McKenzie out, streak is over

Sunday October 25, 2009 7:27 PM By Tom Rock

Kareem McKenzie will not play tonight against the Cardinals due to a groin injury, ending a remarkable streak of 38 consecutive regular season games in which the Giants started the same five offensive linemen.

I guess you can only be carted off the field so many times without it catching up on you. McKenzie took the NFL's version of a hay ride twice in the last month, against the Bucs and last week against the Saints. Although he was able to practice all week, he was listed as questionable rather than probable (the first clue, as we look back) and came out in pregame warmups to try a few things. He didn't look comfortable and a brief conversation with o-line coach Pat Flaherty left the coach shaking his head.

William Beatty will start at right tackle.

The other Giants inactives are: Ramses Barden, Aaron Ross, Gartrell Johnson, Michael Boley, Adam Koets, Sinorice Moss and Chris Canty.

That means Danny Ware will get some playing time, assuming he doesn't dislocate his elbow on the first play of the game like he did in the season opener. And Clint Sintim is active for the second time this season, presumably to bolster a Giants pass rush that couldn't catch a whiff of Drew Brees last week.

As for the Cardinals' inactives, well, I'll just tell you the big "active" and that's Anquan Boldin, who will play with a sprained ankle.

Gameday Live 7: Giants vs. Cardinals

Sunday October 25, 2009 11:00 AM By Chris Mascaro

Good evening Giants enthusiasts! Welcome to Week 7 in the NFL!

I'm Chris Mascaro and I'll be bringing you all of today's live game, as the NFC East-leading Giants (5-1, 2-0 home) take on the defending NFC champion Arizona Cardinals (3-2, 2-0 road) at Giants Stadium in the Meadowlands.

I know many of you Giant fans are also Yankee fans, so if you're interested in following the Bombers' Game 6 ALCS matchup against the Angels, you can do so here. It's a big night in New York sports, why not multitask with us?

Setting the stage for the Cardinals

Wednesday October 21, 2009 12:40 PM By Tom Rock

Tom Coughlin summed up the entire week's worth of hand-wringing with just a few words describing the Cardinals' offense:

"The ball is in the air a lot."

And that will be the theme going forward -- a high-powered passing offense against a bruised Giants secondary. It's not quite like the Saints' passing game. The Cardinals don't have the running game the Saints have, don't have as deep a barn of receivers, and don't do as good a job of protecting their quarterback. But they're still chucking it for 280.2 yards per game.

Meaningless stat of the week: The Cardinals are the No. 1 rushing defense in the NFL, allowing 59.6 yards per game. Ask the Giants' secondary what it means to be No. 1 in something. They still have the league's top passing defense. They also still have the top overall defense.

Less meaningless but still ultimately meaningless stat of the week: The Cardinals are allowing the fewest rushing yards per game in the NFL but on offense they are rushing for ever FEWER yards than they are allowing! They let up 59.6 per game and rumble for 57.6.

As for the Giants, there were, as has been noted by great minds, no surprises on the prepractice injury report. Coughlin said Kareem McKenzie (groin) and Mario Manningham (back) would give it a go and be limited. He said Ahmad Bradshaw (foot/ankle) has the boot off for some jog-through things this morning but would be back in it and not practicing with the team. And Chris Canty, who described significant progress in his calf on Monday, is still out.

As for a few others, Coughlin said RB Danny Ware still has a few things to prove before he can be activated (he was working on special teams in practice today, so maybe thats one of those things) and he expressed hope that Clint Sintim will continue to progress and become a part of the defense, calling his inactivity on Sunday a number's game issue.

Coughlin also shrugged off the idea that Brandon Jacobs' two "burners" in two weeks that have caused him to leave the field are a recurring issue. "I don't think there's any vulnerability," he said. "At least I hope not."

Oh, and for those who keep track of such things: DT Anthony Bryant was placed on the practice squad/injured list and replaced by DT Dwayne Hendricks on the practice squad.

(Photo: AP)

Gameday Live 5: Giants vs. Raiders

Sunday October 11, 2009 11:06 AM By Chris Mascaro

Good afternoon Giants fans! Welcome to Week 5 in the NFL!

I'm Chris Mascaro and I'll be bringing you all of today's live game, as the NFC East-leading Giants (4-0, 1-0 home) take on the Oakland Raiders (1-3, 1-1 road) at the Meadowlands in the their first home game since Week 1. 

