Quote (silent9 @ Sep 1 2014 03:24pm)

oh yeah, we have all tools except RB and TE

Hoping Jennings will do well and I wonder how we'll do with TE-by-committee

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It’s been awhile, but Tom Coughlin still remembers what it was like to call plays.

To stand on the sideline and play the game of chess versus the opponent’s defensive coordinator, working tirelessly to find the perfect play on that laminated sheet to counter a play you’re not certain the defense will run.

Just as much as any of that, Coughlin remembers what it was like if anybody tried to walk up to him during a game and offer advice in the middle of drives drives.

“I’ll be honest with you,” Coughlin said. “I never liked anybody interrupting me.”

It’s that reason why Coughlin will let new Giants offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo do his thing Monday night in Detroit. If the first-year play caller needs help, Coughlin will offer, but for the most part, McAdoo will be left alone.

“Ben McAdoo is a solid, solid football coach that knows what he is talking about,” Coughlin said. “He has an excellent system, applies himself every day and is very smart.”
Ben McAdoo, New York Giants (June 18, 2014)

Ben McAdoo – © USA TODAY Sports Images

For the first time in over a decade, the Giants will open the season with a far different offensive scheme than the one that helped the team capture two Vince Lombardi trophies within the last eight years.

Gone is Kevin Gilbride’s long-developing, read-the-defense, vertical passing attack. In it’s place, McAdoo’s quick-hitting West Coast scheme.

The offense is designed to get the receivers the ball in space, move the pocket and have quarterback Eli Manning put the ball into tight windows. No longer are there many seven-step drops. Instead, three-to-five before Manning is supposed to hit his back foot and fire away.

During the Giants five preseason games, the offense has displayed glimpses of what the offense can do when clicking on all cylinders. There was a long two-minute drive versus the New York Jets in the third preseason game, a 73-yard touchdown run by Rashad Jennings versus the Pittsburgh Steelers. But in between each solid play were four-to-five negative ones.

Three-and-outs, sacks, rushed throws and miscommunications marred the Giants preseason. Fans and critics went running for the George Washington bridge, Coughlin, Manning and McAdoo for answers.

“Well, we are a work in progress, no doubt about it,” Coughlin said. “We have done some good things and we have done some bad things.”

Come Monday night versus the Lions, Coughlin hopes it much more good than bad.
Tom Coughlin and Ben McAdoo, New York Giants (August 28, 2014)

Tom Coughlin and Ben McAdoo – © USA TODAY Sports Images

Standing in the way of a New York offensive showcase? A talented Detroit defense led by standout defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. Keeping Suh off Manning?

An injury-depleted offensive line with far more question marks than answers.

“Obviously, it’s a big challenge,” Coughlin said. “They’re an outstanding defensive team and an outstanding defensive front with exceptional players. That having been said, we’re well aware of that.

“We’re preparing ourselves the best we can and I’m sure that our players will get ready and will be highly competitive.”

Quote (xnozx. @ Sep 4 2014 02:01pm)

We have a great RB tandem with Jennings, Williams & Hillis.

TE still a question mark but it'll work itself out. Still hoping Adrien Robinson shows us something.

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New York Giants second-year offensive lineman Justin Pugh sat down for a brief interview on NFL AM Tuesday morning to discuss his outlook on the team's mission for 2014. One of the first questions thrown his way was about how the offense performed during the preseason. When asked about his personal view of the offense's progress, his answer was more optimistic than critical.


    "When we first got out there we were learning the new offense installing different things," Pugh said. "We had a couple of long touchdown runs, we ran the ball well. There's a few little hiccups in the pass game, protection may have broken down sometimes and you know things we've got to keep getting better at. We're striving to get better every day and I think as we go into the season we're going to continue to improve and I'm not concerned with it."

It's no surprise to anyone that the Giants' offensive line, for the most part, is brand new. While Pugh was installed as the full time starter at the tackle spot last season, this offseason saw the retirement of longtime Giants lineman Chris Snee and David Diehl. In their place came acquisitions such as free agent Geoff Schwartz and draft selection Weston Richburg. And now with Schwartz out for up to the first half of the season due to his toe injury, the team will have to rely on their depth at those positions to carry out the duties for the time being.

Pugh is quite excited to work with these players due to their minimal experience and will to strive for greatness in order to exceed expectations.

    "We're a bunch of new guys that are in the system for the first time and we're hungry, I mean we want to go out there and we want to fight. We have a lot of things to prove because, you know, no one is really going to give us much respect right now by the way we played last year and obviously we didn't back it up," he said. "So this year going out there we're going to go out there and we're going to play hard and we're going to fight and try to carry on the tradition that the guys like David Diehl and Chris Snee started here with the Giants."

Pugh was even asked about the Giants' hopes and chances of winning the NFC East this year. At least publicly, the Giants have gotten some respect for upgrading their roster and bringing in a new offense that Eli Manning can, perhaps, perform better in. Sports Illustrated even ranked the Giants as the second best team in the NFC East, behind the Philadelphia Eagles.

