Terry Shilton

CONTEST

Here is the Jones Soda contest details, please submit a series of photos and captions from the NFL, feel free to use your own photos or ones you can find on the web and put them together in some type of theme. Your favorite team or player, All time team, most hated, best TD dances whatever, anything you can think of send me the photos and captions to theshiltons@shaw.ca, along with your name address and theme. Please submit at least 4 photos and captions but please feel free to send as many as 12, enter multiple times if you like, the winning pictures and theme will have their idea immortalized on a custom case of Jones Soda, and be sent the case along with other Jones goodies. Depending on the interest, runner up prizes may be awarded as well…

PREVIEW

This is one of those games, I can feel it going in we have nothing to lose and everything to gain, real possibility of this being a statement game, if this team is to make a playoff push what better place to start, we are terrible on the road, terrible after a bye total of 2-7 under coach Holmgren. New beginning, has been the buzzword at practice all week but can we really forget ourselves and start fresh?

OPPONENT OVERVIEW

The Giants are a team that has come together under their coach, Coughlin has always been considered a good coach but often times thought too tough, or old school but no one can argue his results with the Giants they got hot at the right time and rode that wave to a ring. This season fresh off of shedding Shockey losing Strahan to retirement, then losing Osi to season ending injury it seemed like the Giants might just fold under the pressure but they haven’t missed a beat, I certainly didn’t consider them even a minor threat to repeat after the pre-season but it’s hard to argue withtheir success on both sides of the ball top ten ranked offense in every major category 6th in points, 4th yards, 8th in passing yards, and 4th in rushing yards. Then defensively 2nd lowest points allowed, 4th yards, 5th passing yards, 7th in rushing yards impressive right? yes but a little less when I realized two of these wins were Cincy, St Louis.

KEYS TO VICTORY

Offense

1) Avoid the Big Turnover, the Giants defense have been timely and they convert turnovers to points at key times, Matt Hasslebeck has to protect the ball in this game and look for our defense to make plays to give him opportunities trying to force it against this defense will just leave us with a Giant headache.

2) Julius Jones, Maurice Morris is out, Julius has been dynamite the last two games, I keep hearing the ‘Big Show’ say he is not going to abandon the pass in this game and Julius will have a lot of touches, if I have had one criticism of Coach Holmgren this year, it’s his willingness to abandon the run and turn the keys over to Matt. This is a very good Giants defense to win we are going to need a steady hand calling the plays even if the runs not working we have to stick with it, abandon it and we lose big, Julius need 30 plus touches Sunday

3) Bobby Engram, he seems to be so directly linked to our QB’s psyche it’s kind of scary, all week I keep hearing he’s this to us that to us, It would be huge for Matt’s confidence for them to find that timing early if he does I think it could be a long day for the Giants secondary as Matt will use that confidence to complete throws to the rest of receiving corp.

Defense

1) No Completions of 20 or More, Eli Manning is a master of the long ball especially when he has Plaxico Burris on the field, these big plays are a perfect compliment to their pounding running game I don’t think we can completely stop the run but if you can stop the pass at least the bomb, well have a good chance coming away with the win.

2) Compete for the Ball, future coach in waiting Jim Mora was quoted this week saying our “corners have been in positions to make plays but theirs that one moment” I think he called the Golden Opportunity you weither make a play or you don’t and we have not, Eli is known at time s to take some chances or make a questionable throw if that opportunity arise he have to grab it. Would the real Marcus Trufant please stand up!

3) Physicality, at the Rams game, in Seattle I could hear the pops Julian Peterson had two or three bone jarring hits on Stephen Jackson, the Giants are a physical a team as there is in the league, earn their respect by playing that game because physically if the Giants feel they can roll over us, they will.

KEY MATCHUPS

Eli Manning vs Plaxico Burris, Eli is without his security blanket his big play machine that is Plaxico Burris can he steady the Giants without his top option, or do the Hawks take advantage pressure him in too some bad throws and turn the tide.

Brandon Jacobs vs Julius Jones, both teams can run but what feature back steals the spotlight? you just know one of thes two guys is going to be the player of the game but which one?

Deion Branch & Bobby Engram vs Expectation, these guys come back into a terrible scenario they are expected to be difference makers, our offense has been different and I for one feel we would have been even with these guys, this sort of high flying west coast offense is difficult to win with just ask the Cardinals we needed to change run the ball more but the expectation is business as ususal.

THE LINE

The Line sits Seahawks +7, which bodes nicely for any risk takers out there? the Giants just narrowly escaped losing to the Bengals, but myself I can’t shake the history we are not a good road team, we are terrible coming off a bye, my money sadly if I had to bet would be with the Giants but my heart of course is with the Hawks.

THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT

This is going to be a great game to watch, alot of interesting duals at QB at HB the Secondary’s, the difference will be commitment and the Giants are committed to their coach, their style of play, their defense they know if they stick with what and who they are they will win more often than not, the Hawks are not sure what we are, we preach new beginnings but questions remain, this is to big a game for a team to be undergoing self analysis.

In short stat this week is completions over 15 yards, the QB dual will be a real deciding factor in this game and the “Big Plays” pay big dividends for both pivots confidence which ever QB manages to complete more of the big ones wins Sunday.

