Ill tell you why; they are the most offensively undisciplined team in the league. There is no accountability in D'Antoni's run and chuck offense, everybody has a green light to throw the ball at the rim from anywhere on the floor. One thing I’ve noticed during the terrible 6 game losing streak is that after the games all you hear from the coaching staff is how they just need to make shots. How many losses will it take for the coaching staff to understand that its time to address something different like, oh I don’t know we take WAY to many shots from the perimeter and the only times we've had success over this abysmal stretch is when they have been aggressive going to the hole. How about nobody on the team telling people to stop settling and play like you want to win a freaking game. Do you think Kobe would stay silent during a stretch like this...NO because you know if you settle and don't give 100% you would be hearing from number 24.
With an offense based on getting shots up quick and having more possessions you are bound to have bad shooting nights, what is unacceptable is that the Knicks don’t seem to have a contingency plan for those nights. It seems they are reserved to the fact that if they don’t shoot well they will lose. Mike D'Antoni is supposed to be one of the finest offensive minds in the NBA but seems to have no answer to this recurring problem. Compound that with the fact that the Knicks allow their poor shooting to affect every other aspect of their game and you have a 3-8 start.
Its clear that the defense is better than last year, however once they stop hitting shots they become complacent and the bad habits start to creep up. I understand Amare is the superstar and he has to be aggressive but he can’t turn the ball over 5 times a game. D'Antoni sees the need to talk about how Landry Fields, "cuts too much" when he has been the most consistent and impressive Knick, but fails to mention that Amare consistently fumbles the ball out of bounds like a hot pan out the oven. There seem to be a lot of issues the Knicks have to work out, maybe the Knicks start hitting shots and this will all go away but I know one thing...they cant continue to play like this.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
Ladies and Gentleman: Wilson Chandler
The Knicks have found their second scoring option to Amare Stoudemire in Wilson Chandler. Wilson Chandler is averaging 21 points, 10 rebounds and shooting 45% from the field in the first three games. This is after Wilson tore up preseason shooting 47.4% from the field and 47% from three. His production was nothing to sneeze at considering he just began resuming basketball activities mid-september coming off of surgery.
His reward for a productive preseason was presented in the form of a newly assigned bench role. At first glance the move was glaring, about as glaring as the favoritism D'Antoni was showing to the bricking Gallinari. However due to the surprising play of rookie Landry Fields known to some(Walt Clyde Frazier) as a precocious neophyte, D'antoni has Chandler coming off the bench forcing him to be aggressive every minute hes out on the floor. Chandler has always been at his best when he is aggressive, his major issue was the consistency of that aggression.
He has shown in the first three games that the preseason wasnt a spike in production but a new level of it. With the spotlight on Gallinari to take the next step in his development, Chandler was quietly taking his.
His reward for a productive preseason was presented in the form of a newly assigned bench role. At first glance the move was glaring, about as glaring as the favoritism D'Antoni was showing to the bricking Gallinari. However due to the surprising play of rookie Landry Fields known to some(Walt Clyde Frazier) as a precocious neophyte, D'antoni has Chandler coming off the bench forcing him to be aggressive every minute hes out on the floor. Chandler has always been at his best when he is aggressive, his major issue was the consistency of that aggression.
He has shown in the first three games that the preseason wasnt a spike in production but a new level of it. With the spotlight on Gallinari to take the next step in his development, Chandler was quietly taking his.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
The New York Sack Exchange is out of the recession!!
After a record breaking defensive performance against the Chicago Bears last week (10 Sacks), the Giants continued their dominance shutting down the very potent Houston Texans Offense. After a dissapointing 1-2 start the Giants are now 3-2 sitting atop the NFC East division.
These past two weeks have marked the resurgence of the defense Giants fans grew to love from their Superbowl run. They have not only shown the capacity to disrupt the passing game with their pass rush, they also shut down the run game limiting the NFL's leading rusher Arian Foster to 25 yards on 11 rushes after shutting down Chris Johnson for 3 quarters and Matt Forte for 4.
The offense, which was the strength of the team last year, finally got back to their scoring ways with 24 points in the first half and finishing with 34. Aside from two baffling throws from Eli Manning that led to interceptions he looked sharp connecting with breakout player of the year candidate Hakeem Nicks for 12 receptions for 130 yards and 2 touchdowns. If the defense can play the way its capable of and the offense can repeat their success from last year look for the G-Men to turn some heads this year.
These past two weeks have marked the resurgence of the defense Giants fans grew to love from their Superbowl run. They have not only shown the capacity to disrupt the passing game with their pass rush, they also shut down the run game limiting the NFL's leading rusher Arian Foster to 25 yards on 11 rushes after shutting down Chris Johnson for 3 quarters and Matt Forte for 4.
