Veteran quarterback Eli Manning, who will enter the 2015 season at age 34. Unless changed he will start the 2015 season with one year remaining on his current contract. He is scheduled to make $17.5 million next season and will count $19.75 million against the salary cap next season. He’s more than willing to enter 2015 without an extension that guarantees his job security past next season

“I don’t mind playing on the final year of the contract. It does not bother or me or make me worry about one thing,” Manning said.  NJ Advance Media

However, the Giants should sign him to a contract extension.

Despite the 6-10 record of his team, Manning was one of the few bright spots. Statistically this year was one of the best seasons of Manning’s career despite learning a new offense for the first time since his rookie season. He finished with 30 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in the first-year offense coordinated by Ben McAdoo. The 30 touchdowns and 4,410 yards passing were also the second most of his career. Despite attempting the most passes of his career, he threw the second fewest interceptions in his career, only behind 2008 when he threw only ten. If the Giants intend for Manning to be their quarterback for the foreseeable future, which is in the best interest of the team, it would befit them to sign him to an extension. The additional years would allow them to lower his salary cap number considerably and allow for the team to address glaring needs on defense in free agency.

Manning and the Giants offense improved considerably as the season went on. They averaged 29.8 points over the final five games and won 3 of those contests. Manning averaged 315 yards passing in those contests, and looked substantially more comfortable in the West Coast-style offense. In one of the wins, they scored 37 points and gained 514 total yards against a stout Rams’ defense that was one of the best in the league. In that game, Manning threw for 391 yards and 3 touchdowns without throwing a single interception.
He has also developed great chemistry with young stud wide receiver and Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite Odell Beckham Jr. They have developed great trust in one another despite only playing three-quarters of the season together. This chemistry will continue to progress for years to come. Manning will also have a full offseason to perfect his understanding of the intricacies of the offense heading into 2015, unlike last offseason where he had to start from scratch.

Manning is clearly the best option at quarterback for the Giants moving forward. Coming off of the worst season of his career in 2013, there was uncertainty if he was the Giants’ best option for the present and future at quarterback. But, his 2014 campaign hushed all of the concern. Eli Manning gives them the best chance to win over any replacement they may acquire. The 2-time Super Bowl winning quarterback who has started 167 straight games is still the Giants’ franchise quarterback and should be the franchise quarterback for the foreseeable future.

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As the New York Giants’ 2014 campaign is coming to a disappointing end without a playoff birth for the fifth time in six seasons. Despite the poor performance this season there are pieces on the current roster that give the Giants hope for the future. Here is New York Giants: 5 Reasons for Optimism in 2015.

If there is one player that gives Giants’ fans most enthusiasm for the future it is the wide receiver who in only ten games played has broken the Giants team record for most receiving yards by a rookie. The explosive, dynamic receiver has already made numerous unbelievable plays, exemplified by his one-handed touchdown catch against Dallas, which landed his game-worn jersey in Canton. Yet to play a full season, Beckham Jr. has already broken several team and league rookie records. He has at least 90 receiving yards in each of the last seven games, the longest such streak ever by both a Giants player and an NFL rookie. Also, he has three games this season in which he caught at least 10 passes, making him the first rookie in history to do that. Along with the statistical feats, he has already developed great chemistry with Eli Manning and should continue to be his favorite target moving forward. His incredible skillset and unparalleled talent make the prospects of him playing alongside Victor Cruz a scary thought for defenses around the league next season.

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After a five-game losing streak in which there was no continuity on either side of the ball with lack of execution and a visible scarcity of talent, the New York Giants faced a tough opponent when a well-rested Dallas Cowboys team came to town. At 3-7 facing a far superior 7-3 Cowboys team, the Giants needed a fast start and a spark to revitalize the team and give them a chance to win— and they got both thanks to the exploits of an explosive, dynamite rookie wide receiver from LSU. However, his feats were not enough to overcome the Giants’ self-inflicted mistakes and come up with a Giant Disappointment.
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As soon as the game started, the Giants forced a three-and-out thanks to tight coverage by the secondary and pressure on quarterback Tony Romo. Coming off of a brutal display against the 49ers, the offense sought to flip the script early. On their first possession, they methodically moved the ball down the field in a 13 play, 80-yard drive, converting all of their third downs on the possession. They targeted talented rookie Odell Beckham Jr. early and often, with he and Manning displaying great chemistry. In the red zone, where they had such difficulty scoring last week, the impressive drive culminated in a 3-yard touchdown pass to Beckham Jr., and the Giants quickly jumped ahead. As a fast start was imperative to pulling off the upset, the outlook was good for New York— and it only got better.
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Up 7-3, with the Giants driving again, Odell Beckham Jr. connected with Manning for an awe-inspiring, impossible 43-yard touchdown catch that is being deemed “the greatest catch ever made.” Beckham had beaten cornerback Brandon Carr down the sideline, forcing Carr to attempt to pull Beckham down to prevent the catch. As Beckham was falling backwards, he reached back with is left hand, which was the inside hand on the play further increasing the difficulty, and with his arm fully extended plucked the ball with only three fingers and brought the ball into his body. This unbelievable play sent a roar throughout the stadium and frenzy throughout the country as athletes and icons that witnessed the play all across the nation recognized its brilliance. Injured Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz even tweeted: “That’s the best catch I’ve ever seen.” The miraculous play not only invigorated the crowd and the team, it gave them a 14-3 lead, and all of the momentum. The Giants then took a 21-10 lead into the half, with a great chance to upset the visiting Cowboys.

