reporters etc. preview the GIANTS game

Giants vs. Rams preview

By Nick Wagoner and Dan Graziano

ESPN.com

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/14731/giants-vs-rams-preview

When: 4:05 p.m. ET Sunday Where: Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis TV: FOX

The St. Louis Rams and New York Giants have both been eliminated from playoff contention and neither enters Sunday’s matchup with much to play for.

But neither team has looked like it is ready to close up shop for the rest of the season, either, which could make this at least a mildly interesting game for the football diehards.

ESPN Rams reporter Nick Wagoner and ESPN Giants reporter Dan Graziano discuss Sunday’s game:

Wagoner: Dan, I’m sure you’re getting a lot of questions about Odell Beckham Jr., but let’s be real, he’s going to be the most exciting player on the field Sunday. What is it about him that’s allowed him to have such success, and is he as fun to watch up close as he is from a distance?

Graziano: Nick, I don’t want to overstate the case here. But what we’re watching with Beckham on a weekly basis (a daily one, in fact, when you take into account his practice antics) is a player gifted with such raw athleticism that he stands out on a field whose other occupants are also world-class athletes. He’s impressive in all facets. He runs great routes. He has great hands. He plays bigger than his 5-foot-11 size would indicate, because he has the ability to outjump defenders and locate the ball in the air before they do. He has the blazing speed you’ve seen. Really, from a raw talent standpoint, he’s the total package. What he’s doing is even more incredible due to the facts that he missed all of training camp and the first four games of the season with a hamstring injury, and that he and Victor Cruz played only two games together. Eli Manning is targeting Beckham pretty much all the time, and it’s working. Expect to see a lot of him.

The Rams’ defense has allowed a total of 12 points over its past three games. What’s behind the surge?

Wagoner: There are plenty of reasons for the surge, up to and including taking advantage of a bit of a break in the schedule in terms of opponents. But make no mistake: The Rams’ defensive surge is real. They held the high-powered Broncos to seven points, the fewest since Peyton Manning took over at quarterback. The intangible part of it is the defense has finally gotten comfortable with Gregg Williams as coordinator and vice versa. Williams now knows the best way to deploy his players and they now know what is expected of them. That’s manifested into a defense that’s doing a bit of everything well. The Rams had a disappointing performance last week in stopping Arizona’s run game, but their better efforts start with stopping the run. When the Rams stop the run consistently and force opponents into second- and third-and-long, their vaunted pass rush can be as good as advertised. It doesn’t hurt that end Robert Quinn and tackle Aaron Donald form one of the most dynamic inside out duos in the league, either. But really, they’re getting better performances across the board with the defense.

While we’re on defense, I noticed that since Week 7, the Rams and Giants rank first and third in the league in sacks, respectively. What’s been the cause of the uprising from New York’s pass rush?

Graziano: The Giants had 19 sacks in their first 11 games of the season and have picked up 22 in their past three games. A lot of that has to do with their opponents — Jacksonville, Tennessee and Washington. But in terms of what they’re doing to take advantage of the matchups, they’re getting contributions from all over. Jason Pierre-Paul has six sacks in those three games, but rookie defensive end Kerry Wynn is making a contribution. Rookie linebacker Devon Kennard, who was NFC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 14, has been a factor in the pass rush. Second-year defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins is up to seven sacks for the season. The Giants are getting a variety of help in the pass rush, which is especially important with defensive ends Mathias Kiwanuka and Robert Ayers among the 22 Giants currently on injured reserve. They’ll blitz a linebacker or a safety or a cornerback in key times. Basically, since the schedule turned around for them, they’ve been taking advantage of their matchups at a high level and in a variety of ways.

I know the quarterback situation has been a muddle, but why do the Rams still have so many unanswered questions at the other offensive skill positions? Receiver and running back?

Wagoner: Well, I think they’ve at least finally settled on Tre Mason as their primary ball carrier for the future, though I suppose we thought the same thing last year at this time with Zac Stacy. Mason’s not getting the vast majority of the snaps right now because he’s still not up to speed in pass protection, but if and when that happens, his snap count will only increase. In the meantime, he’s the first option running the ball and Benny Cunningham is next in line to handle the dirty work. I think Mason will be the main guy going forward, but judging the Rams’ recent knack for drafting running backs earlier than expected, maybe that should be considered a year-to-year proposition until they go with the same guy for two consecutive seasons. At receiver, they seem to have finally settled into using Kenny Britt, Stedman Bailey and Tavon Austin. If Brian Quick comes back from a devastating shoulder injury and they re-sign Britt, they should be pretty solid. I’d argue they could still use a true No. 1 guy like the Giants have with Beckham, but it’s not the pressing need it was coming into the season. They just need to find someone who can more consistently get them the ball.

