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Unable to garner much interest from an AL team looking for a DH, free-agent first baseman Jason Giambi told the Denver Post that he remains open to the idea of re-signing with the Rockies.
Giambi hit .292 with two homers and 11 RBIs after joining the Rockies last August. He would be only a reserve in Colorado.
According to the newspaper, the Rockies also are interested in free agent infielders Fernando Tatis and Robb Quinlan for their bench.
Unable to garner much interest from an AL team looking for a DH, free-agent first baseman Jason Giambi told the Denver Post that he remains open to the idea of re-signing with the Rockies.
Giambi hit .292 with two homers and 11 RBIs after joining the Rockies last August. He would be only a reserve in Colorado.
According to the newspaper, the Rockies also are interested in free agent infielders Fernando Tatis and Robb Quinlan for their bench.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports the Pirates have focused their attention on free-agent reliever Octavio Dotel. At the same time, they might be backing away from free-agent outfielder Rick Ankiel.
According to the newspaper, the Pirates already have made an offer to Dotel, who would serve as the team’s closer. The only other remaining free agents with closing experience are Jose Valverde and Kevin Gregg. The Pirates have a ninth-inning void to fill after allowing Matt Capps to become a free agent. He signed with the Washington Nationals this week.
As for Ankiel, Pittsburgh won’t guarantee him a starting job, something Ankiel’s agent, Scott Boras, is demanding in contract talks. The Post-Gazette listed free-agent outfielders Xavier Nady, Ryan Church and Rocco Baldelli as other possible targets for the Pirates.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports the Pirates have focused their attention on free-agent reliever Octavio Dotel. At the same time, they might be backing away from free-agent outfielder Rick Ankiel.
According to the newspaper, the Pirates already have made an offer to Dotel, who would serve as the team’s closer. The only other remaining free agents with closing experience are Jose Valverde and Kevin Gregg. The Pirates have a ninth-inning void to fill after allowing Matt Capps to become a free agent. He signed with the Washington Nationals this week.
As for Ankiel, Pittsburgh won’t guarantee him a starting job, something Ankiel’s agent, Scott Boras, is demanding in contract talks. The Post-Gazette listed free-agent outfielders Xavier Nady, Ryan Church and Rocco Baldelli as other possible targets for the Pirates.
Vladimir Guerrero eventually could sign with the Rangers, though the Fort Worth Star-Telegram continues to report that the team has yet to make an official offer to the free-agent outfielder/DH.
SI.com and the Rangers’ Web site reported Friday that the team had offered Guerrero a one-year contract. Texas would pay Guerrero $5 million plus incentives, according to SI.com.
Earlier reports indicated Guerrero, 34, is seeking a two-year contract. Last year he completed a five-year, $70 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels.
Injuries limited Guerrero to 100 games last year, and he posted career lows in batting average (.295), on-base percentage (.334) and slugging percentage (.460).
Vladimir Guerrero eventually could sign with the Rangers, though the Fort Worth Star-Telegram continues to report that the team has yet to make an official offer to the free-agent outfielder/DH.
SI.com and the Rangers’ Web site reported Friday that the team had offered Guerrero a one-year contract. Texas would pay Guerrero $5 million plus incentives, according to SI.com.
Earlier reports indicated Guerrero, 34, is seeking a two-year contract. Last year he completed a five-year, $70 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels.
Injuries limited Guerrero to 100 games last year, and he posted career lows in batting average (.295), on-base percentage (.334) and slugging percentage (.460).
Sporting News’ team of former scouts talk about 10 things to watch for during wild-card weekend.
Ten quarterbacks surpassed 4,000 passing yards this season, and seven of them are in the playoffs — another sign that the NFL has become a pass-first entity.
Some of that has to do with a greater emphasis on spread offenses and rules changes that work to the detriment of defenses. Whatever the reason, the pass-first mentality is working, so expect more of it in the playoffs.
