or had left. I don't know what they saw or didn't see in King, but he certainly made some plays when given the chance. He seemed to open up the lanes downfield, break up some of that Cover-2.
If the Giants missed the boat with King and now know it- Â
then Cruz is probably gone...King couldn't dress because he probably can't offer on Specials what Lewis or Harris can. Neither does Cruz- and I don't think you can afford to dress two non-ST players as receivers. Easy to say the team needed O more than it needed ST, but think back to the kicking team defense the past few games prior to Green Bay. Along with the defense, the kicking game was a huge asset. Plus, is King a Jenkins? Hard to know. It's going to be interesting to see what the Giants do or don't do in regards to the WR position this off-season.
who should have been cut after last year. This was a classic example of waiting a year too late. We could have made a move at Marvin Jones, Sanu, Rishard Matthews who all would have been big upgrades at the outside WR position.
So initially played Lewis more. When Lewis struggled to catch the ball (plus making a lot of rookie mistakes) they worked King into the lineup; where King made best of his opportunities.
Wondering why they didn’t give King more opportunities? He had a great preseason and when on the field later in the season he made plays. I get the fact that Lewis may be better on ST’s but it’s not like he was a world better. And if it came down to it I would have been happy to see Cruz in street clothes a few times to see what King can bring the team.
I think Lewis has potential and is young like King Cruz IMO is done and unfortunately has nothing left in the tank to offer the Giants that single touchdown week one was a long ass time ago.
Lots of good players never get a look for various reasons then land somewhere else and shine. Makes you wonder how many guys that. Oils play. Ever got another chance.
RE: 'Miss The Boat' Relative To Giants Receivers ??? Â
The emergence of rookie Roger Lewis as a key special teams contributor then made it tough for King to get a shirt on game day, when just 46 players dress.
Between "miss the boat" and "get a shirt on" I think someone is having some fun in a subtle way.
I don't fault the organization for it. You go with your most likely-viable option. But yeah, it appears King could've helped the Giants more than Cruz. I supported Cruz big time so I can't call out the Giants on this, personally.
did not get more playing time.....they are not that good....
The last TD by King was a blown coverage where the DB thought he had inside help, that wasn't there...
The Giants have only two receivers on this team....OBj and SS.....Cruz was a huge gamble, that the Giants did not have a backup plan for, if he failed.....Eli more or less had to thread the needle to get it too him.....
Lewis dropped balls and ran poor routes....King had one big catch during the regular season.....I remember a guy named Jernigan, who had one big game, and everyone wondered why he didn't play more....the next season showed why....the next td King catches, will be his second in four seasons....
and I was saying it from day 1. He has the speed that Cruz doesn't which means he can help stretch the other side of the field too. It would have created a match up advantage for us and most likely would have created more room over the middle for Shepard and the TE.
It's more important to us to have a good gunner than a playmaker who can stretch the field opposite OBJ? Please. King was our 2nd best WR in preseason and earned the PT.
I think back to training camp, Cruz almost got cut. (Remember McAdoo pulling him aside to talk.) At the time, it was spun as "Cruz needs to unleash himself/stop holding back" but now we know, he wasn't holding back, this is just his level of play now and what he cares to put into the game.
Ultimately we chose to play Cruz over King, and also chose to play Lewis over King due to special teams. Both were poor decisions!
Might he have been more effective than Cruz - very possibly but it appears that is not saying much.
It is unlikely, but many things are possible, that he is a revelation. Nothing in his physical profile is that hard to find among prospective NFL WRs.
We shouldn't just gloss over the fact that he likely would've been better for the team than Cruz. Part of what derailed the offense was an inability to capitalize on the D overplaying OBJ. If King could've been a fix, and we didn't play him, that's a huge error - so he could've been a revelation for the team this year.
He's one of those guys who flashed in camp and showed sneaky deep speed and an ability to get open. He's not going to be a superstar but as a 3rd or 4th guy he can be another weapon and we need all we can get.
RE: RE: 'Miss The Boat' Relative To Giants Receivers ??? Â
and King both have more athletic ability than Cruz, but still couldn't beat him out. So maybe the problem was that they didn't know the playbook well enough.
Lewis was a UDFA rookie. King is on his fifth team. So Lewis probably has more potential. We need to upgrade at WR, but both may contribute more next year. Give it time.
