Well, let's review Sunday's debacle -- a 35-13 loss to the Green Bay Packers in our own unique way, 'Kudos & Wet Willies' style.
Kudos to ...
As with last week, when the 0-2 Giants lost to the Cowboys, the only 'Kudos' worth doling out are to offensive players.
• Eli Manning: For a guy who was supposed to miss a month (yes, that's another shot at ESPN's Chris Mortensen) he played remarkably well. Manning was 16-of-29 for 211 yards with one TD and one INT. If the defense had showed as much heart as Eli did, the outcome could have been much different.
• The Offensive Line: Maybe it was because Eli was playing hurt, but this unit played extremely well. The Packers have a good front four, yet no one laid a hand on Manning until the game was out of hand late.
• Derrick Ward: Brandon who? Ward is on his way to Wally Pipp-ing Brandon Jacobs. Subbing for the injured Jacobs, Ward had another excellent week. He ran 15 times for 90 yards and caught four passes for another 35. Even when Jacobs returns Ward is showing he deserves to play.
Wet Willies to ...
It would be appropriate to give one giant 'Wet Willie' to the entire defense. Lord knows, it would be a deserved 'honor.' Yet, that is too easy. Let's break this down and spread the glory a little more directly.
• Steve Spagnuolo: The new defensive coordinator was supposed to cure the defensive ills that plagued the Giants the past couple of seasons under the deposed Tim Lewis. To put it mildly, so far that is not happening.
Spagnuolo's defenders might be trying to play aggressively, but it's hard to tell. None of them seem to have any idea where they are supposed to be, and no one seems able to make a play.
'Spags' had better find a way to fix this mess, or this season will quickly become a disaster.
• The Entire Defense: Cancel what I said about not giving the entire defense a 'Wet Willie.' The reality is, there is no way to single out specific players or a specific group. Right now, the whole unit stinks!
The Giants' pass rush, if you can call it that, doesn't seem to be able to get within the same area code as the opposing quarterback.
When it comes to linebackers, other than middle linebacker Antonio Pierce the Giants might just as well line up a pair of cardboard cutouts on the outside. So far that's about how helpful Mathias Kiwanuka, Kawika Mitchell and Reggie Torbor have been.
As for the secondary, we know it is good at one thing -- chasing wide open receivers from behind. Through the first two weeks of the season that is pretty much all we have seen them do -- unless, of course, you want to try and count all tackles they have also missed.
• Amani Toomer: After 12 seasons in the league you would think Toomer would know how to keep his emotions in check. Yet, there he was in the second quarter with the Giants inside the Packers 10-yard line taking an absolutely stupid unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and killing the Giants' shot at a touchdown.
• Jeremy Shockey: The Giants tight end makes this list for the same reason as Toomer. The dumb-ass penalty he took for spiking the ball after a reception cost the Giants a first down inside Green Bay's 20 was bad enough. Telling reporters after the game "that's the way I play" made it even worse. Yeah, great, play in a way that costs your team points. Then drop a ball inside the 5 when you could have atoned for it. It won't be long now before he is whining about not getting enough passes thrown his way. I can't wait!
• Ahmad Bradshaw: Umm, maybe John Madden was right about Bradshaw after all. After watching Bradshaw fumble a kickoff return last week Madden said the Giants had better find somebody else to do that job. He fumbled another one Sunday, and as much as I like the rookie from Marshall I am starting to think Madden is right. You can't keep putting the ball on the ground.