The offense, which was the strength of the team last year, finally got back to their scoring ways with 24 points in the first half and finishing with 34. Aside from two baffling throws from Eli Manning that led to interceptions he looked sharp connecting with breakout player of the year candidate Hakeem Nicks for 12 receptions for 130 yards and 2 touchdowns. If the defense can play the way its capable of and the offense can repeat their success from last year look for the G-Men to turn some heads this year.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Preseason opener a Success?
In their first showing of the year the Knicks beat Armani Jeans Milano 125-113 in a turnover ridden eurofest. Although it was just the first preseason game there are a few noticeable things in the win.
-Amare Stoudemire is a BEAST!! As much as Knicks fans loved David Lee, the difference between him and Amare is glaring. Amare is stocked with an array of various spin moves, dribble drives and rim rattlers. He was simply dominate in this one netting 32 points in only 28 minutes.
-Blocks, blocks and more blocks. Even though the Knicks gave up a sad 113 to AJM, there were very few uncontested drives to the basket, something that haunted the Knicks last year. Between Anthony Randolph, Timofey Mosgov and Ronny Turiaf look for the Knicks to climb out of the cellar in the blocks per game department.
-Danilo Gallinari will get all the opportunities to be the number two guy to Amare. He had plenty of open looks off of the Raymond Felton, Amare pick and roll set. He did shoot too much from the outside(5-11), but look for him to assert himself going to the rack as the preseason moves on.
-Silent Wil scored the quietest 17 points I've ever seen, I was in shock when I saw the box score after the game. He didn't look like he was going full speed yet as he gets his legs under him after offseason surgery, but he looked good attacking the basket and hitting the mid range jumper.
-If your playing the Knicks this season be prepared to be violated by Toney Douglas and Raymond Felton. They will be all up in your shorts for 48 minutes and I love it. They both played fiesty and aggressive on defense, something that has been evident in training camp.
-Speaking of Raymond Felton, on offense he didn't really look for his shot(2 of 5), it looks like his focus is getting into the offense and getting guys shots(8 assists). Look for him to be more aggressive as the preseason progresses.
-Timofey Mosgov and Anthony Randolph are young talents that still need some work but will have an immediate impact on the team. Mosgov looked as mobile and smart as advertised but will still need to work on positioning and staying out of foul trouble. Randolph was definitely looking to score this game scoring 16 points on 7-11 shooting, perhaps a little too much as Mike D'Antoni expressed with a classic "pass the F*&$^n ball".
Overall there were tons of turnovers(28), something to be expected in the first preseason game, but there was certainly promise. I will curb my enthusiasm and reserve predictions until they start playing NBA talent.
-Amare Stoudemire is a BEAST!! As much as Knicks fans loved David Lee, the difference between him and Amare is glaring. Amare is stocked with an array of various spin moves, dribble drives and rim rattlers. He was simply dominate in this one netting 32 points in only 28 minutes.
-Blocks, blocks and more blocks. Even though the Knicks gave up a sad 113 to AJM, there were very few uncontested drives to the basket, something that haunted the Knicks last year. Between Anthony Randolph, Timofey Mosgov and Ronny Turiaf look for the Knicks to climb out of the cellar in the blocks per game department.
-Danilo Gallinari will get all the opportunities to be the number two guy to Amare. He had plenty of open looks off of the Raymond Felton, Amare pick and roll set. He did shoot too much from the outside(5-11), but look for him to assert himself going to the rack as the preseason moves on.
-Silent Wil scored the quietest 17 points I've ever seen, I was in shock when I saw the box score after the game. He didn't look like he was going full speed yet as he gets his legs under him after offseason surgery, but he looked good attacking the basket and hitting the mid range jumper.
-If your playing the Knicks this season be prepared to be violated by Toney Douglas and Raymond Felton. They will be all up in your shorts for 48 minutes and I love it. They both played fiesty and aggressive on defense, something that has been evident in training camp.
-Speaking of Raymond Felton, on offense he didn't really look for his shot(2 of 5), it looks like his focus is getting into the offense and getting guys shots(8 assists). Look for him to be more aggressive as the preseason progresses.
-Timofey Mosgov and Anthony Randolph are young talents that still need some work but will have an immediate impact on the team. Mosgov looked as mobile and smart as advertised but will still need to work on positioning and staying out of foul trouble. Randolph was definitely looking to score this game scoring 16 points on 7-11 shooting, perhaps a little too much as Mike D'Antoni expressed with a classic "pass the F*&$^n ball".
Overall there were tons of turnovers(28), something to be expected in the first preseason game, but there was certainly promise. I will curb my enthusiasm and reserve predictions until they start playing NBA talent.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Knicks Training Camp Begins!!!!
