Ever Upward: A New York Giants Franchise

[fearme504]

Great win, it's always good to get that first td in the books. Being winless can be deflating. Hopefully you can get a little winning streak going next game.

[Gronk4M13]

Quote: Originally Posted by fearme504

Great win, it's always good to get that first td in the books. Being winless can be deflating. Hopefully you can get a little winning streak going next game.

Thanks. I actually hope to lose a lot this first season because the Giants aren't going to win many games this year IRL.

Update coming tonight: a spotlight article on Thad Lewis, analyzing a trade we made, and previewing/summarizing the Thursday Night Football clash with the Redskins.

[illWILL8455]

Interesting QB battle while Eli Manning is out! I am a huge Duke football fan so I remember Thad Lewis very well. He was great in Cutcliffe's system, and that is an interesting link between Eli and him, both have worked with Coach Cut! Hopefully Thad keeps doing his thing so he can stay on the roster and be ready to step in and run things if Eli can't play.

Great dynasty so far, following!

[fearme504]

Obviously not a duke fan but it is cool seeing a qb from Duke in the nfl and doing well.(even if it is just a video game lol.)

[Gronk4M13]

Quote: Originally Posted by illWILL8455

Interesting QB battle while Eli Manning is out! I am a huge Duke football fan so I remember Thad Lewis very well. He was great in Cutcliffe's system, and that is an interesting link between Eli and him, both have worked with Coach Cut! Hopefully Thad keeps doing his thing so he can stay on the roster and be ready to step in and run things if Eli can't play. Great dynasty so far, following!

Thank you very much for the reply. Nassib, man...maybe it's me but I just don't play well with him. He's 3 points better (69 to 66 overall) than Lewis, but I feel better with Lewis. I did not know that Lewis has that link to Eli/Cutliffe. I do plan on keeping him, at least for now.

[Gronk4M13]

New York Giants (1-2) @ Washington Redskins (3-0) Thursday Night Football preview

Landover, Maryland- Tom Coughlin's New York Giants avoided a second consecutive 0-3 regular season start by defeating the Houston Texans at MetLife Stadium last week. This victory was accomplished through a defensive showcase, as three Giants (Zack Bowman, Prince Amukamara and Stevie Brown) intercepted Texans quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Additionally, the Giants pressured and sacked Fitzpatrick for the entire game, tallying five sacks by the final whistle. The Giants should hope that this kind of defensive play continues, as new coordinator Ben McAdoo's offensive system has struggled thus far. This struggles, arguably, can be blamed on the fact that two time SuperBowl winning quarterback, Eli Manning, has missed all three games in the 2014 regular season, and won't return for three more weeks, due to a torn hamstring. Sophomore signal caller Ryan Nassib has proven that he is unready to be a starting quarterback. Late preseason addition Thad Lewis has taken over the starting quarterback job, and has proven to be a better fit for the west coast offense than Nassib.

Coughlin has repeatedly stated that he has been disappointed with the running game, or the lack thereof. Rashad Jennings has not played poorly, but he has not been a game changer. Coughlin gave Peyton Hillis the start last week, but the former Madden cover star left the game early with an upper arm fracture. Hillis will miss five weeks, which left the Giants with only two halfbacks on the roster. Rookie Andre Williams has been inconsistent when he has gotten the ball. Subsequently, Coughlin traded for Cardinals running back Andre Ellington. Ellington will not be active for this Thursday Night Football matchup, but will debut (likely as the starter) next week when the Giants return home to host the Falcons.

The offensive line has not done an efficient job of protecting the quarterback, regardless of who is throwing the ball. New York is still making changes along the line in an attempt to find the best combination/alignment of personnel. The Redskins are not known for their defensive talent, but the Giants will struggle to emerge victorious if their offense can not score.

The Redskins are undefeated (3-0) under rookie coach Jay Gruden. The former Bengals offensive coordinator has changed the culture in Washington, and it has shown on the field. Robert Griffin III has adapted to Gruden's scheme, but still regularly displays his athletic ability. Alfred Morris continues his emergence as a top running back, which undoubtably gives the Redskins a well-rounded offense. Former Eagle Desean Jackson has formed chemistry with Griffin III, and the trio of Jackson, Pierre Garçon and tight end Jordan Reed gives Griffin a surplus of weapons. Defensively, Ryan Kerrigan and Brian Orakpo are two explosive linebackers that can make plays from sideline to sideline. The addition of former Cowboy Jason Hatcher adds another element to the pass rush. Perry Riley has stepped into the role of starting middle linebacker with the retirement of London Fletcher, and has exceeded expectations. The secondary is weak, arguably, but cornerback De'Angelo Hall can lock down the opponent's top receiver. Overall, the Redskins have relied on a versatile offense to win games by out-scoring opponents. The Giants can not afford to get into an offensive shootout, and must slow down RG3 and Co. If New York can stop Washington's offense, the Giants have a good chance of getting the victory in their divisional opener.

