Week 13 Analysis: NYG @ Chicago

December 2nd, 2007 9:08 pm
by Big Dog

There’s no pretty way to say this. The Ney York Giants and their battling QB Eli Manning got lucky today. In a game where Manning was continuing his recent and struggling form with two interceptions and a lost fumble, he managed an unexpected fourth quarter comeback that will finally give fans and media in New York something positive to talk about. The best feature of Manning’s game was that he didn’t allow the pressure to get to him. He stayed focused on his job and waited for things to start working. This is a character trait that I’ve long admired in Eli, he copes very well with the additional scrutiny and pressure that is applied to him as a result of his big brother’s stellar career. Eli plays his game and he clearly has the mental toughness to win.

The conditions at Chicago’s Soldier Field were troublesome for both teams. With heavy rain in the morning, and swirling winds throughout the game, it was a difficult game for anyone to get going in the air. Even so, Chicago QB Rex Grossman put in an excellent effort in difficult conditions to complete 25 of 46 passes for 296 yards and a TD. That completion number looks low, but Grossman was especially impressive with his clock management and decision making within the final two minutes of both halves. Good clock management was a real feature of his work and he certainly demonstrated that despite his difficulties earlier in the season, this young QB’s still plenty to offer the Bears. The only consistent flaw in his game today was that he kept getting sacked (6 sacks this game) for big losses by dropping back to allow plays to develop. He should have realised earlier that the best way to beat the Giants’ pass rush (which applied no real pressure on the inside) was to step up into the pocket and buy an extra couple of seconds that way. Doing so would also afforded him better vision of the field.

So, in a simple quarterback comparison, Chicago should have won. As we all know there’s a lot more to football than that. I still believe that there are serious questions to be asked, not just of Eli Manning, but the entire Giants offense and especially Head Coach Tom Coughlin. Manning and his key receivers (WR Plaxico Burress, TE Jeremy Shockey and WR Amani Toomer) have being playing together for several years now and it needs to be asked why these guys haven’t built a better playing relationship. To all appearances they get on very well together and when things work, they work really well, but by now I’d be expecting to see these guys have a better feel and knowledge of what each other is doing on the field. That said, it also needs to be asked of Coach Coughlin, when the QB of the team is struggling with an offense that runs a very vertical passing system, why aren’t there more options in the New York playbook? Where are the mid-range passing plays? Where are the options and adjustments in game?

It’s clear that there are fundamental problems with the Giants offense, but I am unconvinced that the problem is with the players. I have a feeling that it might just be that the team doesn’t know what to do with the players they have. Until the Giants resolve these issues, the best they can hope for is these unconvincing and somewhat fortunate victories.

Posted in Amani Toomer, Analysis, Chicago Bears, Eli Manning, Game, Jeremy Shockey, NFL, NFL Coaches, NFL Franchises/Teams, NFL Players, NFL on FOX, NFL on television, NY Giants, Plaxico Burress, Rex Grossman, Tom Coughlin | No Comments »

NFL Week 3 Instant Analysis Dallas Cowboys at Chicago Bears

September 24th, 2007 5:34 am
by Pro Set

Dallas 34-10 Chicago

This game was not even close. Let’s look at how the Cowboys got the job done on both sides of the ball.

First, the Dallas O-Line did a great job in pass protection. Even though DAL gave up some holding penalties, the pocket that was created for QB Tony Romo was outstanding. The only way that Chicago could get pressure was by blitzing 2 linebackers straight up the middle. The stats show that MLB Brian Urlacher recorded 2 sacks, but many other times he and his mates were stoned by superior blocking. DT Tommie Harris did not look like a member of the opposing backfield, which is always the first step to victory.

Second, Tony Romo had a sensational night. I wrote in the preview that Romo was confident, and did he deliver or what. His effort was reminiscent of elite performances by top class passers against highly-rated defenses: such as this (BAL @ GB [2001]). Romo went 22-35 (329; 2 TD; INT) and those stats are a travesty. The INT was completely the fault of WR Patrick Crayton, who did not close his hands on a perfectly thrown ball in the first quarter. Romo was also denied a TD pass by Crayton, who dropped an even easier catch wide open on a stop route in the end zone in the 2^nd quarter. With the ensuing FG blocked, DAL had nothing to show for a truly outstanding drive.

Third, the Cowboys were unbelievable on 3^rd and long. My notes are covered with references to 3^rd & 15 and worse. At one point in the first quarter DAL rushed for 7 yards on 1st & 10 only to have consecutive false start penalties and a rush for -2 yards bring up 3^rd & 15 and the Romo pass was intercepted, as described above. WR Terrell Owens recovered from a couple of early drops to dominate the area between the hash marks and make great currency from crossing routes. Makes sure you catch the block laid by WR Sam Hurd on CHI S Adam Archuleta to spring Owens for a big gain on 3^rd & 11 from the DAL 8 with 5:59 left in the 3^rd quarter. Not to be too harsh, but Archuleta is a long-term liability wherever he plays. He can’t run, he can’t cover, and he lives off the one highlight play per season. He’s a poor player who is out of his depth against any decent passing team.

With Chicago struggling on offense, DAL knew that 24 points would give them a shot. And it was all about Romo. His passes were accurate. He got rid of the ball under pressure and kept his eyes up field. The consistent conversion of terrible down and distance scenarios was remarkable. This cannot happen every week, so DAL will have to cut down on penalties.

The Bears played just as I expected. They really tried to leverage the speed of WR Bernard Berrian. As DAL played off Berrian early, QB Rex Grossman, 15-32 (195; 0 TD; 3 INT) made good use of the hooks and curls to move the chains. As DAL then pressed Berrian, Grossman started working the slant. This brought up a major moment in the match. With the game tied at 3-3, and having just hit Berrian for a 1^st down, CHI enjoyed 1^st & 10 (at DAL 34) with 1:24 remaining in the first half. Berrian ran the slant and go, and DAL CB Anthony Henry took the bait. Grossman made the perfect throw, but Berrian dropped it cold.

Chicago got nothing from that drive and proceeded to offer little resistance in the second half. The defense got greedy, trying to strip the ball and make the big play instead of tackling. The Bears defense reminded me of Tampa Bay in the 2000 season. The defense knows that it is a dominant unit, but tries too hard sometimes to make up for the offensive ineptitude. This means that the fundamentally sound gap discipline and tackling form that makes a unit dominant is lost.

Despite an INT, a blocked FG return past midfield, and forcing endless 3^rd & long situations, the Bears defence gave up and the frustration was palpable. It’s hard not to be sympathetic. Grossman made some awful throws, but the key one was when the Bears took over at their own 13 following a DAL FG that made it DAL 20-10 CHI. A slow, high throw to what looked like an out route was picked off by CB Anthony Henry and returned for the TD.

Overall, the Bears have real issues on offense. The players have clearly lost belief in Grossman at QB and that is critical. Defenders need to play with belief and emotion. At present that emotion is centered on joining the home crowd in jeering Grossman. As for DAL, they are smoking. I still have concerns about the DAL run defense but few opponents will have the luxury of pounding away at the DAL front seven if Romo puts 30+ points on the board.

Posted in Adam Archuleta, Analysis, Anthony Henry, Bernard Berrian, Brian Urlacher, Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Game, Jason Witten, NFL, NFL Franchises/Teams, Rex Grossman, Tommie Harris, Tony Romo, Week 3 Instant Analysis | No Comments »