September 27

Joe K, I agree with Pat that you wrote a good letter.  I just have to comment on your piece about Eli.   You were at the game and I just watched on TV.  But, I really think Eli played an excellent game.  He demonstrated, to me at least, that he's the Offensive Leader.  That's the important thing.  Did he throw two INTs?  He sure did.  But, right now I'm starting to form the opinion that we're going to have to live with Eli's INTs.  I don't have the stats available to me, but I sure can remember Bret Favre, a guy who WILL be in the HofF, throwing a lot of INTs.  And, around here, everybody's been looking for the "next Phil Simms."  Well, as great a leader he was, he threw a lot of INTs.  As a matter of fact, the SB XXI year, he threw more INTs than TDs!  So, as I said, we'll just have to live with those INTs.  But, IMO, he HAS become THE LEADER! – Jim V.

Jim, even in listening to Eli speak, he’s becoming more assertive. I really like how he’s developing this year. I think finally he’ll reach a point where he’ll shut up his critics.

just a note to let you know how much I enjoyed your description of your trip to Fed Ex. I really love Inside Football and have strong attachment to a newsletter that got me through the end of the lean years, 1978 - .  I think i first subscribed back in '78  or '79, when you guys, (the Professor) was the only source of Giant news for us in the boonies. Say hello for me if you see him and tell him I miss his insightful comments and I do enjoy yours.

We did meet about 3 years ago in albany ( i try and get to camp) and I did meet the professor before a giant - KC game in giants stadium, it was bye bye Ray time.

Anyway keep up the great work, its appreciated. – Steve L.

Thanks so much Steve.  I try to balance the “On the Road” pieces with some behind the scenes stuff about the team so I’m really glad you enjoy reading the feature (wasn’t sure if anyone WAS reading it). I’ll be seeing Dr. L. probably this weekend as he still goes to the games so I’ll be sure to pass along your greetings. 

I was wondering about your thoughts on two schematic musings.

1. With the exception of an occasional corner blitz, Spags seems to like blitzing up the middle with linebackers inside of the DEs.  That’s all fine and good, but for whatever reason, those middle blitzes seem to be ineffective for the most part.  In both the Dallas and Washington games (I missed most of GB), Spags frequently sent multiple linebackers up the middle, and they would immediately be picked up, giving the QB plenty of time to see the open receivers in single man coverage.  On the other hand, when a CB or S blitzed, it at least forced the QB to get rid of the ball quickly (e.g. Romo’s touchdown to Hurd and Madison’s blitz against Campbell).  I think part of the reason is that Pierce and Mitchell aren’t particularly good pass rushers.  They’re solid tacklers, but RBs don’t seem to have too much trouble blocking them one-on-one.  Do you agree with this observation?

2. I noticed that at certain points during the Redskins game, the D-line consisted of Osi, Tuck, Kiwanuka, and Strahan, with Tuck and Kiwanuka playing inside.  This formation worked pretty well overall, but I wonder if it could be even more improved by switching Kiwanuka with Strahan.  I think it better suits the players’ strengths and weaknesses with that small change because Strahan, despite his weight, is (or at least was) very good at defending the run and using leverage.  On the other hand, Kiwanuka seems more familiar and comfortable with using his speed to run around the blocker, instead of through him.  So, Strahan’s presence on the inside could produce an equal amount of inside pressure, as he is (or at least was) also good with the bull rush, while Kiwanuka can better use his outside pass rushing skills.  Just as important is that the change would better protect against a draw play (which to me, seems like a huge vulnerability for this formation).  What are your thoughts? – Joe K.

Sorry Joe, that's something we cover in our strategy write-ups which are, of course, part of the premium services. 

Looking back, I think one of the key successes to the Super Bowl run was having both a fullback and second tight end who were legitimate threats downfield. I guess those were luxuries, but it really made a difference. – John F.

It was so long ago John that honestly, I don’t remember.

September 26

We could sure use Brandon Jacobs in the backfield. Don't get me wrong D.Ward is doing a surprising job at RB for us but it doesn't change the fact that when Jacobs is back there it's an entirely different ball game. The more we can wear down opposing defenses the better. That being said I would like to see a little bit more of Droughns, just a little. I think in a whole they are still putting a little too much pressure on Eli, again don't get me wrong he's doing great but I think once Jacobs gets back on the field its gonna be a whole different ball game because teams are gonna have to account for Jacobs.

On another note after the 2nd game of the season I thought to myself who would be available at DB at the end of the season and 2 names popped into my head. They were DeAngelo Hall and Asante Samuel. Booooooy was I wrong on Hall. Did you see his antics against the Panthers on Sunday. Just incredible, first he gets a pass interference call that costs his team 37 yards and a 1st down, then right after the play he's getting into a fight with the receiver and 15 yards gets tacked on to the penalty. On top of that when he gets to the sidelines he's screaming at his coach. 52 yard penalty, 52. I'll stick with Ross and Webster thank you very much. -- Dom M.

I only have time to cover the Giants Dom. Much as I’d love to sit and watch other games, there just aren’t enough hours in the day.

As a Giants fan living in Redskin country, I'm as thrilled about Sunday's victory as any other die hard fan.  Of course, the play of the defense in the second half was so encouraging.  However, being a realist (or perhaps a pessimist), I have a few concerns from the game that the team must address.

1. On Sunday, Manning looked more like the QB starting his 10th NFL game.  He made several beautiful throws (especially the drops by Burress and Shockey), but his interceptions were painful to watch.  I don't know where he was looking on the first one, as D. Evans dropped back right in front of Shockey.  It looked like Manning never saw a zone blitz in his life before.  The second interception was even worse.  I thought that with his experience in the pro game, he wouldn't be attempting those stupid, under pressure, heaves down the field, especially when his body is all out of position.  Just throw it away!

2. The special teams coverage sure made the defense's job harder than it had to be.  While the most obvious lapse was Randle El's final punt return, the Redskins seemed to consistently have good field position following kickoffs.  Hopefully, Tyree's presence can improve the unit, but it was very disheartening to see R. Cartwright get to the 35 every single time.

But, again, with the way this season has started, I'll definitely take this win. – Joe K.

Good letter Joe!

I have a question for you Pat speaking as an Eli fan. I have always felt that at least part of the sting of the supposed huge price we paid in draft picks for Eli was offset by us then having the money to be very active in the 05 FA market.That haul of FAs included Pierce,Burress,KMAC, and Feeley. I don't think we could have obtained all those players if we also had to sign our full complement od draft picks. Your thoughts please ? – Frank C.

To be honest Frank, I don’t’ know. I don’t have the salary cap figures from 2005 any more to go back and do a comparison. Certainly though the giants shelled out more money for the #1 overall pick than they would  have paid for the 15^th pick, which is what I think they had that year. And as with every year, they had to rework some contracts and cut some guys as I recall. But again, I’m kind of fuzzy on the details, so I’m afraid I can’t give you a definite answer.

September 25, 2007
Wow, that win might have saved the season. Let me first say congrats to the defense on playing phenomenal in the second half. Antonio Pierce made a statement and I personally had no problem with the way he was acting in the locker room, I think the looser they are the better.

