Other people see it as well

[Lughead]

..posted by John Fennelly...

 

 

 

 

 

A wise man was once asked, “What do you call a team that finds a new way to lose every week?”

 

“Losers” he said with a straight face.

 

I agree. And this year’s Giants – for many reasons – may end up being losers. Yes, that means 8-8 or less, Giant fans.

 

Yesterday’s frustrating loss to the Chargers at home is not an easy pill to swallow today. The game was a very winnable one.

 

The pre-game objectives were all met: control the clock, win thefield-position war and create turnovers. They accomplished all threeand still lost the ballgame.

 

The Giants held the ball for over 37 minutes. The Chargers had onlyone drive that began in Giants territory and that was at the45-yard-line. The Giants defense had two key interceptions plus aforced fumble by Osi Umenyiora on Philip Rivers that killed anotherdrive.

 

How did they lose this game, then..? On offense, not defense. TheChargers’ final drive to win the game should have been moot. The Giantsshould have been up at least two scores at that juncture of the game.Too many FGs and not enough TDs…..

 

Exhibit 1 - The opening drive of the game started like gangbusters.The Giants began at their own 11 and drove deep into Chargers’territory. The drive ended with Jeff Feagles fumbling the snap on a 37-yard FG attempt.

 

The Giants held the ball for 7:37 and had nothing to show for it. Key plays:2nd and 2 from the SD 22…..Jacobs goes left tackle for one yard. On 3rdand 1, Bradshaw goes left guard for no gain. Coughlin opts for the FG,which the Giants botch.

 

Exhibit 2- With 3:51 remaining in the third quarter, the Giants tookpossession on the Chargers’ 21. San Diego had just gone up 14-7 on ascoring drive fueled by a pass interference penalty. 10 plays and 60yards later, the Giants narrowed the Chargers’ lead to 14-10 on a Lawrence Tynes 38-yard field goal, instead of answering with a touchdown.

 

The last series of the drive began on the SD 20-yard-line (you areall aware of the Giants’ red zone ineptitude). On first down, DannyWare (remember him?) ran for 3 yards. Then, Manning threw an out toManningham, who was immediately slammed down by Eric Weddle for a lossof two. On third and 9, Manning hit Steve Smith,who seemed to have enough for a first down. The play was reviewed andthe officials ruled “no catch”. The Giants were stuck with a FG.

 

Exhibit 3 – Late in the fourth quarter, with the Giants leading17-14, Terrell Thomas picked off a Philip Rivers pass and returned itto the SD 4-yard-line.

 

The rest went like this……on first down, Jacobs takes the ball down to the one. A holding penalty is called on Chris Snee, negating the play and moving the Giants back to the 14-yard-line.

 

On first-and-goal from the 14, Manning throws the ball out to HakeemNicks in the right flat, where he gets smothered by two Chargers for nogain. On 2nd down, Jacobs goes up the middle for 5 yards. On3rd-and-goal from the nine, the Giants call a draw for Jacobs, who getsstopped on the 4. Tynes kicks a FG to put the Giants up 20-14.

 

The playcalling on this possession (and others) draws manyquestions. Last time I checked, a player must cross the goal line andget into the end zone to score a TD. Not once did the Giants take ashot at the end zone. Why?

 

What good is the out pass to Hicks on first down? That play shouldnot be called inside the 20. And…..a draw play to Jacobs on 3rd and 9?This is a player who has issues getting his legs moving. I’m baffled.

 

I agree with the other writers on this site. The coaching may be a problem here, not just the players.

 

 

 

[Lughead]

http://bleacherrepor...fourth-in-a-row

 

 

"Kevin Gilbride, Giants Lose Fourth in a Row

 

As the Giants got to the line, up three points with just over three minutes left at the Chargers four-yard line, something just didnt feel right.

 

Terrell Thomas had just made a huge interception, setting up the Giants with a chance to put the game away. It should have been a joyous moment.

 

Yet I knew Tom Coughlin, Kevin Gilbride, and the Giants coaching staff too well to know they wouldnt be putting anyone away.

