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Good morning, fellow Giants fans. It's hump day, and that means we have to turn the page from Sunday's (let's call it what it is) gut-wrenching home loss to Seattle and focus on this week's contest with Buffalo. At first glance, you might be terrified of this upstart 4-1 Bills' team; but still, this is not the Bills of Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas and Bruce Smith. It's a very good team and an explosive offense, but they only rank 11th in the NFL in total offense. The Giants rank 13th. Meanwhile, the Giants rank 20th in total defense while the Bills rank 30th. That partially explains why the Giants are favored in this game, and it bodes well for a shootout at MetLife. We all know, however, that Big Blue cannot surrender another home loss before the bye and they need to play better in all phases of the game. Here are some notes for your Wednesday.....
New York Giants DT Jimmy Kennedy suspended for violating NFL’s doping policy - The Washington Post
Giants defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy was suspended for four games Tuesday for violating the NFL’s policy on performance enhancing substances. Kennedy signed with the Giants in August and has four tackles in five games this season. He is eligible to return to the active roster the day after the Giants face the San Francisco 49ers on Nov. 13.
NY Giants' tradition of running ball, tough defense out window with Tom Coughlin in 2011
It brings into question everything about the Giants' philosophy - from play-calling to game plans. But it certainly doesn't look like anything the Giants used to do. Has their reputation taken a hit?
New York Giants need answers on both sides of the ball - ESPN New York
Running the ball and stopping the run are two of Tom Coughlin's greatest commandments but so far, the Giants haven't been able to do either with much success. Eli Manning and the Giants only have a couple weeks to get their act together. On top of that, the Giants compounded the situation during last Sunday's loss to the Seahawks by turning the ball over five times and making killer mistakes and penalties.
New York Giants team report: O-line trouble continues to stifle Giants run game - NFL - Sporting News
The Giants continue to have issues establishing the run on offense and stopping the run on defense. On offense, their offensive line has been in flux because of injuries and newcomers and the blocking has been inconsistent, leading to reduced rushing lanes for starter Ahmad Bradshaw. The Giants have repeatedly faced eight-men in the box from opposing defenses and have been unable to defeat that strategy by relying on tight ends and receivers to aid in the run blocking.
The Associated Press: Giants' struggles on defense causing much concern
It seems the New York Giants are coming to work on Mondays and the guys on defense are bringing up the same topics every week. They need to do a lot better job of stopping the run. They need to do a better job of practicing. They need to play their gaps better and trust the guys next to them. It's getting to the point where it is sounding like a broken record. Five weeks into the season, the defense is struggling and the Giants (3-2) had better find a way to fix the problem or they are going to miss the playoffs for a third straight year. Here's a quick look at the statistics. New York is giving up 373.4 yards in total offense with the run defense surrendering an average of 122.2 yards. The run defense has gotten worse over the past three weeks, yielding close to an average of 160 yards against Philadelphia, Arizona and Seattle.
Yeah. So many problems, not many solutions, but you know TC and his staff are working on those solutions this week.
Seahawks’ new attitude disregards poor history | Seattle Seahawks - The News Tribune
Having lost what seems like nearly every three-time-zone trip in franchise history, the Seattle Seahawks have tried any number of approaches to break the trend. On Sunday, they brought something very important with them when they faced the New York Giants. Attitude. They started quickly, finished strong and acted as if they belonged there.
Bills WR Jones out 4-6 weeks with sprained ankle - WSJ.com
Buffalo Bills receiver Donald Jones will miss between four and six weeks with a sprained left ankle, and starting defensive tackle Kyle Williams' status is uncertain for the team's game at the New York Giants this weekend.
Here are SB Nation's power rankings through Week 5, and the Giants have dropped a few spots and sit at No. 13. But hey, the Cowboys are 18th and the Eagles 22nd. So things could be much worse. However, they could also be much better, and that is what we're wrestling with on this Wednesday.