Last year, it was before Game 2 that we wrote about “Back to Reality This Weekend.” It was Peyton Manning and the Colts. This year it is whoever is QB’ing and the Eagles. Just like last year, this opponent will bring the fans back to reality.
It took a while for more than a few to come to the same opinion that this blog has been lambasted for. Read the comments from last year’s post. And look where this team is now.
I disagree with the “they got to the line quicker” observation. The Rams and Bradford did just that, as the Giants continue to run the clock to zero.
The fact is that Eli is still the “deer in headlights.” He never comes to the line without numerous check-offs which breaks rhythm and displays how ill-prepared the Giants are for every game.
All you need do is watch Eli hang his head after most plays and see his expression at the line. He is not prepared for the adversary, and many passes that are caught have to be spectacular catches.
You got to see a future great in Bradford and the difference was more than palpable. Eli has a streak every now and then but we were 1 for 16 on third/fourth down this season. Eli is on pace for 16 INTs this year, and that is against pedestrian defenses in Washington and St. Louis. Suffice it to say this is against the bottom of a generally awful NFL.
I was trained to notice what many don’t see. Justin Tuck is a great player, Bradshaw is an adequate but not a game-breaking back. Jacobs failed again to get one yard when needed as his career peaked 3 years ago.
With the OL, all of us.. you, me, this blog, all the commenters, we ALL knew that O’Hara and Seubert were getting old, at or very near the end. But our team did almost nothing proactive to deal with it. McKenzie plays on fumes and even Diehl is showing a decline. The linebacker issue, the Tampa two as a base defense. The seemingly inordinate amount of injuries in an injury-plagued game has got to be addressed. It is not coincidence that Coughlin, the trainers and the coaches do not know how to use their people. They are never in shape coming out of camp and the (quantity of) injuries are avoidable. Of course football is a brutal game, which is why “management” of the players is so key.
This franchise is not competitive with any credible team in the N.F.L “Red zone” for years, ditto third downs, specials, all of it. Spags left after 2008. So in 2009 we got our doors blown off by 5 teams who put 40+ on our team. Then in 2010, we were 1-4 vs quality teams, with arguably the worst collapse in a game that I can ever recall.
Reese has proven to be an arrogant, dispassionate, arguably ill-equiped GM. He is living off one draft as are all those who got lucky and made a fortuitous hire. Did you see Fred Robbins nail Eli? Never should happen but nothing was done to change the same plays, the same formations the same counts and everyone knows what’s coming. We ask you- when was the last time Jerry Reese took responsibility for a bad move? He’s still waiting for Sintim to show up, and now he’ll hide behind his injuries.
I would argue that the Rams were more injured in the running game, the receiving game, the defensive backfield and at receiver than we were. They played with a “hurt Bradford” and lost due to a “Giant-like” breakdown in fundamentals.
Without the lateral pass and the muffed kickoff plus a generally uncharacteristic breakdown of discipline, the score could have been a blowout against us.
The Ram game was a perfect comparison to all the “ugly” wins last year. We won against a depleted team; this time they had an injured Bradford rather than a 2nd or third string QB to face.
Mario and Hixon (out for the year) got hurt. Boley got the TD, which at least showed awareness we rarely exhibit. He is not a $5 million a year player. Bernard actually made a few plays and Canty pulled off one play, which was overshadowed by ex-Giant Robbins on that sack.
You saw it. Think objectively. Outside of Nicks, JPP, Snee and Tuck, who do we have that can play? The punter was good. Ross was benched after two bad quarters; he went this far without being undressed because he has been consistently injured.
The Eagles, even with an injured Vick, should destroy us. I don’t know if Young is ready but he beat us while playing for a much lesser team. It’s not cheery, but what do you want? I want a team that can be competitive vs the best teams in the NFL, and we have not had that for 2 seasons now. Count this as season 3.
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