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Seeing light at the end of the tunnel

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As hard as it might be to believe, the New York Giants are still in contention to win the NFC Eastern Division. Despite their 3-7 record, which included 4 losses by seven points or less, the Giants are only 1 game out of first place in the extremely challenged NFC East.

The fact that they are still in the race, in and of itself, should not be the sole reason for optimism. Whoever emerges as the NFC East division champion will still have to face what is likely to be far better competition. The real reason for optimism regarding the New York Giants is that they are playing better each week. And their marked improvement is tangible.

Revisiting last week’s 27-17 win over the Philadelphia Eagles, all one had to do was look into Daniel Jones eyes to know that the outcome of this game would be different from the 6 losses incurred earlier in the season. Jones gritty determination and improvement with ball handling was clearly evident. No longer willing to be a laughingstock, Jones put this team on his back for the entire 60 minutes and drove them to a complete game 27-17 win which included two long rushing touchdowns by himself (one of which was negated by a holding penalty). Although probably deserved, Jones can’t be given all of the credit for the win.

Assisted by quality performances for a second week in a row by Wayne Gallman and free agent acquisition Alfred Morris, the Giants running game is clearly improving. Gallman ran for 53 yards on 18 carries and had two rushing touchdowns in the game. He appears to be implementing a jump cut which has helped him gain a few extra yards per carry. Morris, who had a very impressive game against his former team (Washington) the week earlier, continued his effective running to the tune of 34 yards on 8 carries. Without a homerun threat like Saquon Barkley, the Giants appear to be forging ahead with a running game that is finding its identity thanks to improving offensive line play.

Whatever they are doing with this offensive line, it is resulting in increased production with at least 160 yards on the ground in each of the past 3 games. Whether it’s rotating players in and out of the lineup, the insertion of Shane Lemieux into the left guard position when Will Hernandez was out, improved performances by Andrew Thomas at left tackle or the encouraging performance of Matt Peart whenever he has been in the game, it is working. Hopefully the surprise firing of offensive line coach Marc Columbo and the hiring of Dave DeGuglielmo will not be too disruptive to the development of the line.

As for the receiving corps, Darius Slayton continues to be their highest production player with 5 receptions for 93 yards against Philadelphia. Sterling Shepard, Golden Tate, Dion Lewis and Tight End Evan Engram formed a competent supporting cast. Newly inserted free agent rookie Austin Mack has the appearance of a keeper after his long reception in last week’s victory over Washington.

Now for the “bend but not break” defense which up until last week both bent and broke. Not this week (or last). Although the Giants D gave up double digit leads in six straight games this year, perhaps a statement is being made with this second straight win. We have said it repeatedly; there is talent on this defense. However, there is a clear lack of talent in some key places, like cornerback opposite the impressive James Bradberry. Isaac Yiadom gives up more big plays than he makes. The rookie cornerback covering the slot receiver, Darnay Homes appears to be instrumental in defending more big plays. The same can be said of Safety Jabrill Peppers, who led the team with 7 tackles including a ½ sack against the Eagles. Rookie safety Xavier McKinney will be coming off the IR soon. There are great expectations in place for him.

Patrick Graham’s defense did what it was supposed to do. With the exception of allowing a Boston Scott 50-yard catch and run, the Giants D limited the Eagles big plays. Perhaps most importantly, unlike several of the games played earlier in the season, the Giants were able to get off the field on third down. Pressure up front continues to be provided by Dexter Lawrence, Dalvin Tomlinson and Leonard Williams. Newly acquired Trent Harris contributed by providing an important sack. The linebackers, led by the overachieving Blake Martinez, continue to be effective.

Our friend and renowned football enthusiast Gregory Frank provided his insights on the Giants 27-17 win last Sunday. Here are his observations:

Although Daniel Jones has gotten the brunt of the blame for his tendency to be turnover prone, much of that blame can be also be attributed to an offensive line that still has far to go in being an effective pass-blocking unit. According to ESPN, the Giants are last in the NFL in pass blocking win rate, at 44%. What is pass blocking win rate, you ask. An offensive lineman needs to sustain his block for at least 2.5 seconds. If he can do so, that’s a win. Whether that statistic is what led to the recent firing of offensive line coach Marc Columbo is unclear, but it certainly didn’t help.

James Bradberry showed Sunday that he is one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL right now. Against the Eagles, Bradberry allowed just two completions for a mere 15 yards, while breaking up two passes. Those two break-ups, by the way, added to his tied-for-the-league total of 14.

The NFC East intra-divisional record is 8-8, and is an abysmal 2-18-1 outside the division. If the Giants can beat Dallas later this season, they will finish with an intra-division record of 4-2. One or two more wins, perhaps against Cincinnati and Cleveland, may be enough to secure the division title. Yes, it’s that kind of season for the NFC East, but a playoff berth is a playoff berth, however you get there.

