New York Giants News & Notes: Aaron Rouse, Step On Up
by cjmulrain on Nov 7, 2009 7:15 AM EST
in New York Giants News
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The big news in Giants land this weekend is that C.C. Brown has been benched. Whether you call him "Bad, Bad, CC Brown," "Can't Cover Brown," or my personal favorite: "The Guy I Wouldn't Let Start on my Flag Football Team," I think we can all agree that it's about time this move was made. Whether Aaron Rouse will be any better is anybody's guess, but I don't think he can be much worse. Rouse talked about the switch yesterday.
Coughlin: It's a One-Game Season
In a pretty uncharacteristic move, Coughlin has told the team that Sunday's game against the Chargers amounts to a "one-game season." Coughlin is usually a "one game at a time" kind of coach, and while this isn't exactly a "this team is going to the playoffs" moment, Coughlin's definitely putting his chips down on the table this week. I have a feeling Sunday's game will be a make or break one for the Giants. Win and they're 6-3 going into the bye and still in good shape for the playoffs. Lose and they're 5-4 and two games behind the division leader.
Coughlin spoke about Rouse yesterday, and let's just say he doesn't sound super-confident:
"No, I just think that – it is just the ability to play the ball in the air and we’ll see. It means that we are going to have to put him in the game to see how that is going to be"
Also in that link, Coughlin says that he may get fined because he was running late to a meeting. Funny stuff.
Other News
- Ralph Vachianno hands out his midseason report card. He gives the offense mostly high scores, except for a C- to Eli. The defense is treated pretty harshly. Gotta say I agree with him for the most part, though I might bump Eli up to a C or even a B-. True, he's been awful the past 3 weeks, but he was also great the first 5 weeks, and he is playing through an injury.
- File this one under "no duh": a Subway Super Bowl is looking less likely than it was a month ago. I think most of us expected the Jets to fall off, but the Giants mid-season collapse has certainly come out of nowhere.
- Not really Giants news, but Matt Mosley speculates that DeSean Jackson and Austin Miles might be going to the Pro Bowl this year, and questions Steve Smith. I know it's easy to dump on the Giants right now, but Smith still leads the league in receptions and is fourth in receiving yards despite playing with a struggling QB. Pro Bowls don't mean anything in the long run, but I hope Smith gets the recognition he deserves - he's definitely emerged as one of the top receivers in the league.
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Now I know after the last 3 weeks its kinda hard to praise Eli...
yet, how in the name of sanity can you go and give the WR an A- and give Eli a C-?
Are the Giants running nothing but wildcat plays, end arounds and WR screens? They do know that Eli has to throw the ball…right?
But whatever.
I just hope that Aaron ROAST doesn’t show up…..and Rouse plays a good game.
DO WHAT JERRY HAIRSTON DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
to be fair
if you’re going based on expectations, the WR’s have vastly outperformed theirs, while Eli has slightly underperformed his. And sometimes receivers can be awesome, even with a terrible QB – look at Calvin Johnson
"[The Giants] beat us down. We were beat by a grown-man team, a team we want to be like one day. They came in here and took it to us. Out-manned us, out-gunned us. ... It wasn't even close." - Raheem Morris, 9/27/09
I guess so...
yet, Calvin Johnson is a different breed of WR.
The guys the Giants have are all good, yet I just don’t see where they’ve been A- good with Eli being C-.
I say both have been a B overall. Eli was excellent in those 5 games, 3 bad ones isn’t gonna take away from that.
The WR were great in those 5 games too. Yet, they were every bit a reason why Eli hasn’t been as good. Yea, Eli’s had plenty of bad throws, but also these WR (and TE…Beckum’s gotta run a better rout on that first INT last Sunday) could help a bit by catching and running better routes (looking directly at HAM).
DO WHAT JERRY HAIRSTON DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by FreeBradshaw on Nov 7, 2009 12:37 PM EST up reply actions
we expect more out of Eli..yea,
but I think the C-/or D+ is cuz of these last 3 games. You can’t make a midseason report card going on just the past 3 games.
