I’m not sure what to make of this game. Yes the Giants put 29 points on the scoreboard, won by 12, got six sacks, forced three fumbles, and picked off two passes. They held Frank Gore, a very underrated back, to 11 yards on 11 carries which is about as good as it gets. Stop the run and good things will happen. Chase Blackburn, filling in for injured Antonio Pierce, played a really fine game. Sounds like an outstanding effort, but something just didn’t feel quite right. Defensively, despite all the pressure, San Fran just missed on some big pass plays that could have made the game much more interesting. Then again, the blocked FG for a touchdown can only be considered a lucky play that kept the Niners in the game.
After putting up 14 points early, the Giants offense sputtered. I thought the Giants elected to pass way too much out of the shotgun on non-third down plays. And with that, they eschewed the play action fake, which really confuses me. I had read some analysis where it was pointed out the run game wasn’t clicking the way is usually does, resulting in an attempt to spread out the defense and put Manning in the shotgun. I really can’t buy that. Just the threat of the run game, especially one as daunting as the Giants’, can make play action work. Sometimes their philosophy really leaves me shaking my head.
One of the things I had planned on writing about was how having three quality running backs, when all healthy, is actually indirectly hurting the Giants. Specifically, I am referring to Ahmad Bradshaw. He is the most dynamic of the three, but gets the least playing time. Of course Coughlin quickly beat me to the punch by playing Bradshaw more on Sunday. He made his earliest appearance of the season by getting the call on a fourth-and-one situation deep in San Fran territory which he converted, leading to the second TD. Then Bradshaw got seven carries in the second half, which included a eye popping 17 yard beauty. But Bradshaw continues to be loose with ball, something he has to be absolutely correct (two fumbles – one overturned by replay, the other recovered by the Giants). While I want to make a case for Ahmad playing more, putting the ball on the ground isn’t helping his cause nor this team. He needs to be the game changing player in a positive way.
