Random Thoughts

[Ed Vette]

Starting with yesterday's home game
against the Pats;

This Offense Line has players that I don't want to see coming back. We waited for some continuity but after many years of snaps, the inside still struggles. I don't fault Phillips who was tossed, brought back and thrown in because Peart and Ezeudu failed horribly. Ezeudu failed at Guard also. But Bredeson and Glowinski need to be upgraded. Too much inconsistency in their game. However, when we see Neal struggling after two seasons and JMS performing below expectations, I have to look at the Oline Coach. This Unit can't pass block or Run Block. The Run game is very important to this Offense when we have a ten million dollar RB who is the best weapon on the Offensive. This last game he only had 12 rushing snaps and if you take away his one long run, he ran for a putrid 2.25 YPC.

Why did Saquon have only one reception after the monster game he had last week? Why was he standing on the sidelines when his QB was getting his ass handed to him? Ok, I'm happy they finally involved Hyatt in the game plan but that doesn't negate playing time for Barkley. Kafka called 14 Rushes and 25 passes. 29% run to 71% passing for a wet behind the ears Rookie third string QB? I know Tommy Cutlets wasn't calling audibles and counting the box. Lenn @LennG nailed it. What did Kafka do to help this kid in poor weather conditions?

Even though the Giants dropped in the draft again with this win, there will be a couple of QBs available when they pick. However, like I've said before, I'm not so sure they will pick a QB. They have this love affair with Daniel Jones and I don't think it's over. Certainly that putrid Offensive Line was a huge factor in his failures this season. They are actually much worse than last season. They regressed.

I do believe there was some friction between Daboll and Wink. Two strong personalities can result in that, especially when losing. That said, I think it's not unhealthy in this case. Wink's Defense was wildly inconsistent prior to these head to head altercations. He did call a couple of bad games. Now since, he and his men are on a mission. They were responsible for both these last two wins.

Why is it when Daniel Jones struggles, gets sacked and succumbs to pressure, it's the Oline but for Tommy Salami it's all on him? Yes, Chicken Cutlet Hero is a far stretch from being a Franchise QB and he needs to get the ball out much quicker because his clock is still at Illinois. But at least check down. He's not invulnerable and at some point he's gonna break.

One intangible Tommy DeVito brings to the table is his enthusiasm and positive attitude has been contagious to the entire team. I see a different level of play since he took over. I especially see it in the Defensive who now have played with passion knowing Tommy isn't going to give the game away. All those hits and sacks and no turnovers. He just gets up and on the next play.

The loss of Leo and Dex on the sidelines, clearly show a need to fortify the Interior Defense. Thankfully the Pats stupidly moved away from running the ball and thanks to Bobby Okereke and Micah McFadden, the two best ILB's this team has had in a decade. We have a serious draft need at DE and we need a backup to Dex who can tackle and stuff the run.

Can the Giants win three more games after the BYE? If the Defense continues to play at the level they are playing at, it's certainly possible. Sorry all you guys rooting on game day but hoping for a loss in the end. Even luck has started to turn around with the bounce of the ball and a wide left.

[LennG]

 Nice summation Ed.

When they flashed the stats for the defense in yesterday's game, all I saw was terrible numbers. like mid to late 20s in every department. I love Wink's aggressive style, but should we excel somewhere?
We have spent and drafted continually to upgrade the offense and defense, yet we are putrid in each department.

Last year we were so afraid of losing Kafka and Wink, this year, I think both need to go (along with the entire offensive staff --OL coach, QB coach, and WR coach, all of whom have underperformed terribly). Dabill is safe, but we need some new thinking on this team.

[coggs]

I agree on the play-calling.  New England was able to move the ball a bit with runs up the gut.  Why they didnt do it more, I dont get and neither did Vilma.  The quick passes to trips with blocks set up were also effective.  Why the Giants tried running their regular offense with a QB who had no idea how to make the reads, I don't understand. 