If the Giants win today, they will be 5-0 for the first time since 1990, when they opened the season with 10 straight victories.

According to our Giants beat reporter Tom Rock at the stadium, Eli Manning will make his 83rd consecutive start (including playoffs) despite not practicing on Wednesday and Thursday because of an injury to the plantar fascia in his right foot. That means David Carr's start will remain only in his mind. 

Eli's current streak is the third-longest among active quarterbacks behind his bother Peyton and Brett Favre. 

The better news for the Giants today is they're playing the Raiders, who are just 25-75 in the 100 games since they lost Super Bowl XXXVII.

"In the early '80s and '90s, those guys were on fire," said Antonio Pierce, who grew up a Raiders fan. "Bo Jackson, Marcus Allen, Howie Long. It was good to be a Raiders fan back then.

"Things can always turn around for a team. I'm not sure what their problem is; I'm not concerned about it as a player."

The Giants' last game against the Raiders was a 30-21 victory in Oakland on New Year's Eve 2005, in which Tiki Barber ran for 203 yards.

Not much has changed for Oakland since then, as the Raiders have allowed 146.3 rushing yards per game (26th in the league). So expect Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw to have a good day this afternoon.

With that, let's get to the keys to today's game...

1. Rattle JaMarcus Russell. This one shouldn't be too hard. The top pick of the 2007 draft has the worst completion percentage (39.8) and yards per attempt (4.69) in the NFL, and has thrown just one touchdown with four interceptions this season. He has thrown for 109, 61 and 128 yards his last three games and has been sacked nine times. The Giants have allowed a league-low 460 passing yards on the season, but their eight sacks is just tied for 15th. Expect Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck and company to tee off on Russell today.  

*Russell was 8 of 13, which is very accurate for him. But he lost three fumbles (leading to 17 points) and was sacked six times (the Giants' season high). 

2. Are the Raiders distracted? A Yahoo! Sports report by Michael Silver came out today, providing the first public comments from Randy Hanson, the former Raiders assistant coach who was allegedly assaulted by Oakland head coach Tom Cable. Hanson said Cable screamed "I'll [expletive] kill you!" numerous times during their Aug. 5 incident. Might this effect Cable's focus today? It very well could. 

*It sure seemed like the Raiders' heads were in another place today, as they had just 120 total yards and seven first downs.

3. Keep Eli upright. The Giants QB has been sacked just twice this season (a far cry from the 20 times Aaron Rodgers of the Packers has been taken down). The Raiders bolstered their defensive line with a trade for Richard Seymour before Week 1. But the 310-pounder has zero sacks after recording two in his first game. With Manning's injured foot, keeping him from being hit could be the key to his success today.

*Eli wasn't sacked today, and that had a big part in his perfect passer rating today.

Here are the inactives for today's game and some other musings from Giants Stadium, courtesy of T-Rock. Kevin Boss (ankle), Aaron Ross (hamstring), Michael Boley (knee), Chris Canty (calf) and Bryan Kehl (hand) are among the hobbled who will not play. Ross hasn't played yet this season and Terrell Thomas will again start in his place, while rookie Travis Beckum will fill in for Boss. 

Darren McFadden, who underwent knee surgery on Tuesday, is among those out for Oakland.

Here is the weather report from East Rutherford, where it's sunny and 60 degrees. A near perfect day for football.

Finally, here are a few notes on today's game:

-The Raiders, who finished last season 5-11, were 3-5 on the road in 2008.

-The Giants are third in the NFC in points scored this season with 107 (trailing only New Orleans and Minnesota). They have allowed 64, which is fourth in the conference.

-Russell is last in the league in passer rating at 42.4. He's completed an atrocious 39.8 percent of his passes (last in the league), and his 4.69 yards per attempt are also the worst in the NFL.

-The Raiders are -2 in giveaway/takeaway (tied for 19th in the league), while the Giants are +4, which is tied for sixth best with Jacksonville.

Okay, that's all for now. But we've got plenty more to talk about this afternoon, so let's get the conversation going in the chat box above! And be sure to vote on the poll questions. 

I'll be back after each quarter with updates. 

We're about 15 minutes from football on CBS! 

End of the 1st Quarter: Giants 14, Raiders 0

Giants' first scoring drive: 14 plays, 77 yards, 8:03

Scoring play: Bradshaw 1-yard run (Tynes kick) ... it was Bradshaw's first TD of the year.