DO WHAT JERRY HAIRSTON DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by FreeBradshaw on Nov 7, 2009 12:38 PM EST up reply actions
Jackson definitely has a case to the Pro Bowl
I still want to see about Austin.
True he was lighting it up the last two games, but how about when people game plan for him?
We’ll see when all is said and done, although I hope smith gets in. He’d be the first giants wr since, when, the 50’s?
Not giving up on the G-Men until we're mathematically out of the Playoff race.
Big Blue forever!
Austin's making the case more by breaking tackles ...
than by quality of receptions – wonder if that would affect pro bowl voting.
you kidding?
If Austin keeds this up he’ll be the leading vote getter, no matter how much you say that he’s racking up a ton of yards against KC, Atlanta and Seattle (all pretty bad secondaries…Seattle’s probably the best out of em tho).
Cowboy fans will come out in mass droves and vote for him…remember when basically the whole team went in 2007 (when only about 5 deserved it?)
Yea, a lot of the yards are of poor tackling, but you gotta give him credit, he has turned into a very good WR. Yet, kinda like HAM…will he keep it up (3 weeks of greatness **ahem…isn’t enought to transform you into a great players)??
DO WHAT JERRY HAIRSTON DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by FreeBradshaw on Nov 7, 2009 10:02 AM EST up reply actions
Marion Barber made it in 07
over Jacobs even though Jacobs had more rushing yards & YPC while missing 5 games. Barber also made it over Clinton Portis that year who had 1300 yards. Pro Bowl voting is a joke you can’t take it seriously
yup.
that said…regardless of what happens with the Giants this season…I’m actually voting for the Pro Bowl..and Steve Smith’s getting a vote (or as many as I can).
DO WHAT JERRY HAIRSTON DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by FreeBradshaw on Nov 7, 2009 10:19 AM EST up reply actions
I voted pretty much all giants
than people I thought deserved the pro bowl.
I didn’t vote for CC though. It’d be hilarious if enough people massively vote for CC just for laughs.
Although that would make a mockery of the whole thing
Not giving up on the G-Men until we're mathematically out of the Playoff race.
Big Blue forever!
I'm down for it.
CC BROWN FOR PRO BOWL!!!!!!!!!!!!
DO WHAT JERRY HAIRSTON DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by FreeBradshaw on Nov 7, 2009 11:38 AM EST up reply actions
It would be like in the NHL All-Star game when...
…journeyman defender Rory Fitzpatrick was basically voted in (though the NHL stuffed the box back to keep him out) by the fans.
Was hysterical.
Wll I'll tell you Shof..
This Austin kid is the real deal..He is really putting on a show..I wish we had him..How did we miss out on that pick?..Can you imagine him and Nicks lined up out there on our team?
Man just think about it..
Nicks, Austin and Smith!!!..Then Barden on the fade route!!..It would be the field of dreams!
easy now....
Remember how good we thought Manningham was after 3 good weeks?
Austin’s put up a ton of yards, but lets see how he does against a real D like the Eagles.
DO WHAT JERRY HAIRSTON DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think the jets should be more annoyed
They were thinking about getting him, being that he was a restricted free agent and all.
I do want to see him in more games, with teams having a safety constantly shadow him. I want to see how he responds to being Steve Smith’d
Not giving up on the G-Men until we're mathematically out of the Playoff race.
Big Blue forever!
to be fair
every team missed out on picking him, multiple times, b/c he was an undrafted free agent
"[The Giants] beat us down. We were beat by a grown-man team, a team we want to be like one day. They came in here and took it to us. Out-manned us, out-gunned us. ... It wasn't even close." - Raheem Morris, 9/27/09
Jackson
He’s obviously good, but I think a little overrated as a receiver at this point. 3 out of his four long TD catches this season have come on blown coverages when he was left uncovered. Sure, good players (and QBs) take advantage of that, but I think he’s more of an all around big play threat than a top receiver.
Agree about Eli
Think of it this way the Giants would be 4-4 instead of 5-3 right now if it was not for the way he played in Dallas. That one game is worth a lot right now.
