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| That's MY boy! | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Oct 19 2005, 09:47 PM (52 Views) | |
| KCGirl | Oct 19 2005, 09:47 PM Post #1 |
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Shaper of Young Minds (aaahhhhhh!)
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Practice "Report" for Wednesday Greisen makes most of opportunity as starter EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Since joining the Giants in 2002, Nick Greisen has been the utility man among the team’s linebackers. Capable of playing all three spots, Greisen has stepped in as needed, contributed on defense and been a stalwart on special teams. Although Greisen has been appreciated for his versatility and production, he yearned to be a full-time starter. Last year, Greisen did start seven games at weak outside linebacker when Barrett Green suffered knee and ankle injuries. But when training camp opened in July, Greisen was back in his familiar role as the handyman of the linebackers. When Green needed more time to recover from offseason surgery and the coaches ordered a shift among the linebackers – moving Carlos Emmons to the weak side and Reggie Torbor to strongside backer – Greisen was omitted from the starting lineup. “It was difficult,” Greisen said today. “I thought maybe I had done enough last year to prove that I can play at a starter’s level. But they just want to try other situations. Now they’re seeing different things.” That’s because Greisen has again shown everyone that he can be a very good linebacker. Inserted into the starting lineup prior to the Oct. 2 game against St. Louis, Greisen responded with nine tackles (five solo) and a fumble recovery in a 44-24 victory. Last week in Dallas, Greisen might have played his finest game as a professional. His 10 tackles tied Gibril Wilson for the team-high and his 28-yard return of a Keyshawn Johnson fumble in the second quarter set up a Giants field goal. “He played very well last Sunday,” head coach Tom Coughlin said. “He has been very consistent. He also played on special teams. He played a lot of plays in the game. He played well in the game; he played well on special teams. He certainly did a good job.” Greisen came close to making a great play that might have prevented the Giants from losing in overtime to the Cowboys, 16-13. In the extra period, Dallas faced a second-and-seven when Greisen broke through the line and almost snatched the ball away from Drew Bledsoe before he handed it to running back Marion Barber. But Greisen hesitated, enabling the two Cowboys to complete their transaction. He then Greisen tackled Barber for a six-yard loss, but two plays later, Jose Cortez kicked the game-winning field goal. “It happened so fast,” Greisen said. “Looking back, I wish I had another opportunity to maybe try and take the handoff from him. I wanted to make sure he was going to hand it off and he wasn’t going to boot or fake it. I just wanted to make sure I was there to make a play and they didn’t get any more yards to get closer to kicking a field goal. You don’t get that opportunity a lot of times. When you don’t see it, it kind of surprises you a little bit. “(Next time) I’m going to go for the ball. Let the other guys try to tackle him if he does actually get the ball. Just try to make a play to get our team the ball. I tried to knock the ball out of his hands when he handed it off, but I just wasn’t there quick enough.” The 3-2 Giants will need Greisen this week. As they prepare to host the red-hot 5-1 Denver Broncos on Sunday, their linebackers are again beset with injuries. Green, Emmons and Torbor are all listed as questionable with ankle injuries. That means Greisen should again play a big role in the game. That’s fine with him, of course, but he’d like to believe he’d be a key performer even if everyone was healthy. “I guess that’s the way everybody looks at it - I play all the positions and when someone goes down I have to be ready to step up like I have in the past and like I’m a starter,” Greisen said. “These are moments that you wait for. You dream about it. As a player and as a professional, you have to make sure you’re ready to step in to show that you’re a starter and you’re going to play like it. When you have an opportunity you have to make the most out of them. Hopefully and eventually they might be able to call me a starter regardless of any injuries that have been had.” Greisen entered the NFL as an underdog and he’s had difficulty shaking that status. The Giants selected him on the fifth round of the draft, the 152nd overall pick. As a rookie, Greisen was limited to eight games because of a stress fracture in his foot. He made his first career start at middle linebacker in a crucial late-season game at Washington because Mike Barrow was sidelined with a concussion, and picked up his first sack, forced fumble and fumble recovery on the same play. As a pro sophomore, Greisen played in 15 games with no starts, as most of his action was on special teams. Last year he stepped in as needed and played well, most notably with a 15-tackle (13 solo) effort against Pittsburgh that included a sack. But when both training camp and the regular season opened, Greisen was back in a reserve role. Greisen, it seems, is always in a position to prove he belongs. “I think that’s fine,” he said. “It’s been that way for four years. I like being the underdog. As an NFL player, you always have to earn your spot and you always have to keep competing. That’s what makes you better. It’s definitely kept me sharp. Nothing’s been handed to me, nothing’s been given to me my entire life. I’ve always had to work for it. It’s something I’ve been used to.” Now that he’s played another big game, has Greisen finally established himself as a starter? “I’m getting there,” Greisen said. “Until someone says, “Nick’s our starter and he’s going to be our starter’ it’s hard to say. “I’d like to solidify myself as a starter now. I’m going to do as much as I can to make sure not only this team looks at it, but the rest of the league can say, ‘Okay, he’s their starting linebacker.’” :clap: :flex: |
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| Halfmoon | Oct 20 2005, 05:24 PM Post #2 |
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Crazy, but in a good way. Honest!
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He and Wilson are the bright spots on the D right now. lets hope the others come together around them. |
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| InsightToRiot | Oct 21 2005, 01:50 AM Post #3 |
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Keeper of Real
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Gibril Wilson = What have you done for me lately? Cornelius Griffin anyone? |
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| KCGirl | Oct 21 2005, 09:35 AM Post #4 |
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Shaper of Young Minds (aaahhhhhh!)
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Gibril's got a bad ankle too.....don't know if he'll play Sunday & if he does, how effective he'll be....
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