Giants get a great big 'Wet Willie'

by Ed Valentine on Dec 17, 2007 7:28 AM EST in New York Giants News

The look on Eli Manning's face tells you what kind of night it was for the Giants Sunday. (Getty Images)

I usually review Giants' games on Mondays with a 'Kudos & Wet Willies' segment. There will be no 'Kudos' today. They laid a huge egg in losing to Washington, 22-10, and get a great big team-wide 'Wet Willie.'

Fact is, I can't think of a single Giant who is actually deserving of a 'Kudos' after that putrid performance.

On a night when they could have -- and should have -- stamped themselves as a legitimate playoff team, the Giants only managed to raise more questions about how good they really are. That, and they lost another key player to a season-ending injury as Jeremy Shockey suffered a broken leg and an ankle injury.

Brandon Jacobs? Twenty-five carries for 130 yards, sure, but he dropped at least four passes. The Giants have got to get him out of the game and get Ahmad Bradshaw on the field in passing situations.

Giants receivers? There were, by NBC's count, 10 dropped passes. In addition to Jacobs, there was a horrible drop by Amani Toomer on a long throw that might have been a touchdown. Oh, and a bone-headed play by Sinorice Moss, making a catch on third down then backing up and losing the first down.

Don't blame Eli Manning for this one. Yes, 18-for-52 looks horrible. He got absolutely no help from his teammates, though. I'm not even sure his brother Peyton could have done much last night considering the fact that the Giants couldn't catch the ball.

The defense. The Giants let Clinton Portis rush for 126 yards, and allowed career backup Todd Collins to complete several long throws down the field. With a chance to set the tone for the second half the Big Blue sieve let Washington march down the field for an easy touchdown to start the second half.

Tom Coughlin also has to take a hit here. For the second time in three weeks the Giants came out at home and absolutely looked atrocious. The Giants were uninspired, and that has to fall on the head coach.

I've been a Coughlin booster. I've also been saying Giants fans should feel good about their team. Today, though, there is nothing to feel good about. Unless things somehow improve in the next two weeks the Giants will again limp into the playoffs, if they make it at all.

Whether they win another game or not, the Giants may have already done enough to get into the playoffs. Fact is, though, right now this does not look like a playoff team.

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Comments

I don't know where to start

Except to say that at this point, I hope when they finish 9-7, it isn't good enough for the playoffs. This is not a playoff team, and they are going to get bounced in the first round no matter who they play

Brandon Jacobs just dropped another pass. If you had told me before the season that by Week 16 we'd really be missing Derrick Ward, I would have said you were crazy.

I feel bad for Eli, I really do. On a tough night to play football he put the ball where it needed to be most of the night, and his receivers kept letting him down

You heard it here first: Jeremy Shockey will not be a New York Giant next year. Gut feeling

My only kudo would go to Steve Smith, glad to have you back, helluva catch last night

by Jim Schmiedeberg on Dec 17, 2007 8:05 AM EST reply actions

Shockey

We will debate his future with the Giants later this week. I have some thoughts on it, but not today. I could give kudos to Ahmad Bradshaw, who was outstanding on kick returns, but that's about it.

by Ed Valentine on Dec 17, 2007 9:24 AM EST reply actions

Bradshaw

I like more and more every week.

Yeah, as Shockey was leaving in the cart last night, I couldn't help but think I had another obsolete jersey in my closet

by Jim Schmiedeberg on Dec 17, 2007 9:27 AM EST reply actions

I strongly suspect Shockey will be traded,

if the Giants can get decent value for him. They're okay at TE, but need shoring up elsewhere. Yeah, Bradshaw deserves kudos plus he can definitely be used as a 3rd down back, just as Tiki was. In fact, should Jacobs prove to be as fragile as some fear, Bradshaw looks like he could be an every down back.

by george cronin on Dec 17, 2007 9:29 AM EST reply actions

Giants

The Giants really need to cut Tynes and get a real Giants stadium kicker. That FG he missed was killer.

As for Shockey, he might be in situation where they keep but ask him to take a pay cut

by DoctorK16 on Dec 17, 2007 10:04 AM EST reply actions

Tynes

Give me a break! The guy hasn't missed a kick in about 6 weeks. He misses one kick in miserable wind conditions and you want him gone? Yeah, he should have made it and he isn't the best kicker in the league, but don't pin last night on him. Last night was about lack of fire, inability to catch on offense or defense (two missed INTs that cost them points), poor play-calling and generally apathetic play. Tynes had nothing to do with it.

by Ed Valentine on Dec 17, 2007 10:12 AM EST up reply actions

fair points all

but a kicker in the Meadowlands has to deal with those conditions well. And Swisham who was kicking in the same crap made his kicks.

by DoctorK16 on Dec 17, 2007 9:14 PM EST up reply actions

suck

piece of crap

by DieEaglesDie on Dec 17, 2007 10:16 AM EST reply actions

One more kudo

Tuck seemed to be all over the field last night, so I would include him with Bradshaw. No one else though.

