Giants Need to Win Five Games Before the Bye Week

September 17, 2011

NEW YORK – I was talking about the season with one of our readers here and expressed how I thought the Giants needed to win five games before the bye week in order to make it back to the playoffs. Which pretty much means winning the next five games in a row. I am sticking by what I said and I truly think it is an important benchmark, because we all know the second half of the schedule is brutal. I understand that any NFL team can win on any given Sunday but this schedule is ridiculous. If the G-Men fail to win five of their first six games, I think there is a real possibility of becoming a 500 team or maybe even falling below the dreaded sub-500 mark. Fans can dilute themselves with pep talks but reality bites hard. Of course, I hope that none of this happens and Big Blue makes the postseason.

Giants fans will have to wait until the Monday Night Football game is over to find out if the team will start the season at 1-1 or 0-2. Everyone seems to assume that the Rams are an easy win for some reason. They have a pretty good football team in St. Louis and I hope I don’t have to remind fans about how easy a win the Redskins were. The Redskins kicked our butts all over the field last weekend in a game that fans chalked up as an early victory. Do not get overconfident and take each game week by week, until you start building some momentum. Face reality and understand that the Giants are in last place right now and need to battle out of the basement in a very tough division. After the bye week, the Giants schedule transforms into the toughest in the NFL in my opinion.

The Giants signed WR Brandon Stokley this week in an attempt to bolster their WR corps. I wish Brandon well and hope that he can stay healthy this year. He has only participated in 3 full seasons during his 13 year NFL career, which makes his signing suspicious considering the team has been plagued with injury prone players. He was clearly brought in to help out in the slot and to try and give Manning another Steve Smith type of WR. DE Justin Trattou was waived in order to make room for Stokley and WR Chris Hogan was added to the practice squad. I also question why so much emphasis is being placed on the WR position when the TE, CB and LB positions are clearly in need of some help. All we can do is sit back and have faith that GM Jerry Reese has a plan. The Giants play their home opener against the Rams on Monday night at 8:30 PM EST.

Do you agree with the title of this article? Do you think the G-Men need to win five games before the bye week?

RD – nygreporter.com

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Brutal 2011 NFL Schedule Will Force G-Men to Dig Deep

July 20, 2011

NEW YORK – If the New York Giants are going to make it back to the playoffs in 2011, they are certainly going to have to earn it. The G-Men have a tough overall regular season schedule this year but the second half of that schedule following the bye week is absolutely brutal. The Giants will need to be at full health and clicking in every area of their game to seriously compete with the elite of the NFL. I believe the Giants belong in that elite grouping as well but after two seasons in which they failed to make the playoffs, speculation swirls among even the most die hard fan. I know the Giants are capable of running the table when fully healthy but trying to convince others of this fact is almost impossible.

Starting in week nine, the level of competition goes through the roof. I know the Giants would not want it any other way but even the players must have been shaking their heads and saying “Are you kidding me?” Between weeks nine and seventeen the Giants will play the New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets and the Dallas Cowboys twice. You can also add the Washington Redskins and San Francisco 49ers to that list which rounds out the final nine games (five of those games are on the road). The rule is that any team can beat any team on any given Sunday. Having a week seven “bye week” is favorable to most teams in the NFL and the G-Men are really going to need that break before basically facing a playoff caliber team each and every week to finish out the year. This is about as tough a schedule as I can remember in recent history.

As I mentioned, if the Giants are healthy, they can beat any team in the NFL. Without having all of their weapons on the field, the odds go down considerably. Throw in the fact that the NFL has been messing around with this lockout for 131 days now and you have to wonder if the players are going suffer on the field from a lack of true conditioning. Only time will tell. The first step is to end this silly lockout which appears to be happening as I write this. Most expect a deal to be done within the next 72 hours. Let’s hope these “insiders” and “experts” are correct.

Are you concerned about the tough schedule the Giants face this season?

RD – nygreporter.com

Please Support The Wounded Warrior Project by Clicking Here, You Are Not Forgotten!!


Can Fantasy Football Survive a Cancelled 2011 Season?

May 12, 2011

NEW YORK – I have been a fantasy football player since 1999. I have seen that industry grow into a $15 billion dollar a year beast. There are only a handful of websites that can claim to be big time in that industry. Among them are CBSSports.com, ESPN.com and NFL.com to name the big three in my opinion. If the 2011 NFL season is cancelled, I am sure that those three sports sites will be fine. But what about the smaller websites that offer fantasy games or the emerging fantasy sites people don’t know about yet? I’m sure this is the furthest thing on the NFL’s mind but it is just another issue that will arise from the 2011 lockout that has now reached 62 days.