Secondly, Eli Manning played another solid game with being pressured all day and having Burress and Shockey dropping catchable balls.

However, anybody who thinks the Giants need to get rid of Burress and Shockey are crazy. These guys might have a drop here or there but for every drop they have they seem to make a remarkable play and that's exactly what Burress did making up for his poor play in the 1st half. The offensive line left Eli out to dry a few times including the fumble and the 1 INT when he was trying to make a play, so I wasn’t too impressed with that.

Not sure what got into Sam Madison but he played a damn good game along with Aaron Ross, Kiwanuka, Antonio Pierce, and the defensive ends put pressure on Campbell all day, sometimes within a step of recording a few more sacks...If they can get the defense to play consistent week in and week out I see no reason why they cant finish 10-6...And to all the Eli Manning doubters, he has taken control of this offense and has shown the ability to lead this team, the future looks bright. – Kyle H.

Kyle, everyone is entitled to an opinion,. How happy am I that all this talk about Eli Manning not being worth the king’s ransom they gave up for him has FINALLY subsided? (Hint: VERY happy.)

I was very impressed with a few our young players on defense!  Kiwi came up with a big game that featured both impact plays and much better discipline.  Aaron Ross also played well in my estimation.  There was much better tackling technique than in the past and he seemed to consistently be in the correct position.  He was picked by the WR on the touchdown to Cooley and I just don't get why that wasn't a penalty.  He also, as far as I could see, was the one who blew up the 4th down play that sealed the game.  I keep hearing that it was Butler, but I didn't see 37 in on that play.  Can you clarify that Pat? – Anthony H.

I haven’t watched the tape yet Anthony. I’ll have the complete rundown of who did what in our Premium Statistics report for the week posting later this week.

I said it last week and I will say it again. How are any of these fans justifying benching or trading away guys like Burress, Shockey, Toomer, and Strahan. Ok even if we were to trade some of these guys away. We get maybe a 2nd rounder for each Burress and Shockey, I say maybe a 2nd because that is what the Packers got for J. Walker and I think he was much more proven then Burress.

So don’t even think any team would give up a 1st round especially after Moss got traded for a 4th. Now next year comes and our #1 receiver would be 34 then we would have S. Smith our 2nd and Moss our 3rd, then 4th the 2nd round pick receiver. Then at TE we have an unproven player in Boss who drops more balls then Shockey and Burress combined then the 2nd round pick behind him. Wow I can really see us putting up 30pts a game with that bunch. I’m sure Eli would love the Giants front office if they traded away all of his weapons.

I understand being frustrated with the dropped balls, no one was more upset then me as I watched Burress drop 3 passes in the 1st half. But they both stepped up in the 2nd half when we needed them the most. That deep pass to Shockey that he dropped well all I can say is that was a very difficult ball to catch and most TE’s in the league don’t catch that. It’s highly unlikely that any player we get in return for either player will have as much of an impact on the team like they do.

Regarding last week penalty’s the spiked ball rule is a bunch of BS and Shockey isn’t the only one that had this penalty called on them. I have Sunday Ticket and I saw that penalty get call at least 5 times over that past two weeks. Players get fired up after a good play and they spike the ball, I don’t see a big deal in this but I’m not the officials who I guess are tired of chasing for the ball. Then the Toomer penalty well it wasn’t smart on his part but it’s wasn’t as much of a bone head penalty as hitting another player after the play is clearly over, like we have seen in the past.

I just want fans who want Burress and Shockey gone to think about it, do you really think we are a better team without these two? Both make some great plays and neither have legal problems or talk about the team to the media (Shockey has never been so quiet in the locker room).

As a side note, I thought Kiwi played a great game as a “D-Lineman”. Thanks – Brett T.

Brett, as I said to Kyle, everyone has an opinion and sometimes when we’re frustrated, we don’t always think things through logically. What readers REALLY need to do is not vent at halftime because as we all saw, the game turned back in the Giants favor. BTW the gentleman who does “Ask the Official” for us mentioned that the spiked ball penalty might be reviewed again this year by the competition committee.

Good job picking the game again. You seem to be right on.  A couple of things I like. I love the DL : Strahan, Osi, Tuck, Kiwi line up on obvious passing downs. Great idea.  Great game by Ross on extended action. Madison looked like his old self last night. One thing I would like to know an answer to and I went back to watch old plays of him in college. Why isn't Aaron Ross returning our punts?  The guy was amazing in college.  Just look at what Randle-El was able to do. We need a playmaker there.  – Keith A.

Keith I think they don’t want to overload the kid with punt returns on top of everything else simply because they were looking to get him into the starting lineup ASAP.

Let me start off by saying I am glad we won. Two observations about the game.

First, why does Shockey always fall to the ground when trying to make a catch?  He has been doing this way too frequently and did it twice this past game. (he dropped on one a perfect seam pass from Eli)

Second, I would love to think that the defense played well.  I definitely think they played better, as the pass rushing really improved somewhat but still wasn't great, but it should have as Wash was missing two starters from their O-Line. Still I give credit where credit is due, it was better.  But I can't help but think that most of the defensive success was a result of Washington and not the Giants.  It seemed that every time Campbell looked downfield he either made a completion or missed an open receiver. 

It seemed to me from watching on TV, and I might be wrong as I couldn't see the entire field, that in the second half especially, Washington did not even attempt to test our secondary and just dumped the ball off to the running backs.  I think Washington did a horrible job from an offensive game plan and played right into the Giants strengths on defense (as few as there may be)and I can't help but think Philly is going to put up over 40 points next week against us rather easily.  I hope I am wrong. – Brian B.

I think you’re selling the Giants short on point two, Brian.

Any ideas on why Shockey keeps leaving his feet to make (or try to) make a catch? – Jim I.

Yes, but it’s in something we cover in our issue this week.

Hey Pat, enjoy the day off.  A lot of teams are wearing the throwbacks.  Do happen to know if the Giants plan on wearing the "GIANTS" helmets and 80-90's uniform this season? – Jason V.

I heard for the Dallas game, but don’t quote me on that.

September 24, 2007
I know you've heard me say this before (since you blast me in your response every time), but, I must say it again: Shockey and Burress are hurting the Giants. They don't come through when you need them. Too many mistakes. Trade Shockey and Burress for two (2) extra first round picks in 2008.

Next, the defensive starters that should be entirely replaced: Strahan, Webster, Wilson, Madison, McQuarters, Butler, Mitchell, and Kiwi back to DE.   – Gary D.

Gary, with all due respect, I’d wait until after the game before doing any venting. 

Ok I know I'm not the only one who was sweating towards the end of the game. Well the defense played a bit better today and will have to continue to play as good or better to get far this season. -- Dom M.

Ya think?

You nailed it big time Pat with your prediction of a turnaround.  I think the Giants will be in most games this year, especially against teams that aren't particularly high scoring.  We can put 24 points on the board against anybody (almost), and that is the basis for hope for stealing a game against the Cowboys or Eagles during the campaign.  I think 9-7 is possible, if our "stars" (Strahan, Shockey) actually play that way.
  
