Some thoughts on the big picture.... a broad view of the Giants and the season just completed as provided by my good friend and fellow Giant analyst, Ray, copied and pasted from an email he sent me. As you will see, this was sent right after the Redskins game, before Mara confirmed in the locker room that Coughlin would be coming back. Ray's prediction of his return was accurate. His thoughts to follow....
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Though I do not think Coughlin will be fired, because 10-6 is actually pretty respectable, this was a team with 13 win talent that underachieved. I understand that there were some major injuries, but that is what depth is for. Both coordinators should be replaced, but I doubt that will happen either.
The QB had a good year, especially with the makeshift receiving corps, but: 1-he is wild-high too often, 2-his decisions are often awful (the lack of a slide on his first half run and the late lateral to Bradshaw were yesterday's examples) and 3-he did not complete a long ball ( over 40 yards in the air) all year (he badly missed Manningham yesterday).
The linebackers are really awful against the pass, allowing the quick release completions that were the staple of opponents game plans late in the year. How does Grossmqn throw for over 300 against this defense? We have three good cb's and three good safeties, but we have to stop trying to use them to cover for poor linebacking.
Special teams coach also has to go, and we need a new punter.
Also need some new blood at rb. Bradshaw ran out of gas - he is not physically up to the load he carried this year, and he was not very good late in the year. Jacobs was very inconsistent -some good games/runs, and some not-so-good ones.
And, we were pretty bad for the last nine quarters of the year. We never did recover from Philly (a three point win over a bad team was not impressive). I just hope that we can be fresh mentally next year.
One more point - we have to begin to compensate for players still recovering from injuries Osi was bad last year - almost got traded - and look his 2010. Phillips will be much better next year - he was only so-so this year, and Smith and Hixon, and maybe Seubert, will have average-at-best recovery seasons next year. So we will need help at c and wr next year.
It was a season of great opportunity, fumbled away by both players and coaches.
2 comments:
Before we review this season I think we should remember where we were at the beginning. ALL the "experts" said the Cowboys were clearly the NFC East Champs (probably going to the Super Bowl). The Eagles might be next but not really challenge the boys. It would depend on how good Kolb would be (with a little mention of Vick maybe helping at wildcat). The Redskins would be really improved but no one was sure how much (new/great coach, much improved D) and now with a real Pro QB thay could be a contender. I don't remember ANY mention of our (beloved) Giants. That means they would be #4 in the east. Now some of us were predicting (hoping?) they could be pretty good. We had an awful defense in 09 and we were hoping our new coordinator could bring them back but I think we were all nervous about that. A 13 win season? I never heard that.
I'm glad Coughlin is staying (he earned it from his turn around in 07) and he has always been able to keep the team together. New ST Coordinator - absolutely. New Offensive Coord. good idea (Wolfman will have much less to write about next year). I'm not sure about Defense. I thought Fewell greatly improved the D early in the year but they definitely went down hill late in the year. If the front four are great and the secondary is great can the Line Backers really be that bad (I guess so)? I don't know - but I definitely want new LB's. I think the D needs more leadership on the field. Tuck tries (and he plays great) but I think we still have a Strahan hangover. Maybe he should be a Def. Line coach/locker room-side line speech maker.
Anyway, I'll try and enjoy the playoffs and start thinking about 2011 (and hope we have a season).
CarolinaDon
Don:
One thing you is sure - many of the experts and preseason forecasters are using dartboards to figure out who will finish where. Regardless of their prognostications, when I look at the talent on the field, I see a team that should have won more games.
And by the way: the Sports Illustrated prediction at the beginning of the year was that the NFC East would come down to a battle between the Eagles and the Giants. They said the Cowboys would slip a little and the Redskins were still building. I'm not sure how many wins they predicted we would get, but IMO this team is more talented than the 2007 Superbowl team.
Quite simply - it is obvious that we gave away the Titans game and the Cowboys game and surely could have/should have won the Eagles game in the Meadowlands. That gets us to 13 and I didn't see any wins that we got that we "stole" - they were all earned.
We need to upgrade the offensive philosophy - not necessarily the play calling, but the structure of the plays.
I think Fewell did a good job but needs more experience at strategy, game planning and mid game adjustments. He has the makings of a good DC but it looks like he's being pursued by either Denver or Carolina. We may not have a choice but to get a new DC. I would not mind a reprise for John Fox.
-wm
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