Could the 2011 NFL lockout actually benefit the larger sports sites, by creating a monopoly on fantasy football by eliminating competition through attrition? I know there are a lot of people out there who could care less about fantasy football but the fact remains that thousands of people have jobs working on the game. The economy is bad enough right now without adding a few thousand more people to the unemployment line. Sure there will be fantasy basketball and hockey that will emerge in the fall but everyone knows the bread and butter of fantasy sports is football. If the NFL cancels the 2011 season, fantasy staffs all over the country will be cut in half or laid off. The reality of “no football” until September 2012 would set in immediately and effect the economy instantly.

Personally, I do not think they will cancel this season. The amount of money is so great that the players or owners will eventually give in. The players I feel bad for are guys like New York Giants DT Barry Cofield who get stuck in the middle. Here is a guy who has played his heart out since being drafted by New York and he could wind up getting the shaft over politics. Free agents are the walking dead right now with zero options. I am a big Cofield fan and hope the team does the right thing with him. We all understand it is a business but giving Chris Canty almost 3 times the money Cofield makes is a joke. I have nothing against Mr. Canty but even he knows Cofield had a better season then he did last year. There is no denying that fact. Barry Cofield is a Giant through and through and deserves some respect for his contributions to the team. Cofield expressed his frustration in an article this week that I found to be honest and truthful. What do you think about his situation?

Top New York Giants for 2011 Fantasy Football

1. WR Hakeem Nicks

2. QB Eli Manning

3. WR Steve Smith

4. NYG Defense

5. RB Ahmad Bradshaw

6. RB Brandon Jacobs

7. WR Mario Manningham

8. TE Kevin Boss

Would you add or subtract anyone from the list above? Do you think there will be a 2011 NFL season?

RD – nygreporter.com

Please support the Eric LeGrand charity walk this June 4, 2011! Check it out at http://www.awalktobelieve.org


Giants Coaches and Staff Keep Busy Prepping for 2011

May 5, 2011

NEW YORK – The New York Giants staff and coaches are staying busy during the 2011 NFL lockout (55 days now). Head Coach Tom Coughlin was sure to point that out during his press conference earlier this week where he discussed their draft picks. Both GM Jerry Reese and Coach Coughlin expressed their desire to get the ball rolling and start digging into free agency. They cannot have contact with any of the rookies either until this mess is cleaned up. So they plan, they work on the schedule, OTA’s and opponents. They work on the playbook, and make plans for minicamp, and training camp. They watch video and try to decide who stays and who goes once the lockout is over. They are staying very busy working on what they can.

Coughlin was sure to add his opinion on players remaining in shape during this lockout. He said the players should be prepared to hit the field as soon as this squabble over money subsides. The Giants staff has their work cut out for them with re-stacking the boards, as GM Jerry Reese would say, with all of the college rookie free agents available out there, nevermind all of the pro players who will be ripe for the picking as they look for a new home. I am one of the people who thinks the team will get a veteran offensive lineman via free agency and possibly more additions for special teams. The possibilities could also include a tight end and a linebacker.

Fans who have been starving for any morsel of NFL news will have to wait a little longer. Of course, no one knows when the lockout will end, but I can pretty much guarantee it will end the moment the owners lose some significant amount money. That will be the beginning of the end. After almost 2 months of this lockout crap, I am beginning to sound robotic even to myself. I’m tired of talking about the same subject when there are so many other interesting things we could be discussing if the lockout were to end. Either get a deal done, or cancel the entire 2011 season, but stop holding the fans hostage. I’m sorry to put it so bluntly, but I’m on my last nerve with the lockout and ready for it to end one way or another. What do you think?

RD – nygreporter.com

Please support the Eric LeGrand charity walk this June 4, 2011! Check it out at http://www.awalktobelieve.org


2011 NFL Draft: Day Three, Round 6 New York Giants

April 30, 2011

NEW YORK – The final day of the draft is the longest of the bunch but the picks are also coming at you faster. The Giants did not have a 5th round pick this year, so they had to wait to take LB Greg Jones (6’0″ 242 pounds) with the first of three picks they have in the 6th round of the 2011 NFL Draft. The Giants have a total of three picks in the 6th round due to the extra two compensatory picks they received. So far, the G-Men have yet to make any trades or attempts to move up to grab a player. It seems the Giants are content to make their picks where they sit and I have to agree with them considering the lockout is still in effect and the NFL rule book is still up in the air.

