...from Dan Graziano.
He makes 3 points:
1) Issues with our OL are more pressing than the injuries to our #1 draft choice at WR;
2) Experimenting with Pugh at LT; Moseley at RT and Richburg at RG;
3) Struggling with lack of depth despite off-season moves.
What is left unsaid is the impact this unit has had on the starting QB. Around BBI, the mantra has always been: #1 -- protect the crown jewel. After what happened to Eli in Carolina last season, we're all just hoping the crown jewel can be restored to its former luster.
If nothing else, the offensive line now has everyone's attention in the Giants' organization and that over the next 2-3 years they should be able to fix this problem.
Practice report: More O-line shuffling - (
New Window )
Pugh-Richburg-Walton-Schwartz-Mosley.
That grouping separates the two least experienced players (Richburg and Mosley), and puts each lineman except Richburg in a position where he probably feels comfortable:
- Pugh anchored the Syracuse line at LT;
- Walton is a natural C;
- Schwartz made his name last year at RG in KC;
- Aside from a brief, unsuccessful audition at LT, Mosley played RT for his two years at Auburn.
That combination might evolve into a decent line, if they could play together for a few months. What it's not, however, is a very promising stopgap solution to buy time for Beatty to reach 100%. That's where the poor showings so far by Brown and Jerry really hurt. They were supposed to be the plug-in veteran backups. Instead, they are just two more question marks.
He's probably not ready to play given that he's had no offseason...but he can be ready within a few weeks....depends what kind of shape he's in.
agreed...I was very disappointed when the Giants didn't pick him and even more disappointed when Dallas got him....
blue chip guys like these disappear fast....any word on how he's progressing in Dallas?
I don't a real downside to having Richburg as opposed to MArtin
and he sucks anyway...plus draft a center when
we could have had 2 0r 3 ot....we have decent
depth at g and c...need ot....not sure Flaherty
is that good...boone trade is only good if beatty
is cut and he can play lL OT..
If the One is that skittish, then he's no longer the One, he's the Done.
I don't a real downside to having Richburg as opposed to MArtin
Don't see how you could guarantee that. The OL
needed the most upgrade. And the draft was deep in WRs. Nothing against Beckham, who I like. But not as the # 11 player in
the draft.
Over the years Reese picks DL, DBs, and WRs In the first 3 rounds 3 times more often than he does OL. Is it any surprise there's no depth on that unit. Until the last two years when it's too late he grabbed two high and when it was apparent that unit was a total mess.
Little depth with cast offs and FA signings that have had very variable levels of success.
This OL is all on Reese. OBjr may turn out to be a great player but Jernigan,Austin, Beckum, Barden, Sintim were all high picks that easy could have been best available OL choices to build up that line. Even Hankins who looks like a player could have been another pick if they resigned Joseph.
Reese has short shrifted the OL for the first years of his tenure w only Beatty to show for it. That in and of itself say it all.
This unit certainly can be better than we've seen and better than last years unit but is that a big deal? Moving up from the bottom 5 to bottoms 10 isn't impressive. Throw in a whole new offense and if this team excels TC deserves instant enshrinement in the HOF.
Over the years Reese picks DL, DBs, and WRs In the first 3 rounds 3 times more often than he does OL. Is it any surprise there's no depth on that unit. Until the last two years when it's too late he grabbed two high and when it was apparent that unit was a total mess.
Little depth with cast offs and FA signings that have had very variable levels of success.
This OL is all on Reese. OBjr may turn out to be a great player but Jernigan,Austin, Beckum, Barden, Sintim were all high picks that easy could have been best available OL choices to build up that line. Even Hankins who looks like a player could have been another pick if they resigned Joseph.
Reese has short shrifted the OL for the first years of his tenure w only Beatty to show for it. That in and of itself say it all.
This unit certainly can be better than we've seen and better than last years unit but is that a big deal? Moving up from the bottom 5 to bottoms 10 isn't impressive. Throw in a whole new offense and if this team excels TC deserves instant enshrinement in the HOF.
I agree but don't give this new oline as much credit as you. Reece needs to correct his error and Trade Odel for a top Guard or Tackle. Our line is so bad we could use 2 of each that play on either side!
we have been stupid about it, there is no other way to say it and we appear to have mis-handled it to the point where our QB is now screwed and the whole team may be non-competitive.
that being said, richburg is too good, and our line too devoid of talent, to keep on the bench
Beatty-Richburg-Walton-Schwartz-Pugh?
Even if they flipped Mosley and Schwartz I'd be more content. Mosley for all of his inconsistency at least has experience on the left side and I'd rather have one question mark at guard than two simply because one is out of position.
Kirwan said a few weeks ago that in his conversations with coaches across the league, the number one issue with this team is that the offensive line doesn't look like it's going to be able to get the job done.
A Giant fan called in yesterday anticipating a 3 win season, and after the call, the change in offenses came up. Jim Miller said he didn't expect the offense to really roll for several weeks. PK responded that many teams have put in new offenses, but that the problem is "Hey, they can't protect Eli!"