Key play: Smith 8-yard reception from Manning on 3rd-and-2 from their own 49. 

Giants' second scoring drive: 3 plays, 79 yards, 1:37

Scoring play: Bradshaw 19-yard run (Tynes kick) ... his second of the afternoon.

Key play: Smith 43-yard reception from Manning on 1st-and-10 from their own 21. 

Players who impressed for the Giants:

-Manning completed passes to four different receivers on the first drive (even Jacobs caught a pass — his fourth reception of the year). He also induced an encroachment to turn a 3rd-and-8 into a 3rd-and-2.

-C.C. Brown made a nice hit on Todd Watkins to break up a third-down pass and force a punt. 

-Steve Smith, the NFL's leading receiver, caught two passes for 51 yards in the quarter, including a nice over-the-shoulder grab down the right sideline for 43 yards.

-Bradshaw rushed for 61 yards, including his first two rushing TDs of the season, on just five carries. On the final play of the quarter, he took a screen pass 55 yards on a 3rd-and-24 from his own 15. 

Players who struggled:

-After three failed rushing attempts by Jacobs inside the Raiders' 5-yard line, Bradshaw got the call on 4th-and-goal from the 1. Jacobs, as he generally does, ran too upright near the goal line. The smaller Bradshaw, however, had no problem scooting under the defense for the score.

-Kevin Dockery was flagged for a block in the back on the Giants' second punt return. 

-Kareem McKenzie was penalized 15 yards for a personal foul.

What to watch for in the second quarter: A first down for the Raiders?

End of the 2nd Quarter: Giants 31, Raiders 7

Giants' third scoring drive: 5 plays, 94 yards, 1:34

Scoring play: Mario Manningham 30-yard pass from Manning (Tynes kick) ... it was Manningham's third TD catch of the year and Manning's ninth TD pass of the season (he has at least one in every game). It was the first play of the second quarter.

Key play: Bradshaw 55-yard reception from Manning on 3rd-and-24 from their own 15. It was a screen pass on the final play of the first quarter.

Giants' fourth scoring drive: 3 plays, 13 yards, 1:29

Scoring play: Hakeem Nicks 9-yard pass from Manning (Tynes kick) ... it was Nicks' second TD catch of the year (and second in as many weeks), and Manning's 10 TD pass.

Key play: Terrell Thomas came in on a blitz and stripped Russell; Tuck recovered on the Raiders' 13. 

Raiders' first scoring drive: 3 plays, 15 yards, 1:06

Scoring play: Michael Bush 5-yard run (Janikowski kick) ... it was his second TD of the year, and just the fourth scored by the Raiders this season.

Key play: Moss muffed punt (more below).

Giants' fifth scoring drive: 3 plays, 21 yards, 0:25

Scoring play: Tynes 25-yard FG ... it was his 11th made field goal out of 14 tries.

Key play: Tuck strip sack and Osi's recovery on the Oakland 28 (more below).

Players who impressed for the Giants:

-Manning's first two passes of the second quarter went for touchdowns.

-Thomas showed nice speed and strength on his strip, as he hustled off the left end to get to Russell and then evaded a block to swipe at the ball. Later in the quarter, Thomas made a spectacular play to break up a deep pass down the middle to Louis Murphy, who had a step on him.

-Bradshaw had 118 total yards in the first half. Bradshaw and Smith both had more total yards than the Raiders offense (68) in the first two quarters.

-Chase Blackburn stopped Michael Bush for no gain on 3rd-and-1. (Russell ran for the first down on the next play, though.) 

-Michael Johnson recorded the Giants second sack of the game.

-Jeff Feagles had both of his punts downed inside the Raiders' 20.

-Justin Tuck came around the left end and stripped Russell on a sack, and Osi Umenyiora recovered it on the Oakland 28, setting up the Giants' last score of the half. It was Oakland's second turnover today.

Players who struggled:

-Sinorice Moss muffed a punt, and Oakland recovered on the Giants' 15-yard line.

-C.C. Brown was flagged for pass interference, giving the Raiders the ball at the Giants' 5.

-Dave Tollefson was flagged for a personal foul on a kick return.

What to watch for in the second half: Are the Giants going to put up 50 points today??

Here are some halftime stats for your viewing pleasure....

