NFC West: Chase Blackburn
QUARTERBACK: Eli Manning completed 30 of 40 passes for 296 yards, one touchdown and a 103.8 NFL rating. He did not turn over the ball, which was huge for the Giants during their 21-17 victory. Manning's 38-yard sideline strike to Mario Manningham showed the raw arm talent that made Manning the first player selected in the 2004 NFL draft. Not many quarterbacks can make that throw. Manning made it when the Giants trailed, 17-15, with less than four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Manning completed his first nine attempts for 77 yards and a touchdown, staking the Giants to an early lead as they dominated time of possession to begin the game. Manning made effective use of his running backs and tight ends, executing a mostly conservative game plan. But the Giants settled for field goals too frequently. Both teams had trouble striking on pass plays down the field until Manning found Manningham in the clutch. The two had failed to connect deep down the right sideline earlier in the fourth quarter. Manning's pass was a bit wide. Manningham could have done a better job getting his feet down. Grade: A-minus.
OFFENSE: The Giants came to life in the fourth quarter, a theme for them all season. They also avoided turnovers, a huge key. That excused their earlier offensive struggles, but we'll cover them anyway. New York twice committed drive-dooming penalties after crossing midfield. A first-half holding penalty against guard Kevin Boothe on a third-and-1 play proved pivotal. The infraction wasted Brandon Jacobs' 10-yard run, setting up third-and-1. The Giants went from driving toward likely points and a potential 16-3 lead to watching Tom Brady execute a 96-yard touchdown drive as New England pulled in front, 10-9. Then, with the Giants trailing 17-15 in the fourth quarter, a penalty for illegal procedure left the Giants in another third-and-10 situation, leading to another punt. The Giants did enjoy success early in the game. They were fortunate to recover their own fumbles, especially when Ahmad Bradshaw lost the ball deep in Giants territory. Losing tight ends Travis Beckum and Jake Ballard to injuries left New York with only one available tight end, Bear Pascoe. Grade: B
DEFENSE: Justin Tuck's pressure on Brady forced a safety on the Patriots' first offensive play. That was a sensational start for the Giants. Tuck closed out the game with a third-down sack with 39 seconds remaining. The Giants failed to get enough pressure between those plays, allowing Brady to shred their defense for stretches. But Brady averaged only 6.7 yards per attempt. The Giants held the Patriots to 17 points, about two touchdowns below their regular-season average. Jason Pierre-Paul was effective batting down passes. Chase Blackburn made his presence felt with a de-cleater hit on BenJarvus Green-Ellis. He also picked off a deep pass for Rob Gronkowski. The Patriots' quickness in general and Danny Woodhead's in particular gave the Giants problems, especially with Brady having time to operate. The Giants caught a break when Wes Welker got wide open and dropped a pass that would have moved New England into field-goal range while leading with about four minutes left. Grade: B-plus
COACHING: The Giants left 57 seconds on the clock when Bradshaw scored on a run up the middle to take a 21-17 lead. Bradshaw tried to sit down at the 1-yard line, but his momentum carried him into the end zone. The points were nice, but leaving that much time on the clock for Brady carried risk. The offensive plan seemed conservative and without enough play-action passing early. That was to be expected given Tom Coughlin's philosophy. That showed up when Coughlin handed off instead of taking a shot deep down the field on an early second-and-1. Grade: B
SPECIAL TEAMS: Lawrence Tynes made both field-goal attempts. The Giant did not allow a punt return. They forced New England to begin three drives inside their own 10-yard line. The Patriots never started a drive outside their own 29. No complaints here. Grade: A
A look at the free-agent priorities for each NFC West team:
Arizona Cardinals
1. Sign or acquire a quarterback: You've heard all the potential names by now. Kevin Kolb, Kyle Orton, Carson Palmer, Marc Bulger and Matt Hasselbeck all could be available. The same goes for Donovan McNabb, but the Cardinals aren't interested in him. How much interest they have in the others remains less clear. They liked Bulger as an option last offseason, but the timing wasn't right. Kolb reportedly stands atop their wish list now, although price is a consideration. One way or another, the Cardinals will go into the 2011 season with fresh veteran blood at the position.