However, the team that began the season 3-7, the team that consistently lacked execution with self-inflicted mistakes, returned once again. The Cowboys came out of the locker room with renewed energy and the Giants did not. They attempted to revitalize the offensive line that played so poorly last week by replacing rookie guard Weston Richburg, who had started the first ten games of the season, with veteran Adam Snyder and inserted formerly injured Geoff Schwartz at right tackle. In the first half the line did a formidable job in pass protection. But, the line could not open up holes for the ground game in the second half, and gave Eli Manning no time to throw. The Cowboys scored a touchdown to cut the lead to 21-17, but the Giants were driving again. Eli Manning dropped back and overthrew wide-open receiver Preston Parker in the middle of the field who would have scored an easy touchdown if the ball were placed better and deflected off of his fingertips into safety Barry Church’s arms who returned it 45 yards to midfield. Instead of scoring and increasing the lead to 28-17, the Giants made yet another costly mistake that lead to a 31-yard touchdown pass to Dez Bryant and now a 24-21 deficit.

Down by 3, the Giants got the ball back on their own seven-yard line with only 9:12 left in the game. Eli Manning did not panic. He led the offense on a 14-play, 93-yard drive that culminated in an Adrien Robinson 1-yard pass from Manning on a play action rollout throw on third down. Last week, the Giants failed to score a touchdown in four plays on the goal line to win the game. However, they finally were able to score in the red zone late in the game against the Cowboys, and with 3:00 left in the game, they took a 28-24 lead. But, the defense let the team down once again.

With only minutes to score, Tony Romo and the offense marched the ball down field and were on the cusp of scoring. In past seasons, when the defense needed a stop to ensure victory, somebody stepped up and made a play to seal the win. However, when Tony Romo dropped back to pass with only one minute left on the clock, the Giants defensive line was unable to get any pressure on him at all, allowing him over seven seconds of time in the pocket to throw, and he found Dez Bryant in the back of the end zone to take a 31-28 lead that the Cowboys would not relinquish. The Giants could not convert on 4th down when they received the ball, ending the game in stunning fashion for New York for the second straight week.

This game started so promisingly for New York, with tremendous optimism and hope for the future with the emergence of Odell Beckham Jr. as a star in this league. There were so many reasons for the Giants to win. But, like numerous other times in this catastrophic season, they made fewer plays made to win the game than the mistakes made to lose it. The Cowboys made a stop when they had to, and the Giants did not. And once again, for the sixth straight week, the Giants are left scratching their heads wondering what they have to do to secure victory, and what the future holds for this franchise.

The post Giant Disappointment first appeared on Bleedbigblue.com.

1. Injuries Are Piling Up on Both Sides of the Ball

Prior to the game, the Giants were without arguably their best running back (Rashad Jennings), their best wide receiver (Victor Cruz), their best offensive linemen (Geoff Schwartz), their best linebacker (Jon Beason), and their two best nickel corners (Walter Thurmond III and Trumaine McBride). Week after week it seems that more and more key players are going down with catastrophic injuries. This week was no exception. Emerging star cornerback Prince Amukamara, who is tied for 5th in the NFL and most the team with 3 interceptions, tore his bicep and was placed on injured reserve, effectively ending his season. He was one of the team’s best players on offense and defense and will be nearly impossible to replace. Weston Richburg, who has started each game at left guard, sprained his right ankle towards the end of the game and his status moving forward is unknown. Punter Steve Weatherford has not been the same since his week one injury and had trouble with distance on several punts against the Colts. The compounding injuries are crippling the team and putting more and more pressure on Eli Manning and the offense to force the ball downfield, a trait that devastated the Giants last season.

2. The Secondary is a Liability

The secondary, which was projected to be the team’s strength before the season and potentially one of the best units in the entire league, is now a major weakness as three of the four top corners went down with season-ending injuries. Now at cornerback, the Giants only have Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who is fighting a multitude of injuries to his right leg and back, Zack Bowman, who has never seen extended playing time in his entire career and may not play moving forward due to an abdominal injury, Jayron Hosley, who has struggled throughout his career to grasp the defensive system, Chandler Fenner, who was recently promoted from the practice squad, and Chykie Brown, whom the Giants just signed off of the Baltimore Ravens’ practice squad. As they are dangerously thin at corner, teams moving forward will attempt to exploit this huge weakness.

