2013 Giants: A Postmortem

[RandolphScott]

So I think all of us didn't expect this. Maybe there were some clues, especially along the offensive line. An aging center in Bass and a rapidly aging Chris Snee. A guy who's best suited as a 6th guy swingman in Boothe (I think we can finally say that he's a really good back up and a crappy starter. Reminds me of Grey Rugermer.) David Diehl, who...tried his best...but his best was in 2010. His play had been declining since then, even though the Giants had a great offensive output that year despite an obscene amount of turnovers that were mostly bad luck. Will Beatty who played extremely well in 2012 and a relatively unknown in Justin Pugh.

 

Jerry Reese really shoulda seen the writing on the wall after we won the Superbowl in 2011. That line was rapidly declining and getting up there in age. He should have been pro-active in drafting higher draft picks and free agents to replace some of these older players. He finally took an offensive lineman before the 4th round this year in Pugh and that's really worked out, even though he had a tough game yesterday. He's a keeper. I stiill think Beatty is a keeper as well. He's come out and said that he's trying to justify his contract. I think he's more mental than anything. I think he'll be fine going forward into next year though.

 

Giants need 3 new offensive lineman without a doubt. New left guard, new center and new right guard. Speculation is that Snee will retire because of his injuries. Or that's what beat writer Patty Traina told me via twitter. She also said that Baas is going to have to pass a physical to play. I doubt that happens and the Giants may cut him anyways. I didn't like the signing in 2011 and I hate it even more now. The 9ers were ecstatic to give him away. Jerry Reese gave him way too much money and compounded it by restructuring his deal last year. Giants are gonna have to eat alot of dead money if they release him. I think Snee will retire and not force Reese and Co to can him. Bless him, dude was a beast for 7 years and really was an anchor up the middle for our o-line. The front office is gonna have to draft and sign replacements for these guys, but I'm hoping the offensive line gets better. We all know it cannot get worse.

 

I think starting the season we all though the offense could be really special. Had a triumvirate of really good receivers in Nicks, Cruz and Randle. Had a great 1st game of the season with all 3 guys going over 100 yards. Then it went to shit in the 2nd half of the Broncos game. I literally don't know what's wrong with Nicks. I have no idea. Have those leg injuries caught up to him? I. Do. Not. Know. He's never been a guy who beat you on speed, he beat you on having great body control, good hands and him out fighting you for the ball. Yes, he's capable of taking one to the house..we've all seen him do it. That's not what his game relies on. Did he quit already? Looks like he quit on a few routes this year, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. I think he's hurt again and trying to play through it.

 

Victor Cruz, after signing his big deal to remain a Giant has lived up to his contract and more. Eclipsed 1,000 yards again for the 3rd straight season. Let's hope that his brains aren't permanently scrambled after he tried to go up for Eli's pass yesterday. Sometimes has so-so hands, but I think he's a dynamic threat outside or in the slot. Reuben Randle, Who I've just taken calling the enigma. Uber talented and yes, possesses the brains of a 5 year old on Christmas morning. I'm pretty sure atleast a 3rd of Manning's interceptions have come with Randle as the target. QB reads one thing. wide out reads another.

 

I dunno about you, but I expected a big year outta David Wilson. Then he fumbles twice and gets benched, and then gets hurt. He can be a dynamic player I believe, but it wasn't to be this year. Then he suffers a bad neck injury that may sideline him for his career. It was an obvious mistake to not sign a veteran running back behind an unknown in Wilson, an injury prone Andre Brown, Da'rrell Scott and Michael Cox. It really says something that Scott got SO MANY FUCKING REPS in weeks 2 through 6 AND THEN GETS RELEASED IN FAVOR OF PEYTON HILLIS/BRANDON JACOBS. Why give a guy so many reps when you get rid of him in a matter of weeks. Michael Cox couldn't have done the same exact thing that Scott did. That's a major mark on the coaching staff/front office to miss on that in my opinion.

 

I don't know why we even signed Brandon Myers. Besides from him seemingly losing his feet every time he catches a pass, he is and never will be a good fit in Gilbride's system. He's the perfect example of an H-Back, a poor man's Chris Cooley. He'll be gone next year. The JPP of Tight Ends will someday get on the field. Just like the real JPP.

 

I like John Connor. I like Hynoski. Should be fun to see who makes the team next year.