I notice from the fan mails that we are finally past the "Coughlin is so horrible I'd rather die in a burning building than play for him" period and have moved on to "Coughlin is too easy on the stars" - who knows, by the end of the year, it may be "Coughlin, what a comeback to make the playoffs and go to the NFC championship," we hardly understood ye."
 
Last item: Does anyone know if Jeremy Shockey actually practices during the week (just kiddin')?  His drops are becoming critical - witness the big drop in the 4th quarter on a beautiful long ball from Eli over the middle that would have definitely been a game changer.  I know - he is what he is - but this is getting old.
 
Last prop:  You are absolutely correct - not sure about the talent but the "I-first" players Reese-Coughlin inherited from the Accorsi-Fassel era are slowly (probably too slowly) being weeded out. It'll a different team in two years attitude-wise with whatever coach they have (and Coughlin may actually be that one). – Gary H.

Thanks for the letter Gary. I was sweating this one out, but I’m glad they pulled it through. I just hope I shake the feeling I have about next week’s game vs. Philly because if I had to enter a pick ‘em tonight, it would be a loss.

Did you see the block (pick?) that Santana Moss put on Aaron Ross on the Cooley touchdown? Is that legal? Moss looked like a pulling guard! -- Matthew W.

Matthew, you might want to check out “The Official Review” as "the Ref" commented on that play.    

September 23, 2007
After watching the last game, one thing that really needs to be addressed is the stupid 15 yard penalties. It cost them last year and again it rears its' ugly head. Shockey and Toomer last game, Whitfield last year, where does this behavior end?

I saw a little bit of a collage game(maybe SYA/LOUS)) today and it made me wonder. Their best receiver made another 15 yard penalty, catching the ball and dropping it down on the corner who tried to tackle him. The coach, on camera, said "get off the field, get him off the field". As he came off, he told him "nicely", grow up!

Now, I understand that our Giants are not 20,21, whatever, but the coach is the coach! Shockey is an emotional guy. And I think his teammates do feed off that emotion. But how many more dumb penalties do the fans need to endure. Catch the ball and go back to the huddle! If he can't figure that out, we're doomed! We have no backups.

Sometimes I wonder if the Giants are watching the wrong film. Maybe a page out of Bill B's (no cheater remarks) book might help. You never see the dumb mental mistakes in their games. Sorry for the rant. The d sucks, but dumb penalties really add alot of salt to the wound. Pat, tell me you hate these drive killers! – Geoff L.

I hate the drive killers Geoff, but having played competitive sports a number of years ago, I understand how and why emotions can sometimes get the better of you. You’re asking quite a lot of an athlete to be cool at all times. That’s not to say it can’t be done, but if you’ve ever played sports, it’s not always easy to do.  

Great letter Brian. Great letter! Look, I've been a giant fanatic since I was 6 years and went to my first game in 1956. Last year I said to my wife, for the first time, 'I REALLY don't like this team...and I'm starting not to like this organization'. This is getting worse than last year.

Pat, don't apologize for a minute for stirring the pot! You are in the right. You know, I hate to admit this possibility, but perhaps the ESPN crowd was right about this organization. I mean they're bound to right about something, sometime, maybe its this.

By no means am I ready to throw in the towel on the organization. (maybe on the season)....but I sure hope there are some dramatic changes next year. And yeah, Brian, the Patton thing is telling. So the changes have to come from above. Tom C is toast.  – Jon S.

Jon, you know what I thought after the Pierce and Strahan incidents? I thought to myself, “Gee, if these guys spent as much time correcting their mistakes as they do thinking up ways to torment the media, think how much better they might be.”  When I was a kid, I used to play guitar and I can remember one time at a recital how I screwed up a song so badly that I was beyond mortified. So what did I do? I went home THAT NIGHT and practiced that damn song over and over until my finger tips were raw. I figured I’ll be damned if I let a stupid song make a fool out of me. I guess  that makes me obsessive, eh?

Yes, we have some overrated players. But, we sure do have 5 underrated offensive linemen. – Jeff H.

Amen!

In my view, the core reason that Coughlin should have been fired last year, a reason that is showing itself exponentially this season, is that he chooses to exercise no control over his players.

He is like the mother who screams at her children but never establishes a consequence for the actions she is trying to develop, avoid, eliminate of change.  After a while, the kids understand that they will personally suffer nothing but "loud noises " for their mis-behaviors, and simply tune her out.

A few examples:

1.  Coughlin should not have started Strahan after his summer vacation.  What message does he give here to the players who worked so hard during the brutal heat of August in Albany.

2.  He should have benched Shockey after his need to spike the ball after an 8 yard catch blew a drive, and the Giants' shot at a TD,

3.  He should have done the same with Toomer.

4.  He should sit down Aaron Pierce for his little locker-room childhood stunt. 

But he doesn't do , or say, a thing.  So these guys figure a lack of control on their part is tolerated.

Coach is so worried about his "career " that he will allow anything from his star players.

Only, the other players are watching, too.

Fire him now. – Ted M.

And replace him with who Ted?  Gilbride? Spagnuolo? Someone else? Look I know things seem to be lost right now, but let’s not suggest jumping from the frying pan into the fire just yet after only two games.

Also please allow me to clarify a few misconceptions you seem to have. First, Strahan didn’t start the Dallas game, Justin Tuck did. That was the plan all along. The only reason why Strahan saw as much action as he did was because Umenyiora got injured. While I agree with you about his holdout, the fact of the matter is that he convinced enough of the right people in that organization that he was truly contemplating retirement, even though in all honesty his intentions were as transparent as glass. Strahan has himself to thank for that having gone on the record just weeks earlier saying how much he didn’t like practices and meetings and such.

The problem the organization faced was two-fold. One, they couldn’t force him into making a decision and two, they had no choice but to take Strahan at is word.  But yes, common sense dictated all along that he was coming back and now that he’s back with his $4M salary, that’s a lot of money to be paying a backup.

Secondly, look at the depth on this team. Do you really want Coughlin sitting his best players for their indiscretions? Don’t get me wrong; I agree with you that you have to control yourself (read my response to Jon S.), but the drop off in talent would be very noticeable. In Toomer’s case, he lost his cool once. I’d hardly label him a habitual offender. Shockey? He is what he is and unless someone can figure out how to give him a personality transfer, I fear this isn’t the last time he’s done something to hurt is team.

Remember how in the San Diego game a few years ago Coughlin benched Plaxico Burress for an entire quarter after Burress was a late twice that week for team meetings? As I recall, plenty of fans were up in arms over that move, claiming it was the reason the Giants lost (as I reclall, the reason they lost that game is because the defense apparently forgot to show up that day to play.) The point is Coughlin was lambasted for being too strict back then and enough people claimed he hurt the team’s chances of winning. So if he sits Shockey, Toomer or anyone else who commits a boneheaded move, he loses either way.  

Antonio (why does everyone seem to call him Aaron?) Pierce WAS spoken to by the front office about his air horn stunt. For all we know, he might have been fined as well, as every player has an obligation to speak to the media once a week “in a professional and courteous manner.” Yes, the air horn was unprofessional  and in fact completely out of character for Pierce, who later went on to apologize for the stunt.  But again, if you sit him, who do you play at that position that’s proven at this point? (And please don’t tell me Chase Blackburn as if he was good enough to be starting, he’d be starting.)

