Both sides of the LOS

We at UltimateNYG have a lot of respect for Carl Banks. And we value his analysis of the current state of the Gmen. Although we understand he is still an employee of the organization, he is still not afraid to push the envelope without antagonizing his employer.

Banks on WFAN starts out by stating that “by all accounts Tavaris Jackson is just not a good quarterback and this guy was able to have so much success” against this Giant defense. A lot of his success and, as Andy pointed out yesterday, Rex Grossman’s success can be attributed to the Giants being in un-favorable “2^nd down situations for themselves’ much less 3^rd down situations. At the start of the game Banks was perplexed on how Seattle marched down the field on their opening drive as “Tavaris Jackson is just not good enough to stand back their and beat them.” Banks then added that “if Marshawn Lynch had a little gas in his tank” you knew “it was going to a long day” for this Giants’ defense. The success of Seattle running the football never gave “the Giants a chance to get into a situation that is favorable for” the strength of this team, “their pass rush.” Banks alluded to this in the past but “the blue print” to beating the Giants is daring them to stop them on first down with the run game because if the Giants “can’t figure this out they’re going to struggle.” In addition, Banks pointed out that the Giants “had 3 legitimate opportunities for interceptions with 1 dropped by Grant in the end zone….and all you have to do is make 1 of those interceptions and they will probably go back to being the same old Seattle Seahawks.”

On the other side of the ball Banks “happens to like Kevin Gilbride. But they’ve got to make a concerted effort both players and coaches to schematically figure out how they can run the football.” Banks pointed to the issue of the passing game but instead alluded the fault to “a quarterback who loves to fling the ball down the field” to his “talented receivers” instead of the man calling the plays. Banks questioned why they got away from the success they were having running the ball when they had Stacey Andrews and Ballard both in a 2 TE formation. He adds, “you noticed that the tight ends were open down the field later but that only happens after they were able to successfully run the football. Even if teams know that you are running the football because you are in this alignment keep running it. Force them to stop it as it opens up the (passing) game for them.” Banks feels that they “have fire power and ability to get big chunks on (teams) but they are not a consistent offense. They are out of sync in a lot of areas.” Finally his last point on the offense is that “good teams will not allow themselves to” commit undisciplined penalties in the red zone much less throw a ball into triple coverage in the red zone.

Banks sums up his current state of the Giants by stating that “this is a team that has talent that has yet to put it together even in victories. They haven’t put it together to the point that they are going to get on a run.” Evan Roberts countered that they had these issues last year after they got off to a strong start. Per Banks this can be attributed “to a lack of discipline and you can’t brush overall the things that were going wrong last year as they all manifested themselves in a big game.” We heard Banks talk about how all the issues they struggled with over the course of a season “will manifest (it)selve when you least need them to.” Banks feels that this year’s Giants are “coming dangerously close to becoming the team that is PREDICTABLE on offense and the team that you know you can beat up on them in the run game. Once teams know that they are not physical enough to run on us and their not physical enough on us in our own run game…then it get’s to that point it will be Seattle every single week.” Banks warned that this Buffalo team “has no problem throwing the ball for 150 yards and running it for 150 and making you do everything right.” Buffalo “runs the ball well and they pass the ball efficiently and they don’t make mistakes.”

Other highlights of the podcast:

Joe Benigno vehemently stated “the Giants came out flat and expected to win after 3 straight road wins.” Banks did not dispute his argument adding “that the Seahawks were able to move the ball up and down the field.”

Banks did not feel the defense gave up on the play when Osi jumped offside and they “thought they heard a whistle. If you look at the replay both of the defensive backs when toward 1 guy and let the other guy loose. It did not appear to me that they stopped playing.” This is just another chapter in their history of blown coverage/communication.

Now let’s look at some telling statistics about the Gmen through game 5:

1st in the league on plays from scrimmage allowed.

14^th in points per game allowed

13^th in yards per game allowed

21^st in rushing yard per game allowed

11^th in time of possession allowed

4^th most penalty yards committed by the defense in the League

3^rd most penalties committed by the defense in the League

29^th in 3^rd down percentage by the offense

27^th in rushing yard per game

30^th in average yards per carry

12^th most penalties committed by the offense in the League

15^th most penalty yards committed by offense in the League

QB is 3^rd in the league in yard per attempt with a 9 yard average

Seattle prior to game 5:

31st in rushing yard per game

Even Joe and Evan can figure out that the same fundamental problems are still arising stemming back to last season. Or as Banks states “undisciplined” play with false starts in the red zone, turnovers and coverage issues in the secondary.

Paul here: It is very hard to get a read on this team due to their lack of consistency and in consideration of what we witnessed in their play against the Eagles. But is everyone really confident that they will correct the issues with their running game, defending the run, and continued issues with coverage in the secondary moving forward? Remember they failed to correct the issues, such as their Special Teams play, before the end of last season. We only hope that they can, and will, but keep in mind that a team that struggles on both sides of the line of scrimmage will always have a tough time winning consistently in this mediocre NFL.

Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!

Both sides of the LOS

Alan Draper

Alan Draper

Alan Draper