Midweek News and Notes
Shaun O’Hara is bittersweet about his second consecutive Pro Bowl selection…..“To be going back again, I am just very blessed and I can’t help but think that this reflects more on my unit and the guys around me than me,” O’Hara said. “I’m excited about it. It’s a little excitement in an otherwise sad 48 hours.”
Former USC star Terrell Thomas, one of the few Giant defenders who performed admirably this season, gave his assessment of the Giant defense….“For whatever reason, guys are just not finishing plays….It’s definitely frustrating because I think we have the talent here to get the job done. But we just don’t seem to have any answers about why it’s not getting done”
Brandon Jacobs has a swollen knee and may miss Sunday’s game in Minnesota. That would ruin his perfect attendance record for 2009. Since becoming a starter in 2007, Jacobs has not played a full 16 game season as of yet for the Giants.
Gary Myers, in today’s Daily News, drew up a five point plan to reset the Giants for 2010. It calls for Tom Coughlin to re-connect with the players; DC Bill Sheridan to be replaced with Dick Jauron; signing multiple defensive free-agents i.e. Shawn Merriman, Darren Sharper and DeMeco Ryans; fixing Brandon Jacobs and finding a team leader among the players. Is that all, Gary?
These are great suggestions with the exception of the team leader one. It’s obvious that they need one (or more) but those cannot be chosen, they have to emerge on their own. I think Eli Manning will come out of his shell and assume one role. But it’s the defense that needs the leadership. Too bad they didn’t sign Brian Dawkins last year…….
This week’s opponent – the Minnesota Vikings – are sending eight players to the Pro Bowl. Wow. They always send a legion of players to the Pro Bowl, though. It’s the Super Bowl they have issues getting to.
Vikings’ DE Jared Allen, one of those Pro-Bowlers, is tied for 2nd in the NFL with 13.5 sacks. In looking at Allen’s overall performance, he’s had an uneven season. Of his 13.5 sacks, 7 1/2 came against the Packers. In the first game vs Green Bay, Allen had 4.5 and then had another 3 in the rematch. Allen has gone sack-less eight times this season and has only 3 sacks in his last seven games.
Today’s number….104.3….no, its not a radio station, its Brett Favre’s 2009 QB rating. It’s also the first time in his Hall-of-Fame career that he has eclipsed the 100 mark. Favre’s highest QB rating to date: 99.5 in 1995.
Favre has a career record of 180-104 as a starter and has played in 306 consecutive games (including playoffs). He is the NFL’s all-time leader in passing attempts, completions, touchdowns and passing yardage.