 

Eli Manning. What to do, what to do. I'll tell you what the Giants won't do. That's release him or not sign him to an extension. Lots of beat writers are speculating that Eli will sign an extension this off-season, I don't know how much he'll get and neither do the beat writers. I'm sure the Giants will try and sign him to a low ball offer. The extension Brady signed will be key. He signed a deal that would keep the Patriots competitive till he's 40 or 41. Yeah, they're competitive but that's because the division he's been playing in has been relative dog shit for years. Plus, Belicheck has been fucking up drafts for longer than the Giants have. Big saving grace that Brady is that awesome, because the Patriots would suck without him. I don't know what's wrong with Eli either, he wasn't exactly setting the world on fire in 2012..especially later on in the season and that's now carried over in 2013. He's made some beyond awful throws this year and was a main reason why the Giants started 0-2. Can't have that many turnovers man, just cannot happen. I refuse to believe that's he become "complacent" or that he's got Steve Sax syndrome. Has he ever been a truly elite quarterback like Peyton, Brady or Rodgers (I left out Brees because that guy is night and day on the road) probably not. But I don't think it's outta the realm that he's one of the best late game QBs in the last few years. He just looks gun shy and you can tell he doesn't trust any protection. He's already been sacked more times this year than he was in 2012 and we've got two more games left. I don't even wanna know what Suh and Nick Fairly are gonna do to him next Sunday afternoon. I'd just put in Curtis Painter and say "good luck, Curt." As for those who want to see Nassib play, I'll just assume you changed the channel during the pre-season where he couldn't do a damn thing on 3rd stringers, guys who got cut and practice squad dudes.

 

Kevin Gilbride. The author of some of the best Giants offenses in history and called the winning play in Super Bowl 42. At times this offense can be explosive, unstoppable and all other adjectives you wanna use for really fucking good. Of course, at times the offense can be complete and utter dogshit when no one is on the same fucking page. I think it's time to say thank you and see you later to Mr. Gilbride. I'd really like to see Eli run a system like Peyton does in Denver, or Rodgers runs in Green Bay. Use what you have to your advantage and stop plugging square pegs into round holes. It gets frustrating after a while. The best we'll see this offense clicking happened in 2008 where everything went right, right up until Plaxico went into a night club with a loaded gun in his pants. That had a great offensive line, Earth, Wind and Fire for running backs and a solid Manning in all facets of the game. I think defensive coordinators finally caught on after that and our system has been going down hill since.

 

I'll write something about the defense when I get around to it.

 

Let the arguments begin.

[Storm]

Not to nit-pick, but Cruz fell short of a 1,000 yard season when that old woman Pete Carolyn challenged that play.

[RandolphScott]

Not to nit-pick, but Cruz fell short of a 1,000 yard season when that old woman Pete Carolyn challenged that play.

Ah, that's right. I can't stand that Jimmy Dean sausage look a like fucker. I hope he loses.

[Storm]

Ah, that's right. I can't stand that Jimmy Dean sausage look a like fucker. I hope he loses.

 

Merciless challenge right there. Didn't see much conclusive evidence to overturn it, either.

 

I think your analysis is spot-on, though, Golf.

 

I also think Eli, and the offense as a whole, relies too heavily on the jump-ball and his receivers making a play. It's worked in the past, and he claims he's "comfortable" in Girlbride's scheme and sees no reason to change it. But I think it's high-time this team starts working off of what has worked in the past...use the chains to develop a big-play here and there. Like when the likes of Steve Smith and Amani Toomer were moving the chains underneath and Burress was pulling in big plays down the sideline. Like when Hakeem was using those paws and physical prowess to pull down jump balls and back shoulder fades, but when he wasn't Cruz was extending drives.

 

David Wilson should be the Reggie Bush of our offense with Andre Brown the workhorse. I think that could have worked had we gone into the season with Brown healthy.

 

All in all, just a complete mismanagement of the talent on the roster and a lack of ability to use the players that they had available. Square peg in a round hole, just like you say.

 

The Brandon Myers signing was ineffective because he's really not a red zone target, he can't get off the line of scrimmage and establish a physical presence that can extend possessions, and he cannot block.

 

The offensive line lacks talent and depth across the board and the majority of the starters were old, injured, or ineffective.

[RandolphScott]

Good point, Storm. We look to the loss against the Eagles in 2012. With alot of time left on the clock...Manning throws one deep, which..I don't have a problem with. Problem was...he was going deep to Ramses Barden. Who then proceeded to commit an offensive pass interference penalty (still don't understand that call as Namdi Inowsuckumga was boxing him out on the run). His response after the game? "I trust my guys to always make a play."

 

No, idiot. Make the check down and make it a 44 yard field goal instead of a 54 yard field goal that fell a few yards short.

