Memo from the 2nd Guessing Dept.

[JMFP]

I’m disappointed as hell, and doubly pissed we lost to the Eagles, of all teams, but not really surprised.

 

I felt this game could have gone in any direction, and thought Philly capable of an upset. As we’ve said before, when the Giants bring their best game, they can beat anyone, and when they don’t, they can be taken by anyone. Philly is a good team, without doubt, but the Giants could have easily won that game with even an average effort from the offense.

 

But frankly, we couldn’t have beaten any playoff team yesterday with that offensive game plan.

 

Like everyone else, I’m most aggravated with Gilbride, who decided that our 2007 Redskins gameplan was the magic bullet against the Eagles defense. The Eagles game plan was to stack against the run, and make Eli win the game with his arm. The plan worked, but only because Gilbride decided to go along with the Eagles plan.

 

The running game was completely mishandled. You have a 265 pound man averaging nearly 5 yards per carry, and you’re running him horizontal to the line of scrimmage against Philly’s fast linebackers???? Fucking brilliant. Meanwhile, the one guy who has a decent chance gaining the edge – Bradshaw – is nowhere to be found.

 

Jacobs was 19 for 92 – a 4.84 average against an overstacked line. For the life of me, I’ll never understand why they didn’t pound the rock with Jacobs 30 times yesterday.

 

I love Ward, don’t get me wrong but yesterday was time for Hedgecock leading Jacobs between the fucking tackles.

 

With a 1st and 5 inside FG range and a little under 2:00 on the clock, they go to the passing game???? WTF???? So, 3 incompletions later, the Giants kick the FG and leave McNabb enough time to roll down field, aided by our 3-man pass rush. That’s just sub-par coaching from Coughlin, Gilbride, and Spags.

 

Bottom line is Philly didn’t see one damn new thing from us. And the stuff that they couldn’t handle (Hedgecock and Jacobs between the tackles) was the stuff the Giants didn’t commit to. Instead of low percentage throws into the wind, would it have jeopardized the gameplan that much to line up both Jacobs and Bradshaw together in the backfield, just to see how the Eagles would react? Seems to me that would have been a better experiment than heaving a lame duck pass into the wind and giving Philly the ball at our 2 yard line.

 

A lot of that blame goes to the the gameplan and the weather conditions, but still, Eli was just flat. If Phil Simms was the QB yesterday, we win that game 24-16. Don’t get me wrong, I love Eli. But the kid needs to understand how to deliver the ball in the Meadowlands. It might have helped if Gilbride rolled him out a little more, so Eli could deliver the pass in stride. Another thing we didn’t see – no huddle. Then again, the gameplan didn’t account for any of Eli’s strengths, so I shouldn’t be surprised that was nowhere to be found.

 

Before this game, I talked about the need for tempo, tempo, tempo, and all I saw was the same plodding, predictable bullcrap that drives me nuts.

 

However, even with all that, we had our chances – I think we were in the red zone 5 times, and had 9 points to show for it. Add in the Eli pick that lead to the 1st philly TD, and there’s the ballgame right there.

That INT was just dumb play calling. In that situation (early in the game, deep in your own territory, wind in your face, 3 point lead in a game that was obviously going to be dictated by field position and wind direction, the correct call is to run the ball 3x, punt, play defense.

 

And that QB sneak was a joke. Give the fucking ball to Jacobs.

 

The defense played well for the most part, but that 3 man rush at the end of the 1st half was maddening…they just let McNabb dink and dunk down the field and were lucky to give up only a FG. In the 2nd half, that 3rd & 20 was a game-changer. We went from getting the ball back in great field position, with a lead, and the wind, to suddenly being down again. Huge momentum shift.

 

Parcells would have taken the wind, and not the ball. And he would have taken Gilbride’s headset and shoved it up his ass after Eli’s interception.

 

Two areas that were not addressed in the draft once again come to the fore…..a stud linebacker, and a college kicker with a cannon leg. Danny Clark and Chase Blackburn are serviceable, but neither of them are impact players. With a 1st and two 2nd’s in the draft, I’ll crap my pants if we don’t draft some sort of animal LB that can cover a tight end and rush the passer. And please, let’s find a young kicker who can drive the ball.

 

Thankfully, the 2007 Super Bowl is still a warm enough memory to ease the pain. And at least I don’t have to spend the offseason wondering if Eli is capable of winning the Big One. And after beating Bill Belichick in the Super Bowl, my 2nd-guessing of the coaching staff won’t go any further than yesterday’s boondoggle.

