'Bring the Pain' Stepping away from the panic button, slowly

I'm easily as frustrated at today's game as any out there. That was a pathetic showing, on the national stage, against a division opponent. I was in the game chat venting my frustrations with the rest of you but I am going to take a step back in my evaluations and acknowledge a few things before 'bringing the Pain'.

It was one game, week one and we're in no worse position than half of the league at 0-1. We played the Giants, recognized by many as the or one of the best teams in the league. For as poorly as we played, we were within a touchdown going into the 4th quarter. It sucks terribly to have to deal with this upcoming week but it's not the end of the world or the season.

Ok, time to 'Bring the Pain'. I've only got one victim this week, Jim Zorn.

Playcalling-Wow, that was the worst game I'd seen called since, well last season's opener. Some obvious examples:

-Plain stupidity-How can you call a WR reverse pass on the 2nd game of the season? Any jr. high school coach knows you have to set that play up. That sapped all momentum from the opening drive. Yes, Randle-El should have thrown the ball out of bounds, but more importantly, he shouldn't have been in that position to begin with!! Terrible decisions all around.
-Run/pass ratio-We trailed from the first snap the offense took yet Zorn called the game as if we held a 17 point lead. All but 3 possessions started with a run. ALL BUT 3! I understand wanting to keep the running game viable, but when you are running the ball on 2nd and 9 while you are down 2 possessions on your side off the 50 in the 4th quarter is moronic.

-Having the pulse of your players-Whatever you think about Jason Campbell as a QB, one thing is known about him. He is a rhythm passer. Get him going early and in a comfort zone and he's much more successful. One thing jumps out at me about him, he's much more comfortable and confident in the shotgun. For example, he was 14-17, 171 yards, TD today from the shotgun (6-6, 70 yds on the final drive) & 5-9 for 40 yards under center. If I can recognize that from my La-Z-Boy, Zorn should recognize this as well. I think his stubbornness gets in the way of what's best for the team. I am a JC supporter so take this with a grain of salt but you can be successful with him IF you put him in positions to do so! Let him do what he does well rather than trying to make him do what you ideally want someone to do. I think good coaches tailor what they do to the players they have and what they do best, not the other way around.

Team management and preparation-Pretty terrible showing in some really basic areas. Tackling, discipline, conditioning, penalties. We weren't physically whipped, completely out schemed (aside from Blache's vanilla defenses) or out-talented. We were beat, as usual, on the little things. Lack of gap integrity, poor effort on tackles, lazy/sloppy play. One of my biggest gripes with Zorn this preseason was how little he used the starters. He was acting like we were coming off of a Super Bowl run and returning all 22 starters.

We came out with nothing and stayed that way. The Manningham TD was the type of defensive effort that gets high school coaches fired. The Boss completion late in the 4th quarter, every DL stopped their feet while the play was alive and the QB had the ball in the pocket.

Finally, one specific gripe from last season that seems to have carried on, why is Laron Landry playing 20 yards off of the line of scrimmage?!?!? If he's one of our defensive playmakers, put him in positions to make plays!!!

I still think we've got 10 win talent and will go on a nice run with some lesser teams on the horizon.

nice post Pain i totally agree need more shotgun plays

Great post Paintrain! The playcalling was just horrible and frustrating to watch. I thought the tackling by the secondary was freaking awful. The offense is just bad, we need something.

Great post Paintrain! The playcalling was just horrible and frustrating to watch. I thought the tackling by the secondary was freaking awful. The offense is just bad, we need something.

Receivers.

Moss, 2 catches 6 yards
Kelly, 1 catch 6 yards
Thomas, EL ZIPPO

But, it all begins, and ends, just look at the Giants, and we say it year in and year out, up front on the offensive line.

Receivers.

Moss, 2 catches 6 yards
Kelly, 1 catch 6 yards
Thomas, EL ZIPPO

But, it all begins, and ends, just look at the Giants, and we say it year in and year out, up front on the offensive line.

You forgot one ARE the MOST productive one.....just under 100 yards.

Receivers.

Moss, 2 catches 6 yards
Kelly, 1 catch 6 yards
Thomas, EL ZIPPO

But, it all begins, and ends, just look at the Giants, and we say it year in and year out, up front on the offensive line.

It all starts on the sideline. The Giants have one of the best OL in the game, but there are plenty of teams with worse OL (even worse than ours) that are effective in passing the ball based on their play calling.

Receivers.

Moss, 2 catches 6 yards
Kelly, 1 catch 6 yards
Thomas, EL ZIPPO

But, it all begins, and ends, just look at the Giants, and we say it year in and year out, up front on the offensive line.

Campbell wasn't exactly running for his life this afternoon. Yeah, they got to him a couple of times, but the fumble by Umenyora was more a product of Jason holding the ball too long.

Seemed like the protection was basically there today.

I certainly didn't like the runs on so many first and second downs when playing from behind.

The defense needed to get off the field and could not all day. The giants ran all kind of clock and wore them out.

There were only two calls I *really* thought were bad:

First, when DeAngelo picks off that ball, the first play should be a shot into the endzone. Go for the throat on that play. That five yard loss run took the air out of us.

Second, when the giants are running clock at the end of the game well within FG range and you get a sack and a holding penalty is called, TAKE THE PLAY. Don't give them 1st and 20 and more time to run the clock and more chances.

Giants are a good team. They seemed unfazed by the loss of two good WRs and their D is better than last year. We started very slow last year as well. As you say, no need to hit the panic button yet. Calling for Campell's or Zorn's job at this point is shortsighted to say the least.

If we lose to the Rams and the Lions, I'll dig my torch and pitchfork out of the closet and join the mob.

I thought protection was ok, but I agree 100% on playcalling. Where was Kelly? Thomas? Davis? Cooley and ARE got 18 catches, and played well, no knock on them, but where were the rest? I just didn't understand

That last drive is a bit deceiving. It was garbage time. Judge Campbell on the plays that matter. QBs always pad their stats when the outcome has already been decided. Not impressed with 6-6 at that point in the game.