Tag Archives: Jonathan Goff

Some readers asked us to voice our opinion on what we thought the Giants might do in the off-season. Right now, the financial landscape and structure is status quo (and the players would like to keep it that way) but the new CBA has yet to be negotiated. What that will look like is any one’s guess.

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Tagged Barry Cofield, Chris Snee, Eli Manning, Jonathan Goff, Kareem McKenzie, Michael Boley, New York Giants Blogs, Plaxico Burress, Rich Seubert |

Unprepared, understaffed, under-pressure and uncertain this NY Giants team has what it takes.   Now, I love a year when the NY Giants are flying below the radar.   I love a year when the “big mouth” Jets are telling the world how great they are; however, 2010 is starting to concern the Big Blue.

Injuries – 5 players key players came into camp recovering from recent surgery and at least 10 more have been injured this camp.  The offensive line is fragmented and the 2nd team defensive backs look, well….overwhelmed!

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Tagged Adrian Tracy, Antrel Rolle, Jeff Garcia, Jeremy Shockey, Jonathan Goff, Keith Bulluck, Kerry Collins, Perry Fewell |

Training Camp Begins in 10 Days

The University and the city of Albany are gearing up for the Giants arrival.  Training camp starts there in 10 days – August 1st.  Rookies and veterans are both required to report at that time.

The Giants’ first two selections in April’s draft – DE Jason Pierre-Paul and DT Linval Joseph are still unsigned. They cannot report to camp unless they have a contract in place.

Goff Is Chosen As A “2010 Breakout Player” By ESPN

Giants’ MLB Jonathan Goff was listed on ESPN’s Top 10 Breakout Players for 2010.  In the segment below, Goff is not mentioned, but made the list at #7.

From the Blogosphere……

Ultimate NYG’s Andy Furman discusses the the Giants lack of leadership on defense.  I believe I wrote a similar article not too long ago.  We both agree that leaders are not appointed, they gravitate organically.  That is not happening with the Giants and if it does, who will be the one to step into the role?

Our colleague Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN New York continues to do his preview series. Yesterday, he took on the WRs.   I agree that Steve Smith is now the top guy, but the #2 slot is not so much of a competition as it is who fits where.

Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham are the two principals involved. My take is whoever fits better in the slot, will be placed there, not on the outside.  Manningham may not be a better slot receiver than Nicks, meaning he and Nicks will split time on the outside and then Nicks shifts to the slot on 3-WR sets.

Tagged Hakeem Nicks, Jonathan Goff, Mario Manningham, New York Giants, New York Giants News |

Giants’ Linebackers Will Shock “Experts” This Year

It’s that time of year again…..no football for the next six weeks.  I know most of you will be exploring America, hitting the beaches and eating lots of barbecue just waiting for training camps to begin.

So while you’re sunning on Tar Beach reading your electronic device du jour,  I will be passing some topics your way each day with my valued opinion attached.

The Linebackers – The Giants “Weak Spot”

Right now its Michael Boley at WILL, Clint Sintim at SAM and Jonathan Goff in the middle.  If they had to play a game today, those guys would be your starters. 

That probably won’t change.  Not right away, anyway.  The Giants have 12 LBs in the fold and will probably keep nine.  The three aforementioned players will be kept as will fourth round draftee Phillip Dillard and Zak DeOssie, who is the long-snapper on special teams.

That means three of the following won’t be around come September….Kenny Ingram, Micah Johnson, Bryan Kehl, Lee Campbell, Chase Blackburn, Adrian Tracy and Gerris Wilkinson.  All of these players should be in the league somewhere, it just can’t be here.

“Experts” keep harping about the Giants not having depth or talent at linebacker.  I’d like to hear their logic on which of  the above players they would cut. 

Every one of these guys can play. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Once this group slaps the pads on, most naysayers will get their comeuppance.

I am going to say that 2/3 of the NFL’s general managers would trade their LB corps for this one no questions asked.  But they don’t comment on others team’s players. It’s the media that does.

The media is about 20% credible.  The people on the ground – the beat reporters – can’t tell you everything but by saying nothing they speak volumes.

Has anyone heard the Giants’ beat pool jumping up and down screaming that the LB corps is substandard? Have you heard me say it?

I rest my case.

Tagged Clint Sintim, Jonathan Goff, Michael Boley, New York Giants, New York Giants Defense, New York Giants News |

Hello GFB community. I will be doing a weekly blog post, focusing on areas where I think the Giants could use some improvement. Expect to see me every Thursday.

For my first post I thought I would try to establish a rubric, so to speak, for my own dissatisfaction with the MLB situation.  I know it seems sometimes that I (Igs) am only seeing this thing from the ‘glass half empty’ perspective, but in truth there are a number of important angles that inform my reservations:

How close are the Giants?

