Mid-Season Grades: some important dates in Giants history in 2016
September 18, 2016 New York versus New Orleans Final: 16-13.
This was a game that will be remembered long after the 2016 season. It was a chance for Drew Brees to have a rematch after Eli Manning and the Giants lost about a year ago 52-49. many expected there to be quarterback ratings of over 110 the second time around. Remarkably, that didn’t happen.
Instead, there was a evenly matched, tooth-and-nail game belayed on both sides of the field. The Giants were able to score relying on rushing yardage thanks to the quickness of Janoris Jenkins on special teams. The Giants defense was not so badly injured as it has become and allowed only a touch down and a pair of field goals.
Drew Brees could not take advantage of his wideouts for deep drives as expected. Instead the offense hit a wall against a defense that denied the many attempts of Brees and company to find holes in the defesinve line
Final Grade: B-
Comments for grade: The Giants could have used Sterling Sheppard and actor Cruz more wisely. Instead, they relied on Beckham who was double teamed with secondary coverage sent in his direction on nearly every play. Eli and McAdoo could have gotten a B+/A- if they took advantage of the Saint’s favorite play of giving up touchdowns with the hope that they can use their defense in the final minutes of the game to prevent a come-from-behind win.
September 11, 2016 New York versus Dallas Final: 20-19.
Who would have thought a fifteenth anniversary of a massacre could be a memory to be excited about?
That is exactly what happened on the opening day against the “Cow Girls.” The Giants did not have to deal with injuries to Shane Vereen, Flareups with Erekc Flowers or Weston Richburg.
Last but, not least by any means, Odell beckham was not at the precipice of his “descent down an emotional abyss.” Josh Brown was just a playing card stashed away in your child’s cupboard.
Final Grade: B
Comments for grade: Eli’s passing game was particularly good managing to have a quarter bak rating of over 90. Since the Giants had such a disheartening experience last season with Tony Romo at the helm, it was all the more rewarding for the Giants to best the Cowboys at Dallas’ Jerrydome by one measly point.
October 16,2016 New York versus Baltimore: Final 27-23.
TThe Giants surprised us all with a come-from-behind win against the Ravens which intimidated urban city dwellers with Joe Flacco’s ability to find receivers deep in the end zone — which did happen — albeit the result did not determine the game against the Giants.
The reason the Giants went on to win the game was using the small part of their collective brain that the Minnesota team is so highly praised for using all the time to remain unbeaten, predicted by Yahoo! Sports to go 6-0.
Tapping into this potential the Giants printed a Baltimmore score on the Giant’s own 1 yard line and then managed to score two touch downs after two pass interference calls called against the Giants with no apparent basis as far as any person watching the game with common sense.
Then there was Janoris Jenkins who made an excellent hand tip in the Giants’ end zone to deflect a perfectly thrown ball from Baltimore wide reception crew. It is important to remember we are told the small plays on the field that go underreported and not to only focus on the magnified hype of poor discipline and scandal regarding Beckham and Brown.
Final Grade: B
Comments for Grade: Because the Giants allowed Flacco to throw several deep passes way beyond the Giants secondary, the Giants’s grade is reduced to a B from a B+/A-. The defensive line could have done a better job of giving as much of a headache as the Batlimore defensive line was able to give to Eli.
September 25, 2016 New York versus Minnesota Final: 24-10 and October 3, 2016 versus Green Bay Final: 23-16
These two games will go own in the annals of Giants history this season as ones to forget.
In life, we can’t dwell in the past and have to let our past accomplishments fall to the way side and become water under the bridge.
For the Giants, it was a sad sight to watch the Giants badly injured defense allow the opposition to score a total of over 40 points while Odell Beckham had a career low 56 yards in reception. On the bright side of things, the Giants used these games as a learning experience in last week’s game. Cuts were made. Rashad Jennings retuned. Beckham got his act together and still showed he could have fun.
Now the only problem for the Giants as they fly across the Atlantic is how the Giants fans slaving in offices around the Tri-State area are going to react when the dust has settled and Ben mcAdoo’s team returns to their front office.
Final Grade: D
Comments for Grade: The Giants had the winning attitude coming into the game as all players took the field with enough pride to make Trump, Obama and hillary seem modest. The problem was a string of missed tackles, poor play calling on offense where Manning had an offense split that failed to convert 3rd and shorts most of the time. Posession was typically lopsided in fair of the Vikings and Packers. The Giants could have gotten a grade of a C- or better if they had better discipline and did not commit so many unnecessary penalties. In a game against the Washington Redskins, they allowed a “moronic” 128 yards on 11 plays.