I hate moral victories. Hard to tell the weak links without the coaches tape.
Also hard to tell the status of the Giants this season without knowing what is Pittsburgh...as it is all relative.
I was generally pleased with what I saw from the defense. Especially, that it was 1st game in a new system. Blake was a pleasant surprise. He was all over the field. They created enough pass rush, and did well against the run. Also, Carter, Lawremce, Williams were noticed in a good way.
Peppers needs to play smarter. Xmen was invisible. The DBs were victims of pick plays all night....on that one TD that the WR forced himself into endzone, earlier in the play, both DBs ran into each other and left both WR wide open which forced the safety to try to finish play.... Love was over matched... McKinney is needed.
Marked improvements from last year.....still plenty of improvements is still needed to play defense like Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh defense was impressive...
My biggest disappointment was the Giants running game...wtf!
Gates had trouble run blocking all game....but yet, he was able to keep a clean pocket on pass plays.......perplexing, but we know why he won the center position.
Pittsburgh run defense looks very impressive....they read the run very well and crash into the line with a ton of force....I would be very surprised if anyone runs well against them.
Thomas held up remarkably well. We have our LT...to be honest, the OL did a yeomen effort pass blocking. If Barkley wants to be the best pass blocking RB ever....he still has ways to go gees.
Was Engram concussed? Because he was useless. Give me Kaden. Shepard was invisible.....it felt like Daniel had one weapon. Also, good to see him holding onto ball....several opportunities to fumble....that weren't. Vastly improved.
I also hope he understands....that his redzone INT cost them the game.
Defense stop them after the half, and then we run a 19 play drive...taking up the entire 3rd qtr....poised to retake lead.
That drive CAN NOT END WITH AN INT ON THE 5 YARD LINE!
OMG....what a back breaker. Say what you want, but the Giants lost the game right there.....that was pure agony.
Do what you must, watch tape, learn etc....learn how to win.
Chicago is winnable....show us that this team can win a game.
It was good to see the flexible use of personnel. It never added up to running success, but the Giants Offense looked aggressive.
Engram seemed out of it the entire game.
Now, should he have just eaten the ball and taken the sack or try to flip it out of bounds? Maybe as these are all learning experiences for him. But I am no5 going to kill him because he though he could make a play. We heard all offseason that players will be put in situations to succeed. I like what Garrett did for the most part but that is one he definitely wants back.
Engram seemed out of it the entire game.
Not necessarily. When Jones rolls out like that the defense goes with him. If Engram kept running he would have been running behind the LB. There was a hole in the defense. Maybe he slides over a tad but that play was rushed by the pass rush.
Later in game....he threw one out of bounds with force...which kind of re-enforces that he was throwing it out of endzone.
Now, should he have just eaten the ball and taken the sack or try to flip it out of bounds? Maybe as these are all learning experiences for him. But I am no5 going to kill him because he though he could make a play. We heard all offseason that players will be put in situations to succeed. I like what Garrett did for the most part but that is one he definitely wants back.
Sorry robbie, that INT after a wonderful 19 play drive was indefensible. It was as bad a play as you will see in any game anywhere.
But I agree that I did not like Garrett's inside the 10 play calls.
Engram seemed out of it the entire game.
Anybody else sick of hearing about Engram being ready to have a breakout year? I keep waiting...and waiting
Last night....he couldn't break free, covered most of the night...had a weird look....glazed over...wouldn't besurprise....if we hear he is in concussion protocol. He was off.
Shepard 6 catches were the quiet....Slayton was only play maker last night
Fix the run game FFS. Year 9 of the OL rebuild, it never ends. I know Pitt has a good D but, you can't get Barkley the ball without 3 guys next to him all night?
Engram blows.
Our secondary is a weak area, but to be fair we knew that: young cb's are going to get burned.
Safety needs the Alabama kid...Love is not physical, and Peppers is horrible, he's Landon Collins with worse ball skills and less tackling ability.
Last night....he couldn't break free, covered most of the night...had a weird look....glazed over...wouldn't besurprise....if we hear he is in concussion protocol. He was off.
Shepard 6 catches were the quiet....Slayton was only play maker last night
Right George. If Engram was hurt, it must have happened very early because he was lousy early. I only remember one significant catch.
Shepard is a slot receiver on a team with 2 slot receivers and a TE who probably is best playing in the slot. Shep rarely makes a significant contribution beyond moving the chains and he didn’t last night either. I hate to rely on a 31 year old slot as the key receiver but that’s what it is. Without Tate, the offense is Slayton or nothing. With Tate, the offense might have looked a little better.
Continues to amaze me that KC and the Eagles use their TE off the LOS almost every play with Kielce and Ertz and the Giants do not do this with Engram.
Complete waste of time utilizing him to block Dupree
He presents matchup problems for a defense. Take advantage of that
Jordan Reed made a nice career out of blocking no one
I really liked the improved team speed on defense.I have never seen so many secondary players getting picked on crossing patterns.Let's hope the coach's teach the kids on defending crossing patterns.We have a real LB in Martinez finally.
