Eli Manning, playing in the game with his brother Peyton, was 16-23 for 191 yards with 2 TD’s and an unfortunate interception that was returned for a TD.  Eli engineered three straight TD drives including his specialty..a two minute drill to end the first half that resulted in a TD with 6 seconds remaining.

Victor Cruz, who certainly benefited from having his QB Eli Manning in the game had a big day with 10 receptions for 96 yards and a TD.  Cruz has become Eli’s go to guy in the regular season, and the two quickly got into rhythm Sunday.

JPP certainly applied pressure all day at an All Pro level recording one sack and many hurries in the game.  The most spectacular play of the day however was made on what was the final offensive snap for the AFC.  All World Defensive End J J Watt of the Houston Texans played a little offense yesterday, and the NFC threw in a wrinkle of their own to cover him.  With the AFC on the NFC 4 yard line, J J Watt lined up wide to the right, and JPP went out to cover him one-on one.  When Andrew Luck threw a back shoulder pass to Watt…there was JPP getting position and intercepting the pass in the end zone to end the day for the AFC. Here is the link to watch, even though Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth missed the whole thing, you can watch it here!

Chris Snee who postponed surgery on his hip so he could participate in the game, showed the proper amount of respect for the Pro Bowl and the honor it is to be chosen to attend.  The Giants way for sure.

Hakeem Nicks is a special player.  He is Michael Irvin without the attitude and the antics. He is big, strong, and has huge hands.  Hakeem is a match-up nightmare for most teams, and coupling him with a few other special players has made him, and will continue to make him, a dangerous threat anywhere on the filed.

Victor Cruz had the best year any wide receiver has ever had for the New York Giants.  Just that statement alone takes a minute to digest.  An un-drafted free agent who had to sit his first year due to injury, not only made the team, but made the team better and more explosive. Cruz has medium speed, but a quickness and shiftiness that allows him to beat anyone at anytime.

Ramses Barden is 6′ 6″ receiver that was originally supposed to play the role of Plaxico Burress.  Ramses entering his 4th year has a total of 15 receptions and seems to be having trouble not only staying healthy, but learning to play big time football on a consistent basis.  Playing wide receiver in the NFL requires more than catching a ball, it is precise route running, running hard to influence players away from the intended target, and effective blocking on running plays.  Ramses often has been a healthy scratch from games, leading one to believe his practice sessions or film grading is not up to Giants standards.

Domenik Hixon is entering his 7th season, but has missed many games due to injury.  Hopefully Domenik can return to the team fully healthy this year and not only add to his receiving numbers, but bolster the return game as well.

Jerrel Jernigan is a 5’8″ 189 pound speedster out of Troy.  He showed some flashes in the return game towards the end of this season and will look to bolster those numbers this season.  He should make the team easily and add great depth to the Giants  passing attack.

Added to the equation for this training camp are the following: Brandon Collins 5’8″ a rookie out of SE Louisiana, Dan DePalma, 5’11″ from West Chester, David Douglas 6’1″ from Arizona, Julian Talley 6’1″ from Massachusetts, and they welcome back Isaiah Stanback a four year man from Washington at 6’2″.

The big addition here is Rueben Randle 6’2″ 208 from LSU.  Randle showed very well in mini camp.. He is hands catcher, and will compete with Hixon and the others to replace Mario Manningham who now resides in San Francisco

The Giants receiving corps will be a strength again this year.  With Hakeem Nicks taking it a bit easy and slow in the upcoming training camp, not only will more guys get reps in camp, but in the pre-season games as well.  This will be another great watch in camp.  Who will step up this year?

On a night where past and present New York Giants gathered for a good cause, it was the future that was on the minds of the Giants.  Eli Manning has recently said that he is going into the 2012 season looking at the 2011 Giants as a 9-7 team, and not as the Super Bowl champions.  His teammates apparently share in that attitude and are looking to improve–and repeat–in 2012.

New York, April 25—“Elite” Giants quarterback Eli Manning is on his way to compete in yet another super “Bowl,”

and this time the big game is for charity. “David Tyree’s Charity Bowl,” to benefit Children of the City and 

The Legacy Center,  will be headlined by the two-time Super Bowl MVP Manning and his ’08 champion teammate

Tyree on Tuesday night, June 5, at 300 NYC, Pier 60Chelsea Piers in New York City at 6:30 PM.

Manning and Tyree, who teamed for one of the greatest catches in Super Bowl history in ’08, will be joined by

soon-to-be-announced Super Bowl champion Giants players.

There are three ticket categories: tickets to bowl and mingle with Giants players are priced at $325 per person/

$2,200 per lane; tickets to bowl with Giants players, elite access lounge and group photo with Eli are $1,000 per person

/$8,000 per lane; and tickets to private bowling lanes with Eli and photo opportunities are $1,500.

Corporate sponsorships are also available.

Tickets are available by calling Abby Meadows at 718-436-0242, extension 20 or by visiting the following sites:

charityhappenings.org,www.childrenofthecity.org and www.tlcnyc.org.

