How do you spell “Giants?” Q-U-I-T

After last week’s home debacle against Carolina, the Giants set out to right the ship in Minnesota yesterday in an otherwise meaningless game.  They wanted to regain some of the pride they had lost the prior week, and end the season on a high note heading into the 2010 offseason.  Well, instead, they got another performance from their defense worthy of costing DC Bill Sheridan his job, which is expected to happen any day now.  Not only that, the offense also was pitiful yesterday in the 44-7 loss to the Vikings that wasn’t even that close.  How does a team that can beat the NFC East champ Cowboys twice and pummel the Redskins two weeks ago get outscored 85-16 the last two games?  How does a team that begins 5-0 go 3-8 the rest of the way?  Tom Coughlin and his staff and his players are left to answer all that today and this week, and they most certainly can look no further than in the mirror, because this team cleary quit on everyone the last two games. 

I need to preface this recap by saying I only watched parts of the game on NFL Red Zone, which means I didn’t see much of the Giants’ offense at all.  I did, however, see the Vikings’ Brett Favre and company move the ball at will against the worst Giants’ defense in four decades. 

THE GOOD

Hooray for Steve Smith, who caught 10 passes for 57 yards, giving him 107 catches on the season.  It’s not only a Giants’ record, but Smith is the first receiver in Giants’ history to crack the 100-catch mark.  And QB Eli Manning surpassed 4000 yards for the first time, albeit with a paltry 141 yards and a pick.  Dude had a Pro Bowl type season but was out-done by the likes of Drew Brees and Favre in the NFC, and his brother Peyton and Philip Rivers in the AFC.  Oh, and Jeff Feagles punted 7 times for a 43.7 yard average. 

THE BAD

First of all, past Smith, no other Giant had more than 2 receptions yesterday.  And the leading rusher was DJ Ware with 22 yards on 5 carries and a TD.  Ahmad Bradshaw carried 7 times for just 13 yards.  The offense was just about non-existent, scoring a garbage TD late in the game, and were just 1 of 8 on third down.  As for the defense, well, they gave up over 40 points for the second straight week, and gave up 427 points this season, third worst in the NFL behind only St. Louis and Detroit.  Think about that….because the Lions and Rams had 3 wins total between them.  The Giants became that bad that fast, and played yesterday like they absolutely did not care.  The Vikings rolled up almost 500 yards, and Favre shredded them for 316 yards and 4 TDs.  WR Sidney Rice played like the Pro Bowler he is with 6 catches for 112 yards and two scores.  The Vikes had an astounding 28 first downs.  And oh yeah, the Giants had 13 penalties for 95 yards and turned the ball over twice to zero turnovers for the Vikings.  Simply put, the defense was a sieve for the second straight week, and it’s maddening because we have seen them play so much better. 

FINAL ANALYSIS

What else can you really say?  The Giants quit on their coaches and on us fans yesterday.  Every player on that team needs to look in the mirror and think about how pathetic they played these last two weeks and if they want to be a part of the team going forward, because my first inclination is to say, “Let’s clean house,” and I wouldn’t be wrong for saying that.  But I know better.  There is plenty of talent on the Giants, they just simply did not play anywhere close to their capabilities for more than a few games.  And the result is a mediocre 8-8 that really should have been much worse.  As a long-time fan of the G-men, I am positively furious about the last two games…I can live with losses, but I can’t live with my team playing like they don’t give a crap.  There is just no excuse for that in football, nor in any walk of life.  You give it your all, no matter the situation or who is watching.  Yes, we had injuries, but that does not excuse a lack of effort from those who played.  And you can’t tell me we are as bad as the Rams and Lions in the big picture, because we’re not.  Now Jerry Reese and Tom Coughlin have to wallow in the aftermath, and they have to figure out what to do going forward.  Changes will be made, starting with the obvious ouster of Sheridan, and then likely several players. 

Keep it here in the Den as we dissect the season that was and the future of the G-men. 

FANTASY RESULTS

In PPR leagues, Steve Smith had a pretty good day for you with his 10 catches and modest 57 yards.  But no other Giant was fantasy worthy yesterday.  On the Vikings’ side, Favre was money with 316 yards, 4 TDs and zero interceptions, and RB Adrian Peterson, despite just 55 yards from scrimmage, did reach paydirt once.  On the receiving end, Sidney Rice had the 6 catches for 112 yards and 2 scores, and a few other receivers had decent days–TE Visanthe Shiancoe had 7 catches for 94 yards and a TD; Percy Harvin 7 catches for 59 yards and Bernard Berrian 2 catches for 50 yards.  And K Ryan Longwell was 3 for 3 on field goals and finished with 14 points.  The Vikings’ defense, which held the Giants in check most of the game, also registered three sacks and picked off Manning once on a diving play by Chad Greenway.

Tags: Adrian Peterson, AFC, Ahmad Bradshaw, Bernard Berrian, Bill Sheridan, Brett Favre, Chad Greenway, Cowboys, DJ Ware, Drew Brees, Eli Manning, Giants, Giants defense, Giants offseason, Jeff Feagles, Jerry Reese, Lions, NFC, NFL Red Zone, Panthers, Percy Harvin, Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers, Pro Bowl, Rams, Redskins, Ryan Longwell, Sidney Rice, Steve Smith, Tom Coughlin, Vikings, Visanthe Shiancoe