Please Check in with www.sportstalkbuzz.com’s Giants Blogger Adam Provost for his take on Sunday’s Matchup as well

Terry Shilton

This has been a week of renewed optimism, and starting over the coaching staff has been preaching that the season is still young and this is our second chance.

The return of Bobby Engram, Deion Branch, Maurice Morris, Seneca Wallace certainly gives the team a few more weapons offensively but Coach Holmgren hinted that this team isn’t going to get away from whats working just yet, “To think it’s going to be ‘Star Wars’ out there, that’s probably not the way it works.”

Holmgren went on to praise Julius Jones saying:

“Unless we’re calling a lateral run, normally speaking, we don’t lose yards with him. He’s going to go that way. After the first hit, he gains a little bit more. I learned a little bit more about his vision when he’s carrying the ball. And I also liked how he pass-protected. That’s the first time he’s done it for me. I’d seen it on film, but every time he plays, he’s a tough guy. I like it. He’s good.”

BEHIND THE SCENES

The Coaching staff had nothing but praise for Bobby Engram this week, there were tons of sound bites words like, team leader, locker room guy, production, dependable prasing Bobby’s efforts last season, his comeback and what it means.

Yesterday morning Coach Holmrem called him the “soul of the team” pretty heavy praise from the ‘Big Show’ and how does Bobby repay al this confidence? by putting his foot in his mouth.

“You would hope that you’re appreciated before something like that has to take place,” referring to his contract status, which as every one knows he’s not happy with. Bobby the team took a chance on you when you were at best a depth reciever, yes you made more of that opportunity than any one thought but your 35 years old and this is the NFL, durability is an issue your coming of a broken shoulder and have to date No Catches this season.

ROSTER NOTES

Maurice Morris is off the disabled list but will not play Sunday he’s still quite sore and a ways away from making an impact on the field, so fanatsy players Julius Jones will get the ball alot this weekend.

Also Koren Robinson is trying to play his way into NFL game shape he suffered some kneee soreness the first week of practice and is still trying to work through it, he debuts likely next week.

The replacement reciever situation gets interesting here is what I know; Billy McMullen and his big frame stay, he’s come on nicely and proved he will take shots to make plays over the middle. With Koren out that leaves Keary Colbert and Michael Bumpus left, both caught passes last week, Bumpus a TD. Personally I loved Micheal after the catch last week, straight arming people and trying to make the most out of it, and he has been our punt returner the last 2 weeks but I have to think Coach Holmgren takes the experience over youth Keary plays Bumpus sits.

Please check back towmorrow night as I’ll post my Gameday preview of our matchup with the Giants for www.sportstalkbuzz.com and release the full details of our Jones Soda photo Contest!

Terry Shilton

Mike Holmgren told the players to “take it easy” as Mini-Campers exited, advice players would rarerly here from Coach, but with an intact returning defense, some uncertainties on the offense at WR, the last thing these Hawks need is a key Injury.

Going into training camp this year: here is what a fan can expect, Bobby Engram will continue his holdout, as I mentioned in a previous post it’s not that I believe he’s not worth the raise but certainly at 35 any bargaining power he believes he has seems ridiculous to me. Does he actually believe he can sit out the year and make a camp next year at 36, small window Bobby prove you can follow your career year and I’m sure the Hawk’s will lock you up for 2 years more at market value.

Our Defense will be good, Coach Holmgren went so far as to say that “this defense can be in the top five in the league – if it plays close to the same on the road as it does at Qwest Field.” Mike Holmgren is not known for such prediction’s which leads to believe one of two things; one our defense has looked really good in Mini Camp or he’s using a tactic he has never employed before to motivate this group.

This years Hawks are also going into training camp with question marks on both sides of the ball, Mike Holmgren summed up the running back and reciever situation:

“The running backs and the wide receivers are talented, but it’s the two positions I have the most questions about going into training camp,”  “Our wide receiver group, I couldn’t tell you how we’re going to line up right now.”

Real sticky situation here especially in the backfield who starts, I think it has to be Julius Jones as his skill set, that includes blocking and pass catching abilities seems to offer the most upside but Maurice Morris is very much like Shaun Alexander in terms of running style and he looked very good at moments last year. Sources tell me early indicators have him looking the most comfortable in the backfield so far. Can Julius Jones’s ego take playing second fiddle or being pulled in favour of another back again?  I’m not sure it can, if he can’t be productive early it could be another long year for the Hawks running game.

As far as the recieving core, I have said this before but with DJ Hackett leaving and no replacement coming in and the where abouts contractually and the durability of Bobby Engram in question, I am worried about this years recievers. They were great last year and all but saved the season when the running game stalled, but right now I don’t see the depth to employ the 4 wides spread approach that was so succesfull last year. I haven’t officially heard yet but I’d like this team to use Seneca Wallace alot at the receiever position as he has looked great there in spot detail and has the athleticism to be a real factor, it’s a risky proposition I know as he is second on the depth charts at QB, but there remains quality backups on the free agent market at QB, but not difference makers at the WR positon.

Last Camp note came as quite a pleasant suprise to me as Coach Holmgren called out cornerback Kelly Jennings, “saying the right-cornerback spot opposite Marcus Trufant is open to competition.” Kelly started 15 of 16 games in this position and was very beatable, he remains to be one of these potential vs performance guys that every team has and every fan hates. He has the potential and athletic gifts to be a very good corner in this league but his performance has not come close to that potential yet, calling him out with competition at his position is likely the last straw.