It's amazing how uninspired this team plays at home. Does the uninspired crowd have something to do with it? I realize that these are professional athletes who are getting paid to do this and should come out inspired every week. But maybe this "sit on your hands" crowd at Giants stadium has something, while not everything, to do with it. It is an emotional game and a pumped up crowd might help to work the players into a frenzy? What other reasons could they look like that at home all the time?

If I'm going to break them, I'm going to break them both. - LT

by potroast on Dec 17, 2007 10:21 AM EST reply actions

I think

that does have something to do with it. It's a crowd that is very quick to turn on the team, and I think that increases the pressure.

by Ed Valentine on Dec 17, 2007 10:27 AM EST up reply actions

One more thing

Does Gilbride have an f'in clue? Jacobs would break off big runs and then on short yardage they would throw 2-3 times? This guy has to be fired. I know they usually leave it up to TC, but Reese has to step up here and get this done.

If I'm going to break them, I'm going to break them both. - LT

by potroast on Dec 17, 2007 10:33 AM EST reply actions

Gilbride

He's another guy we have to spend some time discussing this week. The Giants never seem to establish a personality on offense, never seem willing to settle for a first down on 2nd and 2, and never seem to get in a rhythm. That has to have something to do with the coordinator.

by Ed Valentine on Dec 17, 2007 10:44 AM EST up reply actions

Pot, I'll go with you on Gilbride, but can't

accept blaming the fans for home losses. Sure, they're a sedate crowd, but the game's are won or lost by the players on the field, by the game plans of the coaching staff, by the personnel moves made by the front office, etc.
Something I noticed last night thinking of the quietness of the fans was that not much was happening to get excited about. The players have to provide the spark to light up the fans, not the other way around.
If the Giants need deafening noise from the fans in the stands to win, they're might never get to another Super Bowl. Then agaisn, a team on a run toward the Super Bowl might find itself in Bedlam during home games. For reasons previously cited for the quietness of the stands (aging ticket holders, etc.) I doubt this will happen. Does anyone know of the plans for the new stadium? A domed stadium would certainly increase the decibel level, but would remove the legendary home field advantage of playing in the kind of miserable conditions sometimes found at the Meadowlands.

by george cronin on Dec 17, 2007 12:40 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah

It was more of a question than a statement. I'm trying to figure out how this team can consistently come out so flat in their home stadium. Where the hell is the intensity? There's plenty of teams that hard every week, but the Giants are not one of them.

If I'm going to break them, I'm going to break them both. - LT

by potroast on Dec 17, 2007 1:37 PM EST up reply actions

Agree with kudos to Smith, Tuck and Bradshaw...

Tynes can be excused for this one for sure,the wind at the endzone near gate C was blowing the goalposts about a foot back and forth the whole night. Any punting troubles especially going that way were understandable too. McQuarters really should have fielded more of the punts going in that direction, that proved a killer.
After last weeks discussions I paid a lot of attention to the crowd , there were alot more young and enthusiatic fans out there due to weather and everyone out there was absolutely screwed by the team AS USUAL. The crowd would have been more than in to it if the team gave any kind of respectable effort.
Can anyone explain why you would keep throwing to old "hands of stone" Jacobs when he proved he can't catch in the cold. same thing with running him VERY wide around the ends. Slashing style is fine ,running for the heated bench on the sideline is NOT. Bradshaws playing time should be increased right now. Running back is the one position where a rookie can actually come in and immediately contribute and he has earned it.
GILBRIDE MUST GO!
Going back to the crowd THEY deserve the kudos, every a$$hole who sat there to the end freezing gave more of an effort than some of these fair weather pretty boys who have the nerve to complain about not enough support.Nothing like tiring yourself out shoveling icey sludge all day to sit in the wind and freezing weather to watch these guys.Hope they didn't have to wait too long for their Limo rides home while we apathetic fans dutifully got in line for route 3 or the turnpike. Yeah I was dumb enough to be there at the end thinking ,yeah a long bomb and an onsides kick we could.....
Not even going to watch the tape........going back to sleep......

by big blue wrecking crew on Dec 17, 2007 11:17 AM EST reply actions

I definitely don't blame Eli

totally for this one. Although, it must be noted - he had one of his bonehead,retarded (almost good for one every game now) fumbles.
The receiving core helped him out very little. The rushing yards weren't bad, though.

I don't see how anyone could blame the defense at all in this one, though. Hell, they were on the field for almost all of the first half. You gotta be kiddin' me.....if anyone, in tip-top shape, stays on the field for as long as they did in the first half, they'd be tired too. Our offense did NOTHING to give the defense ANY rest whatsoever. How many first downs did we have in the first half? Thank you.

Someone wants to say our offense is inconsistent, and I can prove you wrong: Look at how many 3 and outs we had, in the first half alone - pretty consistent there. We consistently sucked.

Though I am always skittish about things Madden says, he nailed it right down. This is a team that's in the playoffs, but are they really a playoff team? According to last night, when they needed a win to settle the deal, they choked.

