Approach to the Game – New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles, December 7, 1997: If you listen to the “experts,” the Giants are as good as dead before they even walk onto the playing field at Veteran Stadium in Philadelphia. Hogwash! Yes, Philadelphia has only lost one game at home all season. Yes, they have momentum on their side after going undefeated in the last three games. Yes, they have given the Giants fits since the late 1980’s. But the Giants have a few things on their side as well: a tough defense, a good running game and a big offensive line, and a young quarterback looking to redeem himself. Make no mistake, the game on Sunday will be a war. To win, the Giants will have to out-hustle their opponent and make fewer mistakes. They also need some players who have been visibly absent in recent weeks (or all season) to step up and make a play. Be it a wide receiver, tight end, linebacker, or safety, someone needs to step up and make a statement.
Giants on Offense: Boo hoo. The Giants have lost Ike Hilliard, Thomas Lewis, Brian Williams, Derek Engler, and Rodney Hampton for most of the season. Boo hoo. Who gives a crap? Make a play — the NFC East is on the line! Play with passion, intelligence, and composure. Where it all starts is with the offensive line. LT Roman Oben (6-4, 310lbs), LG Greg Bishop (6-5, 315lbs), OC Lance Scott (6-3, 290lbs), RG Ron Stone (6-5, 330lbs), and RT Scott Gragg (6-8, 325lbs) have the size and strength to muscle and maul their Eagle opponents. The Eagles are quick, but not big in the front seven. They can be run on if everyone executes like he should. Eagles’ defensive coordinator Emmitt Thomas, one of the best in the business, knows the Giants have to run the ball. Like the Redskins and the Buccaneers, he will have his troops playing run and probably have his strong safety move up to the line of scrimmage. So what? Blow them off the ball. By playing so many people up at the line, the Eagles also risk a big run from HB Tyrone Wheatley, HB Tiki Barber, or FB Charles Way if and when they break through the initial contact. We would be very tempted to run a 2-TE offense and pound the ball at the Eagles. If running the ball doesn’t meet with initial success and the Eagles take an early lead, don’t give up. Keep pounding the ball. Each and every Giant offensive lineman must take it upon himself to defeat his man. Play physical, sustain the blocks, and hustle. Nothing takes the life out of defense and a hostile home crowd like a dominating running game. It’s time for the Giants to get back to the basics. It’s not exciting and it often isn’t pretty, but it is effective.
Because of the Eagles’ quickness, we strongly recommend largely abandoning the outside running game, especially in short yardage. The down five need to come off the ball quickly. Even though the Giants will be running the ball, we also think they can afford to do so with an upbeat tempo. Get in and out of the huddle quickly, get to the line, snap the ball, and get after it. The Eagles had problems with the Bengals’ upbeat style last week. Often times they barely got down into their stance before the ball was snapped. The Eagles may be quicker athletes, but the Giants can out-pace them.
FB Charles Way, a native Philadelphian, could have a big day, both in the running and receiving department. But the two men on the spot will be HB’s Tyrone Wheatley and Tiki Barber. Wheatley has been impressive in recent weeks, but it is time for him to take another step forward and dominate a game. He certainly is capable of it. But to do so, he needs to run with the type of leverage and power that he has been in recent weeks. Head Coach Jim Fassel also has to give him a chance to make an impact. Let Tyrone get into a rhythm. Don’t pull him in the middle of a drive, especially after a good run. Most fans don’t realize it until they see Tyrone in person, but he is a big, big man. He’s bigger than even Rodney Hampton. He can play a physical game when he sets his mind to it and the Giants need him to do so Sunday.
As for Barber, the time has also come for him to make the type of plays that win ball games. Time is running out on this season. Tiki has the explosiveness and quickness to break a game open, but hasn’t done so all year. It’s time. Tiki and his fellow backs will have problems eluding the coverage of the quick Eagle linebackers, especially OLB William Thomas, but they have to do so. Emmitt Thomas knows that Fassel likes to throw to his backs. Heck, the Eagles run the West Coast Offense themselves. Thus, the Eagles will be prepared for what the Giants are going to bring at them — what Tiki must do is to out-execute his opponents. The question will come down to who wants it more?
Much of what we are asking is for these young players to start growing up quickly. At no other place is this more needed than the wide receiving corps. These guys have talent. Kevin Alexander is not big, but he has good speed and quickness. He also has shown an aggressiveness to go up and outfight the defensive back for the ball. More of this is needed. David Patten is small, but he is exceptionally fast and has decent hands. It’s time for him to use his speed better by knowing when and how to switch gears at the appropriate moment. Amani Toomer has the most potential of all. He’s tall, strong, speedy, and he can jump like a deer. Prime time players want to make plays when the pressure is at its greatest. Toomer has a chance to be a quality receiver, but he has to want it badly enough. We know it may not be fair, but we also want to see Chris Calloway to take his game up another notch. He doesn’t have the great tools to work with, but he knows how to play the game and gets by with his savvy. He needs to make more plays like he did in Detroit in overtime. What we are asking for is not only for the receivers to get open and make the catch, but also to make the big play. Secure the ball, but then try to do something with it after the catch. The offensive coaches, for their part, must game plan in such a way to allow the receivers to make a play.