Three of the four games this weekend are rematches of games from Week 17 and one — Eagles vs. Cowboys — represents the third meeting between those teams.
Since 1970, there have been 19 opportunities for a team to complete a three-game sweep. Contrary to popular belief that it is darn-near impossible to pull that off, 12 teams have completed the trifecta. That doesn’t bode particularly well for the Eagles, who were swept by the Cowboys in the regular season.
Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer is one cool customer, and it shows in the way he handles himself under pressure. He’s not real mobile, but he is able to stand in against pressure, make quick decisions, find his checkdowns and avoid sacks.
In fact, he ranks second in the NFL in passing efficiency against the blitz, which is why teams rarely go after him. But expect the Jets to buck the trend. Rex Ryan has lived by the blitz his whole career, and he’s not about to stop now.
The Bengals don’t use their tight ends or backs as receivers very often, and the Jets are confident in their ability to single-cover the Bengals’ wideouts — especially Darrelle Revis against Chad Ochocinco. That will free up players for Ryan to blitz. Look for New York to send five or six rushers on most snaps.
The Jets were the No. 1 rushing team in the NFL this season, and they were able to grind out 257 yards on the ground against the Bengals last week. So it seems clear that the Bengals’ defense will have to focus on stopping the run this time. But the Jets will try to disguise their intentions with multiple formations and motion and pass looks at the line of scrimmage.
The key for the Bengals is not to fall for it. They will have to play the run on early downs and force quarterback Mark Sanchez into third-and-long situations, which is where he has struggled the most this season. Left end Robert Geathers will be back on the field this week, which should help the run defense tremendously and keep the Jets’ backs from gaining the edge on off-tackle runs.
Last week, the Cowboys shut down the Eagles’ running game, limiting them to 3.7 yards per carry on just 10 attempts. Much of the trouble started up front, where the loss of center Jamaal Jackson hurt the team’s ability to keep Dallas nose tackle Jay Ratliff and his teammates out of the backfield.
Philadelphia will try to counter that weakness by using its backs more in the passing game. Considering Brian Westbrook is back to full strength and that fullback Leonard Weaver and rookie LeSean McCoy combined for 55 catches this year, expect a healthy dose of the screen game and short passes off quick drops by Donovan McNabb.
One of the keys to the Cowboys’ season-ending three-game winning streak was their offensive balance. In those games, they ran the ball at least 30 times for an average of 4.4 yards per carry. That, in turn, helped the passing game to be more productive.
Dallas should use its stable of backs to work the inside-outside game. This will wear down the Eagles’ smaller defensive front and create favorable passing situations. Watch for Tony Romo to exploit the Eagles’ linebackers in coverage.
7. Ravens should get McGahee involved.
Ray Rice has been stellar this season, rushing for more than 100 yards four times and averaging 5.3 yards per carry. But Willis McGahee showed he has a fresh pair of legs for the playoffs by busting out for 167 yards and three TDs on just 16 carries against the Raiders last week. The combination of the two can be deadly behind the team’s personnel groupings and unbalanced alignments.
Baltimore has finally gotten back to the run game and will need to stick with it against a Patriots team that is ranked 13th in the league but has been a bit vulnerable in the last month. The Ravens need to try to dominate time of possession and keep their suspect secondary off the field.
Some people contend the loss of wideout Wes Welker will be devastating to the Patriots. But those people are forgetting the Patriot Way. When Drew Bledsoe goes down, you plug in Tom Brady. When Tedy Bruschi goes down, you plug in Jerod Mayo. When Wes Welker goes down, you plug in Julian Edelman.
A Welker look-alike, Edelman is a former college QB who made an impact as a rookie with 37 catches, including 10 last week as Welker’s replacement. Though he lacks Welker’s lateral burst, Edelman has good quickness, solid hands and excellent awareness. New England will attack a weak Baltimore secondary with the pass, and Edelman will be a key part of that effort.