3. The Giants desperately need Rashad Jennings back

For the third straight week, rookie Andre Williams started at running back. And for the third straight week, he underperformed and the ground game as a whole was terrible. Not coincidentally, the Giants lost all three. Without Rashad Jennings, who has missed the past three losses with a sprained MCL suffered in the Giants’ last victory against Atlanta, they could not establish the ground game at all. As a result, Eli Manning and the offense have had to face numerous third-and-long situations and subsequently could not convert and establish long drives. Against the Colts, Andre Williams only gained 22 yards on 12 carries, resulting in an abysmal 1.8 yards per carry. Their leading rusher on the night was Michael Cox, who had only two carries when the game was out of reach. In order to win, the Giants need Jennings to stabilize the position and bring back the Giants’ ground game that averaged 145 yards per game during the 3 game winning streak. He needs to take the bulk of the carries while Andre Williams takes the back seat and continues to develop his game. The return of Jennings, who averaged 4.4 yards per carry before going down, should alleviate the pressure on Manning and will improve the offense immensely.

4. Robert Ayers Needs to Start Alongside Jason Pierre-Paul

Defensively, the secondary looked sluggish and left the middle of the field wide open to be gashed by quarterback Andrew Luck. The linebackers could not cover the Colts’ tight ends Dwayne Allen and Coby Fleener, allowing 8 receptions for 125 yards and 2 touchdowns between them. The back seven for the Giants simply had an awful game. But, the front four conversely played well. Andrew Luck had pressure in his face the whole game and was hit 11 times. Notably, free agent signing defensive end Robert Ayers had a great game. Ayers finished with three tackles, one sack, a forced fumble, and seven quarterback hits. Head coach Tom Coughlin praised Ayers on his play as one of the few bright spots in the game. He has played very well all season in limited playing time, as he has yet to start one game. He is 2nd on the team with three sacks despite playing just over 50% of all defensive snaps. He needs to see the field more, and should take over the starting job from Mathias Kiwanuka opposite Jason Pierre-Paul, who has been ineffective all season.

5. Odell Beckham Jr. is the Real Deal

Rookie wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. in only his fourth career game shined against the Colts. Possibly the lone bright spot for the offense, he finished with 8 receptions for 156 yards, with an excellent mark of 19.5 yards per reception. He also had a 59 yard reception in the third quarter, the type big play in which the Giants have badly lacked all season. His routes looked extremely sharp and his lightning speed was apparent all game. He also showed great ball skills and leaping ability. He was continually on the same page with Eli Manning, while Rueben Randle continues to have weekly miscommunications with Manning. After missing the first four games of the season, prompting doubts over his potential to live up to the high draft choice, his huge game against the Colts solidifies his place as the Giants best receiver only four games into his career. His future looks as bright as any wide receiver in the league and should continue to shine in weeks to come.

6. Jacquian Williams is Emerging as a Star

The fourth year player out of South Florida has consistently improved each season since being drafted, and is now an emerging star at outside linebacker for the Giants. Against the Colts, he led all players with 18 tackles and also tallied one pass defended. Williams has great size for the position at 6 foot 3 inches, while possessing unheralded speed as well. He was all over the field making tackles on Monday and should continue to be an anchor on the defense. With 69 tackles, he is third in the NFL amongst outside linebackers on the season, and 11th overall. He will continue to improve in pass coverage and emerge as a top outside linebacker in the league.

7. Eli Manning Needs Help from his Receivers

On the season, the Giants are 5th in the NFL in drops percentage, with 17 drops on 278 targets. On Monday, it was apparent that the receivers needed to step up and make plays in order to come back from the early deficit, but failed to do so. Preston Parker, the third receiver on the depth chart for the time being, dropped four passes before bringing in one reception. Both Rueben Randle and Odell Beckham Jr. both dropped one pass each, with Randle’s drop coming on a key third down. Although Eli Manning did not have a good game, missing high on several throws, his receivers did not give him the opportunity to succeed. The receiving corps has to improve on their poor outing and make plays when Manning puts the ball in a catchable spot. In order for the Giants to win, they need better play from their complementary receivers other than Odell Beckham Jr., and on Monday this was far from the case.

8. Preseason Sensation Corey Washington Needs to Play More

After the game was well out of hand, undrafted rookie Corey Washington caught 4 passes for 48 yards in he fourth quarter, including his first NFL touchdown. Washington made a splash this preseason when he caught four game-winning touchdowns on 10 total receptions. At 6 foot 4, he has the ideal size to be a dominant outside receiver in this league. Scouts have compared him to former Giant Plaxico Burress due to his size, and he displayed similarly great leaping ability and ball skills in limited playing time. His addition to the lineup could permanently move Odell Beckham Jr. into the slot, a position in which he has thrived in college and thus far in his career. The Giants must move him up the depth chart ahead of struggling Preston Parker to give Manning a big red zone threat on the outside along with tight end Larry Donnell. His addition into the rotation would immediately improve the receiving corps and create a formidable group of Beckham Jr., Rueben Randle, and himself.

