The most important game in the NFC season summary....

[boohyah]

will have to wait for a few weeks, till Dallas play Green Bay.

 

So I'm stuck with yesterday.

 

First off, Congrats to Bad Egg.

 

Secondly, we've had winning records at midseason for the last 4 years, which has meant for some reason we are going to the superbowl. Let's learn our lesson please and stop talking like this in the future.

 

Eli is taking a lot of heat today, some deserved, but some not so. Some say the game was lost in the second half, but it was lost IMO in the last 2 minutes of the first. The Giants have the ball with 2 minutes to go in a few games this year, only to completely blow up. Yesterday was no different. There was no reason the team shouldn't have gone in at half time up 17-10. But for some reason, Gilbride decides to shelve the ground game and start throwing. Instead of keeping the tempo going into the second half, we simply handed it off to Dallas. Forget the field goal we got, Dallas had to know they should have been losing, instead it was tied. Up 17-10 and possession to start the 2nd was a scenario that would have been great for us.

 

That said, Eli broke down in the one area he's been best at this year, control. It's going to interesting this week to see what he does now, because he's about to get the roasting of his career from the media. He actually threw the ball well, and Shockey was playing with the Dallas middle defense all game. Plaxico was well covered most of the game, but to at not least one time go deep was poor playcalling on our part. Toomer was okay. Kevin Boss caught a pass!!!!. He's needed to atone for that bullshit holding on Bradshaw's return.

 

Was it just me, or did you get the feeling that Jacobs just wasn't running hard enough early on and just got into his groove later in the game. Maybe that's just me. Poor Snee is killing guys on run blocking this year and get's called in the most important game this year. I thought if Ward had played he could have given us a nice change of pace.

 

We learned very little on defense from the first game. Seriously, 31 points at home is almost as bad as 45 points on the road. We threw every fucking blitz you could think of in the first game and had little success, so why continue with it??. Contain is what works with Dallas. If you need more time to get to Romo, then play better pass coverage, which our linebackers failed to do yesterday, they were at fault for the last TO touchdown because they stayed in the middle, which caused Johnson to cover Witten and Gibril had no help on TO. I thought the front played as well as they were allowed. What bugged me more than anything, is that a vet like Sam Madison can get wrapped up jaw jacking with TO all game like he did. He was sorry into it that he played poorly and note to Sam: any time you start mouthing off to TO, you get burned badly, that's why the kid is a superstar. Spagnolo takes a beating for this and for playing single coverage on TO and not putting Ross or Dockery on him for some plays. Ross's athleticism would have been a help and Dockery is good in downfield coverage. Gibril had a good game, but we have problems in the other safety spot, because Butler is still behind in his development. Overall, not a very smart game by the Defense.

 

Tom, Bradshaw showed yesterday that even though he could fumble now and then, he has the ability to break one, the McQuarters safe 5 yard return needs to go. Tynes is just a running joke now and his late arrival onto the field was a mess!. Don't we have like 100 asst coaches on the sideline to make sure that fucking plays and players are on the field in time.

 

Tom was back to his old deer in the headlights routine yesterday, he seemed to have no control. Are Gilbride and Spagnolo off limits or something. Down 11, with 4 minutes to go, Gilbride starts calling draw plays to Jacobs???, but with 2 minutes to go in the first he wants to go to the air?. Spagnolo never adjusted for TO yesterday. First thing they should do today when they get to the office is ask"what did we, the coaches do wrong?". Bet it won't though.

 

We just lost to a better team though, now we must keep playing harder because they goal has to be to meet that team again later. The road to the Superbowl is going through Dallas.

 

[echochamber]

Spags definitely should have should have backed off his throw the kitchen sink at em plan. Clog the passing lanes, give them nothing short, and if they beat us deep, they beat us deep. Of course, you can only do so what to cover our weaknesses on D, and we have a ton of them. Aside from Ross, and occasionally Pierce, our back 7 are not good. We have got to get 1 big time DT as well that can generate pressure up the middle. 4 DEs might work against lesser teams, but against a "good" team that doesn't cut it. It's a cheap gimmick.