Green Bay has taken to coordinator Dom Capers’ 3-4 scheme in a big way. The front seven has been effective against the run and the pass. Perhaps most important, the Packers have given cornerback Charles Woodson the green light to make plays all over the field.
The Packers shouldn’t have Woodson, the NFL’s likely defensive player of the year, shadow Pro Bowl wideout Larry Fitzgerald all day. Woodson’s strengths are that he can do so many things well and be effective from anywhere on the field. Look for Capers to move Woodson around, depending on down and distance and game situations. That will force Kurt Warner and the rest of the offense to find him before they run a play.
Good teams put their playmakers in position to make plays in the playoffs. And Woodson is the top defensive playmaker in the league.
Everyone knows about the Cardinals’ high-flying offense, led by Warner and their great wideouts. But the defense has quietly put together a very strong season, especially in big games.
The Cardinals are sixth in the league in sacks and third-down defense, and they have been strong in the red zone. Coordinator Bill Davis runs an aggressive scheme that uses a lot of different blitz looks out of the team’s base 3-4. It all revolves around the excellent play the team gets out of its cover corners. If Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is out or hampered because of a bruised knee, however, Davis may have to be more conservative.
RealScouts analyzes NFL and college players, coaches and teams exclusively for Sporting News.
Sporting News’ team of former scouts talk about 10 things to watch for during wild-card weekend.
Ten quarterbacks surpassed 4,000 passing yards this season, and seven of them are in the playoffs — another sign that the NFL has become a pass-first entity.
Some of that has to do with a greater emphasis on spread offenses and rules changes that work to the detriment of defenses. Whatever the reason, the pass-first mentality is working, so expect more of it in the playoffs.
Three of the four games this weekend are rematches of games from Week 17 and one — Eagles vs. Cowboys — represents the third meeting between those teams.
Since 1970, there have been 19 opportunities for a team to complete a three-game sweep. Contrary to popular belief that it is darn-near impossible to pull that off, 12 teams have completed the trifecta. That doesn’t bode particularly well for the Eagles, who were swept by the Cowboys in the regular season.
Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer is one cool customer, and it shows in the way he handles himself under pressure. He’s not real mobile, but he is able to stand in against pressure, make quick decisions, find his checkdowns and avoid sacks.
In fact, he ranks second in the NFL in passing efficiency against the blitz, which is why teams rarely go after him. But expect the Jets to buck the trend. Rex Ryan has lived by the blitz his whole career, and he’s not about to stop now.
The Bengals don’t use their tight ends or backs as receivers very often, and the Jets are confident in their ability to single-cover the Bengals’ wideouts — especially Darrelle Revis against Chad Ochocinco. That will free up players for Ryan to blitz. Look for New York to send five or six rushers on most snaps.
The Jets were the No. 1 rushing team in the NFL this season, and they were able to grind out 257 yards on the ground against the Bengals last week. So it seems clear that the Bengals’ defense will have to focus on stopping the run this time. But the Jets will try to disguise their intentions with multiple formations and motion and pass looks at the line of scrimmage.
The key for the Bengals is not to fall for it. They will have to play the run on early downs and force quarterback Mark Sanchez into third-and-long situations, which is where he has struggled the most this season. Left end Robert Geathers will be back on the field this week, which should help the run defense tremendously and keep the Jets’ backs from gaining the edge on off-tackle runs.
Last week, the Cowboys shut down the Eagles’ running game, limiting them to 3.7 yards per carry on just 10 attempts. Much of the trouble started up front, where the loss of center Jamaal Jackson hurt the team’s ability to keep Dallas nose tackle Jay Ratliff and his teammates out of the backfield.
Philadelphia will try to counter that weakness by using its backs more in the passing game. Considering Brian Westbrook is back to full strength and that fullback Leonard Weaver and rookie LeSean McCoy combined for 55 catches this year, expect a healthy dose of the screen game and short passes off quick drops by Donovan McNabb.