The WR’s have been good but not that good other than Smith. They’ve dropped balls and are not consitatnly running the right routes. It’s not a big deal they are a talented young group but it’s to be expected from a very young group but I do think if Eli was more comfortable with these guys he might not make SOME of the mistakes he’s been making.
Who care’s about the pro-bowl, remember we all thought Dominik Hixon was going to the pro bowl after he had a huge day against Seattle last year, and Mannigham looked like the next great thing after the first two games. Austin is way better than Roy Williams but who knows if he’s an elite WR. Jackson will probabbly be a pro-bowler but if teams pressure McNabb and get him out of sync you’ll see a noticeable drop off in Jackson’s game.
I don’t like TC saying this is a one game season. Sure for most of the fans it is, I think if the Giants loose this week we’ll all be throwing in th towel. But as a coach do you want to run the risk of your team doing that after this week? Sure 5-4 looks bleak after the start they had but you still have 7 games left and you can make a run even if your fans and the media have given up on you.
Too many missed opportunities
Eli and the WR’s have left alot of receptions, yards and TD’s out onto the field. Eli’s poor throws or decision making and the WR’s dropping balls or running the wrong routes. They just have to “execute” better! lol
Coughlin's trying to motivate the team
I’m glad he’s doing it. This team needs some heart in it.
It means even more because Coughlin never does stuff like this. It’s always, “its a long season ahead.”
Hopefully with Coughlin’s sense of urgency, the players respond
Not giving up on the G-Men until we're mathematically out of the Playoff race.
Big Blue forever!
Points
Good thing Brown is on the bench for this go-round. I just can’t see that Rouse can play any worse, and if we see that he can play worse, let’s suit up one of the ball boys.
Eli was great the first 5 weeks, but he should’ve looked the way he did for those 5 weeks. I’m ready to see him be challenged and succeed. “C” is better than I would’ve graded him, only because I know that he can play so much better. One has to play well in the games he’s supposed to win, and excel further in the games that are questionable – and Eli has yet to do that this season consistently.
Smith should go to the Pro Bowl, hands down. He is one of the most consistent, dependable receivers out there, whether you’re a Giants fan or not. His numbers prove that out. Austin will probably go because the Pro Bowl is more of a popularity contest than anything, but it won’t mean he’s better than Smith.
We didn't even have a chance for the "perfect season", but we did have the perfect ending.
Forgot
I’m also not so sure this is a “one game season” for us either.Granted, it’s a pivotal game, but I don’t know if it defines who we are. If that were the case, we could’ve hung up our cleats long before we won the Super Bowl a while back.
We didn't even have a chance for the "perfect season", but we did have the perfect ending.
Subway Super Bowl
This is alway created by the Jets fans when they have a two game winning streak. I knew that team did not have a chance once Rex Ryan started opening his mouth. He’ll be just like his father as a head coach. Solid D but he’ll neglect every other aspect of the game thinking he can win every game with his D. Sanchez will struggle to develop and the best they’ll ever do is 10-6 and one-and-done in the playoffs
I respectfully disagree
Ryan has done great for the organization. He’s infinitely better than mangini, and has a better roster. Probably not this year, but definitely next year they’ll be going to the playoffs, and they’ll be a threat.
Defense wins games, and they have a great running game. I think that when Thomas Jones leaves, Shonn Greene will be more than capable, and even though i hate to say it, i think sanchez will be an adequate QB for their needs. Throw when they need to, otherwise play, with no other way to describe it, Giants football
Not giving up on the G-Men until we're mathematically out of the Playoff race.
Big Blue forever!
He's been great with the media compared to Mangini
but I think it’s too early to tell if he’s great for the orginization. I guess my point with Rex is he will be a solid defensive coach but if you rememebr his dad was too and those Eagle teams alwasy spit the bit in the playoffs if they got there becasue as good as a DC Buddy was he did not pay attention to the team overall and a lot of they stunk at all of the little things.