The Knicks began training camp today with a two-a-day session. Morning session was mostly conditioning drills, running and fast break drills etc. The evening session consisted of several scrimmages. The first team was Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, Amare Stoudemire and Ronny Turiaf. The second team was Toney Douglas, Roger Mason, Bill Walker, Anthony Randolph and Timofey Mosgov. The third group was comprised of rookies Andy Rautins and Landry Fields, free agents patrick Ewing Jr. and Shawne Willaims and dead beat Eddy Curry.
Some notes from the day:
-Amare Stoudemire and Raymond Felton were named co-captains so look for them to set the tone for the team.
-Felton's jumpshot looked much improved, a major factor in pick and roll effectiveness giving the Knicks a threat at the top of the screen. He also had good chemistry with Amare which will be the key to the Knicks success this year.
-Amare was Amare, in great shape, looked comfortable in the system, ran the floor well, oh and he gave Timofey Mosgov the business on a nice dribble drive. Video Courtesy of Tommy Dee at theknicksblog.com.
-Eddy Curry looked lost and struggled the most through the conditioning drills...nothing new to report here.
-Anthony Randolph hit a couple jumpshots and looked good on the defensive end. Need to see more from him to get any kind of analysis.
-Danilo Gallinari was sniping as usual, looked good and in shape.
-Timofey Mosgov is legit, hes huge, looked good in transition, athletic, good feet and soft hands just needs to be refined a little. If he continues on this path look for him to be a starter sooner than later.
Knicks have a few more days of two a days then they are off to Italy to begin the preseason. More posts on training camp as it comes.
Some notes from the day:
-Amare Stoudemire and Raymond Felton were named co-captains so look for them to set the tone for the team.
-Felton's jumpshot looked much improved, a major factor in pick and roll effectiveness giving the Knicks a threat at the top of the screen. He also had good chemistry with Amare which will be the key to the Knicks success this year.
-Amare was Amare, in great shape, looked comfortable in the system, ran the floor well, oh and he gave Timofey Mosgov the business on a nice dribble drive. Video Courtesy of Tommy Dee at theknicksblog.com.
-Eddy Curry looked lost and struggled the most through the conditioning drills...nothing new to report here.
-Anthony Randolph hit a couple jumpshots and looked good on the defensive end. Need to see more from him to get any kind of analysis.
-Danilo Gallinari was sniping as usual, looked good and in shape.
-Timofey Mosgov is legit, hes huge, looked good in transition, athletic, good feet and soft hands just needs to be refined a little. If he continues on this path look for him to be a starter sooner than later.
Knicks have a few more days of two a days then they are off to Italy to begin the preseason. More posts on training camp as it comes.
Week 2 Recap
The Giants got rocked...period. Hopefully week 3 against the Tennessee Titans(1-1) will make me feel better.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Giants 31 Panthers 18 Week 1 Recap
The Giants opened their brand new stadium with a 31-18 victory over the Carolina Panthers. This game was important to the Giants for many reasons, first game in the new stadium, multiple players coming back from serious injuries(Kenny Phillips and Keith Bulluck) and because the last time these teams met Carolina embarrassed the Giants in a 41-9 demolition. In the rematch the Giants showed that the defense is no longer the sieve that it was last year, and the offense, drops and all, is picking up where it left off last year. Here are some notes from the game.
-Hakeem Nicks showed his play-making ability with 3 TD receptions. He got separation consistently and showed great ball skills, pause.
-Ahmad Bradshaw had a good game, some big losses on runs hurt his numbers a little but expect that to happen because of all his cut back and reverse field runs. He finished with 76 yards and a touchdown in 20 carries.
-Eli Manning had a really good game he was accurate and made good decisions but 3 interceptions off of drops will hurt you. He also had 3 touchdowns and showed his mastery of the offense.
-The defensive secondary for the Giants looked like a strength this week with 3 interceptions and held Matt Moore to a 42% completion percentage and 32.6 passer rating. They were swarming around the ball and safeties Kenny Phillips and Antrel Rolle looked like a nasty combination.
-The defensive line looked suspect in the first half but got tons of pressure in the second half with four sacks and 2 forced fumbles. The Giants rotation is so deep with Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka all making plays, it might be too early to say they have returned to their Superbowl form but look for a big improvement from last year.
-Special teams is a big issue right now for the G-men, punter Matt dodge was kicking ducks like he has all preseason and kickoff coverage was terrible giving the panthers great field position most of the game.
Overall the Giants played well, they played sloppy at times but they looked in control for most of the Game. They will be playing the Colts next week, if they want to win that game they will definitely need to keep those turnovers in check because Peyton Manning will not throw 3 interceptions in the end zone...you can take that to the bank.
-Hakeem Nicks showed his play-making ability with 3 TD receptions. He got separation consistently and showed great ball skills, pause.
-Ahmad Bradshaw had a good game, some big losses on runs hurt his numbers a little but expect that to happen because of all his cut back and reverse field runs. He finished with 76 yards and a touchdown in 20 carries.
