Giant Football Blog

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Four days spent in self-analysis, not on the couch but on the field and the meeting room, concluded yesterday with the Giants parting ways for a three-day weekend corresponding to the bye week in their schedule. There's a feeling that players and coaches now have a better handle on the myriad of problems woven into the 1-2 start but also no illusions that all the necessary corrections have been made.

"You don't find the answers in two days of practice," Eli Manning said. "I'd be lying to you if I said, 'Yeah, we got it fixed right now,' " added linebacker Antonio Pierce. "We'll know when we play Washington [Oct. 8] if we got this fixed." Continue

Strahan: Sacks not all

Michael Strahan said he isn't worried about the big zero under his sack total through three games. He said yesterday that he and his fellow defensive linemen have played well despite recording only two sacks, and that playing well is the key.

"The year I had the sack record, I didn't have a sack for the first three games," said Strahan, who actually was shut out for the first two games of the 2001 season before ripping off an NFL-record 22½ through the next 14."I don't stress over sacks anymore. If I'm not being productive, if I'm not being accounted for, if I'm not making plays, making tackles, if the other team isn't paying attention to me, then I'd worry. But that's not the case." Continue

Injury makes Shockey sore

Moments before Jeremy Shockey set off an explosion Sunday night, he was sitting quietly at his locker at Qwest Field in Seattle, listening to a teammate answer questions. He was already simmering. In fact, his frustrations had been bubbling for almost a month.

From what his teammates and coaches have been able to tell, a left ankle injury has left Shockey in a cranky mood this year, more than any complaints he has about the coaches. He may create headlines by saying the Giants were "outcoached" and complain again about his diminishing role in the passing attack. But the bottom line is really this: Shockey just hasn't been himself. Continue

LaVar speaks up about big talkers

The Giants coaching staff has been under fire since Jeremy Shockey said it was "outcoached" Sunday in Seattle. So after hearing that and what he perceived as a media "attack" on defensive coordinator Tim Lewis on Tuesday, LaVar Arrington rushed to the coaches' defense.

"This is not a situation where guys need to lose their minds and start finger-pointing, whether it be coaches or players," the linebacker said. "It's about us internally addressing the issues that we have and pulling this together. So we shut our mouths and we work hard. All of us."

Arrington never mentioned Shockey by name, and later said he wasn't talking specifically about the tight end. He actually seemed more upset with the media's interview with Lewis. After listening to a tape of it, Arrington said, "I didn't sleep well." Continue

Big Blue must cash in on Big D disgrace

If ever there was a transforming moment for the New York football Giants to seize, and unite as one and stop grumbling and pointing fingers, it is this one, this latest hysteria involving Terrell Owens. Mark Brunell isn't about to complete 22 consecutive passes again, and I'm not yet convinced that the resurgent Eagles are for real, so I still maintain that it is the Cowboys who stand in Big Blue's way to the NFC East title. Continue

Lewis offers little defense

When Tim Lewis met with his defensive coaches before training camp began, he spoke glowingly of all the dangerous weapons he had on his revamped defense. Then he told them, "The worst thing I could do is screw it up." "Right now," Lewis said yesterday, "I'm screwing it up."

That may be a harsh self-evaluation, but the Giants defensive coordinator preferred to take the blame for what has gone wrong with the defense - which is nearly everything, considering it ranks 27th in the league and is surrendering 30.7 points per game. "I know from a responsibility standpoint it's my defense," Lewis said. "I got hired here to coordinate the defense. So if they're not coordinated, if there are people running free - which is what you all, I'm sure, have noticed - it's my responsibility to get it corrected." Continue

Pope weighing in on Shockey talk

Perhaps the most biting criticism Jeremy Shockey could have heard for stating the Giants were "outplayed and outcoached" in their 42-30 loss in Seattle came from his tight ends coach, Mike Pope.

Shockey reveres Pope, and yesterday, Pope revealed what he said to his prize pupil, who like many students sometimes is in need of disciplinary action. Pope told Shockey that co-owners Wellington Mara and Bob Tisch, who both passed away last season, would not have wanted to hear what Shockey had to say. Continue

It's Tom to show us something

The one thing Tom Coughlin always had going for him, the thing upon which his reputation was forged, was discipline. That was the constant. That was the bedrock. He probably didn't get into coaching with the idea that someday he'd be viewed as some kind of dean of students for football players, but that's how it played out.

He embraced that branding, too. Reveled in it. In Jacksonville, given the chance to start a franchise and a culture from the ground up, he built that foundation out of five-minutes-early, out of no-hats-in-meetings, running the Jaguars like a Jesuit. With the Giants, inheriting Jim Fassel's collegial men's club, he snarled a lot, snapped a lot, snipped a lot. Continue

Strahan rushes to defend Giants

If only the Giants had rushed the passer Sunday like Michael Strahan rushed out of the locker room yesterday. The day after Sunday's 42-30 loss at Seattle, the second straight first-half no-show by the Giants' defense, their star defensive end didn't hold court in front of reporters. Didn't slow down for the two who trailed him to the parking lot. But he did answer a couple of questions as he hastily walked out. His message: Calm down. "It's 1-2. Thirteen games to go," he said with a slight laugh. "Geez, you guys. Don't panic! Relax."

