Giants Display Dominance

The interesting part of the Giants - Tampa game last Sunday is what didn't happen. The Giants didn't register a single sack. And Brandon Jacobs ran, well, very un-Brandon like. I can't stand Tony Siragusa and Moose Johnson is even worse, so I hate to admit I was having the same thoughts they were verbalizing last Sunday. Well, not the exact same thoughts. Siragusa displayed his ignorance when talking about how Jacobs "has to learn to hit people". I don't know what rock he's been living under, but he obviously doesn't know jack about Brandon.

But Siragusa's ignorance aside, Brandon was running very tentative and tip-toeing as he approached the line. I don't recall seeing him lower his shoulder into a single defender on Sunday. I'm not sure if he had a touch of the flue, a sore leg, or a hangover - but it is critical for Jacobs to get back to his old self in a hurry before New Orleans arrives. The Giants need the smash mouth, bruising Brandon Jacobs - and they need him in a big way. When he plays his game, he leads the entire team - on both sides of the ball - by example and lifts the energy level of every player on the team. If the Giants are going to win the tough games down the stretch, they are going to need the real Brandon Jacobs to play his game.

Now - back to the story of last Sunday. Despite the Giants not playing their top game - indeed, not even close to their top game - and despite injuries up and down the line up - the Giants talent level - and depth - was on full display by the fact they completely dominated the Bucs. Tampa didn't register a single first down on offense until mid-way through the third quarter. And the Giants moved the ball seemingly at will - eventually putting David Carr into the game with over a quarter left to play. It was such complete domination that it was difficult to remember that these were paid professional football players on the other side of the line of scrimmage.

And - for yet one more game - the receivers - especially Steve Smith - were impossible to cover. And, with Nicks coming back tomorrow against KC, it is becoming increasingly clear that the wide receiver corp is not only not going to be a weakness, it is going to be (and already is) a strength of the team. And I continue to predict, as I have since his rookie year in 2007, that Steve Smith is going to end his career holding every single Giants receiving record.