Giants

Manning: 8 of 10, 173 yards, two TDs; Carr: 3 of 6, 38 yards; Bradshaw: 7 carries, 82 yards, two TDs; 1 catch, 55 yards; Smith: 3 receptions, 70 yards; Manningham: 2 catches, 36 yards, TD; Nicks: 1 catch, 9 yards, TD; Thomas: 3 tackles, sack, forced fumble; Tuck: 5 tackles, sack, forced fumble; Tynes: 4 of 4 XPs; 1 of 1 FGs

Raiders

Russell: 4 of 8, 42 yards, lost fumble; Bush: 8 carries, 30 yards, TD; Miller: 2 catches, 26 yards; Lechler: 2 punts, 58 yards

End of the 3rd Quarter: Giants 41, Raiders 7

Giants' sixth scoring drive: 6 plays, 52 yards, 3:18

Scoring play: David Carr 12-yard TD run (Tynes kick) ... it was his first TD run since 2006, when he ran for one at Giants Stadium as a member of the Texans. 

Key play: Trevor Scott's roughing the passer on a 3rd-and-10 incompletion gave the Giants a first down on the Oakland 15. 

Giants' seventh scoring drive: 4 plays, 4 yards, 2:16

Scoring play: Tynes 33-yard FG (his second of the day)

Key play: Kiwanuka forced fumble recovered by Pierce (more below).

Players who impressed for the Giants:

-Mathias Kiwanuka knocked the ball out of Russell's hands, and Antonio Pierce recovered on the Oakland 22-yard, leading to a Giants field goal. It was Russell's third lost fumble of the day.

-Bradshaw has 110 yards rushing today, the second time he's eclipsed 100 yards this season.

What to watch for in the second half: The Giants will seal up their first 5-0 start in 19 years.

That's the end of game, as the Giants defeat the Raiders, 44-7. 

Giants: 5-0 (2-0 home)

Raiders: 1-4 (1-2 road)

Scores by quarter for the Giants: 14, 17, 10, 3

Scores by quarter for the Raiders: 0, 7, 0, 0

Giants' eighth scoring drive: 11 plays, 56 yards, 6:18 ... the Giants have eight scores in their 10 possessions today.

Scoring play: Tynes 37-yard FG (his third of the game).

Key play: Nicks 17-yard pass from Carr on 2nd-and-7 from their own 40.

Here are your three stars for tonight's game:

1. Bradshaw: 11 carries for 110 yards (season high) and two TDs; 1 catch for 55 yards

2. Manning: 8 of 10 for 173 yards and two TDs. He had a perfect passer rating of 158.3.

3. Tuck: 6 tackles, 2 sacks, forced fumble.

 *The Giants had a 483-124 advantage in total yards. The Giants had 263 passing yards, 220 rushing yards  and held the ball for 36:04. 

**Justin Tuck (2), Terrell Thomas, Mathias Kiwanuka, Michael Johnson and Dave Tollefson all recorded sacks, while Tuck, Thomas and Kiwanuka all forced Russell fumbles.

Here are some other final stats:

Giants

 Manning: 8 of 10, 173 yards, two TDs

Carr: 9 of 14, 90 yards Bradshaw: 11 carries, 110 yards, two TDs; 1 catch, 55 yards Jacobs: 21 carries, 67 yards; 1 catch, 8 yards Smith: 3 receptions, 70 yards Manningham: 2 catches, 36 yards, TD Nicks: 4 catches, 49 yards, TD Thomas: 4 tackles, sack, forced fumble Tuck: 6 tackles, 2 sacks, forced fumble Tynes: 5 of 5 XPs; 3 of 3 FGs

Raiders

 Russell: 8 of 13, 100 yards, three lost fumbles

Bush: 12 carries, 37 yards, TD

Fargas: 11 carries, 18 yards Miller: 4 catches, 69 yards Lechler: 7 punts, 45-yard average

Okay, that's all for today's game. Check back above for updates on my pregame keys to the game. Thanks to all for coming out.

As always, it was my honor and pleasure to bring everyone all of today's live game action.

See ya'll back here on next Sunday, as the Giants visit the Saints at 1 p.m. 

The other injured guys

Wednesday September 30, 2009 12:28 PM By Tom Rock

Aside from Bradshaw, the injury news was rather positive for the first practice of the week. The Giants were in shells, which allowed many of them to be more active than they might normally have been in full pads. But still ...

There was Kareem McKenzie running and doing individual drills. There was Hakeem Nicks running routes and catching passes. There was Domenik Hixon, fielding punts and running with the offense.

