Whipping Boys

Okay. Real quick this time. Normally, I don't like kickers. One of my favorite sayings is, "never trust something that bleeds for 4 days and doesn't die." But that's neither here nor there. Another one of my favorite sayings is, "never trust a kicker." Kickers rarely get glory (Adam Vinatieri, aside), but will often get crucified if they miss an important kick (see Scott Norwood, and FSU Wide Right I, II, III, and IV).

Yesterday, Jay Feely missed 3 figgies late in the game for the NY Giants in their very important game against the Seattle Seahawks. Each of those could have been game winning kicks. Instead, the Giants lost 24-21 in overtime. Today, Feely is being grilled, justly so.

What annoys me is that Giants coach Tom Coughlin is getting a free pass. He had just as much to do with this loss as Feely did. The first field goal attempt, a 40 yard miss at the end of regulation was easily Feely's worst. Where I have an issue is with Coughlin taking the foot off of the pedal of the offense. There was a lot of time left on the clock when he stopped playing offense. With 55 seconds, the Giants had 1st and 10 at the Seattle 31. Coughlin was content to just run the ball. His offense had been shredding the Seattle defense that entire drive and the previous drive, as well. There was time to move the ball further and take a couple shots at the end zone. I'm screaming at the TV, "GO! You have them on their heels!" Instead, 2 runs get 9 yards, eat up all the clock, and you send in you kicker on 3rd down.

Later in OT, Coughlin goes the other way. Even knowing that he has a shaky kicker, once the Giants get in FG range, they don't try to run the ball to make it an easier kick. Instead, they go pass crazy, and throw. The Giants have 2nd and 15 from the Seattle 36. That's a 53 yard kick, which is really hard. I'm screaming at my TV, "Run! Run! Get some yards for your kicker!" Do you a) try to throw twice and hope to get a 1st down, or b) run the ball twice, try to get 6 yards for your kicker, and maybe even have Tiki bust one? Coughlin went with a) and got no yards. Feely never had a chance on the kick.

Later still in OT, Tiki busts a big one to the Seattle 31. Take a shot with a pass on 1st down, and miss. No big deal. Run Tiki on 2nd down. 4 yards, 3rd and 6. Now, knowing that you have a shaky kicker, do you a) throw and hope to get a 1st down, or b) run the ball, try to get 4 yards for your kicker, and maybe even have Tiki bust one (which would have been a real possibility)? Nope. Pass again. Feely misses. Seattle marches down and wins.

Coughlin didn't trust Tiki Barber enough, he trusted Eli Manning too much. And he left his kicker out to dry. Sure, Feely missed the kicks. But he wasn't getting a whole lot of help from his coach. Oh well. At least I'm not a Giants fan. Go Bengals!

-Chairman