league in rushing yards last year, and with Jacobs ready to prove that he can last a whole season as the featured back, the Giants offensive line must be pleased with the emphasis on the run seen in pre-season so far.

Is “Speed Guy” Sinorice Moss Ready to Propel the Giants this Season?

The Speed Guy.

That’s the phrase that WR Steve Smith and CB Corey Webster used in the New York Daily News about Sinorice Moss, a 5′ 8″ former secondnd-rounder that had all the intangibles of legendary Giant game breaker, Dave Meggett, when drafted four years ago by the Giants.

Fans dreamed about Moss making shifty moves on punt returns, catching short screens and turning them into long gains—being the vertical threat that causes defenses to shift their entire focus to his side of the field.

But, the comment by his Giants teammates is a tell-tale sign of what players and coaches might feel about Moss—that he could be just that, all speed, no production.

Moss is in the last year of his contract and he knows that the receiver position is in full “survival of the fittest mode,” with Super Bowl hero and special teams Pro Bowler David Tyree in danger of not making the final roster.  

According to various camp reports, third-round pick Ramses Barden is dominating the camp along with last year’s special teams free-agent find Derrick Hagan. First-round pick Hakeem Nicks has been sitting out with a hamstring injury continuing a bad trend of rookie receivers sitting out much of their first-year training camps.

That leaves Moss, who currently is the third receiver on the depth chart, in a position where he has to be ready to display the versatility and reliability expected from a player with his skill set or face being replaced.

He should draw his inspiration from the Giants’ all-time leading receiver Amani Toomer. Toomer struggled his first three years with injuries but showed game-breaking ability as a punt returner.

In his fourth year he led the team with 79 catches and, along with Ike Hillard, combined for over 2,100 receiving yards.

Many feel Moss is ready for this type of performance. He had a great spring camp and so far, he has caught everything thrown to him at veterans camp.

Moss’ breakthrough will come when he starts making that first tackler miss and creates the breakdown moves that his older brother, Santana Moss, has mastered for the Redskins.

GM Jerry Reese is a believer. He made an interesting comment in one interview saying that, “last year, the ball was thrown 12 times to [Moss] and he caught the ball all 12.”

If that’s the case then look for Coach Coughlin to tell Eli to get the ball to Moss, who possesses 4.3 speed in the open field. When he gets that first player to miss, the NFC East and the rest of the NFL better watch out.

Giants Vs Redskins: 2009 Season Opening Smash Mouth

Many fans get excited about the preseason exploits of the third running back or that one free-agent defensive back that makes the team against great odds.

The plan that many Giants fans are hopeful for is the one where the team remains injury free, gains continuity through training camp reps, and gets ready to play big-boy physical football on September 13, 2009, when the Redskins come to Giants Stadium for the season opener.

The G-Men should be ready, with Eli Manning firmly entrenched as the starter on a team returning 19 of its 22 playoff starters on both sides of the ball.

The receiver position is in flux; many young players are competing for the spot opposite third-year mainstay Steve Smith. The competition should bring out the best of all of them. If not, you can expect the brass to move quickly by the second or third preseason game to acquire a veteran receiver.

Team unity, timing, reps, and the development of game rhythm are the major goals of the Coughlin coaching staff entering its sixth year, but they better be ready for September 13—the Redskins are a big, physical group looking for revenge.

All you have to do is flash back to last year’s bruising season opener to know that the ‘Skins want to bring their wrecking ball offense to the Meadowlands for some good old NFC smash mouth. Who can forget the tractor-trailer-drive-by that Brandon Jacobs put on Redskins safety LaRon Landry during last year’s 16-7 season opening win in New York?

The ‘Skins, under second-year coach Jim Zorn, are looking to Jason Campbell to develop into a reliable passer that has the ability to sustain drives when Washington’s solid running attack needs to pass for a third-down conversion.

Campbell has talent and a strong arm but when under third-down pressure, he has trouble with his feet-arm coordination when rushed and often misses his target.

In many ways, however, he reminds me of a younger version of Eli Manning which is scary for NFC opponents. Manning had accuracy troubles early in his career and was extremely turnover prone. Campbell, over the last two years, has fumbled the ball 19 times in 29 games.

Campbell’s first two years stat-wise are a little better than Manning’s first two, with Campbell’s completion percentage and quarterback rating roughly 10.5 and 6 points higher, respectively.

If Campbell puts it all together and the ‘Skins play like the 6-win 2-loss unit that started 2008, then the Giants are going to have their hands full against a team with an improved offensive unit and a top-five defensive unit.

