Results tagged “brandonjacobs”

The last time the Chargers came to New York the result was the infamous “Snowball Game”. While there is no snow in the forecast, Giants fans are in an ugly mood, thanks to a three-game losing streak. In many ways this team is facing its first real crisis point since Week 15 in 2007 when they had to beat the Bills to make the playoffs.

The Giants are at a big point in their season. After a 5-0 start, built mostly against inferior teams, they have lost two straight to good teams. Now, they have to head down to Philadelphia for a game with the Eagles, the team that knocked them out of the playoffs at home last year. A win would restore confidence that New York is a playoff-caliber team while a loss, and the upcoming schedule, would threaten to send the team into a spiral. So the stakes are high and when you add in the fact that the Philadelphia crowd will be in a New York-hating frenzy, this should be a very good game.

The Giants will face significant challenges in 2009, but they certainly have the talent to return to the Super Bowl. The biggest obstacle to that quest will be at wide receiver. Plaxico is gone and Amani Toomer didn’t make it out of training camp in Kansas City. That leaves Domenik Hixon and Steve Smith as the starting receivers, two players with only 109 catches between them in their careers. If that pair, or someone else like first round pick, Hakeem Nicks, can’t become a dependable number one receiver, the Giants are going to struggle offensively.

Giants running back Brandon Jacobs, who will be a free agent, said he plans on being back with the team next season—and promised big things if Plaxico Burress is re-signed as well. Repeating a refrain he had after the Giants were kicked out out the playoffs, Jacobs said, "If we have Plax on our team, we go 15-1 and we win the Super Bowl. I'm not afraid to say that, and I'll say it to anybody on any team." He's not sore about Burress's off-field actions, either, "You can't judge him for what happened because no one really knows what goes on out in those streets. A lot of people don't know anything about what happens or how targeted we are. The guy's not a criminal. He shot himself, he didn't shoot no one else and I think they should get off of his case and [he should] be able to continue his career."

It’s hard to guess how the Giants will play their game on Sunday against Minnesota, but last year’s season finale offers some clues. In that game the Giants had nothing to play for, having clinched a playoff spot the previous week, yet went toe-to-toe with the undefeated Patriots. Though they lost 38-35, most people see that game as the spark the impetus for their Super Bowl win.

        

So, the losing streak is done and the Giants will play at home in the NFC playoffs.

The Dallas Cowboys lead the league in distractions. The owner has ripped his star running back for being hurt. Terrell Owens is unhappy with the offense and blames Tony Romo for throwing too often to tight end Jason Witten. Owens even thinks that Romo and Witten meet secretly to create plays. Meanwhile, the defense supports Owens and feels that the coaches are too quick to blame the players. It's the NFL's best soap opera.

Plaxico Burress is one of the biggest reasons the Giants won the Super Bowl and is one of the best receivers in the NFL. But his antics off the field are no longer worth the trouble. After last season’s Super Bowl victory, the Giants rewarded Burress with a 5-year/$35 million deal and since contracts in the NFL are not guaranteed, they can choose to terminate that deal at any time. That time should come now.

The Giants have some major injury concerns heading into Sunday’s game in Washington. Both Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw are listed as questionable, leaving the fate of the running game up in the air. Fred Robbins, a mainstay on the defensive line, has not practiced all week and is also listed as questionable. Plaxico Burress is going to miss the game as well with a hamstring injury and a gunshot wound to the leg. The injuries are a big concern because Washington has a great running attack and their defense is much better against the pass than the run.

The Giants return to the scene of their Super Bowl victory Sunday when they take on the Arizona Cadinals. Arizona, quarterbacked by former Giant Kurt Warner, is miles ahead in the NFC West at 7-3 and boast one of the best offenses in the league. Arizona moves the ball down the field with the prolific passing of Warner and an all-star trio of receivers.

It doesn’t get any easier for the Giants as they face the 6-3 Ravens tomorrow at Giants Stadium. Baltimore has won four-straight games and sports one of the best defenses in the league, allowing only 16.7 points a game. Like the Giants, the Ravens have three running backs and their rookie quarterback, Joe Flacco, has been solid under center.

Browns’ tackle, Corey Williams, has vowed to “try and knock (Brandon Jacobs’) head off”. That may be the only way to stop Jacobs who is on pace for over 1,400 yards and is averaging almost six-yards a carry. But Jacobs is just part of the story as the Giants have three running backs who can carry the load and weapons all over their league-leading offense. They even get one back tonight with Plaxico Burress returning from his suspension. And their defense isn’t too shabby, ranking in the top-5 in almost every statistical category.