Look at some of Rex’s losses already, two kickoff returns against Miami, poor time managment and utilization of TO’s, overconfidence in his defense, kicking to Teddy Ginn after he already returned one on you, picking fights and talking trash before games, allowing his OC to rely heavaly on a rookie QB to win the Buffalo game when it was obvious he was in over his head.
Yea good D and running the ball is Giant football but the poor coaching decsions and lack of disipline are not. I guess my point is I think he’ll be kinda like Jim Fassel if he’s lucky. He’ll have a good talent team that he has a lot of confidence in but he’ll let the inmates run the asylum. They’ll play a lot of games like last week where they win on the stat sheet but they’ll loose anyway becasue of lack of disipline and attention to detail will lead to special teams breakdowns and late game meltdowns. Defense does wins games but stupid mistakes looses them and I think the Jets will have plenty under Ryan.
I like Sanchez too but I think that if he was with a coach who payed attention to the other side of the ball he would develop into a better player. Rex just stikes me as a guy that thinks if his defense talks trash and hits hard teams will be intimidated and they’ll fold. Maybe bad teams will but not good teams. Miami sure did not looked bothered by the Jets antics last weekend.
You're right its too early
But i think they’re built to be more of a contender next year.
We’ll see. I’d actually feel good if the Jets crash and burn and my prediction is wrong.
Not giving up on the G-Men until we're mathematically out of the Playoff race.
Big Blue forever!
TC, Who are you kidding?
Other than the fact that CC’s poor performance can be a reason for benching him, i have a suspicion this has more to do with matchups?!
Though TC didn’t allude to the deep ball, he did mention playing the ball in the air. The Chargers definitely have a size advantage here. Jackson and Floyd are both listed at 6-5 and Gates is 6-4. Whether or not Rouse comes from the same school as CC’s, of not being able to cover, he does have a size advantage of 6-4!
What is TC supposed to say?
Is he supposed to say “Brown has been absolutely terrible and I have to get him off the field?” He can’t say that, because he still needs the guy to play and try to get better. We all know why Brown is getting benched. TC still has to try and get something out of the guy.
That's a pretty strong indictment of our depth at S ...
if you “need the guy to play”. And since he’s already been in the league 4 years, I very much doubt the “try to get better” part is possible.
I guess we just have to assume that the free agents that impressed in camp just aren’t ready for the big time, but here’s hoping they “get better” reall soon.
You kow what though
it would be funny though for once if a head coach was just honest and said “yea this guy is truley awful as you can all plainly see so were going with the guy we pulled of the NFL scrap heap after week 2 and hope and pray he’s the slightest bit better.” Now that would be a press conference! LOL
No, Ed, i wasn't implying that TC is suppose to say that
I was simply basing my opinion from TC’s comment on “playing the ball in the air”. Even when CC was in the same zip code, not outside the area code, the receivers were still coming down with jump balls! Rouse has considerable more size than CC, and coincidentally, like i said, the Chargers have big tall receivers.
If Rouse is in the same zip, then perhaps those jump balls become incompletions, batted balls or better yet, INT’s!
Ahh
Then I misunderstood what you wrote. Yeah, hopefully, Rouse can make a couple of plays on the ball.
by Ed Valentine on Nov 7, 2009 11:37 AM EST up reply actions
Well..
TC benched CC..He doesn’t need to elaborate..the message to Brown is quite clear to him..You don’t need to tell a player they stink..The move tells them that..Let’s hope Rouse can at least break up passing plays thrown his way there will be plenty coming his way.
Rouse will be no better...
if sheridan asks him to play in the same scheme he had CC playing in. Rouse is not Kenny Phillips, he’s not Ed Reed…and he’s not James Butler either. He takes bad angles on the ball and is not good in coverage.
IMO the answer at FS is Michael Johnson. I know the giants really try to play their safeties “left” and “right” as opposed to “strong” and “free”. But CC did find himself singled out deep in coverage a lot. Why not move Rouse closer to the line and work Johnson out at FS?
Lets go back to man coverage in the secondary…even if that mean more Bruce Johnson…he’s not going to be matched up with Boldin every weekend, and he’s gone above the call of duty so far for a rook. Put Rouse/CC at SS…let them match up with TE’s and those short routes….let MJ be the deep guy. Match all our CBs up man to man. Let the safety be who he is…the safety…not a cornerback, not a guy who’s supposed to cover D Jackson all alone down the field.
