After another shaky outing last night, and reading all the articles and threads for months about whether or not he's "done" or whether the problem is really the line and the receivers, it occurs to me that it doesn't matter.
Eli seems to be in a situation where he needs to perform, REGARDLESS of the talent around him. If the line never really gels this year, if the receivers never figure out their routs consistently, Eli will get the blame. It's all perception--all optics. Most of us fans--even most of the media--don't analyze the nuances of a bad game. But nothing is black and white. Last season, the coaches all seem to recognize that Eli was in an impossible situation. (Gilbride just said as much recently.) But the result was a horrible QB performance. And Eli simply can't afford another horrible season. I don't think he'll even get away with an average season. No matter who's fault it is. (Coughlin either, for that matter.)
It seems like a ton of pressure. But here's hoping that the line solidifies, ODB is the player we were hoping for, and Eli responds. It really can all come together.
So to fix the problem they bring in a guy who was never a coordinator before and never called a play in his life in the NFL. meanwhile guys like Norv Turner were floating around out there who have a track record. Makes sense to me.
I think with the fact they have a stable of running backs and a rebuilt offensive line Gilbride would have benefited from that and Eli wouldn't be zero for the preseason.
I am not anointing Nassib the starting job by any means, but don't you guys see the way the ball travels when he throws it as opposed to Eli (tight spiral, accurate, nice zip)? Do you see how he can move around with reasonable NFL QB athleticism? You don't see those things from Eli - or at least you haven't in a long while.
It's not that Eli suddenly forgot how to read defenses or play the position, right now he does not look like a good fit for this offense.
I am not anointing Nassib the starting job by any means, but don't you guys see the way the ball travels when he throws it as opposed to Eli (tight spiral, accurate, nice zip)? Do you see how he can move around with reasonable NFL QB athleticism? You don't see those things from Eli - or at least you haven't in a long while.
Do you see an O-line that can consistently give the QB time to get to the top of his drop and make a read? Do you see a WR besides Cruz that's worth a shit? Do you see an NFL caliber TE? I sure don't - or at least I haven't in a long while.
It's not that Eli suddenly forgot how to read defenses or play the position, right now he does not look like a good fit for this offense.
It is a brand new offense in pre-season that they are installing as they go, week to week. It's not a finished product. I'm guessing we won't really see a total package until a few games into the season at earliest.
Do you know how long it takes to install a new offense, and have everybody get it and be on the same page, running it efficiently?
Not to mention the hindurance of all of the new CBA rules that limit and reduce practice time.
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I think Nassib has a shot. I really do. Granted he played mostly against second team players but he looks like he more comfortable with whatever the heck they are doing then Eli. Eli,does not look like he has a clue what he is doing out there.
It's not that Eli suddenly forgot how to read defenses or play the position, right now he does not look like a good fit for this offense.
It is a brand new offense in pre-season that they are installing as they go, week to week. It's not a finished product. I'm guessing we won't really see a total package until a few games into the season at earliest.
Do you know how long it takes to install a new offense, and have everybody get it and be on the same page, running it efficiently?
Not to mention the hindurance of all of the new CBA rules that limit and reduce practice time.
It took until week two with the Chargers last year.
I don't understand the Eli hysteria that's caused by the pre-season. Eli's struggled since the middle of 2012. Him performing poorly in pre-season doesn't mean anything to me. I think he'll be fine.
Let this new OL gel. Let this new system get some real game experience. Let's hope they can get a real TE from the waiver wire, and FFS, let's see some of the receivers get some separation.
It's not Eli and Eli alone who's broken, it's pretty much all of the offense except for the run game.
But every piece that is broken can be fixed. The question is how long will it take.
We aren't running a dink and dunk offense (or a West Coast one). I agree with you that Eli's strengths are incompatible with a dink and dunk offense. With that said, we were able to run screens effectively when we had a capable back in Tiki. I'd like to see more of those, but that doesn't mean we're moving away from what Eli does best.
Talent wise, perhaps, but execution wise, I really disagree. On paper last year, ours was great - but the performance sucked. I'd say we have quite a bit of talent there this year as well, but if Randle continues being an idiot and ODB can't get on the field, that doesn't mean anything.
It didn't happen overnight. It took time. It will take time here.
It didn't happen overnight. It took time. It will take time here.
They were still putting up points in the first six games, though. Sucked in seven and eight, and then went on a tear.
I think any struggles early on will have more to do with our lack of talent at certain positions than the transition to a new offense.
We aren't running a WCO, though.
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they were 3-5 at the midway point. They then got it together and went 7-1 to finish the season.
It didn't happen overnight. It took time. It will take time here.
They were still putting up points in the first six games, though. Sucked in seven and eight, and then went on a tear.
I think any struggles early on will have more to do with our lack of talent at certain positions than the transition to a new offense.
I think what the Eagles were running under Andy Reid was much closer in philosophy to what Chip Kelly runs, as compared to the polar opposites that our old and new offense are.
We'll see.
In their first 6 games, they scored:
33
30
16
20
36
31
I wasn't until Week 7 that they failed to score less than 10 pts in a game.
Their record does not indicate that.
And it's not like Nick Foles busted out of the gates, guns blazing. He didn't even really play until week 5, and didn't really start consistently performing until after midseason.
That's probably more attributable to their defense than their offense.
The point people were making is that the Eagles didn't have much growing pains with their new offense, and the numbers support that.
There are still two other components of the game, defense and specials, that also play a part in whether or not they win or lose.
If a teams averages 27+ pts a game over 6 games to start a season and are only 3-3 at that point, I find it hard to chalk that up to offensive growing pains.
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The west coast offense is not a verticle offense. It goes against the frequency of the the long range pass. Eli is terrific when given the time to throw fifteen and plus. He has never been great at dinking and dunking.
We aren't running a WCO, though.
And this is the critical point that people seem to be missing. There's been a melding of the long-ball, big play offense with a needed movement toward and awareness of the need to have a short game available at need, including a strong running game.
Look at it like golf. Sam Snead said it best, "You drive for show, but you putt for dough." The long game is alive and well, the running game has been bolstered, and the plan is in place for shorter screens, slants, outlets, etc.
Once these elements come together, along with that most critical piece, the O-Line, you'll see how it works. If anyone seriously thinks that an extraordinarily astute football mind like Coughlin doesn't understand all this, then I suspect that there is either ignorance or extreme bias in play.
It's playoffs or bust IMO. If the status quo and changes don't work, what's left? He's not getting awarded an extension. How many play out their contract?
And that's because they are professionals whose jobs are on the line - unlike fans who think they know more than the prs (and who, if they had a million dollar salary on the line, wouldn't be talking about Nassib for 1 solitary second either).
I keep harkening back to the days of Archie Manning. The fact that he had a horrific OL and a poor overall team around him every year didn't have people talking about what a crappy QB he was.
There are a lot of QB's who suffer with a subpar OL. Romo is a more modern example. Bledsoe in Buffalo was never able to regain form because he had no protection. We saw how Ben R. is even ineffective without a line.
With Eli being in NY and there being so many talking heads, it is no wonder he gets in the crosshairs.
Or maybe New Orleans has some voodoo spell that prohibits people talking about shitty QB play. Brees caught very little shit for his high INT totals.
How do you know what's been said inside the Giants organization?
Because I have a fucking brain.
And he's the only one who hasn't missed a game ...