Plaxico
10 Games / 9 Starts
35 receptions
454 yards
13 yards per catch avg.
4 TD's
Hixon
16 games / 7 Starts
43 receptions
596 yards
13.9 yards per catch avg.
2 TD's
There are those that say those stats don't matter because after Plax went down, Hixon didn't do anything in our last six games...
Hixon's last six games at #1
@ Washington: 5 catches, 71 yards, 14.2 avg., long of 18
Philly (his worst): 3 catches, 30 yards, 10 avg., long of 17 (one HUGE drop)
@ Dallas: 6 catches, 60 yards, 10 avg., long of 19
Carolina: 4 catches, 71 yards, 17.8 avg., long of 40
@ Minny: 4 catches, 62 yards, 15.5 avg. 23 yard (TD)
Philly: 2 catches, 37 yards, 18.5 avg., long of 32
Plaxico's last six games as a Giant (I'll make it 7, because Plaxico didn't start against Pitt)
Cincy: 3 catches, 45 yards, 15 avg., long of 28
@ Cleveland: 4 catches, 58 yards, 14.5 avg., long of 25, TD
San Fran: 3 catches, 24 yards, 8 avg., long of 14, TD
@ Pitt (did not start): 3 catches, 15 yards, 5 avg., long of 8
Dallas: 3 catches, 34 yards, 11.3 avg., long of 22
@ Philly: 1 catch, 17 yards, TD
Baltimore: 3 catches, 43 yards, 15.7 average, long of 21
I also threw out his last game vs. Arizona because he really didn't play at all, even though he started. He may have played one series.
Okay, so now, the averages.
Hixon's per game average over the last six games
4 catches per game
55 yards per game
.16 TD's per game
Plaxico's per game average over his last 7 games
2.85 catches per game (less than Hixon)
33.71 yards per game (significantly less than Hixon)
.428 TD's per game
Keep in mind, that both Hixon and Plaxico had monster games, Plaxico vs. the Skins, and Hixon vs. the Seahawks that are not included, so you get a better look at the overall view. Believe it or not, Plaxico was becoming somewhat non-existant well before he shot himself.
There seems to be a strong opinion here, some would say fact, that the team dropped off BECAUSE of the loss of Plaxico. I think these stats dispute that. There is also a strong opinion that Plaxico being double covered was what opened things up for the rest of the offense. That may be true, but it should be noted that Eli threw for the most yards (301) against Washington w/out Plaxico, and we ran for the most yards of the season (over 300) against Carolina.
I think the main thing that sticks out here are the TD's. Hixon is really good between the 20's, and moves the chains. However, where Eli really missed Plaxico was in the redzone. I think this supports the argument that we don't really need a "stretch the field" reciever as much as we need a "big redzone target". I think a trade for Tony Gonzalez would create the exact same double coverage and mismatches that we got with Plaxico Burress down inside the 20.
Overall, I think Hixon gets a lot of the blame for our late season collapse, with some of you going as far to say that our recievers are number 3's or 2's at BEST, and that they've already hit their ceiling. I would argue that Hixon can in fact be this team's number one, and could quite possibly be a very good one. Having a 6'5 WR is not the only way to get mismatches and double teams.
Therefore, I'm going to go with myth. Big, overblown myth.
Flame on.
and you cant throw out plax's stats this year to support your reasoning...gilbride even mentioned on just having plax on the field was huge because of the coverages and it opens a lot of room for the other players on the field
The defense's strategy would change once Burress was out. We saw a lot mroe 8 men in the box without Plax.
Eagles use to think Todd was a #1 WR too.
With Eli's ability to change the play at the line, why not attack where the opposing personnel is weakest? If the defense has big people on the field, throw the ball more...if they have small people, run it.
If it's 3rd and goal from the 5, I like our chances with Jacobs running up the middle against 1 or 2 LBs.
but when we had to play harder defenses we could not adjust properly..........ie the eagles......if we have a plax type player vs the eagles im pretty sure we would win
I know it's only one sample, but one reporter watched game tapes of our games against Philly, the first with Plax, the 2nd without. He estimated that Plax was doubled on 75% of the Giants' offensive plays, while Hixon was doubled only 7% in the 2nd game.
Again, only one sample, but I'd be interested in hearing from some who analyze game tape more closely than I to see if this was a pattern. Personally, I have a hard time believing it wasn't.
really?
Todd Pinkston weighed the same as Hixon and was a inch taller.
They both have the same frame, Todd Pinkston couldn't gain weight, which is exactly what I think is going to happen to Hixon. Making him a limited guy where he run on the field.
Todd Pinkston blew up his 3rd year too.
798 rec yrds 7 TD's
Britt in VA : 11:11 am
to be good defenses?
what did the passing game do vs Carolina? Minnesota doesnt count as we had already clinched and were very vanilla and the backups played a lot
eli through for 305 against washington but 75 of it was some nice YAC yardage from Derrick Ward
A couple times we hit Darcy Johnson for 1 yard TD passes...I love that play. Why not run similar plays more often?
That said, you can't discount what the Eagles coaches and players said about the loss of Plax and how it changed the defensive strategy against the Giants. I'd love Edwards on this team, but I think the return of Osi and another full season for Kiwi at DE is more important.
I do think Plax's height helped in the red zone, and his absence contributed greatly to the Giants' red zone problems after he was out.
Link - ( New Window )
Burress didn't screw the season. Throughout his career, he's followed up great seasons with average ones, and what he was on pace for in 2008 was right in line with an average season after a monster one. It fits the pattern. Guys don't change at some late date in their career, very often.
Pinkston
Hixon
Just because they weigh the same, doesn't mean they are similar in strength.