Injury report, presented by Hospital for Special Surgery:

For the Giants, Eli Manning will not return for three more weeks with a torn hamstring. Rookie linebacker Devon Kennard, who should assume the starting job upon his return, will miss this week with a pulled groin, and Peyton Hillis is inactive for five weeks with an arm fracture. The absence of Hillis leaves the Giants with only two halfbacks (Jennings and Williams.) Therefore, the Giants should gameplan to split carries between the two, so as to not overwork either running back.

The Redskins are dealing with their own injuries. Guard Shawn Lauvao is inactive with an arm fracture, so Josh Leribeus will start in his place. Prior to this season, Leribeus had only played in five games, starting none of them. Rookie linebacker Trent Murphy will miss this week with a hamstring tear, so fellow rookie Jackson Jeffcoat will serve as the primary backup outside linebacker. Cornerback Richard Crawford will miss eleven weeks with a torn tricep, so rookie Bashaud Breeland will step into the #3 corner role.

[Gronk4M13]

Giants Falter Late, Redskins Win On a Late Field Goal

The Giants have dealt with their share of injuries thus far in 2014. The absence of starting quarterback Eli Manning seems to have doomed this team from the start. Last week, the Giants earned their first victory by defensively dominating the Houston Texans in MetLife stadium. Standing at 1-2, the Giants faced a difficult task this week, as New York would travel to FedExField to meet their undefeated division rival, the Washington Redskins. This Thursday Night Football matchup served as the Giants' first NFC East game this season.


The Giants began the game with a conservative approach on offense. Rashad Jennings rushed the ball for three consecutive plays, and gained a first down. The (surprising) Giants starting quarterback, Thad Lewis, connected with Jerrel Jernigan for a first down, and soon thereafter a roughing the passer foul on Stephen Bowen put the Giants on their own 39 yard line. Victor Cruz dropped a pass, and Jernigan could not hold onto another in traffic, causing a Giants punt.

Alfred Morris powered the Redskins down the field on their opening drive. The combination of Morris, Robert Griffin III's scrambling ability and his receivers' ability to extend plays let Washington drive downfield. Roy Helu ran for a six yard touchdown to score the game's first points. Thad Lewis began the game 2/5 passing after he connected with Victor Cruz for for an eight yard gain. The Giants would be forced to punt after Rashad Jennings was stopped short on third down. Unlike Lewis, "RG3" started the game a perfect 5/5 passing. Griffin also ran for ten yards on a well executed read option play. Jason Pierre-Paul tackled Morris for a loss, forcing a Washington punt.


The Giants offense showed signs of life in the second quarter, as Rashad Jennings caught a pass and ran with it for 19 yards. A short Jennings run allowed the Giants to cross midfield, and then Thad Lewis connected with Victor Cruz for a 42 yard touchdown catch and run. Cruz burned his defender on a simple curl route, and showcased his electric speed to finish the play. Once more, the rushing of both Griffin and Morris drove the Redskins past midfield. However, the Giants managed to stop the game changing DeSean Jackson on a third down pass, forcing the Redskins to punt.
Unheralded tight end Larry Donnell made an impressive rolling catch; Thad Lewis threw a pass practically into the turf, and Donnell rolled as he made the catch, and got up (as he was untouched by defenders) and gained a few more yards.

"That'll be on SportsCenter tomorrow," announcer Phil Simms joked.

Reuben Randle converted on a third down after hauling in a Thad Lewis pass and running with it for ten yards. Once again, Jernigan could not hold on to a pass in traffic, setting up a third and twelve. Jernigan redeemed himself, taking a Lewis pass 51 yards to the seven yard line. It's fair to say that Jernigan has not developed his catch in traffic skills thus far, but he is an explosive playmaker in space. On first and goal, Thad Lewis threw his second touchdown of the game, this one to fullback Henry Hynoski. For the Redskins, Alfred Morris had already rushed for 59 yards on ten attempts. Consecutive Griffin III incomplete passes set up a third and ten, on which Morris was stopped a yard short after a nine yard gain on an HB screen. The Redskins would punt, leaving New York with ninety seconds (left in the first half ) to score. Rashad Jennings fumbled on the Giants' own 25, and was subsequently benched for rookie Andre Williams.

