New York Giants notes, 11.12.08

by Ed Valentine on Nov 12, 2008 7:01 AM EST in News Comment 15 comments

A Giants-Jets Super Bowl? It is jumping way, way ahead of ourselves to even think about it, but that is exactly what Sam Borden of the Journal News is doing today.

It probably won't happen. That's what the odds tell us. The Jets and Giants, Giants and Jets have only made the playoffs in the same year five times. That's it. Five times. So the notion that maybe Tampa in February will look like the Meadowlands in December is certainly far-fetched. A green and blue Super Bowl isn't statistically likely.

It's OK to dream anyway. Right now it seems as real as ever, as possible as it has ever been. In 1986, the Giants were 9-2 and the Jets 10-1. The Jets finished the season with five straight losses and a defeat in the divisional round of the playoffs and the Giants ended up going on to win the Super Bowl. The dream of a Subway (or, more appropriately, New Jersey Transit Bus Lines) Super Bowl died quickly that year.

This year it feels different. The Giants are the best team in the league right now. They just are. The Titans may be undefeated but the Giants play in a better conference against better opponents and have better players. Somehow, they are better than they were last year, when they ran through the playoffs and upset the Patriots in Arizona.

The Jets are not nearly as dominant. Not even close, even if they did crush the Rams by 100 points last weekend. They beat up on the JV, which is what you're supposed to do. Their big test comes tomorrow night in Foxborough.

But the AFC is wide open this year, a complete toss-up that no one - no one - could feel confident predicting right now. For so long it felt like the regular season was just a prelude to the Patriots and Colts meeting in January, but Tom Brady is gone this year and Peyton Manning isn't the same. Suddenly it could be anybody's time in the AFC. It could be the Jets' time.

Are the Giants really a running team? Oh, and is Eli Manning really in a slump? Personally, I think the Giants simply need to run enough to keep teams from teeing off on Eli. As for a slump, I don't think so. Really I believe the Giants simply haven't needed to air it out. I also think it's Plaxico Burress who is in a slump. Even with all their other weapons, the Giants need to get the ball to Plax to be a big-time passing offense.
The New York Post points out that the Giants will have some difficult free-agent decisions to make at the end of the season. Typical Post, trying to stir up something.
Mike Garafolo has a mini-breakdown of Sunday's matchup with the Ravens.

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Comments

little bro is looking pretty good lately

playing Cincinnati (1-8), Oakland (2-7), Kansas City (1-8), and St. Louis (2-7) in a five-game strech helps.

by SBakerTheTouchdownMaker on Nov 12, 2008 8:37 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Toomer

I have a feeling he stays, I think he’d play for the min

by queler on Nov 12, 2008 10:56 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

actually

Now that I’m thinking about, I’d better be right, the though of Toomer in another jersey would make me vomit

by queler on Nov 12, 2008 10:57 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

That makes

2 of us

by potroast on Nov 12, 2008 12:18 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I think

Toomer is to the Giants what Jeter is to the Yankees…not going to wear any other jersey, or at least, who can fathom!!! I proudly wear my 81!

Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare. They are consumed in twelve minutes. Half-times take twelve minutes. This is not coincidence.

by LI-cowgirl on Nov 12, 2008 2:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Smith could replace Toomer, but hard to imagine him elsewhere...

Maybe they can just get him on a short deal to wind up his career in NY, but Steve Smith is more than capable of taking over for Toomer.

As for the RBs, its a no brainer to me: Jacobs and Bradshaw should be our 1-2, Ward is good, but the oldest of the three, Bradshaw is more of a changeup from Jacobs too.

Ward can be replaced easier than the other two.

Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.

by bren on Nov 12, 2008 7:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

If it comes down to it

Brett will will toss enough interceptions in the AFC Championship at Tennessee to smother that pipe dream.

by The Pale Scot on Nov 12, 2008 12:33 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I disagree with that. Because of the success of the running game, he just hasn’t had to air it out. Which is probably for the best. My old football coach used to say something about when you pass the ball, 67% of the time you can fail (the three outcomes being incomplete pass, interception, or reception) – it was obviously a skewed and BS statistic (and it was a Parcells-ism, if memory serves) but….it underscores a point: why pass when you can run so effectively? Several minor mistakes aside (and notwithstanding the Cleveland game; to which I’m giving Eli a mulligan) I’m fine with the way he’s played this season.

by Cody K on Nov 12, 2008 2:18 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

NFW

The Jets are not nearly as good as the so called experts are ranking them. There are a bunch of teams in the AFC much better than they are. Brett Favre’s mythical status has them the darlings of the league. The Pats will take care of them- again this Thursday. The Steelers, Ravens, Colts, Titans and perhaps even the Broncos and Chargers are better than the Jets are.

Sorry, not drinking the J-E-T-S kool-aid!

Rexx

by Rexx on Nov 12, 2008 3:58 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Jets

I think they’re better than the Chargers or Broncos. The west is truly putrid this year, in both conferences. Arizona is about the 8th best team in the NFC, IMO, and they have a 6 game division lead.

With all the focus on the Bretts offense, nobody has really noticed that they have a very good defense and one of the better special teams return units in the NFL. They’ve actually got the 3rd best “net points” in the NFL, behind only the Giants and the Titans. They’re better than people give them credit for.

by cjmulrain on Nov 12, 2008 6:36 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

jets against titans would be a jet disaster

by raven on Nov 15, 2008 4:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Ray Lewis comments on Jacobs.

I have to agree somewhat with what he said. I’ll never forget the beatdown he put on Eddie George in his prime. I also appreciate the charm city fans comments about their D stopping the run. I remember feeling exactly the same during the mid 80’s about the Giants. The split second you knew the opponent was trying to run up the middle it would invariably be. stopped in backfield , at the line or a 3 yard gain seemed like a big one(5 around end for Dorsette). Still maybe Ray should consider that Madison Hedgecock is slightly bigger than Brandon and might have opinions about this too.
Is it Sunday yet?

We're only gonna score 17 points?

by big blue wrecking crew on Nov 12, 2008 5:12 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Slump?

He pointed it out right in the second paragraph, he only had 17 attempts in the final 2 1/2 quarters….theyve benefited from a lot of short fields too, thanks to the defense, I wish they would throw more though

Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.

by bren on Nov 12, 2008 7:00 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Why throw more when you don't have to?

Part of the giants personality, and what makes them good, is the fact that they can and will run the ball down the throats of most teams. They give teams a physical beating on offense and defense — it’s part of what makes them special.

by Ed Valentine on Nov 12, 2008 9:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Actually I wish we would throw a little less.

Last week I watched us get nearly 6 yards a carry on first down pretty regularly. I know we are supposed to mix it up by throwing on first down but I really think we actually stalled a few drives by throwing too much. I’m still haunted by that game against Peyton and the Colts when they never did stop the run and we started passing, playing into their hands.

And please! No more passes to Madison……

by giant fan since 57 on Nov 13, 2008 5:38 AM EST reply actions 0 recs