 

After a debilitating holding penalty on Coughlins son-in-law Chris Snee and three conservative plays, I said to my friends, If the Giants lose this game, Kevin Gilbride has to be fired.

 

The Giants decided to run the clock down and kick the field goal instead of, I dont know, actually trying to win the game. This strategy does two things:

Makes sure that a field goal does not tie the game.

2) Leaves the door open for the other team to still win the game with a touchdown.

 

My friend described this strategy as playing not to lose instead of playing to win. I have a different name for it: playing to lose. And that exactly what they did.

 

Of course, the Chargers blew down the door that was left open to find the Giants coaching staff with their pants down around their ankles.

Remember, Jerry Reese, if you dont want to fire Kevin Gilbride yourself (or Kevin Killdrive,\as the kids are calling him), Buddy Ryans son is just a locker room away. If you don\ know what Im referring to, watch below.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPK3cDl7Ftw

 

One of the worst parts about this game is that we\u2019ll have to listen to football analysts talking about how Philip Rivers outplayed Eli Manning when that is simply untrue. Just look at the stat breakdowns:

 

Philip Rivers: 24-of-36 (67 percent), 209 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT, 86.5 QB rating

 

Eli Manning: 25-of-33 (76 percent), 215 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 112.6 QB rating

 

Eli played better, but the coaches took away his chance to win the game. Rivers made the plays he needed to make when the game was on the line. But if Eli was given the keys to the car on that final drive, I have a feeling we\u2019d all be talking about how Eli again came through in the big spot.

 

Unfortunately, Coughlin and Gilbride showed no confidence in their quarterback. God forbid they actually let him throw a pass in a big spot. But then again, when has Eli ever shown he can make a big play with the game on the line? (Please note the sarcasm.)

 

Brandon Jacobs averaged 6.1 yards per carry but was only given 11 carries in a close game. Going away from the hot hand? Sounds like more Gilbride Magic to me!

Nine penalties for 104 yards. Need I say more?

 

Lost in all this hubbub is the fact that you apparently cannot review whether or not a quarterback stepped out of bounds before he threw the ball! I find it hard to believe the NFL really thought about this rule before they made it. It seems like theres a pretty easy solution to this: Instead of not reviewing it, they should review it.

 

It only takes Darren Sproles one play to change a game. In this game, it was his key 21-yard reception on the final drive that set up the game-winning touchdown. Michael Boley had a pretty good game, and its good to have him back, but on this play, he was responsible for the blown coverage.

 

Didnt Corey Webster used to be good?

Speaking of Webster, maybe the little guy should take it down a notch. After Tuck made a big play late in the game, Webster jumped onto Tucks back, knocking him into the ground. Later in the game, Tuck could not get off the field with a lower body injury (possibly his knee).

 

Maybe the two are unrelated, but its probably not a good idea to jump onto the back of an unsuspecting teammate, especially one whose arm was in a sling just a few weeks ago.

 

As a whole, the entire Giants defense seemed to be a little chirpy during the fourth quarter. Every time they made a big play, they celebrated like they had just won the game. Its nice to see the emotion, but at one point I thought the Chargers could have snapped the ball during one of the Giants defenders 30-second celebrations in the backfield to incur an offsides penalty.

 

Kevin Dockery showed absolutely no awareness, running into the punt returner before the ball got there and giving the Chargers 15 free yards of field position.

 

Speaking of field position...the question must be asked, no matter how much I want the answer to be no: Is Jeff Feagles done? Feagles was again terrible, punting the ball short and out of bounds. Over the past three games, Feagles is averaging 35.4 yards per punt. For the season, he is averaging 38.9 yards per punt, his worst since 1989 (hes 43).

 

Hopefully it is just a prolonged slump (I can say that about the team in general), but this is the worst weve seen Feagles look in...ever.

 

Kevin Boss might want to retire before he suffers a life-threatening injury. If his body continues to be put through the same kind of treacherous damage it has been so far this season, he is going to have a tough life after football. I like to make jokes and write sarcastic comments, but this is serious.

