SB Nation New York: All Posts by Ed Valentine

POLL: Will Giants be over or under 9 wins for 2013?

2013-05-21T15:51:31Z

The New York Giants went 9-7 in 2011 and went on to win the Super Bowl. They went 9-7 in 2012 and went home early, missing the playoffs.

Well, it seems that the Giants and the nine-win mark are so synonymous that, heading into the 2013 NFL season, Las Vegas oddsmakers are simply stuck on that number when it comes to predicting how many games the Giants will win next season.

Joe Fortenbaugh of the National Football Post recently looked at the early 2013 win totals odds coming from bookmakers. All three sports books that have come out with win totals to date have placed the Giants over/under at nine.

I am not going to go through the schedule game by game and try to figure out which games the Giants "should" win. That is pointless as we have no idea what teams will look like at any given point during the season. If you want to peruse the schedule and try to figure that yourself, go right ahead.

As of today, would you take the over or under at nine wins?

Poll

Will the Giants be over. under or right at nine victories in 2013?

New York Giants' news 5/21: Coughlin book, OTAs, more

2013-05-21T10:41:20Z

Good morning, New York Giants' fans. Here are your Tuesday morning links.

Summer reading: Graham has staff studying Coughlin | Insiders

Shortly after his arrival in 2011, Arizona State coach Todd Graham had his staff read a book on former Sun Devil standout Pat Tillman. This off-season, Graham has picked out another book: Tom Coughlin’s "Earn the Right to Win."

"I think it really fits us right now," Graham said. "If you get a chance, just read the beginning of it. Michael Strahan says, ‘Hey, Tom Coughlin, I couldn’t stand the guy. He comes in here, he has all the stupid, petty rules. I didn’t understand why you had to wear the same colored socks to practice. What does that have to do with winning?’ And so it really correlates to what our players went through our first year here and about building trust. Strahan said, ‘When I decided to start taking pride in those stupid, petty rules, that’s when I became an All-Pro and that’s when we won the Super Bowl. I thought it was a great testimony for us."

New York Giants Set to Kickoff OTAs - Yahoo! Sports
As the New York Giants prepare to kick off the final phase of their offseason program -- the phase during which offense and defense can go against each other in seven-on-seven, nine-on-seven, and 11-on-11, no contact drills -- there are several storylines that will play themselves out over the next few weeks. Here's an overview of those.

NFL, union working on deal to move 2014 draft to May - NFL.com

San Francisco Favored to Host 50th Super Bowl - NYTimes.com

Will RG3 be ready for Redskins camp? GM isn't certain - NFL.com

Pro Bowl remains in trouble, supposedly | ProFootballTalk

Miguel Maysonet worth a flier for New York Giants?

2013-05-20T18:28:15Z

Former Stony Brook running back Miguel Maysonet was recently released from the Philadelphia Eagles under somewhat odd circumstances that show their might be some sort of divide between the type of players head coahc Chip Kelly wants and the players the Philadelphia scouting department is looking for.

Maysonet was thought likely to be the first Stony Brook player ever selected in an NFL Draft, but was bypassed by all 32 teams in April. ESPN reported that Maysonet received the highest signing bonus ($10,000) of any undrafted free agent running back, but never set foot on the practice field for Philadelphia.

The 5-foot-10, 210-pound Maysonet, a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, given to the outstanding player in FCS, rushed for 1,964 yards in 2012. Maysonet owns school and Colonial Athletic Conference records for career rushing yards (4,725), yards per game (127.7), touchdowns (53) and rushing attempts (695).

Should the Giants take a flier on Maysonet? They did show interest prior to the draft by having him in for their local pro day.

After David Wilson and Andre Brown, the Giants have Da'Rel Scott, Ryan Torain, seventh-round pick Michael Cox and undrafted free agent Jeremy Wright (Louisville) competing for the final couple of running back slots on the 53-man roster.

More From Big Blue View

State of the running game

Offensive line well stocked

Rookie mini-camp photo gallery

Giants' offensive line building toward the future

2013-05-20T12:30:35Z

When it comes to discussing the state of the New York Giants one of the constant refrains the past few seasons has been that the Giants desperately needed to infuse an aging offensive line with young talent.

Well, with the drafting of play everywhere Justin Pugh in the first round and mauling offensive guard Eric Herman in the seventh round of the 2013 NFL Draft look at what the Giants have accomplished.

There is suddenly a stable of young players who can be looked at to fill holes on the line -- those like right tackle that exist now, and those that may exist due to free agency, salary cap issues and age a year or two from now.

Beginning in 2009 the Giants have followed the George Young philosophy of collecting offensive linemen by selecting at least one in every draft.

In 2009, Will Beatty was a second-round pick, the 60th player selected overall. He is now among the league's best left tackles and a 28-year-old fixture on the line.

In 2010, the Giants drafted guard Mitch Petrus in the fifth round (147th overall). That didn't work out, but at least the Giants did not neglect to at least try and add some depth.

In 2011, James Brewer was taken in the fourth round (117th overall). He was considered a project at the time, but an athletic player who could pay dividends. Brewer will likely get looks at right tackle and left guard, and no matter what should play significantly more than the 34 snaps he played a season ago -- even if that is largely as an extra tight end.