One of the keys to the Cowboys’ season-ending three-game winning streak was their offensive balance. In those games, they ran the ball at least 30 times for an average of 4.4 yards per carry. That, in turn, helped the passing game to be more productive.
Dallas should use its stable of backs to work the inside-outside game. This will wear down the Eagles’ smaller defensive front and create favorable passing situations. Watch for Tony Romo to exploit the Eagles’ linebackers in coverage.
7. Ravens should get McGahee involved.
Ray Rice has been stellar this season, rushing for more than 100 yards four times and averaging 5.3 yards per carry. But Willis McGahee showed he has a fresh pair of legs for the playoffs by busting out for 167 yards and three TDs on just 16 carries against the Raiders last week. The combination of the two can be deadly behind the team’s personnel groupings and unbalanced alignments.
Baltimore has finally gotten back to the run game and will need to stick with it against a Patriots team that is ranked 13th in the league but has been a bit vulnerable in the last month. The Ravens need to try to dominate time of possession and keep their suspect secondary off the field.
Some people contend the loss of wideout Wes Welker will be devastating to the Patriots. But those people are forgetting the Patriot Way. When Drew Bledsoe goes down, you plug in Tom Brady. When Tedy Bruschi goes down, you plug in Jerod Mayo. When Wes Welker goes down, you plug in Julian Edelman.
A Welker look-alike, Edelman is a former college QB who made an impact as a rookie with 37 catches, including 10 last week as Welker’s replacement. Though he lacks Welker’s lateral burst, Edelman has good quickness, solid hands and excellent awareness. New England will attack a weak Baltimore secondary with the pass, and Edelman will be a key part of that effort.
Green Bay has taken to coordinator Dom Capers’ 3-4 scheme in a big way. The front seven has been effective against the run and the pass. Perhaps most important, the Packers have given cornerback Charles Woodson the green light to make plays all over the field.
The Packers shouldn’t have Woodson, the NFL’s likely defensive player of the year, shadow Pro Bowl wideout Larry Fitzgerald all day. Woodson’s strengths are that he can do so many things well and be effective from anywhere on the field. Look for Capers to move Woodson around, depending on down and distance and game situations. That will force Kurt Warner and the rest of the offense to find him before they run a play.
Good teams put their playmakers in position to make plays in the playoffs. And Woodson is the top defensive playmaker in the league.
Everyone knows about the Cardinals’ high-flying offense, led by Warner and their great wideouts. But the defense has quietly put together a very strong season, especially in big games.
The Cardinals are sixth in the league in sacks and third-down defense, and they have been strong in the red zone. Coordinator Bill Davis runs an aggressive scheme that uses a lot of different blitz looks out of the team’s base 3-4. It all revolves around the excellent play the team gets out of its cover corners. If Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is out or hampered because of a bruised knee, however, Davis may have to be more conservative.
RealScouts analyzes NFL and college players, coaches and teams exclusively for Sporting News.
Joe McKnight will make himself eligible for the NFL Draft, the USC running back told the Los Angeles Times.
"It’s my first healthy season, and it’s time for me to go," McKnight told The Times.
McKnight was held out of the Emerald Bowl because USC was investigating his relationship with a Santa Monica businessman who owned a 2006 Land Rover that McKnight drove. The businessman also had once registered the website domain 4joemcknight.com.
McKnight said that situation did not factor in his decision to turn pro.
Joe McKnight will make himself eligible for the NFL Draft, the USC running back told the Los Angeles Times.
"It’s my first healthy season, and it’s time for me to go," McKnight told The Times.
McKnight was held out of the Emerald Bowl because USC was investigating his relationship with a Santa Monica businessman who owned a 2006 Land Rover that McKnight drove. The businessman also had once registered the website domain 4joemcknight.com.
McKnight said that situation did not factor in his decision to turn pro.
New York Mets third baseman David Wright expects to return to form in 2010 after a disappointing 2009 season during which his home run total dropped from 33 to 10.