2. Firm up the offensive line: Left guard Alan Faneca retired. Center Lyle Sendlein and right guard Deuce Lutui have expiring contracts. Brandon Keith showed promise at right tackle, but he's coming off knee surgery. A better quarterback would help take pressure off the line, but Arizona isn't going to find another Kurt Warner. The team has loaded up at running back, adding second-round choice Ryan Williams to an already crowded backfield. The Cardinals need to re-sign Sendlein. Letting Lutui depart would put them in the market for veteran help. I've looked through the free-agent lists for guards already familiar to the Cardinals. Pittsburgh's Trai Essex, a starter in 21 games over the past two seasons, played for Arizona's Ken Whisenhunt and Russ Grimm with the Steelers.
3. Work toward a deal with Larry Fitzgerald: Ideally, the Cardinals would have landed their next quarterback in March, then spent the offseason working toward extending Fitzgerald's contract beyond the 2011 season. Fitzgerald is an NFL rarity. He's in line to sign three massive contracts during the course of his career. He signed the first one as the third player chosen in the 2004 draft. That deal ultimately became untenable for the Cardinals, giving Fitzgerald the leverage to get $40 million over four seasons, plus assurances Arizona would not name him its franchise player once the deal ended. Fitzgerald, still only 27, will cash in at least one more time.
Top five free agents: Sendlein, Lutui, receiver Steve Breaston, defensive lineman Alan Branch, defensive lineman Gabe Watson.
St. Louis Rams
1. Upgrade the run defense: The Rams could use another defensive tackle to take their promising defensive front to another level. Adding Fred Robbins in free agency last offseason was a good start. Barry Cofield (New York Giants) and Brandon Mebane (Seattle Seahawks) are scheduled to become free agents this offseason. Cofield played for Steve Spagnuolo and would transition to the Rams' system easily. The Rams could use an in-the-box safety, something they addressed later in the draft. They need to find one and possibly two starting outside linebackers. Chase Blackburn projects more as a backup, but he was also with Spagnuolo on the Giants. Blackburn has played all three linebacker positions. Minnesota's Ben Leber would make sense as well. Paul Ferraro, the Rams' linebackers coach, was with the Vikings previously.
2. Help out Steven Jackson: Adding a third-down back such as Darren Sproles would lighten the load for Jackson, who has played through several injuries in recent seasons. Jackson has 654 rushing attempts over the past two seasons despite missing one game and playing for a team that has often trailed its opponents. Only Chris Johnson (674) has more carries during that span. Sproles isn't the only viable potential option. Jason Snelling, DeAngelo Williams and Reggie Bush also could become available. Upgrading at right guard would also help out Jackson.
3. Figure out the situation at receiver. It's questionable whether the Rams will find any clear upgrades at receiver in free agency. That could lead them to stand pat at the position. They have quantity, but not enough high-end quality. Adding more quantity wouldn't solve much. Plaxico Burress gets mentioned as an option for his ties to Spagnuolo, but he's been out of the game and might not offer much. The Rams thought about claiming Randy Moss off waivers last season. Moss could make more sense for the Rams now that Josh McDaniels is offensive coordinator. He worked well with Moss in New England. Sidney Rice could also have appeal.
Top five free agents: receiver Mark Clayton, guard Adam Goldberg, defensive tackle Clifton Ryan and tight end Daniel Fells.
Seattle Seahawks
1. Sign or acquire a quarterback: Bringing back Hasselbeck remains an option. The team expressed interest in Kolb last offseason. The team could also add a lower-profile veteran to the mix -- perhaps a Matt Leinart type -- for an open competition with Charlie Whitehurst. That would not excite Seattle fans, of course. Getting a young quarterback to build around would be ideal, but the Seahawks are adamant they will not force the situation in the absence of viable options. They weren't going to do it in the draft, when they passed over Andy Dalton for tackle James Carpenter. They probably aren't going to do it in free agency, either.
2. Solidify the offensive line: Tom Cable's addition as assistant head coach/offensive line puts the Seahawks in position to court Oakland Raiders guard Robert Gallery in free agency. Gallery has said he's not returning to the Raiders. Seattle has drafted its starting tackles, starting center and starting right guard in the past few seasons. Max Unger and Russell Okung need better luck with injuries. Okung would also benefit from an experienced presence next to him at left guard. Gallery qualifies as such and he would fit the zone system Cable wants to run. Green Bay's Daryn Colledge could be available, too. He has ties to Seahawks general manager John Schneider. Former Seattle starters Chris Spencer, Sean Locklear, Chester Pitts and Ray Willis might not return.