With excellent field position, Washington hoped to score and tie the game. Instead, after driving to the ten yard line, a Cullen Jenkins sack pushed the Redskins back to the 17. The Redskins drove back to the 10 yard line, and then DeSean Jackson was stopped on the goal line. The Redskins were held to a field goal, which allowed the Giants to hold a 14-10 lead heading into halftime.

Alfred Morris gained a first down to start the third quarter, and then Robert Griffin III connected with Andre Roberts for a seventeen yard gain. Next, Jordan Reed caught a pass for fourteen yards. Alfred Morris ran for another first down, and a Stevie Brown facemask put the Redskins on the Giants' ten yard line. On first and goal, Griffin III threw a pass to Andre Roberts in the end zone. The play was initially ruled an incomplete pass, as the officials originally thought that Roberts did not get both feet down. However, rookie coach Jay Gruden decided to challenge the play.

"There's no way that's a touchdown," commentator Jim Nantz declared.

" Roberts clearly doesn't have both feet in bounds," Simms agreed.

However, the play was overturned; upon further review, the officials ruled that Roberts did have both feet in bounds upon catching the ball, and thus ruled the play a touchdown. Giants coach Tom Coughlin was absolutely livid when the play was overturned.

"That wasn't a touchdown. There's no way. [Roberts] didn't have both feet in bounds, it clearly wasn't a catch, I don't see how the officials could make that call. It just may have cost us the game." The coach declared in the post game press conference.

The touchdown allowed the Redskins to take a controversial 17-14 lead. Andre Williams was stopped at the line, Randle dropped a pass, and Lewis was sacked by Akeem Jordan on the Giants' next series, forcing the Giants to punt. Both teams went three and out on their next series. Antrell Rolle sacked RGIII on the Redskins' next drive, forcing Washington to punt.Cruz caught a pass and ran with it for fifteen yards and then Reuben Randle caught a pass for a third down to end the third quarter, the Redskins leading 17-14. Thad Lewis scrambled for ten yards, allowing the Giants to successfully kick the game tying field goal. A facemask penalty on Trumaine McBride put the Redskins to start their drive on their own 38 yard line. Jameel McClain sacked a scrambling RG3, and Morris lost a yard on a third down screen, forcing the Redskins to punt. The Giants punted on their next series as well. Rolle sacked Griffin for the second time and the Redskins were forced to punt again. The Giants were driving downfield, but a crucial Thad Lewis interception to De'Angelo Hall changed the game. The interception allowed Washington to start its drive on the Giants' 48 yard line.

Spencer Paysinger sacked Griffin, much to the dismay of the Redskins fans. Alfred Morris had 97 yards rushing on 19 attempts as he ran for a first down. On a third and thirteen from the 39, the Giants gave the game away: Griffin completed a pass to Leonard Hankerson, who ran with the ball for 17 yards to the 32 yard line. As if that was not enough, DeSean Jackson took a pass to the sixteen yard line. The Giants managed to stop Alfred Morris after he broke 100 yards rushing. Mark Herzlich tackled the halfback for a loss, forcing the Redskins to settle for a field goal. The Giants were out of timeouts, and had 1:44 to drive into field goal range from their own 20.

Andre Williams ran with a pass for 21 yards, providing the Giants some hope. Odell Beckham and Andre Williams both caught passes for a first down. However, consecutive sacks led to a turnover on downs, as the Giants lost 20-17.

The Redskins, shockingly, are now 4-0 under rookie coach Jay Gruden. The Giants fall to 1-3.
QB comparison: Thad Lewis was 21/35 passing for 251 yards, completing 60% of his attempts. Lewis threw two touchdowns but he also threw the game losing interception. Robert Griffin III had an efficient game, going 25/31 for 196 yards and completing 80% of his passes along with one touchdown and no turnovers

Alfred Morris ran 22 times for 103 at a 4.6 average gain. Rashad Jennings was mediocre, again, rushing 15 times for 36 yards with 1 fumble. Rg3 8/28. Even worse, Andre Williams ran five times for a net gain of three yards.

The offensive line lost this game: Brandon Mosley, Will Beatty and James Brewer all allowed Lewis to be sacked including the game losing consecutive sacks.

Defensive MVP ( for the Giants) : Antrell Rolle. The safety made plays all over the field, sacking Griffin twice and recording nine solo tackles with three tackles for a loss.

The Giants keep getting beaten by their opponents' running attacks, and must figure out a way to fix this porous run defense. The secondary has not been much better, despite all of the money spent on the position in the offseason. The secondary continues to give up big plays, and can not stop opponents when it matters most.