Wright told the New York Post that several things contributed to his subpar production last season and that he "felt very uncomfortable" in the batter’s box.
Wright didn’t blame the injury-related absences of first baseman Carlos Delgado, shortstop Jose Reyes and center fielder Carlos Beltran for his offensive woes, but he acknowledged the dimensions of new Citi Field might have contributed. He noted that many of his homers normally go to the opposite field, but that is tough to do in Citi Field.
"You’ve got to really get into one to (homer) opposite field," Wright told the newspaper. "That’s not a knock on Citi Field. You have to adapt to the park that you’re playing in."
Wright dismissed any speculation about his power drop-off being related to steroid use.
"Since I came into the league, we’ve had drug tests," Wright told the New York Post. "Major League Baseball, the Players Association, we’ve got great drug testing going on. And I think that speaks for itself. I’ve never put anything illegal into my body. I take a lot of pride in that. There’s a lot of things that I can point my finger at and say there’s some reasoning behind the drop off in home runs and 100 percent that’s not one of them."
New York Mets third baseman David Wright expects to return to form in 2010 after a disappointing 2009 season during which his home run total dropped from 33 to 10.
Wright told the New York Post that several things contributed to his subpar production last season and that he "felt very uncomfortable" in the batter’s box.
Wright didn’t blame the injury-related absences of first baseman Carlos Delgado, shortstop Jose Reyes and center fielder Carlos Beltran for his offensive woes, but he acknowledged the dimensions of new Citi Field might have contributed. He noted that many of his homers normally go to the opposite field, but that is tough to do in Citi Field.
"You’ve got to really get into one to (homer) opposite field," Wright told the newspaper. "That’s not a knock on Citi Field. You have to adapt to the park that you’re playing in."
Wright dismissed any speculation about his power drop-off being related to steroid use.
"Since I came into the league, we’ve had drug tests," Wright told the New York Post. "Major League Baseball, the Players Association, we’ve got great drug testing going on. And I think that speaks for itself. I’ve never put anything illegal into my body. I take a lot of pride in that. There’s a lot of things that I can point my finger at and say there’s some reasoning behind the drop off in home runs and 100 percent that’s not one of them."
According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Marlins are believed to have increased their initial offer of $13 million to free agent P Aroldis Chapman.
The newspaper added that Chapman could sign with a team in the next few days. One source told the Sun Sentinel that he expected Chapman to sign with the Angels or Blue Jays, perhaps for as much as $21 million. In other Marlins news, the Sun Sentinel noted 2B Dan Uggla appears likely to begin the season with the team. Florida had hoped to deal him this offseason because of his high salary.
If Uggla stays, the Marlins instead might try to move 1B Jorge Cantu, who also is due a raise in arbitration.
According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Marlins are believed to have increased their initial offer of $13 million to free agent P Aroldis Chapman.
The newspaper added that Chapman could sign with a team in the next few days. One source told the Sun Sentinel that he expected Chapman to sign with the Angels or Blue Jays, perhaps for as much as $21 million. In other Marlins news, the Sun Sentinel noted 2B Dan Uggla appears likely to begin the season with the team. Florida had hoped to deal him this offseason because of his high salary.
If Uggla stays, the Marlins instead might try to move 1B Jorge Cantu, who also is due a raise in arbitration.
The Braves agreed to a one-year deal with free agent IF Eric Hinske, according to CBSSports.com.
Hinske will serve as a pinch hitter and a reserve infielder, especially at first base where newly signed Troy Glaus will start.
Glaus, a third baseman throughout his career, has played only six games at first base in the majors. Hinske has played in the past three World Series: 2007 with the Red Sox, 2008 with the Rays and 2009 with the Yankees.
The Braves agreed to a one-year deal with free agent IF Eric Hinske, according to CBSSports.com.
Hinske will serve as a pinch hitter and a reserve infielder, especially at first base where newly signed Troy Glaus will start.