-Eli Manning had a really good game he was accurate and made good decisions but 3 interceptions off of drops will hurt you. He also had 3 touchdowns and showed his mastery of the offense.
-The defensive secondary for the Giants looked like a strength this week with 3 interceptions and held Matt Moore to a 42% completion percentage and 32.6 passer rating. They were swarming around the ball and safeties Kenny Phillips and Antrel Rolle looked like a nasty combination.
-The defensive line looked suspect in the first half but got tons of pressure in the second half with four sacks and 2 forced fumbles. The Giants rotation is so deep with Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka all making plays, it might be too early to say they have returned to their Superbowl form but look for a big improvement from last year.
-Special teams is a big issue right now for the G-men, punter Matt dodge was kicking ducks like he has all preseason and kickoff coverage was terrible giving the panthers great field position most of the game.
Overall the Giants played well, they played sloppy at times but they looked in control for most of the Game. They will be playing the Colts next week, if they want to win that game they will definitely need to keep those turnovers in check because Peyton Manning will not throw 3 interceptions in the end zone...you can take that to the bank.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
ARE YOU READDDDDDDDYYYYYY!!!!
You hear that?...That crack after a clean hit...the slight thump of pigskin hitting sure hands...the sounds of 300-pound men crashing into each other with the sole intention of destroying his opponent. That's right, its football season...light the grill up, throw the brews on ice, and make sure your TV game is correct(nothing less then HD will suffice).
The New York Football Giants will be facing the Carolina Panthers on Sunday in a rematch of the last game played in the old Giants Stadium when the Panthers demolished the Giants with a 41-9 Victory. The Giants are very healthy, the entire starting offensive line practiced together this week for the first time this year and Kenny Phillips and Keith Bulluck will be starting for the defense.
My prediction is the Giants win this one 21-17. LETS GOOOOO!!!
The New York Football Giants will be facing the Carolina Panthers on Sunday in a rematch of the last game played in the old Giants Stadium when the Panthers demolished the Giants with a 41-9 Victory. The Giants are very healthy, the entire starting offensive line practiced together this week for the first time this year and Kenny Phillips and Keith Bulluck will be starting for the defense.
My prediction is the Giants win this one 21-17. LETS GOOOOO!!!
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Timofey Mosgov FIBA Review
During the Fiba World Championships of course my main focus has been watching the US Basketball team take it to the world. But I have also had a chance to look at the Knicks new toy, 7'1 Russian Center Timofey Mosgov. Today I got to see them clash for the first time, Mosgov finished with 13 points and 4 rebounds in an impressive outing and USA left with the W. During the tournament Mosgov lead his team in scoring(off the bench) averaging 12.6 points shooting 65.5% from the field, 3.7 rebounds and 1 block in 18.7 minutes per game. However those stats, especially the rebounds, don't really tell the story. Here is my breakdown of Timofey Mosgov's game.
Offense:
At this point in his development Mosgov does not have a polished offensive game to say the least. Unlike most European Big men he does not have a consistent jumper to rely on and if you Put him one on one on the block with an NBA center don't expect much. He doesn't have a go to post move and seems a little out of control at times. His greatest asset on the offensive end will be his screening and rolling. For his size Mosgov has excellent mobility and good technique on his screens. I think New York is the ideal place for Mosgov, Mike D'Antoni will utilize his mobility with screen and rolls and keeping him moving on that side of the court.
Defense:
This is probably one the weakest parts of Mosgov's game. Usually when you say a center is not a good defender you are referring to shot blocking but its not that, because he can. But his positioning and decision making leaves something to be desired. For somebody who is so good at the screen and roll on offense, defensively he looks lost. He will be in foul trouble ALOT due to these issues expect it to be something that assistant coach Herb Williams will be in his ear about constantly.
Rebounding:
If you look at his underwhelming rebounding numbers alone you would have cause for concern. However, Mosgov's focus is not on actually grabbing the rebounds but completely removing his guy from the block. Mosgov has excellent technique in boxing out, a skill that has seemed to disappear in the NBA. Although you would like him to have more boards one thing you shouldn't have to worry about is his man getting on the offensive glass. With all of the second chance points the Knicks gave up last year look for those opportunities to decrease the more Mosgov plays. Also don't be surprised if you see the fours that line up with Mosgov to have good rebounding numbers.
Overall I think the Knicks could have a nice player in Mosgov. He is young, raw and needs a little work but look for him to contribute by the second half of the season.
His strengths fit well with what Mike D'Antoni wants to do on the court and his attitude seems to be good. Just another reason that I CANT WAIT for the season to start.
