Week 16 vs BUF-1st half

• Tynes kicks it out of bounds. The Bills start at the 40 yard line. If they don't get rid of this guy at the end of the season (or maybe by halftime) I may have to start rooting for the Jets. OK, that won't happen, but still.
• With Buffalo getting the ball to start the game (winning the toss), and then Tynes booting it out at the 1 yard line (did we mention he sucks?), they could start out with a quick score in what could end up a low-scoring game. Oy.
• Lynch is a good running back but you'd think the Giants would know that and be able to stop him. Or maybe sack the QB when he's on the run like he just was. But hey, why should they play well? The season is over, right? It was a hold, and the Bills get bounced back 10 yards. Edwards is almost sacked again but this time dumps it off to Lynch and he goes for a bunch of yards (30, if you're counting). The Giants thought he went out of bounds and the defense gave up on the play. This leads to an easy flip to a tight end for a TD. I blame: Tynes. Coughlin. Can't blame this one on Eli, guys.
• So now that the Bills did some passing, are we going to see the Giants try and do the same thing? If Eli is in the same situation as Edwards just was, I don't know that he gets it off to anyone in time.
• Right, the 52 passes last week. That was brilliant.
• Now they come out and run right away. You don't get the sense that Gilbride and Coughlin are guided by a sublime kind of intellect. Sometimes it seems like they're barely aware of what's happening in the game, sometimes they seem to be completely reactionary.
• 3 and out, and apparently Roscoe Parrish is the #1 return man in the NFL. And he goes for a nice gain. THANKS TYNES.
• And we're back. Buffalo, a team that really isn't all that good, is looking like the Patriots today. Roscoe Parrish makes an amazing diving catch for 42 yards, then Lee Evans gets a TD immediately. The Santa Cheerleaders dance, Coughlin says fuck, and it's 14-0.
• Trent Edwards: "Drafted with the 29th pick of the third round (92nd overall) in the 2007 draft…the sixth quarterback drafted, the only one taken in the third round"
  Eli Manning: you know that story.
• Decent field position. Eli passes to Jacobs'... back. Nobody on this team seems to be aware that they are playing a live game. I have Tivo, so I can rewing and watch it again. But you are playing for real, fellas.
• Giants: 1 yd/play. Bills: 10.5.
  
• NICE catch by Toomer! Finally. Something. Sometimes there are moral victories. They say Toomer was down by contact. I don't know what the rule is exactly but he was touched. "Uncle Petey touched me..." And Jauron was right, he was down. Don't bring me down...
  
• More long pass plays that go to far. More Eli letting the ball slip out of his hands. OMG, that was embarrassing. Somehow the announcers seem to be talking about how much the offense misses Shockey and his "attitude."
  
• Coughlin turns down the chance at a long field goal in favor of pinning the Bills inside their own 10. Tynes can't make 50 yard field goals (he can't make 30 yard field goals). Of course, when the defense jumps offsides right away it kind of doesn't matter. See, they're sort of keeping Lynch in check a bit, but with the extra five yards they gave them for Christmas... hold on. That was even worse. A Giant defender flew across the line - Pierce? How does he do that? He's not some rookie nitwit. Shit.
• Pierce steps up and pounds Lynch. "A little excited for a guy who just jumped offsides..." Yeah, that's this team all over.
• I want to like the Giants. It's hard this year though. There's just this... malaise.
  
  
• Giants lead the league in sacks with 49. Interesting. A lot of it is the big game against the Eagles.
• Bills get hit with a false start. OK, game changing play! Let's go! Whoah, I was right. There you go. Botched snap, fumble, Giants get it at the 25. CONVERT. NOW. The wind is blowing like crazy and the Giants actually run instead of pass. OH YEAH!
  
• Rain is pounding down and the Buffalo fans are showing why we're glad we don't live there. Cheerleaders are giving up. They looked like they had to be freezing in their little Santa outfits, which aren't all that hot in the pouring rain. Manning to Toomer again, a successful pass. But why throw it on 1st and goal? Why not try to get a little bit more with Jacobs? It's turned into a Brazilian rain forest on the field. "With this weather, don't you think maybe they should be running the ball?" Thank you Goose, and then a TD. YESSSS!!!! Compliments on a block. Blocking fascinates me. I think that's what I would've done if I'd played football.
  
• Cleveland/Cincinatti, weather's fine, 3-0 game. Buffalo/NY, weather is horrible, 14-7.
• Last week I call Shockey's fate (off by 2 yards, but didn't go over), today I call the game-changing play (maybe). Clearly Coughlin's job should be mine.
• Again the ball slips out of Eli's hands. But on the punt, Feagles goes down. If only it were Tynes. Can we have Jay Feely back? Please? We know we made a mistake.
• JACOBS! BREAKS OUT! AFTER THE PENALTY! HOT DAMN! FUCKIN' A! 43 YARDS! LONGEST RUN OF THE YEAR! THERE! YOU! GO!
• So now that the team is back in this game in a big way, we can discuss something. Is it fanly to wish for a team to lose so that something else happens? In this case, getting rid of Coughlin. The truth is, he should've been bounced last year, not because the team didn't go far in the playoffs, but because he doesn't seem to know what to do with these guys. I'll stop short of saying he's a crappy coach, although that's what it looks like to me. I don't think this team is anything spectacular but they show enough spark at times to make you wonder what a better coach would be able to do. If NY loses today and next week, I think they have to fire Coughlin. Still, you can't root for your team to lose. Right?
• Toomer's having a good game. Well, 3 catches, but for 70 yards. He's a b-level player but gets the job done.
• You have to question putting Tynes in for a 42 yard attempt on 4th and 2 in a tie game. It worked but he's so bad.
• I think if a defender hits the receiver after the catch that should be a fumble, not an incompletion. Something else: look at how well the Giants are playing all of a sudden. Obviously there's a huge mental component to football (and all sports). So the coach's pep talks and actions must have a gigantic effect. While all this is acknowledged, it's not acknowledged enough.
• "Last week it was execution more than play calling." OK, maybe. But if they aren't making the plays, why call them again and again (and again)? As if to prove my point, Steve Smith drops a pass. No, it wasn't easy but you gotta do that. OK, I'll be a TFAG and say "you gotta make that catch!"
  
• The Giants are actually benefitting from the other team making dumb mistakes. And Shockey is out. Interesting... Suddenly Toomer steps up big, and Shockey is out. Hmm...
  
• AGAIN Eli botches a throw. I think that was an incompletion rather than a fumble but the officiants disagree. End of 1st half, Giants up by 3.