Thad Lewis threw two touchdowns and had a decent game, and he will surely be criticized for the fourth quarter interception. The receivers suffered several drops, and other inabilities to fetch the ball in traffic. The running game continues to be mediocre at best, which is why the team traded for Cardinals backup halfback Andre Ellington prior to tonight's game. Ellington was inactive for this game, but will debut (likely as the starter) next week, when the Giants host the Atlanta Falcons.

[Gronk4M13]

Falcons (2-2) at New York Giants (1-3)

New York City, New York- 1-3 is not a start to the season that the Giants should be proud of. However, avoiding a second consecutive 0-6 start deserves some credit. The team nearly earned its second straight victory last week on Thursday Night Football against their divisional foe, the Washington Redskins. However, a controversial ruling on a touchdown and a late interception resulted in a Giants loss.

"That loss hurts, more than others. It's always disappointing to lose to a team in the division, but we should have won that game. We'll be looking forward to our next meeting with Washington: we'll remember this game." Coach Tom Coughlin said in an interview after the game.

The Falcons, meanwhile, are sitting at 2-2. The team has relied on its offense to win games thus far. Matt Ryan, Julio Jones and Co. are just two seasons removed from reaching the NFC Championship game. Injuries doomed this team last year, and Atlanta seems to have corrected most of the problems that plagued this team in 2013. First round pick Jake Matthews looks to give Matt Ryan protection and more time in the pocket, while the returns of Julio Jones and Roddy White instantly give this offense some firepower. Steven Jackson is one of the best running backs in the league, and provides Atlanta with another layer to its offense. The defense is still a weakness; Atlanta invested two high draft picks in the secondary last year, in the form of cornerbacks Robert Alford and Desmond Trufant. Free agent additions Josh Wilson and Javier Arenas provide more depth to the cornerback group. Talented linebacker Sean Weatherspoon will miss the season with a torn ACL, leaving the linebacking duties to Kroy Biermann, former Giant Osi Umeyiora, Paul Worrilow, Stansly Maponga, and Jopolo Bartu. This group is definitely lacking in depth, needless to say. Rashede Hageman, Tyson Jackson and Paul Soliai were all signed in free agency, and improve the defensive line. Along the offensive line, Matthews, Jon Asamoah (another offseason free agent addition) and Gabe Carimi add some depth while the group is still a weakness.


Injury Report, Presented by Hospital For Special Surgery

For the Giants, rookie linebacker Devon Kennard is finally healthy, and will start on the outside. Eli Manning will not return for two more weeks, while HB Peyton Hillis will miss 4 more weeks with an arm fracture.

Atlanta will be without linebacker Sean Weatherspoon (ACL tear, season.)

Last week, the team traded for Cardinals halfback Andre Ellington, who will start today's game. Two former Giants are starting for the Falcons: OLB Osi Umenyiora and tight end Bear Pascoe.

Giants overcome 17 Point Deficit To Beat The Falcons On Last Second TD

Thad Lewis took the field, looking to win his second game as a starter this season. Lewis threw the (unofficially) game losing interception, and he hoped to regain the trust/approval of the New York fans with a win in this game. Early on, Lewis connected with Cruz for a fourteen yard gain, but consecutive incomplete passes forced the Giants to punt. Atlanta went three and out on its first series, as it did not gain any yards. A weak punt allowed the Giants to start just shy of midfield on their own 44 yard line. The field position would be negated by a Thad Lewis "pick six" thrown to sophomore cornerback Desmond Trufant.

"There you can see the frustration of Lewis' face. He threw the game losing interception last week, and a pick six here surely doesn't help his confidence," announcer Phil Simms observed.

The Giants punted on their next series, as their offense was off to a slow start. Matt Ryan, in the other hand, got the Falcons off to a fast start, as he connected with Julio Jones for a 15 yard touchdown pass. Andre Ellington ran for a Giants first down to end the first quarter, with the Falcons up 14-0. Thad Lewis began the game a dismal 1/8 passing, with one interception returned for a touchdown. The Giants punted to the ball to the Falcons, and Atlanta capitalized. Matt Ryan evaded pressure, and threw a first down to former Giant Bear Pascoe. Spencer Paysinger was injuries on the play, and the linebacker would not return, as he suffered a dislocated hip. Steven Jackson ran for a first down, but Antrell Rolle changed the game a few plays later.

Matt Ryan dropped back to pass, and targeted Roddy White, who seemed to be open. Instead, Antrell Rolle made jumped the pass, and returned it for a touchdown to cut the Falcons' lead in half. Trumaine McBride face-masked Javier Arenas on the ensuing kick return, allowing the Falcons to start on their own 41. Matt Ryan found Levine Toilio for consecutive big plays, resulting in a Falcons first and goal. Atlanta was forced to settle for a field goal, but the Falcons got the ball back quickly, as the Giants punted on their next series.