In 2012, The Giants drafted guard/tackle Brandon Mosley in the fourth round (131st) and tackle Matt McCants in the sixth round (201st overall). Mosley spent 2012 on IR and McCants on the practice squad. Of the two, Mosley seems the most likely candidate to eventually contribute.

When the Giants drafted Pugh they made a fuss over his versatility. We don't know where he will end up, though he has begun at right tackle. Herman is a seventh-round pick and might amount to nothing. He might push his way into the mix to replace Kevin Boothe at left guard in a year, or take over for Chris Snee one day when the veteran's body finally breaks down.

The point of all of this isn't to say that the Giants have "fixed" their offensive line. Some statistical measures will tell you that the line wasn't broken in the first place, although watching the games and seeing the struggles in short yardage and the hoops the Giants jump through at times to keep Eli Manning protected might tell you a different story. It also isn't to say that when the 2014 NFL Draft rolls around the offensive line is a position they should ignore. It isn't.

The point is that the Giants now have options all along the line, possibilities that did not exist all that long ago. And that bodes well for the future of that group.

New York Giants' news, 5/20: Jake Ballard, Cooper Taylor, more

2013-05-20T11:00:08Z

Good morning, New York Giants' fans! Here are your Monday morning links.

NFL notes: Jake Ballard could be key figure | Boston Herald

The Pats ruffled some feathers last offseason when they snatched [Jake] Ballard off waivers from the Giants. No one in the Big Apple was happy when that happened. Giants coach Tom Coughlin reportedly was livid, particularly over the fact Ballard was left exposed in the first place. Patriots coach Bill Belichick also took heat in some corners by violating an unwritten rule that frowns upon claiming injured players.

At the time, the poaching of Ballard didn’t make much sense in light of the Pats’ stable of premier tight ends, but when injuries enter the picture, the move appears a shrewd one, especially if Ballard picks up where he left off with the Giants.

The 6-foot-6, 275-pound tight end looked pretty good during the Giants Super Bowl season, catching 38 passes and scoring four TDs in the regular season. He also hauled in five more passes during the postseason run before blowing his knee out in the Super Bowl against the Pats.

What we know from what we’ve seen during the Giants games against the Pats, is he was very effective, with Eli Manning hitting him time and again during key situations. He was also a decent blocker.

Rookie safety models himself after former Giant - NYPOST.com

[Jason] Sehorn said he hopes the Giants don’t ask [Cooper] Taylor to bulk up for a move to linebacker. "Size is the box they place you in in the beginning, and it’s up to you to convince them it’s inappropriate or it’s wrong,’’ Sehorn said. "Leave him at safety. Let him break the mold. I know when I got to the Giants that first year they put me at safety and I was kind of miserable because I didn’t really want to play safety. I felt I was athletic enough to play corner.’

Cruz talks "moving slowly" | ProFootballTalk

Giants receiver Victor Cruz continues to look for a load of chips to go with his salsa. A source with knowledge of the situation tells PFT that the Giants and Cruz continue to talk, but that the process is "moving slowly." Talks are expected to resume this week.

Charley Casserly's best available free agents - NFL Videos

Dwight Freeney agrees to two-year deal with Chargers

Giants Insider: DT Jonathan Hankins

Sunday 5/19 Open Thread

2013-05-19T13:08:27Z

It's a slow Sunday, at least football-wise. So here is an Open Thread for your enjoyment today. Chat about whatever you like in the world of sports.

The New York Knicks are done, having been ousted in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semi-finals by the Indiana Pacers. Commiserate with Knicks fans at Posting and Toasting.

The New York Yankees keep winning games despite fielding a roster of non-descript journeymen and young players. It really has been amazing, and fun to watch. Pinstriped Bible is your place for Yankees talk.

Bummed that Saturday's Preakness Stakes victory by Oxbow means there once again will not be a Triple Crown winner in horse racing? Visit And Down The Stretch They Come for full coverage of that.

Are you a New York Rangers fan? The Blueshirts trail the Boston Bruins in their playoff series with Game 2 this afternoon in Boston. See Blueshirt Banter for full Rangers coverage.

New York Giants' rookie mini-camp photo gallery

2013-05-17T14:43:03Z

View this gallery here.

New York Giants' news, 5/17: Aaron Curry, Dwight Freeney, more

2013-05-17T12:14:58Z

Good morning, New York Giants' fans! Here are your Friday morning links.

Curry believes he can be "impact linebacker" | New York Daily News

"I’m very optimistic about the future," Curry said."I really believe I have the ability to be an impact linebacker on this defense. I feel like I can affect each play that I’m in the game."

Dwight Freeney is still interested in signing with the New York Giants - ESPN New York

Dwight Freeney would love to play for the Giants, according to his father.

"His heart is with ... talking to him, he would love to be with the Giants," Hugh Freeney told Sirius radio's Adam Schein. "But the Giants unfortunately ... doesn't have the money for it. They're broke."

New York Giants - Damontre Moore ready to heed Justin Tuck's message - ESPN New York
When Damontre Moore first arrived to the Giants facility last week, the rookie defensive end found a note in his locker stall. The note was from Justin Tuck.