Dominated. That’s exactly what the New York Giants were Monday evening, and the team’s once bright playoff hopes are quickly fading away.

The New Orleans Saints crushed the Giants 49-24 on Monday. A full game recap and box score can be found here.

The game changed: When two moments cost the Giants what could have been two game-defining touchdowns. After thwarting the Saints on a fake field goal attempt, New York drove right down the field and into the New Orleans red zone. Eli Manning(notes) looked for tight end Jake Ballard(notes) in the end zone, but Will Herring(notes) made an impressive play to intercept the pass. Manning could have thrown a better ball in that scenario, and Ballard probably should have been a bit more physical in trying to prevent the interception. Herring’s highlight reel play kept the game scoreless, and also provided quite the momentum shift.

The Giants drove down the field again during the second quarter, this time trailing 7-0. A silly false start penalty inside the New Orleans 30-yard line slowed down New York’s drive, however, and the Giants were forced to settle for three points. Failing to find the end zone on those two occasions prevented the Giants from ever obtaining a grip on the game, and the Saints, as any championship contender would, made Big Blue pay.

The game was over: When New York CB Corey Webster(notes) misplayed a Drew Brees(notes) pass near the end of the first half. Webster’s minor misstep allowed Marques Colston(notes) to make a 50-yard jaunt down the left sideline, one that eventually resulted in the Saints’ third touchdown of the game. New Orleans took a 21-3 lead into halftime, and New York would never again get within ten points of the Saints.

Corey Webster was quietly having a Pro Bowl year heading into the month of November. He, along with several other members of the team’s defense, just hasn’t been good enough over the past few weeks. Webster was burned several times in New York’s loss to Philadelphia, and the same happened Monday night. Without a real pass rush, Webster and others have failed to make plays in the secondary, and it’s one big reason the Giants have lost three straight.

Zero: Zero sacks. The Giants finished Monday’s game with zero sacks. Quarterback Drew Brees had all day to find open wide receivers time and time again Monday night, as New York’s often-discussed pass rush was practically non-existent against the Saints. Mathias Kiwanuka(notes), Jason Pierre-Paul(notes) and Osi Umenyiora(notes) found their way into the New Orleans backfield only a few times. Justin Tuck’s(notes) most memorable moments came when the ESPN camera crew focused in on his pregame stretching routine. The Giants are now consistently giving up an average of over 250+ yards per game through the air. As of the writing of this sentence, New York has the worst pass defense in the NFC East.

Overall: Here we go again. The once 6-2 New York Giants have lost three straight heading into December, and the undefeated and seemingly unbeatable Green Bay Packers are coming to town this Sunday. New York’s defense is currently in shambles, and the Giants have the worst rushing attack in all of pro football. The Giants team that took the field Monday night will be lucky to finish the 2011 NFL regular season at 8-8.

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New Orleans Saints

Since 2009, the New Orleans Saints are undefeated in November. That, along with the fact that the Saints were coming off their bye, figured to make life difficult for the visiting New York Giants. Since Tom Coughlin became their head coach, the Giants entered New Orleans with a 24-34 record in the second half of their seasons. The Saints are still undefeated in November since ’09 and the Giants are still struggling after New Orleans crushed New York 49-24.

New Orleans Saints vs. New York Giants

One of the matchups that I was looking forward to watching was seeing if the Giants anemic rushing attack would come to life against the Saints. Although the Giants are last in rushing in the NFL, I thought they would still try to force the issue against the Saints, who have struggled stopping the run. However, there is one remedy that will stop even the best of rushing attacks. And that is a big lead.

In the first quarter, I was worried that the Saints failed fake field goal attempt would spark the Giants. But the lifeless Giants looked like they were still recovering from too much Thanksgiving turkey. Drew Brees(notes) and the Saints didn’t stay down for long. Jimmy Graham’s(notes) TD reception in the second quarter was one of the easiest TD plays I have ever seen in the NFL. By halftime, the Saints led the sleepwalking Giants 21-3.

The Giants must have gotten an earful from Coughlin at the half because they scored a TD on their opening drive. However, Brandon Jacobs(notes) definitely should have been called for taunting after his impressive TD run for the Giants. Then, as he so often does, Brees answered with a TD of his own. From his amazing scramble to his TD run, I could have sworn it was Tim Tebow(notes) playing QB for the Saints.