The Giants undoubtedly played their best game of the season against the Eagles in last week’s victory. Can they keep the momentum going and ultimately take charge of the NFC Eastern Division? Time will tell. One thing seems clear; head coach Joe Judge appears to be leading the New York Giants in the right direction.

Huddleball.com welcomes all fan insight and opinions. If you want to blog with us this season, please email us at huddleball@gmail.com

The Giants lost to the Rams 17-9 this past Sunday. Is there still reason to cheer?

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It’s OK, Nick. I do believe you are telling it like it is. Having been a Giants fan since 1970, I can remember many more bad years than good. The past four seasons, as you have stated, have been garbage.

It’s not for lack of trying. More likely, bad hiring decisions by the Mara/Tisch ownership group. Starting with the decision to keep coach Coughlin on for too long as well as an aging Eli Manning, management thinking should have turned proactive. The decisions to hire Ben Macadoo and then Pat Shurmer as head coach were both bad moves. Neither one of these hires was ready to be a true head coach. Unquestionably competent as position coaches, they did not operate with the vision needed by a head coach. Quite frankly, they lacked the overall management skills required to keep their teams together.

Now let’s fast forward to present day. I actually like what I’ve heard coming out of the mouth of Joe Judge. Coming from perhaps the most respected coaching tree in the league, namely the New England Patriots, as well as the Nick Saban college ranks, Judge will eventually see success in the NFL. Giants fans of course hope this will be sooner as opposed to later.

Believe it or not, the defense is improving

On Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams, the Giants became closer to becoming a winning team. Their defense is improving. Notable stars are emerging on the D-line, in the linebacking corps and in the secondary. Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams are providing some push up the middle. Blake Martinez and Kyler Fackrell are making names for themselves from the linebacker group. (Who doesn’t like the addition of Martinez, who always seems to be around the ball?). Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham appears to be doing a good job with his personnel. Although they are likely to be a few players away from being consistently competitive, I do feel the defense is headed in the right direction.

No real threats on offense

With Saquon Barkley in the game (and as was the case when we had O’Dell Beckum Jr. on the team), there was the belief that the GMEN could score on any play in which they touched the ball. The closest thing the current team can claim to having a home run threat is wide receiver Darius Slayton (3-48 against the Rams). Slayton is off to a quiet start of the season thus far. The talented yet extremely unreliable Evan Engram is not doing the job at Tight End and the often- injured Golden Tate and Sterling Shepard are, often injured. Without the game-breaking talent of a Barkley or a Beckum, the current squad is having difficulty scoring touchdowns at the moment. Kicking field goals, as we know, is a recipe for losing games. Thus, the 0-4 start with 2 defeats (Bears and Rams) which were winnable games.

The GMEN are still feeling around for their best five offensive lineman. This is something that teams often do during the preseason (oh that’s right, there wasn’t a preseason this year!). Well, the shuffling around of linemen on the roster is likely to continue until there seems to be consistency on the offensive line with some inkling of ability to run and/or pass block, hopefully both.

I do believe there is talent on the offensive line. If Marc Columbo can unlock the motivational key on Will Hernandez (am I the only Giants fan who thinks that he should be playing better than he is… ?), along with rookies Andrew Thomas, Matt Peart and Shane Lemieux, the core of the offensive line might be set for a few years. Imagine if the Giants don’t have to focus on drafting offensive lineman in the next NFL draft ?

I know that Pro Football Focus has Cameron Fleming rated as the top offensive lineman for the Giants thus far this season. If that’s the case, yikes! I have found his contributions to be serviceable at best. I liken him to a Kevin Booth. (Booth could take up a lot more space though). It will be interesting to see if coaches try to work in Shane Lemieux in to one of the guard positions or swing new Center, Nick Gates out to the Right Tackle position which I believe he played in college. Inserting Lemieux would bring a bit of nastiness to the offensive line (something we thought would be provided by Will Hernandez) which this team could undoubtedly use.

Back to the offense, the backfield consisting of the newly acquired Devonta Freeman, Wayne Gallman and Dion Lewis is not likely to inspire too much fear in the minds of opposing defenses. Coaching has to be more creative in using their running back’s best attributes (screen passes?). Handoffs from the line of scrimmage aren’t going to do the job until the offensive line demonstrates the ability to open running lanes. Devonta Freeman’s workload should increase each week as he is learning more of the playbook. The good news is that it appears that he has something left in the tank.

Last but not least

Now let’s talk about Daniel Jones. Is the glass half-full or half-empty? Both, I guess. He certainly does appear to be a work-in-progress. Having grown up during the Phil Simms years, I have seen the evolution of a Giants quarterback. It took Simms 4 or 5 seasons trading starts with his backup Scott Brunner before he took command of the position and went on to greater things, including a victory and mvp in Superbowl XXI.