Is Coughlin worried about his future? I would think so but at the same time, I’ve always believed that he’s been fighting an uphill battle with this team, having inherited a collection of personalities that for whatever reason, are more about themselves than about the team. Do you see the younger guys creating the problems the veterans do? I don’t. The only bright side is that slowly and surely the older problem children will disappear and be replaced by the younger kids who hopefully have absorbed enough of Coughlin’s approach to playing a professional, smart and solid game.

EDITOR’S NOTE
Quite some time ago, a former member of the United States military wrote about 1st Lieutenant Andrew Jackson “Jack” Lummus Jr., a 29-year-old former defensive lineman with the New York Giants and an All-American at Baylor University, who as a member is the US Marines Corps assigned to the Iwo Jima, died tragically when he stepped on a landmine.

The letter writer asked me why the Giants hadn’t honored this fallen hero. I had no answers then, but I am pleased to say that I have an answer now as I’ve learned that the team is planning a tribute to Lummus to coincide with Veterans’ Day in November. Their opponent that weekend will be the Dallas Cowboys.

September 22, 2007

I really hope Jerry Reese was listening today to his two defensive captains.  If this organization has any class or self respect left they would bench Pierce this week for his actions.

First off, being a defensive captain means you have to answer the tough questions, especially when the defense quit last week.  Everyone saw those images on the sideline last week and nobody can deny they flat out quit.  That is disgraceful, especially in the second week of the season and speaks to the teams character and leadership.  I hope Jerry Reese saw that as well. So any semi-intelligent person who is a defensive leader should expect a question relating to it, and not blow an air-horn like a 2 year old.

Second, someone should tell Pierce to shut up.  He talks and acts like he is a big time player.  Someone should remind him he made the Pro Bowl once, and only made it because he was an Alternate and the guy that really made it didn't go. He is tremendously overrated and is a finesse player.  Note I am not questioning his toughness, but he does not have the size to be overly physical.  I can't tell you the last time Pierce made a big time play, other than the two interceptions he flat out dropped last year.

Third, and I am shocked I haven't heard someone bring this up yet, but when Pierce mentioned "reading" Patton, I took that as a direct slap in the face of Coughlin.  He blatantly made fun of his coach to the media in my opinion.  Apparently Pierce isn't a very good reader, because Patton would never have given an interview like Pierce did.

Fourth, this team is an embarrassment, and I can honestly say I don't enjoy rooting for them.  Every year they pull this "us against the media" stunt and its getting really old.  The media isn't the problem, the players are.

Memo to Jerry Reese, gut this defense in the off-season and force Coughlin to play the young guys, Tuck, Ross, Johnson, Wilkensen, Kiwanuka, and DeOssie/Blackburn. – Brian B.

What I’m more “offended” by is this whole “ “us vs. the media” crap (thanks Michael!) We went through this last year when this team had its back against the wall (by its own doing, I might add) and they just seemed to spend too much energy picking fights with the media.  

This whole situation  reminds me of a child who blames everyone but himself for his shortcomings. After a wile it just gets old. I mean, be an adult about it. Don’t sit there and tell people they don’t understand because the results don’t lie. Admit to having a problem and promise to fix it to the best of your ability. We all make mistakes. It’s okay. We’re human.  

The other thing I find offensive is that some uniformed fans are taking the players side and blaming the media for the airhorn incident. For what it’s worth, the media has a job to do. We are the reason why you guys know about the air horn incident and other things.

We’re not looking to stir the pot, contrary to what some people believe (the exception are the columnists who hide their opinions through “unnamed sources” in an effort to validate their point.) I just wish the players and media could get along better in times like these because I personally would love to be able to educate my readers on what’s going on instead of having to guess or speculate and then be mocked for being wrong (not that I think we were wrong in our assessment of the defense this past week…)

Holy cow!  Were my eyes deceiving me or did you actually write something negative about the great All-Pro tight end Jeremy Shockey?

I've been on record for a long time as calling Shockey the most overrated player in the NFL.  Like Manning, there are those who think he's great, and those that don't.  No sense debating it as we've all pretty much got our minds made up.

But I do have one suggestion...and it's meant to be deadly serious.  Let's switch Shockey to defense!  That unit could use a little of his uncontrolled energy, and could he be any worse than anyone else?  Maybe he could light a fire over there and wake the dead. 

Wait...never mind.  He'll probably be out with an injury soon anyway. – John K.

Hold the phone here, John. I’ve always had the opinion that Shockey was overrated and in fact I was often accused of having a personal agenda against Shockey, which was NEVER the case.  Look, I try to be optimistic about this team and this personnel, but I’m not delusional.  Maybe I’m not as blunt as some of the contributors to this forum, but I’ll say what needs to be said.

September 21
Why all of a sudden is there so much animosity towards Pierce. I could've sworn he started the Pro Bowl last season at Middle Linebacker.. Pierce is not the problem. Is he supposed to cover the receivers, rush the passer and tackle everyone at the same time.  Please, He is a tackling machine Every year he leads or is top two so how is he not doing his job? – Carlos R.

Carlos, first, Pierce was added to the Pro Bowl roster after at least one guy (Urlacher) had to pull out; originally I believe Pierce was an alternate. Pierce is very strong against the run, no question. But let’s face it. The coverage by the ENTIRE linebacker group has flat out stunk these first couple of weeks and I really wish instead of making fun of the media for what we don't know, Pierce and his cohorts would enlighten us so we can in turn enlighten our readers.

Pat, with all due respect if you are "really amazed with is how many readers seem to have given up on the season" then I'm amazed that you are amazed. This is a troubled football team. This is a terrible defense. The coach has one foot in a grave and the other on a banana peel. The offense is solid, when all its players are healthy AND THEY FEEL LIKE PLAYING. (see Plaxico and Shockey...who have been doing the exact same kind of behavior since their freshman years  in college)

But the offense is also unlucky in that the skilled players are, seemingly, constantly, hurt. Smith is the latest to join the parade. But Eli is the real thing, I believe, and is the core to start rebuilding around. Along with a really hard working, and solid, and fun to watch, offensive line. But in any event...the team is in a rebuilding year and it is painfully obvious that, like the AA motto, 'you have to hit bottom before you can start back up sometimes'.

My guess is some Giant fans know that we have not hit bottom yet. Still, if I am correct in my assumptions the core of the rebuilding process will be the players that don't act out like children, or just flat out quit. For that reason I am really interested to watch and to follow this team. It will be painful, perhaps. But really instructive.  This will be a trial by fire season.  Just my take. – Jon S.

I don’t know Jon. I tend to see things differently probably because I get to interact with the players and coaches and to an extent, the front office and I have a slightly better feel for the atmosphere. I can tell when I’m being fed a line and I trust my eyes and ears more than you realize.

Yeah they have had a rocky start, but I like to believe they’ll turn it around … I’m actually thinking of picking them this week in our weekly Pick ‘em just based on the vibes I’ve been getting.