 

This is now at least the second time Boss has been hit helmet to helmet while defenseless, and yet again there was no flag. Normally us fans get up in arms about blown calls because it is detrimental to our teams chances of winning the game, but this is something entirely different.

 

If the NFL allows this to keep going on, we will continue to see debilitating injuries that are not only tragic but also avoidable. Please NFL, for the good of the players and the game, please crack down on these vicious hits. The last thing anyone wants to see is a young man being carted off the field on a stretcher.

 

Like the loss to the Cardinals, this game was close until the end. It was not as embarrassing or hard to watch as the blowout losses to the Saints or Eagles, games in which the Giants looked like they did not belong on the same field.

 

Yet these two losses to the Cardinals and Chargers concern me more than the two blowout losses. These are the types of close games were used to seeing the Giants win.

 

Even when things were going well for the Giants, they had unexplainable blowout losses (such as the loss to the Vikings in 2007 and the loss to the Browns in 2008).

 

But when the game was on the line, the Giants would always come through. Eli would make the big throw or the defense would make the big stop, regardless of how they played throughout the entire game.

 

When a play needed to be made, the Giants made it. But not this year.

 

 

Scribe Written on November 09, 2009

 

Vote Now!

 

Kevin Gilbride Should Be Fired...

 

• During The Bye Week
• After The Season
• Not At All

 

 

 

[NightFire]

Gilbride may not be the best but seriously here is the problem:

 

The Giants held the ball for 7:37 and had nothing to show for it. Key plays:2nd and 2 from the SD 22…..Jacobs goes left tackle for one yard. On 3rdand 1, Bradshaw goes left guard for no gain. Coughlin opts for the FG,which the Giants botch.

 

It's called failed execution. If you can't get 2 yards on 2 attempts then it's not your OC's fault.

[Storm]

Gilbride may not be the best but seriously here is the problem:

 

 

 

It's called failed execution. If you can't get 2 yards on 2 attempts then it's not your OC's fault.

 

I think it's kind of incorrect to boil down all of our problems to failed execution and a single drive.

 

There have been multiple other drives and even drives that could have turned into something more, had we not decided to throw a bomb on 3rd and 1 or run a draw play on 3rd and goal at the 10...

[BronxRik]

Buddy Ryan punching Gilbride?

[rphguy]

Gilbride may not be the best but seriously here is the problem:

 

 

 

It's called failed execution. If you can't get 2 yards on 2 attempts then it's not your OC's fault.

if the play calls are so predictable in given situations that the defense can load up on it, then it is the OC's fault.

[Sephiroth]

Two words for you:

 

"Omaha." "Omaha."

[JayD]

Give the damn keys to Eli. We dont have to even fire kill drive till after the season is over, just shut his ass up. If he walks, good.

[TaylorBanksCarsonVanPelt]

Well we all know how I feel about Killdrive as I usually prefer the more racier moniker of Gil-[insert profane word for intercourse]....

 

But as inept as TC can be...the one admirable trait that he wastes on the above mentioned is his exceptional sense of loyalty. Just once I wish he would pull a Fassel and throw Sean...er...I mean Killdrive underneath the bus...

[fishgutmartyr]

Apparently Garafolo doesn't see it.

 

ODDS AND (TIGHT) ENDS

I know you’re all looking for the gasser for offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride. Well, forget it. It’s not coming. I’ll take the heat for this one, but Gilbride (and, to be fair, Coughlin) did enough with this game plan to win the game. And if the defense doesn’t blow it, they do win the game. No, Gilbride doesn’t get the blame here. No way. Would I have taken a shot at the end zone on second- and third-and-goal to put the game out of reach? Yeah, maybe. But their decision not to do so is not gasser-worthy because they knew they had to milk the clock, not risk a turnover and force the Chargers to get more than just a field goal.

 

 

Of course, I'm not sure if he's as knowledgeable as your fans as bloggers, though...

[Storm]

Apparently Garafolo doesn't see it.

 

 

 

Of course, I'm not sure if he's as knowledgeable as your fans as bloggers, though...

