Giants’ QB Rhett Bomar Made His Case for No. 2; Was it Enough?
When Jim Sorgi was placed on injured reserve and declared done for the season, rumors spread like wild fire that the New York Giants were on the market for Arizona Cardinals QB Matt Leinart.
The organization did think on it, but not for long, and Matt Leinart has reportedly dismissed rumors that he is demanding a trade.
It all makes sense, because Leinart was looking for a place to start, not ride the pine.
When I heard the news, the first thought I had was that Rhett Bomar is basically having an audition against the Patriots in the last preseason game. If he plays well, the job is his. If not, hello Kerry Collins?
Looking at the way he played both in this game and the game against the Steelers, if the Giants ever needed to call upon Bomar they would be in serious trouble. However, Coughlin told reporters in a conference call that they are impressed with how much he has improved since he arrived last year.
Funny, they must not be watching the same games.
Bomar has not been very turnover prone, which is encouraging, but he also has not been able to move the ball until teams bring in their third stringers.
He finished the preseason with 545 yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions, completing 52 percent of his passes. That looks pretty good right? Wrong.
All three of his touchdowns came with less than three minutes in the fourth quarter of the game, meaning the only time he was successful was when he was playing against guys that would either be third string backups or looking for work after Labor Day.
All that being said, Mike Garafolo of the NY Star-Ledger twitted earlier that “Coughlin is confident in ‘improved’ Rhett Bomar as Giants backup quarterback.”
Maybe it’s just backlash from Bomar’s last pass in the preseason being a 60-yard TD pass to Duke Calhoun (who??).
I’ve never been one to question the coaching staff, but I can’t hold my tongue on this one. If another option can be afforded, they’d better cough up the dough.
Brandon Jacobs is Reportedly Unhappy: Why It Isn’t a Real Problem
Brandon Jacobs is reportedly unhappy about being relegated to the No. 2 running back, siting his lack of carries in the preseason as the evidence that that is the case.
Many have speculated this is the situation because Ahmad Bradshaw had been getting most of the carries with the first team at training camp and he has been the clear No. 1 guy in preseason games.
This has had backlash, beginning with all major fantasy football outlets projecting Bradshaw as the better option for your teams.
This has apparently had an effect on the bruiser, going as far as telling ESPN that “no one’s your friend in this business. This is a cutthroat, backstabbing business.”
The good news is that Coach Tom Coughlin has come out and said several encouraging things and is apparently doing everything he can to keep Jacobs happy.
He not only said he was surprised by the idea of Jacobs being upset, but they had a talk today and assured both he and Bradshaw would be getting their fair share of carries, and the only reason he was being held back to this point was to keep him healthy.
This is good to hear because a happy Jacobs means no drama in the locker room, which is the last thing this team needs.
Personally, Jacobs needs to just play like he did in the past and just shut up and run.
Last year was a disgrace, and he has everything to prove to himself and the fans. He got his big money contract and seemingly was protecting his body on every run, rather than running over anyone who dared cross his path.
He was fearless prior to 2009; last year he looked like a scared deer in the headlights when he got the ball. Many people blame injuries, but it’s not crazy to think maybe he is satisfied with the money.
I hope he proves me wrong this season.
Matt Leinart Talks Subdued; What is The Final Solution?
According to several sources, including Giants beat writer Vinny DiTrani, the talks about trading for Matt Leinart as a backup have all but ended.
This is good news to this writer because not only is Matt Leinart not a great NFL QB, he’s not even a good one.
Leinart was given every opportunity to cease the starting job from Kurt Warner in 2008, and relinquished that opportunity. Now, the Cardinals have even benched him in favor of journeyman Derek Anderson.
The situation would not have been a good one. Leinart and head coach Ken Whisenhunt have already been talking about the fact that the problems they are having are becoming “non-football related,” implying Leinart is not happy with his current role as the backup.
The two took a meeting yesterday and put it all out on the table, but Leinart refused to make himself available to reporters after working out with the team Tuesday, indicating he was not happy.
A locker room problem is the last thing the Giants need after last season. Crisis averted.
So what is the solution to the problem, you might ask? Well, for the moment it seems like Rhett Bomar will move up the depth chart to No. 2. He essentially has this Thursday against the Patriots to prove his worth, as Tom Coughlin says he will play the majority of the game.
The first experiment against the Steelers was not pretty. Bomar played awful and looked lost at times. He’d better improve or the Giants will look to sign someone else.
New York Giants Injuries Have Them Searching For QB
Matt Leinart? Really? Are the Giants that desperate for a competent backup to Eli Manning that they would actually trade people to get someone who has looked downright awful in his short stint with the Arizona Cardinals?
For the team’s sake, I hope they find a suitable backup before they have to pull off this trade, considering the fact that they really don’t have any body on the team that I would like to see moved just for depth behind Manning, who has shown he is very durable by never missing a start.
Earlier today, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported three teams that had contacted the Cardinals about Leinart’s services, the Oakland Raiders and Buffalo Bills being the other two.
The other two teams make sense, since the problems Leinart and the organization are having is due to him not starting, so I don’t know why the Giants would bring him in to be the backup. It seems fairly obvious that the situation would not work in New York.
With Jim Sorgi being placed on IR yesterday they are in desperate need for a backup, but they can’t be that desperate, can they? The funny thing is the Giants probably won’t need the services of a backup, but to have their name leaked like this reeks of desperation.
The reasoning behind it all is probably because they said the same thing to themselves last year with the safety situation, and when Kenny Phillips was done for the year with a knee injury, the pain of watching C.C. Brown and Aaron Rouse try to play back there was unbearable to watch.
For now, Rhett Bomar will assume the backup role and Dominic Randolph will slide up to third string. Neither one have taken a regular season snap in the NFL.
It will be interesting to follow the development of the Leinart situation and where he potentially ends up. Check back for any updates if they include Big Blue and, following the signing of a backup, check back for an article predicting the 53-man roster.
New York Giants WR Victor Cruz Dominating Preseason
The New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz has been lighting up the second half of preseason games so far this year, but will he have done enough to make the team?
I’d like to think so. He leads the preseason in yards, touchdowns, and is second behind Jordan Shipley in receptions.
He really turned heads against the Jets’ backups when he turned in three touchdowns, completely dominating anyone the Jets through at him. The night was highlighted by an unbelievable one handed catch that made every NFL GM wonder why he wasn’t drafted.
But the real question is this: Is Cruz a diamond in the rough, or just a preseason performer?
With so many options at the wide receiver position, someone talented will be getting their pink slip, if you will, and have to look for work somewhere else.
It seems like the Giants have been in this place before. In 2007, when the Giants featured the three headed monster of Derrick Ward, Brandon Jacobs, and Ahmad Bradshaw, Ryan Grant was forced down the depth chart and onto the practice squad.
The Green Bay Packers must have been watching because he wasn’t there for long. They snatched him up and he has been great for them ever since, amassing two straight 1200 yard seasons in the process.
I get the feeling this would be the route Victor Cruz would take were he not to make the team. The Giants had better realize what they have in him. Taking into account this has been one of the best run organizations since Jerry Reese took over, they probably won’t make the same mistake twice.
Cruz’s future with the team is a little less doubtful with the news of Sinorice Moss heading to IR, which should pave the way for the Giants to have six wide receivers.
Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, Hakeem Nicks, Ramses Barden, Derek Hagan, and Cruz should be the six. With Hagan being such an asset in special teams they can afford to have this many wide outs.
The loss of Moss and Domenik Hixon to season ending injuries could be a blessing in disguise for this young rookie.