I know I tend to parrot Kirwan a lot on this board when against my better judgement I make a post, but I give him the benefit of the doubt based on his experience and the number of quality contacts that provide him with feedback.
I hear you, Klaatu. We're falling on deaf ears.
Which makes me wonder why Pugh is practicing at LT. Is it a hedge? Is there something wrong with Beatty? If Beatty is fine health-wise he needs to be the one practicing at LT as much possible.
There maybe something more to it, but not likely...
Kirwan said a few weeks ago that in his conversations with coaches across the league, the number one issue with this team is that the offensive line doesn't look like it's going to be able to get the job done.
A Giant fan called in yesterday anticipating a 3 win season, and after the call, the change in offenses came up. Jim Miller said he didn't expect the offense to really roll for several weeks. PK responded that many teams have put in new offenses, but that the problem is "Hey, they can't protect Eli!"
I know I tend to parrot Kirwan a lot on this board when against my better judgement I make a post, but I give him the benefit of the doubt based on his experience and the number of quality contacts that provide him with feedback.
This is the same Kirwan who thinks that Jay Bromley is going to be L. Josephs' replacement instead of Hankins? He may be a good national writer, that doesn't mean he is wired in or has great contacts on this team.
Also the idea that Beatty didn't play well other than last season is as silly as saying Nicks wasn't really a no. one receiver before 2013. The idea that it has already been determined that the Giants can't protect Eli is also just as silly.
Listen, I'm as disappointed and bummed out by the recent downturn as anyone here but at the same time I don't feel the need to don a hair shirt and perform self-flagination over every little negative detail until the team starts winning again. That's just ridiculous
This is the same Kirwan who thinks that Jay Bromley is going to be L. Josephs' replacement instead of Hankins? He may be a good national writer, that doesn't mean he is wired in or has great contacts on this team.
Also the idea that Beatty didn't play well other than last season is as silly as saying Nicks wasn't really a no. one receiver before 2013. The idea that it has already been determined that the Giants can't protect Eli is also just as silly.
Listen, I'm as disappointed and bummed out by the recent downturn as anyone here but at the same time I don't feel the need to don a hair shirt and perform self-flagination over every little negative detail until the team starts winning again. That's just ridiculous
I'm not pushing the panic button until the regular season, either. I can remember Jumbo Elliot looking in the preseason like he was in cement boots and that ending quick once the live bullets started to fly. Kirwan's son played college ball and is a huge Giants fan, so like you I'm a little puzzled by Bromley vs. Hankins 'misses' like that, but you have to know Kirwan gets a little giddy about guys that play well at the senior bowl and interviewed well with him.
PK is a consensus gatherer. He raises a couple of hundred topics a year in his CBS column, and he talks to a ton of people when he gets an idea, and talks about the consensus on the radio as well as in his column. He had Bob Wylie watch film of last year's Carolina game to figure out what the hell happened to the o-line. Wylie said definitively that Beatty cannot handle a good pass rusher 1v1 on a consistent basis.
At the end of the season last year, PK again had people telling him the offensive struggles were the product of terrible o-line play and an offensive scheme that was starting to get predictable by formation and personnel group, and opinions were mixed on which was worse. They certainly tried to address both in the offseason.
I'm with Eric and the people who think Eli is starting to anticipate the pocket breaking down because the protection has been so bad for so long, so based on all the information, it's tough to be optimistic, isn't it?
Next year's draft has another bumper crop of OT. Ogbuhei, Peat, Erving, Collins and Scherff should all be first rounders.
and he sucks anyway...plus draft a center when
we could have had 2 0r 3 ot....we have decent
depth at g and c...need ot....not sure Flaherty
is that good...boone trade is only good if beatty
is cut and he can play lL OT..
classic reese if he made any more
mistakes he would be president... imo
we could have had 7 ot if he drafted
all tackles... wh y cut beatty...trade him
for boone he can play IL OT or he can
play TE we dont have TE...grimble
still our best TE imo....
Better late than never.
no matter the year.
Walton, Schwartz, Pugh - on the RT
Go out and get Boone
Beatty, Boone - on the left
Now you have Richburg you can sub in at Center, either guard, and have time in practice to learn the LT spot if needed (that is if Brown can't get healthy and get better).
Granted I'm not an offensive coach, and I only know what I see on TV and read, but for fuck's sake, now IS the time to spend money on Boone. No change in scheme on the offense is going to work without the damn line blocking and right now they are not.
Take Snee out of the picture, and then it becomes even more obvious to place Schwartz at RG.
So why hasn't he even had a single snap there?
I can think of only two reasons:
1. They want their strongest guard next to Beatty.
2. They want to give snaps to players at positions where they need development. (There are only three positions that Schwartz projects to play on opening day, LG, RG, and RT, and he's only getting reps at the two that he has the least experience in.)
Now, if we finish the preseason and we see Schwartz as the opening day LG, then I'm going with #1. If Schwartz gets slid over to the RG position by the time the season starts I'll go with #2.
I really cannot think of any other logical reasons, particularly after Coughlin's comments that they are playing everybody everywhere and trying out different combinations.