• Giants 44 Seattle 6: New York took control of the game with their opening series and never looked back as they destroyed Seattle on Sunday. Starting with the ball on their own nine, it took only four plays for the Giants to lead 7-0 after Eli Manning connected with Domenik Hixon on a 32-yard strike. The Giants scored on their first six drives of the game, not even punting until about 10 minutes remained in the third quarter.
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In his first full season of starting for the Cincinnati Bengals, Carson Palmer had a QB rating of 101.1. Over the last two seasons, Palmer threw for over 4,000 yards. Sunday, Palmer will bring his 37.1 rating and the worst passing offense in the league into the Meadowlands to face the Giants. Is this some sort of statistical anomaly? Perhaps, but don’t expect Palmer to return to his old form against the Giants.

The Giants may have won 11 games in a row away from the Meadowlands last season, but imagine how good they would have been had they taken care of business at home? They went 3-5 at Giants Stadium and, for a while, their lackluster play in front of the loyal fans appeared as if it would cost the team its chance at the postseason.

After the Giants' wild underdog Super Bowl win last night, it's no surprise that New York area papers are reveling in this victory. The Daily News give its readers a special commemorative Super Bowl victory cover (inside, there's a traditional front and sports back cover - sans Giants mention). Both the News and the NY Post feature Eli Manning holding the Vince Lombardi trophy. Maybe this is their way of apologizing for ragging on him mercilessly (though with reason) for his first seasons.

After two weeks of hype, Super Bowl XLII is finally around the corner. The Giants have reached the ultimate game with a chance to prevent history by ruining the Patriots' quest for a perfect 19-0 season.

There is a lot riding on the NFC Championship Sunday. Yes, a trip to the Super Bowl may be the ultimate prize, but how about a whole lot of food or a place in a wedding party? And, look at the lengths that some “fans’ will go for victory, is it ethical to deprive someone of the ability to watch Seinfeld? None of that will matter on Sunday when the Giants take the field in frigid Green Bay. Brett Favre and the Packers are used to these types of conditions and as they showed last week, bad weather will not slow them down.

The Giants were battered and bruised, but they refused to break and came away with a shocking 21-17 upset of the Cowboys in Dallas Sunday.

Ming finished with 36 points as the Knicks once again showed their indifference to the defensive end of the floor. Both Curry and Randolph were in the starting lineup, which doesn’t help matters. The next five games are against Toronto, Detroit, Washington, New Jersey and Washington so 9-30 is a definite possibility.

Believe it or not, the Giants won their first playoff game in seven years 24-14 on Sunday. Down 7-0 and stuffed for -2 yards of offense in the first quarter, New York responded on both sides of the ball, rattling off 24-consecutive points and forcing three turnovers. Brandon Jacobs had two touchdowns and Corey Webster played his best game as a Giant, defending passes and collecting two turnovers. And, New York put a number of questions to rest.

The Giants won on Sunday in spite of many things. They won in spite of terrible weather. They won in spite of Eli Manning and they won in spite of their coach. What other conclusions can you reach after watching yesterday’s game?

The Giants may have a case of déjà vu heading into Sunday’s game. Once again a win means they are in the playoffs and once again they are face the prospect of adverse weather conditions.

You can’t blame Giants fans for fearing the worst. After watching their team blow numerous chances to put Philadelphia away, including an awful turnover late in the fourth quarter, the thought that David Akers would make a 57-yard field goal was not a stretch. But, while Akers’ kick had plenty of length, it was a little bit too far to the right, clanging off the upright and the Giants escaped from Philadelphia with a 16-13...

The Giants face a potentially tricky match up on Sunday when the Vikings come to Giants Stadium. While the Vikings probably won’t have Adrian Peterson, they still have Chester Taylor who rushed for 164 yards and three touchdowns last week. Minnesota has used their two excellent backs to lead the league in rushing. On defense the Vikings have the best rushing defense in the league, but the worst pass defense. The Giants should exploit the...

It was a big win. It was a lucky win. It was a costly win. And while Jon Kitna may not think the Giants are better than Detroit, in the end they were good enough to beat them 16-10. New York appeared to have the game in control when they got the ball back with a 16-3 lead and only ten minutes to go in the game. But, the Giants’ offense stalled and Detroit needed...

It’s pretty simple for the Giants this week. Win and the 6-2 start is validated in the eyes of the critics. Lose and the assertion that all they have done so far is beat up on weaker teams looks more plausible. It’s a foolish argument, but it’s the reality of the 24/7 sports media. And, while it is true that the Giants started off 6-2 under Tom Coughlin last year only to finish 8-8, there...