Some encouraging signs for the ‘Skins are Campbell’s touchdown-to-interception ratio which was sixth in the NFL, and his league-leading interception rate, (6 interceptions in 506 attempts), according to WalterFootball.com, which was the best in the NFL last year.

So as the ‘Skins point towards their confrontation with the Giants, look for Washington to feature a physical offensive line with a rough-and-tumble Pro Bowl combination at tight end and fullback that match the intensity of the Giant’s physical defense.

Chris Cooley and the Redskins’ mack truck of a fullback, 6’3″ 273 lb. Mike Sellers, both appeared in the Pro Bowl last year. They bring skill and toughness with every touch of the ball.

Both players soften up defenses for the super-quick and elusive Clinton Portis who played well early in the year for the Redskins but ran out of gas towards the end of 2008. A better passing game means a fresher, less-tired Portis, who carried over 300 times last year.

Look for Washington to come to Giants Stadium with a whole lot of swagger and physical play.

The Giants will be waiting.

The Giants’ Secondary: Four Bold Predictions

When teams build their defensive game plans for the upcoming season, Super Bowl Champions are always the standard.

The Pittsburgh Steelers secondary was led by two solid corners Ike Taylor and Deshea Townsend, Pro Bowler Troy Polamalu and safety Ryan Clark. Clark is a non-drafted free agent originally signed out of LSU by the Giants. While they are a solid group, besides Polamalu who is the standard at his position, the Giants match up well talent-wise.

During a regular season hard-hitting match-up between the teams last year, the Giants’ secondary out-performed the Steelers unit, holding Ben Roethlisberger to 189 passing yards and four interceptions, with three made by the Giant secondary. The key was a relentless pass rush that generated five sacks and continuous pressure that had Roethlisberger passing off his back foot most of game.

Are the Giants that far off from the NFL’s top secondarys in terms of talent and ability? Not at all.

If that Steeler’s game could be freeze-framed and replicated, look for this group to generate more multiple-interception games in 2010 and get more respect around the league. 

However, the four expected starters for the Giants including Corey Webster, Aaron Ross, Michael Johnson, and Kenny Phillips, all haven’t shown the knack in the pros as consistent interceptors combining as a unit for only fourteen interceptions in a total of 135 regular-season games.   

In comparison, Troy Polamalu has seventeen interceptions in his eighty eight game regular season career and in 2008, the Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts both had twenty two for the year. 

So what can we expect? Here are four bold predictions about the Giants’ secondary that should bring smiles to every New York fan:

1. The Giants will play more man-to-man coverage and prosper.

The Giants have tremendous confidence in their pash rush. With the defensive line rejuvenated and ready to go, the team should be ready to trust their two young veteran corners in man-to-man.

Both corners have been good, but not great, tacklers. However, they demonstrate a good learning curve and their tackling should improve. 

Second-year safety Kenny Philips has good closing speed and has shown flashes of becoming a respected hitter across the middle, while Michael Johnson has the heart, strength, and speed to blow up running plays at the line of scrimmage and cover tight ends and running backs.  

2. Aaron Ross emerges as a lockdown corner.

If Ross remains injury-free and his shoulder fully recovers, the speed and ability he possesses will give elite receivers trouble.

He never seems to be far from his man in press coverage and he closes on the ball quicker than Corey Webster in the cover two sets.

Ross started in the Super Bowl as a rookie, and now that he has had a chance to adjust to the NFL level look for him in his third year to get comfortable with his ability and dominate.  

3. Corey Webster leads the team in interceptions and receives a Pro-Bowl Selection.

While Corey was a monster interceptor at LSU, that ability has not fully translated to the NFL.

However, he has a knack for the big interception and he performed so well last year that teams stopped throwing the ball his way.

With Ross’ development, teams are going to start throwing Corey’s way. Also, with the added chances to defend the ball, his interceptions should go way up. 

4. Kenny Phillips will send two players to the sidelines after hard hits this year.

Phillips slid to the thirtieth pick in 2008 because some draft prognosticators felt he wasn’t the “blow-up-your-man” safety, that he talks about being.

Phillips came into training camp last year and immediately set the tone by flying all over the field and hitting players hard.

During the 2008 regular season he did a nice job as a rookie, showing flashes of being a determined hitter, but he still needs to become better in coverage.

Look for Phillips to enhance his game with a year under his belt and become a player that receivers watch when they run deep posts and crosses.

 

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