 

It’s tough to repeat. Despite all my praise for Parcells, he never got the Giants as far as Coughlin following the Super Bowl.

 

On the bright side, it looks like Jacobs wants to be back next year, and thank God we’ll be getting Osi back next season, too. I also heard the Boldin wants out of Arizona….that would be a huge pickup.

 

If the Giants don’t draft a pass-rushing LB at the top of their draft, I’ll go postal. The last 2 LB’s the Giants took in the 1st round were Carl Banks and Lawrence Taylor….the Giants know better.

 

As much as I could care less about the playoffs now, I’m thinking it’s going to be Steelers/Cardinals, with the edge going to the Steelers because of their defense. Talking about the Cards at all in January sounds completely insane. But, the Cards are a very dangerous team on their home turf. I don’t think Philly has the secondary to stop them. And a big x-factor is the Cards defense, which is a lot better than one would expect.

 

Oh well, it’s over. Go Arizona.

[BurnThePhilFans]

I've said this on numerous threads but I'm so mad I need to keep on venting....

 

3 straight passes on 1st and 5 at the 25 with the Eagles having only 1 timeout and less than 2 minutes before the half. If we run the ball there atleast twice not only do we probably get the first down and keep the drive alive for a possible touchdown, but if not, we go into the half with the lead and the Eagles can't march down to our 7 f****ing yardline before the half.

 

Jacobs was out for way to long in the first half - especially in the first quarter. He sat for entire drives.

 

Passing sets with only Toomer and Matthews set out wide????!!!! Taking our best receivers in Hixon and Smith off the field = retarted.

 

Missed fg's, shoelace tackle on Jacobs for what would have been a long touchdown run, shoelace tackle on Robbins pick (I was at the game and it woulda been a touchdown if he didn't get tripped up barely) - The third and 20 conversion, the interception by Eli in the first quarter.... ALL OF THIS and we still were right in the game in the third quarter. We should have won this game by atleast 10-20 points. We shut down Westbrooke and entirely beat ourselves - Something we haven't really done all year besides playing Philly (twice we gave them the game).

 

Also - If we don't get a wideout for next year we are in trouble. - Moss - bust, Manningam - no experience, Toomer - not too effective, Hixon - solid but definitly not a number 1 wr and gets hurt alot too (concussions, ankles, he's tiny in general), Plax - suspended or in jail...

 

[JMFP]

I've said this on numerous threads but I'm so mad I need to keep on venting....

 

3 straight passes on 1st and 5 at the 25 with the Eagles having only 1 timeout and less than 2 minutes before the half. If we run the ball there atleast twice not only do we probably get the first down and keep the drive alive for a possible touchdown, but if not, we go into the half with the lead and the Eagles can't march down to our 7 f****ing yardline before the half.

 

Jacobs was out for way to long in the first half - especially in the first quarter. He sat for entire drives.

 

Passing sets with only Toomer and Matthews set out wide????!!!! Taking our best receivers in Hixon and Smith off the field = retarted.

 

Missed fg's, shoelace tackle on Jacobs for what would have been a long touchdown run, shoelace tackle on Robbins pick (I was at the game and it woulda been a touchdown if he didn't get tripped up barely) - The third and 20 conversion, the interception by Eli in the first quarter.... ALL OF THIS and we still were right in the game in the third quarter. We should have won this game by atleast 10-20 points. We shut down Westbrooke and entirely beat ourselves - Something we haven't really done all year besides playing Philly (twice we gave them the game).

 

Also - If we don't get a wideout for next year we are in trouble. - Moss - bust, Manningam - no experience, Toomer - not too effective, Hixon - solid but definitly not a number 1 wr and gets hurt alot too (concussions, ankles, he's tiny in general), Plax - suspended or in jail...

 

Agreed on all counts. Especially the 1st and 5. Yeah, I love the idea of going for the TD. But common sense tells you to run the ball until you are a) in the end zone or b) down to 00:01 on the clock, and then just kick the FG and go into the 2nd half with the lead.

 

Frankly, my stomach started churning right at kickoff, when I realized McNabb would have the wind at his back in the 4th quarter. Big fucking mistake right there.

 

[Martin]

Joe alot of great comments there.

 

The biggest thing that stands out is in spite of Gilbrides

ineptness as a OC the Giants still found ways to move the ball.

 

I will be very dissappointed if Gilbride is back.

 

I hope to God AL Davis fuckin offers him a chunk of change

and then we get a shot at a real OC. I think when TC was originally

putting his staff together there wasnt alot of choices for OC and

many didnt want to play for the old man. Now I think the

choices would be greatly expanded.

 

I do feel your pain!