Offense:
At this point in his development Mosgov does not have a polished offensive game to say the least. Unlike most European Big men he does not have a consistent jumper to rely on and if you Put him one on one on the block with an NBA center don't expect much. He doesn't have a go to post move and seems a little out of control at times. His greatest asset on the offensive end will be his screening and rolling. For his size Mosgov has excellent mobility and good technique on his screens. I think New York is the ideal place for Mosgov, Mike D'Antoni will utilize his mobility with screen and rolls and keeping him moving on that side of the court.
Defense:
This is probably one the weakest parts of Mosgov's game. Usually when you say a center is not a good defender you are referring to shot blocking but its not that, because he can. But his positioning and decision making leaves something to be desired. For somebody who is so good at the screen and roll on offense, defensively he looks lost. He will be in foul trouble ALOT due to these issues expect it to be something that assistant coach Herb Williams will be in his ear about constantly.
Rebounding:
If you look at his underwhelming rebounding numbers alone you would have cause for concern. However, Mosgov's focus is not on actually grabbing the rebounds but completely removing his guy from the block. Mosgov has excellent technique in boxing out, a skill that has seemed to disappear in the NBA. Although you would like him to have more boards one thing you shouldn't have to worry about is his man getting on the offensive glass. With all of the second chance points the Knicks gave up last year look for those opportunities to decrease the more Mosgov plays. Also don't be surprised if you see the fours that line up with Mosgov to have good rebounding numbers.
Overall I think the Knicks could have a nice player in Mosgov. He is young, raw and needs a little work but look for him to contribute by the second half of the season.
His strengths fit well with what Mike D'Antoni wants to do on the court and his attitude seems to be good. Just another reason that I CANT WAIT for the season to start.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Giants Roster Cut to 53
Saturday marked the end of some notable players tenure with the Giants and some new additions.
Players Cut:
DT Jay Alford
QB Rhett Bomar
RB Andre Brown
WR Derek Hagan
Bear Pascoe
Players Added:
QB Sage Rosenfels
WR/RB Darius Reynaud
Players Retained:
Victor Cruz
Duke Calhoun
Most notably players cut were superbowl hero DT Jay Alford and QB Rhett Bomar who got most of the Giants Snaps this preseason. Some of this may come as a surprise but after the Giants added backup QB Sage Rosenfels and Return Specialist Darius Reynaud from the Minnesota Vikings players like Bomar, Andre Brown and Derek Hagan became expendable. Some players that were probably on the cusp but were kept are preseason star Victor Cruz and the speedy Duke Calhoun.
Players Cut:
DT Jay Alford
QB Rhett Bomar
RB Andre Brown
WR Derek Hagan
Bear Pascoe
Players Added:
QB Sage Rosenfels
WR/RB Darius Reynaud
Players Retained:
Victor Cruz
Duke Calhoun
Most notably players cut were superbowl hero DT Jay Alford and QB Rhett Bomar who got most of the Giants Snaps this preseason. Some of this may come as a surprise but after the Giants added backup QB Sage Rosenfels and Return Specialist Darius Reynaud from the Minnesota Vikings players like Bomar, Andre Brown and Derek Hagan became expendable. Some players that were probably on the cusp but were kept are preseason star Victor Cruz and the speedy Duke Calhoun.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Preseason Wrap-Up
Eli Manning and the first team offense looked good as they diced up the Patriots defense through efficient running and precision passing. The drive started with a couple nice runs from Ahmad Bradshaw. Eli followed that up with a 22-yard dime to Kevin Boss down the middle of the field. The drive ended with a 13-yard touchdown pass to the Boss.
On the Second drive the New York Giants went Boise St and ran a WR End Around with Hakeem Nicks for 15yds. Two plays later they attempted a flea flicker which ended with Eli displaying his hands of stone fumbling it and getting penalized for a forward tap. The drive ended in a punt.
The defense started its first drive in their territory thanks to terrible punt coverage by the suspect Giants special teams. Starting at the NY 45, the Patriots mixed run and pass to drive it down the short field and finished the drive with a 5 yd td pass from Tom Brady to Ron Gronkowski.
The second defensive drive ended with a sick one-handed interception by new addition Antrel Rolle, his second of the preseason,. Later the group of the 2’s and 3’s led by Jonathan Goff had a beautiful goal line stand, stopping the Pats 4 straight downs.
Overall the team finished on a positive note with a 20-17 Victory.
So what can we take from this preseason?
1. Look out for Hakeem Nicks
Nicks is poised for big year as he was one of the main focuses of our preseason offense. Offensive Coordinator Kevin Gilbride moved Nicks around the field and focused on putting him in position to gain yards after the catch with several bubble screens and short passes.
2. Ahmad Bradshaw will be the Giants primary runner
Ahmad had a good preseason showing great vision and that explosive burst now that he is healthy. With Brandon Jacobs not showing much, look for Bradshaw to have his first 1000-yard season.
