Post by danieljonesfan on Aug 14, 2020 6:31:52 GMT -5
I look back and I know it sounds crazy but I sometimes feel this was the best team in the Coughlin era.. we all know they should’ve won 11 games and the division, they blew a huge lead to Philadelphia @ home they also had inexplicable home losses that season to the Titans who they outplayed and the Cowboys who were starting a back up and the Giants Defense for some reason decided not to show up
Here are some cliff notes from that season
• The Giants were top 10 on Offense and Defense
• The team had 3885 pass yards and 31 TD 2200 rush yards and 17 TD the Defense had 46 sacks and 16 INT
• Eli Manning had perhaps his best season to date when he set a career high(at the time) with 31 TD passes and 4002 Passing yards
•Hakeem Nicks really emerged as the 2nd year WR from UNC piled up 1052 receiving yards and caught 11 TD , we also saw the emergence of 3rd year WR Mario Manningham the speedster had 944 yards and 9 TD including scores of 90 and 84 yards
• Ahmad Bradshaw became the lead back and rushed for a career high 1235 yards with 8 TD Big Brandon Jacobs was no slouch going for 823 yards at 5.6 a clip and 9 TD
•Justin Tuck was back to his old self as he racked up 11.5 sacks and 16 TFL and a Pro Bowl nod his running mate Osi Umenyoria looked to be finally recovering from his 2008 meniscus tear as he had 11.5 sacks and a then NFL record 10 FF this team also featured a dynamic rookie edge player by the name of Jason Pierre Paul who contributed 4.5 sacks and 7 tackles for loss in a part time role
• A really underrated player who is often forgotten about is CB Terrell Thomas the 3rd year DB had 101 tackles 5 Ints 4 FF and a whopping 21 pass break ups.. I know he gave up some plays but the kid was a emerging playmaker in the secondary Veteran CB Corey Webster was in his prime and had 4 ints and 12 pass break ups
• Free Agent SS Antrel Rolle had 80 tackles 7 tackle for loss 7 pass break ups and 1 int another guy who gave up a few but also made his fair share 3rd year FS Kenny Phillips fell short of the super star he looked to be pre injury but he gave the team solid play with a 1 INT and 5 pass break ups (Despite his missed tackle against Celek in the miracle @ the meadowlands 2 I love you Kenny but that whiff was inexcusable)
•LB Micheal Boley DL Chris Canty DL Barry Cofield DL Rocky Benard TE Kevin Boss were also productive players for the Team
Some negatives
• Turnovers Eli Manning lead the NFL with 25 Ints many of which were awful luck on tipped passes.. Bradshaw despite his break out season had 7 fumbles
• 4th year Pro-Bowl WR Steve Smith suffered a season ending injury and would never play for the Giants again sadly Smith never regained his form which allowed him to set a Giants franchise record 107 catches in 2009
• 5th year DL Mathias Kiwanuka a solid pass rusher for the Giants also suffered a season ending injury back in those days the Giants always had 3 or 4 guys who could sack the opposing QB
• For all of its talent the Giants Defense had a handful of WTF flat out not showing up performances and it cost us most notable was the debacle versus Philly
• The Offensive Line that we all grew to love really declined around this time stalwarts like OG Chris Snee and OT Kareem McKenzie started to get old and Pro Bowl Center Sean O Hara missed multiple games with injuries and also saw his performance decline
Looking back that was a damn good football team when the Defense showed up to play and the Offense protected the ball Personally I feel 1 of the best they’ve put together in my 20 + years of following this franchise
Here are some cliff notes from that season
• The Giants were top 10 on Offense and Defense
• The team had 3885 pass yards and 31 TD 2200 rush yards and 17 TD the Defense had 46 sacks and 16 INT
• Eli Manning had perhaps his best season to date when he set a career high(at the time) with 31 TD passes and 4002 Passing yards
•Hakeem Nicks really emerged as the 2nd year WR from UNC piled up 1052 receiving yards and caught 11 TD , we also saw the emergence of 3rd year WR Mario Manningham the speedster had 944 yards and 9 TD including scores of 90 and 84 yards
• Ahmad Bradshaw became the lead back and rushed for a career high 1235 yards with 8 TD Big Brandon Jacobs was no slouch going for 823 yards at 5.6 a clip and 9 TD
•Justin Tuck was back to his old self as he racked up 11.5 sacks and 16 TFL and a Pro Bowl nod his running mate Osi Umenyoria looked to be finally recovering from his 2008 meniscus tear as he had 11.5 sacks and a then NFL record 10 FF this team also featured a dynamic rookie edge player by the name of Jason Pierre Paul who contributed 4.5 sacks and 7 tackles for loss in a part time role
• A really underrated player who is often forgotten about is CB Terrell Thomas the 3rd year DB had 101 tackles 5 Ints 4 FF and a whopping 21 pass break ups.. I know he gave up some plays but the kid was a emerging playmaker in the secondary Veteran CB Corey Webster was in his prime and had 4 ints and 12 pass break ups
• Free Agent SS Antrel Rolle had 80 tackles 7 tackle for loss 7 pass break ups and 1 int another guy who gave up a few but also made his fair share 3rd year FS Kenny Phillips fell short of the super star he looked to be pre injury but he gave the team solid play with a 1 INT and 5 pass break ups (Despite his missed tackle against Celek in the miracle @ the meadowlands 2 I love you Kenny but that whiff was inexcusable)
•LB Micheal Boley DL Chris Canty DL Barry Cofield DL Rocky Benard TE Kevin Boss were also productive players for the Team
Some negatives
• Turnovers Eli Manning lead the NFL with 25 Ints many of which were awful luck on tipped passes.. Bradshaw despite his break out season had 7 fumbles
• 4th year Pro-Bowl WR Steve Smith suffered a season ending injury and would never play for the Giants again sadly Smith never regained his form which allowed him to set a Giants franchise record 107 catches in 2009
• 5th year DL Mathias Kiwanuka a solid pass rusher for the Giants also suffered a season ending injury back in those days the Giants always had 3 or 4 guys who could sack the opposing QB
• For all of its talent the Giants Defense had a handful of WTF flat out not showing up performances and it cost us most notable was the debacle versus Philly
• The Offensive Line that we all grew to love really declined around this time stalwarts like OG Chris Snee and OT Kareem McKenzie started to get old and Pro Bowl Center Sean O Hara missed multiple games with injuries and also saw his performance decline
Looking back that was a damn good football team when the Defense showed up to play and the Offense protected the ball Personally I feel 1 of the best they’ve put together in my 20 + years of following this franchise