3. Plug holes on defense. Mebane appears headed for free agency. The Seahawks want him back, but how badly? Mebane could fit better in a purer 4-3 defense. He also might command more money elsewhere. Injuries along the defensive front could also affect the Seahawks' needs. Red Bryant is coming off season-ending knee surgery. Injuries affected Colin Cole and Chris Clemons last season as well. Cornerback is another area to monitor once free agency opens. Does Marcus Trufant still fit at his relatively high price? The Cincinnati Bengals' Johnathan Joseph and other free-agent corners could appeal.
Top five free agents: Hasselbeck, Mebane, Locklear, linebacker Will Herring, defensive end Raheem Brock.
San Francisco 49ers
1. Re-sign Alex Smith: Smith and the 49ers renewed their vows informally this offseason. The official ceremony should come when free agency opens and Smith signs with the team. Smith's name continues to show up on free-agent lists in the interim, but there's no chance he'll sign elsewhere. He's given his word to the 49ers. The team, in turn, has entrusted him with its playbook. Smith even took the lead in teaching what he knew of the offense to teammates. Re-signing Smith takes pressure off rookie quarterback Colin Kaepernick. With a new coaching staff, a young prospect in Kaepernick and no access to players during a lockout, this wasn't the year for San Francisco to make a bold play for a veteran passer from another team.
2. Make a decision on Aubrayo Franklin. The 49ers' plans on defense remain a bit mysterious. Coordinator Vic Fangio did not distribute playbooks to players. The team's needs could change based on whether Franklin, a solid nose tackle, leaves in free agency. Franklin's status as a franchise player last season raised the stakes for a new contract. What does Fangio think of him? What specifically does Fangio want from his defensive linemen? How much will Fangio change to suit the 49ers' personnel? How much new personnel might he want? General manager Trent Baalke said the 49ers will not be aggressive in free agency. The team has shown restraint on that front in recent seasons. Losing Franklin would hurt.
3. Figure out the secondary: The pass defense was problematic last season. Personnel changes in the secondary are on the way. Veteran cornerback Nate Clements stands to earn more than $7 million in base salary in 2011. That price appears prohibitive. The team could release Clements or find a way to keep him at a lower rate. Free safety Dashon Goldson does not have a contract for 2011. How much is he worth? Baltimore's Chris Carr is one free-agent cornerback with ties to the 49ers' staff. He and Fangio were together in Baltimore.
Top five free agents: Smith, Franklin, outside linebacker Manny Lawson, center David Baas, linebacker Takeo Spikes.
Tackling key questions in the NFC West
Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. joined me Wednesday morning to discuss key issues in the NFC West. I'll lay them out, one per team, following the order of the division standings.
1. San Francisco 49ers (3-2): What should we expect from Michael Crabtree and are the 49ers making the right decision to start him now?
Matt Williamson: I agree with it. I haven't seen him in practice, but he must be impressive. I thought he was the best player in the draft. I didn't have to try to sign him, sit down with him, know what kind of person he was, but from what I saw on tape in game situations, he was the best player available. He's an immense talent and probably already the second most talented player on their roster besides Patrick Willis, and they may be equal. He has a chance at some point to be their best offensive playmaker. Get him on the field. He's better than what they have had and the passing game hasn't been all that great.
Mike Sando: One question might be whether rushing him onto the field could lead to injuries.
Matt Williamson: I would bet there will be some fatigue for him. How many times has he run 40 routes in a game and blocked? You can try to do all that stuff in practice, but it isn't the same.
Mike Sando: What does Isaac Bruce have left? Are they making the right decision sitting down Josh Morgan?
Matt Williamson: In the long term, no. But they are a contender and they have as good a shot as anyone to win this division. There's a high trust factor with Bruce. Vernon Davis has improved, but he can still be erratic mentally and assignment-wise. They need somebody out there who can get 8 yards on third-and-7. I'm not sure how reliable Vernon Davis and Josh Morgan would be from that standpoint. When the quarterback gets in trouble, he knows where Bruce is going to be and he will not embarrass you. Morgan will see the field plenty, too, to spell Crabtree.
2. Arizona Cardinas (3-2): What should we expect from Arizona on the road against the Giants? Can the Cardinals win that game?
Matt Williamson: Normally I would say no, but I'm really on the fence about it. Anquan Boldin would be a big loss if he is out. I think New York's defense is very good, but I thought New Orleans really exposed them over the middle of the field and that is why I mentioned Boldin. C.C. Brown was awful for the Giants. Their safety play and linebacker pass defense is poor right now, mostly because of injuries but also because Antonio Pierce and Chase Blackburn aren't good in coverage. The Cardinals do not have a great tight end, but Boldin and Fitzgerald can have success over the middle.