Am I kidding myself? Perhaps. But who knows… maybe I’m sensing something from my interaction in that locker room that tells me that it won’t be quite as bad as it looks for the long term.

1st of all I never play fantasy football--so please drop that line. You brought up a very interesting point about trading Shockey, basically stating that we shouldn't do it due to an inability to replace him--a position that certainly has merit. However, if I could use Shockey either now or next off-season to obtain a young defensive "playmaking" LB or DB who might develop into a real team leader,I do it without reservation. I feel that our defense needs so much upgrading that such a player could jumpstart that process. As for having no replacement for Shockey--that would have to wait. After 6 yrs Jeremy still has maturity issues and I would question that he will ever reach his full potential. To me a stud defender trumps Shockey. Whether Jeremy has sufficient value to bring in an impact defender is another story. Thoughts ?? – Frank C.

Frank, proposing trades just for the sake of it is exactly the basis of fantasy football which doesn’t utilize the salary cap or take into consideration the future. So sorry, but the comparison is there and every time someone proposes a trade that clearly demonstrateds they haven't thought through a replacement or the salary cap ramifications, I'm going to use the line.

All that aside, I do agree with you – the defense desperately needs a stud playmaker. However, again your proposed trade makes no sense because you don’t know how far advanced Boss and Matthews will be come game time next year. Remember, there wasn’t much if anything being said about Kiwi at linebacker during the preseason; we didn’t know that he’d struggle so much until the regular season came along. And say what you wsant about Shockey, but he isone of their keepers on offense, attitude aside.

Yes, Shockey’s emotions get the best of him, and yes, I share in the frustration over the fact that you rarely get a complete game out of Shockey. The problem though again is a player tends to depreciate in value as he gets older.

What would you consider the minimal value for someone for Shockey, who is another guy who deals with injuries every year? Briggs for Shockey? Ain’t gonna happen, and I don't care if you throw in a blocking sled. 

If you make a trade, you have to go for value. You can’t unload a guy just because he has maturity issues. Goodness if teams did that, they’d end up purging half of their rosters! And you have to keep an eye on the salary cap.

I just think every time I see a “trade Shockey” or “trade Strahan” letter, the writer is speaking out of frustration. 

Hey guys, especially you Charles C., you can say all you want that you're giving up on the Giants.  BUT, you won't do it!  Charles, if you started out in the 60s, you remember the "Bad 60s & 70s."  And, you stayed a fan.  You guys will ALWAYS be Giant fans.  We just don't change.  We can't give up on them.  Why, if the Super Bowl was on one channel and the Giants were playing the Browns on another, I'd watch the Giants game.  And, a lot of you would too.  We all LOVE to crab, but, more importantly, LOVE the Giants!  You guys should live up here in New England.  I'm naturally surrounded by Pats' fans.  But, you know what?  They're almost all "fair weather fans."  The Giant fans up here (and there are a lot) are REAL fans just like you.  And, if any of you want to continue crabbing, just join the Tailgate.  You can get a lot off your chest.  And, get it back at you too!  (Sorry for the unvarnished plug, Pat.) – Jim V.

No apologies needed Jim. And you’re right. People will gripe about this team all they want, but it’s in their blood.

Just another thing to point out about AP. I read this and thought I should share. One observation that I have noticed with regards to the poor play of the defense, is if you watch Antonio Pierce come up to the line of scrimmage and listen to the qb's cadence or audible and then starts jumping around shouting out - and giving away - coverages or, more likely, confusing several members of the defense.

A savvy veteran qb like Favre is going to have a hot receiver or a checkdown if he knows what the defense is throwing at him (hence all the short passes), or he is going to call a play in the huddle then come up to the line and do a fake audible so Pierce will confuse the defense. One play that really made me notice this was again Pierce at the LOS and listened to the audible and waved his arms as if to tell his DL to rush up the field and anticipate a deep drop by Favre, Favre just dumped it over their heads to the RB (with several OL guiding the way) on a screen and it made a huge gain. I watched several games this weekend and Pierce is the only MLB who hollers out these instructions like this, I think it is tipping off the QBs. -- Dom M.

I disagree Dom. I think what tips off the offense is the Giants on the whole don’t do a good job of disguising their defenses. You want a perfect example of hopw to disguise the defnse? Watch the Carolina playoff game fro a couple years ago. That was by far one of the most brilliant displays I’ve ever seen.

In response to the the Giants drafting linebackers and the linebacker play in general - in seems that different positions are en vogue every few years. Seems the premiums are on Defensive Ends currently. A while back it was the small corner, then the big corner and the space eater defensive tackle and so on.

Further, the Giants have a habit, for good or for worse of taking the best available talent on the board rather than a need. Hence, taking Kiwanuka and trying to get him on the field. I believe the above has impacted the current linebacker situation. – John F.

Interesting theory John.

The past two weeks performance have been depressing.  However, when you reflect on our drafts....it shows that we are paying the price for years of poor drafting.  Will Allen, Shaun Wms, Will Petersen, Wm Joseph, Luke Pettigout, Ron Dayne, Moss, etc, etc,   Our MVP is Eli..that's the good news because you can build around a quarterback.  Our defense has Osi,Matthias Kiwanuka, and Justin Tuck...Not much else to build around. Snee,Shockey,and Brandon Short are worth building around Eli on offense.

The bottom line is that Tom C will go.  The most depressing sight on Sunday is the lack of enthusiasm on the bench.  These guys play a game that requires heart.  

In sum, I believe this year we have a 10 and 6 offense coupled with a 2 and 14 defense.  That will make a 6 and 10 team(at best).

It is not what I thought we had a few weeks ago.  My only hope is that this coaching staff finds out if Ross, Matthews, Boss, Smith, Deossie, Wilkinson , Wright, Bradshaw and Alford have a future in this league. 

The only kudos for this coaching staff is that they have built an offensive scheme that takes full advantage of a talented young quarterback.  With good drafting....we can be a contender in two seasons.

Thanks for a fine, honest publication. – Bill A.

Thank you for the kudos Bill. I actually think things will start to look up as soon as this weekend. Just call it a hunch…

Gary D. so you pretty much think we should bench all the starters and put in the back ups. Just because a player comes in and makes a play here and there doesn’t mean that he is starter quality. I am a fan of Blackburn but I can’t honestly say he is better than Pierce.

I do agree that the Kiwi project hasn’t been very successful. But the one thing that bothers me is that it was more of a “front office” move then a “coaching” move. Pretty much saying because he is a very athletic guy and did very well at DE last year means he will be good at LB. I wouldn’t mind trying this out but I feel because of his success from last year and that it was a front office move, he wasn’t really challenged and didn’t win the starting position. Every time he makes a mistake people make excuses for him saying he is still learning the position, well this is the NFL you don’t get many chances to prove yourself. I know Wilkerson has been injured but I think when he is 100% I could see him taking the spot from Kiwi and he gets moved back to DE.

Another thing that bothered me was releasing W. Demps. When I first heard that Butler would be starting, before Demps got injured, I thought Butler had won the starting position and I didn’t know that Demps lost the starting position due to attitude. I’m not in favor of keeping locker room troubled players but Demps never said anything to the media or have any legal problems. So what was so bad about his attitude that the Giants thought he wasn’t worth the trouble and that Butler would be just as good?

