Despite three straight losses, Giants see some positive signs
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EDITORS: This story may not be used on Web sites () —
By Tom Rock
Newsday
(MCT)
Eight down and, unless the Giants can correct the mistakes of recent weeks, only eight to go. The goal, of course, is to play at least nine more games. That would mean that the Giants would be a playoff team for the fifth straight year. They haven't looked like much of a contender in the last three games, but they are 5-3 and have a few positives from the first half of the season to point to.
They are one of just five NFC teams with five victories, they are the only team in the NFL with an offense and a defense ranked in the top 5, they are only a half-game behind the logjam at the top of the division, and they play five of their next eight games at home. Plus some of their injured players — LB Michael Boley and DT Chris Canty — should be back this week.
A look at the grades the Giants have earned not just over the last three weeks but all the way back to the Sept. 13 opener.
Offense: C-plus
The Giants are averaging exactly the same amount of yards per play that they were a year ago when they were 7-1 at the turn (5.8). They have just about the same number of touchdowns (23 this year, 24 last year) and just slightly fewer points per game (26.5 this year, 28.3 last year). At their current pace they would finish with 6,190 yards, shattering the franchise record of 5,884 yards set in 1985.
The big difference this year has been the turnovers. Eli Manning has thrown eight interceptions and fumbled the ball away three other times to account for 11 of the team's 12 offensive turnovers (they also have two on special teams). Last year the Giants tied an NFL record by turning the ball over only 13 times the entire season.
Manning has not been the same quarterback since he injured his foot in Kansas City and came out in the second quarter against the Raiders. And Brandon Jacobs has improved his yards-per-carry in recent weeks it's up to 3.9 now but has yet to truly dominate any game.
As for all that hand-wringing over wide receivers during the offseason, it turned out to be pretty needless.
Defense: D
How bad has the Giants defense been during the three-game swoon? It's been generations since they've been exposed like this.
The Saints, Cardinals and Eagles scored a combined 112 points, the most allowed by the Giants in any three-game stretch since 1973 when they gave up 124 points to Dallas, St. Louis and Oakland. The Eagles and Saints both scored 30 or more points in the first half against the Giants, the first time that's happened twice in the same season since 1966. The Giants allowed 251 rushing yards on 29 carries against the Cowboys in Week 2, an 8.7-yard average. The last time the Giants had allowed a rushing average of 8.7 yards or higher with a minimum of 29 carries was 1948 against the Chicago Cardinals (8.8 yards on 34 attempts). And the Eagles had TD runs of 41 and 66 yards on Sunday. The last time the Giants allowed two touchdown runs of 40 or more yards in a single game was on Nov. 27, 1966.
That said, somehow, the Giants are allowing the third fewest yards in the NFL. That means two things: The Giants do have the ability to make plays and the Chiefs, Bucs and Raiders are really, really bad teams.
Special Teams: C
Lawrence Tynes' adjustment in his plant foot corrected the erratic issues he was having and he's been solid ever since, leading the NFL in scoring with 74 points. Jeff Feagles has punted 31 times and only 11 have been returned while 14 have settled inside the 20. Domenik Hixon had a brilliant game returning kickoffs against the Saints, but besides that the Giants have not been able to muster much.
Coaching: C
So much for the seamless transition we were promised going from Steve Spagnuolo to Bill Sheridan. The rookie defensive signal-caller is still groping for a feel of his new responsibilities. His theories are solid but his execution needs work when it comes to calling blitzes and pressures with the personnel he has. Injuries have handcuffed him a bit, but there are times when the defense looks completely ill-prepared, and that's on him. Offensively the Giants are far too reactionary to what a defense shows them. Kevin Gilbride may need to take some of the decision-making abilities away from Eli Manning at the line of scrimmage and simplify things to restore balance to the play selection. If they can both make enough changes to get the Giants deep into January, these issues will be considered growing pains. If not, the issues will be considered flaws and more significant changes will have to be made.
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