Archived Thread

Tuesday Reading

Defenderdawg : 9/2/2014 7:19 am

Zip it Kiwi! Â

Big Blue '56 : 9/2/2014 7:29 am : link

Part 2 Â

Defenderdawg : 9/2/2014 10:01 am : link

Giants

Offense

Orr Star Ledger: Giants depth chart for Week 1 vs. Lions: Offense
http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2014/09/giants_depth_chart_a_look_at_the_offense_heading_into_week_1_includes_promotion_for_weston_richburg.html

MLB

Stapleton The Record: Giants' Jon Beason returns to practice
http://www.northjersey.com/sports/football/beason-returns-on-track-1.1079143

NFL

@JasonLaCanfora: Watt deal would likely create a sweet-spot for guys like Mo Wilkerson and Robert Quinn in the $14M/yr range, other 2011 DLs yet to be paid

DENVER
Maske Wash Post: Peyton Manning, Broncos try to recapture success, author a better ending in 2014
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2014/09/01/peyton-manning-broncos-try-to-recapture-success-author-a-better-ending-in-2014/

NEW YORK JETS
Volin Boston Globe: BEN VOLIN | ON FOOTBALL
Rex Ryan has high hopes for his Jets
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/09/01/rex-ryan-has-high-hopes-for-his-jets/f6MH0exeORJX6Iqi51HafI/story.html

WASHINGTON
Jones Wash Post: Gruden: Redd was more well-rounded than Seastrunk or Thompson
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/football-insider/wp/2014/09/01/gruden-redd-was-more-well-rounded-than-seastrunk-or-thompson/

Jones Wash Post: Duke Ihenacho ready to learn, contribute in any way possible
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/football-insider/wp/2014/09/02/duke-ihenacho-ready-to-learn-contribute-in-any-way-possible/

Former Giants in the NFL on 53 man rosters or IR (My list, hopefully haven't left anyone off, including how the Giants acquired the player and how he departed):

Code:

 
RB

Ahmad Bradshaw Indianapolis D7 2007 - W 2013

WR

Derek Hagan Tennessee W 2008 - UFA 2011

Louis Murphy Tampa Bay UFA 2013 - UFA 2014

Hakeen Nicks Indianapolis D1 2009 - UFA 2014

TE

Martellus Bennett Chicago UFA2012 - UFA 2013

Scott Chandler Buffalo W 2009 PSQ - W 2010

Brandon Myers Tampa Bay UFA 2013 - UFA 2014

Bear Pascoe Atlanta W 2009 - UFA 2014

Michael Palmer Pittsburgh W 2013 -W INJ 2013

T

Tyson Clabo W 2004 PSQ - W 2004

Matt McCants D6 2012 - W 2013

G

Kevin Boothe Oakland W 2007 - UFA 2014

Bryant Browning Pittsburgh IR  W 2013 - W 2013

DT

Marvin Austin Denver D2 2011 - W 2013

Chris Canty Baltimore UFA 2009 -W 2013

Barry Cofield Washington D4 2006 - UFA 2011

Legar Douzable W 2008 PSQ - W 2009

Linval Joseph Minnesota D2 2010 - UFA 2014

Kelcy Quarles New England UDFA 2014 -W 2014

DE

Wallace Gilberry Cincinnati UDFA 2008 -Signed off PSQ 2008

Justin Tuck Oakland D3 2095- UFA 2014

Osi Umenyiora Atlanta D2 2003 - UFA 2013

Cameron Wake UDFA 2005 - W 2005 FA CFL 2009

OLB

Keith Rivers Buffalo TR CIN 2012 - UFA 2014

MLB

Chase Blackburn UDFA 2005 - UFA 2013

Ty Powell Buffalo W 2013 PSQ -Signed off PSQ 2013

CB

Will Blackmon Jacksonville W 2010 -W 2012

Aaron Ross Baltimore IR D1 2007 - UFA 2014

SS

Ryan Clark Washington UDFA 2002 -W 2004

Will Hill Baltimore SUSP UDFA 2012 -W 2014

Ryan Mundy Chicago UFA 2013 - UFA 2014

FS

Craig Dahl San Francisco UDFA 2007 - W 2009

PK

Matt Bryant Atlanta UDFA 2002- W 2004

Brandon McManus Denver W 2014 - TR 2014

History Giants- Lions

In 1958 if it were not for this comeback following a questionable Lions coaching decision and the grit and guile of Harland Svare and Andy Robustelli, the Greatest Game Ever Played would never have happened...as the Giants would have suffered an upset loss to the Lions, eliminating New York from Division Championship contention.

