New York Giants Training Camp Report 8/6/10

August 6, 2010

Hello Giants Fans, Today is Autograph Night (practice is from 3:35-4:35 PM EST) at the Giants training camp in Albany!! Fans will be able to meet the players and get their autographs. It’s a great day to bring the kids and support the Giants.

It is hard to believe but week one of the 2010 training camp is almost completed. There are now exactly fourteen days until the camp wraps up on August 20, 2010. What is even more crazy is the fact that the G-men play the Jets in their first preseason game in ten days at the new stadium. The Giants and Jets will meet on August 16, 2010 at 8PM EST in a Monday Night Football showdown. Football fans understand that this is the first preseason game of the year and that it will probably not be very competitive. The starters will not play longer then one quarter and it may even be for a single series.

Training camp has been going very well for Big Blue. Coach Coughlin mentioned the wide receiver group recently saying that they need to pull it together a little bit. I would not worry about this, I believe it is more player rust, then actual concern over ability. Rookie DE Jason Pierre-Paul continues to gain praise from the coaching staff and players. Center Shaun O’Hara is battling a nagging ankle injury and has missed most of training camp thus far. The Giants started using full pads this week and I’m sure the trainers want to be cautious with some of these players.

WR Hakeem Nicks scared the heck out of everyone after he hyperextended his right knee. Two MRI’s later in New York City and Nicks was cleared and back in Albany the next day. The Giants cannot afford to lose a player of Nicks’ caliber on offense and I’m sure the team let out a collective exhale at the good news. QB Eli Manning continues to be a rock for the team and is beginning to get in the zone as time goes on. There has been no mention of the achilles injury he suffered in 2009, so I’m assuming that he feels fine and will be good to go in 2010.

Tom Coughlin has a group of players who are on a special list that will only allow them to practice once per day. Those players include DT Jay Alford, WR Hakeem Nicks, TE Kevin Boss, LB Keith Bulluck and DE Osi Umenyiora. All of these players had recent injuries and they require special attention during training camp until they are fully healthy. WR Mario Manningham and S Deon Grant have also both missed the past couple of days at practice with groin injuries. S Kenny Phillips is still hoping to fully recover before the start of the 2010 season, while S Antrel Rolle is easing into his leadership role with the DB’s. They will not hold two a day practices today, only the one practice on the field from 2:25-4:35 PM EST.

Here is a link to the Giants Autograph Night info, which is today, straight from Giants.com: http://www.giants.com/trainingcamp/autographnight.asp

RD – nygreporter.com

PLEASE SUPPORT THE WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT!!


Easy Eli Manning is Going to Make the 2010 Pro Bowl

June 3, 2010

What do you think about the title of this article? Do you think QB Eli Manning will make the 2010 NFL Pro Bowl roster for the NFC? If you agree, tell us why. If you disagree, tell us why. New York Giants Quarterback Eli Manning (6-4 225 pounds) is a Super Bowl MVP & Super Bowl Champion. Eli Manning has already been to a Pro Bowl in 2008 and has made the playoffs for four of his five years as the leader. We have seen him make incredible comebacks and we’ve seen him win 11 straight on the road. Why people still doubt Manning is beyond me. He improved again in 2009, cracking the 4,000 yard passing yard mark with 4,021 yards. He also threw a very good TD to INT ratio of 27 to 14. It must also be noted that Manning was sacked 30 times in 2009, the most of any year in his career.

He had a solid year in 2009 but the team still finished with a disappointing 8-8 record to close out the season. Injuries can be written in history as the reason why they had a poor season in 2009. 2010 will be a whole other story. Eli Manning has some dangerous receivers and tight ends in his arsenal. It’s clear that the team has the offensive lines future in mind with youngsters William Beatty, Adam Koets and Mitch Petrus in the mix. Protecting Eli will become the theme for next years 2011 NFL draft. I would bet they choose at least two offensive linemen within the first four rounds of the draft.

How would you grade the 29 year old Manning at this point in his career? Personally, I give him an “A” and could not see anyone giving him less then a “B” from everything he has accomplished since being drafted in 2004 in the first round. The crazy trade with San Diego during the 2004 NFL Draft to get him. Ernie Accorsi doing his thing and making things happen. Eli Manning is ready to take things to the next level and I expect him to do so with the arsenal of talented wide receivers he is throwing to. Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham, Ramses Barden, Kevin Boss, Travis Beckum, Derek Hagan and Sinorice Moss are a lot to deal with. Eli Manning is going to go on a three or four year tear beginning this season. He will become the Derek Jeter of New York football by the end of his career. This includes at least one more Super Bowl ring either this year or next year. Next year makes the most sense logically given the team needs some time to mesh with each other. They had some things to work out but I’m confident Eli will lead this team to the next level.

My official prediction for QB Eli Manning during the 2010 NFL regular season is: 4,347 passing yards and 36 TD’s 18 INT’s.

