Results tagged “stevesmith”

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.

The Giants are going to the Super Bowl! Thanks to a 47-yard field goal in overtime New York defeated Green Bay on the infamous “frozen tundra” 23-20 to advance to Super Bowl XLII.

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...

This is a team that is clearly on the brink. The defense hasn’t shown up in the first two games and now the players are looking for someone to blame. Antonio Pierce picked on a female reporter yesterday by blowing an air horn each time she tried to ask about the defense. He may have been trying to be funny, but coupled with his suggestion that fans write to Giants.com with suggestions to fix the defense it came off as arrogant. (As a fyi here is the contact info on Giants.com)

Hopefully, Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo didn’t buy a house when he moved to New York this off-season. After two games it looks as if Spagnuolo and Tom Coughlin will be looking for new jobs very soon. The numbers are hideous, 80 points allowed in two games, over 800 yard allowed and opponents have completed an astounding 71% of their passes against them, but the visual evidence is even worse. Mathias Kiwanuka looks lost at linebacker. Kawika Mitchell’s play makes you long for the days of Carlos Emmons and Webster and Madison can’t cover anyone.

• Yankees 11, Indians 2: We thought things were supposed to be tougher for the Yankees when they played winning teams, but that doesn't seem to be the case. While Mike Mussina allowed one run in the first inning, the Yankees scored all they would need in the second when they tagged Paul Byrd for 7 runs. The inning included a two-run homer by Alex Rodriguez, who added another two-run shot in the 8th inning. While each Yankees starter had a hit, Jose Molina had four hits and Derek Jeter had three for the 2nd night in a row. The home runs by A-Rod continues his streak of home runs against Cleveland this year. He's now hit one in each of the five Yankees-Indians games this season.
• Marlins 7, Mets 5: It was looking good for win #301 for Tom Glavine until the Mets bullpen entered the game. Handed a 3-1 lead in the 7th inning, Guillermo Mota proceeded to load the bases full of fish (he inherited 1 runner, to be fair) before giving up a grand slam to Josh Willingham. The Mets bailed Mota out in the bottom of the 7th, scoring two runs to tie the game, but Aaron Heilman was quick to give the Marlins the lead again in the 8th inning. David Wright had two home runs (two-run and solo) to the left field bleachers in the loss.
• Doubledays 3, Cyclones 0: Auburn took the lead with a two-run bases loaded single in the 1st and never looked back. Brett Cecil and three relievers held the Cyclones to five hits in the victory.

The Jets and the Giants took very different approaches to the draft on Saturday, but when the day was over, both had primarily upgraded their defenses. Five of the six selections made by the locals were defensive players and both teams hope they addressed some key needs.

The Giants return to the playoffs for the first time since 2003 when they take on the Carolina Panthers Sunday at 1pm. Carolina was a popular pick for the Super Bowl before the season started and looked like they would live up to that billing before late season losses at home to Dallas and Tampa. They still finished 11-5 and will present a formidable challenge to the Giants.