About Children of the City: Changing the Culture of Poverty through Education and Outreach: 

Providing programs focused on the needs of disadvantaged children under-served communities, our mission s to reach

at-risk inner city children and youth with hope, guidance, and resources to positively affect their lives and communities

(www.childrenofthecity.org). Children of the City is the only grassroots, family development organization in

New York City that utilizes home visits to connect individual children and families with the programs and resources to

empower them with the skills to overcome poverty. Based in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, Children of the City has been

responding to the critical needs of families coping with trauma, academic frustration, drug abuse, delinquency and

despair since 1981.

About The Legacy Center: Life on Purpose: The Legacy Center is relentless about moving people forward to achieve

their ultimate potential. The Legacy Center fights to see someone change for life and not just for the moment: to live life

on purpose; to take every step with intention; to help people create a legacy that their kids will want to copy (www.tlcnyc.org).

I think this is the biggest break (all puns intended) for Hixon.  He will get most of the reps in practice and see plenty of pre-season game action with Nicks out.  The others will get a chance to show what they can do, and in some different positions.  Now, we know that a Victor Cruz story doesn’t come out of every camp, but sometimes it’s because there is no opportunity for it to happen.  Well the opportunity has been created, let’s see if anyone can step up.

Hakeem will be back, and hopefully healthy for the entire regular season.  This is not ideal, but better than it could have been

Lin has taken the sports world by storm by becoming the starting point guard of the New York Knicks and turning the teams fortunes around.  They have now won 6 straight games with Jeremy Lin in the starting line up.  He has been the undisputed star of every one of those games, and is now the the center of attention of a star driven league.

Victor Cruz, of course, was an undrafted free agent out of Umass.  He made his mark in the pre-season for the New York Giants, and when injuries forced him into the starting lineup he made the most of the opportunity.  Victor Cruz was the talk of the league for most of the second half of the NFL season and helped the Giants win Super Bow 46.

Now Lin and Cruz are alike in a few ways.  They are both from minority descent, they were both undrafted out of college, they both made the most of their opportunity when it presented itself, and they are both very nice young men that know that the Team comes first.  Of course, Lin has a long way to go to be part of a Championship team, but he certainly has the attitude and the drive to make himself a success in the NBA.  Two great stories. Two great kids. Two underpaid athletes. Two New York Underdogs for the fans to root for, and we all know how New York loves an Underdog.

Most superstars are neutralized to a degree when opposing coaches have two weeks to figure out how to game plan against their strengths.  The greatest of the greats still make things happen, while others shrink under the pressure.  Every now and then however there is a Jack Squirek , a Rod Martin, a Larry Brown, a David Tyree, or a Timmy Smith that completely changes the path of the game.

Who do you think will be that person this year?

1. Mario Manningham: With Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz, and Mario Manningham all healthy, could Super Mario live up to his nick name?

2. Julian Edelman: Julian has been singled out all week as having the toughest assignment on the field, and having to play out of position.  Could Julian make a few plays that turn the tide?

3. Travis Beckum: Travis has struggled with his health and with the playbook.  Could this be the day we see the potential of the TE out of Wisconsin turn into the reality?

4. Stephen Ridley: Ridley is a young running back with the Patriots and I believe the running game of the Patriots is a key to their success in Sunday.  Could Stephen Ridley be that guy?

Who do you think will be this years David Tyree?

Feb 3, 2008; Glendale, AZ, USA; New York Giants wide receiver David Tyree (85) make the catch over New England Patriots safety Rodney Harrison (37) in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLII at the University of Phoenix Stadium. New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots with a final of 17-14. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-US PRESSWIRE

I sat down with Spreecast Producer Chris Delgado and discussed some of the keys for the upcoming matchup this Sunday at Lambeau Field.  Click the link below to see the whole show.

Giants Packers Playoff Preview

Well here we go folks, the New York Giants are in the playoffs. After weeks of stressing and wondering: “Will the Giants collapse late in the season again?”, “Will Coughlin be fired?”, “Will they make a playoff run?”, we now know, the Giants have extended their season and have a shot at the crown, and based on what we have seen over the last couple of weeks, they should not be automatically counted out. There has been improvement on both sides of the ball, while some of the most reliable players continue to shine. So, let’s break this one down.

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Offensively, Victor Cruz came through again. Another spectacular catch and run for a TD. Hakeem Nicks avoided the drops and had a big game as well. Bear Pascoe came up big, as did Henry Hynoski. Both of them made big catches in crucial situations, and showed some leaping ability as well. Poor Terrence Newman was the targeted d-back, and the Giants took advantage of the mismatch. The line kept Eli Manning upright, and Eli had zero INT’s. The rushing game still looks like a weak link, although there were flashes of brilliance last night, and Ahmad Bradshaw came up big in situations, as did D.J. Ware.

Defensively, the G-Men played well, although they felt a need to make things close. Whether it was the urgency of playing for a playoff spot or a ticket home, playing for a job next year, the return of Osi, a simplified scheme, or any other factor, the Giants defense came through. They d-line gave Dallas’ undermanned o-line fits, and put consistent pressure on Tony Romo. They held Dallas’ wekened rushing game in check, but still gave up some plays to the wideouts.

