Last night, the Giants played the Cowboys in the first game in the new Dallas stadium. Amazingly, the Giants won. I had the Cowboys winning by two TDs because I did not think the Giants would be able to handle the Dallas passing game, and thought the Giants would not be able to score touchdowns. Well, the Giants won because Dallas QB Tony Homo really sucked and Eli Manning played very well. And because a Giants WR stepped up.
However, Mario also had a taste for the ganja at U of M and did not exactly make the best decisions in his life. He tested positive for pot just before the NFL draft, and scored a 6 on the Wonderlic test, which is some kinda IQ test given to NFL prospects. So, he looks pretty much like a dumbass. Because of the pot thing, he fell to the third round of the draft, where the Giants picked him up. Based on talent and college productivity, it was a great pick for the Gmen. A steal! Given the pot history and Wonderlic score, it had to be considered a gamble. Would he be smart enough to learn the playbook and be able to make the on-the-fly route adjustments required to be a successful WR in the Giants' system? Would he have the work ethic and wisdom to be a successful pro? Or was this kid a knucklehead?
As a rookie last year, the kid did nothing. Not to worry. Rookies rarely contribute as WRs for the Giants or in the NFL. There is a lot to learn. NFL defenses are so much more talented and complex than college that it can be overwhelming for a rookie WR. But this summer, he started to make noise. It became clear: Mario would be in the regular rotation.
Nobody knew what the Giants really had at WR coming into this season. The best WR in team history (Plaxico Burress) and the most productive WR in team history (Amani Toomer) were gone. The guys coming back had either proven nothing or been role players. Certainly, Steve Smith was a good third WR for them and a big part of their success his first two seasons. But could he do the same as a starter? Giants fans knew there was a lot of potential, but we all know how often potential fails to become production. We all loved Smith. Domenik Hixon had shown a lot. Manningham had the great college career behind him. And the two rookie draft picks (Hakeem Nicks and Ramses Barden) looked extremely promising. In the preseason, Smith, Nicks and Manningham all showed flashes.
Manningham had a good game against the Redskins. Three catches for 58 yards and a touchdown. The TD was vintage Manningham. He caught a slip screen, made a tackler miss, and ran in for the score. It was a good start for him and the Giants WR corps. Smith was good, and Nicks was good, although Nicks got hurt and will miss a couple games.
But last night, Mario and the Giants stepped onto the big stage. National television. The first game in the Dallas Cowboys' new billion dollar stadium. Millions watching on TV and 105,000 in the stands. Giants-Cowboys. Everything. And Mario became Super Mario! He was brilliant, glittering, dazzling. He caught 10 passes, including another slip screen, a deep bomb, cuts across the middle, a TD showing great concentration after letting the ball bounce off his hands. "Manning to Manningham! Touchdown!" It is destined to be a cliche.
Manningham wasn't the only WR to have a monster game for the Giants. Smith also caught 10 balls. He also had a big TD catch, as well as his trademark third down magic. The third year man from USC and the second year man from Michigan put on their own personal Rose Bowl.
Manningham and Smith show a drafting philosophy in action. Nicks and Ramses Barden continue that philosophy: players who were super productive in college. Smith, Manningham and Nicks were all super productive at big time programs. All three sparkled in bowl games. All three excel at catching the ball. They are not track stars; they are Receivers. Barden was also super productive, but at a small school. He is an example of a variation of the philosophy: players who dominated at a lower level of competition. Kevin Boss is another example of that variation. Boss and Barden both dominated on the small school level, and both have exceptional size. So far the philosophy appears to be working. There have been no more Sinorice Moss boondoggles.
I'm concerned about things from the game. The inability to score in the red zone in two straight games now is worrying. The Cowboys shredding the defense for 250 yards on the ground is scary. The injuries bode poorly. But the play of the WR corps has been very encouraging. I cannot wait to see Nicks get back. I think he is going to be a star, as is Manningham. We all knew the young guys had a lot of talent, and that they had produced at a high level in college. Now they are showing that they can do it in the NFL. The Giants could have an embarrassment of riches at wide receiver. The season should be a fun ride.
Manning to Manningham! Touchdown!
Oh, and on the subject of going deep to score.....
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