This speaks more to the general draft and personnel philosophy. Do you see the Giants as a team trying to figure out how to make a championship run or a team that has already put all the pieces together and won a ring? Quite a few of the players the Giants have drafted in the past two seasons would suggest the former, players that were two to thee years away on draft day, like Ramses Barden, Travis Beckum, Linval Joseph, and of course, Jason Pierre-Paul.

If these developmental players were taken late in the draft, did not cost multiple picks, or were drafted to a team without needs, I would be more comfortable with them. But some of these guys were drafted in places where players that filled a need could have been taken, like maybe a middle linebacker.

Quality of depth

Do you agree, like much of the projections, that the Giants will find their next Mike backer in the depth chart? I think if you’re honest with yourself, many of the candidates just wont look viable. Let’s start with the completely unlikely. Gerris Wilkinson doesn’t have a chance. You just don’t take a guy that failed miserably at Will and expect him to become your next starting Mike, a position that requires greater lateral quickness, instincts, and a certain kind of smarts. Precedent-wise, has anyone ever failed so miserably at WLB and gone on to success at MLB?

Phillip Dillard was a productive college MLB. But he is a thumper. He’s a run-stopping specialist, great at filling, but not so great at covering TEs, slot receivers, and RBs. That’s a serious liability in a pro 4-3 defense, especially in a Tampa 2 system, where the MLB has a greater coverage responsibility. Linebackers like Dillard really can’t start unless they’re in a 3-4 playing next to another coverage MLB.

Then there’s Brian Kehl, who hasn’t quite flourished yet, but makes a lot of sense as Michael Boley’s understudy.  Again, just the fact that he has yet to be successful as a weakside linebacker is pretty much a guarantee that he can’t play the middle.

Johnathan Goff, Chase Blackburn, and my favorite dark horse, Micah Johnson are the three MLB prospects that have a realistic shot at starting. Blackburn just isn’t enough of an athlete and his lack of success at the position is well documented, though he brings some good veteran experience to the table.

Goff has questionable coverage skills and instincts. Johnson, the UDFA, has a chance to really emerge from this large group of backup players. Johnson nursed foot and knee injuries during a very productive 2009 campaign (105 Tackles, 51 Solo) and carried those injuries into the pre-draft period, which would explain a very slow 40-time.

Relevence of the MLB in the 4-3 system

How important is all this MLB talk anyway? John Fennelly proposes that the Giants organization places relatively low value on LBs. And I think he’s dead on.

Reese’s recent decisions indicate that he thinks the position is negligible. And it’s funny that Coughlin, this season’s sacrificial lamb, plays along, because he never had LBs in Jacksonville, and that team spent a lot of time not quite getting there. But I just can’t think of a successful Giants team that lacked great linebackers. From LT. Harry Carson, Carl Banks, to Jessie Armstead, Antonio Pierce and Kawika Mitchell.

I can’t think of one successful period in the modern history of the Giants where they haven’t had great LB play. So when did the organization adapt this ridiculous stance? Are they haunted by the ghost of LaVar Arrington?

Furthermore, though the Giants still have major question marks at DT, this is a relatively complete defense outside of this MLB. But in a 4-3, how viable is it to have a complete defense without the MLB that brings it all together, a Brian Urlacher, a Ray Lewis, a Gary Bracket, an… Antonio Pierce.

One has to question the wisdom of the great Jerry Reese for leaving this very strong defense without its quarterback, particularly when there were quite a few great candidates available in the draft, one of them a surefire 10 year starter: Sean Weatherspoon, Donald Washington, and Jamar Cheney among others. These guys actually fit in the Tampa-2 system.

We’ve discussed all these issues in the past on the Giants Blog on some level, and I’m sure all of us are holding out some kind of hope that things workout this season. And by “workout” I mean this team wins a Super Bowl. But if you can put all these angles together and not have just a little bit of apprehension about this season, then I have to wonder if you have a pulse.

Yesterday John Fennelly reported that Goff and Dillard are receiving the bulk of the MLB reps. So one would assume that Goff has emerged as the starter and Dillard as his backup. But one has to ask the question, emerged from what? From Gerris Wilkinson, Brian Kehl, Chase Blackburn, and two UDFAs?

I’m just not convinced. You have a very good 4-3 defense that lacks the most important cog, MLB, as well as some good leadership. Most of the candidates to start don’t look viable. Meanwhile, you’re fielding three RE, two that have proven to be a liability in the run game. Your GM doesn’t think it’s an issue. Maybe Coach Coughlin will cover all those offensive players making money in the middle of the field with a safety.

