Giants (5-1) vs. Cardinals (3-2): 'Kudos & Wet Willies' style preview

by Ed Valentine on Oct 25, 2009 7:00 AM EDT in News Comment 21 comments

Let's preview tonight's New York Giants-Arizona Cardinals matchup in what has become our signature 'Kudos & Wet Willies' style.

There will be lots of 'Kudos' Monday if ...

The Giants' pass rush, missing in action last week against New Orleans, re-discovers the path to the quarterback. That likely means more blitzing, but whatever it takes to help the secondary. The Cardinals offensive line has not been great, so perhaps the Giants can take advantage.
The Giants remember who they are on offense. I don't care what the score was last week, seven carries for Brandon Jacobs means the Giants did not play their type of football. The deep shots down the field are nice, and we love when they work, but the Giants have got to get first downs and control the clock.
Eli rediscovers the magic. Eli Manning was tremendous through the first give games. Last Sunday he was just a tiny bit off on many throws, resulting in some missed opportunities. Let's hope he is back on track this week.
Domenik Hixon can figure out how not to be tackled by kickers. The only chink in Hixon's fabulous return game last weekend was twice getting tackled by the kicker. It would be nice to see him take one of those to the house.
Corey Webster can control Larry Fitzgerald. I want to see C-Web chase Fitzgerald all over the field. I don't expect him to shut down the game's best wideout, but if he can minimize Fitzgerald's impact that would be huge.

There will be lots of 'Wet Willies' if ...

The secondary continues to blow assignments. 'Bad, Bad C.C. Brown' made a season's worth of mistakes in coverage last week. Aaron Rouse has to get an opportunity if that continues.
The defensive line doesn't play better. This is supposed to be the best unit on this team, and it really has not lived up to its billing. Against the run or the pass. Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka have to be more consistent. And someone in the middle -- Fred Robbins, Barry Cofield or Rocky Bernard, has got to become a run-stuffing force in there. Maybe rookie Clint Sintim, who is expected to be active this week, can provide a boost for the pass rush from the outside.

[NOTE: There will be an Open Thread later you guys can use to chat about the games throughout the day. Enjoy.]

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Agree Ed

The Cards are not very good against the pass so Eli should have a field day if he is on this week..They play the run very good, but we have the guys in Jacobs and Bradshaw to give them problems..but we need that DL and linebacking crew to blitz like crazy this week from all over the place. I think Webster will shadow Fitzgerald all game..and as bad as ‘Leroy Brown’ is, they should bring him in on blitz packages..I’d rather he tackle the QB versus a reciever after a huge catch.

by Bobbiblue on Oct 25, 2009 8:07 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I would agree

Brown is a good tackler. Bring him a few times and see what sort of impact he can have. Overall, I think the success of the Giants defense is tied to that defensive line, which needs to start playing up to expectations.

by Ed Valentine on Oct 25, 2009 8:18 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

D-Line

They need to step it up big time. I don’t care what the stats say they have been the biggest dissapointment this year in my book. I agreed with your post earlier in the week Ed, no more excuses. Beat the man in front of you and get to the QB. Shut down the run. I don’t care that much about sacks (Though I’ll take a bunch) but make Warner uncomfortable. Disrupt his timming and force him into a INT or fumble. If he’s comfortable it’s a shootout and thats not the Giants game. I hate Sunday night football busy night with both G-Men and Yanks on.

by Landeta on Oct 25, 2009 8:27 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yes our D-line

Is far too good to be put in check like they have been..I put alot of blame on Sheridan for the way they have been playing, but your right they need to pound the guys in front of them..stuff the run, we need to blitz….Osi is primarily a pass rusher, so we need to have his butt covered when they run the ball his way..He has always been weak on run defense…So we have to make sure there is a guy there to back him up on a running play..Kiwi should be the guy behind him to do just that…If they don’t run then Kiwi can team with Osi for the one-two punch..Sounds like Sintum is ready this week, so him and Tuck could do the same on the other side. We need to blitze from all over the place..and I do think Bad bad Brown should be fired in there on blitzes..He sucks as a coverage guy but he can hammer you with his tackling ability..We all know he can’t defend a pass thrown his way so turn him loose so he can do damage before a pass is thrown.

by Bobbiblue on Oct 25, 2009 8:51 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I hope to hear the term ...

“jail-break” from the announcers in descriping our pass rush a time or two tonight.

by Shofner85 on Oct 25, 2009 9:02 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Me too Shof

I want to see the ‘Escape from Alcatraz’ tonight on defense!

by Bobbiblue on Oct 25, 2009 9:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Knockin Warner Around

If the defense starts hammering Warner tonight I’m looking forward to a lot of picks and fumbles…Hopefully even a Leinert sighting…

by Aceholioo on Oct 25, 2009 10:00 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

Off topic, but did sanchez really cry last week? A friend was telling me that and I can’t believe i missed that if he did.

by Willgfass on Oct 25, 2009 10:25 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

3-4?

do you think the giants would get better pressure if we switch of to the 34 defence? to be honest, im starting to worry about our deffensive line and our defensive play calling. sheridan hasent shown me unique blitzing at all, but then again im still going to give him a chance because spagz also started in the wrong foot wen we lost out first 2 games. and as for clint sintim, i would like to see more of the former cavalier. the kid has raw talent and has a nack to get to the qb. i do know one thing, he will be replacing antonio pierce on that MLB….ughhhhhhh ross and canty out again? unbelivable… when are these young talents going to shrug off the pain and play. and as for hixon getting tackle by kickers? he should do one mean stiff arm to their chest, hard enough to make there shoulders clap and send a message to all the other kickers out there that he means business.

