New York Giants Training Camp Report 8/20/10

August 20, 2010

Hello Giants Fans,

Today was the final day of the 2010 New York Giants training camp. Twenty days have come and gone and we’ve learned some interesting facts about the players. The Giants beat the Jets in their first preseason game and will now face the Steelers tomorrow night at New Meadowlands stadium at 7 PM EST.

Fans will get an opportunity to see QB Rhett Bomar lead the offense for most of the game. Bomar was taking mostly second and third string reps at training camp. QB Eli Manning will sit this one out as he heals up from the head laceration he received on Monday night. QB Jim Sorgi is also banged up and expect to miss some playing time. Now that camp is over, I expect to see a lot of player movement.

The 2010 New York Giants training camp is officially over but that doesn’t mean that Big Blue is done practicing. I expect the coaches to ramp up the intensity to prepare the team for the new season. Tom Coughlin has his lists and OC Kevin Gilbride is drawing up plays somewhere in the facility. New DC Perry Fewell is working on strategies like a mad scientist. Special teams coach Tom Quinn is facing one of the toughest challenges of the 2010 NFL season. There isn’t much time left before the first regular season game. Fans can expect to see things moving much more rapidly now.

I’m actually surprised by how many negative comments I have seen from sports “experts” about the Giants. Maybe they can’t see what the rest of us can see or maybe they are right and yet to be vindicated. I simply have to believe that the 2010 team will be much better then the injury plagued 2009 season. There have already been a few injuries in 2010 that have had fans shaking their heads. The injury list simply can’t get out of hand this season or they will have no shot.

Let’s take a look at some of the news from this week about the New York Giants.

– QB Eli Manning was cut in the Monday night game and required 12 stitches.

– QB Eli Manning will not play in the Giants second preseason game tomorrow night versus the Pittsburgh Steelers.

– The New York Giants will play their first ever home opener at the new stadium.

– Backup QB Jim Sorgi will miss 2-3 weeks with a shoulder injury he got from a hit he took against the Jets.

– The Giants cut OL Cliff Louis, who they recently signed to bolster the offensive line.

– The Giants cut TE Jake Ballard to make room for QB Dominic Randolph.

– The Giants signed OL Shawn Andrews who is a former two-time pro bowler for the Philadelphia Eagles.

– Backup QB Rhett Bomar will play almost the entire game against Pittsburgh.

– WR Ramses Barden is banged up and will sit out a few practices.

– The Giants signed QB Dominic Randolph as a backup due to all of the injuries at QB.

– Rookie punter Matt Dodge seems to be having a rough time adjusting and may need more work then originally expected.

– OL William Beatty appears to be the man at left tackle, something Giants fans might see for the next eight or nine years straight.

– Rookie DE Jason Pierre-Paul has reportedly already put on 12 pounds of muscle weighing in at 282 pounds.

– Safety Kenny Phillips seems to be doing very well thus far. Fans are praying that Phillips can remain healthy all season.

– 39,875 total Giants fans attended the training camp in Albany this year. It was the fifth best year since they began fifteen years ago upstate.

– Rookie WR Victor Cruz emerged and made a name for himself Monday night. This kid has star written all over him.

– LB Keith Bulluck and S Kenny Phillips are set to make their Giants debut tomorrow night versus the Steelers.

– LB Chase Blackburn and OL Chris Snee are still banged up and sidelined. Not to mention OL Rich Seubert.

Who do you think is going to win the game between the New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers?

RD – nygreporter.com

PLEASE SUPPORT THE WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT!!


New York Giants QB Eli Manning Update, Status Unknown

August 18, 2010

Hello Giants Fans,

New York Giants QB Eli Manning suffered a head laceration on Monday night, requiring twelve stitches to close up the three inch gash near his left temple. He was checked for a concussion and the results came back negative, so that is a good thing. You do not need your Super Bowl MVP QB having cerebral issues before the season even starts. I see absolutely no reason why Eli Manning would play in the Pittsburgh Steelers game this Saturday night. The Giants will hold their home opener this Saturday, August 21, 2010 at 7 PM EST in New Meadowlands stadium. The team announced that Manning will be going through some additional tests as a precaution but Manning has said he feels fine and is just sore.

Head Coach Tom Coughlin said that Manning’s status is up in the air for the preseason game against the Steelers on Saturday. I hope they give Manning the night off and let him work the game from the sidelines on the headset. The obvious concern for the team is the cut continuing to open up because of the fact that Eli needs to wear a helmet. It would be smart to allow that cut time to heal before Manning puts on a helmet again. Quite frankly, Manning could run the practices at training camp without a helmet. I would rest him until the fourth preseason game if it were up to me and give that cut a couple of weeks to heal, it’s a long season and you don’t want that thing opening up every weekend.