SI Story

Code:

 
"The Giants provided most of the melodrama last Sunday as they scrambled for their victory in Detroit. They were playing a badly crippled Detroit team, and for a while—during the first half—it looked as if they would win handily. The tough, veteran Giant defense let the Lions out of their own territory only once in the first two quarters; twice the Giants' Jim Patton intercepted Tobin Rote passes and once he pounced on a Lion fumble. With Alex Webster back in action, the fine Giant backs thumped into the Detroit line for steady, unspectacular gains, although a portent of things to come was the fact that the Giants could not punch the ball over in four tries from the Detroit eight-yard line. The Lions took over on downs there and tried a wide pitchout which cost them the two-point margin of the Giant victory when Jim Katcavage broke through to drop Gene Gedman in the Lion end zone for a safety.

WEIRD AND WONDERFUL

The second half was a weird and wonderful one. It started with the Lions moving surely for 68 yards and a touchdown immediately after the kickoff. A little less than two minutes later, Giant Quarterback Charley Conerly fumbled, and Wayne Walker, a rookie lineman for Detroit, picked up the ball and went 34 yards for another touchdown, and the Lions were, suddenly, ahead.

They might have stayed ahead had not Detroit's Head Coach George Wilson elected to make an incredible gamble early in the fourth period. With fourth down and 21 yards to go on the Detroit 44, he called for a fake punt and run by Yale Lary. Lary gained only one yard, and the Giants, taking possession of the ball on the Detroit 45, scored the winning touchdown five plays later.

"I called the play," Wilson said later. "You've got to gamble. That play has worked three times in three attempts in the last four years. If our right end had pulled out and blocked where he was supposed to, it would have worked this time."

At that, the Lions had another chance to win. Terry Barr intercepted an inexplicable Giant pass on the Detroit 19, raced it out to the Detroit 43. A few plays later, the Lions attempted a field goal from the New York 25. There were 73 seconds left in the game when Jim Martin, the Lion place-kicker, tried from the almost point-blank range.

The attempt was blocked by Harland Svare, a Giant linebacker, as a result of a stratagem planned by him and Giant End Andy Robustelli.

"Svare was playing just outsideme," said Robustelli. "We work out a plan on every extra-point and field-goal attempt, and this time it worked perfectly. I pulled the Lion defensive end inside with my block and left an alley clear for Svare. Their corner man tried to block him when he shot in there, but the angle was too tough and he didn't have a chance."

At the time Svare blocked the field-goal attempt, the Brown-Eagle game in Philadelphia had ended and the Giants knew that the kick had to be blocked to keep them in the running for the Eastern Conference title."

http://www.si.com/vault/1958/12/15/565904/its-up-in-the-air

A Few Highlights:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uMG_eerKL64&autoplay=1

That 1958 game was as shocking as it was remarkable. Â

truebluelarry : 9/2/2014 10:07 am : link

That 4th-and-21 fake punt call initiated an investigation into the game being fixed. I believe no evidence was found, but that call in that situation (score, field position, down-and-distance, time on the clock) made absolutely zero sense from a football strategy standpoint.

Here are the film highlights of the fourth quarter Â

truebluelarry : 9/2/2014 10:13 am : link

of that game. It starts right with the fake punt and concludes with the blocked FG.
Link - ( New Window )

That call had no chance Â

Defenderdawg : 9/2/2014 10:23 am : link

I could see having a what have we got to lose mentality but the Lions defense was adequate...they dominated the Giants in preseason that year when preseason had teams playing their starters.

On August 29th the Lions soundly defeated the Giants in a exhibition game 26-7. The game featured two interception returns of Charlie Conerly passes for touchdowns by the Lions Yale Lary and Jim David. In between the two interceptions, Frank Gifford was tackled for a safety by the Lions Roger Zatkoff after a fumbled kickoff made the Giants start on their own five yard line.

There was even speculation that Â

truebluelarry : 9/2/2014 10:29 am : link

if gambling was not involved that the Lions, who were out of contention, intentionally blew the game just to screw over the Browns, who Detroit had a strong personal dislike for.

If the Giants had lost that game to the Lions, Cleveland would have clinched the East. There never would have been the Summerall FG in the snow to force the playoff the following week, and Unitas and the Colts would have played the 1958 Championship Game at Cleveland Stadium.

The 1958 team had some personnel issues Â

Defenderdawg : 9/2/2014 10:43 am : link

As memorable and as good as they were:

For example, at guard both of the 1957 starters, Bill Austin and Ray Beck were no longer with the team. The Giants had hopes that guard Jack Spinks out with injuries in 1957 could fill in, but he injured his other knee and was let go. Dalton Truex whom the Giants kept around for emergencies like this had his shin ripped by cleats requiring 11 stitches in the Giants first scrimmage, then tore a muscle when he returned. That left veteran Jack Stroud as the only reliable performer until the Giants imported veterans Al Barry and Joe Skibinski in a trade with the Packers. Barry became a starter, while Skibinski had no impact. The Giants also added the late Bob Mischak from the Browns whom Vince Lombardi had recruited when he was at Army.

Stroud would not make through the season unscathed, as he tore ligaments in his right knee in early October.