Three guys of note (besides Bradshaw) were not practicing: Justin Tuck, Chris Canty and Danny Ware.

Aaron Ross and Kevin Dockery were in uniform and seemed ready to go. However when we left Ross was still having his legs worked on by the training staff and hadn't really done anything football wise.

(Photo by David Pokress)

Will the streak end?

Sunday September 27, 2009 9:56 PM By Tom Rock

The Giants have had the same starting offensive line for 35 straight regular season games. That would be, from left to right, David Diehl, Chris Snee, Shaun O'Hara, Rich Seubert and Kareem McKenzie.

That would also be in jeopardy as both Seubert and McKenzie left with injuries in today's 24-0 win over the Bucs.

How'd the Giants adjust? They had Kevin Boothe come in for Seubert and rookie william Beatty in for McKenzie. They also had Guy Whimper come in and spell David Diehl at the end of the game.

If either Seubert or McKenzie is unable to play next week, one of those guys will have to jump in and take the spot in a tight-knit group. It'll be one of the things we'll be watching most closely this week.

(Photo: Getty Images)

Gameday Live 1: Giants vs. Redskins

Sunday September 13, 2009 12:04 PM By Chris Mascaro

Good afternoon Giants enthusiasts! Welcome to Week 1 in the NFL!

I'm Chris Mascaro, and I'll be bringing you all of today's live game action, as the Giants take on the Washington Redskins in the 2009 season opener at Giants Stadium.

This will be the last season opener for the Giants at Giants Stadium, as they will move into their new stadium beginning next season. The last home opener the Giants lost was two seasons ago, when they were hammered by Brett Favre and the Packers, 35-13. (They got their revenge in the NFC Championship, though.)

A lot of has happened since the Giants last took the field in January, from the acquisition of Chris Canty, to the drafting of Hakeem Nicks in the wake of Plaxico Burress' release, to Eli Manning cashing in on a huge deal.

But all that matter today for the Giants is taking out the Redskins, an opponent they haven't lost to since Week 15 of 2007. In two games last season, the Giants outscored Washington 39-14.

With that, let's get to today's keys to the game...

1. Who's better, Albert Haynesworth or the Giants' offensive line? Washington's biggest (literally) offseason acquisition was the mammoth defensive tackle, who'll be looking to shut down the No. 1 rushing offense from last season. The Giants' offensive line — Kareem McKenzie, Chris Snee, Shaun O'Hara, Rich Seubert and David Diehl — is one of the best in the game, and Brandon Jacobs is a tough guy to tackle. But Haynesworth doesn't seem fazed.

Said Haynesworth: "They all fall the same. It doesn't really matter. What is he, 250? I weighed 250 when I was in the 10th grade."

We'll see which strength prevails this afternoon.

2. Who'll emerge as the Giants' top receiver? As I mentioned earlier, the Giants spent their first-round draft pick on Nicks. The receiver led the NFL in receiving yards during the preseason, but those numbers mean little against the seventh-ranked passing defense from last year.  

The Giants will also be looking for contributions from Domenik Hixon, Steve Smith and Mario Manningham among their receiving corps, in addition to their tight end Kevin Boss. If one of those guys has a big game today, he could emerge as Manning's go-to receiver in 2009. 

3. Can the Giants' makeshift secondary contain the Washington receivers? Cornerback Aaron Ross will miss today's game with a hamstring injury, so that leaves it to second-year man Terrell Thomas to contain the Redskins' unheralded receiving unit — Santana Moss, tight end Chris Cooley, Antwaan Randle El and newcomer Malcolm Kelly, who gets the start today.  

Well, those were my keys to the game ... of course there's this stuff too.

Here are the inactives for today's game and some other musings, courtesy of our Giants beat reporter Tom Rock.

Here are a couple notes of today's game:

-The Redskins, who finished last season 8-8, were 4-4 on the road last season and 3-3 against the rest of the NFC East. 

-The Giants lost two games at home last season — both to Philadelphia (Week 14 and the divisional round of the playoffs.)

-Jason Campbell was sacked 38 times last season, tied for fourth most in the league, including five takedowns in two games against the Giants. 

And finally, here is the weather report in Jersey, where it's a beautiful September afternoon, around 75 degrees.

Okay, that's all for now. But we've got plenty more to talk about tonight, so let's get the conversation going in the chat box above! And be sure to vote on the poll questions. 

I'll be back after each quarter with updates. 