Sticking to quarterbacks, what do you make of Eli Manning at this point in his career? He’s obviously had great success but also some clunkers. With so few decent quarterbacks around, there’s no way the Giants would look elsewhere at that position, is there?

Graziano: No way. Other than the horrible five-interception game against the 49ers in Week 11, Manning has operated the new offense smoothly and efficiently in the first year under new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo. He’s protecting the ball well, making good decisions, relying on shorter, higher-percentage stuff than he did earlier in his career. Considering they have four wide receivers and three running backs on injured reserve, and that the offensive line has struggled all year to protect him, I think Manning’s doing fine and is among the very least of their problems.

As for quarterback, what do you expect them to do this offseason? Bring back Bradford? Move up in the draft? What?

Wagoner: At this point, the expectation remains that the Rams will try to bring Sam Bradford back at a reduced rate with incentives built in, and spend a high draft pick (first three rounds) on a quarterback. I’ve been writing that for the past month or so and I stand by the assertion until I hear something different. Of course, that still depends on how big the pay cut would be and whether Bradford’s representation wants to explore the market. Even with his injury issues, he could become a hot commodity in such a quarterback-needy market. Moving up sounds good on paper, but I’m not sure they have the ammunition or the desire to make such a move. They could also look to bring Shaun Hill back as a backup option for Bradford and/or the new draft pick. Either way, it’s the one thing holding this team back from being a legitimate playoff contender. The only problem is that it’s also the most difficult problem to fix.

Giants at Rams: Stats of the Week

1

That’s how many times an opponent has managed to drive inside the Rams’ 20-yard line in the past three games. And that one trip came after Arizona recovered a fumble at the Rams’ 27.

63.2

Eli Manning’s completion percentage for the season, which would be a career high if it lasted through the end of the season. He is also on pace for a career-high 590 pass attempts.

The Paper of the Mainstream-Record
recommended that Giants fans
stop watching the Giants.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/07/sports/football/jets-giants-better-ways-to-spend-your-sunday.html?_r=0

———————-

Surprising Giant factoid:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/09/sports/football/amid-giants-woes-young-players-get-a-chance-to-shine.html?ref=football
“…According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Sunday was the first time in the Giants’ 90-year history that one rookie finished with 100 receiving yards and another with 100 rushing yards in the same game.
Weston Richburg, making his 12th start at left guard, was part of a significantly improved performance by an offensive line that kept Eli Manning from being sacked. On defense, the rookie linebacker Devon Kennard and the second-year defensive end Damontre Moore each had two sacks; the Giants overran Tennessee’s injury-depleted offensive line for a total of eight sacks….”
—————–

On the Giants Pass Rush:

“…The Giants’ progress on defense provides another encouraging element. It generated at least seven sacks in three consecutive games for the first time in franchise history, but it should be noted that they exploited injury-depleted offensive lines and young quarterbacks.
The rookies Blake Bortles and Zach Mettenberger started for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee. The Giants sacked Robert Griffin III seven times on Sunday after Colt McCoy reinjured his neck on the opening series. Griffin has been slowed by two devastating knee injuries, one at Baylor and the other at the end of his dazzling rookie season in Washington. He dislocated an ankle in the second game this year…”
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/16/sports/football/after-two-straight-wins-giants-recognize-their-deficiencies-if-not-themselves.html?ref=football
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Coughlin, Manning have experienced highs and lows with Giants

• By Joe Lyons

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/coughlin-manning-have-experienced-highs-and-lows-with-giants/article_d2bc1c9a-0c3c-52aa-93db-0e5be4951cd7.html

The New York Giants football careers of coach Tom Coughlin and quarterback Eli Manning began in 2004.

After a year away from football following an eight-year stint with the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars, Coughlin was hired to replace Jim Fassel as head coach. That spring, after a standout career at the University of Mississippi, Manning was selected by San Diego with the first overall pick of the draft and then traded to the Giants in exchange for the No. 4 overall pick that year, quarterback Philip Rivers, and two more draft picks.

In their 11th season together, Coughlin and Manning are third all-time in NFL starts with 165, trailing only New England’s Bill Belichick/Tom Brady (205) and Dan Marino/Don Shula (184). Manning’s 165 consecutive starts is the league’s longest active streak — Rivers is No. 2 at 145 — and the third-longest in history behind Brett Favre (297) and Eli’s older brother Peyton (208).

“I really just want to be there for my teammates, to be there week in and week out,” Eli Manning said of the streak. “I know I’ve got a lot of teammates who are playing injured and playing through pain. … I just take pride being out there and being accountable.”

Coughlin and Manning, who helped guide the Giants to Super Bowl titles following the 2007 and 2011 seasons, have a special bond.

“Eli’s a guy what works his tail off. He always has,” said Coughlin, 68. “He loves to play. He loves to compete and this is very important to him. He’s all that you would like to have in any young man in terms of his work ethic, his focus, and his desire to be the best.”