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In the 31-21 defeat at the hands of Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys, the New York Giants could not get out of their own way. Penalties plagued the offensive line, as there where several times where drives were stalled because of holding penalties and false starts. Tight end Larry Donnell, who is usually sure handed, lost a fumble deep in the Giants’ own territory with less than 5 minutes left with the Giants down by a touchdown, which resulted in a game-clinching field goal by Dan Bailey. Finally, the offensive line could not open up any holes for the running game, as Andre Williams only averaged 2.8 yards per carry. This game was a huge loss for the Giants, and the impact that injuries have had thus far to the offense played a role in this, and every other game they have played. Through seven games, the Giants’ offense has been ravaged by injuries to essential players.

Before Rashad Jennings sprained his MCL in week five against Atlanta, the Giants were rolling. They had won three straight games, and Jennings was a huge reason why. He gained 286 rushing yards in their three wins, converting numerous short yardage situations and gaining crucial yardage on first downs to limit third-and-long situations. But, since then, they have not been able to establish the run game at all, only gaining 190 total rushing yards in the losses at Philadelphia and Dallas with Andre Williams rushing 35 times for 110 yards as the primary back.
Williams has not come nearly as close to the 5.0 yards per carry on 1st and 10 situations, which have led to more third-and-longs. Jennings’ presence gave the offense a different dimension that they have not found since his injury. Although the Giants have a bye this week, and head coach Tom Coughlin has said that the Giants hope Jennings will return to action after the bye, he is no lock to be ready when they return to play the Colts on November 3.

When Victor Cruz went down against the Eagles and was placed on season-ending injured reserve, the offense lost a huge dimension. His presence on the field not only gives Eli Manning a security blanket, but also draws defenses towards him thus opening up holes for other receivers and tight ends. Although the passing offense played very well against Dallas, his absence will be felt in games to come. He will be impossible to replace in the offense and it will be even harder for the Giants to turn around the season than it already is with him sidelined.

The offensive line, which looked like it was emerging as one of the best units in the NFL during the Giants’ three game winning streak, has not played well the past two weeks. Against Philadelphia, they allowed 8 sacks and gave Eli no time in the pocket to throw. Against Dallas, they could not open holes for the run game. The line needs some kind of boost to return to the success they had during their winning streak. This unit has been without big free agent acquisition guard Geoff Schwartz for all seven games because of a toe injury that he suffered before the season started. Schwartz is a solid guard who can move around on the interior line as needed. He is a type of linemen they have severely lacked thus far: a gritty, powerful bruiser who specializes in run blocking. Because he was placed on short-term injured reserve with destination to return, he is eligible to play in their next game after the bye against the Colts. However, according to Coughlin, “Schwartz has a long way to go” before he is ready to play and as of now it seems unlikely he will be able to go.

The injuries to key players on the offense have already hurt the Giants in both the passing and running phases, and the health of players returning from injury will go a long way in defining the success of the offense, and the team as a whole.

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The New York Giants started slowly on Sunday, just as they started the season. The offense did not gain a rhythm for the first two and a half quarters, and the special teams struggled. With 5:37 gone in the third quarter, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan dumped the ball off to speedy back Antone Smith, who then eluded Giants safety Antrel Rolle and darted up the sideline for a 74 yard score. This touchdown gave Atlanta a 20-10 lead, and all of the momentum. The Giants had looked sluggish thus far in the game, committing a turnover on special teams and fumbling away the ball after an interception. They needed some kind of spark. And as it turns out, they got two, and they both came from the same place: this year’s draft as our NY Giants rookies shine.
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Every contending team has games throughout the season where they get an improbable boost from an unlikely source in the face of adversity. At home against Atlanta, rookies Odell Beckham Jr. and Andre Williams provided exactly that.
​After being drafted 12th overall, wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. had great expectations. But, after injuring and then reinjuring his hamstring in training camp, he did not see game or practice time for all of the preseason, and a quarter of the regular season. Frustrated Giants fans had to wait until week 5 to see their first round pick see the field. Even Beckham felt like he was letting his teammates and himself down by not being able to play. But in just one game, disappointment and doubt turned to excitement.
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Known in college for his game-changing ability, Beckham made an instant impact in his long awaited NFL debut. After Smith’s score, the Giants came back to score an 81-yard drive that featured Beckham drawing a 26-yard pass interference penalty. The momentum was starting to shift thanks to Beckham’s presence on the field. Now down only three, the defense forced a three-and-out, an the Giants took the lead with an 11-play, 64-yard drive that featured passes of 14 and 15 yards to Beckham, culminating in a leaping grab in the corner of the end zone to take a 24-20 lead. Quarterback Eli Manning displayed great trust in the rookie receiver on his first career touchdown despite their lack of practice reps together by throwing the ball up for grabs despite the defender’s good position. Beckham’s debut was undoubtedly memorable, and his impact truly changed the game.
​Along with Beckham, rookie halfback Andre Williams came up huge in the Giants’ week five victory.