We're about 15 minutes from football on FOX! 

End of the 1st Quarter: Giants 3, Redskins 0

Giants' first scoring drive: 12 plays, 67 yards, 7:19

Scoring play: Tynes 28-yard FG

Key play: Smith 7-yard reception from Manning on 3rd-and-3 from their own 29. 

 Players who impressed for the Giants:

-Manning was sharp in the first quarter, especially on the first drive, when he completed 5-of-6 passes for 54 yards.

-Smith also made a 17-yard reception on a 3rd-and-6 from his own 24. Manning was eluded the sack very well on the play.

-Chase Blackburn made a nice play behind the line of scrimmage on a reverse to Randle El for an 11-yard loss.  

Players who struggled:

-Bradshaw couldn't convert a 3rd-and-inches on a toss, leading to a Tynes field goal. Brandon Jacobs failed on a 3rd-and-short too. (He failed on fourth down on the first play of the second quarter as well.)

What to watch for in the second quarter: Can the Redskins get anything going through the air? (They have -4 passing yards.)

End of the 2nd Quarter: Giants 17, Redskins 7

Giants' second scoring drive: 6 plays, 44 yards, 3:10

Scoring play: Manningham 30-yard pass from Manning (Tynes kick)

Key play: Hixon caught a 10-yard pass from Manning on 3rd-and-9 from their own 43.

Giants' third score: Umenyiora 37-yard fumble return (Tynes kick)

Redskins' first scoring drive: 6 plays, 77 yards, 1:50

Scoring play: Smith 8-yard run (Suisham kick)

Key play: Smith's fun around the end on a fake field goal.

Players who impressed for the Giants:

-Webster made an interception on Campbell's pass along the sideline.

-Jacobs caught a pass out of the backfield for nine yards.

-Umenyiora not only recovered Campbell's fumble, he also stripped the QB. 

Players who struggled:

-Nicks dropped a pass wide-open over-the-middle that would have gone for a first down.

-Manning was stripped on a 3rd-and-6 from his own 29.  

What to watch for in the third quarter: Can the Giants stop fake field goals?

Here are some halftime stats: 

Giants

Manning: 12-of-16, 138 yards, TD; Jacobs: 10 carries, 37 yards; Bradshaw: 7 carries, 43 yards; Manningham: 3 catches, 58 yards, TD; Blackburn: 2 tackles, 1/2 sack

Redskins 

Campbell: 6-for-8 for 92 yards, INT; Portis: 8 carries for 46 yards; Cooley: 3 catches, 35 yards; Fletcher: 8 tackles

End of the 3rd Quarter: Giants 17, Redskins 10

Redskins' second scoring drive: 4 plays, 2 yards, 1:57

Scoring play: Suisham 27-yard FG

Key play: Manning's INT (see below).

Players who impressed for the Giants:

-Tuck tackled Portis in the backfield for a loss of five yards.

Players who struggled:

-Jacobs took a handoff on 3rd-and-1, but had a defender in his face as soon as he handled the ball. 

-Manning threw a pass under pressure, and it was intercepted by DeAngelo Hall. 

What to watch for in the fourth quarter: Can the Giants start the '09 season with a win?

End of game, as the Giants defeat the Redskins, 23-17.

Giants: 1-0

Redskins: 0-1

Scores by quarter for the Giants: 3, 14, 0, 6

Scores by quarter for the Redskins: 0, 7, 3, 7

Giants' fifth scoring drive: 8 plays, 44 yards, 4:47

Scoring play: Tynes 45-yard FG.

Key play: Bradshaw nine-yard run on 2nd-and-1 from the Washington 41-yard line. 

Redskins' third scoring drive: 7 plays, 72 yards, 1:42

Scoring play: Cooley 17-yard reception from Campbell

Key play: Randle El 11-yard reception on 3rd-and-2 from their own 36-yard line. 

Here are your three stars for tonight's game:

1. Manning: 20-of-29 passing, 256 yards, TD, INT

2. Umenyiora: 3 tackles, sack, 37-yard fumble recovery for a TD

3. Manningham: 3 receptions for 58 yards and a TD

Here are some other final stats:

Giants Bradshaw: 12 carries for 60 yards; Jacobs: 16 carries for 46 yards; Smith: 6 receptions for 80 yards; Boss: 3 catches for 62 yards; Tynes: 3-for-3 on FGs; Johnson: 6 tackles 

Redskins: Campbell: 19-of-26 for 211 yards, TD, INT; Portis: 16 carries for 62 yards; Randle El: 7 catches for 98 yards; Cooley: 7 catches for 68 yards and a TD; Fletcher: 11 tackles

Okay, that's all for tonight's game. Check back above for updates on my pregame keys to the game. Thanks to all for coming out.