And the feeling is mutual.

“I think Coach Coughlin and I get along very well,” Manning, 33, said. “I have great respect for him and his work ethic, his commitment to football, (and) how he gets us mentally prepared to play each game.”

The Giants, who suffered through a seven-game losing streak this season, will carry a 5-9 record into Sunday’s 3:05 p.m. game against the Rams (6-8) at the Edward Jones Dome. New York enters with back-to-back wins, but some believe Coughlin is on the hot seat after the team finished 9-7 in 2012 and 7-9 a year ago.

“You never want to see that or hear that because it means I’m not doing my job very well,” Manning said of the coaching-change talk. “I think Coach Coughlin has done a great job. He’s done a great job of talking to the players and telling us not to worry about any distractions. Just worry about this next game and getting a win.”

Coughlin added: “I focus on my team and trying to be the very best we can be and making sure that we all combine to make a great effort. That’s where my thoughts go.”

Coming off wins against Tennessee and Washington, the Giants have quieted some of the critics. But the focus now is the Rams.

“I know they’re aggressive on defense,” Coughlin said. “They show a diversity of looks and different kinds of pressures. They play well together, they’re physical (and) they’ve collected some very good football players.

“Offensively, they’ve got a number of skill players, guys that can put the ball in the end zone at any time.”

Manning, who holds virtually every Giants’ passing record, has enjoyed success in three previous victories over the Rams, completing 61.7 percent of his passes for 779 yards with nine touchdowns, one interception and a passer rating of 115.5.

“I think it’s a coincidence,” he said. “They’re playing good football right now with (defensive coordinator) Gregg Williams and Coach (Jeff) Fisher. … They’re just not giving up many big plays. They’re getting great pressure on the quarterback (and) teams aren’t running the ball well against them. They’re playing fast and aggressive.”

Injuries have been a problem this season for the Giants, who have 22 players on the season-ending injured reserve list.

“Obviously, it can be difficult, especially when you lose some key guys,” said Manning, who has completed 63.2 percent of his passes this season for 3,590 yards with 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. “But we’ve also had some young guys step up and contribute.”

With the offseason just two games away, Manning said it’s about maintaining focus.

“We don’t have the record that we want, but we’ve been playing better,” he said. “I think you have to be professional about it and understand these games; they’re still important to us. We’re going to fight our tails off, and we’re going to try and get a win and try to feel good that we’re getting better. … We know we’re going against a tough team in the Rams, a team that’s probably playing its best football.”

Coughlin added: “We know this is pretty much about pride, but it’s also an opportunity because we have many young people who have a chance to play and contribute. It’s very important to finish as strong as possible because you’re also looking toward the future.”

Time for Robinson to Shine Against Pierre-Paul

By D’Marco Farr

http://www.101sports.com/2014/12/19/time-robinson-shine-pierre-paul/

The honeymoon period officially ends this Sunday for Rams rookie left tackle Greg Robinson. I’m eager to see what the big guy can do against the Giants’ most disruptive defensive player, right defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul.

JPP has been a wrecking machine the last three weeks, tallying six sacks, including a career-high 2.5 against the hapless Washington Redskins in Week 15. He now has 9.5 for the season and is looking to join the double-digit club for the first time since 2011, when the former South Florida sensation broke out with an eye-popping 16.5 sacks. Let’s hope he gets that half-sack at home the following weekend vs. the Eagles.

Robinson, meanwhile, has been solid as a blindside protector. He’s steadily improved since his first NFL start at LT, sliding over from left guard when Jake Long suffered a season-ending injury in that 34-7 beat down at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs.

In Robinson’s Week 9 coming-out party on the road, the San Francisco 49ers threw the proverbial kitchen sink at him – stunts, blitzes, twists, a variety of pass-rush games. The Auburn product’s technique was crude, yet effective. What he lacked in polish, he made up for in unbridled aggression and hustle.

On several occasions, the 49ers got Robinson off balance, but once he recovered and locked on, he finished people. He’s only gotten better over the last month and a half.

It would have been just as much fun to watch Robinson’s story arc had he stayed at guard the whole season. The rules of engagement changed, however, and in a hurry. In the NFL, the ability to adapt is everything. Now, the left tackle job is Robinson’s to lose for the foreseeable future.

Being the second overall selection in this year’s draft means Robinson doesn’t get to sneak up on anyone, least of all someone like Pierre-Paul. After having the last two seasons destroyed by injuries, JPP is out to remind the Giants (and the rest of the league, since he’s about to hit free agency) that he’s still a premier talent. If you go back and look at the first 11 games of the season, you would say that his best days were probably behind him. Three-and-a-half sacks in 11 weeks is pedestrian, not worthy of a full-time starter at right defensive end. But over the last three weeks, he’s looked like a completely different guy.

