personal observation from ota reports.

I remember reading somewhere on BBI that the scheme we are using on offense calls for our OL to be more adept to pass blocking, hence the reason for so many Tackles.

I am glad they put Flowers at LT. I think that is where he going to stay for a long time.

The whole " worst DL in the NFC East bs is laughable. Someone please tell me a player in the front 4 of the other teams that you are worried about?

I think our pass rush will be very good this year. I've seen JPP working very hard in the off season ( FB postings ). He looks to be in amazing shape. Moore, O Diggy, Ayers, Selive, are all very capable of putting heat on the QB.

Our back 7 got much faster with the addition of Thomas, Cassilas and Collins.

We have young team with loads of talent. I like where we' are despite some of the question marks.

I think our Dline now looks above average at minimum. Things can change any day but if healthy, I think they have a good selection of players in both trenches right now.

Let me start with the OL. This OL is mostly very young and headed in the right direction. They will still have their individual growing pains as well as their growing pains as a collective unit. I fully expect McAdoo to understand this and you will see the ball get out of Eli's hand extremely quick. Obviously we will still take our shots deep. But I feel we are going to rely a ton on the run and the quick pass game. With that said, our guards are crucial. It is damn near impossible to get pressure on the QB in the quick game with your edge rushers. Pressure up the middle is the way to slow it down. To me, Pugh, Richburg, and Schwartz are the key to this group and not Flowers. If we can lock down the three interior positions them we will be fine. We can always help out on the edges with a TE, FB or even a WR. It is extremely difficult to help out on interior pressure.

With Spags, you can already see the culture change. People keep pointing toward our weaknesses or question marks on D. Like him, I prefer to focus on what he has. He has two great corners to work with. He has a plethora of DL bodies. People point to him having Strahan, Tuck, Kiwi, and Osi. He also had Brandon Short, Kawika Mitchell, Curtis DeLoach, Michael Johnson, Butler, McQuarters, an old Sam Madison, etc. He didn't have as much talentas people think. I will obviour give the DL the edge from his first go-round here but iI think he has better talent everywhere else except for may slot corner. I think MLB is a wash as long as Beason stays healthy.

Even if you think our defensive talent was better the first time around then fine. It is still pretty close so we should see a much better defense this year.

Another player that doesn't get talked about at all is Vareen. This guy is going to be vital to our offense. He can help hide and deficiencies in our OL by helping chip or catching a swing pass out of the backfield. He is a major chess piece. You can line him up all over. When he is in the game does the defense go with a LB or safety? I can't wait to see how McAdoo uses him.

there is no OL or DL.....

The chess pieces will constantly be moving around, due to injury and the way players actually play....what may look like the set lineup for now, can be completely different by opening game....

This OL can't overcome any more serious injuries, we just don't have the depth, or the continuity in the line...

Spags has to create confusion for the opposing offenses, by deploying various schemes....his first year, they wanted to tar and feather him after two games.....This defense may not look pretty right away, but I think he will find the right combinations as the season progresses...how long that takes, is anyone's guess...

I'm thinking the Oline will have to be set and the Dline never will be under Spags. That will be his specialty. Using a combination of players for certain down & distance.

If Spags knows what he's doing, let him let him get the players to execute. It took 2 games last time. I expect similar. This could be fun. Spag's mentor was a great defensive mind and he learned a lot from him.

I hate losing Beatty, but this team is loaded. I think Dallas got better too, but in a "cheating" way. Signing Hardy and stealing Collins...so they'll be tough.

But I can't see one position (and that includes QB as Eli has another year in Mc's system) where we are not dramatically 100% improved.....

Think about it...O Line, TE, WR , RB....all markedly better
Front four...Avery healthy, Selvie, Bromley and Moore ready to contribute, Ellis (that one is going to be huge) and Odi added.....100% better. It shows what idiots the writers are...

Linebackers. Beason back, The two free agents, Kennard into year two (where players make the greatest gain), I even think Hertzy might continue to get better. The best we've had in fifteen years.

Collins, Beher, Cooper, Bradshaw...Hallehulah, this crew could be superb. God did we hurt here and God is Collins a changer.

Cromartie and Prince healthy..McBride for the slot..Harris....provides a little depth.

Special Teams...Not only Harris, but overall speed, the two fa lb'ers contribute ...much much better...

No one gets it....Just stay healthy....This team is loaded and finally has some depth ...Corners excepted where I like Harris...
My gosh...if Cruz is healthy...Randall, Vereen, Beckham, Donnell.....that's the makings..
I expect Williams to be 200% improved and Jennings is terrific when healthy, Harris expected to contribute...that's mega talent, much better than the championship years at a position that's evolved into the second most important in the game.... and no one get it....

I presume when you say that the Giants have no OL/DL.....you mean it is still early and nothing is set.

It is certainly early but it seems that the OL we saw at OTA is the one the Giants want to start.

And Spags rotate DLmen and will consider using everyone that makes the team.

I have not heard Bromley mentioned.....

When you look at the weapons Eli has. You can see how this could be a very good offense. Yet it might not mean much if the OL can not do its job. Right now the tackles are biggest concern. Looking at the three in the middle this is what the Giants wanted from the start. Pugh, Richburg and Schwartz.Now can Flowers as a rookie get it done at LT. Everyone is saying how huge he is and has lots of talent. We all love hearing that but until the hitting starts we just don't know about him as a LT in the NFL. Then there seems to be a front runner at RT in Newhouse. Of course we are all keeping our fingers cross. As much as we want that to work you have to look at his history in the NFL and its not good. One thing we might be able to look at for hope is his age. Yes he has been cut a couple of times ( not a good sign )but he is only 26. So question becomes has he matured now as NFL player or is he just another guy who never made it in the NFL

Newhouse played LT for a very good Green Bay Packer team which lead to a lucrative contract with Cinn. that he never came close to living up to.....I got impression he played hurt.