Eli Manning’s official career numbers are: 18,644 passing yards, 125 TD’s 88 INT’s.

RD – NYGReporter.com

SUPPORT THE WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT!!


NY Giants Top Ten: Single Season Record, Receiving Yards

May 23, 2010

Here is a new segment that we will be doing here on the NYG Reporter, we will call them the unoriginal name of the “top ten” lists. Yes, we understand the cliche but it is still an effective means for communicating pertinent information about the team. The previous article we wrote before this, where we took a look at the fantasy football possibilities got me thinking. I mentioned that I thought WR Hakeem Nicks would break the single season Giants record for receiving yards in 2010. The current all-time record is 1,343 receiving yards, in a single season, set by WR Amani Toomer in 2002. During Hakeem Nicks’ rookie season in 2009, he had 790 receiving yards and six touchdowns, even though he only started in six games.

It will be interesting to see how the Smith/Nicks WR duo compliment each other. We could be on the verge of something big here in 2010. Let’s not forget about WR Mario Manningham, WR Ramses Barden, WR Derek Hagan, WR Domenik Hixon, WR Sinorice Moss and the rookie WR Tim Brown that Coughlin has mentioned during interviews. They will be competing with each other during the current OTA’s going on and even more so, come training camp in Albany this summer.

We will be doing the running backs and quarterbacks records during this week as well, so be sure to come back and check them out.

Let’s take a look at the top ten all-time receiving yards records for the New York Giants.

New York Giants all-time receiving yards, per single season, record standings.

1. WR Amani Toomer, 1,343 receiving yards in 2002.

2. WR Steve Smith, 1,220 receiving yards in 2009.

3. WR Plaxico Burress, 1,214 receiving yards in 2005.

4. WR Homer Jones, 1,209 receiving yards in 1967.

5. WR Amani Toomer, 1,183 receiving yards in 1999.

6. WR Del Shofner, 1,181 receiving yards in 1963.

7. WR Earnest Gray, 1,139 receiving yards in 1983.

8. WR Del Shofner, 1,133 receiving yards in 1962.

9. WR Del Shofner, 1,125 receiving yards in 1961.

10. WR Amani Toomer, 1,094 receiving yards in 2000.

Are you surprised by the amount of wide receivers on this list that have played  in the 1960’s? Do you think that WR Hakeem Nicks can re-write the record books in 2010?

RD – NYGReporter.com


New York Giants Re-Sign WR Derek Hagan

May 13, 2010

The New York Giants continued to tweak their roster by signing five year NFL veteran WR Derek Hagan to a one year contract. Hagan (6’2″ 215 pounds) hasn’t done much for Big Blue since he came to the team from the Miami Dolphins in 2008. In 2009, Hagan had 101 receiving yards and 1 touchdown. I expect to see Hagan used primarily on special teams but he could get into a few games, if he can impress the coaches. Most Giants fans would prefer to see him do well (myself included), so that the team can be even more effective in the passing game. QB Eli Manning can use all of the help he can get and the re-signing of Hagan shows that Jerry Reese is very intent on keeping Easy Eli happy. A deep group of wide receivers ensures that the team will not be without a backup in that particular area.

There will be a lot of talented receivers on the team in 2010. Steve Smith and Hakeem Nicks will more then likely take the one and two spot, while the battle for the third slot will be between Mario Manningham and the rest of the wide receiver group. Ramses Barden is still a very intriguing prospect because of his size and strength. One could say that this year’s first round pick, Jason Pierre-Paul could be viewed in the same light as Barden. Barden was brought in as a project because he came from a small school, exactly the same situation as Pierre-Paul finds himself in. QB Eli Manning had a career year in 2009, even though the team finished with a disappointing record. The WR corps was a big part of his progress and they should all flourish once again in 2010.

What do you think about the G-Men re-signing WR Derek Hagan? What do you think about the entire wide receiver group for the 2010 NFL season?

RD – NYGReporter.com

The NYG Reporter supports the American Red Cross.


New York Giants: Seven Rounds in Seven Days, Rd.3

April 18, 2010

Are you beginning to get excited Giants fans? We are now only 4 days away from the 2010 NFL Draft. All of our research and investigation of players will soon be over and we will finally know who the G-men had on their radar all along. Big Blue had a busy week last week, they signed a few players and seem to be just about ready to enter the War Room and lock it down. I anticipate one or two more moves, on the teams behalf, before the draft this Thursday night. I don’t think it will be anything major but you never know with Jerry Reese. I am still not counting out a possible trade on draft day but it seems unlikely given Reese’s history of holding onto his picks.

In case you haven’t read the previous “Seven Rounds in Seven Days” articles, what we are doing is comparing Ernie Accorsi’s last three years as GM with the team and Jerry Reese’s first three years as the new GM. We are not comparing these men to find a winner but rather taking a look at the past six years and what rewards have come from their work. There are no winners in these comparisons, we are just doing something entertaining for the fans leading up to draft day.

