Bam! Pow! Zing! Attack!

The problem with attacking defenses is that they are generally high risk and high reward. The attacking defense, in theory, makes a lot of big plays but is vulnerable to giving up the big play on occasion. On Sunday, the New York Giants defense epitomized to perfection what an attacking defense should be…except there wasn’t really any attacking. And no reward either.

Coming into the 2007 season, words like blitz, attack, pow, zam and zing were thrown around. You got the sense Steve Spagnuolo was going to launch a full-blown assault on opposing offenses with results so destructive that you’d need to peel jerseys off the turf. Here’s a secret that we’ve learned through the first two weeks of the season – the Giants don’t have the personnel to be an attacking defense.

Let’s look at the numbers:

Total Yards Given Up: 846 (621 Passing!)

Sacks: 2 (both by Justin Tuck – paging Osi Umenyiora and Michael Strahan?)

Interceptions: 2 (both by Gibril Wilson…Sunday’s was on a gift tipped ball)

Total Points Given Up: 80 (this isn’t the NBA)

If said “attacking” is going on, we’re doing a heck of a job, huh? Two sacks, two picks, 40 points a game.

There wasn’t a single defensive facet working Sunday. Pass rush was atrocious (I think I saw Brett Favre check his fantasy stats between a five-step drop and completion); linebackers can’t cover the middle of the field, (NFL tight ends can’t wait for Big Blue); and the secondary is prone to the big play (see: being torched by 57-year-old quarterbacks).

Bottom line, AGAIN, is that this is the same exact team as 2006 sans Tiki Barber. It’s the same old mistakes, same old excuses, same stupid penalties, same old Giants.

Jeremy Shockey and Amani Toomer both killed touchdown drives with stupid, stupid penalties. Don’t worry though, Tom Coughlin, the disciplinarian will work it out.

Excluding some promising looks from the offense, I am disgusted with the Giants’ performance Sunday. If there is any sense of pride left in this team, I’d ask that they please show it now. Losing is fine, just not like this. It’s hard to watch a team show no heart when thousands of Giants fans keep giving so much of theirs.

A Letter To Tiki Barber

Dear Tiki,

I never thought I’d ever hear myself saying this to you, but I think it’s time we move our separate ways. I need to get over you. We need to move on.

I’ll always cherish the memories, Tiki. Like in 1997 when you scored your very first touchdown in a Giants uniform. It was the touchdown that prompted me to switch jersey numbers – from 27 to 21.

And how about the 2000 season? Do you remember how much fun we had that year? It probably wasn’t much fun for you, though, considering you had to carry Ray Lewis on your back for much of the last game… and much of the New York Giants team for that season.

From 2002 on things just kept getting better and better. You were a mainstay in all the Giants top offensive categories and the Hall of Fame seemed in reach.

In 2004, I cried, literally, when you broke the Giants all-time rushing record. From section 325 in Giants Stadium, on a day when playoffs didn’t matter, I was there for you when you proved you hadn’t give up on the fans or the Giants.

And forget the fumbles; I forgave you for every single one. Forget 2007, when retirement crept into the conversation and the wins started to fade. I said it then and I’ll say it again, you deserved to go out how you wanted.

As much as I’m reticent to admit it, I’ve got to be an Eli guy now – and I stick up for my guys. I was disappointed in you this week, Tiki. Granted what you said about Eli may not have been too far off the fairway, but let the Giants’ locker room situation pan itself out. There’s enough going on in Giants’ land already without you stirring the pot.

Last season, you asked Giants fans to move on from you as you called it a career. Most fans I’ve spoken to had moved on quickly. Not me, though. It’s taken me until now to accept that you’re gone… and maybe it’s time for you to do the same.

I’ll miss you Tiki.

Best,

Ryan Response? Email me!