As always, it was my honor and pleasure to bring everyone all of tonight's live game action.

See ya'll back here on Sept. 20, as the Giants visit the Cowboys at 8:20 p.m..

Goodnight!  

Ramses Barden wins essay contest

Wednesday September 2, 2009 6:03 PM By Tom Rock

OK, so it's not exactly an essay contest. It actually started as a bit of a goof, a chance to make rookies squirm. The veterans asked the rookies to write down what it means to them to be Giants.

But at today's Kickoff Luncheon in NYC, amidst the flurry of awards handed out for the 2008 season, the team asked Ramses Barden to read his essay.

Here it is:

"For those of you that have asked me about rookie hazing, this is it. I wrote this last night and I really kind of felt like it came from the heart.

"Most kids grow up with some sort of athletic background, be it little league baseball, pee-wee football, AAU basketball or all the above. The vast majority of their athletic careers never materialize past high school due to the extremely competitive atmosphere of collegiate and professional athletics, while their love for sports and desire to participate continues to grow.

"The NFL epitomizes the bond between those gifted enough to achieve professional excellence and those with an insatiable appreciation for football.

"The New York Football Giants believe in the long-standing values of competition, integrity, courage and toughness and have afforded me an opportunity to partake in such a tradition. It's a great feeling to be part of an organization that knows how to win and has no tolerance for anything less.

"I am excited to earn the trust and respect of my teammates and become part of this storied winning family. The Giants have one vision and I am honored to be part of a team that only settles for Super Bowl championships.

"One Team - One Goal!"

By the way, the awards went as follows: MVP was given to the offensive line of Kareem McKenzie, Rich Seubert, Shaun O'Hara, Chris Snee and David Diehl. Eli Manning was named Offensive Player of the Year. Justin Tuck was named Defensive Player of the Year. And Jeff Feagles was named Special Teams Player of the Year.

(Photo: Getty Images)

Rich Seubert takes aim for heart research

Thursday April 16, 2009 5:14 PM By Tom Rock

On the off chance that there are any Giants fans reading this in the vacinity of Eau Claire, Wisconsin -- or if you are looking for a fun road trip this weekend, perhaps -- I should tell you about the annual Rich Seubert’s Celebrity Trap Shoot being held this Saturday, April 18, at Eau Claire Rod & Gun Club.

Seubert will be joined there by Chase Blackburn, Zak DeOssie, Madison Hedgecock and Kareem McKenzie along with a few other local celebrities and business people.

Seubert created an endowment at Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation in honor of his grandmother, Celine Seubert, who had a heart transplant more than 20 years ago. The endowment is earmarked to benefit heart research.

“I am excited to work with Marshfield Clinic to generate money for heart research, an area that is so important for my family,” Seubert said. “If my work will help ensure that other heart patients and their families get an extended lease on life, that will be a great way to honor Grandma.”

Last year’s event, which attracted 250 shooters and guests, raised nearly $200,000 for heart research.

For more information about the April 18 event, go to www.marshfieldclinic.org/trapshoot or contact Jill Kurszewski, Marshfield Clinic Development Department, at 715-389-5146 or kurszewski.jill@marshfieldclinic.org.

Giants offseason: Offensive line

Tuesday February 17, 2009 2:29 PM By Tom Rock

Not much tinkering that needs to be done here, but every team in the NFL wants to be deep at the position because you never know when one of the big guys will hit the ground.

Position: Offensive line

Need rating: 5

The Breakdown: On the surface nothing really needs to be changed. The Giants led the league in rushing, allowed only 28 sacks, and were roundly touted as not only an important piece of the team’s success but as the MVPs of the NFL. Four-fifths of the line has been locked up with long term contracts – Chris Snee, Shaun O’Hara, David Diehl and Rich Seubert all signed in the last two years – while right tackle Kareem McKenzie is playing on a seven-year deal that takes him through the 2011 season. But every team needs depth at the position, even if they don’t use it. That group of five might have started 32 straight regular season games together – the longest such streak in the NFL – but it’s just a matter of time before a freak injury sidelines one of them or Kareem McKenzie, who struggled with back issues late in the season, needs to be sidelined. Grey Ruegamer could fly away as a free agent, and the Giants also have Adam Koets and Kevin Boothe as backups.