Strahan might not be worried, but Tim Lewis and Tom Coughlin have to be. Their defense has looked helpless the past two games, particularly against the pass. The Giants allowed five touchdown strikes Sunday as receivers repeatedly got wide open, much like in the overtime victory at Philadelphia in Week 2. Continue

Shockey softens his stance

A fire alarm went off in the Giants' locker room yesterday. According to one Giants player, it would have been fitting if Jeremy Shockey had been the one who pulled it. Shockey started the fire after Sunday's 42-30 embarrassment against the Seahawks when he ripped coach Tom Coughlin and said the Giants were "outplayed and outcoached." But yesterday afternoon, he had a little less bravado after a team meeting in which the comments were directly addressed by a smoldering Coughlin.

"First, let me say I am a team player," Shockey said quietly in front of his locker at Giants Stadium. "I let my emotions get the best of me." Wearing a dark blue cap pulled low, Shockey stopped short of apologizing to his coach, but was more apologetic for the media frenzy his comments caused around his already troubled 1-2 team. Continue

It's deja-blue for Coughlin

The Good Ship Coughlin is taking on water, and now we get to see what kind of admiral we have here. He has a crisis on his hands because twice in the past four games, a prominent offensive player has questioned his coaching acumen.

First, Tiki Barber pointed a finger at Coughlin after Carolina 23, Giants 0 in the playoff disgrace at Giants Stadium. Now, Jeremy Shockey, in the aftermath of a sickening, disturbing 42-30 loss that was that close only because the Seahawks quit playing once they led 42-3, volunteers: "We were outplayed AND outcoached. Write that one down." Continue

Jeremy stirs Seattle stew

Ten months ago, the Giants flew home from Qwest Field feeling they were as good as any team in the NFC. Last night, they flew home feeling embarrassed and angry after a lopsided loss that left volatile tight end Jeremy Shockey saying the Giants "got outplayed and out-coached." "Write that one down," Shockey said after the Giants lost to the Seahawks, 42-30. "There's no 12th man, there's no --- excuses. That's basically it."

Shockey wasn't alone in his anger and frustration, either. In his press conference, Tom Coughlin was as mad as he's ever been as he ripped into his team. And linebacker Antonio Pierce took the beating so hard that he insisted the Giants are "a horrible team" that can't be considered a legitimate contender. Continue

Reeling Giants in blue funk

On one side of the Giants' locker room, the usually stone-faced and unflappable Antonio Pierce was laughing in response to questions about his team's defense. Laughing, because crying wasn't an option. "We're going to be a record-breaking defense, one way or another," the linebacker said.

"Right now, we're horrible."On the other side of the room, Jeremy Shockey made sure to point out that his team was "outplayed and outcoached. You can write that one down, I don't give a --." The Giants have reached the bye week and they know exactly where they stand: divided. Continue

Vengeful in Seattle

It was, by far, the toughest loss for the Giants last season. NFC supremacy was at stake. Maybe even home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. To lose to the Seahawks last November the way they did, after having so many chances to win, ripped their hearts out.

Especially since they were convinced that they were the better team. "Everybody in this locker room that played there last year knows we should have won that football game," said receiver Plaxico Burress. "They probably know it too." "We got robbed," added special teams ace David Tyree. "We did ourselves in and didn't get the win. Now we get an opportunity to re-do it." Continue

Now, when Eli is talking, his mates are listening

There were two good reasons why Eli Manning wasn't qualified to be the face of the Giants. One: He had several proven and dues-paid veterans ahead of him. Two: After too many sloppy games and bad passes, his own face too often wore a frown.But now, in the third game of his third season, this rapidly is becoming Manning's team.

The fortunes of the Giants, for better or worse, are tied to Manning and his ability to make big plays. His leadership, nonexistent at first, is becoming apparent in the huddles and the locker room. The Giants have heavily invested in Manning and he's finally giving them the visible presence they wanted. He's still shy and obedient and unlikely, if ever, to chew out a teammate about a blown assignment or weak effort; that's still the responsibility of coach Tom Coughlin, his polar opposite in personality. Continue

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Giant receivers battered bunch

Never mind Qwest Field's purportedly fake noise. The Giants have real problems heading into tomorrow's game at Seattle. Injuries have become a pressing concern - particularly among their receivers. There's hardly anyone who doesn't have some sort of malady.

Sinorice Moss is out, felled again by a strained quad. Plaxico Burress (back) and Tim Carter (ankle) are probable, but neither practiced yesterday. Jeremy Shockey (ankle) did, but his injury is likely to linger. He was limited in Sunday's overtime victory over the Eagles and wasn't on the field for the winning drive. And then there's cornerback Sam Madison, newly listed on the injury report (foot). He's also probable, but he left practice yesterday after the individual drills period. And he, of course, was having a hard enough time through the first two games. Continue

Pass-rushers antsy to get to the quarterback

Osi Umenyiora may have only one sack through two games this season, but he still has his sense of humor. Umenyiora had perhaps the best game of his 2005 Pro Bowl season the last time the Giants went to Seattle, when the young defensive end dominated six-time Pro Bowl tackle Walter Jones.

