the position at which we thought we had the most depth, WR, is the one that collapsed most completely. I wonder if Reese is thinking our young receivers (Manningham, Moss, Hixon, practice squad guys) are still worth developing or whether it’s time for a change?

I was as angry at Gilbride more than anyone yesterday, but I’m sure that you are correct that they’ll never fire him. I still wouldn’t shed a tear if he left on his own though. He seriously is the ONLY person watching that game yesterday that didn’t realize that they should stick with Jacobs. Ridiculous. He’s had enough terrible games that it makes you wonder if they won last year in SPITE of him.

As for the WRs Terra, I think they simply need that big #1 guy. I’m sure we will be discussing this a lot this offseason, but I’ve felt all along that Plax will get another chance with the Giants because of this. Guys like that just don’t grow on trees. Look how long the Eagles have been looking for one. The Giants probably need to cut ties with Moss, but Hixon is a great weapon when he is not the primary target and its too early on Manningham. With Plax in the mix, it’s still a good WR corps. Without him the Giants have to find someone that can replace him as Eli’s crutch because he’s not on this roster.

Well, it still was a fun season. It’s just the postseason that really sucked. Hopefully Spags stays, Osi gets healthy, the WR situation gets ironed out, and a playmaker is signed or drafted at LB. The Giants will easily be the team to beat if all those things are done.

I need to vent… One particular situation late in the 2nd quarter drove me insane. Jacobs had the Eagles’ D on their heels after runs of 24 and 5 yards for first downs. After the 2 minute warning the Eagles are called offsides giving us 1st and 5 on their 20 yard line. With 1:55 left we throw the ball 3 times in a row !! Not only did we bail out their defense by not giving the ball to Jacobs, we left 1:40 on the clock for them to drive down the field and take any momentum that we had gained going into halftime….I think that was a huge turning point in the game.

I’m ok with bringing Plax back. I mean, he has to have learned from this whole fiasco, right? He must have been watching yesterday, and saw how important he is. Shouldn’t that give him a sense of responsibility? It’s easy to forget now what a perfect citizen he was last season, playing on 1 ankle and carrying us to the SB. That said, I also wouldn’t mind seeing them sign someone like Housh or Colston (if he’s available), or even trading for Boldin. The Cardinals are showing that there’s nothing wrong with having two #1 WR’s, and this way if Burress does act up, you have a safety net. Also, as much as I love him, I think it’s time to part ways with Amani. I kinda hope he decides to retire, but the fact is we have Steve Smith, who is a younger, cheaper Amani Toomer. No need to have two of those guys on the roster.

With Osi coming back the DL should be outstanding again. If he’s even close to what he was last year, the Giants will have the best DE tandem in the league, and they can play around with Kiwanuka to maximize his talents (he was good but not great this year – but I also wonder if the lingering effects of the injury slowed him down a bit).

Looking to the draft – I think we all agree LB is our top need. I don’t want to see us waste a pick on another receiver, since the success of highly picked receivers is so spotty. If we could figure out a way to move up to get a James Laurinitis or a Rey Maualuga, I think it’s something Reese would have to consider. But even if not, there’s probably some gems to be found in the late-1st round. The one positive to yesterday – higher draft pick! In Reese We Trust.

Great summary of the year and thanks for putting it in the proper perspective. I will back myself off the bridge now.

On a side note. I joined this site back in early December (I found it by pure accident) and I have very much enjoyed reading/responding to what all of you have had to say over the past month and I am looking forward to all the offseason discussion that is to come. It really is a great site for Giants fans.

No one would be upset if Philly came to town, pushed the Giants all over the field & left with a win. That did not happen. If before the game you would be told that Westbrook would run for under 50 yards, Jacobs would have 92, Mc Nabb would have his lowest passer rating for the season & throw two picks you’d be thinking BIG BLUE BLOWOUT!

So what happened? If the Eagles didn’t beat the Giants then who did? The prime suspect is Gilbride. He underutalised Jacobs. The Eagles couldn’t stop him between the tackles, Gilbride stopped him by not running him. Manning had a bad game but it was a bad game because he was asked to do things that had little hope of success given down, distance & conditions. That kind of failure is only rewarded on the Giants & on Wall Street. It looks like we’ll need a new defensive coordinator, may as well get a new offensive one too. Kevin Gilbride must go.

I know I gotta have some major rocks to come on your blog after a win. But, I’m not hear to brag. I wanted to say that I beleived that the Giants have a great team and a good orgination. I give you all the credit you deserve.

I actually thought that the Eagles could easily lose, being that the Giants were the number 1 ranked team and are defending champs.

But, please consider, the Eagles were no push over. Our record did not indicate our ability. We lost 3 or 4 games on 3 or 4 yards this year. I think that we deserve some respect, but it shouldn’t come as a surprise that we are playing well. We are simply converting better on 3rd down.

I think that the Giants receivers played exceptionally bad, I thought that running the ball as much as you did actually hurt your team, because you were running out the clock for the Eagles. Also, I think that you should keep Plexiglass, he is a hard guy to defend. Our secondary hates having to play him.

Over all, I wanted to just congratulate you guys on a great season. I hope to engage in some good postings with you guys next season. I don’t hate the Giants the way I hate the Cowboys. So you guys are OK with me.