Jones is said to be a heavy hitter, have a solid work ethic and can be extremely aggressive on the field. The experts say the only rub on him is a lack of size. The Giants trainers and nutritionists will take care of that. Jones played college ball at Michigan State and I’m excited to see what he can do with this opportunity. The second player the Giants took in the 6th round was S Tyler Sash (6’0″ 211 pounds) from Iowa. Sash will no doubt be another work in progress because he sits behind some very talented safeties on the team. Still, I’m hoping he can become a pleasant surprise for the team. The third and final player the Giants took in the 3rd round is LB Jacquian Williams (6’3″ 235 pounds) out of South Florida. There isn’t very much information out there on this kid. I’m guessing this a pick the scouts had rated high enough to reach for. I wish him luck and hope he can make the squad.

I have said it before and I will say it again, the NFL needs to go back to the old system of having the draft over a 2 day weekend. They are trying to squeeze too much juice out of this thing and they have made it less enjoyable for the fans in the process. I guarantee the current draft schedule was a major factor in why the TV ratings dropped in 2011. Not to mention, the NFL completely ignoring the entire west coast of the United States by starting rounds two and three at 6:00 PM EST, which is 3:00 PM on the west coast where people are still at work or school. Really Roger?

Let’s take a look at the moves Big Blue has made thus far.

New York Giants 2011 NFL Draft Picks (Rounds 1-6)

Round 1 – CB Prince Amukamara – 6’0″ 206 pounds

Round 2 – DT Marvin Austin – 6’2″ 309 pounds

Round 3 – WR Jerrel Jernigan – 5’9″ 185 pounds

Round 4 – OT James Brewer – 6’6″ 323 pounds

Round 5 – No Draft Pick (Traded away for RB Darius Reynaud)

Round 6/A – LB Greg Jones – 6’0″ 242 pounds 

Round 6/B – S Tyler Sash – 6’0″ 211 pounds

Round 6/C – LB Jacquian Williams – 6’3″ 235 pounds

What do you think about the Giants 6th round selections?

RD – nygreporter.com

Please visit www.hampscamp.com and donate/contribute to Rodney Hampton’s charity for the kids!


2011 NFL Draft: Day Three, Round 4 New York Giants

April 30, 2011

NEW YORK – After all of the hype and fanfare, we have finally arrived at the final day of the 2011 NFL Draft. The first two days provided some exciting picks and the Giants have once again had an above average first three rounds. The Giants selected OT James Brewer with their 4th round pick. Brewer is a huge guy standing 6’6″ and weighing 323 pounds. He has also been described by experts as a work in progress. He clearly has the size to be an offensive lineman but will need to work on his skills to make it at the next level. He played his college ball at Indiana.

The Giants needed help on the offensive line and have now addressed that area. Most fans thought the team would take a rookie that was ready for the next step and not take on a project. It seems like that is what the team did here. Again, we will need to wait and see what this kid can do on the field and keep our faith in the Giants scouting team. We need to trust that Jerry Reese and his guys know what they are doing. There were a lot of Giants fans calling for the team to draft LB Quan Sturdivant who was still on the boards when the team made this pick. That will be another player the fans will keep a close eye on during his career. The Giants do not have a 5th round pick (traded away for RB Darius Reynaud). Fans will have a long wait to the 6th round unless Big Blue decides to get rid of some of their compensatory picks from round six.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was mercilessly booed every time he went up to the microphone and he was clearly uncomfortable with that fact. It didn’t help that they announced the 2011 NFL lockout was back on yesterday. As the fans chanted “We want football”, the powers that be chanted “We want more money”. It’s getting ridiculous now and maybe the poor television ratings for the draft are a sign of the times. Enough about that, let’s take a look at how the Giants did during the first 4 rounds.

New York Giants 2011 NFL Draft Picks (Rounds 1-4).

Round 1 – CB Prince Amukamara – 6’0″ 206 pounds

Round 2 – DT Marvin Austin – 6’2″ 309 pounds

Round 3 – WR Jerrel Jernigan – 5’9″ 185 pounds

Round 4 – OT James Brewer – 6’6″ 323 pounds

Are you surprised the Giants took OT James Brewer instead of LB Quan Sturdivant in round 4?

RD – nygreporter.com

Please visit www.hampscamp.com and donate/contribute to Rodney Hampton’s charity for the kids!