The Options: Last year the Giants brought in Shane Olivea with the idea that he would be an experienced backup and maybe even compete for a starting job. Olivea didn’t last long – a back injury cut his training camp short – and they wound up going with the three backups we mentioned earlier. They also have Guy Whimper coming back from IR. They haven’t drafted an offensive lineman in the first three rounds since they took Snee in the second round of 2004. If they decide they need some young blood at the position and perhaps someone who could step in and start at the right tackle position if need be, they could look at William Beatty, a tackle from Connecticut who should be around when they make their first round pick, or Alex Boone from Ohio State who could be around for their late second round pick. The Giants do love their Big Ten tackles. In free agency, the Giants probably aren’t looking at high-priced starters but a young bargain. Willie Colon is a restricted free agent on the Steelers and versatile Stacy Andrews of the Bengals was franchised last year so he’s an unrestricted free agent this season.

Eli: Giants tried to run on series in question

Monday January 12, 2009 3:16 PM By Tom Rock

Everyone is up in arms over that series deep in Eagles territory late in the first half of Sunday's game. As juch as we like to tag things, my feeling is that this one will be known for a while as "The First-and-5 Drive."

The Giants ran the ball effectively and then, after they had first-and-5, stopped. They threw three straight passes -- two of them incomplete and one for 4 yards on a Derrick Ward screen -- and had to not only settle for a FG but left enough time on the clock for the Eagles to drive and take the halftime lead.

Eli said today that one of the plays was actually called in from the sideline as a run but when the Eagles were showing blitz it was changed to a pass. He couldn't remember exactly which one it was.

So which one was it?

I'm guessing it was the third-and-5 play that wound up as the screen. On the first two plays it didn't look like Manning was making any changes at the line and the Eagles rushed just four linemen. On the third down, though, they came up to the line and Eli called a timeout. Jacobs was lined up in the backfield on the play (it was hard to see it because the FOX broadcast was showing a replay of Kevin Boothe at RT in place of Kareem McKenzie). When they came back out they were in a different formation and threw the screen to Ward.

Just wanted to put that out there since a lot is being said about the play-calling on that sequence.

New Year, old injuries

Friday January 2, 2009 11:21 AM By Tom Rock

The first Giants practice of 2009 is taking place with a few players on the sideline.

Brandon Jacobs, Michael Matthews, Steve Smith, Domenik Hixon and Zak DeOssie were all on the exercise bikes.

At one point Jacobs, Matthews, Smith and Hixon were all catching passes thrown at them while pedaling.

Justin Tuck, Michael Johnson and Kareem McKenzie missed Wednesday's workout but were on the field today.

Oh well

Thursday January 1, 2009 10:11 PM By Tom Rock

Had a chat with my editor the other day and we were talking about some story ideas as we get into the playoffs with the Giants. I don't think I'm giving away any industry secrets when I tell you that one of the stories we batted around was something on the offensive line.

"Just know," I warned him, "that I've been told they don't do those hokey photos where all five of them huddle around and look down at the camera."

Then I came home and saw this in my pile of mail:

Seven sit at practice

Wednesday December 31, 2008 11:23 AM By Tom Rock

And Gerris Wilkinson was not among them. The linebacker was back on the field for practice. A cynic might suggest that Bryan Kehl's nine tackles gave Wilkinson's health a boost.

Those who were held out: Hixon, Matthews, DeOssie, McKenzie, Tuck, Jacobs and Johnson.

That means that three of the four starters who sat on Sunday against the Vikes were back on the field today: Boss, Ross and Cofield. Jacobs was the fourth.

They also signed WR Paul Raymond from Brown to the practice squad. Finally, someone for DeOssie to talk to.

And Spagnuolo was on the field.

Tuck and McKenzie get a ride on the bikes

Wednesday December 10, 2008 12:31 PM By Tom Rock

The two starters found themselves on the exercise bikes for the portion of practice which we get to see. We can't be sure whether they are practicing or not -- we'll find out this afternoon when the injury report is released -- but it's certainly enough of a concern that they were there.

Both Justin Tuck and Kareem McKenzie appeared to be peddling well, for what it's worth.

And Aaron Ross showed very little limitations while practicing.