What is most promising is......McAdoo knows Newhouse better then any of us. If he trust him.....we should

I think I'll be giving the team some time to grow and gel until the bye week. Afterwards, were TC has history of collapses, is where I'll be more critical and have higher expectations.

about pass pro as I am more about run blocking. I can see Ben m. doing things like last year to protect Eli and not put our offense in situations where a turnover may result.

I remember last season on 3rd and long we would run the ball and people in the game day thread would freak out on why we wouldn't try for the first down by passing. I actually liked how conservative we were in those situations.

If our run blocking puts us in those situations, and our pass pro is struggling against a certain team that day, I expect the same thing from Ben M. when it comes to play calling.

No doubt.

working together for each unit - OL, DL, etc to gain

confidence. At least, we see a brighter future.

In comment 12307745 George from PA said:

Quote:

Newhouse played LT for a very good Green Bay Packer team which lead to a lucrative contract with Cinn. that he never came close to living up to.

You must be mistaking Newhouse for someone else. Newhouse signed a one year $805K contract with the Bengals. He has added value for the Giants because of his familiarity with McAdoo's system, but other than that, he is nothing more than a "veteran minimum" type player with starting experience.

worked up over these nobodies. newhouse is a known commodity: a back-up quality player in the league. he isn't going to suddenly be good here.

would not surprise me at all to see Schwartz at RT and Jerry at RG by the end of camp.

I thought he left green bay as a fa.....he started 29 games during a very successful run......then fell off

I thought he went to Cincinnati with higher expectation.

...this team is loaded?

I beg to differ.

There are at least reasonable questions along the O-line, TE, LB and Safety to say this team is "loaded".

Is it going in the right direction with better personnel than last season?

I think so.

But loaded?

I think NOT!

In comment 12307801 area junc said:

Quote:

worked up over these nobodies. newhouse is a known commodity: a back-up quality player in the league. he isn't going to suddenly be good here. would not surprise me at all to see Schwartz at RT and Jerry at RG by the end of camp.

IIRC, Jerry had many good or bad games. I hope someone- anyone can work with him so he can play his best every Sunday. To get a "good Jerry" for all 19 games would be outstanding.

In comment 12307751 AnishPatel said:

Quote:

about pass pro as I am more about run blocking. I can see Ben m. doing things like last year to protect Eli and not put our offense in situations where a turnover may result. I remember last season on 3rd and long we would run the ball and people in the game day thread would freak out on why we wouldn't try for the first down by passing. I actually liked how conservative we were in those situations. If our run blocking puts us in those situations, and our pass pro is struggling against a certain team that day, I expect the same thing from Ben M. when it comes to play calling.

Exactly. One of the only guys in the national media that I like is Trent Dilfer. He once said that the Giants (under Gilbride) had to be more conservative/dial it down a bit. Things like this are an example.

There does seem to be an organizational bias against college guards. How many are on the 90-man roster? Adam Gettis is one, and he's a long-shot to survive final cuts. Eric Herman was primarily a guard at Ohio, and he has a bit of a climb to make the team too. John Jerry divided his Mississippi career evenly between RT and RG. The other four "guards" on the depth chart - Pugh (LT), Schwartz (RT), Mosley (RT/LT at Auburn, plus TE and DL in JuCo) and Hart (RT) - were all tackles in college. They include the two presumptive starters. The three most likely backups - Jerry, Mosley and Hart - all have extensive experience outside.

Look no team is going to be loaded in the sense that they were before free agency and the cap.

Seattle's been top notch now for several years and they have grevious weaknesses and a QB who i think is less than middle of the pack.

In that sense I think this team is loaded. I see problems with the O line . Agreed. I'd love to have another corner and we're maybe too optimistic too early about Collins.

But look at that great Superbowl team that dominated an 18 - 0 New England team. I don't think there linebackers were as good, I don't think their receivers were as good. Or their corners. I think the line had continuity but aside from Snee there was a lot of ordinary there and at the most critical position was David Diehl. They didn't have a decent tight end. Jeff Torbor wouldn't make this team, I doubt Ross starts.

Gotta keep it relative.

You should check out this video from Giants.com. John Schmeelk talks about what the team is working on during the OTAs.

...a think you make a fair point, but have you gone too far when comparing the 2007 Super Bowl offensive line?

Not only was Snee playing at a Pro Bowl level, you had McK right next to him, and he was at -- or near -- pro bowl level play.

And what about O'Hara at Center?

Lest we forget, during the 2007 Season, this offensive line led a young running back corp (minus Tiki) to the 3rd highest rushing average per carry in the NFL!

Compared to that, the Giants O-line over the past two years have blocked like jelly fish. And that may be an insult to the jelly fish.

(Incidentally, the Giants front 7 on defense that year were #4 in the NFL in average yards allowed per carry.)

So, I'm not exactly with you all the way on your 2007 team analogy!

That said, I believe the Giants have made strides along the O-line, and I'm sure hoping 2015 reverses the horror show of the past two seasons.

But the game is on the field. And that's why I have questions... and that's why I don't feel this team is "loaded" on either a absolute or "relative" basis.

and with lack of talent and injuries we have had on our o-line the past several years only begs the question why we didn't use a last round pick on him ourselves.

But alas my eye drops help with 20 20 hindsight...