Regarding the trade scenario by Gary D. and Frank C. I believe Shockey is a little overrated but honestly how can you possibly justify trading him away. He drops a ball here and there and will sometimes make stupid penalties, even thought I thought his past penalty was a bunch of BS. But he still makes some great plays and he has really developed into a great blocker. And the talk of replacing him with Boss well if there is anyone who drops more balls then Shockey it’s Boss, I know he is young but still it’s been a problem of his since training camp.

I don’t like what Strahan did and I know he hasn’t played at his best this year but how can you possibly overlook what he has done for us in the past. There are two veteran players on our team that I really hope retire as a Giant is Strahan and Toomer. Both have done great things as players for us and both still make plays for us. Would you want to trade away Lawrence Taylor(the real LT) if he was in the same position as Strahan? I doubt it. I think Strahan will pick his game up but even if he does struggle this year we have great depth at DE, Tuck and Kiwi(if he gets moved back) will be very good starters. – Brett T.

Brett, in this next issue, I run down the list of Giants players on defense who I think are worth keeping for the future and those who I think should be shown the door after the year. You’d’ be surprised, but I actually found myself keeping more than I initially thought I would.

WoW! Talk about pessimism. So many fans are already selling the Giants down the river. After being a fan for over 50 years Ive learned to temper my angst as well as my praise. Why isn't anyone stopping to consider the all the walking wounded that happened to the Giants in just the first week. Filling in holes with players that might not be ready to step in and keep up the level of play where it should be.

True, all in all they haven't been playing up to OUR expectations, but with all the moves that had to be made its easy to see the lapse.

Guys are starting to heal and slowly will replace the guys that are not performing well and maybe we will see some improvement. Its been a long time since the Giants haven't had great LBs and you can't point to Pierce alone. Good players make other players play better, but with experiments that doesn't always work. The Giants have some talent but this may not be the year it all comes together.

My guess is next year is the break out year what with the new talent that will have a year under rheir belts and a good draft in needed spots and the Giants will shine.

This year there were too many disruptions(Strahan) and too many injuries for the year to begin good. Stay cool we still have 14 more games to play and you don't want to burn yourself out this soon because you never know what can happen. -- Frank A.

Frank, thanks for the letter. Unfortunately as experience has shown, fans are quick to turn on this team. Heck remember all the people bitching about Eli Manning last year? You hear anyone criticizing him this year? In time I think that will be the case with the football team in general…people will clam down once the team starts winning again.

September 20

I wrote yesterday about a proposed trade and received a very sarcastic reply which 1st was inappropriate and 2nd showed that you did not read my proposal. If you take the time to reread it you will see that Shockey was part of the trade and to me was the main part of the trade. Strahan to me was a throw-in to sweeten the pot, do Strahan a favor, and remove his potentially disruptive presence from the scene. He does have value to a contending team in a situational role.

Please answer my letter properly. I try to treat other people's opinions with respect and will accept no less from you. – Frank C.

Frank, I did answer your question and no, I wasn’t trying to be sarcastic – tone often gets lost in these letters. You’re proposing a trade which makes no sense from a practical or financial point of view. Would YOU make that trade if you were a NFL GM? My guess is no.

When you trade a guy, you‘re still on the hook for his signing bonus, Frank. Right now the Giants can’t afford to trade Shockey and/or Strahan even if they wanted to. Who in their right mind would trade for a 35-year old defensive end with a history of injury, a four million dollar salary, who doesn’t feel like he needs training camp any more AND who in all likelihood is in his final year?

Further, if you trade Shockey, who do you plug in there right now? Boss and Matthews aren’t ready yet for full time duty. So what do you do at tight end? And what do the Bears do with the tight end they drafted in round one this year?

Again, Frank, this is not fantasy football. Unfortunately a team can’t get rid of a guy unless they flat out cut them… and even then there are financial repercussions. This isn’t fantasy football where there’s no salary cap to worry about and no repercussion if you make a roster move.

Trades now days are made for one of two reasons. You trade or cut a guy when you have abundance at the position (see the Tim Carter trade, a move which was made because Carter had a reasonable salary) or if you know you have a replacement already on the roster (see the Luke Petitgout move).  

I'm usually defensive about dissing our guys, but I kind of wonder, is Antonio Pierce overrated?  I know the guy is extremely prepared and intelligent and he is probably one of the lesser problems on our defense, but I think he is merely adequate in all areas.  His speed is ok, but he's not a demon in coverage.  His run defense is ok, but he is smallish and needs to be protected.  In my book, he's a B-. Agree? – Jeff H.

I don’t know Jeff. I can’t quite figure out if there is a drop off because the talent around him hasn’t been what was hoped for given that both his linebacker mates are playing out of position and Pierce is trying to overcompensate, or if his performance has indeed dropped off. If I can get a few minutes, I just might go back into our archives to see what we were writing bout Peirce in his first year here to compare it with today’s write-ups and see if I can’t figure out an answer to my question.

Rankings shmankings, we might be ranked last in defense but I would say the award goes to the Cincinnati Bengals who let the Browns of all teams put up 51 points on them last weekend. Yeah we might have started the season really crappy but it’s not how you start the season its how you finish it. Remember last season when Philly started out crappy then went on a run towards the end. We have a good enough offense and with the game slowing down for Eli we can only get better. I’m figuring this defense will have things straightened out by 2 weeks. By that I mean Kiwi returning to his old position, Coughlin realizing that Strahan is only hurting us and will bench him to have Tuck and Kiwi in rotation etc. There are going to plenty of players that will be benched in order for this team to succeed.  Players like McQuarters and Madison are too old and slow to be covering opposing receivers with 4.3 speed, I mean its simple physics. 

On defense it’s a plus to have Wilkinson back, he’s a solid tackler. For the life of me though, someone has to step up on defense and start making the battle cry on the sidelines. That’s my main gripe with Pierce, if you label yourself the leader of the defense than you damn sure need to act like it. There hasn’t been any fire in him nor the rest of the defense so far this year. Someone needs to be in there faces as soon as they get back to the sidelines. Like I said Pierce is a good LB just not a good MLB. He can’t run a NFL defense. Plain and simple. -- Dom M.

Oh I don’t know about that last sentiment Dom. I wouldn’t go selling him short as he knows what to do. See my response to Jeff H. about Pierce.

You know I find it funny how certain athletes are untouchable to criticism about their play.  Everyone wants all the DB's benched (they are terrible.  Kawika Mitchell stinks and abandon the Kiwi experiment.  Antonio Pierce is the heart and soul of the D and Strahan is the sack leader so we don't mention them.  Guess what Pierce has played lousy for 2 years and Strahan did more damage then anyone with his selfishness.  While were at it Jeremy Shockey has made pro bowls on his mouth not his play!  One more according to Osi he is a great pass rusher, I am glad someone thinks so because Bret Favre didn't. – Chris H.

Chris, right now other than Justin Tuck and maybe Aaron Ross, I don’t think anyone is singing the praises of the players you just mentioned.