[Sephiroth]

It's just really amazing how literally every gamble JR tried this season came up short.

 

He bet that he could squeeze one more year out of three aging linemen. He lost.

 

He bet that at least one young linebacker would develop into an NFL-caliber starter. He lost.

 

He bet that at least one TE could block a linebacker or D-lineman. He lost.

 

He bet that despite never finishing an NFL season, at least one running back would emerge as a reliable starter. He lost.

 

He bet that Will Beatty had a future. He lost.

[Herc]

there shouldn't have been a throw at all in that philly game.

[jranieli]

Lol I just realized that now, that Myers loses his feet after every catch!

[Tempest]

I agree with most of what you have said Golf with the exception of Eli Manning being gun shy. He is still taking shots downfield when he can but those opportunities have not been there this season. We simply did not get the running game going this season and this is a problem that followed us from the 2012 season and opposing defenses either blitzed us or blanketed our receivers this season.

 

Now unless we get a new offensive coordinator Drizzle, I do not see David Wilson ever being utilized the way Miami or New Orleans used Reggie Bush. Giants will try and turn David Wilson into what Tiki Barber was the last 3 seasons of his career, which would be an improvement and a better fit for the team but at this point with that neck injury I don't see this happening.

 

Giants should go into 2014 with Brown as the starter and Hillis. Hillis is not the fastest guy but the fucker is a bowling ball who might prove to be more durable whereas Jacobs has one too many knee injuries due to his size.

 

I understood why the Giants brought in Brandon Myers and that is because they like having one big receiving TE rumbling down the field and Brandon Myers is the first one we have in years that is more of a receiver than blocker since Shockey. Only problem is Brandon Myers is not a big guy or a blocker. Myers had that one great season in Oakland in the AFC West but this is the NFC East where everyone is bigger.

 

The 2013 offseason saw the Giants rebuilding the defensive line since we couldn't stop the run in 2012. 2014 will definitely be about rebuilding the offensive line.

[TaylorBanksCarsonVanPelt]

there shouldn't have been a throw at all in that philly game.

I am still pissed off with that game... almost as bad as the cold weather playoff loss against Philly where Saint Gilbride kept dialing up pass plays to a Plaxico less offense and we get that vomiting fucker coming over to our sidelines and play act like he is talking to the coaches box...

[JMFP]

It's just really amazing how literally every gamble JR tried this season came up short.

 

He bet that he could squeeze one more year out of three aging linemen. He lost.

 

He bet that at least one young linebacker would develop into an NFL-caliber starter. He lost.

 

He bet that at least one TE could block a linebacker or D-lineman. He lost.

 

He bet that despite never finishing an NFL season, at least one running back would emerge as a reliable starter. He lost.

 

He bet that Will Beatty had a future. He lost.

 

Great post.

 

Honestly, the dude never had to worry about a QB or a coach....makes the condition of this team even more absurd.

 

I've said it before....he needs to put down his bag of Magic Beans and just try to make some fucking contact in the draft.

 

Every round, he's swinging for the fences......."the JPP of tight ends", for example.

 

It is (was, actually) a Super Bowl roster.......all this team needed was a few base hits every year, and they'd probably have a pretty solid, roster.

 

The guy reminds me of Sammy Sosa.....doesn't matter how many outs, the score, who's on base.....swing for that home run, buddy......keep expecting to find 1st round talent in the 4th round....keep drafting the best gymnast available.

[Treehugger]

It's just really amazing how literally every gamble JR tried this season came up short.

 

He bet that he could squeeze one more year out of three aging linemen. He lost.

 

He bet that at least one young linebacker would develop into an NFL-caliber starter. He lost.

 

He bet that at least one TE could block a linebacker or D-lineman. He lost.

 

He bet that despite never finishing an NFL season, at least one running back would emerge as a reliable starter. He lost.

 

He bet that Will Beatty had a future. He lost.

 

How much of that was due to delusion by the coaching staff? Reese's job is to scout, but it's up to the coaches to develop the talent.

[RandolphScott]

I still think Beatty will be fine.

[Bigblue25]

I still think Beatty will be fine.

He's been better then people think, The bad games against Hardy and Orakpo just really stood out. He did well against Ware both games, against Houston, Peppers and Jared Allen.

[Treehugger]

He's been better then people think, The bad games against Hardy and Orakpo just really stood out. He did well against Ware both games, against Houston, Peppers and Jared Allen.

I agree with this. When you see the whole line struggle in one game, when they played well against another team, I have to wonder about how well prepared they were, if the scout team did a good job etc.