Aside from William Thomas, the Eagles have a lot of inexperience in their linebacking corps. They are good athletes, but they also may be prone to mental mistakes. This bodes well for the running backs on passing plays, but there is also an opportunity here for Howard Cross and Aaron Pierce if they, the coaches, and Kanell decide to do so. First and foremost, these guys have to want it. Giants-Eagles…at the Vet…first place on the line…what more could get your juices flowing? True competitors rise to this type of challenge. Cross is the senior veteran on offense. He’s a good blocker and the Giants will need him to block like a tackle on Sunday. But they also need him to make plays in the receiving department. And we’re not talking about one 2-3 yard completion. He and the coaches must get him deeper down the field. Same with Aaron Pierce. Block well, but also be a factor in the passing game. He has the speed to stretch defenses deeper than even Cross, but he has not delivered when called upon this year. Now is as good a time as any to change that. We hope Fassel and company try to get the ball into the tight ends’ hands at least eight times on Sunday. This will help take pressure off of the backs and receivers.
Again, as in the running game, the Giants can outperform the Eagles in the passing game by operating at a higher tempo. Danny Kanell must orchestrate this higher tempo by getting his troops to move quickly. Danny has to get rid of the ball quicker, but the line also has to do a better job in pass blocking. Get to the line, snap the ball, make a quick read, and get rid of it. Don’t hesitate and don’t force the issue. No turnovers, no sacks, but make plays down the field. The Giants can open up the running game by hurting the Eagles with the passing game. We’d take some shots deep just to loosen things up. Eagle CB’s Bobby Taylor and Troy Vincent are big and physical, but WR’s David Patten and Kevin Alexander may be able to out-quick them. For his part, Kanell has to regain some of that old swagger and confidence. Be aggressive, step up into the pocket, and deliver the ball accurately. The coaches can help here too. Give Danny some plays to work with. Surprise the Eagles by bucking tendencies. Hit them where they least expect it and get out of the Vet with a win.
Giants on Special Teams: The Giants must, absolutely must, outplay the Eagles in this department. This starts with coverage on their punts and returns and blocking on our punts and returns. Play physical, play with passion, play with intelligence (no penalties). Don’t give the Eagles good field position and create good field position for your own team. Someone other than Brandon Sanders (groin injury) needs to step up on coverage. On returns, the Giants’ blockers must give their return men some room to operate. Erric Pegram and Amani Toomer must not hesitate and run north-south with the ball. The Eagles have been playing better on special teams in recent weeks, but they can be burned in this aspect of the game. When given an opportunity, PK Brad Daluiso also needs to deliver. It doesn’t matter if it is a 30 yarder or a 47 yarder — the division is at stake. Good players make plays when needed the most.
Giants on Defense: These guys were flat last week. They were physically and emotionally outplayed. That crap has to stop here and now. Great defenses dictate to opposing offenses, play physically, intimidate, create mayhem, and force turnovers. The Eagles have a promising young quarterback, but he is still a rookie. Their offensive line can be controlled. But to force the rookie to make mistakes and control the line of scrimmage, the Giant defenders have to play the type of physical and emotional football that they played against the Redskins two weeks ago.
As with the offense, it all starts up front with the Giants on defense. DE Michael Strahan, DT Robert Harris, DT Keith Hamilton, and DE Bernard Holsey must dominate the line of scrimmage. First and foremost, as always, make the opposition one dimensional by taking away the running game. The Bucs ran left and up the middle against the Giants with great success last week and look for the Eagles to attempt to do the same. Hamilton, Harris, and Holsey (the three “H’s”) must play run defense much better against Ricky Watters, Charlie Garner, and Kevin Turner. Play stout, hit them hard, and wrap up. You can force Watters to fumble. When it comes to the pass rush, the down four simply have to get the job done. The Giants can’t afford to send too many blitzers at once because the Eagles run the West Coast Offense and can send out the backs and tight ends, as well as the receivers. The Giants need Michael Strahan to win his match-up with the Eagles right tackle and they need a regular and consistent push from the defensive tackles.
That being said, the Giants should be aggressive and come after QB Bobby Hoying more than a few times with a blitzer. However, we would vary these charges. On one play, send a linebacker, on another, send a cornerback. Keep Hoying and the Eagle backs guessing. This is a big game for the Giants’ linebackers. They must also be stout against the run, but must also be strong in pass coverage. Jam the tight end at the line of scrimmage — throw his rhythm off. Watch Watters, Garner, and especially Turner coming out of the backfield. The Giants not only need big games from Jessie Armstead and Corey Miller, but also Corey Widmer, Scott Galyon, and Marcus Buckley in coverage. Widmer has to take charge of the middle of the field and stop the inside running game.
The way to beat the West Coast Offense is to disrupt the timing and rhythm between the quarterback and the receivers. Much of this is the pass rush, but coverage is equally important. We hope Defensive Coordinator John Fox varies his coverages to keep Hoying confused. We also hope he has his cornerbacks chuck the receivers at the line of scrimmage. Don’t allow a free release to the inside as the Eagles love to run the slant. The safeties also need to step up and read the quarterback’s eyes and make a play. If Hoying stares down one receiver, an interception and easy score may result. The key for the Giants here is aggressive, physical corner play combined with smart reads from the safeties.