Head Coach Tom Coughlin has always preached that if a player goes down, the next player in line has to step up. The fourth round pick has already shown this season that he can be an effective change-of-pace back, but after starting halfback and NFL’s third leading rusher Rashad Jennings was forced out early in the third quarter with a sprained left knee, Williams was the next man up. Williams scored on a 3 yard run that capped a long drive that shifted all of the momentum towards New York. On 20 carries for 65 yards, he showed his ability to bounce off tacklers and fall forward for extra yards. He even displayed his immensely improved receiving game when he caught 2 passes for 18 yards, a feat he did not achieve all of last season at Boston College.

In the Giants’ come from behind win against Atlanta, unlikely sources provided needed boosts for a team down 20-10 at home. Andre Williams produced when needed after Rashad Jennings went down with an injury, scoring a pivotal rushing touchdown. With other offensive weapons being held in check (Larry Donnell- 0 receptions for 0 yards, Victor Cruz- 3 receptions for 22 yards), Odell Beckham Jr. stepped up when his team needed him and caught the game-winning touchdown. As the Giants keep rolling, they will need different guys to step up and make plays to win each game. In a week five victory, two players with a combined 4 career games played stole the show.

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Coming off of their best game of the season by a wide margin, Eli and company had hoped to carry the momentum from their first win with them to Washington. They did just that, and then some. They absolutely dominated the Redskins on both sides of the ball. Giants Rout Redskins.

Offensively, they scored 45 points, which they had not done since they defeated New Orleans, 52-27, on Dec. 9, 2012.  The offense gained 449 yards and accumulated 31 first downs, their highest total since they had 32 against Philadelphia on Dec. 30, 2012. They also dominated time of possession, controlling the ball for 37:17 compared to the Redskins’ measly 22:43.

Defensively, they forced a remarkable six turnovers, picking off Redskins’ quarterback Kirk Cousins 4 times and forcing 2 fumbles (One of which was Cousins). They held Alfred Morris, who had the 4^th most rushing yards in the NFL through three weeks, to 63 yards. Desean Jackson, longtime Giants nemesis, who always seems to play well against New York, had only 1 reception for 9 yards.

There were several Giants who played extremely well such as Victor Cruz and Larry Donnell, but the game ball undeniably goes to the quarterback. Manning completed 28-of-39 passes for 300 yards, threw 4 touchdowns and ran for another, while throwing one very questionable, unlucky interception in which a pass thrown to Reuben Randle got ripped out of his hands in the end zone that was deemed not to be a completed catch before being knocked out and then intercepted by Redskins’ Keenan Robinson.

Before the season started, Manning as well as offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo notably declared that Eli should complete 70% of his passes in this west-coast style offense. Most on the outside declared this a ridiculous notion, but on the season, Manning has completed 67% of his passes and has eclipsed 70% in his last two games. These numbers are light years ahead of his mediocre 58% completion percentage of last season.

Manning completed 18 of his first 20 passes, and the two incompletions resulted from drops. He seemed as comfortable in the pocket as he has been in a long time and did not force many throws, a trait that has plagued him his entire career. His five total touchdowns are his most since the final game of the 2012 season against Philadelphia. The Redskins simply could not stop him. He picked apart a defense that was ranked in the top five coming into the week in total defense. Eli was that good.

To put Manning’s dominant performance in perspective, he recorded a total quarterback rating (Total QBR) of 97.5 on Thursday. This is an advanced metric that incorporates context of throws and what they mean for wins in addition to just numbers. The highest possible Total QBR that a quarterback can attain in a game is 100. Eli was nearly perfect on Thursday. He has recorded a better Total QBR only four other times in his career. But also, it is the fourth-best game statistically any quarterback has had this season.

Nobody expected such a dominant performance from Manning, and the doubters will probably discount it as a fluke. Regardless of how the future pans out for this offense and for Manning this season, his performance in Washington was one for the ages.

The post Giants Rout Redskins first appeared on Bleedbigblue.com.