Umenyiora had two sacks, one forced fumble and eight tackles."Yeah, but I think [Jones] slipped, and I just stumbled into the quarterback," Umenyiora said. "Walter Jones, he's like Superman out there. No one beats him ... I think he'll definitely be out for some revenge, because he hadn't given up a sack in a long while. He'll have his sights set on me." Continue

Giants wait for Shockey to show

Two days before the Giants' season-opener against the Colts two weeks ago, Jeremy Shockey's name suddenly appeared on the injured list. At the time, the Giants only revealed that the star tight end had an ankle injury, and did not specify how, or when, it had happened.

Yesterday, Shockey put an end to the mystery, saying that he hurt his right ankle playing in the final preseason game against the Patriots, when defensive tackle Richard Seymour - a player who is listed at 310 pounds but probably weighs more - fell on it. Shockey also hinted that he was upset with coach Tom Coughlin for playing him in that meaningless Aug.31 game. Continue

Burress' back is bothersome

Plaxico Burress missed yesterday's practice because of tightness in his back. But the star receiver is expected to be back on the field today to take part in final preparations for Sunday's game at Seattle, according to Tom Coughlin. "I think he'll work (today)," said Coughlin, who thought Burress would be listed as probable on the injury list. "We're expecting that."

That certainly would be good news for the Giants, given that tight end Jeremy Shockey already is hobbled by an ankle injury. Plus, they surely wouldn't mind seeing a repeat of the dramatics Burress provided on Sunday, when the 6-5 receiver hauled in the game-winning 31-yard touchdown pass in overtime of the 30-24 win over the Eagles. Continue

Defense has to step it up in Seattle . . .

While the Giants' defense prepares to face the Seahawks' balanced offense, there already has been a dose of reality. Simply, as a unit, the Giants' "D" has not played well. "We are making a lot of mistakes we shouldn't be making," said defensive end Osi Umenyiora, setting off an echo chamber of accountability in the Giants locker room yesterday.

If not for the Eli Manning-led comeback in Philadelphia, there would be a major focus on the revamped defense that added LaVar Arrington and made-over its secondary. Instead, at 1-1, the Giants defense has been able to avoid being skewered by the media and fans. Still, the poor play from a unit that has allowed 50 points in two games has not gone unnoticed in the film room. Continue

Not allowed to bring the noise

The Giants first noticed the noise in Seattle last year while they were doing their pregame stretching, and their headaches only got worse as the game went along. The crowd at Qwest Field was much louder than they were expecting. In fact, maybe it was even a little too loud to be real.

That's what several Giants suspected after they were rattled into 11 false starts in their 24-21 overtime loss to the Seahawks last Nov. 27. And that's why many of them weren't surprised yesterday to hear that the NFL will be monitoring Sunday's rematch to make sure the Seahawks are not artificially enhancing the stadium noise. Continue

Sinorice, Shockey sitting out practice

The Giants are not as healthy heading into Sunday's game in Seattle as they thought they'd be. In addition to having a hobbled tight end, Jeremy Shockey, rookie receiver Sinorice Moss has suffered a setback.

Moss yesterday was forced out of practice after aggravating the strained quad muscle that kept him out of nearly all of training camp. Moss made his NFL debut last weekend in Philadelphia but is listed as questionable to be able to face the Seahawks. Shockey did not practice after re-injuring his sore right ankle vs. the Eagles. The hope is he can recover enough to get on the field in Seattle then get two weeks during the bye to properly heal. He's listed as probable. Continue

Tom refuses to toss flag on penalties

The Giants committed nine more penalties in Philly on Sunday (giving them a season total of 19), including eight on offense (17 total) and three more false starts (eight total). And now they're headed to Seattle where they disintegrated last year with 16 penalties, including 11false starts and five on LT Luke Petitgout. What does Tom Coughlin, the disciplinarian, have to say about that?

"It's interesting to hear all of this discussion about how undisciplined we are, which people I guess want to say," he said. "Well, I guess that means Philadelphia (10 penalties on Sunday), they're undisciplined. There were (20 total) penalties in Washington-Dallas (Sunday night). Everybody, I think, is fighting like crazy to get control of this." Continue

Catching up to no-huddle

If it looked like the Philadelphia Eagles made quick work of the Giants' defense in the first three quarters on Sunday, that's because they did. They opened the game in their no-huddle offense and used it liberally while building a 17-point lead. It's the same strategy the Indianapolis Colts used on opening night. And it's the same one the Seahawks are likely to use this Sunday in Seattle.

"Teams are going to do it, and until we prove we can go out and stop it, I would do it too," Michael Strahan said. "These coordinators are smart. They know what they're doing. We just have to be prepared for it. We're going to see it week in and week out." Continue

Crunch time suits Eli well

Eli Manning grew up watching Joe Montana, Dan Marino and John Elway, who were all at their best and most dangerous with the ball in their hands in the last two minutes. They lived for those moments. The Giants were already Manning's team before he brought them from 17 points behind in Philadelphia on Sunday to get them into overtime and then win it. But taking his game to the level of Montana, Marino and Elway at the most important time in the most hostile environment in a game where he was bounced around by the Eagles further elevates Manning's standing in the locker room.

Manning did bring the Giants back from 13 points down in the fourth quarter last year to beat Denver with a touchdown pass to Amani Toomer with five seconds remaining. And until his second half slide last year, he had started to develop a reputation for raising his game in the fourth quarter. Continue

Giant euphoria short-lived

When the fourth quarter started on Sunday with the Giants down 17 points, Michael Strahan was imagining the scene back in New York City. He could almost hear the nasty chants and the sounds of fists pounding on tables. "In every bar in New York City they were probably throwing glasses and stuff," Strahan said yesterday. "Then all of a sudden, I'm pretty sure that changed."

In fact, everything changed for the Giants in that remarkable 25 minutes and 29 seconds in Philadelphia, when they turned that 17-point deficit into a 30-24 overtime victory. The incredible comeback restored the Giants' confidence, prevented a possible meltdown and very likely saved their season. Continue

In a hurry

There is a natural question to be asked after seeing the Giants struggle mightily for any kind of offensive flow against the Eagles on Sunday, then see them make the bold move to a no-huddle attack and suddenly move the ball with aplomb, score with great efficiency and produce a stunning comeback.

Why not go to the no-huddle earlier and why not use it more often? "Possibly it's something we could do more," said Eli Manning. Without that strategic adjustment, the Giants would not have erased a 24-7 fourth-quarter deficit and somehow escaped Philadelphia with a 30-24 overtime victory over the self-destructing Eagles. It was the spark they needed and could become more of a weapon in the games to come. Continue

Eli building his legacy

There are signature games for every great quarterback, replete with unforgettable plays that cement his legacy. John Elway had them.

Joe Montana. Johnny U. And Dan Marino. Eli Manning is starting to accumulate those moments in his second full season as the Giants' starter: a last-second comeback last October against the Broncos with a touchdown pass to Amani Toomer. And yesterday's 31-yard touchdown strike to Plaxico Burress in overtime to complete a stunning 30-24 comeback victory against the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Continue

Shockey hurting

Jeremy Shockey wasn't on the field for the overtime drive that may have saved the Giants' season, thanks to an ankle injury that looks like it might linger all year long. Shockey, who has been nursing an ankle injury since the Friday before the opener, apparently reinjured it in the fourth quarter of the 30-24 win over the Eagles yesterday.

He refused to speak to reporters after the game, so it's not clear how it was feeling. But he was walking with a noticeable limp, favoring his right ankle, and it was obviously bad enough to keep him sidelined at a crucial point in the game. "He just keeps wearing it down," Tom Coughlin said. Continue

Burress' TD catch was huge

You don't have to be Vince Lombardi to understand what may be the simplest concept in football. When you have a 5-foot-10 cornerback covering a 6-foot-5 receiver one-on-one and you're within throwing distance of the end zone, just chuck the ball as high as you can and see what happens. For the Giants yesterday, this situation equaled the game-winning touchdown in their 30-24 overtime victory over the Eagles.

Eli Manning saw the matchup when he came to the line facing third-and-6 on the 26 with 3:19 left in overtime. Eagles corner Sheldon Brown was on Plaxico Burress and since the Eagles were bringing the safety blitz, they were all by themselves. But Shaun O'Hara got flagged for an illegal snap, so the play had to wait a few moments. Continue

Giant D revives in time

Donovan McNabb already had shredded the Giants' defense for two touchdowns and almost 300 yards. Brian Westbrook kept embarrassing Giants linebackers with his moves and quickness. With his team down 24-7 with 10:55 remaining in the third quarter yesterday, Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce wondered how the defense would respond. The highly touted unit looked overrated and soft.

"I was worrying about guys quitting," Pierce said. On the verge of humiliation, the Big Blue defense suddenly started to perform. It pitched a shutout for the final 37-plus minutes, allowing the Giants to complete a wild 30-24 overtime victory over the stunned Eagles. Continue

Giants beat Eagles in OT

Eli Manning thrived under pressure, rallying the New York Giants to a stunning win Sunday.. Manning brought the Giants back from a 17-point deficit in the fourth-quarter and threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress with 3:11 left in overtime for a 30-24 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.On third-and-11 from the Eagles 31, Manning avoided a blitz and lofted a pass to Burress, who outjumped Sheldon Brown to make the catch and get in the end zone.

On the winning drive, Eagles safety Brian Dawkins appeared to outfight Visanthe Shiancoe for the ball on Manning's pass to make an interception. But the play was ruled a catch for New York's tight end. Manning quickly ran off a play before the officials could replay it. Dominated through the first three quarters, the Giants fought back and tied it on Jay Feely's 35-yard field goal with 7 seconds left. Continue

Run, Tiki,run!

It is a blessing that Tom Coughlin now has enough confidence in Brandon Jacobs to rest Tiki Barber and keep him fresh for December and maybe even prolong his career if he decides to stiff-arm the salivating television networks. On this Sunday, it is also a curse.

It is a curse because Barber with the ball in his hands gives the Giants their best chance this Sunday against the Eagles and every Sunday. Barber with the ball in his hands is akin to Reggie, to Darryl, with a bat in their hands: You do not want to miss it. Barber with the ball in his hands is the most compelling theater in New York sports unless and until Pedro takes the mound in a Subway Series. Continue

Osi isn't doubting Thomas

A classic speed vs. size confrontation takes place this afternoon on the line of scrimmage, where a pair of Pro Bowlers go at it when the Giants are on defense.

Defensive end Osi Umenyiora will be giving up nearly 80 pounds to Eagles left tackle William Thomas, who is 6-7, 335 pounds. In case you missed it, Thomas this year changed his name from Tra, feeling "William" sounds older. No matter what he goes by, Thomas is a tough customer. Umenyiora never has gotten a sack off him, with his 11/2 sacks last season in Philly coming with Thomas injured and on the sideline. Continue

It's 2 tough

The scenario was unthinkable to the Giants a few weeks ago when they were still talking and thinking big. They brushed off their difficult schedule and imagined themselves taking an early lead in the division. They never envisioned starting the season 0-2. But that's what's staring them in their stunned faces when they play the revived Eagles (1-0) here this afternoon. The Giants (0-1) are beginning a dangerous, two-game road swing that continues next week in Seattle. A loss today and they'll be sitting in last place in the NFC East, forced to climb their way out of an early two-game hole.

"It's not like we're playing for the playoffs right now," said running back Tiki Barber. "But it's a chance for us to get back to even and a chance for them to take a commanding lead in the division. It's always good to jump out early. That's how they've won in previous years - getting good starts and playing with the lead." Continue

Fear of Philly? Eli can't buy it

If the Giants can commit five false starts at home against a fast but not particularly fierce Colts defense, will Sunday's game at hostile Lincoln Financial Field against the Eagles' ferocious, sack-happy defense turn into flag football?

Not if Eli Manning can help it. The Giants quarterback said yesterday he believes he had two of his better games of the 2005 season against the Eagles - both wins - and is prepared to do it again."I just have to try to play smart and do a good job of mixing things up and showing different looks," Manning said. "Just be careful with the ball and don't give their offense good field position and turnovers and motivation - especially at Philly." Continue

Special attention

One player racing down on a kickoff cannot control the entire length and width of the field. David Tyree knows as much. But he's the most identifiable member of the Giants special teams, which is why he's so disgusted by what Week 1 wrought.

"I take it personally," Tyree said. "It almost hurt me as much as Chad [Morton] when I look back there and he's getting hit at the 20. You can see it in his face. It don't feel good. But it's not like we're shot for the year, that special teams is down the drain." Continue

Snee has guarded optimism

Chris Snee was held out of team drills yesterday but worked individually, and still is hoping his sore ankle will allow him to play Sunday against the Eagles. The starting guard was injured in last Sunday night's opener, taken off on a cart and left the stadium on crutches - just a precaution, he said yesterday.

"It feels a lot better," he said. "The swelling had gone down and I'm able to put pressure on it as opposed to a couple of days ago. "It's just a matter of feeling comfortable with the ankle," he added. "I'm not going to go out there if I'm going to hurt the team in any way. If I feel good I'll go." Snee made a few devastating blocks as the Giants' O-line manhandled the Colts' lightweight front. (Daily News)

Time to stand & deliver

If ever there is a time to ask, "Will the real Giants please stand up," it is now. If ever there is an opponent for real Giants to please stand up against, it is this one. If ever there is a city for real Giants to please stand up in, it is this one. Michael Strahan was asked this question yesterday: How much fun are these games against the Eagles? "They're a lot of fun - actually my favorite game," Strahan said.

Why is that? "'Cause it's physical, it's dirty, it's nasty . . . everyone wants to see it - the Philly crowd, the New York crowd, this is what the fans look forward to every year. And we look forward to it too, just for that fact that this is the two cities that, we respect each other, but we don't like each other." Continue

Giants go where Eagles dare

You know the cliché. As often as the Giants and Eagles play each other, there isn't anything the other team hasn't seen. With mad scientist Jim Johnson as Philly's defensive coordinator, that never is entirely true.

For instance, the Eagles gave the Giants something to think about for Sunday when they unveiled a dime defense and used it on almost every passing down in Houston last week, moving All-Pro safety Brian Dawkins up into the box as a quasi-linebacker. The 4-1-6 makes sense against the Giants because Dawkins can match up with tight end Jeremy Shockey at the line of scrimmage. Continue

Big Blue is back in the eye of the norm

Normalcy returned this week for Eli Manning. No more talk about the "Manning Bowl" or stories of backyard basketball and comparisons with his brother, Peyton. The Colts' 26-21 victory last Sunday is in Manning's rearview mirror and life has returned to normal.

"You can watch TV now and not have to hear about it," Manning said. "You just feel that all the attention is not on this game or on us. That's not what we like and it's not what's it all about. You can just be a little bit more low-key and treat it just about football right now." Continue

Big Blue 'D' feels pressure mount

The Giants defense was built around the theory that you can never have enough pass rushers, and that certainly is something they appear to have in abundance. Yet on opening night, they sacked Peyton Manning only once. And that lone sack came from defensive tackle Fred Robbins - not stud ends Michael Strahan or Osi Umenyiora, and not their new, big-play linebacker LaVar Arrington.