On offense,I have to say Engram was a huge disappointment more so to me than the run game. I really like Kaden Smith and he should see more action at TE.Why not split out Engram at WR to utilize his speed? He cannot run or pass block.
My question for Garrett as OC is why not utilize Barkley more in the pass game.Wheel routes and passes in the flats to utilize his speed especially when you can't run the ball.
Overall, I think the roster has been improved over the previous years.Now Judge and his staff need to coach them up.
I believe the Bears game on the road is winnable.
Go Giants!!!
Later in game....he threw one out of bounds with force...which kind of re-enforces that he was throwing it out of endzone.
I think he actually had a chance with Slayton. His arm just got hit is all.
While both Lawrence and Williams ended up with sacks - once the Steelers spread us out and we had to unload the box - the lack of pressure with 4 as the game went on let them pick their matchup and pick us apart. They targeted Love a lot who probably doesn't have the short area quickness to man up to a free release inside (and certainly not hen they get their #1 on him).
Engram at this point look more like a mascot than a football player. Just horribly inconsistent though I thought the OPI was really questionable.
I do think there were positives from the defense early - most notably an improved ball awareness and pursuit. No one looking around confused or guys running free. Tackling was off in spots but expected with lack of camp/preseason.
Also I thought the starting 3 corners showed well. Logan Ryan's name was hardly called all night and the same for Holmes. Holmes also didn't appear to be reluctant to mi it up near the LOS.
Peppers is a + in the return game if he stays healthy.
The QB made 2 huge mistakes but he played really well for the most part. He's accuatre he's tough he just needs more experience and more help from his OL.
Is there anything more worthless than spending the #2 pick in the draft on a RB. Jim Brown couldn't have run behind that OL but that's the point.
The defense has zero difference makers, zero play makers. Until the Giants have multiple guys guys who can come off the edge and disrupt the QB they're a losing team.
This game was Alabama vs Vanderbilt that's how lopsided the talent was.
The Giants since 2013 have been a horribly coached horrible team. Last night they were a well coached horrible team.
Engram was a black eye for the night. Absolutely brutal performance, hope he bounces back as he is needed as a weapon. The Inline TE experiment needs to get canned, use Smith for that. Split Engram out wide and use in the slot and as an H back. Barkley needs to spend the entire week on just blitz pickups, he is the last line of defense in protecting the QB he has to do a better job. This OL will get better, Pitt was a match in hell for sure, but certainly worried about getting the run game going.
Positives: Jones, overall when he gets a second he can deliver and dissect a defense. He is the goods, just needs to keep learning. Slayton, picking up where he left off, I never thought he could be a #1, but he looks the part. Great hands and separation. Thomas looked good for game one, LT and OT in general has been a question mark for the past 10 years, hope he is finally the cure. Can’t wait to see Peart.
My hot takes:
1. Barkley cannot pick up the blitz. 3rd year now and he's gotten no better at it. I gave DG slack on the pick thinking it was BPA, but I was wrong. Should have started the rebuild then and there. Unless he improves immensely this season at it, you have to look at him as an incomplete back and resigning him isn't a given.
2. I like the MArtinez and Bradberry pick ups. We will need to draft another CB in the 1st or 2nd round next year though.
3. Carter showed up which I wasn't expecting. IF he can do this for a few games in a row maybe he's a keeper.
4. OL needs time to gel. I'm not going to jump on Gates or Fleming, yet but the play of the OL was just tiring. Year after year watching the same thing sucks. BUT, I do think they have a better staff to coach them up, I think Left tackle did ok for his first game against a pro bowl defender.
5. Peppers was exciting on the return game. Not so much on defense.
6. Dexter Lawrence is our best defender. The man is a beast. Leonard Williams was a mistake. I just don't think he was worth the pick or the salary for what he's adding.
7. Slayton is our best receiver and I like Kaden smith at TE. If they can trade Engram try to get a 3rd rounder for him. He's talented but too inconsistent and he's around the corner from his next injury. Hopefully there are teams who are unaware of this and only see the talent.
8. I have mixed feelings on the coaching staff. I was excited for some of the defensive alignments and play calling but sometimes both were frustrating. I was ok with the offense and kind of like that they adjusted using 3 TE's after the lack of running success in the 1st half. We didn't look TOTALLY out coached, but the steelers have been together for how long and preseason maybe wasn't as important for them as it would have been for us. I'm trusting Garret and Columbo will work on getting that OL together and gameplanning to the strength of the offense (I felt like that wasn't happening with Shurmur). Tougher to judge the D as we are lacking a CB and I think a real edge rusher.
Thanks for letting me rant and sorry for the length.
I will be really down losing to the Bears
He's the exact opposite of Carter who has the athleticism but not the moves.