 

 

haha, okay, dude.

 

I could make that same exact argument as to why the defense isn't to blame either. Rivers and the vaunted Chargers offense to 14 points through 3 and a 3rd quarters? One that's damn good, and two, Tynes missed a field goal and we squandered nearly all of our opportunities in the red zone. Good teams score touchdowns. Coughlin has us playing not to lose by kicking the field goal there and being far too conservative any other time we get there. I guarantee Belicek is going for the touchdown on that drive. So is Mike Tomlin. Because that's what GOOD coaches do.

 

No, this loss was definitely poor offensive playcall, horrible decisions by Coughlin, and Tynes not even attempting to kick a field goal. The defense was pretty swell in my opinion and most teams will drive down the field given that much time, that field position, and knowing what they need to get just to win the game.

[fishgutmartyr]

haha, okay, dude.

 

I could make that same exact argument as to why the defense isn't to blame either. Rivers and the vaunted Chargers offense to 14 points through 3 and a 3rd quarters? One that's damn good, and two, Tynes missed a field goal and we squandered nearly all of our opportunities in the red zone. Good teams score touchdowns. Coughlin has us playing not to lose by kicking the field goal there and being far too conservative any other time we get there. I guarantee Belicek is going for the touchdown on that drive. So is Mike Tomlin. Because that's what GOOD coaches do.

 

No, this loss was definitely poor offensive playcall, horrible decisions by Coughlin, and Tynes not even attempting to kick a field goal. The defense was pretty swell in my opinion and most teams will drive down the field given that much time, that field position, and knowing what they need to get just to win the game.

Right. The defense played well for 3 1/3 quarters. How many quarters are there in a game again? They could play well for 3 4/5 quarters, but if they don't make the stops they need to, who cares?

 

How much of the game was the D kept on the bench because of the "poor offensive play calling?" About 38 minutes (37:47). That's pretty dominant time of possession; and when your offense controls the clock like that, doesn't turn the ball over, AND gets you 20 points even with special team fuckups, it's on the defense to deliver. Once again, they didn't.

 

133 points in 16 quarters. The defense has been on the field for 113 minutes in the last 4 games. Even if you take a couple of touchdowns away for runback tds, our defense is costing us at a rate of over a point for every minute they're on the field. That sucks.

 

Tynes missed a field goal--what does that have to do with the head coach and offensive coordinator, I have no idea...that's obviously an execution problem, and if you want to roast anyone on the staff, it's the special teams coach.

 

Look in the other thread, Storm. There's a link to an article that states that Manning might have changed a pass play to a run on third down--is that the coach's fault if that's true? I don't know what the pass play was, but if it was in the end zone, is Gilbride still to blame for the defensive choke-fest?

 

Good teams win by any means--if that's a 9-7 win thanks to field goals, they'll take it. The 1990 NFC Championship was won with 5 field goals/0 tds. Good teams could give a shit how the points are scored, so long as they have more than the opponent.

[fishgutmartyr]

 

No, this loss was definitely poor offensive playcall, horrible decisions by Coughlin, and Tynes not even attempting to kick a field goal. The defense was pretty swell in my opinion and most teams will drive down the field given that much time, that field position, and knowing what they need to get just to win the game.

Not since 2004.

LOOKING BACK

 

Bill Sheridan’s defense has already allowed something no team was able to accomplish against the Giants during Steve Spagnuolo’s tenure: a late touchdown to win the game.

 

In fact, the Chargers’ game-winning touchdown drive, which began with 2:05 remaining and ended with an 18-yard pass from Philip Rivers to Vincent Jackson with 21 seconds to play, marked the first time in five years a Giants opponent scored a touchdown during the final five minutes to win the game.

On Dec. 26, 2004, the Bengals got a 4-yard touchdown catch by Chad Ochocinco (still Chad Johnson then) with 44 seconds remaining for a 23-22 victory. In 2006, the Giants gave up a tying touchdown with 44 seconds left to the Titans, who then kicked a

field goal to win it.

 

Tim Lewis' first year? Really?

 

FIRE GILBRIDE.