garyfl

Can the Giants break their usual post-bye slump? They're 1-5 after
byes under Fassel. Add in the Monday Night (1-7) record and is this a
coincidence?

http://www.nj.com/sports/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/106438171098870.xml

BY KIMBERLY JONES
Star-Ledger Staff

Opponents might start to throw the ball even more against the Giants.
Heck, maybe they'll go exclusively to the air.

Through three games, the Giants defense has seen more passes, 140, and
allowed more completions, 83, than any other NFL defense. The Giants
rank last in the NFL in team defense, allowing 404.7 yards per game,
and last in passing yards per game, at 314.3.

The mistakes have been many.

On a Redskins' red-zone play Sunday, one player was in man-to-man when
the call was for zone.

On another, the Redskins caught the Giants in an ill-conceived blitz
in which the players got confused on who should have followed the
back.

On the two-point conversion, QB Patrick Ramsey had all day to find WR
Darnerien McCants, who eventually shook coverage.

Then there was WR Laveranues Coles, who ran free over the middle of
the field while making seven catches for 105 yards.

"I think Ramsey did a good job finding holes in the zone," CB Will
Allen said.

Uh, you think? Different players were responsible for those miscues
and missed assignments.

"We've just got to get better," SS Shaun Williams said.

The Giants might have to forsake zones and accept that they are a
man-to-man team. Allen and fellow CB Will Peterson seem to prefer man
coverage, even if it leaves them on an island. Nickel back Ralph Brown
would need help from FS Omar Stoutmire. Williams could be used
primarily where he excels, in run support.

Will it work? The Giants might have to take their chances.

Unless changes are made, the blueprint for beating the Giants defense
might have been set by Washington and Dallas, the first- and
second-ranked total offenses in the league.

"Did we make them there or did they make us where we are?" coach Jim
Fassel said. "They're both pretty explosive offenses with real speed
at receiver, but that's not acceptable to me. We can play better than
that and that's our job."

Next opponent: The Giants (2-1) have a week off following consecutive
overtime games. They meet the Dolphins at Giants Stadium on Oct. 5. No
one was happier about the break than DE Michael Strahan, who has had a
slow start after missing preseason because of a broken toe. "I know I
can use a weekend off," he said.

Game plan: Fassel changed his offensive approach Sunday, going to a
safer, more conservative initial plan that emphasized protecting QB
Kerry Collins while making shorter, quicker throws, and establishing
the run. It worked in the first half. In the second half, the Giants
stalled. Even with a big lead, the Giants have to be able to continue
to drive and put pressure on defenses. Where's that power run game?

Needs fixing: The depth chart won't change and neither will the
personnel, but the Giants pass rush has to be consistent. "I was
disappointed we didn't get more pressure on (Ramsey)," Fassel said.
Maybe the week off will help Strahan catch his breath and DT Keith
Hamilton (hamstring) recover. If the defensive line doesn't generate a
consistent pass rush, the secondary is going to continue to struggle.

Key stat: The Giants played back-to-back overtime games for the first
time in their history. They are the first team to play back-to-back OT
games against division opponents since the Cardinals in 1997. The
Giants are 12-12-1 in regular-season overtime games since OT was
introduced in 1974. A look at the overtimes since Fassel became coach
in 1997:

DATE;;OPPONENT;;RESULT

Oct. 10, 1997;; at Detroit;; W, 26-20

Nov. 23, 1997;; at Washington;; T, 7-7

Oct. 31, 1999;; at Philadelphia;; W, 23-17

Nov. 4, 2001;; Dallas;; W, 27-24

Dec. 1, 2002;; Tennessee;; L, 32-29

Dec. 28, 2002;; Philadelphia;; W, 10-7

Sept. 15, 2003;; Dallas;; L, 35-32

Sept. 21, 2003;; at Washington;; W, 24-21

Under the microscope: Special teams, because some things never change.
LS Carson Dach is lucky holder Jeff Feagles was able to handle that
bad snap on the game-winning field goal Sunday. Even with Brian
Mitchell, the return game has been average, at best. When Mitchell
breaks a decent return, it's usually called back because of a penalty.

Storylines: The defense tries to figure out why every QB passes for
300 yards and a receiver always gets 100 yards against it. ... Is
Hamilton's hamstring healthy? They'll need him against Miami RB Ricky
Williams. ... Can the Giants break their usual post-bye slump? They're
1-5 after byes under Fassel.

Cool and calm: QB Kerry Collins is third in the NFC with 743 passing
yards and tied for the lead with six TDs. Collins, who has two
interceptions, has made mostly good decisions. "I have felt with Kerry
this year and especially this last game, he was always calm, always
collected," Fassel said. "I could talk to him, (about) how I want to
approach this next series, and he was right on stuff, very, very
conversant. He was in control of his thoughts and (did not have) this
far-off glare in this eye."

Did you know? The 266 combined penalty yards Sunday was not a record
for a Giants game. On Oct. 19, 1947, the Giants and Boston Yankees
combined for 282 penalty yards.

Injury report: Assuming Hamilton is back next week, the Giants could
go into the game against the Dolphins at full strength in terms of
health.

iommirules

Gary, why don't you post a more meaningful stat, like his record against the
NFC East perhaps? Or would this be to much like equal time.

brian k. oneill

When we play an NFC East team, it might be meaningful to post...

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iommirules

Well, he has 6 more chances then, odds are he doesn't once, because its an
incredibly great stat for his whipping boy.

talk2dogs

It's too bad they can't fine players who's performances are sub-par. That
might get their attention!
Lois
Palmyra, VA

garyfl

Tony the bye week record and the Monday Night record have been in the
paper the last two weeks. I didn't research them. And you didn't
answer the question are they a meaningless coincidence?

garyfl

I posted what was in the papers, including his excellent record in
overtimes games. You are what your record says you are. Interesting
that last year a lot of the regulars here said that the criticism of
Fassel in this group by a few people certainly Jeff and I was not
indicative of how the masses (average Giants fans) felt about Fassel
and that he was very popular and well thought of. Do you guys still
think so? I never agreed with that and now I think he's under more
pressure then he's ever been. No playoff win and I think it's finally
goodbye. Unless the front office just forces him to fire the defensive
coaches to save his ass, which he would do in a second.

brian k. oneill

Hey, I know the deal with him. I mean, he mentions Fassel's lousy post-bye
record now but I don't recall him mentioning his great pre-bye record before
the Redskin game (14-4 or something after last week's win).

All I'm saying is that you can mention those things when it's relevant and
it will mean a lot more. Otherwise, it makes you look like one of them darn
apologists... :-)

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garyfl

I would have posted it if it was in an article. Do you have his
division record handy? I know it's good. Of course with the Cards,
Cowboys and Redskins it better be.

nycbeernuts

Who gives a crap about their record against the NFC East? It better
be good considering the teams except Eagles. This post was about the
pass defense, which has been exposed by the lowly Redskins and
Cowboys. I would have liked it to go in-depth more as to who is to
blame, the coach, the pass rush, or the secondary. My pick is the
pass rush, which is why Lynn is blitzing more. Where is Strahan??!