And it is a hot take. Almost as hot as the Miami sun (high today of 78, partly cloudy)...
As a wide receiver, Rodger Lewis is a complete NARP. He was open only when the defense literally disregarded him. Part of his gameday role ahead of King boiled down to specials, where Lewis emerged as a very effective gunner opposite Harris. A lot of teams have turned to WRs for that role because of the ball skills necessary to down the ball near the goal line.
King presently has a sample size of 2 noteworthy catches. But at least in those cases we saw him run away from an NFL DB. His play in preseason also revealed a guy who has technical skills, even if all of that production came against other fringe players. The downside is that he's already 26 and late career breakouts at this position are very rare, e.g. there's probably not much upside here. Absolutely has earned the opportunity to return with the team and compete for a larger role.
but I don't recall specifically when he was making his plays in the preseason games. Was he a Corey Washington-like guy, flashing against the other teams' scrubs? Or was he making plays against NFL talent?
He contributed at the time we needed it. We just needed more contributions than one player offers. Shep and OBJ choked.
If we win that game, we have King, Shep, and Odell primed to continue shining in the biggest time of the season. It's not like that GB game didn't matter.
young blood would be wise to look up the names Floyd Eddngs and Coleman Zeno. As for Cruz, he did average 15 yards a reception this season. He was the the only Giant receiver whom Manning could trust down the alley on the right sideline, which should be a hot zone for Eli because it's his short side for going downfield.
I like King, too. But then again Jack Buck once said that a star was born after Eddings had a huge game (for that era) against the Cards, and Zeno once lit up the Eagles.
If Victor goes, as is most likely the case, the Giants need to add another veteran receiver.
When he did, he was fine. I think he would have been fine at the slot (maybe even better than Shepard, who knows). In his prime, he was never a wide-out. Now that he's lost a step, that deficiency is magnified.
If King (or someone else) replaces him, will his pride allow him to share the slot position, maybe not (as well as take a pay cut).
The tragedy is that if the Giants do cut him, he may take that slot receiver ability and still have some very good years ahead of him. It just may not be "in the cards", here.
Even one play that Lewis made on ST? I don't. Would there really have been such a big drop off if King got the jersey instead? The preseason King had should have won him some more opportunities before the last game of the season.
Johnson goes down and he doesn't get a another FB or a blocking tight end to help out the run game. Doesn't use a 3rd T as a blocking TE to help there either. His biggest body receiver type was a late round developmental kid at TE. Tye is short for a pass catching TE type They go out and get a nobody career journey man who could ha e been had in he off-season and carried him on the roster all season.
Not sure why he and or Reese(who had to be part of this) went this way but the offense was a joke. He may learn from this or not. Next season they need the be a lot smarter w the complimentary players.
Never mind the play calling. That's another thread all together
Did the Giants miss the boat with Tavarres King? Â
I think so. Think they wanted to do the nice thing with Cruz and give him another chance. They effectively wasted both of their years. Cruz did next to nothing and they guy who was their best receiver in the preseason rode the pine. Stupid move.
Enough with the nice stuff. Time to develop promising people and win.
the Packers' beat up secondary didn't account for him on the TD. Let's hope his "emergence" doesn't keep us from pursuing a legit #2.
Since he's under contract, I'd rather be pleasantly surprised by his contributions next year instead of counting on them.
Ultimately, their hope in Cruz has cost the Gmen two seasons worth of getting younger players reps.
Need a little re-shuffling of the WR corps in the offseason, mostly to find an outside #2 with some size to better compliment OBJ and SS.
Then hopefully King or Lewis become reliable enough to come in as a #4 and be a worthy target...
I think Lewis has potential and is young like King Cruz IMO is done and unfortunately has nothing left in the tank to offer the Giants that single touchdown week one was a long ass time ago.
Dep is correct though.
The miscalculation was Cruz, probably for sentimental and financial reasons.
Cruz runs a 4.7 or something now at 6 foot even.
It's mind boggling how King didn't play more earlier given the offensive struggles.
Between "miss the boat" and "get a shirt on" I think someone is having some fun in a subtle way.
Let's hope his "emergence" doesn't keep us from pursuing a legit #2.
I think the Giants HAVE a #2 who just made the NFL All Rookie Team.
On the other hand, they're lacking a TE who would start for most NCAA Power 5 teams.
