New York Giants Official Website

   Into the zone
   By Michael Eisen, Giants.com

NOVEMBER 11, 2009

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - Tom Coughlin can sometimes be vague or secretive when asked by reporters about his bye week objectives, but he was candid today in discussing what he hopes to improve before the Giants next play on Nov. 22 against Atlanta.

"Unfortunately, we already knew that our red zone defense and our green zone offense are not very effective," Coughlin said. "We did two periods in there today.  I think that is pretty much where we start. We have other areas, obviously, that we are concerned about.  But that is a good spot to start. The only problem with that whole thing is that, to be honest with you, we had set that as an objective in the spring.  It is an objective in the summer. And here we are - it is still a major objective. So we will keep working."

They'll have to, because the results have thus far been unsatisfactory. The Giants' offense is 28th in the NFL scoring touchdowns from inside the 20-yard line. They've had 36 opportunities, second in the league to New Orleans' 41, but have crossed the goal line 15 times, a 41.7 percent success rate.

The defensive numbers are worse. The Giants have allowed 22 touchdowns in 29 opponent red zone possessions. That's 75.9 percent, which is last in the NFL.

Those shortcomings were on display in the Giants' 21-20 loss to San Diego on Sunday, their fourth consecutive defeat after a 5-0 start. The offense advanced to the green zone four times and scored two touchdowns. But it also settled for two field goals, notably on its second-to-last possession after starting with a first-and-goal at the four, failing to score points that were the difference in a one-point game.

The Chargers, meanwhile, ventured inside the 20 three times - and scored three touchdowns.

Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride and his defensive counterpart, Bill Sheridan, each met the media today and talked about trying to improve their unit's production in that critical area of the field.

"We're close, but it's not good enough," Gilbride said. "The bottom line is you have to be very precise down there, you have to be more exact there than anywhere else on the field. As the field gets shortened and condensed, it's important that you do everything just about perfect to have some success. And we weren't quite as good as we needed to be."

The Giants' two green zone touchdowns last week were both delivered by Eli Manning passes, a six-yarder to Steve Smith in the second quarter and an eight-yarder to tight end Kevin Boss in the fourth.

"We did some good things," Manning said. "We went down there and scored (two times) in there. On one of them we had an opportunity; we had a third down and threw the one to Steve Smith and we didn't know it was going to be a fumble (it was actually ruled an incomplete pass after review). So it's stuff like that you can't help. Everything we are doing almost very well, we just didn't finish it. Then the last one, obviously, we had the (holding) penalty that hurt us from getting in there. We got off to a bad start in the red zone but kind of got better in last few weeks. Every game is not going to be perfect. You can't look at it and say, 'Hey, we have to score a touchdown every time we are in there.' You hope to, but it's not going to happen so we just have to find ways to keep fighting, get down there more often and we will get more points."

Boss has two touchdown receptions this season - one in each of the last two games, both on passes from inside the 20. The 6-6 tight end believes he can make a difference in the team's green zone fortunes.

"It's something I think I can help out with," Boss said. "I feel I can use my size and be a threat down there. I feel like even if I am covered, Eli can put it up there and I can go get it for hm. I'd love as many opportunities as I can get. I think the opportunities are starting to come more and more. Hopefully, we'll continue to build from these last two games."

The defense seems to have less to build on. When Sheridan was asked what would top his bye week priority list, he offered the expected and logical response.

"It is very easy and obvious because of the statistics, but it is our red zone stops," he said. "For large portions of the game we play very well, but for a bunch of different reasons we haven't done a great job of stopping people when they get the ball down in the red area. That has got to change, because you can play great for 50 snaps a game, but if they get the ball inside your 10 and you are not putting up enough resistance to keep them out of the end zone, they are going to have seven points instead of three. You are going to have a hard time winning games. If it had to be one thing, it is very easy to pinpoint and say that would be it - doing a better job of executing and keeping people out of the end zone and forcing field goals."

When they resume game action in 11 days, the Giants will look to improved play from their green zone offense and red zone defense as keys to reversing their four-game slide and lifting them into a playoff berth.

NOTES

*Cornerback Aaron Ross practiced today and said afterward he expects to play in the game against the Falcons. Ross has not played a down this season because of a hamstring injury.

"It felt good," Ross said. "I'm very excited. I'm a little rusty, but that's expected."

Ross said he will spend the next several days getting more treatment and improving his conditioning. "I want to get my heart rate back up so next Sunday I'll be ready."

*Coughlin, who visited Iraq with the inaugural NFL-USO Coaches Tour last summer and is a fervent supporter of America's service men and women, opened his post-practice session with the media by talking about the importance of Veterans Day. Coughlin and the Giants welcomed several members of the Wounded Warrior Project to practice.

"Let's start off by saying Happy Veterans Day to all of the veterans and our soldiers and our troops," Coughlin said, "how proud of them we are, how thankful we are for them.  We have a group of Wounded Warriors here today. They are very special to us. I just talked to a bunch of guys that were in Afghanistan and Iraq. They give of themselves so that we can sleep under the blanket of freedom. And we should never forget that in this country. This should be remembered as a very special day - Veterans Day."

*Coughlin, fully aware that Manning and Gilbride, among others, have been criticized for their decisions late in the San Diego game, reminded everyone that the buck stops with him.

"I'm responsible for all of the decisions that are made with our football team," Coughlin said. "The green zone decisions are my responsibility. They are nobody else's. No one else made a mistake. The quarterback did not make a mistake. The decision was mine. I was asked the other day if I had an opportunity, would I change it, would I do something different? Well, my answer to that is: does that mean that I can also change the fumbled snap, the ball that we thought was going to be a fourth and inches that ended up being fourth and 10 (the pass to Smith that was ruled incomplete), which nobody has even recognized or talked about that. Can I change the running into the returner on the fair catch penalty?  Can I change the 29-yard pass interference penalty?  If you will give me a chance to change all of those, I'll change all of those, too.

"But it is my responsibility and that is where it stops - right here. Nobody else is to blame. So let's not continue to grope around trying to figure that situation out. I will tell you right now, we were doing everything we possibly could to win. We had managed the game very well. Our kicking game had helped us out. We were in a position where we thought that the opponent would have to drive the ball the length of the field and score a touchdown to beat us. And, unfortunately, that is what happened. But the on-the-field decisions are mine."

*The Giants are off for the next four days and will reconvene on Monday.

"I think this is good (to) get a little break," Manning said. "Try to get this out of our system and come back knowing that we have seven games left and every one is going to be important. We are going to have to grind it out. Nothing is going to be easy, we play some tough teams and it's a matter of us turning this around and getting hot at the right time."