What I'm also concerned about this year besides the obvious terrible defense and no solutions as far as I can see is the future health of Eli Manning. If the Giants defense keeps putting the team in a hole, Manning is going to be under constant pressure from opposing team defenses. I guess that is why Coughlin will keep taking him out of games. If the Giants are behind by 10 or more points in the 4th quarter how can we be confident the defense will hold if the Giants score and is that worth the health of Eli?

Having agonized over the Giants in the mid 60's to the early 80's and then finally realizing it was an Giant organization problem and then in the 90's realizing the football world left George Young behind it is going to be tough going out of my way to watch the Giants! "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." – Charles C.

Charles, what I’m really amazed with is how many readers seem to have given up on the season. Yes, things look bleak right now, but changes are in the works which might help down the line. If this team goes 0-4 this month, then I’d be worried. Right now I’m only slightly worried about the immediate future.

September 19

Major lack of TALENT and player misplacement on the defensive side of the ball.

First, Kiwanuka is NOT a linebacker. He's a pass rusher who belongs on or very near the line. Sit Cofield down and place Kiwi a few steps behind the line as a delay-pass rushing DT and tight-end spy. Mitchell is not doing his job. That's why the Chiefs dropped him despite all his number of tackles. Start OLB DeOssie and MLB Blackburn who are smart old school players (yes, the middle needs help, so go with 2 MLB's, since Kiwi would be the delay-pass rushing DT/OLB tweener).

Second, Webster, Madison, and McQuarters are done and enough is enough. Butler and Wilson are erratic and miss too many plays as well (POOR talent picking). Start Ross, Dahl, and Michael Johnson instead.

Finally, I had enough of Shockey and his immaturity, dropped balls, & disappearances. He's also bad locker room karma.  TRADE HIM for another 1st round pick next year and develop Kevin Boss.   – Gary D.   

Great Gary. Make even more changes to a lineup which is still trying to adjust to the off-season changes that were made. That really makes a load of sense. Seriously, can we get a grip here? Clearly there are personnel problems, but if the players you mentioned were good enough to start, don’t you think they would be starting already?

This is just a short note to congratulate Todd C.  It's not one of the best posts since we've been 0-2.  It's the best I've ever read in LTTE!  He is spot on!  Nothing more to be said.  Great letter! – Jim V.

Amen Jim!

When was the last time the Giants drafted a linebacker above the second round?  I don't remember one since the Parcells era.  In the last 10-15 years, I remember many wide receiver drafted in the 1st & 2nd rounds.  It is no surprise that the Giants have some decent receivers and a gapping whole in the middle of their defense at linebacker.  The only serviceable linebacker they have is Pierce, the only large salary free agent brought in recent years.  The Giants have drafted d-backs without success and d-linemen with some success.  However, they have completely not made linebackers a priority for some time. – Craig C.

Let’s see…I guess Mathias Kiwanuka doesn’t count… he was drafted as a DE.  In 1993,. The giants didn’t have a first round pick, having spent it on Dave Brown in the previous year’s supplemental draft, so their first two picks that year were Strahan and Marcus Buckley, the latter of whom was a bust at linebacker… Looking further back 1991 was the last time the Giants drafted a linebacker in round two – Khanavis McGhee. And if you want to go back even further, the last time the Giants drafted a linebacker with their first round pick was 1984 – Carl Banks.

Trade Proposal--Shockey+Strahan to the Bears for Briggs. Does it work with the cap? Would the Bears consider it? Would the Giants immediately be able to sign Briggs to a multi-yr contract? What do you think? – Frank C.

Frank, repeat after me: this is NOT fantasy football. Think about this logically instead of being it through frustrated eyes. Who in their right mind would trade for a 35-year old defensive end who’s probably in his final season and who’s carrying $4M in salary and who has been banged up in each of his past three seasons?  

What is the fluorescent dot on the back of NFL Quarterback's helmets? – Don O.

It signifies that there is a radio transmitter in the player’s helmet.

Nice letter Todd....yes, the organization is filled with good people....but the talent for the Giants is sadly lacking. Try this on for size: how many winning seasons have the Giants had since their last Super Bowl in 1990???? If memory serves me correct the answer is five...1993, 1997, 2000, 2002 and 2005. Believe it or not Jim Fassel was the HC for three of the five winning seasons. So dear Giant fans....over the long haul the Giants have not been consistent winners.

Pat...whose idea was it to put Kiwanuka at LB....Reese..Coughlin...or Spags??? – Phil G.

I am not sure. I have my theories, but since I have no concrete proof, I’ll say it was a “front office” decision and leave it at that.

Hey Pat!  I hope that your day is going well.  I was just wondering if the Giants have forced any 3 and outs on defense this year?  I wasn't sure if you kept stats like that and I was just interested.  Thank you and have a grand day. – Tyler P.

Hi Tyler. I don’t keep that stat, but I can tell you that the defense did force at least one three-and-out  against Green Bay this past weekend (in the second quarter).

According to the NY Daily News, the Giants brought in safety Artell Hawkins for a visit because we obviously need help there. I don't think he's that great but a thought that crossed my mind was to switch McQuarters back there. He has played safety before and may be better suited there. Many older cornerbacks who have lost speed make the switch to safety, and that may be what he needs. I don't see how he can be worse than Butler.

I never do this, but I would like to call out all the Giants fans who wanted Lorenzen to play at the end of the season instead of Eli. Where are those fans now? Not saying a word. This also applies to the fans who were happy we got rid of Demps. I hope you're happy with James "I cant tackle a 6 year old girl" Butler. That's all, thanks. – Vick S.

Thanks for the letter Vick.

After watching these two games, the biggest disappointment has got to be the linebackers. Pierce has been dreadful, Kiwi has been worst, and Mitchell CANNOT PLAY. He looks absolutely dreadful out there, so i have one question to ask.....how long? How long will they stick with Kiwi and Mitchell? When will Coughlin wake up, realize one needs to go back to their natural position, and one needs to be on the bench? When will they play Chase Blackburn? Whenever I see Blackburn plays, he looks like a good player, a lot better than these stiffs. – Sam S.

Got me, Sam.

In my opinion, Reese is doing nearly everything right.  Regarding Strahan, he’s not playing well, and he’s not leading.  I think they should cut him, but I don’t think they will because of the owners.  I think Reese would have taken a harder stance earlier, except it doesn’t help when the owners state publicly that Strahan shouldn’t end his career this way, and then go and visit him.

I think & hope Reese may have more ‘pull’ in the future because of the gutsy move he made with Petitgout and the way it’s working out at LT.

Regarding the defense, it’s been since Fox left that we consistently stopped people on 3rd and long.  For that period of years we have to be way below the league average.

Accorsi didn’t leave Reese in Salary cap jail, but he did leave him with little room to maneuver.  Also, the lack of draft picks (Accorsi traded an entire draft away over the years as I documented previously) and the lack of attention to drafting defense are telling now.  Plugging holes year after year with aging veterans doesn’t work for long.

You expect 1st & 2nd round picks to contribute, after that you can draft for need, or for readiness to play in the NFL or for the best player/talent available although he might not be NFL ready yet.  It takes time to develop these type players, but it works out best in the long run (see the Eagles – do they miss that MLB?). 