I hope we don’t ask rouse to do the same….
"If you don't know what you're doing... just rush the quarterback" - LT
Bruce Johnson has been awesome for a rookie
I don’t get why our nickle coverage had our worst cover people out (CC obviously, and Rouse maybe, and Michael Johnson who’s ehhh).
It can’t even be just because Bruce is a rookie. Rouse just came a few weeks ago, I’m sure Bruce has/had a better wrap on the system.
I agree with the man to man with at least our cb’s. Webster should stick like glue to vincent jackson ( i think that’s his name)
Not giving up on the G-Men until we're mathematically out of the Playoff race.
Big Blue forever!
Your right about the Safteys
I don’t know why they have not started doing that, esecailly once KP went out and certainlety after the Saints game. Maybe I missing something but this seems like something the DC should be doing
Rouse/Brown
Here is one thing I want to see. Why, when we play nickel, do we have three safeties on the field? Get all the corners in the game instead of an extra safety. Those are the best cover guys.
really?
Rouse, Brown and Johnson are all on the field for nickel? I didn’t see that, tho I guess in theory a safety should be able to cover a TE or something like that.
I agree, but having Dockery or Bruce Johnson go against the Chargers slot guys like Naanee, who is 6’2, or if they split out Gates and have Floyd in the slot, who is 6"5….that might not be such a good idea.
DO WHAT JERRY HAIRSTON DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by FreeBradshaw on Nov 7, 2009 11:41 AM EST up reply actions
I think Ed is referring to the TD to celek...
Johnson, Brown, and Rouse were all basically beat on that play…and left standing w/in 5 yards of him when he scored…all three of them were out there.
"If you don't know what you're doing... just rush the quarterback" - LT
I think it's by design?
Plus with Boley being out, you have fewer options. I could be mistakend, but Michael Johnson becomes the nickel LB, and then by assinine subbing for the extra DB, another S comes in? I agree Ed, another CB would be better. So how much time Boley gets this week, perhaps we can get a better idea on how they utilize the DB sub packages!
And i do agree with Andi, i would like to see M. Johnson playing back in centerfield. Rouse was a rover in college and i think he would be best suited to play underneath. But, besides Jackson, Floyd and Gates, we still have another problem. Sproles has been active in their passing game too. I don’t see anyone that matches up well with him!
Nickel
I think that is exactly right. Johnson becomes a nickel LB. Whatever the reason, that leaves three poor coverage guys on the field in a pass coverage defense. Not good.
I know!
If nickel means 5 DB’s and last year TT was the nickle back why are we putting safteys we got off the scrap heap in on nickle situaitons? Why not an extra corner where the Giants are deeper at. This is the stuff that makes me start to question Sheridan more and more.
Exactly
Put Webster, TT, and Johnson out, and keep it like that.
And who’s bright idea was it to have Johnson be nickel lb? If they are going to change it up like that, shouldn’t CC be the nickel LB?
Not giving up on the G-Men until we're mathematically out of the Playoff race.
Big Blue forever!
I could be grasping here
The Giants could be sacrificing coverage ability to size?
CC, 6-0
M. Johnson, 6-2
Rouse, 6-4
Dockery, 5-8
B. Johnson, 5-11
I find it hard to imagine our other CB’s covering a TE if need be. Unless they’re Spud Webb! Hopefully with Boley coming back, we can neutralize TE’s and can scheme differently with our other CB’s, rather than our troublesome duo of S’s, which i’ll reserve judgment on Rouse for the meantime!
Johnson
The guy played a lot of nickel LB last year w/Spags, too. So, it’s not new. My issue is instead of bringing in an additional safety, bring in Bruce Johnson who is at least a decent cover corner and let him cover somebody. Rouse and Brown back there at the same time is a disaster waiting to happen.
Exactly what i'm thinking
Hopefully we don’t continue having the nickle with CC showing up
Not giving up on the G-Men until we're mathematically out of the Playoff race.