I would temper the idea the defense was fired up for DeVito.  Saying they knew he wouldn't give the game away is  a stretch, a big stretch.  They had 6 takeaways last week and still needed to make a stand in the last 2 minutes.  They had 3 interceptions all of which put the Giants inside the NE 40 yard line and could only muster 10 points.  Hard to even say the "won" the last 2 games.  More like they lost just a little bit less.

[spiderblue43]

One thing that DeVito has aplenty over Jones is a pulse No question the team has responded to him. That is more an indictment, however, on DJ   

[DaveBrown74]

DeVito's body language is better than Jones' IMO. Jones always looks so rattled and bewildered. Often he looks legitimately miserable out there. DeVito just seems more even-keeled and confident, despite not having any obvious reason to be. And it's not like he hasn't faced the brutal conditions Jones has. He has gotten sacked a ton.

[ralphpal1]

I also think the defense sees devito throwing it more than 20 yrds ..maybe the defense figures its going to work soon
With Hyatt getting 100 yrds it is working
Its hard to score when your qb throws 5yrd checkdowns all the time

[Dgoodmantrublu]

DeVito creates a lot of his own sacks. Not that Jones doesn't. They are both bad QBs. It doesn't really matter who sucks more. We need a better QB than either.

DeVito's body language is better than Jones' IMO. Jones always looks so rattled and bewildered. Often he looks legitimately miserable out there. DeVito just seems more even-keeled and confident, despite not having any obvious reason to be. And it's not like he hasn't faced the brutal conditions Jones has. He has gotten sacked a ton.

[DaveBrown74]

DeVito creates a lot of his own sacks. Not that Jones doesn't. They are both bad QBs. It doesn't really matter who sucks more. We need a better QB than either.

I'm not making a case for DeVito as a starter or in any way suggesting they should not try to upgrade at QB in this draft. I have been pretty clear for a long while now that I want us to be going QB in the draft. My point was more just to highlight this difference between the two players. Not to suggest DeVito is worthy of becoming the long term starter of the Giants.

[Dgoodmantrublu]

Ok.

DeVito is thrilled to play. Jones is beat down and probably knows how bad he is.

[coggs]

Ok.

DeVito is thrilled to play. Jones is beat down and probably knows how bad he is.

DeVito is definitely playing with house money.  He knows it, his family knows it.  Good for him.  I do love his enthusiasm and how much fun the kid is having.  Doesn't change my opinion on his ability.

[DaveBrown74]

DeVito is definitely playing with house money.  He knows it, his family knows it.  Good for him.  I do love his enthusiasm and how much fun the kid is having.  Doesn't change my opinion on his ability.

Agreed.

I don't think there is much of a debate about DeVito. I think the vast majority of Giants fans understand what he is. The fact that people are having a little fun with it doesn't mean they're saying he's legit good. I think that is lost on some folks here.

[katkavage]

DeVito is definitely playing with house money.  He knows it, his family knows it.  Good for him.  I do love his enthusiasm and how much fun the kid is having.  Doesn't change my opinion on his ability.

He is playing his way to a career as an NFL backup. That's a pretty good financial position to be in. Good for him.

[Bob In PA]

He is playing his way to a career as an NFL backup. That's a pretty good financial position to be in. Good for him.

kat: At least NFL backup. We can always hope for more!  Bob

[katkavage]

kat: At least NFL backup. We can always hope. Bob

He's the Jeremy Lin of the NFL. Two weeks of feel good hype and then??? Though I do think he's done enough, even though it was against putrid competition, to get him work for the next three years at least.

[DaveBrown74]

He's the Jeremy Lin of the NFL. Two weeks of feel good hype and then??? Though I do think he's done enough, even though it was against putrid competition, to get him work for the next three years at least.

Not a bad comparison. Lin was genuinely awesome for a few weeks though. He wasn't just decent. He was lighting it up. DeVito has done a good job relative to expectations for sure, but I wouldn't say he has "lit it up."