Wake up, New York Giants' fans! It's a sleepy Saturday, but we're here bright and early bringing you some news and notes about your favorite team.
Herzlich To Be Profiled On '60 Minutes'
Giants rookie linebacker Mark Herzlich, a bone cancer survivor, will be profiled Sunday on CBS' "60 Minutes," which airs from 7-8 p.m. Correspondent Byron Pitts recently spent time with Herzlich for the story.
Herzlich was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, in 2009, as he prepared for his senior season at Boston College. The ACC Defensive Player of the Year, in 2008, Herzlich missed the 2009 season while undergoing treatment. He returned to start all 13 games for the Eagles last season and made the Giants as an undrafted free agent this year. Herzlich has three special teams tackles this season.
"He's a football player. He's dedicated. He's smart. He learns very quickly," Coughlin told 60 Minutes. "And he earned it primarily on his special teams play and his intelligence. You tell him one time what to do and he does it."
Herzlich said, "I just got to prove I can help this team win. They asked me to come here because they wanted to see if I could play football and not see if I was over my cancer."
Tittle on being Eli's backup: 'Backup? Hell!' - Giants Blog - ESPN New York
Watch your back, Eli. A former Giants legend is coming for your job.
At practice Friday, coach Tom Coughlin asked Y.A. Tittle, who was visiting for the day, if he could still back up Eli Manning.
"Backup? Hell!" Tittle told Coughlin.
"He still thinks he's a starter," Coughlin said.
Tittle, 85, retired after the 1964 season with seven Pro Bowl selections, three All-Pro selections and the 1963 AP NFL MVP award. He played for the Colts, Giants and 49ers. The only thing missing from his Hall of Fame résumé? A championship.
Giants' Running Game Can't Get Started - NFC East Blog - ESPN
Trouble getting started: According to the ESPN Stats & Information Group, a big part of the New York Giants' problems running the ball this year have had to do with what happens before their running backs ever get hit. SIG's "next level" stats show that the Giants, who are averaging 3.3 yards per carry this season after averaging 4.6 yards per carry over the previous three seasons, are only gaining 1.6 yards per rush before initial contact. The league average of yards per carry before contact is 2.4, and only the Cleveland Browns (1.3) have a lower number in this category than the Giants do in 2011. Makes you think that maybe Ahmad Bradshaw's complaints about the offensive line weren't far off.
Travis Beckum's chances to form connection with Eli Manning in NY Giants' offense running thin
Travis Beckum knows his stat line as well as anyone. Six games into what was supposed to be his eakout season, the Giants’ tight end has exactly one catch for two yards.
With wideout Ramses Barden now poised to return either this Sunday or next week, Beckum is aware that he is running out of chances to carve a niche on this team. But the third-year tight end still believes he needs just one more opportunity to make a serious impact.
"It is depressing," Beckum said. "But that’s life. The thing that’s a positive about my negative situation is there’s still so much more that I can do that I haven’t been able to show. It would be a totally different story if I wasn’t playing and I had had the opportunity, if I had had 10 balls thrown at me and I didn’t catch them."
Brandon Jacobs knew the Redskins luck would run out | ProFootballTalk
When Brandon Jacobs wasn't complaining about his role with the Giants during an interview with Men's Fitness, he was reveling in the struggles of his NFC East rivals in Dallas and Philadelphia."They have a lot of talent and they're very well coached, but it's so thrilling for me to see the Eagles and Cowboys lose like they've been doing. It's so refreshing," Jacobs said.
Even though the Redskins soundly defeated the Giants in the opener, Washington's recent struggles don't come as a surprise to Jacobs.
"Washington, fortunately they started losing; I knew their luck would run out sooner or later," Jacobs said.