Some times it’s ugly and sometime it’s really, really ugly. It must be Halloween. Back to back wins feels good and as Victor Cruz said, “It’s a “W” in the win column.
Rant & Rave Week 8:
Rant:
The Giants can not score in the “green zone” or the “red zone”. Call it whatever you like because when the Giants get within 20 yards of the end zone they sputter and fizzle. This might call for a 2 tight end set including 6′ 6″ tight end Larry Donnell or Martellus Bennett, Jake Ballard, Kevin Boss or Jeremy Shockey… for the love of all that is football…This team needs a real tight end.
Rave:
Antrel Rolle has found his motivation and is playing some of the best football we have seen from No. 26 since he began wearing Blue and White. Sunday vs. the Eagles Rolle had 5 tackles/ 1 interceptions/ 1 sack / 1 forced fumble.
Terrell Thomas had a monstrous(Halloween) game. It was great to see T2 rebound and show the passion he has for playing the game. Thomas has been an inspiration in the locker room and after 3 knee surgeries No. 24 is making the most of his field time with 11 tackles and a strip sack.
Rant:
With 5:13 left in the game, long snapper Zack DeOssie sends a routine snap over the head of Giants punter Steve Weatherford resulting in a touchdown for the Birds. This is the 3rd week in a row the special teams captain Zack DeOssie did not make a play that was needed. On a team where every roster spot counts, I can not see Zack DeOssie on this team next year. In the “post game” press conference Coughlin said he had never seen DeOssie execute a bad snap, not even in practice. Does it matter? He almost cost the team a win back to back week.
Rave:
Quarterback Eli Manning becomes the Giants all-time passing yardage leader. With a short 6 yard pass to star receiver Victor Cruz, Eli passed the mighty Phil Simms and captured the last record in the Giants history that had been unbroken. Eli finished the day with 246 yards against the Eagles and a total of 33,694 for his career.
Rant:
No one is comparing Hakeem Nicks to Calvin Johnson; however, if you watched the Dallas Lions game you watched history in the making as Calvin Johnson ripped off 329 yards receiving. Giants fans all know Hakeem Nicks has a boat load of talent; which makes me wonder why Kevin Gilbride and Eli Manning can not stick the ball in Hakeem Nicks hands and let the wide receiver just go off.
Just for once I would like to see No. 88 go to town on an opposing team. The play calling is just so pedestrian. High flying offensive talent with a mediocre, conservative Offensive Coordinator…it just doesn’t mix.
Rave:
While the Giants still have issues they do seem to be slowly building and correcting some of the mistakes that plagued them earlier in the year. The turnover have stopped, the defensive is shutting down opposing offenses from scoring and the sacks are starting show up. Four unlikely players stepped up Sunday and racked up an Eagles quarterback, Antrel Rolle, Terrell Thomas, Linval Joseph and Mathias Kiwanuka all had sacks.
Craig J. Santucci | Senior Editor of NY Giants Rush