Small areas Big Blue needs to correct to have playoff success
Six Days to Sunday - Part 3 of 6
As we look ahead to the Giants-Eagles tilt, there are some issues on both sides of the ball that the team needs to sure up in order to ensure a healthy playoff run. Winning can overlook some things. But in a one game elimination, your flaws can ultimately lead to your season being over.
OFFENSE
Red Zone problems equals Red Alert for Giants
Moving the ball has not been a problem for the Giants this season. In fact, over the last 7 years, the team has been very efficient on offense moving the ball from their own 20 yard line to the opponents’ 20 yard line, also known as the “red zone”.
Once there, scoring touchdowns is critical. Leaving points off the board is a sure recipe to lose. A very good team can get away with it if they are far more talented the other team. However in the playoffs, when the gap between teams is very small, this becomes a huge factor.
For the Giants, leaving points on the board has been the difference between them keeping games too close for comfort, and simply blowing them out of the building.
69 times this year the Giants moved the ball inside the 20. That amount was the most in the NFL of all teams. However, the team only scored 35 touchdowns with those opportunities to rank 20th in the league.
Never was this more evident than in the teams Week 8 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Six times the Giants had the ball inside the 15 yard line and three times they were inside the 10. However, before Eli Manning found Kevin Boss with a touchdown pass to take an eventual 21-14 lead, the offense was denied on a fourth-and-goal from inside the 1, and was forced to settle for four John Carney field goals. The Steelers may have the best defense in football, but the game should not have been that close if the Giants had simply cashed on the numerous opportunities that were presented to them.
The same thing happened on opening night against the Redskins. In the first half, the offense was dominating as it appeared they could do whatever they wanted. However, the scoreboard only read 16-0 when it likely should have been 24-0 or 27-0. Washington got a late score before the half to cut the lead to 16-7 and it made the score look far more competitive that it really was.
Against the Cowboys at home, they put it all together. Five times they got in the red zone, and all five times the team came away with touchdowns. When that happens, the opponent has zero chance to win.
So why are these problems happening? Is it a lack of concentration? Is there an attention to detail problem? You cannot say that it is because Plaxico Burress is not on the field (though that is some of it) because the team had this problem when he was in the lineup and before he ever became a Giant. Something is amiss here. One of the problems has been the teams play selection on first and second downs that most of the time is forcing long yardage situations in goal-to-go spots.
The fade route in the corner needs to be eliminated. I am tired of seeing that play. Unless you have a receiver named Moss, Johnson or Owens running that play, do not use it. Burress was very good at that play as well, but he is not here. Running that same play with Domenik Hixon is not likely to achieve the same result. For some reason, on two occasions in the Minnesota game a few weeks ago, the team ran that fade route on third down. It is a low percentage play. PLEASE STOP IT! If I see that on Sunday against the Eagles, I may just break something.
Sometimes it appears that Offensive Coordinator Kevin Gilbride tries to cute on offense and decide to put the ball up more than he has to. Sure he has to do that to keep the defense honest, but there are certain times when if you are running the ball down their throat, keep on doing it until you pound your way into the end zone.
The new play that they have run at the goal line is a play action fake where the tight end is in a down position on the right hand side of the formation, chips the defender and loops his way to the opposite side of the formation and finds himself wide open. One of those plays that keeps the defense on its toes and ultimately leads to success. Operating out of the shotgun with four wide and trying to jam the ball in traffic with all the defenders clogging the passing lanes has not been very successful this season. Perhaps the last two weeks of looking at films show that.
DEFENSE
Pressure, pressure...Pressure?
In the first eight games of the season, the team amassed 30 sacks and consistent pressure on quarterbacks.
Since that point, the number of sacks has decreased because of the quality of opponents the Giants have been facing since mid-October. However, there have been several games in which not getting to the quarterback consistently enough has led to additional opportunities for the opposing teams offense which in essence had led to numerous big plays.
Example 1 - Dec 7 vs. PHI
The Giants inability to pressure quarterback Donovan McNabb in a number of long yardage, third down situations allow the Eagles to sustain multiple drives that eventually led to scores.
On one third-and-eleven play early in the fourth quarter, the lack of pressure on McNabb was able to free Brian Westbrook, who was initially staying in the protection scheme to block, to leak out on a circle pattern lined up one-on-one with Antonio Pierce, who he was able to outrun 40 yards for the games backbreaking touchdown.
Defensive tackle Fred Robbins was injured and was ineffective most of the day. Justin Tuck was being double (sometimes triple) teamed on every play. And Mathias Kiwanuka was unable to generate a consistent pass rush against William Thomas.
The inability to at least alter a quarterbacks timing makes the Giants defense look ordinary. Defensive genius Steve Spagnuolo can only call so many blitzes and schemes if those four down linemen are not generating pressure.
McNabb was erratic for a large portion of that game and only bailed out by having excessive time and defenders not tackling well. When there was open space, he chose to breakout his old ability to scramble and picked up several first downs.
That is what Sunday's game will come down to. Pressure McNabb and completely throw off their time. Do not, and the Giants will be at home during the NFC Championship Game.
Catch the ball!
No play in football is more difficult to watch from a defense is the cornerback who drops an interception.
The ball is right in your hands. Catch it!
Too many times this season the Giants defense has had chances to turn the other team over and take ball to the house only to have it slip out of the defenders hands.
No longer can this happen.
Points are being given to you free by the quarter. Hold on to the ball! Nothing has been worse than a Giants defender in perfect position to change the games momentum by securing both hands on the football.