Mathias Kiwanuja sacked Matt Ryan, yet the Falcons continued to drive downfield. Matt Ryan threw his second touchdown, this one a seventeen yard connection to Drew Davis. The Giants went three and out on their next series, and Cullen Jenkins sacked Matt Ryan to end the first half with the Giants trailing 24-7.

Bear Pascoe caught another pass for a first down to start the third quarter, but Matt Ryan threw his second interception (this one to Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie) to end the Falcons' drive. Larry Donnell caught a pass for a first down,and then Andre Ellington showed his big play ability with a 19 yard run. The Giants settled for a field goal, and forced a Falcons punt on Atlanta's next series. Andre Ellington ran for another first down, and Thad Lewis scrambled for another as the Giants drove downfield. Corey Washington caught a pass for a first down, and then Thad Lewis threw a 4 yard touchdown to rookie Odell Beckham Jr. After three quarters, the Falcons still led 24-17.

Atlanta added a field goal to their lead to start the fourth quarter. Ellington ran for another first down, and Andre Williams took a pass for 28 yards as the Giants desperately attempted to narrow the deficit. Thad Lewis threw his second touchdown, this one to Larry Donnell on an eight yard connection. Julio Jones caught two consecutive first down passes, but Toilio dropped a surefire touchdown, which would change the game. Atlanta was forced to settle for a field goal. The Giants punted on their next series, and it seemed likely that they would lose and fall to 1-4.

Atlanta took the field, hoping to burn the clock. Instead, Matt Ryan threw his third interception, his one to Prince Amukamara, allowing the Giants to start on their own 40 yard line. Andre Ellington ran for a first down, but the Giants turned the ball over on downs. All hope seemed lost; MetLife Stadium fell quiet as the fans thought that the game was lost. The Giants managed to stop the Falcons on their next series, forcing Atlanta to punt. New York had 1:45 with one timeout to score a touchdown, as the Falcons were up 30-24.

The Giants began on their own 13 yard line. Thad Lewis connected with Victor Cruz and Andre Ellington for first downs. Slowly, MetLife grew louder as the fans gained hope. Ellington was face-masked, which put the Giants on the Falcons' 36 yard line. Lewis found Rashad Jennings and Odell Beckham for first downs. Suddenly, the Giants found themselves on the ten yard line. Lewis completed a pass to Daniel Fells, who was stopped on the goal line. Every fan in MetLife Stadium was on their feet, hoping for the Giants to win, expecting them to lose.

The game came down to these next few plays. Thad Lewis, with the help of his receivers, running backs and offensive line alike, had driven the Giants to the one yard line, with less than two minutes and only one timeout. On first and goal, Andre Ellington was stopped for no gain. On second and goal, Thad Lewis handed the ball off to fullback Henry Hynoski. Hynoski had never ran for a touchdown in his three full seasons, and so the play call was an unusual one for the Giants. Hynoski took the handoff, and braced for impact as he neared the end zone...

And then crossed the plane! Hynoski scored the touchdown just five seconds left in regulation, giving the Giants a 31-30 lead.

"Honestly, I was just scared that I'd fumble (laughs)" Henry Hynoski joked after the game. "When I scored, I heard the crowd just erupt. It was crazy."

An incomplete Hail Mary sealed the game, as the Giants won 31-30 in an absolute thriller. The Giants overcame a 24-7 halftime deficit to earn their second victory of 2014. Matt Ryan tore the Giants' secondary apart: the Boston College graduate threw for 389 yards, completing 29 passes of 43 attempts (67% completed) for two touchdowns and, more importantly, three interceptions. For the Giants, preseason pickup Thad Lewis completed 23 passes on 44 attempts (52% completed) for 222 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

In his Giants debut, Andre Ellington ran for 90 yards on 25 attempts (3.6 average yards per attempt.) For the Falcons, Steven Jackson was held in check to the tune of 48 yards on 24 carries (2.0 average) while Jacquizz Rodgers ran five times for 36 yards (7.2 average.)

Unheralded tight end Larry Donnell caught 8 passes for 63 yards and a touchdown for the Giants. Odell Beckham also caught a touchdown, the first of his career.

Jameel McClain led all defenders with 11 tackles, two for a loss. Mathias Kiwanuka and Cullen Jenkins both sacked Matt Ryan while Prince Amukamara, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Antrell Rolle all intercepted Ryan. The most telling statistic: the Giants were 3-3 in the red zone while the Falcons were 2-3. The Falcons held the ball for 34:32, the Giants had the ball for 25:28. Yet, New York still emerged victorious.