Glaus, a third baseman throughout his career, has played only six games at first base in the majors. Hinske has played in the past three World Series: 2007 with the Red Sox, 2008 with the Rays and 2009 with the Yankees.
According to a report on the Rangers’ Web site, the team is interested in free-agent outfielder/DH Vladimir Guerrero and is talking to his representatives.
The holdup could be Guerrero’s asking price, as the Rangers don’t have much money to spend. However, given the lack of interest in Guerrero from other teams, the Rangers might have some bargaining power.
The Web site reported Texas also has interest in free agent outfielders Jermaine Dye, Gary Sheffield and Xavier Nady, as well as free agent DH Jim Thome. The Rangers scored 117 fewer runs in 2009 than in 2008 and lost their top RBI man, outfielder Marlon Byrd, to the Cubs in free agency this offseason. Thus, their desire to add a bat.
According to a report on the Rangers’ Web site, the team is interested in free-agent outfielder/DH Vladimir Guerrero and is talking to his representatives.
The holdup could be Guerrero’s asking price, as the Rangers don’t have much money to spend. However, given the lack of interest in Guerrero from other teams, the Rangers might have some bargaining power.
The Web site reported Texas also has interest in free agent outfielders Jermaine Dye, Gary Sheffield and Xavier Nady, as well as free agent DH Jim Thome. The Rangers scored 117 fewer runs in 2009 than in 2008 and lost their top RBI man, outfielder Marlon Byrd, to the Cubs in free agency this offseason. Thus, their desire to add a bat.
Sports Radio Interviews is a streaming independent sports blog which provides analysis on breaking sports news, upcoming games, and sporting events from a sports radio perspective. SRI articles frequently appear on SportingNews.com.
New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning had perhaps his best season as a pro in 2009, throwing for 4,021 yards and 27 touchdowns. However, the Giants couldn’t build upon a 5-0 start, struggled down the stretch, and missed the playoffs.
Manning joined Michael Kay on 1050 ESPN Radio in New York to talk about the season, the disappointment of not making the playoffs, the hot start to the year, and the team’s horrible finish in the last two games.
Asked what he thought happened to the Giants after a 5-0 start to the season:
"I don’t know. I don’t have that answer, either. I wish I did. I wish it was something you can put your finger on, because then you would know exactly how to fix it. I don’t have that answer.
We didn’t play well. We didn’t run the ball. We didn’t throw the ball well. We weren’t in sync, and we couldn’t convert third downs. Offensively, we just couldn’t get anything going. Minnesota plays well; they play very well at home. They do a good job of jumping the silent count with their pass rush … You are going to lose some games in the NFL, but we did not need to play that way. Our ownership, players, and coaches didn’t deserve to go through that.
It wasn’t a lack of effort. We prepared during the week at practice, we were doing the right things, but we just didn’t bring it to the field and just didn’t play well."
Asked if there were enough winners on the team:
"There are enough winners on the team. There are guys committed to this football team, and they take a lot of pride and work hard at their job, take it very seriously, and are committed to it.
It was just a tough season. We just weren’t used to losing that many games and going through those stretches. Even during the toughest stretches when you’re losing four games in a row, we were still out there preparing and fighting. For whatever reason, we weren’t as good a team as we thought we were. I don’t have the exact answer why and I know we can make a change and play better than we did.
We had some young guys on this team and we got to make sure they don’t think this is the Giant way of playing football, this is not what we are used to, and make sure they don’t start thinking this is how it’s going to be, because it is not. We do have to make a change, we do have to make a difference, and it’s not in the coaches. It’s in the players being responsible for what they are doing and go out there and play the way we are coached to play."
Asked about the leadership on the Giants team and Manning being the leader of the offense:
"I think you can always improve on being a leader and I think I definitely feel comfortable as the leader of the offense. Especially with the young guys at skill positions that I am working with and making sure they are mentally prepared for what we are expecting that game.