3. Kenny Phillips is back!
Kenny Looked very explosive in the final preseason game after getting the most reps since he was injured in week 2 of last year. His range has looked excellent and he was laying wood on receivers coming through the middle. The tandem of Phillips and Rolle in the defensive secondary could be fun to see.
4. Eli will show last year was no fluke.
Eli had his best statistical season last year with his first 4000-yd passing year when he finished with 4,021 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. But with Ahmad Bradshaw getting the bulk of the running duties and his ability to be effective catching the ball out of the backfield, look for the Giants to be pass happy again this season.
5. Jonathan Goff is ready to go.
Jonathan Goff had his best game of the preseason in the last game finishing with 7 tackles and 2 pass deflections. He looked comfortable leading the defense and was flying around. This will put to rest the Giants linebacking order with Goff in the middle and Micheal Boley and Keith Bulluck(eventually) on the outsides.
On the Second drive the New York Giants went Boise St and ran a WR End Around with Hakeem Nicks for 15yds. Two plays later they attempted a flea flicker which ended with Eli displaying his hands of stone fumbling it and getting penalized for a forward tap. The drive ended in a punt.
The defense started its first drive in their territory thanks to terrible punt coverage by the suspect Giants special teams. Starting at the NY 45, the Patriots mixed run and pass to drive it down the short field and finished the drive with a 5 yd td pass from Tom Brady to Ron Gronkowski.
The second defensive drive ended with a sick one-handed interception by new addition Antrel Rolle, his second of the preseason,. Later the group of the 2’s and 3’s led by Jonathan Goff had a beautiful goal line stand, stopping the Pats 4 straight downs.
Overall the team finished on a positive note with a 20-17 Victory.
So what can we take from this preseason?
1. Look out for Hakeem Nicks
Nicks is poised for big year as he was one of the main focuses of our preseason offense. Offensive Coordinator Kevin Gilbride moved Nicks around the field and focused on putting him in position to gain yards after the catch with several bubble screens and short passes.
2. Ahmad Bradshaw will be the Giants primary runner
Ahmad had a good preseason showing great vision and that explosive burst now that he is healthy. With Brandon Jacobs not showing much, look for Bradshaw to have his first 1000-yard season.
3. Kenny Phillips is back!
Kenny Looked very explosive in the final preseason game after getting the most reps since he was injured in week 2 of last year. His range has looked excellent and he was laying wood on receivers coming through the middle. The tandem of Phillips and Rolle in the defensive secondary could be fun to see.
4. Eli will show last year was no fluke.
Eli had his best statistical season last year with his first 4000-yd passing year when he finished with 4,021 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. But with Ahmad Bradshaw getting the bulk of the running duties and his ability to be effective catching the ball out of the backfield, look for the Giants to be pass happy again this season.
5. Jonathan Goff is ready to go.
Jonathan Goff had his best game of the preseason in the last game finishing with 7 tackles and 2 pass deflections. He looked comfortable leading the defense and was flying around. This will put to rest the Giants linebacking order with Goff in the middle and Micheal Boley and Keith Bulluck(eventually) on the outsides.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Giants 10 Ravens 24....Gross
The injuries showed in this third preseason game. Giants couldn't stop the ravens offense giving up 313 passing yds 229 of those belonging to Joe Flacco. They did however do a good job against the run giving up only 75 yds on 26 carries. Offensively nothing much to report pretty mediocre across the board. Ahmad Bradshaw looked good in spurts and is working himself towards a week 1 starting job in my opinion. This game deserves a double face palm because one just doesn't cut it.
Get your popcorn ready
New York Giants(1-1) vs Baltimore Ravens(2-0)
The Giants are coming off 24-17 loss versus the Steelers last week. The good news is Eli will be starting tonight the bad news is they're beat up with half the team out with injuries for the game tonight.
WR Ramses Barden (back)
WR Sinorice Moss (groin)
OL Kevin Boothe (PUP, Pec)
OL Shaun O'Hara (ankle)
RB D.J. Ware (concussion)
TE Travis Beckum (neck)
QB Jim Sorgi (shoulder)
DB Michael Johnson (back)
DB Aaron Ross (foot)
DB Terrell Thomas (calf)
DL Chris Canty (groin)
LB Chase Blackburn (knee).
Things to look out for
-The linebacker battle going on with Clint Sintim, Keith Bulluck and Jonathan Goff.
-Cornerback depth with Aaron Ross out with a heel injury
-VICTOR CRUUUUUUZZZZZZ!!
The Giants are coming off 24-17 loss versus the Steelers last week. The good news is Eli will be starting tonight the bad news is they're beat up with half the team out with injuries for the game tonight.