One questions, if you had to pick a team that is remaining, be honest who do you pick?
(It doest have to be Philly, but give me your honest answer, I want to gage opinions of the remaining teams, but I need an unbias , outside of Philly answer)

Soo you guys next year.

and weeks, months, years from now, i’ll always remember that 3rd and 20 that Philly converted.

think about when that play occurred – Big Fred had just gotten a “look-what-i’ve-got” pick to start the half and the Giants took back the lead with a field goal. A holding call helped pin Philly back deep in their own territory. on the play itself, McNabb is almost sacked about three times before getting loose and finding Curtis (i think). Eagles only got three on that drive, but the momentum shift that would’ve come with a 3 & out there was huge.

give credit to McNabb. he found a way to win the game despite Westbrook getting completely neutralized.

I think if the Cardinals win it will be considered an upset. I do think that Phoenix does present problems for them especially if Boldin comes back. I think the Eagles win but I cannot root for them. I believe Dawkins is the biggest cheap-shot artist in the league. So many spears with the helmet to players laying on the ground. I was a big fan of Mc Nabb at Syracuse but that telephone stunt was bush-league. I expect the Super Bowl to be Eagles-Steelers, I expect NBC executives to be plunging out of windows at 30-Rock if it’s Phoenix -Baltimore.

No reason to dwell on it(although I’m still kind of sick over it). We can all pretty much move forward saying 1) a a top notch defensive line rotation is in order for the future. This unit was overtaxed at season end . 2) The Giants are in need of 2 additional top wide receivers, Amani is aging and Plax might not even be eligible to come back should the Giants decide to go that route. Hixon ( despite obvious progress),Smith and possibly the others should be regarded strictly as second tier, until they prove otherwise. 3) as its been for years our linebackers may be solid but, far from dominant. Were they hitting people as violently and as often as Phillys’?
  On the bright side as was mentioned Terrell Thomas seems to have a nice future strengthening the secondary. Most of the teams glaring needs can be quickly attained via free agency draft or trade.
  A lot of us said at the beginning of the year that making it to the playoffs was a satisfactory goal. The team still has enough talent to be perennial contenders and it’s comforting to know that Jerry Reese is in charge of making forthcoming decisions regarding personnel.

Link it Up

I think he should be, but it remains to be seen if he’ll even be a free man next year, but I’d welcome him back, and you’d hope he’d be more humble.

Other things Id do:
1-Resign Jacobs, let Ward walk, draft a replacement to fit in b/t Bradshaw and Jacobs on the massive scale
2-Get at least 2 new LBs, Pierce had an awful year and we have needed an OLB for years now
3-Toomer- Steve Smith is ready to assume his role, that much is clear, but I’d bring him back at a lesser role, he can still contribute
4-Get a real Kicker-Tynes wasnt that good to begin with either, and Carney was a one year wonder
5-Keep Feagles-he just keeps getting it done
6-Write a heartfelt letter to Al Davis expounding Kevin Gilbrides magnanimous qualities and head coaching accumen

I have to assume he was either playing in a lot of pain or at risk of causing a more serious injury; there has to be some reason why he wasn’t getting the ball more.

with the sentiments about Gilbride. I think he killed us.

I’m looking forward to the draft.

I personally don’t think we need to go after a WR. I mean we had a lot of plays yesterday where our WR were wide open but the wind just played havoc with the ball. The very first play of the game Steve Smith was wide open but the wind took the ball. I think we need a playmaker at LB.

And in the words of Erni Acorsi, you can’t have too many pass rushers.

My biggest worry is what kind of hangover are we going to have after this season?

I thought Blackburn did a decent job as a fill-in at outside linebacker. Didn’t he tip the pass that Robbins intercepted? I’m not saying he should be a starter, but having one of your special teams guys also be a capable backup on defense is valuable.

I thought he saved our season….. I know you all did too.

Sorry, but I just have to pile it on Gilbride here:

(1) No touches for Bradshaw? Really? That’s like leaving Albert Pujols on the bench in the 9th inning when he’s available to pinch-hit.

(2) Why no RB screens? The one that Ward dropped doesn’t count. I’m talking about an old-fashioned draw in the defense, dump off to the RB screen.

(3) No slants all game. What’s the worse that could happen? Eli throws it incomplete? GMen didn’t throw ONE SLANT ALL DAY.

(4) Sal Paulontonio said this morning that because of the wind, at the half the Eagles made a big adjustment w/ McNabb: they switched him to all short drops and short throws. Uhhh….what do you think Gilbride’s adjustment was? (Aside from shifting from saying “Duhhhhhh” to "Derrrrrr"). Point is: Gilbride kept pushing the ball downfield on a day when EVERYONE KNEW that Eli wasn’t at his best from his 1st throw. I don’t get it. By this logic, Gilbride is insane (Albert Einstein: “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”).

(5) WTF WITH THE WILDCAT! Giants HAVE NOT run that play ALL YEAR! Yet you pull it out in a CRUCIAL 3rd and 3? Knowing the smaller size, yet speed advantage, that the Eagles LB’s have…and instead of pounding Hedgecock or even counter action with Snee – you try to run a sweep to the edge that fooled 0% of the people involved with and watching the game?? BRUTAL call. Brutal. Poor choice in both timing and thought. With smaller LB’s a punch in the mouth is what’s called for, NOT a “finesse” play.

Ugh. I’m just sick right now. I’m so angry with the coaching staff and with Eli. They had two weeks to come up with this game plan and their inability to have a back-up plan or even commit to the things that were working (hello, run game!!) are just shocking, really.

Settling in for a long and cold offseason……

A sweet season to watch, but a sour end because it came at the hands of my personal #1 hated team. I think if this were a seven game series, though, we still would have lost. 3rd down conversions against our defense and the missed conversions by our offense were so frustrating.

If Hixon is a poor replacement on Plaxico’s routes, why hasn’t he been able to fill in for a different role to better suit his skillset?

for the rumblin tumblin Fred Robbins?