Each team has different ways of playing defenses and doing different styles and different approaches. You are trying to make sure that they are thinking about running different routes against different defenses and what their adjustments are going to be.
I did more of a hands on job working with these guys this year then I have in the past. In the past we had guys that were more experienced and been around the block and they kind of knew what was going on because they played in more games. Obviously, we didn’t win as many games. We went through slumps, and you can always look back and say I need to do a better job of leading this team and that’s true. It’s something you work on every year and every year you are going to go through different challenges and things you have to deal with. Maybe I could have reacted differently to certain things to make sure our team was mentally focused and prepared to go through these situations."
Listen to Eli Manning with Michael Kay on 1050 ESPN Radio in New York
===
More from SRI
Ray Rice on making the Pro Bowl
Jason Bay on choosing to sign with the New York Mets
Sports Radio Interviews is a streaming independent sports blog which provides analysis on breaking sports news, upcoming games, and sporting events from a sports radio perspective. SRI articles frequently appear on SportingNews.com.
New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning had perhaps his best season as a pro in 2009, throwing for 4,021 yards and 27 touchdowns. However, the Giants couldn’t build upon a 5-0 start, struggled down the stretch, and missed the playoffs.
Manning joined Michael Kay on 1050 ESPN Radio in New York to talk about the season, the disappointment of not making the playoffs, the hot start to the year, and the team’s horrible finish in the last two games.
Asked what he thought happened to the Giants after a 5-0 start to the season:
"I don’t know. I don’t have that answer, either. I wish I did. I wish it was something you can put your finger on, because then you would know exactly how to fix it. I don’t have that answer.
We didn’t play well. We didn’t run the ball. We didn’t throw the ball well. We weren’t in sync, and we couldn’t convert third downs. Offensively, we just couldn’t get anything going. Minnesota plays well; they play very well at home. They do a good job of jumping the silent count with their pass rush … You are going to lose some games in the NFL, but we did not need to play that way. Our ownership, players, and coaches didn’t deserve to go through that.
It wasn’t a lack of effort. We prepared during the week at practice, we were doing the right things, but we just didn’t bring it to the field and just didn’t play well."
Asked if there were enough winners on the team:
"There are enough winners on the team. There are guys committed to this football team, and they take a lot of pride and work hard at their job, take it very seriously, and are committed to it.
It was just a tough season. We just weren’t used to losing that many games and going through those stretches. Even during the toughest stretches when you’re losing four games in a row, we were still out there preparing and fighting. For whatever reason, we weren’t as good a team as we thought we were. I don’t have the exact answer why and I know we can make a change and play better than we did.
We had some young guys on this team and we got to make sure they don’t think this is the Giant way of playing football, this is not what we are used to, and make sure they don’t start thinking this is how it’s going to be, because it is not. We do have to make a change, we do have to make a difference, and it’s not in the coaches. It’s in the players being responsible for what they are doing and go out there and play the way we are coached to play."
Asked about the leadership on the Giants team and Manning being the leader of the offense:
"I think you can always improve on being a leader and I think I definitely feel comfortable as the leader of the offense. Especially with the young guys at skill positions that I am working with and making sure they are mentally prepared for what we are expecting that game.
Each team has different ways of playing defenses and doing different styles and different approaches. You are trying to make sure that they are thinking about running different routes against different defenses and what their adjustments are going to be.
I did more of a hands on job working with these guys this year then I have in the past. In the past we had guys that were more experienced and been around the block and they kind of knew what was going on because they played in more games. Obviously, we didn’t win as many games. We went through slumps, and you can always look back and say I need to do a better job of leading this team and that’s true. It’s something you work on every year and every year you are going to go through different challenges and things you have to deal with. Maybe I could have reacted differently to certain things to make sure our team was mentally focused and prepared to go through these situations."
Listen to Eli Manning with Michael Kay on 1050 ESPN Radio in New York
===
More from SRI
Ray Rice on making the Pro Bowl
Jason Bay on choosing to sign with the New York Mets