WR Ramses Barden (back)
WR Sinorice Moss (groin)
OL Kevin Boothe (PUP, Pec)
OL Shaun O'Hara (ankle)
RB D.J. Ware (concussion)
TE Travis Beckum (neck)
QB Jim Sorgi (shoulder)
DB Michael Johnson (back)
DB Aaron Ross (foot)
DB Terrell Thomas (calf)
DL Chris Canty (groin)
LB Chase Blackburn (knee).
Things to look out for
-The linebacker battle going on with Clint Sintim, Keith Bulluck and Jonathan Goff.
-Cornerback depth with Aaron Ross out with a heel injury
-VICTOR CRUUUUUUZZZZZZ!!
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Melo to be traded?
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AodsJaLMnPS4lZ_YRCsf_m05nYcB?slug=aw-anthonynuggets082610
According to Yahoo Sports
Carmelo Anthony wants out of Denver, and World Wide Wes delivered that message to the Nuggets with all the delicacy of a jackhammer at Sunday morning services. Do yourself a favor and trade him, the agent told the organization weeks ago.
Denver was furnished with a short list of teams and told to get to work. Yes, this how William Wesley and Leon Rose of CAA work now, thick with threats and ultimatums and a swagger suggesting that the sport belongs to them. After Anthony told owner-in-waiting Josh Kroenke that he still wanted out of Denver during a Sunday meeting, the Nuggets appear done trying to sell their All-Star forward on a contract extension.
This wasn’t a productive, nor particularly pleasant, meeting and multiple sources said it could turn out to be the point of no return for Anthony and the organization. Sources insist it’s no longer a matter of if the Nuggets trade Anthony, but when, where and for whom he’s traded for.
Call me a skeptic but I just don't see anything going down before the trade deadline in February.
According to Yahoo Sports
Carmelo Anthony wants out of Denver, and World Wide Wes delivered that message to the Nuggets with all the delicacy of a jackhammer at Sunday morning services. Do yourself a favor and trade him, the agent told the organization weeks ago.
Denver was furnished with a short list of teams and told to get to work. Yes, this how William Wesley and Leon Rose of CAA work now, thick with threats and ultimatums and a swagger suggesting that the sport belongs to them. After Anthony told owner-in-waiting Josh Kroenke that he still wanted out of Denver during a Sunday meeting, the Nuggets appear done trying to sell their All-Star forward on a contract extension.
This wasn’t a productive, nor particularly pleasant, meeting and multiple sources said it could turn out to be the point of no return for Anthony and the organization. Sources insist it’s no longer a matter of if the Nuggets trade Anthony, but when, where and for whom he’s traded for.
Call me a skeptic but I just don't see anything going down before the trade deadline in February.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Reality Check Carmelo Anthony Edition
I want to be clear about this so I’m just going to come out with it. The only way the Knicks are going to get Carmelo Anthony is if he plays out the season and signs in free agency. The Knicks don’t have enough of what Denver needs to make that happen. The Nuggets are going to want draft picks we don’t have any available until 2014. They would want a young established star another thing we don’t have, because as much as Knicks fans love Gallo around the leagues he is not known to be a star, plus some fillers expiring contracts and some nice role players. I think the only way it could possibly happen is if we clean house of all of our talent. Both Danilo Gallinari and Anthony Randolph among others would have to go along with Eddy Curry’s expiring contract and to be honest even with that if they do put him on the trade block they would probably go another route.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Big Blue Defensive Move
http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/giants/giants-lb-bulluck-goes-from-middle-to-outside-1.2234323
According to Newsday
For the last two days, Bulluck has been playing outside linebacker, the same spot he held down for a decade in Tennessee. It's also the spot that Clint Sintim had been penciled into as the starter since the 2009 season ended. Tuesday the two players shared first-team reps.
Suddenly there is competition at the position the Giants call their strong-side linebacker.
"I've never been one to worry about competition," Bulluck said.
Still, it came as a surprise when, on Monday morning, he was asked to move and make his old spot his new spot.
Giants linebacker Keith Bulluck is moving from middle to outside linebacker. Its a surprise move as many thought he was the veteran replacement for Antonio Pierce after they cut him at the end of the season. This puts Jonathan Goff at middle linebacker with Keith Bulluck and Micheal Boley on the outsides. From what I saw in the first two preseason games Jonathan Goff did a pretty serviceable job in the middle while Clint Sintim who was starting on the outside was invisible. Simtim's performance or lack thereof is probably the reason for the move. In other news it looks like Kenny Phillips is ready for more snaps. After playing for the first time since early last season this past weekend look for Phillips to have more than 6 snaps this week. It also looks like tomorrow Eli Manning will be practicing with a helmet for the first time since he got popped and was leaking like that BP pipe in the gulf in the preseason opener against the Jets.
According to Newsday
For the last two days, Bulluck has been playing outside linebacker, the same spot he held down for a decade in Tennessee. It's also the spot that Clint Sintim had been penciled into as the starter since the 2009 season ended. Tuesday the two players shared first-team reps.