The Good: Eli Manning’s Play

After an unimpressive season opening performance where he threw two interceptions, it seemed as if Eli Manning picked up right where he left off from his nightmarish 2013 campaign where he threw an NFL high 27 interceptions. However, this was not the case. He looked very sharp, releasing the ball quickly and putting the ball in perfect position for the receivers to make a play. He completed 67% of his passes, a tremendous improvement from the 55% of passes last week. He threw for 277 yards and 2 touchdowns. On the first touchdown, he lofted a picture-perfect fade to Reuben Randle in the corner of the end zone, who made a tremendous one-handed grab. On the second, Manning had time in the pocket to go through his progressions and find tight end Daniel Fells wide open. Throughout the game, he did a great job of reading the defense and finding the open receiver without forcing throws. Although he did throw two interceptions, the Giants found rhythm in the passing game that was expected when offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo came to New York. Eli Manning and the entire offense did make steps towards becoming the high-powered, quick-hitting offense that was promised, and it seems that they are not very far from fully clicking offensively.

The Good: Larry Donnell’s Consistency

Coming off of a strong opener where he gained 56 yards and a touchdown, Donnell followed up with a strong game where he caught 7 passes for 81 yards, and has continued to develop chemistry with quarterback Eli Manning. He repeatedly went to Donnell on third downs and completed 88% of passes thrown Donnell’s way. Donnell has shown leaping ability and the propensity to catch over the defenders, as he demonstrated on his touchdown reception in the season opener. He is quickly becoming Manning’s security blanket and favorite target. At 6 foot 6, Donnell has a huge ceiling with huge room to improve and could become a top-tier tight end with sustained consistency.

The Good: Secondary Improvement

After a disastrous performance in week one where the secondary allowed 341 passing yards to Detroit, the defense only allowed 142 passing yards. Although backup quarterback Drew Stanton was playing in his first game in four years, the secondary was able to contain the offensive weapons of the Cardinals, Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd. The Cardinals only averaged 4.3 yards per pass as well as limited the Cardinals offense to 38% third down efficiency, a vast improvement from the 67% third down efficiency against Detroit. The defense looked like was in better sync and is starting to gel. The secondary, even with the loss of Walter Thurmond III for the season with a torn pectoral, played much better and will continue to improve.

The Bad: Turnovers

Although it sounds like a broken record, the Giants once again beat themselves with turnovers. With four coming in the defeat, the Giants lead the NFL with six turnovers on the season. After regaining the lead and all of the momentum in the third quarter, the special teams allowed a 71-yard Ted Ginn punt return touchdown as the Cardinals regained the lead. At this point, they needed to regroup. However, on the ensuing kickoff Quentin Demps lost a fumble and led to a Cardinals field goal. Later, still a one-possession game, the Giants were driving down the field methodically. Manning then flipped the ball to halfback Rashad Jennings, who then slipped and lost the fumble without even being touched by a defender. The sure handed Jennings had not fumbled all of last season, but this one was an absolute devastator. The turnovers were the most prominent reason why the Giants lost the game. Committing four turnovers per game is unacceptable, and has to change if the Giants are to beat the undefeated Texans next week.

The Bad: Special Teams

Last season, a major problem the Giants faced was their failure on punt coverage as well as lack of kick return yardage. They attempted to fix these over the offseason by signing perennial special teamers Zach Bowman and Quentin Demps to strengthen the position. However, on Sunday, the special teams mightily struggled. The Giants allowed a 71-yard Ted Ginn punt return touchdown, and on the subsequent kickoff Demps lost a fumble deep in the Giants’ zone. Special teams have to improve and at least, not turnover the ball. Allowing a long touchdown and committing a turnover is unacceptable for a special teams group. Improvements have to be made in this area from the dreadful performance on Sunday.

The Ugly: Injuries

Along with the loss, the Giants lost three key players to long-term or potentially long-term injuries. Slot cornerback Walter Thurmond III, signed from Seattle’s vaunted secondary, tore his pectoral muscle and was placed on injured reserve. Thurmond was commonly known as a top slot corner and the in the NFL and the injury now puts pressure on cornerback Trumaine McBride to step up. Also, wide receiver Jerrel Jernigan, who flashed potential at the end of last season, was placed on season-ending injured reserve with a mid-foot strain that will require surgery. With the Giants already thin at receiver with Odell Beckham Jr. out since training camp, players such as Corey Washington and Preston Parker will have to step up. Finally, middle linebacker and team captain Jon Beason reinjured his toe that held him out of all of the preseason. This injury is not confirmed to be season ending or even long-term, but people in the organization believe it to be serious. These injuries are huge blows to the team, and it will take a great team effort to overcome.

The post The Good The Bad And The Ugly NY Giants first appeared on Bleedbigblue.com.

In the season opener, after all of the promised change to the offense and the new acquisitions on defense, the New York Giants lost by 21 points. They were outgained by 220 yards and were drastically outplayed on both sides of the ball. Head coach Tom Coughlin even labeled the game “a nightmare performance.” The offense looked out of sync, with miscommunications between Eli Manning and his receivers similar to the ones that plagued the offense last season. The offensive line was ravaged by the Lions’ defensive line and gave Eli absolutely no time to go through his progressions. In addition, the Giants only converted 23% of their third downs while allowing the Lions to convert 67% of theirs. This disparity meant that the offense could not sustain drives while the defense could not get off the field. To sum up the season opener: the Giants got flat out embarrassed on the national stage. Can the Giants bounce back from a demoralizing week one loss and win their home opener on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals?