When asked about their chances, Justin Pugh mentioned that their gameplan for winning this season deals with the fundamentals that Tom Coughlin instructed to his players.

    "Coach Coughlin [is] always talking about winning at home, you've got to win all your conference games. I think 10 wins would be something to definitely you want to strive for. So I'm excited to get out there and play some of these teams again…and obviously, being from Philadelphia, looking forward to that game," he said.

Pugh better be ready for Philadelphia because if winning at home is fundamentally sound for the Giants, they will be playing the Eagles at home in the final game of the regular season on December 28th. And if Sports Illustrated's rankings are any indication, there may be a chance that that game will determine a playoff spot or a division championship for either team.

But before we can analyze anything pertaining to week 17, it is more important to focus on the Giants' Week 1 matchup against the Detroit Lions on Monday night. Pugh was reminded that he and his offensive line will be going up against the likes of Ndamukong Suh, Nick Fairley and Ziggy Ansah. But after playing against them last season, Pugh admitted that Suh is arguably "one of the best in the business at his position," yet he said that the experience he gained playing them in 2013 can carry over into the gamplan for Monday night.

    "They're going to go out there and they're going to be physical. They're going to do a lot of different line stunts and movements and playing them last year definitely gets you ready and it's exciting. You're playing on Monday Night Football, opening night of the season, and it should be a good one," he said.

Right now, the Giants have their depth chart listed Will Beatty at left tackle, Weston Richburg at left guard, J.D. Walton at center, Brandon Mosley at right guard and Pugh at right tackle. The five of them total 19 years of NFL experience. Going up against Detroit's four man defensive line will be their first daunting task of the season. If the Lions' defense makes only limited contact with Manning the entire night, we can surely take it as a job well done by the Giants' line that has been strung together for at least this early portion of the season.

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There’s no doubt in Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie’s mind on who’s the best wide receiver in the NFL. There’s also no hesitation in his voice when asked if that receiver is Lions wideout Calvin Johnson.

“No question,” Rodgers-Cromartie said.

So the fact that Rodgers-Cromartie, New York’s prized free-agent acquisition that signed a mega five-year deal this offseason, is playing Detroit’s ‘Megatron,’ has to hype the corner up. This game, under the lights of Monday Night football, has to mean a little more, yes?

“No,” Rodgers-Cromartie said.

No, really, it has to. Johnson is a record-breaking, All-Pro and Pro Bowl pass catcher.

“Gotta look at him as just another guy,” Rodgers-Cromartie said while shaking his head. “It’s just another game.”

On Monday night in Detroit, Rodgers-Cromartie will look to change his nickname from ‘DRC’ to ‘Optimus Prime’ in an attempt to contain Johnson. A task few defensive backs have been able to accomplish ever since Johnson entered the league in 2007.

During his eight-year NFL Career, Johnson has caught 572 passes for 9,328 yards and 66 touchdowns. Last year, he caught 84 passes for 1,492 yards and 12 scores in just 14 games.

Two years ago? It was a record-breaking 1,964 receiving yards.


Rodgers-Cromartie has had his fair share of battles against Johnson during his seven-year career. The cornerback and receiver have gone up one-on-one during Rodgers-Cromartie’s stints in Philadelphia and Arizona.

“You see guys with his body, but the difference is he has the speed to beat you down the field,” Rodgers-Cromartie said. “He has the big hands to go up and get the ball. With a guy like that, you have to play physical.

“You gotta go up there, put your hand son him and disrupt him as much as you can.”

While Rodgers-Cromartie will undoubtedly face Johnson at some point Monday night, it won’t be every play. After Giants coach Tom Coughlin said Rodgers-Cromartie would follow an opponent’s top target all over the field prior to the start of training camp, it appears as if there’s been a change of heart.

In a 23-20 overtime victory over the Lions last year, the Giants kept with their same cornerback approach, leaving one player on the left side, and one on the right. The technique worked. While Johnson wasn’t 100 percent, the Giants still contained him, limiting the receiver to four receptions for 43 yards. So, come Monday night, it’ll be Rodgers-Cromartie on one side, and Prince Amukamara on the other.

Johnson knows this, and appears ready for whomever he has to face.

“Both (Amukamara and Rodgers-Cromartie) have pretty good ball skills,” Johnson said in a conference call. “Cromartie is a very shifty guy, a very long guy. Prince likes to get his hands on you, it seems like, early in the play.”

Quote (silent9 @ Sep 4 2014 10:59pm)

good read

Quote (xnozx. @ Sep 4 2014 09:10pm)

Yea, I'm excited to prove the doubters wrong.

I think there's a lot of overreactions to pre season and a new offense.


It really sucks ODB won't be playing....... Randle has to step up BIG

I think we will pound them with our run game early and often and then work the PA down field.