2010 Offensive Expectations

After the rollercoaster ride that the Giants put us all through last year, this coming season is loaded with expectations (although some are more of DEMANDS):

The Smash-Mouth Days Are Over – No, not the band. You can still drive with the windows down and blast "Walkin' On the Sun", although it’s a bit 90’s and personally a bit too weak for my taste. Smashmouth Football is a term that suited the Giants since I had a He-Man figure in my hand and watched Joe Morris pound the rock through opposing defensive lines. Run the ball down their throat, attack the QB on defense, control possession and control the clock. Simple formula that left the team with two 1,000 yard rushers (Jacobs and Ward) just 2 years ago. Last year was a sign that things are a changin’ for the offense. Eli is now rid of the big egos, drama and veterans with the loss of Plax, Shockey and Toomer. He has fully taken charge of the young receiving crew and last year his career highs in passing are a sure sign that the Giants are evolving to a more pass happy offensive attack. Which is a good thing for multiple reasons.

For one, our star RB Brandon Jacobs, just a year into his new deal, will never play 16 games with his hard style of running and constant knee injuries. Jacobs, Bradshaw and last year’s rookie Andre Brown are all potential starters and all coming off surgeries. That leaves yet proven Danny Ware and short yardage thumper Gartrell Johnson. The fact that the Giants did not add a running back in the draft or free agency (yet anyway) is a clear sign to me that they are going to continue to emphasize the pass game on offense. Factor in the plethora* of targets with Smith, Nicks, Manningham, Hagan, Barden and Moss at receiver, Kevin Boss at TE, Bradshaw and Ware out of the backfield and the still developing tight end/H-back/Wide Receiver/who the hell knows Travis Beckum; I fully expect to see lots of 4 and 5 receiver sets....Gilbride’s ability to change from run n’ gun to pass first is another thing altogether.

An Improved Running Game – We may not run over 50% of the time like we used to, but I expect at least a LOGICAL style of running this season. Last season was a disastrous drop off year for Brandon Jacobs and for the most part I blame Kevin Gilbride. On the field, the O-line lacked the push they used to have, but the play-calling trumped any failures by the players. My vocal cords are still sore from yelling multiple times per game as Brandon Jacobs was sent on a stretch run, bouncing to the outside. Before I could calm my rage, a few plays later I’d watch Ahmad Bradshaw get sent between the tackles. So what I expect....nay, what I DEMAND this year, is what every Madden 10 player understands; you send the big man up the gut and toss to the speedy guy outside. Simple and effective. Never mind the fact that Gilbride seemed to give up on the run game entirely way too early in most games. It seemed even when the Giants went down by a field goal, out game the 30 yard post routes and shotgun sets.

More Ramses Barden – File this under the demand column. We traded up a few spots in the 3^rd round last year to draft the 6’6” Cal Poly receiver. The excuses continually were “he’s raw talent” and that he struggled on special teams, so Hagan continued to get the start over him. Fine, but they made a move to land a 3^rd rounder who only started 3 games with just one catch for 16 yards. I don’t care if he’s not a ST’s gunner or not. The dude is 6’6”...get him in the red zone! Just run him on one end zone fade route jump ball and I bet he’ll sure up a roster spot.

Less Sinorice Moss – Every year he wows the coaches in camp with his speed and every year he’s invisible in a game. Time to sign off.

A Declining Offensive Line – After last year’s drop off in run production and pass production, everyone will be expecting improvement at the O-line....not me. Facts are facts. They didn’t draft or sign any young starters and they are aging. Offensive lines DO NOT get better with age.

Career Year for the Boss Man – Getting laid out after a catch over the middle, finding space, catches in double coverage...I’m not sure what else this guy needs to do to get on Eli’s radar. Maybe he needs the vocal chords of Jeremy Shockey, but I think he should be a go-to-guy this year and I expect him to post a great year. I still call him the poor man’s Witten.