Reasons for Optimism:

The Offense Has More Time To Click

When Ben McAdoo was hired as new offensive coordinator, the New York Giants front office and coaches knew that he was bringing with him a whole new offensive system. In his ten-year career, Eli Manning had never had an offensive coordinator change until this offseason, with Kevin Gilbride running the offense every season since Eli was drafted. Because of this, it would take some time for the offense to gel, and the coaches knew this. However, they had hoped that it would by the beginning of the regular season. Based on the lack of efficiency in week one, it is clear that the offense is a work in progress. But the good news is that with each week, the offense has more time together to mesh. For the most part, aside from 1st round pick wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and guard Geoff Schwartz, the offense has not incurred any major injuries. The same group will continue to practice together and develop chemistry. Eli Manning will continue to develop chemistry with his receivers. The question is not if the offense will click, it is when. And the more time the same group of players has to mesh, the faster the time will come. Can that time be this Sunday?

Emergence of Larry Donnell

Possibly the lone bright spot in the ugly week one loss was tight end Larry Donnell. Named the starting tight end on the depth chart, Donnell was targeted 8 times and had 5 catches for 56 yards with a touchdown. This touchdown, which was the first of Donnell’s career, was on a fade route in the corner of the end zone where Donnell had single coverage and used his size advantage to leap over the cornerback and haul in the pass at the peak of the flight. One of the biggest question marks coming into the season was who would emerge as the starting tight end, and it seems like Donnell can potentially be a legitimate starting tight end and an offensive weapon. At 6 foot 6, Donnell can be a matchup nightmare for undersized corners if he can use his size and athleticism to his advantage and build off of a strong opening week.

Reasons for Pessimism:

Offensive Line Struggles

In the season opener, every aspect of the offense struggled. All of the struggles stemmed from the breakdown of the offensive line. It failed to create running lanes and did not give Eli any time in the pocket. If the Giants are to have any success on offense, the offensive line has to improve drastically. But, with three new starters, it is unlikely that that progress will happen anytime soon. Will Beatty was beaten several times and played very poorly returning from injury. He played poorly last season and did not look any better on Monday. Rookie guard Weston Richburg in his first game as a pro had a decent game but faced a daunting task of blocking the fearsome defensive tackles of Detroit. He, along with center J.D. Walton allowed defensive line penetration on multiple occasions and could not get a push on interior rushes. Guard John Jerry did not play well and could be replaced by either Brandon Mosley or newly signed veteran guard Adam Snyder in the starting lineup for the home opener. Tackle Justin Pugh did not play particularly well either. Overall, the Giants offensive line was atrocious and will have to make a huge leap if the Giants hope to win.

Arizona Cardinals Defense

After facing a tough Detroit defense in week one, things do not get any easier for Big Blue. The Cardinals held a potent Chargers offense to 290 yards and have a dominant cornerback tandem of Patrick Peterson and Antonio Cromartie. They are strong in all aspects of the defense, especially the secondary. The trio of Peterson, Cromartie, and Tryann Mathieu has the potential to one of the best in the NFL and should cause problems for the Giants’ offense that already struggle moving the ball through the air. If the offense does not take the next step and develop strong chemistry, it will once again be a long day for the Big Blue offense.

Defensive Struggles

Although the offensive woes were heavily publicized after the loss, the Giants’ defense was a huge disappointment. Detroit totaled 341 passing yards and allowed quarterback Matt Stafford a quarterback rating of 125.3. On the Lions’ first touchdown, a 67-yard pass to Calvin Johnson, there was a breakdown in the secondary that allowed Johnson to be wide open several yards behind the defense. This week, they face a tough test in Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd, and they will need to improve in the back. The Giants undoubtedly have the defensive talent to be one of the best defenses in the NFL, but they need to develop better chemistry. Once it meshes, the defense will thrive. However, will they mesh this week?

Verdict: The Cardinals seem to have a distinct advantage on both sides of the ball. The Giants will need immense improvement in the play of the offensive line and secondary in order to win. If these things occur… and it is a BIG if… the Giants can win. But it is very possible that come Monday the Giants will be looking at the second straight 0-2 start to the season.

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Is he still an elite quarterback? Was he ever elite? Is his time running out as the Giants’ franchise quarterback? Will he receive a contract extension in the future and make him a lifetime Giant? Of course, all of these questions regard veteran QB Eli Manning. As the regular season opener rapidly approaches, several questions remain about Eli. His play this season will answer most, if not all, of these Eli Manning expectations and inquiries. But, how will they be answered? What can Giants’ fans expect in 2014?