by old man strahan on Oct 25, 2009 10:34 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Oh, please

Let’s not start this again. We spent a bunch of the off-season talking about this. The Giants have 4-3 personnel and have four straight playoff appearances with a very good defense. You don’t change just to change.

by Ed Valentine on Oct 25, 2009 10:45 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree our D-line

Has been built to play a 4-3 defense..Our linemen need to perform is all..They are very talented which is why I point a finger at Sheridan..I don’t know what schemes he is thinking about but they sure are resulting badly..We already talked about him being ‘Cerebral’..and one of the guys came up with what I thought would be the perfect nickname for Sheridan: ‘Cerebral Palsy’ (and I am not trying to slight special needs folks because I am the parent of one). He needs to turns them loose, or they need to bring Ray Handley back…might as well have two ‘brains’ screw things up.

by Bobbiblue on Oct 25, 2009 11:30 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm not a D-cordinator

but I don’t think the Giants have the LBs or D-line to do it. They are build for 4-3. Osi cannot play D-End in a 3-4 nor is he a linebacker and the giants do not have a true Nose-tackel, like a Chris Jenkins type. I don’t belive Kiwi can play D-End in a 3-4 but he might be a nice OLB in a 3-4. Canty can play end in a 3-4 but he’s hurt and Sintim played OLB in a 3-4 in collerge but he’s been hurt most of the year. Tuck might be able to play end in a 3-4 but instead of rushing the QB and stuffing the run his job would more to take on blockers so the LB’s can make plays. I don’t think the G-Men want to do that to their best defensive player. Also the middle LB position is different because the two ILB’s are uncovered most of the time which would be big change for AP. Also who would be the other ILB? They just don’t have the personal

by Landeta on Oct 25, 2009 10:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not to switch entirely, but i wouldn't mind (situational) giving 3-4 looks with our personnel

I would simply boot both DT’s out, slide Tuck down, insert Tollefson in at DE and then bring in Kiwi and Sintim at the LB’s. This would pretty much maximize your pass rushing potential.

Now, we have to somehow find a way to maximize our pass coverage without sacrificing too much from the run support?!

by Hootman on Oct 25, 2009 11:37 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oh no doubt

change up fronts to confuse the appoints and bring blitzers from all over the place. I agree with that but I still think you need these more versatle players to get healthy to do that, Canty, Sintim, Boley.

On your other point about maximizing pass coverage without sacrificing too much in run support I think the d-line just needs to flat out play better. If they play the way they are cabable of you can keep your safteys back and drop an LB or two into coverage. Thats what they did in 07 and most of last year until the end of the year when they fell apart. Not only did the pash rush diassapear last year but the run D at the point of attack dropped off considerabley. When you start having to bring up saftey to stop the run thats when you get burned like Philly’s D over the years. As good as it’s been in the Reid era they’ve struggled stoping the run with the front four or a backer at times thats why when they like to bring a saftey up and stunt. But as we know when they played the Giants w/ Plax they put both safteys deep to cover Plax we killed them on the Run until the unfortunate shooting. That injury played right into their strenghth on D. Man coverage with the corners and full run support with saftey’s comming down. Thats also why the Cardinals ripped them up the following week, cant man cover Fitz & co without a pass rush. I guess my point is when your D-Line is not capable of consistantley winning the battle up front you need to stunt and do tricks which might pay off big time but might also make you vunerable in other areas. ( As you can tell I’m very worked up about the Giants D right now, esepcially the line)

by Landeta on Oct 25, 2009 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

not to change just to change

sorry if you guys discuss this already, but it was just a thought. and i dont say my ideas for no reason, if u think about it we have 2 LB that specialize in DE/LB thats kiwi and sintim. sintim played in the elphant D in virgina and kiwi has played a LB in the previous season

by old man strahan on Oct 25, 2009 10:51 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

thanxs for breaking it down landeta

by old man strahan on Oct 25, 2009 10:52 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yea this point was disscussed a lot in the offseason

when the Giants were thinking of bringing in Dom Capers to replace Spags. Capers is a big-time 3-4 guy so this sight was full of this type of debate back then

by Landeta on Oct 25, 2009 11:08 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The biggest key to the game

is whether or not Brandon Jacobs can finally get going. Arizona’s run D is ranked #1 but I’m not buying that they’re that good. Their pass D is so awful most teams don’t try to run on them that much anyways. I think we see a lot of Jacobs today, Bradsahw as well.
Second, I think our D-Line comes back today with a vengeance. They were embarrassed last week and called out by a lot of people. Get to Warner today, force him into some bad throws, and we should dominate this team like the Colts did.

by sexyscottish on Oct 25, 2009 11:44 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Your right

They have a great run defense, but we have Jacobs and Bradshaw..that should challenge them..and they have a worse pass defense than even ours whom we have been complaining about all week..I also agree that we will see a very motivated defense tonight..Sheridan: unleash our dogs as LT would say..

by Bobbiblue on Oct 25, 2009 11:58 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I hope your right about the D-Line

but I’ve lost a lot of confidence in them, their play in both the pass rush and run D has dropped of significantley since late last year. On the bright side the Cards O-line is not as good as Saints nor Cowboys so maybe they get it together tonight.

by Landeta on Oct 25, 2009 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's worth noting

Even though they are #1against the run, their pass D is at the other end of the rankings. It should be interesting to see if they want to stop the run, with the eigth man, or use him to help compensate in their below average pass D? I think this may help open up some running lanes!

by Hootman on Oct 25, 2009 12:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs