Florio Doesn't Think the Giants are a Playoff Team -- Again

by cjmulrain on May 11, 2009 2:30 PM EDT in News Comment 30 comments

You knew it was only a matter of time, but it appears the Giants have their first "nobody believes in us" poster-board material of the 2009 season. Mike Florio of Yahoo! Sports has written an article titled "Six NFL Playoff Teams that Might Not Make it Back" in which he lists the Giants as one of the six teams he predicts will be on the outside looking in come January. Here's what he had to say:

...the Giants can't consistently move the ball without a high-end wideout like Plaxico Burress . Apart from what he does when he catches the ball, his mere presence opens up the rest of the offense by requiring teams to devote two defenders to him at all times.

So, once he was gone for the year due to an unfortunate incident involving a gun, a bullet and his leg, the Giants weren't the same.

He's now gone for good, and even though rookies Hakeem Nicks and Ramses Barden might replace his production, they won't command the same respect that essentially reduces the field to 10-on-9.

I have a feeling we're going to be hearing this story line quite a bit as the season draws closer. If you'll remember, last year there was a lot of talk about how the Giants couldn't possibly repeat because the losses of Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, Kawika Mitchell, and Gibril Wilson would prove to be too much for the defense to sustain. The media overplayed that storyline, and I believe they are overplaying this one as well. Losing Plax will hurt, but I don't think it's going to cripple the offense as much as many are predicting. The Giants still have a great offensive line, one of the more unstoppable running backs in the game, and a Super Bowl MVP quarterback. Their defense looks to be even stronger than last year with their free agency acquisitions. The season's still a long ways away and anything can happen once it gets here, but to my eyes the Giants look as strong in May as I can ever remember.

I cut out the part of his article where Florio admitted that he picked the Giants to miss the playoffs last season as well, so he has a track record for this. I did some searching and found his column from last May, and it might make you feel better to know he only got three out of his six picks correct. The other two teams he was wrong about were the 13-win Tennesse Titans and the eventual Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers. His reasoning for the Steelers last year was even similar to his reasoning for the Giants this year (lost a key player, replacing him with two rookies). Let's hope he's as wrong about the Giants as he was about Pittsburgh last year!

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Playoffs

My concern isn’t whether they’ll make the playoffs, I definitively think they’ll make the playoffs again. My concern is whether they’ll quickly exit as they’ve done 3 out of the last 4 years.

by John W on May 11, 2009 2:53 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Thing is

four years ago they were a young team who made the playoffs behind a rookie QB. Eli was so bad in that game that the Giants really had no chance. Three years ago they probably shouldn’t have even made the playoffs, they were 8-8 and lucked into a spot, and somehow almost beat a clearly better Eagles team. Two years ago they won the Super Bowl. Last year, to me, is the only year that you can say they really underperformed in the playoffs. So, yes, if they don’t make it past the first round I’ll be disappointed, but I’m not going to say there’s some kind of institutional problem or anything like that.

"This is the beauty of baseball. In basketball, at the end of the game, you want to put the ball in your best scorer's hands. But in baseball, it's up to a rookie like McGlinchy and a journeyman like Franco with the entire season on the line. Baseball history is dotted with names like Al Weis and Brian Doyle, men who have taken their name out of the agate type and placed it into the headlines, because it was simply their time."

by cjmulrain on May 11, 2009 3:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I hope you're right

Because last year even with the Plax situation we blew a golden opportunity to make another trip to the SB.

by John W on May 11, 2009 3:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

And its all Gilbride's fault.

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf"
-Tug McGraw

by squid92 on May 11, 2009 4:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

no argument here!!!!

by NY17NE14 on May 12, 2009 9:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I saw this too

and I’ll say, there is no way a healthy Giants squad is NOT a contender.

Now if Jacobs is out for most of the season, or worse yet, Eli goes down for a while, or even worse yet, most of the O-Line is out for a while, like any team this will probably cause the Gints to miss the playoffs.

Its funny how people think that the WR position is so vital for the Giants, yet teams like the Steelers and Titans, 2 teams with similar philosophies to the Giants, get a free pass.

Its not like the Steelers wideouts or the Titans wideouts are any better than the Giants.

I bet Florio picks the Eagles to win it all, or at least to play the Patriots in the SB.

Im fine with it. I hate bandwagon fans anyway and they usually latch onto pre-season favorites.

by FreeBradshaw on May 11, 2009 2:54 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

to be fair

he mentions the Titans as one of the other 6 teams he doesn’t think will make it and cites their lack of receivers as one of the reasons. Though he also gives five other legit reasons to think the Titans won’t make it. For the Giants, it’s just one receiver.

And obviously injuries can impact any team. One injured knee took the Patriots from 18-1 to 9-7. But the Giants going into the season look as strong as I remember them looking.

by cjmulrain on May 11, 2009 3:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

...

the Pats were 11-5 BTW.

I saw that on the Titans, and actually I agree with most of the stuff he says about the other teams.

I’ll be as big a skeptic of the Giants as any. I always predict them to be 8-8, even after the SB season I said that, tho I could also say that 8-8 may have gotten them into the playoffs. I said 8-8 cuz that’s what I always do, but still they had basically the same team, and of course they had a now HEALTHY Plaxico Burress, so then what would that bring? 12-4 of course, even tho much of the season was without Plax.

But they just look really strong this year too. Same team basically as the SB run, except of course for Plax.

by FreeBradshaw on May 11, 2009 3:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

So I'll put you down for another 8-8 ??

by NY17NE14 on May 12, 2009 9:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'll say 8-8

Just so I don’t get surprised if they do so.

I haven’t been watching the Giants long, but my pop has watched them for a while. ANd he always says these ARE THE GIANTS. Jerry Reese may be spoiling me, but not him. I can’t really disagree with the old man either.

The Giants have had a nice team before, but they’ve had devastating injuries that caused them to have those records.

I think they are better than 8-8 tho. I would not be surprised if they are better.

I would be surprised tho if they are worse than 8-8 and/or be like Florio says and they miss the playoffs.

The Giants just have TOO MUCH depth to not somehow scratch into the playoffs if something unforeseen happens (like an Eli injury).

by FreeBradshaw on May 13, 2009 9:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Defense wins championships. Always has, always will.

Some experts talk like the Giants hadn’t won a game in their existence until Plaxico Burress came along. If Brandon Jacobs says the Giants will win 13 games this year, who am I to argue with him?

Not having Plaxico on the field in the playoffs was only part of the story. It was also the distractions that came with it, and not having the proper amount of time for someone to step in and get comfortable in the role.

I hope the Giants go 13-3, and Nicks and Barden each catch 70+ passes, so that for God’s sake we can hear the last of Plaxico freaking Burress.

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by Jim Schmiedeberg on May 11, 2009 3:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree

Im tired of hearing about Plax, on how Eli needs a big WR to catch his crappy throws, how Plax made all the room for Jacobs to run the ball……..

I personally would rather win more than 13, unless of course Jacobs is talking about sneaking in the playoffs at 9-7 then going on to win 13……

And don’t the Giants get Osi back? Doesn’t that count for something? Best pass rusher on the team, one of the best in the league? Doesn’t that count for something?

Michael Boley, aka Brian Westbrook’s new blanket? What about that? Did Florio actually look at what the Giants did this offseason?

by FreeBradshaw on May 11, 2009 3:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Defense won SB 42, not offense

These so called experts who point at the effect losing Plax had last year are really missing the point. During the Super Bowl run, at the end of the season and during the playoffs, the Giants had the best defense in the league. Their number 7 ranking at the end of the season did not include the playoffs but did include the first two games of the year in which they surrendered 80 points. By the time the games came up that mattered, they were the best. Conversely, last year, the defense was not nearly as good. Their number 5 ranking was skewed by the fact that the Giants had the number 1 rushing attack which kept the defense off the field. The offense was picking up the slack.

During 2007 the Giants noted that every defense was rolling the coverage to Plax. So what they did was change the offense and split the X-reciever (Plax) very wide on every play so that the defenses could not roll coverage to him anymore. It forced defenses to put two defenders with him on every play. They could not disguise anything, and it took a safety completely out of run defense. It was risky however, because they were counting on Plax to stay on the field.

When Plax was lost for the season, it was too late to change what they were doing. THATS WHAT HAPPENED. The Giants now have a whole offseason to work it out and put the right offense together for their personnel. They are not going to ask one of their current recievers to replace Plax. The defense should be much improved.

Jerry Reese keeps saying “there’s more than one way to win.” He’s right.

by Be Driven on May 12, 2009 4:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks, BD

I needed that.

by blue gonz on May 12, 2009 9:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Dammit jrs

I was going to write your post almost word for word. Apparently this guy had nothing better to write about so he just spit in the wind. The only thing I really want to know is “When did Plax become the New York Giants?” So many are hinging our season on Plax. Look at that D. Think back to when the Ravens kicked our aces all over the field in that Superbowl. It wasn’t Plax or any other WR and certainly not Trent Dildo that did the job on us, it was Ray Lewis and that D.

We weren’t suppose to make a run without Tiki but you will find Tiki without a certain piece of jewlery on his hand. It’s time for this whole Plax thing to die. The guy is no longer a Giant and if memory serves me correct, he has bigger things to worry about.

Let’s wish Plax and also “OUR WRs” the best. Big Blue will still prevail.

by njgiant on May 11, 2009 3:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I have to admit I take this preseason speculation too personally. One of Yahoo! Sports writer ranked the Giants 11th in his preseason power rankings, behind the Cowboys, Packers, and Texans among others. A few weeks ago he published my hate mail in another column; it really validated me. Now I feel I should badger any writer who has the audacity to rank the Giants any lower than 5.

by XLII on May 11, 2009 3:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

can you link to the article where he posted your e-mail?

I’d be interested in reading that haha

by cjmulrain on May 11, 2009 5:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ms-trippintuesday042809&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Emails start about half way down, mine is the fourth or fifth one (the one from Brian). It’s short, sweet, and below the belt. I actually fell a little bad about it, although to the guy’s credit he just shrugged it off (and then I think he implied I was gay).

by XLII on May 11, 2009 8:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Motivation

I wonder how much of this stuff filters through to the players. If they hear even half of it, you’d have to think the Giants’ receivers would have all the extra motivation (assuming they needed any extra) to go out and prove all the would be pundits wrong.

This is the kind of analysis you get from lazy reporters. They see a handful of bad games without Plaxico and instead of looking at the complex set of factors that led to those bad games (bad weather, mistakes by Eli, horrible play calling, tired defense) and they look at one obvious link between all the games and assign all the responsibility to that one easy link. Then they arbitrarily discount the team’s ability to adjust, and voila, they have a story without doing any work.

by Tucker Fredrickson on May 11, 2009 3:51 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

We MAY not make it to the playoffs

and I MAY not make it to the toilet in time if I drink another slug of coffee. And the world MAY not turn on its axis tomorrow. This is fun – I want to be a “journalist” too!

"We were very much aware of that. There was a lot of phone call-type things going on in the room." -- Tom Coughlin

by Mr. Met on May 11, 2009 4:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

hahahaha

good man

by Greyfox on May 11, 2009 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Psh

Ok so no mre plax. big deal. the second the critics start doubting the giants they do great. Our defense( hopefully) will improve with osi despite no longer having spagnola. I wouldnt doubt the giants. even more so in a division where good wideouts are no longer in excess. ( t.o. is gone, plax in gone, i dont care about deshawn jackson, and iim never worried about the red skins)

by Greyfox on May 11, 2009 4:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I welcome the disrespect Florio dished out

and would like to see a lot more. I can’t quantify how much of it the players hear, but i’d bet it’s way more than half, TF And yes, it provides motivation.

by blue gonz on May 11, 2009 4:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Does he remember

who the Giants Starting receivers were in Super Bowl XXV?
Stephen Baker and Mark Ingram.. They were okay.. but this team is far more loaded on that front. That defense was great and LT was on the decline at that point.
Heres what we have working for us:

The best O-Line in football
A deep receiver corps (not necessarily the most elite, but still deep)
The deepest defensive line in football
A proven veteran quarterback
A Head Coach who hates to lose/turn the ball over/have people show up on time to meetings.
One of the Best O-Lines in football

Florio is a clown.. since people are already anointing the Sheagles, I hope the Giants take notice..

President of the Ramses Barden Fan Club

Fact on Villanova Sports

by Hoyadestroya85 on May 11, 2009 4:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Just think of the fun

Our defense will have when they wrap there arms around this….Go Giants

"18-1, write that book! ! "

by SB42 Living-a-Dream on May 11, 2009 5:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Florio is a moron.......

He never thinks we will make the playoffs!! lack of a proven WR won’t hurt us when we play teams within the divison (the best WR’s in it rightnow are Roy Williams and Santana Moss, not that we have to worry because the Cowboy’s defense is a joke and the ‘Skins don’t have a QB) and our run game will be great again. Our defense should be as good as ever ,assuming Osi is healthy this year. Don’t trust the Yahoo sports writers.They just want to get a reaction out of people. Remember how they were saying Farve was going to the Vikings a few weeks ago. Yeah, how did that one end again?

by subliminalnirvanaist on May 11, 2009 7:40 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

who cares

good things happen when people doubt the Giants. sure, they’ll miss Plax and they weren’t the same team without him. that being said, usually a team with the best defensive front seven in the NFL and one of the best offensive lines usually make the postseason – even in football’s toughest division.

by SBakerTheTouchdownMaker on May 11, 2009 10:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Ive been one of the more pessimistic around here

And even I think they’ll make the playoffs again

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 May 11, 2009 10:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Florio, seriously

How do you expect anyone to take you seriously when you, self-proclaim yourself as an idiot? Especially when it’s the first sentence of your article! Nothing like getting the readers attention with something interesting…

Idiot!!!

by Hootman on May 12, 2009 10:33 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

People r always counting us out, and u know what, I'm quite fine w/ that.

We couldn’t make the playoffs in ‘07. We couldn’t beat the Bucs in the first round. We def couldn’t beat Dallas, in Dallas. No way we could beat what’s his face at Lambeau in the third coldest game ever. And absolutely no chance could we ever beat the unstoppable, greatest team in the history of the game New England Patriots.

No way could the fluke Giants make the playoffs following that. No way could the Giants be the #1 seed in the NFC. No way can the Giants make the playoffs in 09. No way can the Giants win SB XLIV. NO WAY!!!

bELIeve!!!

by YankeeDudeL on May 14, 2009 11:07 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs