Giant Football Blog

Weatherford beats out Dodge

When Steve Weatherford arrived at Giants camp in early August he knew he was the favorite to become the Giants punter. The odds were against Matt Dodge from the beginning, probably from the moment he punted that ball to DeSean Jackson last December.

What Weatherford didn't know was that he was in for a "nerve-wracking" competition against a player he says has "the strongest leg in the NFL." In the end, as expected, the 28-year-old Weatherford won the job.

The race was just closer than anyone had expected it would be.

"I was very confident coming into camp that I was going to be better directional punter, more consistent, more polished," Weatherford told the Daily News Saturday night. "But I did not think he was as strong as he was. He has the strongest leg in the NFL right now. He's going to do a great job for some team. I wouldn't be surprised if he was on an NFL roster in next 48 hours."

"They both did an outstanding job," added Tom Coughlin. "And it was not an easy decision to make." (continue)

 

Making the final cut

Mark Herzlich, the Giants' rookie free agent linebacker, admits he's nervous on the eve of Saturday's final roster cutdown.

It's just a very different kind of nervous.

"When you're going from seeing the biopsy to find out if the cancer has spread to other parts of your body or getting cut from a team...in a certain time period, they're both very stressful. I'd say life or death is a little bit worse," Herzlich said.

Clint Sintim's second major knee injury in eight months in the preseason finale Thursday night is a heartbreaking story that could make a feel-good one possible. With Sintim going on IR, it opens up another roster spot for the team's young linebackers, including Herzlich, a cancer survivor. (continue)

Giants' roster 2009

from star-ledger

QB (2): Eli Manning, David Carr

RB (3): Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw, Danny Ware

FB (1): Madison Hedgecock

WR (7): Domenik Hixon, Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, Sinorice Moss, Hakeem Nicks, Ramses Barden, Derek Hagan

TE (3): Kevin Boss, Darcy Johnson, Travis Beckum

OL (10): Shaun O'Hara, Chris Snee, Rich Seubert, Kareem McKenzie, David Diehl, Kevin Boothe, Tutan Reyes, Guy Whimper, Adam Koets, Will Beatty

DL (9): Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, Fred Robbins, Barry Cofield, Mathias Kiwanuka, Chris Canty, Rocky Bernard, Dave Tollefson, Leger Douzable

LB (8): Antonio Pierce, Danny Clark, Chase Blackburn, Gerris Wilkinson, Clint Sintim, Zak DeOssie, Jonathan Goff, Bryan Kehl

DB (8): Corey Webster, Aaron Ross, Michael Johnson, Kenny Phillips, Kevin Dockery, Terrell Thomas, C.C. Brown, Bruce Johnson

K (1): Lawrence Tynes

P (1): Jeff Feagles

Win streak over as Brian Westbrook, Eagles ground Giants

The Giants finally found a bigger distraction than Plaxico Burress: Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook and the desperate Philadelphia Eagles.

Westbrook ran 30 yards for a touchdown, caught another 40-yarder from McNabb, and the Eagles defense limited the Giants to 211 total yards in a 20-14 victory Sunday that ended the Super Bowl champions' seven-game winning streak and prevented them from clinching the NFC East for almost 35 minutes. Westbrook was the workhorse, gaining 131 yards on 33 carries and catching six passes for 72 yards. Continue

Giants Roster 2006

Offense

8 Tim Hasselbeck QB
12 Jared Lorenzen QB
10 Eli Manning QB
21 Tiki Barber RB
24 Robert Douglas RB
20 Jim Finn RB
27 Brandon Jacobs RB
29 Chad Morton RB
30 James Sims RB
34 Derrick Ward RB
17 Plaxico Burress WR
84 Tim Carter WR
15 Michael Jennings   WR
83 Sinorice Moss WR
81 Amani Toomer WR
85 David Tyree WR
87 Darius Watts WR
86 Darcy Johnson TE
82 Visanthe Shiancoe  TE
80 Jeremy Shockey TE
60 Shaun O'Hara C
73 Steve Edwards OT
67 Kareem McKenzie OT
77 Luke Petitgout OT
79 Guy Whimper OT
70 Bob Whitfield OT
66 David Diehl OG
65 Grey Ruegamer OG
69 Rich Seubert OG
76 Chris Snee OG

Defense

95 Adrian Awasom DE
97 Mathias Kiwanuka DE
92 Michael Strahan DE
91 Justin Tuck DE
72 Osi Umenyiora DE
93 Titus Adams DT
96 Barry Cofield DT
94 William Joseph DT
90 Ryan Kuehl DT
98 Fred Robbins DT
75 Jonas Seawright DT
55 LaVar Arrington LB
57 Chase Blackburn LB
51 Carlos Emmons LB
58 Antonio Pierce LB
54 Brandon Short LB
48 Tyson Smith LB
53 Reggie Torbor LB
59 Gerris Wilkinson LB
33 Jason Bell CB
35 Kevin Dockery CB
22 Sam Madison CB
25 R.W. McQuarters CB
41 Frank Walker CB
23 Corey Webster CB
37 James Butler S
47 Will Demps S
28 Gibril Wilson S

Kickers

2 Jay Feely K
18 Jeff Feagles P

Giants release 18, including 'The Bachelor' Palmer

Linebacker Kevin Lewis and quarterback Jesse Palmer were among 18 players released by the New York Giants on Saturday. The Giants also signed veteran running back and returnman Chad Morton, who was signed by the New England Patriots in June and placed on the physically unable to perform list in late July before being released last Tuesday.

Lewis, in his sixth year, started all 16 games at middle linebacker last season for the Giants and finished second on the team with 86 tackles. He was replaced in the middle during training camp by Antonio Pierce, an offseason acquisition from Washington. Continue

Giants Roster 2004

26 Alexander, Brent S
97 Allen, Kendrick DT
25 Allen, Will CB
21 Barber, Tiki RB
31 Brewer, Jack S
84 Carter, Tim WR
2 Christie, Steve K
30 Cloud, Michael RB
22 Cousin, Terry CB
27 Dayne, Ron RB
39 Deloatch, Curtis CB
66 Diehl, David G
51 Emmons, Carlos LB
17 Feagles, Jeff P
20 Finn, Jim FB
52 Green, Barrett LB
54 Greisen, Nick LB
95 Hand, Norman DT
88 Hilliard, Ike WR
89 Jones, Mark CB
94 Joseph, William DT
90 Kuehl, Ryan LS
70 Legree, Lance DT
59 Lewis, Kevin LB
62 Lucier, Wayne C
53 Mallard, Wesley LB
10 Manning, Eli QB
57 Maxwell, James LB
60 O'Hara, Shaun C
3 Palmer, Jesse QB
24 Peterson, William CB
77 Pettigout, Luke T
87 Ponder, Willie WR
83 Rivers, Marcellus TE
98 Robbins, Fred DT
82 Shiancoe, Visanthe TE
80 Shockey, Jeremy TE
67 Snee, Chris G
92 Strahan, Michael DE
74 Sullivan, Marques T
86 Taylor, Jamaar WR
81 Toomer, Amani WR
58 Torbor, Reggie LB
85 Tyree, David WR
72 Umenyiora, Osi DE
41 Walker, Frank CB
73 Walker, Greg T
13 Warner, Kurt QB
99 Washington, Keith DE
65 Whittle, Jason G 6-4
36 Williams, Shaun S
28 Wilson, Gibril S
76 Winey, Brandon T

Injured Reserve

97 Chase, Martin DT
47 Douglas, Chris RB
76 Ellis, Ed T
33 Joyce, Delvin RB
79 Stokes, Barry T
23 Stoutmire, Omar S
47 Womack, Antwoine RB

Physically Unable to Perform

91 Bromell, Lorenzo DE
69 Seubert, Rich G

Practice Squad

49 Anelli, Mark TE
19 Davis, Chris WR
37 Farmer, Clarence RB
55 Hollowell, T.J. LB
96 Monds, Mario DT
75 Pears, Morgan T
34 Thomas, Art CB
76 Vaughn, Khaleed DE