Bend Dont Break

           It’s been a tough week for the New York Giants.  In the last few days, when the headlines have swayed to the Jets, the Giants have squished themselves into the back-pages too.  What happened Sunday night in Indianapolis was truly deplorable, but let’s not circles Coughlin’s wagon just yet.  The fans are panicking because of a loss on the home turf of the defending AFC champion Colts.  The questions are back?  Has Coughlin lost the team?  Where’s the leadership?  Is Perry Fewell the answer for the defense?  Giant’s fans take a deep breath and stop riding the Giants emotional roller coaster.  Its week three, and even I needed to take a step back from my emotions (My facebook post following the Giants game), and rely on trans fats and cholesterol to give me my heart attack, not a football team.  My immediate panicking became more of an Alphred E. Newman, “What, me worry?” attitude after thinking of the past.

            These questions have always been answered on good terms.  The early eighties, the early nineties and just as recently as three years ago we asked similar questions.  The answer was always YES.  Yes, hiring from within the organization is good: Bill Parcells.  Yes, Hostetler can be successful in the playoffs with Simms hurt.  Yes, Coughlin and Spagnuolo can turn around a 0-2 start.  The defense and the offensive line looked like they missed the preseason in Indy, but don’t forget who they were playing.  The fans were pumped up to see the disgraceful 2009 Giants defense turn it around against Carolina in week one.  Folks, it was Carolina with Matt Moore at the helm, not Payton coming off a loss and opening up Lucas Oil Field.  The “bend don’t break” Fewell defense will get back on its feet.  The Giants have too much talent on that side of the ball not to.  It was Indy’s home opener and it didn’t matter how early the Giants got to the stadium, Antrel Rolle, the result was not going to be good. 

            2007 turned out to be a pretty good year if I’m remembering correctly.  How did we start?  0-2, giving up an average of 40 points to Dallas and Green Bay.  They had two pretty good quarterbacks too, guys named Romo and Farve.  Hmmm I think we also lost to Dallas twice that season, only to beat them and the Packers on the way to hoisting up a Lombardi trophy.  After losing the first two that year, the Giants got healthy and aggressive under new defensive coordinator Spagnuolo and ripped off six wins in a row.  They gave up an average of 13 points a game in those wins.  The Giants are still not full strength health wise on both sides of the ball.  This week the Giants have to stop one person to get a win, Chris Johnson, the only legitimate threat on the Titans.  Vince Young is no Payton Manning. 

            Eli went down 4 times against freaks Mathis and Freeney.  The offensive line is the same great line they have always been, just a bit banged.  Don’t forget that Boss was a critical scratch against Indy and will play this week.  He’s important because he could have helped a lot more in blocking schemes to give Eli time last week.  Travis Beckum is a route first tight end.  The run game will also return this week.  Brandon Jacobs has since apologized for his irrational mistake on the sideline, and finally got an explanation about his spot on the depth chart. (Why he needed one, I don’t know)He will return to North and South running.  The Antrel Rolle distraction was not even that.  He’s new people, and has not adjusted to the Giants style of football.  Tuck will talk to him. 

            Bottom line fans is, just like Perry Fewell's defensive strategy “Bend Don’t break” when the Giants take one on the chin, the season is not over.  Ups and downs are going to happen. Are the Giants a Super Bowl bound team right now? Who knows, it’s week three.  Let’s play 16 games and see what happens