We need offense without being offensive. Lat night was horrendous.

by GAgiantfan on Dec 17, 2007 12:32 PM EST reply actions

G. D. M. F.

piece of effing ess.

by DieEaglesDie on Dec 17, 2007 12:33 PM EST reply actions

Shockey, Eli, and everything else

I love Shockey's attitude, he's aggressive and passionate, but somehow, he doesn't seem like he's willing to be a part of this team, or perhaps, just not willing to be a part of Eli's team, and I think at this point, it's going to hurt the team. Therefore, unless he changes his attitude or something, I agree that he may be gone next year, or perhaps asked to take a pay cut.

As for our offense and Eli, it did pretty consistently suck, but not for lack of trying. Eli had some balls that floated but were definitely still catchable, and we had those first downs that Sinorice Moss kept spinning and for some reason would lose yardage on. Eli (minus that fumble), was pretty much as good as we could have asked him to be, given the windy conditions.

The fans. Oh, I could go either way on this, but I still think that the booing comes in way too early. Usually, when I'm watching these games on TV, I can hear the crowd when the opposing offense is on the field. Not for this game. Yes, I understand it was freezing, yada yada yada, but I've been to games at Ralph Wilson (I used to live around there) when it's been snowing and I SWEAR the fans were louder than that. Granted, being down by that much by the half and then the early points in the third pretty much took the crowd out of it, but still.

by NYinCalifornia on Dec 17, 2007 1:02 PM EST reply actions

Sorry ET

I let the Shockey cat out the bag....din't mean to

Tynes....can't fault him for his miss last night, although Suisham seemed to know the winds at GS better than he did

I can't help but think we are 2 weeks away from talking about the Giants draft and Coughlins contract, because thats all there will be to talk about

by Jim Schmiedeberg on Dec 17, 2007 1:05 PM EST reply actions

Cat

Hey, this is your forum just as much as it is mine. I suspect we'll be spending a lot of time talking about Shockey and should he stay or go. If you guys want to talk about that it's fine. Personally, I'm just not ready to do it today.

by Ed Valentine on Dec 17, 2007 2:13 PM EST up reply actions

Fans

I was at the game last night - there may have been more young fans at the Stadium than normal because of the weather, but... I stood up, along with the guys to either side of me, to cheer when the Giants were coming out on the field before the game, and the old guy sitting behind us goes "If you sit down, everybody can see." Come on, the game hasn't even started yet and you're already giving us a hard time?

If that's the attitude that a lot of fans have, I guess that explains why the players are frustrated that the fans don't get involved more.

by Josh @ Big Blue View on Dec 17, 2007 3:28 PM EST reply actions

one thing i actually miss about fassel

is his ability to get shockey involved in the offense. in '02 and '03, shockey was a weapon and he was on pace to be a star.

once TC came in, he merely turned him into a blocker. we might as well shift madison hedgecock to tight end.

i know im harsh on TC a lot but i just cant understand how you can have such a special weapon at tight end like shockey and not use him properly. it boggles my mind.

by SBakerTheTouchdownMaker on Dec 17, 2007 3:51 PM EST reply actions

Shockey

I have been saying that for years, as well. I do think, though, that Shockey may not be the playmaker he was when he first came into the league. There's a lot of mileage on those tires.

by Ed Valentine on Dec 17, 2007 3:54 PM EST up reply actions

shockey

Well the thing is one of the knocks on Shockey coming out of college was that he was a bad blocker. The funny thing is, he clearly hates blocking, but he's become one of the better blocking TE's in the league. So the coaches want to use that skill.

No Kudos for Feagles? He had one real manly punt, and looked like his usual awesome self. Sadly if you ask me who have been the most consistent players over the past 5ish years, I would say Feagles and Tyree. That's not good that the answer is a punter and a gunner.

by queler on Dec 17, 2007 5:56 PM EST up reply actions

but he is more skilled

as a pass catcher. he is a tremendous athlete. if they are just going to use him to block, they might as well trade him and let matthews take over.

by SBakerTheTouchdownMaker on Dec 17, 2007 8:20 PM EST up reply actions

Josh

sounds like your typical Giants season ticket holder. I've been to many games at Giants Stadium, and some of them really do take the fun out of it. Its almost more fun to go to Giants road games. I'm going to fly to AZ for the game next year, I have a bunch of friends out there who are Giants fans, so we'll be going. Haven't missed a Giants game in AZ since 97

by Jim Schmiedeberg on Dec 18, 2007 8:28 AM EST reply actions

I think the Shockey problem

Is that Coughlin from Day one has wanted him to be a blocking TE first, and its eroded his other skills. Fassel knew he was a weapon and used him as such. I remember a game in 02 where Collins threw him a pass in the backfield and Shockey looked like he was going to throw an option pass, but nobody was open so he had to tuck it in

by Jim Schmiedeberg on Dec 18, 2007 8:31 AM EST reply actions

Shockey

TC has never really understood what he has/had in Shockey. He is wedded to the 'traditional' tight end role, and rarely has allowed Shockey to get down the field.

by Ed Valentine on Dec 18, 2007 11:42 AM EST up reply actions