So does Daniel Jones have a Superbowl victory in him? Impossible to tell at this point. You have to believe he is doing his best to control his turnovers at this point. Improvement on the offensive line will be essential to his development. We must also see better decision making from Jones, especially in the Red Zone. Personally, I want to see more of the fire that we saw in Phil Simms turnaround as the QB for the GMEN. Jones needs to take control of this offense and show his linemen that he has the ability to lead this team to winning games this season and beyond.

If the Giants don’t win any games this season, fans will be calling for Jones head on a plate as well as those of head coach Joe Judge and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett. They are facing an underachieving yet offensively talented 1-3 Dallas Cowboys team this week. Always a favorite rival, this game will be a good barometer of how much the Giants defense has improved thus far in the 2020. season. Stay tuned and get your popcorn ready…

Huddleball.com welcomes all fan insight and opinions. If you want to blog with us this season, please email us at huddleball@gmail.com.

Good things come in 3’s today for the New York Giants

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Three was the magic number of the day, today for the New York Giants as they were able to generate 3 sacks, 3 interceptions and held the Redskins to just 3 points in total on this fourth game of the 2019 season. Although it did not always have the feel of a great win, the men in blue soundly defeated the Washington Redskins today, 24-3 in front of a home crowd. This was the second consecutive win for rookie Daniel Jones who went a respectable 22 of 31 for 225 yards.

Jones, however proved that he was human today by throwing two interceptions to Washington’s Quentin Dunbar. He also showed Giants fans what he is capable of doing with his feet as he got out of a multiple defender rush with a scamper which was reminiscent of Eli Manning’s escapism that occurred in Superbowl XLII on February 3, 2008. In it nice to see a level of athleticism for Jones which hasn’t been enjoyed in decades by Giants fans. (The last Giants QB with this degree of mobility was Jeff Hostetler in 1991). You know how that story ended with a Superbowl win against the Buffalo Bills.

As for the role players on the Giants offense today, Wayne Gallman filled in unspectacularly well for the injured Saquon Barkley rushing 18 times for 63 yards with two touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving. Gallman was also a factor in the passing game making 6 catches for 55 yards. With over 100 yards from scrimmage rushing and receiving, Gallman’s workhorse performance was instrumental in today’s win. Sterling Shepard had another strong day contributing 7 receptions for 76 yards. It is starting to appear that Shepard was worth the big money thrown his way after the offseason Beckum Jr. megatrade. Evan Engram contributed to the tune of 4 receptions for 54 yards.

The long awaited debut of Dwayne Haskins at QB for the Washington Redskins occurred just before the half with Haskins completing two first downs on this drive. With nobody open, Haskins showed some ability to scamper by running it down to the 1 yard line. The Redskins had to settle for a field goal on his first drive. The score at the end of the first half: 14-3, Giants.

That drive was as good as it got for Haskins all day. He completed 9 of 17 passes for 107 yards. The highly touted rookie who many thought would be the Giants selection in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft looked like a rookie. His entrance undoubtedly spells the end for Case Keenum as the Redskins starting QB.

The star of the day was the New York Giants defense. Any time you hold a team to 3 points in total, your defense usually has something to do with it. The Giants were strong against both the run and the pass today, holding the Redskins to just 176 yards on offense with 121 passing yards and 55 rushing yards. It seemed like the Giants secondary were in the right place for the first time all season. Jabril Peppers had a particularly strong day, most notably for picking off Redskin QB Case Keenum and returning it all the way to the house for a pick-6. Janoris Jenkins also bounced back from a rough day against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with at 2 interception day.

Today’s Giants sack team by committee consisting of Marcus Golden, Oshane Ximines, Tuzar Skipper, and Dexter Lawrence contributed 3 sacks on top of last week’s 4 sacks. Tighter coverage in the Giants secondary and modification in defensive game plan must have contributed to the pressure they were able to generate on the quarterback. Fifth round draft pick Ryan Connelly had another impressive day in the middle of the Giants D with 5 tackles and 1 sack. He did, however leave the game with a knee injury; severity of injury uncertain. The last factor helping the Giants win today was the sloppy performance of the Washington Redskins with multiple penalties occurring throughout the game. It was the type of performance that results in head coaches being fired. Tune in to see what happens in our Nation’s Capital this week.

It is far too early to consider the Giants to be a good team. Many fans would be satisfied with a 2-2 split of the first 4 games. They play a tough Minnesota Vikings team next week and then the New England Patriots at Foxboro. They could easily be 2-4 after their first six games.

In order for the Giants to continue their momentum, the must improve each week on both sides of the ball. This was indeed the case today on Defense. The offense did what it needed to win today as well. One has to ask whether the Giants are any closer to competing with a Dallas team who they lost to in Week 1.

