5 Questions with the Giants

If it's Friday, it must be time for 5 Questions With...

The New York Football Giants!

This week, we trade questions with James at NFL-Giants. See my answers to James' questions here. Head over there, read my answers to his questions and drop a comment with your take on the game. Skin Patrol at Hogs Haven has his take here.

Without furthera dew, here are this week's questions:

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Curly R: Giants' Offense. What's your take on Eli? Is he developing? He's already thrown 5 interceptions this season and been sacked 9 times. He doesn't seem always to be on the same page as the receivers. What critical development factor is Eli missing and how long will the Giants' faithful have confidence in him?

NFL-Giants: Eli's passing has been more accurate than it was last season, particularly at the end of last season when he kind of fell apart. I believe two of the interceptions came when Giants receivers knocked balls into the air that should have been caught but the other 7 are obviously an issue. It seems that the Giants offense doesn't use enough high percentage passes. Typically, Eli is throwing the ball down the field. The longer the ball is in the air, the longer defenders have to make plays. To fully develop, Eli needs to do a better job of throwing the ball where there are no defenders who can make a play on it. I think he's getting there, and that's why Giants fans still have faith. We'll have confidence in Eli for a long time. His come-from-behind heroics against Philadlephia gave us a good feeling that even the 1st quarter of the Seattle game couldn't take away.


Curly R: Giants' Defense. How serious is starting weakside linebacker Carlos Emmons' injury and how does his loss affect the Giants' defense? Will Allen and Will Peterson are gone, but the defense is giving up lots of points (over 30 per game) and lots of passing yards (nearly 850 yards in three games). What's the problem with the Giants' secondary and how are the Giants' planning to control the Redskins?

NFL-Giants: Well, the injury is not unexpected. Emmons has had an injury every year he's been a Giant. He was even injured when we signed him. How serious a loss Emmons is depends on the replacement no one has really seen, our 3rd round pick, [Gerris] Wilkinson (or less likely Brandon Short). Emmons' strength is supposed to be covering the tight end from the SAM position, which he wasn't doing in the first three games. Considering how soft the Giants' zone looked with Emmons in there I don't see how there could be a big dropoff. How could the Giants zone get any worse? Emmons is a big, tough run stopper. Wilkinson is faster, but less experienced. I don't have the answers but will he fill the right gaps? Will he be fooled by play action? Will he be a tough, reliable tackler?

To control the Redskins, Giants fans want to get rid of the soft zone and play tough. We remember the good old days when Giants linebackers were knocking receivers off their routes. Sadly, I don't think that's what the Giants plan to do, but they will try to tighten up that zone.


Curly R: Giants Roster. Who's your breakout player for 2006? If you had a mulligan on one player acquisition from last offseason, who would you use it on, why, and who would you have wanted in his place? What are the top two offseason priorities for this team?

NFL-Giants: Brandon Jacobs looks to be a breakout player for 2006. He's running tough. Sinorice Moss has been the biggest bust so far since that quad of his has kept him off the field for a very very long time. However, rather than replace hime with another draft pick, I would say IR him and keep Curtis Deloach (now with the Saints) on the roster. The Giants special teams miss Deloach.


Curly R: Tom Coughlin. If history served, tight end Jeremy Shockey would be benched for at least part of the Redskins game for comments about the Giants being outcoached and outplayed against Seattle. Wednesday, Coughlin said Shockey would start. Is Coach sacrificing principle for expediency, trying to win now and save the season and/or his job? Or was Shockey's transgression simply not as serious as others that have earned a benching? Is Coughlin losing the team? Where is the fanbase on Coughlin?

NFL-Giants: To my knowledge, Coughlin never said he's bench Shockey. Most fans feel Shockey has a big mouth but in this case we agree that the Giants coaches need to do a better a job. We're fine with TC's handling of the players but not fine with the game plans on offense or defense. The penalties are frustrating as well but no one really knows how much of that is on the coach and how much is on the players. I don't see Coughlin losing the team.


Curly R: Finishing Strong or Finished Off?. After winning the Division last season, expectations for 2006 were high for the Giants. The team had to deal with injuries and controversy on the week off, and the Giants already have a problem coming off the bye, where they are a combined 3-14. Can they turn it around? How do you see the NFC East shaking out?

NFL-Giants: It's true that the Giants have sucked after byes for a while. I don't follow statistics like that; to me the players control the game and history isn't even an influence. Can they beat the Redskins? Yes. The Redskins have the weakest offense of the teams the Giants have played so far (basing this on performance to date, not potential). Either the Giants defense will pull itself together and the Giants will win or the Redskins offense will have breakout game and the Giants will lose. I see the Giants winning the NFC East (the defense will wake up sooner rather than later), Dallas finishing second (Strong defense will win some games and their receiving threats will win a few more for them), the Redskins third (I don't see enough depth to withstand more than a couple of injuries), and the Eagles 4th (their injury problems are already costing them games).


BONUS QUESTION
Curly R: Tiki Barber. His first couple of seasons, he was finding his place on the team, and now he's a bona fide star. What was your honest take when the Giants drafted him, and where does he fit now in the pantheon of Giants ball carriers?

NFL-Giants: He didn't make much of an impression until he came in for Rodney Hampton one time. You could tell he was just much faster than Hampton and more exciting to watch. In other words, I didn't notice when we drafted him but I noticed the first time I saw him play in an NFL
regular season game and was impressed. Tiki is the greatest Giants running back. As elusive as Meggett and as tough as Hampton who were the guys I grew up watching.

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Wahoowa Tiki! You make us proud back in Charlottesville. If only you could lend a little back to the Cavs this season.

Thanks to NFL-Giants for playing. Get over there, drop a comment and represent for the Redskins. See you tomorrow for Giants game preview.