Reasons for Optimism:
New Offensive Scheme– For the first ten years of Manning’s career, Kevin Gilbride was the Offensive Coordinator. His deep throw, option route-oriented scheme has caused Manning’s completion percentage to decline every year since 2010. His average distance traveled per pass attempt was highest in the league last year with almost 10 yards per pass. Continuous downfield throws cause more third-and-long situations and lack of offensive continuity. But, out with the old and in with the new. Gilbride retired during the offseason and was swiftly replaced with Ben McAdoo. Formerly the Quarterbacks and Tight End’s Coach in Green Bay, McAdoo brings with him a quick-hitting, fast-paced offense that better suits both Manning and his receivers, especially Reuben Randle, who struggled to grasp Gilbride’s system and at times last season caused interceptions with his miscommunication with Manning. This new offense should revitalize Eli, allowing for a drastically higher completion percentage and decreasing his sack total and interceptions thrown.

Revamped Offensive Line– Last season, the Giants’ offensive line was subpar, to put it lightly. Manning consistently faced pressure with no time to go through his progressions. This prompted the front office to make it a priority to fix the broken line during the offseason. There will definitely be at least three new starters on the line this year, if not more. The Giants went out and signed guard Geoff Schwartz, center JD Walton, versatile veterans John Jerry and Charles Brown, and drafted multitalented lineman Weston Richburg in the 2nd round. Also, Justin Pugh continues to improve and Brandon Mosley has opened eyes at right guard with his development. The offensive line will look very different than last year’s underperforming line of Beatty, Boothe, Baas, Snee, and Pugh, which is likely for the best for Eli and the offense.

Refurbished Backfield– The Giants have always prided themselves on a strong run game, but last year that was not the case. They finished 4th worst in the NFL in rushing yards and 2nd worst in fumbles. Along with rampant injuries that forced the Giants to sign veteran Brandon Jacobs off of the scrap heap, change was necessary. They let injury prone Andre Brown walk and signed free agent Rashad Jennings. Jennings, along with good ball control and power, gives the Giants an immediate boost in pass-protection and receiving. They also drafted Andre Williams in the 4th round. Williams has turned heads and is rapidly earning more and more touches. Manning has always excelled in play action, and with the new tools at runningback, he should thrive. A good ground game always facilitates the passing game, and if the Giants can improve on the ground, Manning will undoubtedly improve.

OBJ– The Giants drafted speedy receiver Odell Beckham Jr. in the 1st round with hopes that he can give the offense a big play threat on the outside. If he can stay healthy and return to the practice field, he will immediately help the offense, and Eli, return to shape. Also, the presence of OBJ will allow Victor Cruz to move back into the slot, a position in which he has dominated in the past. With Cruz in the slot, Manning’s completion percentage should drastically improve. Also, with OBJ and Reuben Randle on the outside, Eli could have several weapons at his disposal that he did not have last season.

Reasons for Pessimism:
Age- At 33 years old, Manning is the 5th oldest starting quarterback in the NFL. At this age, most quarterbacks are on the decline in their careers. Manning’s numbers have dwindled every year since 2011 as well as increased turnovers each year since. Also, he experienced his worst season as a pro last season. In the final game, Manning suffered a very serious ankle injury that required surgery. Although he has fully recovered from the injury, he has never missed a game in his career and has never experienced a serious injury like this before. At 33, high ankle sprains could potentially have lingering effects, which is something to keep an eye on.

New Offense– Although Ben McAdoo’s new quick-hitting system better fits Manning’s playing style, it is the first time in his entire career he has had to learn a new offense. In the first two preseason games, he has apparently struggled to grasp the new scheme. It is imperative that Manning masters the offense if he is to rebound from his worst season as a pro.

Lack of Established Tight Ends– Ben McAdoo’s offense counts on a vertical threat tight end that can stretch the defense. Jermichael Finley provided this role in Green Bay for the past five seasons where McAdoo was Quarterbacks Coach last season, and was Tight Ends Coach from 2006-2011. The Giants, however, do not have any established talent at this position. Larry Donnell was listed as the starting tight end on the preseason depth chart, but this is obviously subject to change. Along with Donnell, the Giants have Adrien Robinson, Daniel Fells, Kellen Davis, Xavier Grimble(r), and Jermaine Cunningham(r), on their current roster. With two undrafted free agents, two young and inexperienced tight ends (Donnell and Robinson), and two veterans (Fells and Davis), neither of whom have ever had more than 400 receiving yards in any season, Manning will need one or more of these players to step up in order to bounce back.

It will be incredibly hard to bounce back from the worst season of his career, but if the offensive line can improve and stay healthy, if Manning can fully grasp OC McAdoo’s system, if the Giants can establish a legitimate ground game, and get production from the TE spot, Manning should have a substantially better season and return to his 2011 form, if not exceed it. If there is one quarterback who can comeback from such a devastating and disappointing season, it is Eli.

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