Art Stapleton þ@art_stapleton 1m
Victor Cruz is using crutches with a walking boot to keep weight off his left heel. Swelling is the issue. Nothing more to it than that #nyg
I infer from Coughlin's decisions that he would much rather risk physical errors than mental ones. It may be because the former is more predictable and thus more manageable. Notice how often the RB was helping Diehl on Sunday. It's not about loyalty or any personal relationships.
What confuses me though is why the Giants apparently have much more difficulty than other teams assimilating new players into their scheme. It may just be a confirmation bias on my part, but it always jumps out at me when another team is starting a rookie or slides a young player into a role due to injury without an obvious hiccup.
Take it from one with expeience with bruised heels Â
The first day after is the worst, and significant recovery can happen quickly. What's much tougher is the last 5-10% of the recovery because staying off it is the best cure.
If Cruz is in a walking boot with crutches NEXT Monday then get concerned.
TC and the Giants had a plan......they didn't want to throw Pugh right into the fire. DD could possibly hold down RT for a few games as Pugh gets experience, spellling DD for some plays. Gradually take over the position.
Btw, those who are lobbying for Brewer. Have u seen this guy play? He's worse than DD. Much worse. He's young so there's hope but right now he's awful.
when he spent most of the time filling in at RG for Snee. Moseley have done a pretty good job at guard so why is he not rewarded. I am all for respect for our old warriors but you have to know when to let them go and fill in with the talent you have. DD have not been good for years now. Yet we just shift him around to keep him playing.
What they do when Baas comes back. My guess is DD back to RT and Pugh back to the bench but one can hope that is gets DD to the bench where he still has a tiny amount of value as a versatile depth player.
remember Locklear getting benched despite being healthy last year when Diehl was ready to go back to RT? I can definitely see, based on precedence with this staff, Baas returning, Boothe back to LG and Diehl back to RT... much to our collective chagrin.
History does not side with that which scares the shit out of me. When O'Hara had the monster fork sticking out of his back in 2010 Coughlin reinserted him into a line that was performing very well and destroyed the chemistry that had developed. Against the Vikings with DD, Boothe, Seubs, Snee, Kmac they ran the ball up and down the field for a total of 200+ yards. The next week in the Nightmare pt2 vs Philly with DD, Seubs, O'Hara, Snee, K Mac we couldn't run to save ourselves and it cost us the game. I fear the same thing when Baas returns.
This staff is not stupid. They drafted Pugh for a reason and there was no question they were expecting him to win the job. Most on here were saying they could not see it happen, but it was not hard to read between the lines and see this was only going to be a matter of time.
Hurricane...
BillKo : 1:21 pm
while inserting OHara was a mistake, that didn't cost us the Philly game. Bone head plays cost us that game.
If we could have run the rock at the end of the game with the monster lead we had they would have been unable to catch us. We couldn't and we kept giving them the ball back.
Yeah... you're right Homer, it's not like Reese never had to step in Â
for Coughlin to get rid of coaches and flat out cut players. Yep, Coughlin never kept veterans longer than he should in Jacksonville. It's all made up and just internet rumors. Yep, he was really cold blooded about wanting to get rid of Lewis and Hufnagel.
Yes, we're conditioned to expect that even if Pugh outplays DD at RT that DD will still take back that spot when Baas is back.
Alternate theory:
Coaches understand DD is physically outmatched, and move him to Guard (saving face for a guy who helped the team win 2 rings), while putting the hoped-for future guy in at RT.
If it all works, then eventually DD will come out due to "injury" but remain a starter on paper for at least a chunk of the season. A soft way to ease out the guy nobody on the coaching staff wants to ease out.
* I'd be less optimistic if DD stayed at RT and they just shuffled the interior OL.
that the Giants staff is worried about China Doll Beatty and a suitable LT replacement. Maybe they don't want to get rid of Diehl exactly for that reason. Sure he will get beat but at least he knows the plays. Makes sense that Pugh was in at LT.