2011 NFL Draft: Day One, Round 1 New York Giants

April 28, 2011

NEW YORK – The New York Giants have made their 1st round pick. With the 19th overall pick the Giants took CB Prince Amukamara (6’0″ 206 pounds – 4.43 40 yard dash) who was still available for some reason. There were a lot of experts who thought/think that Prince is a top ten talent (myself included). Giants fans can be proud that GM Jerry Reese pulled the trigger on this no brainer. RB Mark Ingram and OT Anthony Castonzo were both available when Big Blue took Prince, so that is something fans will have in the back of their minds once the season starts. Make no mistake, this is a solid draft pick for Big Blue that could start paying off as early as this year.

The Giants will now have an even more dangerous backfield with the addition of Amukamara. Defensive Coordinator Perry Fewell must be wearing a perma-grin right now at the thought of coaching this young talent. With solid safeties in Rolle and Phillips and solid cornerbacks in Thomas and Ross, throwing Prince into this mix will really do some damage on the field. The Giants have a bigger need at the offensive line position but who can blame them for drafting a top ten talent that somehow dropped down to the 19th pick? Not me.

I am still hoping that C Stefen Wisniewski can fall to Big Blue in round two. He might even be worth trading up for since the team has a few extra compensatory picks this year. I would be very surprised if the Giants didn’t take an offensive lineman in the 2nd round tomorrow. Clearly, no one can blame them for taking Prince because no one thought he would be available. This is what you call a pleasant surprise.

The 2011 NFL draft will continue tomorrow night at 6:00 PM EST at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Then again on Saturday beginning at noon. Be sure to come back tomorrow for more coverage and check out the @nygreporter twitter account for immediate reactions from the draft.

Are you surprised by who the Giants picked in round one or were you expecting something like this?

RD – nygreporter.com

Please visit www.hampscamp.com and donate/contribute to Rodney Hampton’s charity for the kids!


2011 NFL Schedule: New York Giants Edition

April 19, 2011

NEW YORK – The NFL announced the 2011 regular season schedule today on the 39th day of the lockout. Talk about a contradiction. They should be required to add the proverbial “asterisk” next to the schedule like they do in baseball for steroids. Just to let the fans know that there still might be an interruption to the 2011 season. Hey, thanks!

I do not mean to sound condescending but this lockout is affecting thousands of people during a nationwide economic crisis. The thousands I speak of are not players or coaches or owners. They are the everyday people that work for NFL teams who aren’t millionaires. I don’t think the NFL realizes that people get paid about $300 per week (if they are lucky) for unemployment benefits. And the people that live month to month are 9 days behind on all their bills.

The release of the schedule is good news. The Giants got a very nice bye week in week seven. I always have a good time reading and planning around it. It looks like the G-Men will have a tough schedule on the road this year. The play some really tough teams. I think they will be up to the task come September after they get some work in at training camp and some time in the weight room. Enough from me, here is the 2011 NFL regular season schedule you have been waiting for fans!

2011 Regular Season Schedule: New York Giants

Week 1: Sunday 9/11/11 – 4:15 PM EST – Giants @ Redskins

Week 2: Monday 9/19/11 – 8:30 PM EST – Giants vs. Rams (MNF)

Week 3: Sunday 9/25/11 – 1:00 PM EST – Giants @ Eagles

Week 4: Sunday 10/2/11 – 4:05 PM EST – Giants @ Cardinals

Week 5: Sunday 10/9/11 – 1:00 PM EST – Giants vs. Seahawks

Week 6: Sunday 10/16/11 – 1:00 PM EST – Giants vs. Bills

Week 7: BYE WEEK

Week 8: Sunday 10/30/11 – 1:00 PM EST – Giants vs. Dolphins

Week 9: Sunday 11/6/11 – 4:15 PM EST – Giants @ Patriots

Week 10: Sunday 11/13/11 – 4:15 PM EST – Giants @ 49ers

Week 11: Sunday 11/20/11 – 8:20 PM EST – Giants vs. Eagles (SNF)

Week 12: Monday 11/28/11 – 8:30 PM EST – Giants @ Saints (MNF)

Week 13: Sunday 12/4/11 – 4:15 PM EST – Giants vs. Packers

Week 14: Sunday 12/11/11 – 8:20 PM EST – Giants @ Cowboys (SNF)

Week 15: Sunday 12/18/11 – 1:00 PM EST – Giants vs. Redskins

Week 16: Saturday 12/24/11 – 1:00 PM EST – Giants @ Jets

Week 17: Sunday 1/1/12 – 1:00 PM EST – Giants vs. Cowboys

Will you be attending a Giants game this year? Are you a season ticket holder?

RD – nygreporter.com

Please support the Eric LeGrand charity walk this June 4, 2011! Check it out at http://www.awalktobelieve.org