Potential

The original #58 spoke with Joe and Evan on WFAN and shared his color on the Giants highly entertaining win this against the Romo-less Dallas Cowboys.

Many accolades to the Offensive Line in giving Eli time as they are “clicking on all cylinders,” which is also exemplified by the effectiveness in the running game.  They are clearly “adapting to both running styles” of Bradshaw and Jacobs.  Carl praised Jacobs and forewarned the opposing defenses that “you are just now starting to see Brandon Jacobs’ game” and “he is only going to get stronger.”  

Shaun “O’Hara and (Rich) Seubert handled Ratliff” as they ran effectively up the middle for the 2nd week in a row.  Pete remarked how we saw more of Andrews at TE to help Diehl out against Ware.  Hopefully we will indeed see more of Andrews. 

Banks feels it is “luxury to have a big return guy” and we just need to “lower our expectations for the return game.”  They need and “hope to get to the league average” in terms of return yards as this Offense is more than good enough to do the rest.  Just curious but he did not mention anything about the coverage team and the atrocious gaffes on Bryant’s 93 yard punt return.  Just hope Coughlin demands Quinn to have Dodge direct the ball out of bounds from here on out against the likes of DeSean Jackson, Leon Washington, Percy Harvin etc.

Unfortunately, not everything was rosy and positive. Turnover issues are front and center.  Bradshaw has just “gotta’ figure out that you don’t always have to fight for that extra yard” which leaves you vulnerable to losing the football.  Be content.  Be content with “getting that first down” and “let’s move on to the next play.”  We heard and addressed this many times but “Jacobs has got to get his pads lower” in order to avoid the strips. Banks has a “real concern” as it relates to the receivers- they need take the tipped balls “more seriously.”  The time will come when they are in a “grind it out game” and those “tipped balls come at the inopportune time” and cost you a game. Banks was on ESPN with Tony Dorsett to preview the game and he ripped Favre to shreds about his “recklessness.”  Although Eli “is not reckless like Favre.. the same holds true for Eli, as it is not okay to make bad decisions with the football.”   Bryan Broaddus of ESPN-Dallas, a former scout for the Eagles and Cowboys, discussed prior to the game some of the concerns about Eli:

Manning struggles the most with turnovers when he feels pressure. There are times where his decision-making is poor because of the way he handles pressure. There are times when faced with a rush that he is nowhere near as accurate as he needs to be. He will make his receivers work for the ball way too often.

It is interesting to observe the current state of the NFL and who are the haves and have nots.  Banks feels there is “more mediocrity than parity” across the league.  He feels this can be attributed to the “lack of attention to detail” and “not (being) focused enough for 60 minutes.. coaches gotta’ coach better.”  When we look at the teams with success right now we are drawn to the likes of Kansas City, Indianapolis and of course the “Patriots (who) win with the little things.”  This all brings us back to the current state of the Gmen and their “potential” for this season.  

Major kudos to Coughlin and his staff for getting this team focused and fighting after being down earlier this season.  The turmoil that was brewing not long ago with Rolle’s statements was an important juncture.  The team focused on Rolle’s desire for improvement instead of looking at it as rebellion within.  It is now in Coughlin’s and his coaching staff’s hands to harness this “scary talent” and channel it for “60 minutes” of football in every game.  Because per Banks, “coaches will coach toward your mistakes” and “will keep the game close,” waiting to take advantage of Eli’s “poor-decision making”, the receivers’ tipped balls, and the running backs’ fumbles. In order to become a “dominant team” they “have to tidy up the(se) little things.” In addition, Banks was concerned with Eli’s usage of the word ‘potential’.  “Potential is a dangerous word” as the Gmen “can take things for granted because of their potential” and rely on the instances where they produced a total dismemberment of the Cowboys for 2 quarters.

Coughlin has always prided himself on mistake-free football and taking care of the ball.  Let’s see what they’ve learned after the bye week.  Seattle comes next and Banks correctly notes that “falling behind in a place like that with the 12th man” will be tougher to overcome.

Separately, Matthias Kiwanuka has been placed on season-ending IR.  Will Blackmon has been signed as a special teams returner.

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