Special teams managed, with a bit of luck, to avoid a costly turnover, and the Giants got a few lucky bounces. The missed 40 yard field goal hurt, but Tynes came back to make the 28 yarder. All in all, not a bad way to close out the season. The Giants now face the Falcons at home next week. For now, let’s just enjoy the victory. Way to go, gentlemen! (more…)

The Giants will make a trip to Texas Sunday Night to begin what they hope to be a successful run to the playoffs;  And a run is what they will need.  The Giants got a nice effort from the running game yesterday and that will need to continue for the foreseeable future. Eli Manning has backed up his words with his actions this season.  He is an Elite QB and definitely in the top 5 or 6 in the league.

The Cowboys have been a very inconsistent team this entire season.  For the first part of the season they had no running attack, then they found DeMarco Murray.  Murray has rushed for 5.4 yards per carry in the 10 games he has played.  Now they have a more balanced attack, but make no mistakes this is a team that wins and loses with Tony Romo.  Even when the defense has had exceptional days, Romo can put points on the board for either team at any time.

The Giants defense should be able to get pressure on the Cowboys Qb this week.  They have allowed 25 sacks this year, that’s two a game against teams that have half the pass rushing talent of the New York Giants.  The Cowboys allow 100 yards a game rushing and 5.5 yards per play on defense.  They still have a weak secondary that the likes of Nicks, Cruz, Ballard, Beckum, Manningham(?) and others should be able to exploit.  The question will be can the Giants run the ball effectively enough to keep Eli upright.  If the Giants go back to being a one dimensional team, they will be eaten up by the Cowboys pass rush.  Stay balanced, hit big plays, and keep Romo under pressure and force him into mistakes.

Injury Update:  This of course will change as the week progresses but initially it looks like Kenny Phillips will be missing for the next two weeks and Osi is still out. OL Stacey Andrews will be out for the remainder of the season with blood clots that moved from his legs to his lungs.

Giants 100 yards rushing:  The Giants finally showed a semblance of a running game.  The re-made Offensive Line looked good, the tight ends blocked well, and the wide receivers got into the act also.  The difference Ahmad Bradshaw makes is palpable.  He even made Brandon Jacobs look like his old self.

Packers leading rusher is Rodgers: The Giants knocked RB Starks out of thegame, and held Ryan Grant to 13 carries for 29 yards.

Eli was 23/40 for 347 and 3 TD’s: Eli throws the long ball as good as anyone, and he used it all night to move the Giants down the field.  He also has great touch and chemistry near the goal line with Hakeem Nicks. Victor Cruz continues to impress as he went over 1,000 receiving tonight, and Jake Ballard is just tremendous at times.

Giants were 6/12 on offensive drives:  The Giants scored on 6 of their 12 offensive drives.

All in all the game WAS as close as the score:  The Giants had 447 total yards, The Packers had 449.   Third down conversions, one extra turnover, and having some inexperience on the field prevented a Giant win.  When the game was on the line Green Bay threw against a rookie linebacker, a third string corner that shouldn’t even be on the team in Wil Blackmon if everyone is healthy.  Give them credit, they had a minute to beat us and they did.  the Giants need to play with this focus, passion, and urgency on their last 4 games.  The Wild Card is still in play, and the Cowboys have beaten the Redskins in OT, beat Miami by one, and lost to Arizona in OT.  The Giants need to continue to show how good they can be.

What went wrong? Nearly everything. Manning didn’t play a bad game, it just looked that way as he got virtually no help from the rest of the offensive unit. The line didn’t block well, which meant that there was no rushing game, which meant there was no way to set up the passing game. That didn’t matter either, as the O-line didn’t do a good job of pass protection. With the exception of Victor Cruz, the receivers didn’t have a good game, either.

Defensively, Prince Aumkamara showed why he was the Giants number one choice, and Michael Herzlich showed promise. There were a couple of other players on the defensive side of the ball that had and OK game, but the team did not look as if they were prepared or motivated. Maybe the coaching staff is to blame, maybe the the players are to blame, maybe it was a joint effort. Whatever the reasons, the Giants must now fight and claw the way the Eagles did the other night. Maybe the Giants are now so angrywith themselves that they will find a way to upset the Saints.

I apologize for the short post, but Thanksgiving Day preparations call. Happy Turkey Day, everyone!

NFL Rule 7, Section 2, Article 1

Dead Ball Declared
An official shall declare the ball dead and the down ended:

(D) when a runner declares himself down by sliding feet first on the ground. The ball is dead the instant the runner touches the ground with anything other than his hands or his feet.

A quick hat tip to ESPN for the rule.

ANOTHER section of the rule reads as follows:

An official shall declare the ball dead and the down ended… when a runner is out of bounds, or declares himself down by falling to the ground, or kneeling, and making no effort to advance.

Thanks to http://www.football-refs.com/201110/did-victor-cruz-give-himself-up/ for more information

Victor Cruz Video of Catch and Run

Stay tuned to GMENHQ for continue coverage of this hotly debated topic!

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