If JPP can make Robinson look like a JAG, then Shaun Hill could be in serious trouble this weekend. The Edward Jones Dome will be morgue-silent. But if Robinson can keep mental mistakes to a minimum and play with a necessary physical edge, he’ll have a good chance to slow down Pierre-Paul. JPP has been the catalyst behind a defensive resurgence in New York. The Giants’ once-non-existent pass rush has finally jelled, totaling 22 sacks in the last three weeks. JPP turning unblockable has been a major reason why the Giants have been getting after the quarterback lately.

Pierre-Paul’s blend of power and speed often makes for an unstoppable force. Is Robinson up to the challenge of being that immovable object? Either way, the Robinson vs. Pierre-Paul matchup is shaping up to be a deciding factor come Sunday.[/quote]

7 things to watch: Rams vs. Giants

By Jim Thomas

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/things-to-watch-rams-vs-giants/article_81c98c6c-27c4-5f0e-9028-605c204b5c85.html

ANOTHER MANNING

For the second time in five weeks, a Manning will play QB against the Rams in the Edward Jones Dome. The Rams handled Denver’s Peyton Manning with surprising ease in a 22-7 victory Nov. 16. Now comes the New York Giants’ Eli Manning, who is 3-0 against the Rams over his career with nine TD passes, just one interception and a passer rating of 115.5 in those contests. But those triumphs have come against three previous coaching staffs: 28-16 over Steve Spagnuolo in 2011; 41-13 over Scott Linehan in 2008; and 44-24 over Mike Martz in 2005. There are only eight Rams left who played in the 2011 game, including four defensive players (Chris Long, Robert Quinn, James Laurinaitis and Eugene Sims). So it’s largely a different cast of characters. Surprisingly, Peyton wasn’t much help to little brother in terms of preparing to face the Rams. “I haven’t talked to him much about them,” Eli told Giants reporters. “We didn’t get into details. He didn’t really offer up too much.”

DEFENDING BECKHAM JR.

Defending New York’s Odell Beckham Jr., one of the NFL’s hottest receivers, will be a group effort. Under defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, the Rams haven’t shadowed a marquee wide receiver with one cornerback following him all over the field. Usually, it’s Janoris Jenkins at right corner, Trumaine Johnson at left corner and E.J. Gaines in the slot vs. three WRs. Expect Beckham and the Giants to test Jenkins deep, with the Rams providing safety help whenever possible.

PLENTY OF WILLIAMS

With the Giants’ leading rusher, Rashad Jennings (606 yards), ruled out because of an ankle injury, the Rams should see lots of Andre Williams. His 568 yards rushing ranks second among NFC rookies, to the Rams’ Tre Mason (661). The former Boston College star is a power runner at 5 feet 11, 230 pounds, but is averaging only 3.2 yards a carry. After yielding 143 rushing yards against Arizona, their worst showing against the run in nine games, the Rams want to rebound Sunday.

TURNOVER GAME

If the Rams can shut down the New York running game and make the Giants one-dimensional, perhaps their pass rush can force Manning into some bad throws. After throwing a career-high 27 interceptions last season, he has cut that total in half. Even so, his total of 13 INTs is tied for fifth-most in the league. All told the Giants have committed 27 turnovers, also tied for fifth-highest in the NFL. They have committed at least one turnover in 30 consecutive games.

REVIVED PASS RUSH

Eleven games into the season, the Giants had a pedestrian total of 19 sacks. But the pass rush has been on fire lately with 22 sacks over the past three games. Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul and defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins have combined for 9½ of those 22. The Giants aren’t heavy blitzers under defensive coordinator Perry Fewell, a former Rams assistant. But it wouldn’t be surprising if they dialed up extra pressure, considering how the Rams struggled against Arizona’s blitzes.

LONGTIME FOES

Dating to their days in Jacksonville and Tennessee, respectively, coaches Tom Coughlin of the Giants and Jeff Fisher of the Rams have faced each other 17 times. Fisher has the edge, 10-7. Coughlin has 175 career regular-season and playoff victories to Fisher’s 167. They rank second and third among NFL active coaches in career wins, trailing New England’s Bill Belichick, whose 229 victories has him tied for fourth-most in NFL history with Earl (Curly) Lambeau.

FAMILIAR FACES

Giants kicker Josh Brown spent four seasons in St. Louis (2008-11). But when the Rams selected Greg Zuerlein in the sixth round of the 2012 draft, Fisher announced that same day that Brown would be released. Brown made a career-high 33 field goals with the Rams in 2010. The Giants’ roster also has tight end Daniel Fells, who caught 69 passes over three seasons for the Rams — including 41 in 2010. And running back Chris Ogbonnaya was a seventh-round draft pick by the Rams in ’09.