Mike Sando: Will Warner have time to throw?
Matt Williamson: I think they are at a massive disadvantage in pass protection. I would take the Giants for that reason.
Mike Sando: Arizona stopped the Giants' running game last season, but Eli Manning lit up their secondary.
Matt Williamson: That could happen again. I think they are going to have a hard time getting to Manning. I do not like their pass rush.
Mike Sando: Unlike Seattle in Week 6, the Giants will not be starting Kyle Williams at left tackle. Manning has taken only three sacks all season. He has 11 touchdowns, three interceptions and an 8.4-yard average per attempt.
3. Seattle Seahawks (2-4). Seattle has lost twice at home already. Is it too early to write off this team?
Matt Williamson: I don’t think so. A week ago, I kind of felt like they were going to win the division, and then their line got so exposed and nothing went well. They are already 2-4 with a lot of road games ahead of them. They are not the type of team that can afford to lose at home. And can Matt Hasselbeck really play 10 more games for you? I have some doubts there. Are they a contender? No. Are they a drag, either? No.
Mike Sando: Nine wins should be enough to win this division, I think. If that is the case, Seattle probably must win its remaining four games at home -- against Detroit, San Francisco, Tampa Bay and Tennessee -- plus half of its six remaining road games. A victory over Dallas in Week 8 would seem pretty much essential because it's a stretch to think Seattle will win at Minnesota, Arizona or Green Bay. Can the Seahawks beat the Cowboys?
Matt Williamson: I don’t think Dallas is all that good, but I would certainly take the Cowboys right now based on what I have seen today. I don’t know how well they can protect Hasselbeck and Demarcus Ware is a beast. If Sean Locklear comes back, he would still be at a disadvantage, but at least it would be more competitive. Seattle's run game isn’t good enough, but when they are hot and can protect a little bit, they are good in the passing game. They could pick apart that Cowboys secondary. ... I know Lofa Tatupu is out, but David Hawthrone is not a terrible player. He has filled in OK. Aaron Curry is a stud in the making and I don’t think Dallas is all that dangerous. I could see it being competitive. I would really worry about Seattle's offensive line against that defensive front.
Mike Sando: What is Seattle's long-term outlook?
Matt Williamson: They need to fix that running game and draft a lineman or two and I think they could be back in a big way next year.
4. St. Louis Rams (0-6): What should we make of the Rams' decision to trade Will Witherspoon and their approach to rebuilding overall?
Matt Williamson: What was Witherspoon's contract situation?
Mike Sando: He had two years left. His deal was going to count $6.8 million against the cap in 2010.
Matt Williamson: That makes sense, then. That has to be the motivation, that they want him off the books. They are really happy with James Laurinaitis. If you look at the Giants' defenses, they never had a lot of money tied into linebackers. They were fourth- and fifth-round picks, journeymen. I don’t disagree with that, especially running a 4-3. That is the place you can get bargains. It wouldn't shock me if they took that money and got a killer defensive end, using the Giants' formula of, 'Let's beat your tail up front with our defensive line.' "
Mike Sando: What about the receiver St. Louis got from the Eagles for Witherspoon?
Matt Williamson: Brandon Gibson? I watched him at the Senior Bowl and thought he was very ordinary. He is a physical kid, not real fast, not real special, not great movement skills. He is a bottom-of-the-roster guy. Maybe that is the best guy they could get.
Mike Sando: Are they handling the rebuild properly, dumping so many older players?
Matt Williamson: I think so. That makes it such a big project. That is the problem. It is not going to be overnight or one year. You probably still need to find the quarterback. And if you draft him, he still is not going to be ready for two years. And by then, what does Steven Jackson have left? Your best player might never be a factor when you're good. How long can Jackson play given his injuries and how much they run him into a wall? Will he be serviceable in three years? Will he be on the team in five?
What I don’t have a great grasp of is, 'Where do they want to use their resources?' I have no problem with the Jason Smith pick, no problem with Laurinaitis. If you are going to get rid of Witherspoon, what are you going to do with it? If they harvest a bunch of defensive linemen, I'm cool with that. It's a terrific formula. Defensive linemen are gold. I tend to think Steve Spagnuolo thinks that as well.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Mike Sando
Sando joined ESPN.com in 2007 after nine seasons covering the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma (Wash.) News Tribune. He lives in the Seattle-Tacoma area with his wife and two sons.