My point is that Diehl is not still in the starting lineup because anybody is overly loyal to him. It's because the coaches are more comfortable with him than what they've seen from his possible alternatives. Their firsthand judgement is is a lot more credible than any of us reading twitter practice updates and watching games on tv. There is no conspiracy going on to keep Diehl in the lineup, it's more likely nobody else has earned his spot yet.
Then how come Sean Locklear stepped in when Diehl got hurt last year and did a much better job than Diehl? What happened last year doesn't quite jive with your explanation.
Please point to a direct source where Reese says he had to step in and fire a coach or get rid of a player. Please point to a direct source where Reese got rid of a coach or player without Coughlin's agreement.
And I don't mean some sportswriter's opinion that you have swallowed whole hog.
Locklear stayed at RT as the starter even once Diehl was healthy again because he came in and EARNED it before unfortunately blowing out his knee, at which point Diehl was inserted back in. Until the coaches feel more comfortable with Mosley at G or Cordle at C than having Diehl at G, then this makes sense to me.
4to80.. wrong. Diehl was given his job back as soon as he got healthy despite Locklear playing far better in his absense. Locklear's knee injury happened in Washington when he was filling in for Diehl who had gotten banged up again.
DD is not getting his starting RT spot back when Baas returns Â
but they have been proven wrong before. Cruz was in TCs doghouse after dropping one pass in game 1 back in 2011. They brought Stokely and played him over Cruz. That, to me, is an obvious huge blunder in hindsight. I'm ok with starting DD at LT or LG, but if he struggles, let's see what Pugh, Mosely or Brewer bring to the table during a real game. This is where I think TC may go wrong - he'll stick with DD too long. If the other guys prove they're worse, go back to DD. I don't see why that's so hard to do? It's not like your messing with a QBs mentality. I would think a vet like DD could handle it.
Victor Cruz is using crutches with a walking boot to keep weight off his left heel. Swelling is the issue. Nothing more to it than that #nyg
What confuses me though is why the Giants apparently have much more difficulty than other teams assimilating new players into their scheme. It may just be a confirmation bias on my part, but it always jumps out at me when another team is starting a rookie or slides a young player into a role due to injury without an obvious hiccup.
If Cruz is in a walking boot with crutches NEXT Monday then get concerned.
While I'll agree we need to get DD out of RT, that's a tough chore for the rook.
Most of us have noted (over and over) the liability that has been Dave Diehl. Seems we were right about that.
That just might be the best combo we can put together even with Baas and Diehl healthy.
It might take some time to gel, but that group could be pretty good.
Link - ( New Window )
BillKo : 1:21 pm
while inserting OHara was a mistake, that didn't cost us the Philly game. Bone head plays cost us that game.
If we could have run the rock at the end of the game with the monster lead we had they would have been unable to catch us. We couldn't and we kept giving them the ball back.
That's two rookies in the starting lineup and that makes me uncomfortable about protecting Eli.
Yes, we're conditioned to expect that even if Pugh outplays DD at RT that DD will still take back that spot when Baas is back.
Alternate theory:
Coaches understand DD is physically outmatched, and move him to Guard (saving face for a guy who helped the team win 2 rings), while putting the hoped-for future guy in at RT.
If it all works, then eventually DD will come out due to "injury" but remain a starter on paper for at least a chunk of the season. A soft way to ease out the guy nobody on the coaching staff wants to ease out.
* I'd be less optimistic if DD stayed at RT and they just shuffled the interior OL.
And I don't mean some sportswriter's opinion that you have swallowed whole hog.
Bobby Epps : 2:13 pm
be a good idea.
That's two rookies in the starting lineup and that makes me uncomfortable about protecting Eli.
BUT, never having played a down in a regular season game, IMO makes him a rookie.
Then, we gave the ball immediately back to them after a botched onside kick that we were oblivous too.
We make one, or both those plays, the game is ours.
And, even with O'Hara out of the game, who says we still run the ball with the Eagles selling out on defense?
Working with 1st team OL in unit drill: LT Beatty, LG Diehl, C Boothe, RG Snee, RT Pugh
Antrel flying around in agility drill. Shows no visible limitation a week after spraining his ankle.