Gilbride- killing them softly

Let’s make one thing clear quickly here- this Giants defense is not excellent. People who want to make a big deal about the 6 sacks did not watch the game. Yes, they stopped the run, but many pressures came later in the second half. Tuck made a big difference. But opposing offenses that are slightly better will double Tuck and have a good QB that will not make the myriad mistakes that O’Sullivan made (see Browns).

So let’s look at my Gilbride voodoo doll.

Pass:Run ratio in each of the six games this season–
35:30
29:23
43:23
26:26
28:24
31:25

Patterns like these are a BIG problem. Remove the 43:23 Bengals game, where the gameplan was 8-9 men in the box and forced Eli to audible at the line of scrimmage to change the play (not to mention playing from behind and in OT, where the Giants were passing (with SUCCESS) from the shotgun/no huddle almost every play). Every other game has this orderly goal which other teams understand to almost maddening certainty. The Giants STRIVE FOR BALANCE TO THE POINT OF PREDICTABILITY.

The only thing more successful than the Giants great running game is the great passing game.

The only thing more successful than the Giants great passing game is the great running game.

THEY BOTH WORK! THEY BOTH WORK REALLY WELL! YOU HAVE BEEN DEALT A GREAT FREAKING HAND BY REESE. STOP WORRYING ABOUT FEEDING EACH CHILD AND START ATTACKING OPPOSING DEFENSES WITH YOUR FULL ARSENAL OF AWESOME TALENT.

You have a much better hand than Spags; at this point it is not even close. Take some more responsibility for winning games and throw darts at your playbook because the players on this team could run anything well. The only thing at this point that holds them back is your predictability by trying to maintain balance, almost on a play by play basis. Break tendency, do it differently, at this point you are the only thing that holds this team back. Try your TE, he has better hands than anyone we have seen since Bavaro. Try Ward and/or Bradshaw in the slot. Did you see Ward rumble for 35 yards on a short pass? Bradshaw on 4th and 1? You have an offensive line that can run block and pass protect, stop wasting it with measured responses and start attacking. All I KNOW is that that offensive coordinator on the other side of the field (MIKE MARTZ) would have the Giants offense scoring 40 points EVERY GAME. This is not an offense that needs to be obeying the speed limit.