Big Blue Huddle

I am hoping these are severe growing pains with a new regime that is clearly an upgrade over the previous regime. Think back to the 1980 season, the second year for GM George Young and his head coach Ray Perkins. The Maras had finally been sidelined after the Fumble in 1978. In 1979 they show signs of life, going 6-10 but showcasing a rookie QB named Phil Simms and a very decent defense. In 1980 they went 4-12 after starting 1-3. But in 1981, they go 9-7, make the playoffs and start the road to recovery. This situation is different, but it's possible the Schoen-Daboll regime is going through sophomore blues before the team can blossom. The Maras, for now, are still sidelined, thank god. What I saw last year was very encouraging. This isn't Joe Judge and Dave Gettleman and John Mara making major decisions, no way.

Daniel Jones was very consistent last year. Not spectacular, but very good and consistent.

1. Eli Manning enjoyed good protection throughout most of his NFL career, and especially from 2005 to about 2012-2013. It's one of the reasons why the man never got hurt during a decade-and-a-half-long career. That, and his amazing rubber band body.

2. If John Mara and Dave Gettleman thought Daniel Jones was another Manning, they were sorely mistaken. Eli had many faults but he was one of the best improvisers in the history of the game. He could call his own plays 90 percent of the time and if it weren't for the fact that NFL head coaches are control freaks he wouldn't even need to get calls from the sideline. That's not something Jones excels at. Also, he was a risk taker, nothing like DJ. That said, Eli was never much of an athlete and he was slow and awkward when on the run. DJ is a much better athlete and one of the best running QBs in the league. I guess they're both calm players, but Eli always had a lot more personality on and off than field than DJ has ever shown. So I don't rate DJ as highly as Eli, for now at least, but he has his good qualities. He's no Alex Smith by the way. Much better.

Excellent poster. May he rest in peace.

Two of the finest football minds in the English-speaking world in conversation: a true joy for the rest of us!

Brian, my friend, that is some excellent stuff. Kudos. No one sees the game of football quite like you.

Few know this but Brian can do the same for British Premier League Soccer!

Quote from: Vette on January 07, 2016, 04:38:02 PM
I just adjusted the system censor for the letters ass as it is in many words. lol

I kind of like it. I vote to keep it. Maybe a new poll?

Is TC available? If so, TC.

Get David Shaw in here. Failing that, Hue Jackson. He reminds me of Arians.

But I'm willing to bet top money that they will go with McAdoo. Can't wait for the reactions on this board to that one.

Eli should be running this offense.

Great stuff

That 1979 season! It was much more of a roller coaster ride than the 6-10 record indicates. The Giants indeed lost their first five games as Simms sat on the bench while "Patterson Plank" Joe played himself out of the starting lineup. Perkins actually brought Simms in for the first time in that fifth game, versus the Saints, with the score 17-14 in favor of New Orleans. The Giants lost that one 24-14.

In game six, the 0-5 Giants faced the 5-0 Tampa Bay Buccaneers who had a tremendous defense featuring future HOFer Lee Roy Selmon and the running of Ricky Bell. Simms showed real fight and grit in leading the Giants, against all expectations, to their first win of the season. The Giants then won three straight to get to 4-5 and that crucial matchup with the Cowboys at Giants Stadium, which GO vividly describes. That 16-14 loss was a real heartbreaker.

Still, it's worth mentioning that second Dallas game of the 1979 season. The Giants went into the Cowboys home with a 6-7 record, with momentum and a real shot at the playoffs if they won their last three. But the Giants laid an egg and lost 28-7; that loss eliminated the team's playoff hopes, took the wind out of their sails, and they ended the season with two flat losses to mediocre teams (the Cards and the Colts).

It might also be worth mentioning the awful injury-riddled 4-12 1980 season. The formerly competent Giants D had a pretty awful season (only Brad Van Pelt and Harry Carson played well). But one of the team's four wins came against mighty Dallas, 38-35!

GO,

Great job! Though I disagree a little with your interpretation. I don't think the "light bulb" quite went off in Wellington's head at the time you say (the move to Giants Stadium). He and Robustelli still went for the quick fix. Don't forget that in 1976 he personally made sure that the Giants signed Larry Csonka, the over-the-hill diva fullback from Miami. Not only was this done against the wishes of Tim Mara, the owner of the other 50% of the franchise, but Csonka played a key role in the infamous fumble debacle that signaled the downfall of  Andy Robustelli, John McVay, and Wellington as team boss. After that season Tim and Wellington simply could not agree to do anything - specifically, whether to hire a GM or coach first - and that's where the NFL stepped in and Pete Rozelle basically asked the Giants to hire George Young.

Isn't that Frank Gifford narrating the clip of the 1973 tie game?

What I remember from that godawful 2002 game is thinking, "why can't Kerry Collins be a little more like this Doug Johnson kid?"