Big Blue forever!
Ed, your post magnified something of sorts that i will add to as saying...
Ahhhhh, but!!! Sheridan taking over for Spags and using the moreless same blueprint that was left behind, could be Sheridans downfall, or failure by personnel?! Last year we had Butler, Johnson and Phillips as our S’s. This year, Brown, Johnson and Rouse! I do remember Johnson playing close to the line on occasion last year. But i also know that they rotated S’s too. They all played extensively and they have the stats to show for it. As for pass coverage out of the three, they were good enough to get by!
But this year, minus KP, is BS trying to copy what worked for Spags with our existing S’s? Getting Johnson to play nickel LB while bringing in another S? Though it’s not a strong rotation of sorts, but the idea behind it!
The bottom line, if it worked for Spags, why not me? Does BS feel the need to push the envolope into suppression and hope it works, even though the personnel is different? This goes without saying that i don’t remember to much of either Dockery or TT last year as saying Dockery or B. Johnson of this year?! Just saying.
TT took over for Dockery
as the nickle corner last year. You are right they did rotate KP in last year but I believe he substituted for either Butler or Johnson. I could be wrong though. But your point is well-taken. One of the things that makes a coach and especailly a cordinator good is their ability to use their talent to expliot streghths and minimize weakness and adjust to the talent of their players. Spags did a great job of that and got the most out of guys. I’ll give Sheridan a break that he does not have as many parts as Spags did when he first got here and has had some key injuries but I am starting to get concered about some of the things that he does/does not do and if it is more of the same tommorow I’ll really be concerend about the DC
Rouse better ship up
I’m going to the game tomorrow, and I don’t want it to be a rout (except if we’re doing the routing)
Not giving up on the G-Men until we're mathematically out of the Playoff race.
Big Blue forever!
Well..
I still believe the key to winning this game is getting our running game back , score points every time time we get the ball..Our offense needs to click..We have to keep their offense out of the game..We need to grind it out on offense.
If Jacobs and Bradshaw/Ware(finally...hopefully)
don’t get about 30 carries or more all together, the Giants are losing.
DO WHAT JERRY HAIRSTON DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes it is an absolute must..
the Giants are goners if they don’t get that established..We can afford getting into a throwing war with them..Our QB is hurt and our receivers are still learning..If we run the ball and throw a short passing game we’ll win..If we put our defense on the field we’ll get blown away..I am astounded at out bad that group is performing.
Any thoughts of
Moving Kiwi back to LB? Seeing as we are pathetic back there and would be better off not rotating DL’s as much. I mean if Osi and Tuck are that good they should be on the field at all times. I don’t see media darling Jared Allen on the sideline half the time…
Jerry,
Please cut Antonio Pierce.
Thanks,
DB
Actually..
I think that may very well be a good idea.
I also think we need a good hard-nosed nose-tackle..
Jim Burt where are you?..We miss that snot coming out of your nose, buddy!!..and all of that turf hanging and stuck to your facemask!!
Brandon and Eli
Brandon Jacobs was right we need to get back to smash mouth football, and run the ball. Eli got away from that and made a few good passes and there a few good games and now he thinks he is peyton and can make 50 passes and win. sorry but we are not that team. and Eli wont ever be that player. He is good not great, he cant and wont put a team on his back and lead them to a the super bowl
Stats
We had a thread regarding stats this week..Ralph Vacchiano confirmed what I have suspected the past three games..The Giants in three games have given up 112 points..the most points in 36 years!..and our secondary has given up 15 pass plays over 25 yards during this dismal stretch..I don’t run around the house with a clipboard taking notes, but I knew it was really bad..I have been watching them for 48 years and never saw our defense play this bad. The longer Sheridan is in their calling the shots the worse it will get..Think about it, he literally referred sports writers back to the players when questioned about their compliants of “lack of communication”..This guy is on another planet!..He would like to coach from upstairs..I say let him coach from his couch at home like we do, and get somebody else out there who can actually make a difference…and Gilbride?..God help us!!
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