 

I don't understand Aikman getting all over Eli for the delay of games. That comes down to that bafoon Gilbride getting the plays in too late. This has been happening since TC took over. If Eli is gonna audible, he needs the time to. When you get to the line of scrimmage with 5-6 seconds on the play clock, that's inexcusable. Eli needs to start screaming at Gilbride to get his plays in quicker. That said, Eli didn't exactly play a great game. Throw the f'n ball away when you feel pressure. I don't understand why he doesn't, and can't remember the last time he did. He has got to put some extra muscle on in the offseason as well. He's gonna get killed out there one day. I would think it would also help out his arm strength and he'd be able to place the ball better in tight spots where he wants.

 

Regardless, Dallas is simply a better team. If the Giants play a mistake free game and all the breaks go there way, they can beat Dallas. But Dallas is fucking good. No if ands or buts.

[Sephiroth]

I don't understand Aikman getting all over Eli for the delay of games. That comes down to that bafoon Gilbride getting the plays in too late.

 

I was listening to Bob Papa this morning and he said he was watching the play clock at the game, Eli was getting to the line with 13 seconds, 16 seconds... not the coaching staff's fault. And I trust Papa's word over any commentator in the world.

[BurnThePhilFans]

I disagree with a few of your points...

 

1. The blitz WAS if fact working, specifically in the first quarter. I felt like we completely abandoned it in the second half.

2. Jacobs ran well. He missed a few holes in the first half, but I feel like he played a solid game.

3. The play calling however I agree with you on. Even the few plays that worked out (2 draws to jacobs on 3rd down) - Even I was able to predict they were running that play beforehand. It is so easy to see with them. God forbid we had confidence to throw the ball on a 3rd and 4-5. Also, not a fan of runs on 2nd and 10 (not going to lie). And where was the play action all day?

6. Despite what you may think, Madison did not have a terrible game. He basically shut TO down in the first half and one of the safeties missed his help assignment deep on TO's post pattern. He should have only given up one TD to Owens.

 

[boohyah]

I disagree with a few of your points...

 

1. The blitz WAS if fact working, specifically in the first quarter. I felt like we completely abandoned it in the second half.

2. Jacobs ran well. He missed a few holes in the first half, but I feel like he played a solid game.

3. The play calling however I agree with you on. Even the few plays that worked out (2 draws to jacobs on 3rd down) - Even I was able to predict they were running that play beforehand. It is so easy to see with them. God forbid we had confidence to throw the ball on a 3rd and 4-5. Also, not a fan of runs on 2nd and 10 (not going to lie). And where was the play action all day?

6. Despite what you may think, Madison did not have a terrible game. He basically shut TO down in the first half and one of the safeties missed his help assignment deep on TO's post pattern. He should have only given up one TD to Owens.

 

I wasn't implying jacobs didn't play well as much as he looked like he wasn't running as hard as he normally does. That could be attributed to him being a little wary early on considering how he got hurt so early in game 1, but also because Dallas's linebackers are fast and run side to side very well. Also from the taunting that they were doing to Jacobs you could see they were up to playing against him. I think 95 yards was a pretty good haul.

 

Madison was jaw jacking all day to TO until he got burned, then he looked shook. TO caught passes in the first half. The safety (Johnson) missed the coverage because Witten had gotten behind Kiwi and Pierce too easy and he stepped up to cover him, instead of dropping back. What he did was instinctive because the linebackers didn't do their job. Madison was one on one for the first TD, he simply got burned.

[echochamber]

I was listening to Bob Papa this morning and he said he was watching the play clock at the game, Eli was getting to the line with 13 seconds, 16 seconds... not the coaching staff's fault. And I trust Papa's word over any commentator in the world.