These are all preseason games mind you but it is still a football game. Without these games on TV, fans would probably never see the likes of WR Victor Cruz (6’1″ 200 pounds) burst onto the NFL scene. Cruz, who is a local New Jersey kid, made a million new fans (including me) on Monday and became the NFL leader in scoring and receiving yards overnight. If this kid does not make the team, I am going to be in awe and will say in public that the team made a big mistake. I’m sure this comment will be redundant by the time the season starts but I still felt it needed to be said. It’s time to shake thing up a little bit, even though I like all of the guys we have at WR now. Whichever receivers do not make the final cut, I wish them well in their journey and they will be a Giant forever.

All of the preseason games should be aired for free on local television stations. It is a travesty that the networks do not work something out that allows fans the opportunity to watch the games that “mean nothing”. The Giants vs. Jets game might not have meant anything in the standings but it sure was a fun game to watch. After eight months without Giants football, I’m sure I am not the only one who felt excited to watch that game.

Do you think New York Giants QB Eli Manning should play against the Steelers this Saturday night?

RD – nygreporter.com

PLEASE SUPPORT THE WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT!!


2010 Fantasy Football: New York Giants Breakdown

May 23, 2010

Hello Giants Fans, I’ve noticed that the 2010 Fantasy Football Mock Draft rooms have been heating up. I know it is difficult to believe but ESPN already has their mock draft rooms up and running. It’s the same story with CBS Sports and their fantasy mock drafts. We are almost into June now and things are sure to heat up over the summer. The real 2010 NFL Draft has been over a couple of months now and the next significant time period will be training camp. There hasn’t been a release of those dates and locations as of yet but we know that the G-Men will be attending Albany this season for certain.

I am going to give you a list of the New York Giants players that will be worth having on your fantasy roster for the 2010 NFL season. I believe that the Giants wide receivers offer the best shot at making a difference on your team. I expect Easy Eli to have an improved year in 2010 and make the Pro Bowl. Clearly, the wide receiver group will benefit the most from Manning’s production on the field. I think drafters can get the New York Giants defense as a steal in the mid-to-late rounds. I expect the Giants defense to finish in the top ten for 2010. These are simply my thoughts on the 2010 possibilities for Big Blue. I’m sure this will help someone who reads this and decides they want to take a shot on some of these guys. Remember, this is designed to be a fun game, so don’t take it too seriously and enjoy yourself.

2010 Fantasy Football players on the New York Giants.

1. WR Steve Smith Smith is coming off a career season with Big Blue and he also made the pro Bowl in 2009. He is going to lose some passes to Hakeem Nicks but will still get enough to build on his numbers from last year. Look for 1,200 plus receiving yards and 10 TD’s from Smith in 2010.

2. QB Eli Manning – Manning is also coming off of a career year and I expect him to outperform 2009’s numbers and also make it to the Pro Bowl in 2010. I expect 4,000 plus yards and at least 30 TD’s from Manning in 2010.

3. WR Hakeem Nicks – I expect Hakeem Nicks to have a breakout season, by setting a new Giants record for receiving yards in a single season (currently 1,343 yards by Amani Toomer in 2002). This is another guy who could prove to be a steal around the 5th or 6th round of your draft.

4. RB Brandon Jacobs – Look for Brandon the Bull to return to form in 2010 with 1,000 yards rushing and 10 TD’s. You can easily get Jacobs in the 5th round in most drafts, I suggest you grab him or pay later.

5. RB Ahmad Bradshaw – Bradshaw will prove to have the skills to be a number one running back on any team. I predict he will have a 200 plus yard game during the 2010 NFL Season. I’m predicting 1,000 plus rushing yards and 5 TD’s in 2010.

6. TE Kevin Boss – Boss is about to have surgery on his ankle but should be ready for training camp. He is working his way up a short ladder of NFL tight ends. I’m guessing 600 receiving yards and 5 TD’s in 2010 for Boss.

7. New York Giants Defense/Special Teams – I am predicting the New York Giants defense will finish the 2010 NFL season in the top 10.

8. Wild Card Players – WR Mario Manningham, WR Ramses Barden, RB Andre Brown WR Victor Cruz and TE Travis Beckum.

Which New York Giants players do you deem worthy of a fantasy football roster spot? Do you play fantasy football? Check out the link in the comment area for a brand new fantasy sports site.

RD – NYGReporter.com