I think Reese is taking the Eagles approach, after all no one expected Alford or DeOssie or Boss to start this year.  That gives us the present ‘Accorsi Gap’.  The gap between the time that a few drafts pass and we are stocked with 2nd, 3rd & 4th year players that are talented & contribute on defense.

The proper way to ‘Win Now’ is to take the time necessary to build a team that can win every year, so every year becomes ‘Now’ but on different terms – the long term view. – Steve C.

Steve, the Giants are on the hook for $4M of Strahan’s salary, so he’s not going anywhere. I would give him the benefit of the doubt as he’s clearly rusty (his own fault mind you which is why I’d like to see Tuck get more snaps, but it’s a Catch-22 as the only way Strahan knocks off the rust is if he plays).

And while Reese has made a lot of smart decisions, right now the decisions to plug in two guys at linebacker who are out of position doesn’t look very good, nor does the decision to part ways with Will Demps.

September 18
Ok, I think it's time to end the Cory Webster experiment. After last nights performance, I would welcome throwing Ross in there to learn through trial of fire. First, Webster gets flagged for pass interference. on the next play he gets beat deep. What's worse is that he was right with the receiver, but was on the outside of him going down the sideline. That is an obvious rookie mistake. Whenever a receiver is running down the sideline you take the inside of him to cut off the field. There is no doubt anymore about it being the player and not Tim Lewis' system, even if it was horrible in and of itself. I know this will be only one of many letters of this tone but that was a glaring inadequacy that was consistantly giving the game away. I can only hope that TC makes some personnel changes and be quick and decisive in his "execution". Game film will single out the weak players. – Jimi D.

I agree Jimi. Something has to be done pronto, before this season ends up down the toilet.

Do you think that an 0-5 start and a loss to their cross town rivals in week 5 would spark management to pull the plug on Tom? And what is Jerry Reese's job security like? The fact that he thought these players would be alright is not Coughlin's fault.  He should be held accountable as well.  I know it is only two games in, but nobody, not the most negative Giants fan in the world, could have expected them to be this bad on defense. – Rob D.

And replace Tom with who? Gilbride? Spagnuolo? Coughlin will be the coach for the year, for better or worse. Reese isn’t going any where after this year. Ownership will give him a couple of years to shape the franchise accordingly.

Kind of funny, but not really, to see the shoe on the other foot- the offense carrying the defense. I guess the O didn't do a heck of a lot yesterday, but I think as the season unfolds we'll learn that Packer's D is pretty good.

If the D is going to give up that many pts, I think they will need to open the O up a bit more. Think Rams w/Kurt Warner. Their Defense was so-so, but it didn't matter because the Offense was  so potent. -- John F.

John, yes it is ironic … I can remember when some members of the defense used to take verbal shots at the offense off the record. The shoe is on the other foot, as you say. The Giants don’t have the personnel right now to become the next Greatest show on Turf… you can thank injuries for that, plus they don’t play ina dome like the Rams did, so it’s not practical.

i would appreciate it if you would ask SPAGNUOLO a few questions when you see him.

1-when he was hired,he said he was going to play an attacking defense.well,it's been 2 games already, WHEN THE HELL IS HE GOING TO "ATTACK" SOMEBODY ?

2- KIWANUKA is definitely not a linebacker. when is he going to put him back up front, where he belongs?

3-when are they going to learn how to cover the middle of the field?

these are all basically questions that pertain directly to him. i think that someone should ask him these questions and get straight answers for them. – Dennis R.

Dennis, you might want to check out Coach Coughlin’s Monday press conference. Lots of great questions, however, very few answers to wrap your arms around.

I have read for at least two years in the NY media that it all depends on Eli Manning.  Nonsense.  Unless and until the Giants reestablish the defense as a priority they are going nowhere, even if Eli walks on water. This defense is just awful. It is the worse I have seen since the late 60's and 70's.

I can not help but believe that much of this is the legacy of Ernie Accorsi. It seems to me that his commitment to offense resulted in a second rate defense that has steadily gone down hill.

The fact is, the Giants do not play in a dome and they do not play in the south. If we are to win a championship it will take a great defense, a solid offensive line, and mistake free football. 

It is possible that by the end of the season things may turn around dramatically.  I hope so. But right now I am not optimistic. This looks like a team in rapid meltdown. They are likely to improve some, but I really question the ability of this team (defense) to play at a winning level.

I believe Tom Coughlin is a good and honorable man, but I seriously doubt he can dramatically change the direction of this team.  I looked at this defense on the sidelines and they looked like losers.

I do not consider myself a fair weather fan.  I remember the 1-12-1 season and similar years thereafter. I remember the fumble. During all these years I have been a faithful fan who usually looks for the silver lining.  I have a bad feeling about this team.

This Giants organization is an organization of fine, honorable people. However, they are starting to remind my of the 1970's organization.  Fine loyal people, who do not know what it takes to win. Again, I hope I am wrong.

The sad thing is, I do believe Eli Manning is a fine quarterback. I think he can win a championship with the right team and couching. In fact, I suspect he will win a Super Bowl. I just hope it is with the Giants.  But not with this defense, and probably not with this couching staff.

You will probably chide me for being too negative and of over-reacting. You might be right. However, I do think this team and this organization needs to take a very long look at itself if they are to get this team and organization back on track.

A Giant fan always, -- Todd C.

Todd, I think this is one of the best letters I’ve read since the 0-2 slide began. I hope you’re wrong on a lot of points, but like you, unless there’s a drastic shift in philosophy regarding the defensive side of the ball, this is going to be a LONG year.

September 17

CLARIFICATION: Following a loss, I allow those who wish to vent the opportunity to do so without any feedback from me. The reason, as I’ve explained in the past, is because there’s nothing I can say to ease some of the ire that gets shared in this forum, so I feel it’s best to let you vent. The other reason is that a number of you write about the same subjects and it just doesn’t do anyone good if I repeat myself over and over.

So what I’m going to do now moving forward is break up the day after Letters into three categories. The venting, the non venting and the letters I received before the game but didn’t run (because I don’t do a web site update on the day before a game unless there’s a major piece of breaking news.)

Hope you guys like this new arrangement better.

LETTERS OF VENTING

It's official the Giants might just go 0-16 this year if there defense keeps it up, i don’t even think they could even beat Notre Dame it's that embarrassing. Anyone who thinks the new defensive coordinator "Spags" is any better than Tim Lewis is a joke. Their personnel is terrible along with the coaching. Sam Madison and RW McQuarters should be released or fined for how bad their playing and Corey Webster has never belonged in the NFL period. McQuarters couldn’t even stop a 4th receiver from the Cowboys last week, how bad is that? Start Ross and Dockery, at least these young guys will gain experience and get better. They definitely have the worst secondary i have ever seen. Butler is garbage and Wilson is sporadic, they released their best safety Will Demps even if he did have an attitude problem.....Coughlin was set up to fail this year and that is exactly whats happening, bring in Bill Cowher and shoot for the #1 overall pick because they arent going anywhere...Maybe they could get Darren McFaden out of the deal? The Gian