Oh wait. It’s 2010. Defenses don’t really get away with that kind of stuff anymore.

Tagged Jonathan Goff, New York Giants, New York Giants News, Phillip Dillard |

Goff, Dillard Getting The Most Reps At MLB

Contrary to belief, there are favorites in the in race for the open MLB job.  Jonathan Goff, who finished out the season there in 2009, and fourth-round draft choice Phillip Dillard have been getting the lion’s share of the reps.

Gerris Wilkinson has rarely been seen working with the first team and Bryan Kehl hasn’t been seen there at all. Same goes for rookie free agents Lee Campbell and Micah Johnson.

Going back to the draft and the weeks before, it was evident that the Giants were high on someone in their building.  We can now assume that player was Goff.

We’ll have more on him – and Dillard – as the summer goes on.

If the Giants failed to trade up for Rolando McClain and passed on Sean Lee and Sean Weatherspoon in the draft because they were this high on Goff…..well, I can’t quantify the amount of pressure and scrutiny that will ensue if this all goes bad….

D-Line Shuffle Set To Put Big Blue Back In Business

Mike Waufle was dismissed after last season, perhaps a victim of economics, but primarily a victim of his unit’s complacency.  Justin Tuck openly admitted this week that the team had gotten “spoiled”.  Throw in some injuries, and you have a core meltdown on your hands.

In a most interesting turn (depending on who you ask) the Giants addressed their defensive line depth early on in the draft.  Jason Pierre-Paul, if as good as advertised, will give the Giants five formidable pass-rushing options (along with Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, Mathias Kiwanuka and LB Clint Sintim).  Linval Joseph, who is the closest thing to an immovable object from all accounts, will spell veterans Barry Cofield and Chris Canty at DT.

New defensive line coach Robert Nunn is seeking to shake the staleness out of the group by shuffling players around and teaching new techniques.  This week, we saw Kiwanuka shift to defensive tackle on plays to increase the unit’s pass-rush capabilities.  Nunn is fan of playing the hot hand, but he also has depth and versatility options should he need them.

News and Notes

Don’t forget, the Giants are opening mini camp to the public next Tuesday.  Tickets are free and they can be obtained by visiting the Giants’ website.  It will be held in the new stadium beginning at 2:30pm…

A return to Albany will be a positive for the Giants.  Studies have shown that uprooting your organization for the summer is a great team-building exercise.  It also staves off that complacency that Tuck spoke about…..first practice is August 1st.

The Giants may have found another reliable TE in Bear Pascoe. He’s looked pretty good thus far working in place of the injured Kevin Boss…….OL Guy Whimper is practicing with the starting offensive line – at guard.

This summer will be all about competition says Tom Coughlin.  Some areas to watch outside of the MLB fray…..CB Aaron Ross will try to get his starting job back from Terrell Thomas…..and the rookie punters – Jy Bond and Matt Dodge….Bond has great hang time but no depth on his kicks, Dodge’s kicks are just the opposite…

Safeties coach David Merritt said “Christmas came early” for him this year in the form of free agents Antrel Rolle and Deon Grant.  Last year, Merritt took a ton of heat for his unit’s poor play and these veterans should make him look like a genius this year.

Tagged Jonathan Goff, New York Giants, New York Giants News |

Pierce-less D Gets Much Needed Facelift

It apears the Giants’ coaches are reading our site.  They have been working out second-year MLB Jonathan Goff with the first team defense replacing Chase Blackburn, who took over after Antonio Pierce‘s neck injury.

Before the season, there was questions whether the Giants had enough speed at linebacker.  Those questions have been answered emphatically the past six games: NO!

Goff is a younger, faster, lighter option than both Pierce or Blackburn.  The objective of the MLB is to get to the point of attack sooner, not later, as the latter were doing.  Goff may be able to get to the open hole faster than the other two (we hope) eliminating those embarrassing big running plays (Leonard Weaver, Arizona in the red zone, Knowshon Moreno, etc, etc, etc…).

Osi To Get Less Snaps

According to Michael Lombardi of Inside the NFL and The National Football Post, the Giants plan on moving DE Osi Umenyiora around (including to the bench) so teams can’t steamroll him in the run game (like Denver did).

How novel.  This columnist suggested the Giants do this weeks ago.  Not just with Osi, but with all the lineman (like Steve Spagnuolo used to do).

Umenyiora has been over-pursuing trying to get to the passer, leaving him vulnerable to the run. Lombardi also stated that opponents have deliberately stayed away from Justin Tuck, who is the bigger of the two and a better run defender, opting to pick on the smaller Umenyiora.

The Giants will finally stop making it easy for teams to prepare for them. It only took 13 weeks.

Tagged Giants Defense, Jonathan Goff | Newer posts →