:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47491301/usa-today-8855045.0.jpg)
Good morning, New York Giants fans! Here are your Thursday morning headlines.
Greg Hardy's plan for Eli: "Hit him in the mouth"
Greg Hardy has a simple way to disrupt New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning this Sunday. "Hit him in the mouth," the Dallas Cowboys defensive end said Wednesday.
"The best thing for any team is to make the quarterback feel pain. You’ve got to be respectful of the rules of the game, and obviously you don’t want to hurt anybody. But to make him feel you is to bring his eyes down. You don’t want a good quarterback like Eli Manning looking down the field. Ever. Ever, ever, ever."
Daniel Fells is back home
The Giants tight end, battling MRSA, returned home on Wednesday. If you haven't seen the heart-warming video of his return he posted on Instagram, here it it:
More Giants headlines
SB Nation's Cowboys web site, Blogging The Boys, assesses the Giants after Monday's debacle. BTB wasn't kind:
They found every way possible to self destruct; fumbles, penalties, a pick six, and numerous blown assignments. They looked like last year's team, maybe worse. From top to bottom, the Giants looked like anything but a division leader against the Eagles, and they know it.
Following up on the "hit him in the mouth" plan is this from the Dallas Morning News about Eli Manning:
Kevin Sherrington: Don't you think that makes such a huge difference against Eli Manning. You put pressure on Eli and he does silly things.
David Moore: That's always been the playbook on him. Especially if you can rattle him early and don't allow him to get his rhythm, he tends to struggle over the course of the game. Your best hope, not just with the Giants, and in my mind the only way you can maintain your competitive balance to give yourself a chance for a postseason spot by the time Romo gets back is this defense has to start forcing turnovers, which it hasn't done in more than 210 snaps. If you get the pressure up front, which they should get now, they need to start forcing some turnovers on the back end. They want Cassel to manage the game. They're going to be able to win games in their mind the way they're currently constructed if the defense steps up and does something and if they're able to run the ball better than what they've done.
Manning, incidentally, has now been called for intentional grounding 21 times in his career. That is the most of any active quarterback.
The Dallas Morning News opines that the "pitiful display" by the Eagles and Giants Monday should give the Cowboys hope.
Why was rookie Ereck Flowers spotted yelling at teammates during Monday's loss to the Philadelphia Eagles?
"Because I want to win," Flowers said matter-of-factly after practice Wednesday.
Pat Traina looks at a list of underachievers who need to step up for the Giants.
Ralph Vacchiano opines that it is up to Manning and Tom Coughlin to fix the Giants.
Ex-Giant Linval Joseph is having an excellent season for the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings have also signed another ex-Giant defensive tackle, Kenrick Ellis.