Six Days to Sunday - Part 3 of 6
As we look ahead to the Giants-Eagles tilt, there are some issues on both sides of the ball that the team needs to sure up in order to ensure a healthy playoff run. Winning can overlook some things. But in a one game elimination, your flaws can ultimately lead to your season being over.
OFFENSE
Red Zone problems equals Red Alert for Giants
Moving the ball has not been a problem for the Giants this season. In fact, over the last 7 years, the team has been very efficient on offense moving the ball from their own 20 yard line to the opponents’ 20 yard line, also known as the “red zone”.
Once there, scoring touchdowns is critical. Leaving points off the board is a sure recipe to lose. A very good team can get away with it if they are far more talented the other team. However in the playoffs, when the gap between teams is very small, this becomes a huge factor.
For the Giants, leaving points on the board has been the difference between them keeping games too close for comfort, and simply blowing them out of the building.
69 times this year the Giants moved the ball inside the 20. That amount was the most in the NFL of all teams. However, the team only scored 35 touchdowns with those opportunities to rank 20th in the league.
Never was this more evident than in the teams Week 8 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Six times the Giants had the ball inside the 15 yard line and three times they were inside the 10. However, before Eli Manning found Kevin Boss with a touchdown pass to take an eventual 21-14 lead, the offense was denied on a fourth-and-goal from inside the 1, and was forced to settle for four John Carney field goals. The Steelers may have the best defense in football, but the game should not have been that close if the Giants had simply cashed on the numerous opportunities that were presented to them.
The same thing happened on opening night against the Redskins. In the first half, the offense was dominating as it appeared they could do whatever they wanted. However, the scoreboard only read 16-0 when it likely should have been 24-0 or 27-0. Washington got a late score before the half to cut the lead to 16-7 and it made the score look far more competitive that it really was.
Against the Cowboys at home, they put it all together. Five times they got in the red zone, and all five times the team came away with touchdowns. When that happens, the opponent has zero chance to win.
So why are these problems happening? Is it a lack of concentration? Is there an attention to detail problem? You cannot say that it is because Plaxico Burress is not on the field (though that is some of it) because the team had this problem when he was in the lineup and before he ever became a Giant. Something is amiss here. One of the problems has been the teams play selection on first and second downs that most of the time is forcing long yardage situations in goal-to-go spots.
The fade route in the corner needs to be eliminated. I am tired of seeing that play. Unless you have a receiver named Moss, Johnson or Owens running that play, do not use it. Burress was very good at that play as well, but he is not here. Running that same play with Domenik Hixon is not likely to achieve the same result. For some reason, on two occasions in the Minnesota game a few weeks ago, the team ran that fade route on third down. It is a low percentage play. PLEASE STOP IT! If I see that on Sunday against the Eagles, I may just break something.
Sometimes it appears that Offensive Coordinator Kevin Gilbride tries to cute on offense and decide to put the ball up more than he has to. Sure he has to do that to keep the defense honest, but there are certain times when if you are running the ball down their throat, keep on doing it until you pound your way into the end zone.
The new play that they have run at the goal line is a play action fake where the tight end is in a down position on the right hand side of the formation, chips the defender and loops his way to the opposite side of the formation and finds himself wide open. One of those plays that keeps the defense on its toes and ultimately leads to success. Operating out of the shotgun with four wide and trying to jam the ball in traffic with all the defenders clogging the passing lanes has not been very successful this season. Perhaps the last two weeks of looking at films show that.
DEFENSE
Pressure, pressure...Pressure?
In the first eight games of the season, the team amassed 30 sacks and consistent pressure on quarterbacks.
Since that point, the number of sacks has decreased because of the quality of opponents the Giants have been facing since mid-October. However, there have been several games in which not getting to the quarterback consistently enough has led to additional opportunities for the opposing teams offense which in essence had led to numerous big plays.
Example 1 - Dec 7 vs. PHI
The Giants inability to pressure quarterback Donovan McNabb in a number of long yardage, third down situations allow the Eagles to sustain multiple drives that eventually led to scores.
On one third-and-eleven play early in the fourth quarter, the lack of pressure on McNabb was able to free Brian Westbrook, who was initially staying in the protection scheme to block, to leak out on a circle pattern lined up one-on-one with Antonio Pierce, who he was able to outrun 40 yards for the games backbreaking touchdown.
Defensive tackle Fred Robbins was injured and was ineffective most of the day. Justin Tuck was being double (sometimes triple) teamed on every play. And Mathias Kiwanuka was unable to generate a consistent pass rush against William Thomas.
The inability to at least alter a quarterbacks timing makes the Giants defense look ordinary. Defensive genius Steve Spagnuolo can only call so many blitzes and schemes if those four down linemen are not generating pressure.
McNabb was erratic for a large portion of that game and only bailed out by having excessive time and defenders not tackling well. When there was open space, he chose to breakout his old ability to scramble and picked up several first downs.
That is what Sunday's game will come down to. Pressure McNabb and completely throw off their time. Do not, and the Giants will be at home during the NFC Championship Game.
Catch the ball!
No play in football is more difficult to watch from a defense is the cornerback who drops an interception.
The ball is right in your hands. Catch it!
Too many times this season the Giants defense has had chances to turn the other team over and take ball to the house only to have it slip out of the defenders hands.
No longer can this happen.
Points are being given to you free by the quarter. Hold on to the ball! Nothing has been worse than a Giants defender in perfect position to change the games momentum by securing both hands on the football.
The Ravens and the Steelers take the ball away and score with it. Great defenses score when given opportunities. For the Giants to be “great” in this postseason, they need to take the ball and run.
All the way to the house.
All the way to Tampa.
All the way to the house.
All the way to Tampa.
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