The GMEN will be benefitted by the return of veteran wide receiver Golden Tate next week. Tate should provide a deep threat who is able to complement Sterling Shepard, Evan Engram and Darius Slayton. As long as Daniel Jones continues to improve, and the Giants defense continues to improve, the Giants may make this a three team race in the NFC East. Stay tuned, keep your seatbelt fastened. This season is just starting to get good !

Huddleball.com is always looking for new blogger team members. If you are a passionate NFL fan and like to blog, please email us at huddleball@gmail.com

It’s not all bad, bELIeve me … by Jade Capristo

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Happy 2019 football season to my nonexistent readers!

I can’t believe we’re celebrating 100 years of the beautiful game. It seems surreal – almost as surreal as the critics blaming Eli Manning for the state of the New York Football Giants (again), but I guess that’s just how things are now.

So let’s get into it, shall we?

The Giants have gone 0-2 to start the season, which is disheartening to we fans, but also not the end of the world, contrary to popular opinion. We’re not a sinking ship that is the Miami Dolphins, although we could trend that way if management doesn’t get their s**t together, and benches Eli for his rookie clone, Daniel Jones. We’ve showed signs of hope these past two weeks, and improvement between weeks one and two. And I, personally, don’t believe this current record is nothing the Giants can’t recover from heading into week three. It’ll take a few changes here and there, mostly on defense, but it’s about time New York became a team that fixed its ailments as they arise, rather than upon season conclusion.

But before I touch on the reparations I’d willingly chat with Dave

Gettleman about, let’s start with the blaringly obvious non-issue that is Eli Manning.

For all the fools out there who are blaming yet another subpar kickoff to season on this poor guy, I ask you this: how is it his fault?

No seriously, I’d love to know how Eli has single handedly ensured the team starts 0-2; because I’m pretty sure he’s combined for 556 yards in two games, complete with two TD’s and two interceptions, one of which is still, in my opinion, one of the worst ways to count an interception against any quarterback. Need I remind you that Eli is playing with an entirely shredded receiving core?

Sterling Shepard, out with concussion.

Golden Tate, suspended because he had the audacity to attempt procreation with his wife.

Corey Coleman with a torn ACL.

And now Cody Lattimer, out with a concussion thanks to the Bills cheap helmet-to-helmet shot that literally had him blacked out on the field, but of course wasn’t a penalty against Buffalo’s defense.

So, who the hell is he supposed to throw to? TJ Jones? Never heard of him until yesterday, when Eli tossed him a touchdown pass at the back of the end zone. Is it really the most logical thing to bench a veteran quarterback, in favor of a rookie, in the midst of an injury brigade?

Even without all of his primary receivers, Eli has managed to stay somewhat composed in the Giants semblance of a pocket; he’s even turned on the wheels when needed and become a little more comfortable staying on his toes this season – because he’s had the time. Time in the pocket in football is a luxury indeed, for any quarterback. For Eli, it is absolutely essential, as we all already know he’s not particularly mobile. But since he hasn’t had to be this season, the offense looks improved, despite the injuries. I have very few complaints with the Giants o-line, which is a massive turnaround from last year when Eli was running for his life at every snap of the football.

Saquon Barkley is as ferocious as ever, trucking defenses with ease, and Evan Engram has stepped up in his role as tight end/slot receiver. The offense has gelled, and will continue to do so, so long as the defense can make sure we’re not constantly playing catchup.

Which has been the case of these combined two first games. And Daniel Jones can’t fix that.

Now, we all know the Giants offloaded most of their once-indispensable purchases. Remember when they dropped $206 million of guys like Olivier Vernon, Damon Harrison, Landon Collins? All those guys are gone now. In fact, the only remainder from that massive defensive purchase is Janoris Jenkins. Our defense now looks as Swiss cheesy as our o-line used to – equally as full of holes that opposing offenses hang out in with ease. Against Dallas, we had zero pass rush and no sense of direction in our linebackers. Granted, the Cowboys o-line has been notorious for its impenetrability. But the Giants showed some improvement against Buffalo, getting to Josh Allen twice and almost forcing a turnover.

My father will tell you that none of this is favorable and we can’t expect a rookie defense to come together and be the Big Blue of old. But I still feel the hope that Pat Shurmur has enough of a hold on the locker room to get his guys to push for success. After all, if he could do it last year, midseason, with the offensive line, why not again for his defense?

The NFC East is not yet lost, and the Giants have the tools to turn it around. So long as they disregard the naysayers, stand behind their Iron Man, and work on their defense, I think the Giants can be better than what they’ve achieved thus far.

But maybe that’s just wishful thinking.

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Thanks to our friend, Jade Capristo for allowing us to repost her blog. The link to Jade’s post can be found at:

It’s not all bad, bELIeve me

Huddleball.com is always looking for new blogger team members. If you are a passionate NFL fan and like to blog, please email us at huddleball@gmail.com.

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