Receiver Replacement

Bring Bodacious Braylon to Big Blue

The New York Giants were not the same football team without the agile Plaxico Burress on the field. The flabbergasting football feats Plaxico produced were prodigious. Number 17 was officially released from the team on Friday and now Jerry Reese has to fill the wide receiver hole hanging over the team. I whole-heartedly agreed with the decision to drop Burress. Reese left the door open for a happy return not long before Friday’s announcement. He and the Giants were more than willing to honor Plaxico’s remaining four year contract. The shallow Burress boasted a resounding resume and had everything going for him. He deserved the increased pay last off-season. But now, the misbehaving receiver and his greedy agent want compensation for last year’s missed playing time. Enough is enough. Plaxico took advantage of his star status and the team has every right to be angry. It was time for the Giants to move on, without the distraction of his off-field antics. Burress made a spectacle of the franchise by demonstrating his inability to stay out of trouble. The repeated suspensions and neglected meetings and practices became inexcusable and tiresome over the past few years. The reactionary result decisively disinfects the dark cloud in the clubhouse. His Giant teammates reportedly liked Burress but unfortunately must learn to trust a younger wideout or hope management drafts well this April.
Finding a replacement will be a giant task and pressing process for New York. You cannot teach an athlete size, and there are very few NFL players who can match Plaxico’s height and ability to catch passes. Domenik Hixon, Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, Sinorice Moss, and David Tyree are members of Tom Coughlin’s team with talent. Not one of them stands out as a number one go-to guy for Eli Manning.
Braylon Edwards of the Browns would be my choice for the Giants. He is an attractive option on the open market. Braylon is a play maker who is going into the last year of his contract. The five year player could be obtained via a trade and fill the spot vacated when Plaxico was passed on. The organization appears reluctant to part with first or third round draft picks in order to land Edwards now. Braylon could use a change of scenery and he’s communicated his desire to play in New York. In 2008, he accumulated 873 yards with only 3 touchdowns. The season before, he had a career year. Braylon ripped 1,289 yards with 16 touchdowns. The knock on Edwards are his dropped passes and inconsistency at the wideout position. However, Edwards did not have any fumbles last season. The Giants do not need him to be spectacular. They only need a solid receiving alternative to supplement the running game. Plaxico is a top 10 receiver. Edwards will never be elite but is a feasible replacement. He maybe ranks in the top 25 in the league. Braylon is 6’3” and 215 pounds but a more responsible football player than Plaxico could ever be. The 2005 number three overall draft pick has already been to the Pro Bowl. He plays the position well enough to learn the system, and is most effective in 1st or 2nd and long situations. Eli Manning will have to adjust and be willing to throw to his younger crop of receivers. I am really high on Edwards and would completely back a move to bring him to Big Blue this season.
The aspect Plaxico added was an opponent’s fear in covering the massive presence. He pressurized other players. Often he was double-teamed and the main focus of head coach’s pregame strategies. Edwards, or any of the other Giant receivers, do not exude fright. That was proven after Plaxico went down last winter and Manning was forced to pass the ball around. Hixon and Smith are both able to step up and will not go into shells. But they cannot be the main components because neither are deep threats. Moss is also considered in the mix and quietly and occasionally will catch some balls thrown his way. Hixon is better at short routes and Smith is quick, but better exploited in short-yard situations too. Hixon is exciting to watch but has questionable skills. He initially replaced Plaxico and handled the job as well as anybody could ask. Domenik made the Meadowlands his home and will have to be the new security blanket for Manning. Domenik starred at Akron and was primarily drafted by Denver as a return specialist. He’s a special teams ace and accrued numerous accomplishments in that area. Hixon has a take-charge attitude you admire in an athlete. Smith is similar in stance but a more polished player He has two years under his belt in New York. He already cemented himself in Giants history with a game changing catch during Superbowl XLII. Aside from the memorable 17 yard reception on 3rd and 11 late in the game, he also recorded 5 receptions for 50 yards. Savvy Smith begets flexibility and is a viable number two receiver. The Alaskan native caught 190 passes as a college player for the USC Trojans and I believe will have a breakout 2009.
Manningham was one of my favorite college players coming from Michigan, and he reminds me a lot of Edwards. Both were Wolverines; maybe that’s why. I just think Mario has more potential than he’s been given credit. The Ohio-born Mario appeared in 7 games last season and averaged 4.3 yards. Manning to Manningham should be the tandem announced by commentaries all around New York for years to come. Eli needs to take the time to make Mario fit in. Coughlin and his creative coordinators should infuse Manningham into the offensive plan. Tyree was the hero of the Superbowl over New England two years ago. His famous catch was a once-in-a-lifetime one, and I hesitate to consider him a consistent option for the Giants. If he returns, he is not going to see a lot passes but could bring depth to the team in long-yard situations. With Amani Toomer gone, the Giants do not have a veteran leader on the field offensively. Edwards could bring that leadership quality if the Giants were willing to take the risk in inquiring and acquiring him. He may not be the target on field Plaxico was, but it’s obvious the Giants are out of options. Manning can no longer have reservations about throwing to other players. Big Blue will have to model their game around a different player, or set of players. All that’s needed is to put the idea into practice this Spring and summer. It will take hard work but the team integrity will be better off for it.
If the Giants choose to wait until the April draft to snag a sleeper receiver, I like Percy Harvin. Harvin starred for the championship Gators and has speed, good hands and game-breaking knack. Texas Tech’s Michael Crabtree is another option and probably will be the first at the WR position selected. Big Blue are sure to find a future receiver in this year’s rookie class with 10 draft picks on tap.

