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Here we go again.
After cruising to a cool 6-2 record to open the season, the Giants seemed to be on top of the NFL.  After taking a comfortable 2 and 1/2  game lead in the division midway through the year, the Giants seemed to be in control of their own destiny-but history seems to always repeat itself for Big Blue.
The Tom Coughlin era has brought two things to New York: championships and second half collapses. With only 6 games remaining the Giants have some serious soul-searching to do if they care about winning another ring and claiming a dynasty title.
The Giants now enter week 11 on  much-needed bye week to not only get players like Ahmad Bradshaw and Hakeem Nicks healthy, but find some answers to some very serious concerns.
Ahmad Bradshaw:
The smallest guy with the biggest heart has some explaining to do.  Aside from a two game outburst, Bradshaw has been mostly inept and turnover prone this season.  His lack of contribution has also raised concerns as to whether or not he is even healthy enough to be on the field at all. A running back with nagging lower body injuries is never a good thing, and Bradshaw is always ending up on the injury report.
The Giants need to figure out if Bradshaw is not only healthy after the bye, but if he can contribute positively, because the tight now the offense needs their small soldier.
How fast things can change in such a short amount of time.  The drought of Eli Manning finding the end zone has reached three games, and is nearing a boiling point.  For a team that throws the ball 40 plus times a game, there is no excuse for Manning to not have found the end zone.
Manning seemed to go from early MVP candidate to a guy struggling for answers. Reports have suggested he is suffering from a tired arm, and it shows. There seems to be less zip on some of his passes, and his accuracy has abandoned him recently.
The play calling has been very questionable at times, but Eli is just not making some of the reads he used to.
To say he has some work to do is understatement.
Special Teams:
What started off as a strength for New York, has turned into a liability. The Giants clearly have a lot of work to do, not only in the return game, but on the coverage teams as well.
After surrendering 173 yards on five kick returns just last week, the Giants let Adam “Pacman” Jones get loose for a 68-yard return on a punt, setting up a Cincinnati touchdown just a few plays later.  It’s no secret that field position determines the outcome of a game, and the Giants just aren’t winning it right now.
DEFENSE:
Look around, there’s holes everywhere.
The front four just isn’t pressuring quarterbacks like they used to and that’s leaving the Giants poor secondary exposed.  It’s no secret Prince Amukamara hasn’t lived up to the hype just yet, and Corey Webster is not a top-tier corner, however those facts are magnified when the quarterback has all day to throw.
Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, and Jason Pierre-Paul have not showed the skill and toughness fans are so used to seeing. Perhaps offenses have found a way to deal with the big blue wrecking crew, and if that’s the case, then Perry Fewell needs to go home and reheat that Super Bowl playbook.
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