 

I gotta disagree with Papa there. I always pay attention to the play clock (cause this happens week in week out)and they never got to the line with that much time on the clock. Sometimes they lined up with 10-11 seconds (which usually had me in shock), but the the average is by far around 5-7 seconds. Papa is the man, but I have no idea what he's looking at.

[NightFire]

I gotta disagree with Papa there. I always pay attention to the play clock (cause this happens week in week out)and they never got to the line with that much time on the clock. Sometimes they lined up with 10-11 seconds (which usually had me in shock), but the the average is by far around 5-7 seconds. Papa is the man, but I have no idea what he's looking at.

 

On the last drive where Aikman was like "What the fuck?" it definitely looked like Eli didn't have enough time (I don't even rember him getting to the line). Eli though needs to start showing some emotion. If the plays are too slow then start flailing about so the coaches get thier shit together. Don't stand there like a yokel.

[Treehugger]

I don't understand people getting on Jacobs for not running well. He had 95 yard and most of those were through contact.

[Sephiroth]

I don't understand people getting on Jacobs for not running well. He had 95 yard and most of those were through contact.

 

He just looks like he's tippy-toeing from time to time.

 

There were at least two runs where I yelled at the TV, "The hole's there, Brandon! Hit it!" and he danced instead. He would still get a three yard gain, but it could have been a ten-yard one.

[Nesta]

On the last drive where Aikman was like "What the fuck?" it definitely looked like Eli didn't have enough time (I don't even rember him getting to the line). Eli though needs to start showing some emotion. If the plays are too slow then start flailing about so the coaches get thier shit together. Don't stand there like a yokel.

 

Wasn't it Peyton's 4th year when his kicker said the same thing about him? Seems like after that he was a man on a mission. Maybe we need Tynes to open his mouth.

[boohyah]

I don't understand people getting on Jacobs for not running well. He had 95 yard and most of those were through contact.

 

 

I'm not on him, I made an observation and I gave what I thought was the reason.

[fringe]

re: jacobs- in my eyes, they were trying too many slants and end runs when there was yardage to be had between the tackles.

[Treehugger]

I'm not on him, I made an observation and I gave what I thought was the reason.

I'm not pointing to anyone specifically. There's just been a lot criticism of what was a very good performance. Honestly I think a lot of the 'tippy-toe' stuff was just waiting for holes to open, which wasn't happening as fast as against a good defense. He's no Ron Dayne.

[gateb]

I gotta disagree with Papa there. I always pay attention to the play clock (cause this happens week in week out)and they never got to the line with that much time on the clock. Sometimes they lined up with 10-11 seconds (which usually had me in shock), but the the average is by far around 5-7 seconds. Papa is the man, but I have no idea what he's looking at.

Every time the Giants got to the line after the first delay of game, there was 15 seconds. I looekd every time. Trust me.

[boohyah]

I'm not pointing to anyone specifically. There's just been a lot criticism of what was a very good performance. Honestly I think a lot of the 'tippy-toe' stuff was just waiting for holes to open, which wasn't happening as fast as against a good defense. He's no Ron Dayne.

 

 

It's hard to be Ron Dayne.

 

In fact, talk about 27, he could watch some old Hamp tapes because Rod hit the hole hard and he was about 30 pounds lighter.

[Clarence the Blue Puppet]

Why wasn't Ward playing? Is he hurt?

[NightFire]

Wasn't it Peyton's 4th year when his kicker said the same thing about him? Seems like after that he was a man on a mission. Maybe we need Tynes to open his mouth.

 

Or we could just get Vanderdrunk (it was him right?) so he can bad mouth another Manning. Besides he can't be any worse than Lawrence "I Miss Extra Points" Tynes.

[Treehugger]

Wasn't it Peyton's 4th year when his kicker said the same thing about him? Seems like after that he was a man on a mission. Maybe we need Tynes to open his mouth.

LOL I'd love to see Eli kick the snot out of Tynes. That would be sweet.