Parting points: Excellent page turner- Anything by Washington Irving

Bird Bashing

Brandon and Bradshaw Bust-out
Who says three’s a crowd? Certainly not the NY Giants riled up running unit. Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw and Derrick Ward amassed 207 yards on the ground in Sunday’s 30-10 shellacking of the Baltimore Ravens. This performance was against a team yielding a league best average of 65 yards per game coming into week 11. Jacobs scrambled for 70 yards in the first quarter alone!
The early pounding by Jacobs set the tone for the now 9-1 Giants. New York was able to move the ball all afternoon, eat up the clock and keep the chains going offensively. The penetration through a very staunch Ravens defense was a compelling act for the Meadowlands faithful who endured wind and mid-November chills. Jacobs was sidelined after the first quarter but it wasn’t a problem for the Giants. The running game made itself felt, presenting an all together gnashing attack. Ward and Bradshaw were just as effective as Jacobs, almost outshining the star back. Ward weaved his way through Ray Lewis and the Ravens secondary as if he were indestructible. Bradshaw was even harder to take down, plowing his way like a bulldozer through the defensive line. Bradshaw, in his coming out party Sunday, had a 77 yard carry in the second half that shifted the momentum back NY’s way. There was no question what team was going to prevail in the battle of the NFL’s best offense vs. the best defense.
The Giants defense deserves credit too. They limited Willis McGahee and Ray Rice and shut down the entire rushing scheme. In fact, the Ravens leading rusher was rookie signal caller, Joe Flacco. Flacco showed his inexperience but I was impressed with his game management and mobility. The Giants’ Aaron Ross had two Flacco picks, including a heads up tipoff for a touchdown. His second interception virtually put all Ravens comeback hopes out the Meadowlands gates. Eli Manning wasn’t perfect nor even a big factor in the win. But, he did not need to be. He didn’t make costly errors and seemed to try to spread the ball around.
The Giants invent new ways of winning each week. If New York fails to return to the Superbowl, I would be surprised. At this rate, even the Tennessee Titans are not better than the Giants. They are playing so well and unless they incur a major injury, no team is going to slow them down. And, this year, they are undefeated at home. Last year they were considered road warriors.

Parting points: I really thought Ryan Howard was a shoo-in for NL MVP but congratulations to Albert Pujols.
It was nice to see the Cowboys come back last night. They needed that win. What happened at the end of the Steelers-Chargers game? I’m still lost on that call.

Dashing Derrick Delivers Despite Dismal Defense

The New York football Giants are 3-0 and tied on top of the NFC East with the Dallas Cowboys. Eli Manning had a genuine game, throwing to Toomer on third and ten in overtime to set up the winning field goal by John Carney. I liked what I saw from Derrick Ward on the ground. He carried the ball 9 times for 80 plus yards. The Giants secondary defense is another story. They allowed copious third down conversions and could not stop Carson Palmer from throwing for 286 yards. Even though the Giants are still sacking successfully and have restricted rivals from putting up points, the loss of Osi is obviously observed.

This was not the week to release Fred Taylor from my fantasy football team.

Who is more enjoyable to watch? Ken Griffey Jr. and his sweet swing or Reggie Bush breaking out? Just plain pretty performers.

Things I want to see in sports today: Lane Kiffin axed, Eric Mangini allowing Brett Favre to throw the ball like he knows how, the Chargers waking from their September slumber, the Mets stop stranding runners in scoring position, Joe Girardi admitting the season sensibly over

Parting points: I was disappointed Florida State lost to Wake Forest. I’d like to see the Seminoles contend in the ACC and stay near the top of the AP/Coach’s poll and be the team to beat in Florida (hard when the Tim Tebow-led Gators are 3-0)
Poll jumpers: Vanderbilt is 21, Wisconsin is 9 and LSU is 5.