OK Giants fans, let’s take a look at the New York Giants third round picks from the past six years.

ROUND 3

Ernie Accorsi

2004 Draft – Round 3 – No picks available

2005 Draft – Round 3 – DE Justin Tuck

2006 Draft – Round 3 – LB Gerris Wilkinson

Jerry Reese

2007 Draft – Round 3 – DT Jay Alford

2008 Draft – Round 3 – WR Mario Manningham

2009 Draft – Round 3 – WR Ramses Barden and TE Travis Beckum

NYGReporter

2010 Draft – Round 3 – Position Prediction – Defensive Tackle

This is a difficult round for me to decide between Accorsi and Reese but once again, I have to give it to Reese. I’m giving Reese the nod in round three because he drafted double the players and all of them are still on the team. I also like the fact that he was able to get two picks in round three last year. Defensive end Justin Tuck is a huge pick of course and we need to give Accorsi credit for scouting him. I never envisioned the Giants as a team that did a lot of deals during the draft. But after seeing how many picks are absent from Accorsi’s final three drafts, is really opening my eyes. Until I laid everything out like this, I had no idea that the team had been consistently giving up that many picks.

Another thing that stands out in my mind is exactly how young the G-men are. The New York Giants are a very young football team and about to get even younger next weekend. If you take a look at our previous articles, where we take a look at every position on the team, you will see that a lot of those positions are extremely young. A player with only four or five years of NFL experience is considered the veteran in those areas.

What do you think about the New York Giants third round picks for the past six years? Who would you give the round three crown to between Accorsi and Reese?

RD – NYGReporter.com


2010 New York Giants: The Wide Receivers

April 7, 2010

I would like to take a look at the New York Giants wide receiver group today. This was an area of great concern last year for many Giants fans before the draft began. General Manager Jerry Reese quickly addressed the situation by drafting WR Hakeem Nicks with the Giants first pick. As it turns out, the wide receiver group was a bright spot on a dark season in 2009. Eli Manning had a career year throwing the ball to this young group of talented receivers and I see no reason why that trend should stop in 2010. I took a look at the roster today and was surprised to see that the team has only seven wide receivers. There isn’t a single New York Giants WR that has more then 5 years of NFL experience. The New York Giants must have one of the youngest and most talented WR groups in the NFL.

The Giants are set with Steve Smith and Hakeem Nicks as sure starters but things get a little foggy at the 3rd WR spot. Sinorice Moss has done very little since the team drafted him four years ago and I am surprised he is still on the team. Domenik Hixon has shown flashes of talent but lacks the consistency required to be a full time starter. Derek Hagan is a depth player who rarely sees action on the field. That leaves us with two final wide receivers on the squad, Mario Manningham and Ramses Barden. In my opinion, you have to give Manningham the nod over Barden, simply because he has more experience. Barden might turn out to be a very good NFL player but Manningham already is a very good player. Manningham needs to get a little more coaching and practice on the little things and he will be even more explosive.

It will interesting to see who is on the final roster come September 4, 2010. The two players that need to be concerned are Sinorice Moss and Derek Hagan. I’m not sure if both of these guys will be on the team for the 2010 season. I would not be surprised to see Jerry Reese grab a young wide receiver in the late rounds of the upcoming NFL Draft. Having TE Kevin Boss and TE Travis Beckum thrown into the passing attack allows the wide receivers to be even more proficient. I expect another great year from the New York Giants WR group. I have a strong feeling that this will be WR Hakeem Nicks breakout season.

What do you think about the 2010 Giants wide receiver group and who do you see as a potential late round WR pick (rounds 5-7)? I will leave a list of the current New York Giants wide receivers below.

1. Steve Smith #12

2. Hakeem Nicks #88

3. Domenik Hixon #87

4. Ramses Barden #13

5. Mario Manningham #82

6. Sinorice Moss #83

7. Derek Hagan #80

RD – NYGReporter.com


Welcome to the NYG Reporter!

March 6, 2010

This is a website for New York Giants fans and writers to come and discuss New York Giants football. There is nothing left out of the discussion here concerning the G-Men during the season and off season. We are looking to build a strong network of solid New York Giants writers.

We have been featured on CBS Sports, USA Today, Giants.com, Giants 101, SB Nation and bleacher report just to name a few. The goal was to create a stress free environment for Giants writers to come and share their thoughts and strategies, without feeling suffocated or pressured to constantly write new material for the site. All are welcome here, from the established and seasoned sports writer, to the beginner trying to make sense of it all. Welcome to the NYG Reporter!

This site was born on March 6, 2010. I hope you decide to check us out and stay a while!

Robert Domaine – nygreporter.com