When would like to draft one? They have a #1 and #2 pick already out there with No OL.
I'm hoping this organization can find a receiver outside of going in the draft yet again.
The last TD by King was a blown coverage where the DB thought he had inside help, that wasn't there...
The Giants have only two receivers on this team....OBj and SS.....Cruz was a huge gamble, that the Giants did not have a backup plan for, if he failed.....Eli more or less had to thread the needle to get it too him.....
Lewis dropped balls and ran poor routes....King had one big catch during the regular season.....I remember a guy named Jernigan, who had one big game, and everyone wondered why he didn't play more....the next season showed why....the next td King catches, will be his second in four seasons....
It is unlikely, but many things are possible, that he is a revelation. Nothing in his physical profile is that hard to find among prospective NFL WRs.
It's more important to us to have a good gunner than a playmaker who can stretch the field opposite OBJ? Please. King was our 2nd best WR in preseason and earned the PT.
I think back to training camp, Cruz almost got cut. (Remember McAdoo pulling him aside to talk.) At the time, it was spun as "Cruz needs to unleash himself/stop holding back" but now we know, he wasn't holding back, this is just his level of play now and what he cares to put into the game.
Ultimately we chose to play Cruz over King, and also chose to play Lewis over King due to special teams. Both were poor decisions!
It is unlikely, but many things are possible, that he is a revelation. Nothing in his physical profile is that hard to find among prospective NFL WRs.
We shouldn't just gloss over the fact that he likely would've been better for the team than Cruz. Part of what derailed the offense was an inability to capitalize on the D overplaying OBJ. If King could've been a fix, and we didn't play him, that's a huge error - so he could've been a revelation for the team this year.
Landon Collins just said on @SportsCenter the #Giants DBs were invited to the Miami boat trip. Decided not to go.
Landon Collins just said on @SportsCenter the #Giants DBs were invited to the Miami boat trip. Decided not to go.
not surprised they said no. Levelheaded vs. knuckleheaded.
Some saw a boat, but the Thrill Hill sees ...a TRAIN.
Trainmaster, this is your area of expertise, don't you agree?
Lewis was a UDFA rookie. King is on his fifth team. So Lewis probably has more potential. We need to upgrade at WR, but both may contribute more next year. Give it time.
As a wide receiver, Rodger Lewis is a complete NARP. He was open only when the defense literally disregarded him. Part of his gameday role ahead of King boiled down to specials, where Lewis emerged as a very effective gunner opposite Harris. A lot of teams have turned to WRs for that role because of the ball skills necessary to down the ball near the goal line.
King presently has a sample size of 2 noteworthy catches. But at least in those cases we saw him run away from an NFL DB. His play in preseason also revealed a guy who has technical skills, even if all of that production came against other fringe players. The downside is that he's already 26 and late career breakouts at this position are very rare, e.g. there's probably not much upside here. Absolutely has earned the opportunity to return with the team and compete for a larger role.
He's not a game-changer or superstar but they could have used him for sure.
Hard to do this with our problem at RT and LT. 4 WRs means removing either the TE or the RB.
Removing the TE means you can't chip or help the OT. Removing the RB has it's own pass pro drawbacks, and it plainly telegraphs pass.
For as much as we wanna critize Ben's lack of creativity, this personnel group was overwrought with limitations from top to bottom.
If we win that game, we have King, Shep, and Odell primed to continue shining in the biggest time of the season. It's not like that GB game didn't matter.
I like King, too. But then again Jack Buck once said that a star was born after Eddings had a huge game (for that era) against the Cards, and Zeno once lit up the Eagles.
If Victor goes, as is most likely the case, the Giants need to add another veteran receiver.
When he did, he was fine. I think he would have been fine at the slot (maybe even better than Shepard, who knows). In his prime, he was never a wide-out. Now that he's lost a step, that deficiency is magnified.
If King (or someone else) replaces him, will his pride allow him to share the slot position, maybe not (as well as take a pay cut).
The tragedy is that if the Giants do cut him, he may take that slot receiver ability and still have some very good years ahead of him. It just may not be "in the cards", here.
Not sure why he and or Reese(who had to be part of this) went this way but the offense was a joke. He may learn from this or not. Next season they need the be a lot smarter w the complimentary players.
Never mind the play calling. That's another thread all together
Enough with the nice stuff. Time to develop promising people and win.