"Is that going to happen again this week?" Umenyiora said. "I seriously doubt it." That's what the Giants (0-1) will be counting on as they try to rebound from their opening-night loss to Indianapolis when they visit Philadelphia (1-0) on Sunday. The Giants did get pressure on Manning at times, but he made them pay for their inability to actually sack him. Continue

Lavar's in rush to make impact

So, where was LaVar Arrington in his Giants debut? Dropping into coverage, that's where. When the Giants signed Arrington they said he no longer would be miscast in the role the Redskins put him in. For the Giants, Arrington would line up at strong-side linebacker, close to the line of scrimmage, and more often than not get turned loose on the quarterback.

But in the season-opening 26-21 loss to the Colts, Arrington frequently was assigned to defend the slot receiver and frequently moved backward, not forward. "I'm going to do exactly what they want me to do, whether I agree or not," Arrington said of the Giants' coaching staff. Continue

Maybe winging it would be good plan

After it piled up 433 yards in the opener, it's hard to find fault with the Giants' offense. But there is a wrinkle that Tom Coughlin could green-light to give Eli Manning and his talented teammates something extra to work with, something that big brother Peyton used to win Sunday night. The Giants need to install the no-huddle.Not every series, not every down. Tiki Barber and Brandon Jacobs are already too important to the attack. Eating up clock and yards are integral parts of Coughlin's scheme, and it has the makings of winning football.

But watching Peyton run the no-huddle - and watching Eli make his mistakes when given almost too much time - makes one wonder whether the younger Manning might operate best in an environment where he can improvise instead of thinking too much. Continue

Flagged football

Tom Coughlin and his iron fist were hired in 2004 to install some much-needed discipline into the Giants' franchise. So why have they turned into the Oakland Raiders of the East? The Silver and Black may be most known for unnecessary, constant and costly penalties, but over the last few years, Big Blue has nearly matched the Raiders, misstep for misstep. When Coughlin was hired, the Giants were coming off a season (2003) in which they set a team record with 127 penalties for 1,090 yards.

Since then, it's gotten worse. Last year, despite winning the NFC East, they obliterated that record (143-1,115). And the Giants have committed 271 penalties for 2,156 yards in 33 regular-season games under Coughlin. Only the Raiders and the Cardinals have been flagged more over the last two seasons. Continue

Super talk a Giant burden

The Giants upped the ante on their season over the summer when they began talking openly about their Super Bowl dreams. But on opening night, Tom Coughlin hopes his players learned an important lesson: Talk is cheap.

"I really think we have to stop talking about being good and get good," Coughlin told his team yesterday, the morning after their 26-21 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. "Play good. All of these expectations and all of this talk, it's all nice and it's wonderful to hear. But it doesn't mean a thing if you don't win." Continue

Snee's ankle only sprained

The prognosis did not look good early yesterday morning when right guard Chris Snee hobbled out of Giants Stadium on crutches, wearing a protective boot on his left ankle. The news later in the afternoon was not as gloomy.

Yes, Snee's ankle is injured. But it's not as serious as the Giants first feared. Tests revealed that the ankle is not fractured and sustained no ligament damage. But it is sprained and there's little chance he will be able to play Sunday in Philadelphia against the Eagles. Asked about Snee's availability this week, Tom Coughlin said, "I don't know about that." Continue

Playoff dud vs. Panthers still haunts

Now that we somehow managed to overcome the overexposed issue of who's the Manning, the Giants can get on with the business of overcoming a far more important but largely forgotten issue: 23-0. You know, that playoff beating courtesy of Carolina.That happened eight months ago, and Eli Manning has actually completed a meaningful pass since then, but until the Giants win a game, 23-0 will be the nasty splinter that refuses to leave their foot. Continue

Big Blue has Super problems

All the Giants have been talking about since they showed up for training camp is the Super Bowl. After their bitter loss last night to the Colts in the Manning Bowl - a game they gave away with three dropped interceptions, too many penalties, too many yards to Peyton Manning and one bad Eli Manning interception from right out of the second half of last season - they better redirect their focus to first trying to win the NFC East again.

"It's one game," Michael Strahan said after the 26-21 loss. "It's a marathon, not a sprint. You take it as a loss and try to get better for next week against Philadelphia. You don't get down in the dumps, you take it in stride. We got 16 of these things. We can go 15-1. You can't let one get you down." Continue

D-Backs' botches loom large

The word used by Tom Coughlin to describe the way Giants defensive backs reacted to the ball in the air last season was "mesmerized." The Giants hoped they solved that problem by revamping their secondary. Judging from last night's 26-21 loss to the Colts, there's still some work to be done.