Suddenly there is competition at the position the Giants call their strong-side linebacker.
"I've never been one to worry about competition," Bulluck said.
Still, it came as a surprise when, on Monday morning, he was asked to move and make his old spot his new spot.
Giants linebacker Keith Bulluck is moving from middle to outside linebacker. Its a surprise move as many thought he was the veteran replacement for Antonio Pierce after they cut him at the end of the season. This puts Jonathan Goff at middle linebacker with Keith Bulluck and Micheal Boley on the outsides. From what I saw in the first two preseason games Jonathan Goff did a pretty serviceable job in the middle while Clint Sintim who was starting on the outside was invisible. Simtim's performance or lack thereof is probably the reason for the move. In other news it looks like Kenny Phillips is ready for more snaps. After playing for the first time since early last season this past weekend look for Phillips to have more than 6 snaps this week. It also looks like tomorrow Eli Manning will be practicing with a helmet for the first time since he got popped and was leaking like that BP pipe in the gulf in the preseason opener against the Jets.
Summer Reflection
Before I take on recent news I figured I would fill you guys in on how I feel about the Knicks and the moves made this summer. As we all know the Knicks have been one of the worst franchises in sports this past decade. Fast forward to 2008 the Knicks add Mike D’Antoni to the bench and Donnie Walsh to the front office and the frenzy begins. They were presented with the challenge of returning the Knicks franchise to it former glory. They spent the next two years making cap conscience moves bringing in disgruntled and unwanted veterans, destroying team chemistry and possibly slowing the maturation process of their young players. It was all in anticipation of the summer of 2010 when the best free agent class of all time, laden with franchise changing players, became available.
The 2010 draft came and with their two second round picks the Knicks selected Syracuse guard Andy Rautins and Stanford unknown Landry Fields. Knicks fans responded with Landry who? What about that New York kid Lance Stephenson what are we doing? Well Landry fields won the heart of many Knicks fans with his play in the summer league and Lance Stephenson threw his girlfriend down the stairs…nice. Then the clock struck twelve on free agency the Knicks got Amare Stoudemire, Bulls got Carlos Boozer and the Heat got everybody else. Once LeBron’s 'Decision' was made public the Knicks didn’t sit on their hands they responded with one of the smartest yet miraculously uncovered moves of the offseason moving the already departing David Lee for Anthony Randolph, Ronny Turiaf and Kelenna Azubuike. Since then the Knicks have added a tough point guard in Raymond Felton, a sharp shooter in Roger Mason Jr, and a low risk high reward signing in Russian big man Timofey Mosgov.
What we Knicks fans need to remember about this summer is that the goal for the past two years was not just to get LeBron, there is no player so good that the mere prospect of getting him alone is worth purging your team for two years. The goal, which Donnie Walsh repeated ad nauseam for the past two years, was to get under the cap and have the flexibility to add talent to this team and win. If you use that as they measure of success I believe the knick have done well. They added a top 5 big man with playoff experience in Mike D’Antoni’s offense in Amare Stoudemire. The addition of Raymond Felton gives the Knicks a tough point guard who greatest assets are his speed and ability to get to the rim as well as his terrific perimeter defense. Anthony Randolph a 6'10 athletic specimen whose potential is arguably as high as any rookie in this years draft class. Ronny Turiaf a much needed defensive presence in the middle that block shots for you and is a great locker room presence. They also added Kelenna Azubuike and Roger Mason Jr. who are both true shooting guards who can shoot the rock. If you take into account player progression the Knicks have improved at every position while adding depth and a superstar. Raymond Felton >> Chris Duhon, Wilson Chandler 2010 > Wilson Chandler 2009, Danilo Gallinari 2010 >> Danilo Gallinari 2009, Amare Stoudemire > David Lee, Ronny Turiaf > Jared Jeffries.
So while we didn’t get the biggest fish in the pond, Donnie Walsh still succeeded in improving the roster by adding youth, athleticism, shooting, defense and most importantly winners.
So while we didn’t get the biggest fish in the pond, Donnie Walsh still succeeded in improving the roster by adding youth, athleticism, shooting, defense and most importantly winners.
Welcome Bloggers
Hi future followers, my name is David Dominique and Ive decided to start my own blog on New York sports, more specifically the sports I follow the most Football and Basketball. I am 24 and a lifetime Knicks fan going back to the days of John Starks, Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley, Anthony Mason etc. I began following the Giants going back to the late 90s early 2000's with Kerry Collins, Jason Sehorn, Jessie Armstead, Micheal Strahan etc. I might not be your classic 40 50 yr old sports writer with all their 'sources' but you would be hard pressed to find someone who follows these teams more than I do. So I will post relevant links and stories related to these teams and provide some hopefully insightful feedback on those subjects. Thanks for following!!!
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