1) I am still not sold on the Broncos. Brady is not Brady so far in 2009; he left a lot of points out there on the field.
2) Bradshaw’s 55 yard screen pass… Sanders: “This guy must be up for a contract because he’s doing it every week.” Mariucci: “This guy’s dangerous in space.” So I touch on this point with Wonder.. shouldn’t Bradshaw be getting many more opportunities in space, screens and flares? Wonder: “Your coordinator is a browning moron. I do not understand it. It is not even worth discussing because it is so obvious.”
2a) Bradshaw is a little guy who cannot take too too much pounding w/o obviously getting hurt.. as we commented before.. he was hurt in W17 of 2007, played hurt last year with a (torn) calf and is playing hurt this year with an ankle in the boot. So we understand there is a need to protect the guy. GIVE HIM MORE TOUCHES IN SPACE. Instead of pounding with the DLinemen for those extra touches, he can make Safeties and LBers miss on the screens and flares.
Everyone knows how good Kevin Faulk has been for Brady in New England. Considering that Faulk has killed the Jets numerous times, Wonder has the utmost respect for Faulk. With that said, Wonder, who do you take? “In the EXACT same situation, with EXACT same team, I would prefer Bradshaw for his quickness, ‘missability’ and his likelihood to break more tackles.”
3) From Paul re the Giants destruction of the Raiders.. “Commitment to Excrement.”
4) Lots of people have been talking about the Giants vs TEs. Who among your LBers and Safeties can cover them? Boley is on the weakside, but he has the range. Phillips has the range (speed), but he is on IR. With both out, this is where the Giants are exposed. Against that garbage offense of the Raiders this past week, who led the team in receptions? Yep, the TE with 4 catches. So let’s review this year:
W1: Cooley 7 receptions (tied, led the team)
W2: Witten 5 receptions (led team)
W3: Winslow 3 receptions (anemic offense, led the team)
W4: Ryan 5 receptions (anemic offense, led the team)
W5: Miller 4 receptions (anemic offense, led the team)
So let’s summarize: EVERY GAME THIS SEASON THE OPPOSING TIGHT END HAS LED THE TEAM IN RECEPTIONS.
Maybe try something new, like Wilkinson on third down to guard Shockey. Wilkinson has the size and speed. Can you do much worse than what this defense is doing already? We’re not saying the Giants are doing a “bad” job thus far on the TE. But with that said, if these offenses are AVERAGING 5 TE receptions per game, we should expect the Saints to use that knowledge. Thomas and Webster are doing a good job of making the outside harder. Brees will go TE. Shockey has lost a half step because of all of the injuries over the years, but he’ll beat you in single coverage. Who else are you going to put on him? Johnson? Brown?
5) The Gmen are +3. That is a dead heat, because the homefield is worth 3 points. I am very curious to see who Simms picks this weekend. That will tell me a lot.
6) Don’t go long the Browns. (Okay, that was a joke, it is not as if anyone was…) That win over Buffalo was accompanied by 2, COUNT THEM, TWO COMPLETIONS. The ENTIRE GAME. In the modern era of football, please tell me that there has been any team that has won a game (or even lost it) with the same or less number of completions! That has to be a record.
7) Yes, Carl. Pressure Brees. Do not let him get into a rhythm. Otherwise our Safeties will get exposed.
8) Peter King noted Monday that the Redskins have never faced a team with a win this season (when they played them). This is one of the reasons why their record of 2-3 is so extraordinarily woeful. The Chiefs could easily be 2-3 if not for a few tackles and bad breaks. They are young and have a future. The Skins? Let’s get YET another coach in there and just obliterate whatever is left of Campbell. Everyone knows this, but stating the obvious, Snyder needs to fire himself. Keep spending gazillions on a cover-2 corner while your offense is browned.
9) Marvin Lewis on Rey Maualuga: “He hits you like a cinderblock wall.” How would you like to have him AND Boley at LBer? Nicks is coming on, looks great as a rookie, but DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS.
10) On Sunday on the postgame wrap up, we noted “another nice win on our way to the beginning of the regular season next week in New Orleans.” On Tuesday, Vacch says: “Finally, the preseason is over.” I am sure that someone somewhere is saying things that I said before I did, but none of us really have the time to be looking too much at each other. Vacch certainly is not reading this blog, he’s too busy hanging out inside Giants Stadium looking for crumbs. Just remember this when the shoe is on the other foot and cut me some slack. (Btw, guys, be my eyes and ears.. did anyone note the observation yet about the TEs in #4 above yet? If so, please comment.)
11) Charity auction for Brain research. They are auctioning off a nice package of dinner with Emeril, meet and greet with the Mannings, jetting to NYC, hotel, suite tickets at Giants Stadium. All proceeds go to Keep Memory Alive.
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