The Giants in the first half dropped three Peyton Manning passes that should have been intercepted, and the Colts made them pay by scoring 13 points. Safety James Butler had the ball right in his hands in the end zone but could not hold onto it. Cornerback Corey Webster was unable to haul in an errant pass on the left sideline. And linebacker Antonio Pierce anticipated a Peyton Manning screen but could not keep control of the ball. Continue

Snee exits because of ankle injury

Guard Chris Snee suffered an ankle injury last night that ended his game before the half and could be a devastating blow to the Giants' offensive line. Snee, who missed a week in training camp with a knee injury, had X-rays, the results of which were not disclosed.

The team said Snee will go for further evaluation today.The Giants' offensive line was intact for the first 12 games of last season, but injuries to Snee, center Shaun O'Hara and tackle Luke Petitgout in training camp kept the backups busy. Rich Seubert, one of those backups, took Snee's spot last night against the Colts. Continue

Chess match

It looked like some sort of strange ballet being performed on the football field in Indianapolis on Dec. 19, 2004. Peyton Manning would wave his arms and the Colts would start moving all around him. Then Ray Lewis would wave his, and the Ravens would do the same.

Back and forth they went, move for move, counter-move for counter-move, until the play clock neared zero and the ball was finally snapped. The Colts' quarterback and the Ravens' middle linebacker were the two Grandmasters of football, desperately trying to protect their kings. Continue

Barber's lookin' to cut loose

In terms of experience and track records of the quarterback involved, there's no doubt tonight's Manning Bowl showdown favors older brother Peyton. As far as comparing the offenses of the Giants and Colts, Eli Manning has a weapon Peyton does not: Tiki Barber.

With the loss in free agency of Edgerrin James, the Colts no longer have a marquee running back. They'll go with Dominic Rhodes, a six-year veteran who rushed for 1,104 yards as a rookie in 2001 but has served as a backup ever since. Continue

Eli can be team idol

His Giants had already begun talking the Super Bowl talk for all to hear when Tom Coughlin stood before his team at the start of training camp. "He says, 'A lot of guys spoke on not having high enough expectations last year,' and we really didn't, we only spoke about winning the NFC East," Antonio Pierce said. "'Many players have already spoken about it and I agree. We need to have higher expectations and the highest one is the Super Bowl.' " Continue

Pierce of mind

Giants defensive coordinator Tim Lewis calls linebacker Antonio Pierce "a student of the game," but Lewis knows that only scratches the surface when characterizing his middle linebacker. "Any kid that sits around and watches tape on his own, coaches usually say he's a student of the game," Lewis said. "This guy is weird now, he's different, because he watches it like through a coach's eye, as if he's calling the game." Continue

Time to let LaVar loose

When Tim Lewis was thinking about his new defensive toy this spring, he looked into how LaVar Arrington was used during his best seasons. And the best advice he found came from Marty Schottenheimer, the Redskins' coach during Arrington's first Pro Bowl season in 2001.

"I read in the newspaper that he said 'We didn't make it very difficult for him,'" the Giants defensive coordinator recalled. "'We let him run to the ball and make plays.' So I thought, '(Heck), we'll do the same thing. The guy with the ball is the guy you want, OK? Find him.'" Continue

Barber : Big Blue can score big, too

Tiki Barber was talking about the need to control the ball in order to "keep the high-powered Colts off the field" when a question was posed to him. Why is it that the Giants offense, which last season nearly matched the Colts point-for-point, is never described in such glowing terms? It's a given: The Colts and Peyton Manning are high-powered. The Giants with Eli? Not quite.

"It's perception," Barber said. "Peyton is sexy when he does what he does. They throw the ball a lot, they had huge plays with Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne, where as we run the ball for 250 yards a game and get in short-yardage situations on the goal line and Brandon [Jacobs] powers his way in, which is kind of cool but it doesn't make the ESPN highlights. And so the perception is, we haven't ever been this high-scoring team, but last year we were pretty proficient at times." Continue

That's the way

THE Giants have watched Eli Manning, their young brother, grow up before their very eyes, and they trust him now more than they ever have. So when he stands tall in the interview room down the hall from their locker room, wearing a red cap, green T-shirt and blue jeans, and proclaims in his matter-of-fact way, "I'm ready," they believe him, because they believe in him, and are ready to rally around him.

"His teammates have rallied around him because he is an exemplary leader," Tom Coughlin said. He isn't one of those celebrity quarterbacks Bill Parcells never liked. He's a quarterback who brings his lunch pail to work every day and respects the game and works relentlessly on his craft and never cheats his teammates or his organization. Continue

Indy 'D' a Giant concern

It's being called the Manning Bowl and it will be the first time Eli and Peyton Manning face each other in an organized football game. But the important thing to remember about Sunday night's game between the Giants and Colts at the Meadowlands is this: Eli won't be chasing Peyton on the Giants Stadium turf and Peyton won't be looking to lay any hard licks on his little brother. Instead, Peyton will be trying to figure out a way to beat the Giants' highly regarded defense. Eli will have his own problems. Continue

So shocking

In his fifth season with the Giants, Jeremy Shockey has gained a reputation for being a go-to guy for reporters seeking quotes. That's why a crowd of reporters waited around the controversial tight end's locker yesterday even when he wasn't even there - hoping when he emerged from his shower he would fill their notebooks, tape recorders and microphones with some controversial quips.

But Shockey wasn't having any part of it. An unusually tight-lipped Shockey deflected questions about himself, focused on the team and chose his words carefully when discussing Sunday night's opponent, the Colts. Continue

Coughlin can't contain optimism on offense

Tom Coughlin isn't going to offer a prediction or a guarantee. But he admitted yesterday that when he looks at this year's Giants, they certainly look better than last year's NFC East champions.

"We do have, on paper, a team which is a stronger team than the year before," Coughlin said. "Whether you are talking about returning players who you expect to be better, whether you talk about compliments.... There are still a lot of elements, obviously, to our team that have to go forward and prove themselves. And what we talk about doesn't really matter. What has to happen is on the field. The production has to be there." Continue

Eli and Peyton dial up the hype

OH, Brother. Manning Mania raged yesterday when Peyton engaged the New York media in a conference call and Eli engaged the Indianapolis media in one of his own. Peyton Manning, first-and-10. "Eli's had a ton of pressure on him for a long time with the comparisons to my dad there at Ole Miss, where he played; my brother Cooper there at Ole Miss, who's a social legend there ... big shoes for Eli to fill. And then with me playing the SEC and playing the same position.

But Eli's always handled it very well. I haven't got a chance to see him play in person a whole lot - a few times in college, and actually have not seen him play in person in the NFL yet. I usually record his games if I don't get to see it live and try to keep up with him and his career. It certainly is unique, and I'm proud to be his older brother." Continue

To Strahan, Giants have Super look

Michael Strahan has played on some good Giants teams in his 13 NFL seasons, including one that went to the Super Bowl. But at the very least, this team might be the equal of any he has played on. In fact, he said, it's frighteningly good. "I feel great about the team, but I'm also scared, too, because I feel great about the team," Strahan said yesterday. "I know we have so much potential and the expectations are so high. But that scares you at the same time."

Speaking for the first time since he began his semiannual training camp media boycott ("It wasn't a boycott," he said, "I had nothing to say"), the 34-year-old defensive end spoke in glowing terms about the defending NFC East champs, especially the new-look Giants defense. He took football questions only - nothing about his nasty offseason divorce that created so many front-page headlines - and seemed as happy and relaxed as he's appeared in quite awhile. Continue

Will the real Eli please stand up?

All the problems with the most over-analyzed mechanics outside of a NASCAR pit crew were on display near the end of the Giants' Oct. 23 game against Denver last season. There was Eli Manning back-pedaling nearly 10 yards to avoid the pass rush, throwing off balance into double coverage. He even threw off the wrong foot.

It was the type of pass armchair quarterback coaches harped on all season. Only this one went for a 2-yard touchdown to Amani Toomer with five seconds left in an amazing, come-from-behind, 24-23 win over the Broncos. It was, perhaps, Manning's finest moment in 2005 - and one of his ugliest passes. It was all wrong and all right, all at the same time. Continue

Carter hopes to get good shot at slot

Sinorice Moss summed up the attitude of the perfect third wide receiver. "Even if you only get one play all game," he said, "make it the best play you ever made."Tom Coughlin has felt like Ponce de Leon during his two-plus seasons as coach, searching in vain for his own fountain of youth: a durable guy who can be the third wideout. Tim Carter was supposed to be that guy, but a hip injury scuttled that. David Tyree had a shot last year, but he, too got hurt and is too valuable on special teams to be running all over the field on offense. Continue

Giants' 'O' has the horses

More than a few times over the last decade, the Giants have been overmatched by a team with an explosive offense. And if a game turned into a shootout, they would be given little chance to win. "They said the same thing when we went into the St. Louis game last year," said Giants receiver Plaxico Burress. "But we kind of went out and stepped our game up."

That 44-24 victory over the Rams last Oct. 2 wasn't the first time the new-look Giants erupted (they also scored 42 against Arizona in Week 1). But it was the first time in years they had stood toe-to-toe with an offense that was expected to be one of the NFL's best. Now, after averaging 26.4 points per game last season, they are convinced they can go point-for-point with anyone in football. In fact, they believe they can be better than them all. Continue

Nose glows

Of all those tuned in to see the spectacle that will be the Manning Bowl, of the many players who work with or against Eli and Peyton Manning on Sunday night, few, if any, will be as removed from the quarterback drama as distantly as Barry Cofield.

"I'm mostly just concerned with centers and guards," Cofield explained yesterday. "I don't worry too much about the skill position guys, especially Manning." Continue

Lorenzen is Giants No. 2 quarterback

Jared Lorenzen has beaten out incumbent Tim Hasselback for the job as the New York Giants No. 2 quarterback. "He has thrown the deep ball well," coach Tom Coughlin said. "He has done a lot of things. We've asked him to be involved in a lot of things, short yardage, and he has done that well. Pretty much whatever we have asked him to do and whatever the circumstances might be, he has done."

Lorenzen has come a long way since finishing his career at Kentucky in 2003. After being signed by the Giants as a free agent, he failed to show up for training camp in 2004 and he was placed on a did-not-report list. He made the team last season as the No. 3 quarterback, but did not play during the regular season. Continue