One of my favorite things about watching the Saints on Monday Night Football is that ESPN analyst Jon Gruden doesn’t even try to hide his admiration of Drew Brees. During the aforementioned scramble, Gruden admitted he sounds like a cheerleader when it comes to Brees. The Giants went back to sleep late in the third quarter as the Saints coasted to a 49-24 win.

Looking ahead

The Saints will play their second straight prime time game Sunday night against the Detroit Lions. Reportedly, Ndamukong Suh(notes) will be facing a suspension for his actions on Thanksgiving. Whether the Lions have Suh or not, I like the Saints chances against Detroit. The Saints will be motivated to keep playing well because the Atlanta Falcons have an easy schedule. Don’t be surprised if the Saints run the table and match their 13-3 record of 2009.

Patrick Michael was born and raised in New Orleans and currently resides in the Big Easy. As such, he is a lifelong, diehard New Orleans Saints fan. His highlight as a Saints fan was experiencing the magical Super Bowl season of 2009.

Sources

ESPN broadcast of the Saints vs. Giants game

More from this contributor

Game summary of Super Bowl 48

Top 6 Monday Night Football teams since 2006

Top 10 most likely teams to win Super Bowl 46

The top 5 NFL tight ends for 2011

Top 5 NFL players in the Hall of Fame who should not be

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That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

Quick notes for tonight’s New York Giants at New Orleans Saints game.

• The Giants lost, 17-10, at home to the Eagles last Sunday and have now dropped two straight games for the first time this season. If the playoffs started today, New York (1-2 in the division) would be on the outside looking in despite having a share of the NFC East lead with the Cowboys (2-1 in the division).
• John Kasay kicked a 26-yard field goal in overtime and the Saints beat the Falcons, 26-23, in Week 10 to maintain their lead in the NFC South. New Orleans has won two straight following a bye week, improving to 10-12 after the week off all-time.
• The Saints defeated the Giants, 48-27, in the two clubs’ last meeting (2009) — their second straight and third win in the last four games against New York overall. New Orleans and New York have played 25 games all-time, with the Giants holding a 14-11 series advantage.
• Victor Cruz caught six passes for 128 yards and a touchdown last Sunday, giving him exactly 800 receiving yards overall in 2011 — fifth best in the NFC. The last Giants’ player to have more receiving yards in the team’s first 10 games of the season was Plaxico Burress (819) in 2005.
• Drew Brees threw for 322 yards in Week 10 and now has 51 career 300-yard passing games overall — tied with Dan Fouts for fifth most all-time (Kurt Warner is fourth with 52). Brees also had two touchdown passes versus the Falcons marking his 37th consecutive contest with at least one TD throw (second-longest streak all-time behind Johnny Unitas’ 47).
• New York was held to just 29 yards on the ground by the Eagles in Week 11 — its lowest rushing output since a 25-yard performance against Jacksonville on November 20, 2006. The Giants are averaging an NFC-low 83.2 rush yards per game in 2011.

What do you guys think about this.

Whether a two-game skid and a tough upcoming schedule could combine to spell doom for the New York Giants is a question Eli Manning sees little point in addressing right now.

“It’s not about who our next opponent is or what the standings are in the division,” Manning said as the Giants (6-4) prepared for their matchup with the Saints (7-3) in New Orleans on Monday night.

“When you start looking ahead or trying to calculate other teams that teams in our division are playing, and wins and losses, or how many games you have to win to get in the playoffs, that’s when you lose focus.”

Giants coach Tom Coughlin is in no mood to dwell on whether the Giants’ season is on the brink, either.

“It’s interesting that after a couple of seven-point losses we are going to talk about that,” Coughlin said this week when asked about the potential for a late-season swoon. “It’s difficult for me to understand why there’s nothing more prevalent to talk about than that.”

While consecutive close loses to San Francisco and Philadelphia could hardly be considered shocking, the timing of New York’s slide could not be much worse.

The Dallas Cowboys’ recent surge has vaulted them to a half-game lead in the NFC East, meaning the Giants must now try to keep pace by winning in New Orleans, where the Saints are 4-0 this season.

If the Giants’ difficulties persist in the Big Easy, they’ll face the prospect of a four-game losing streak when they host unbeaten Green Bay the following week.

New Orleans also has tough games coming up, but that’s a more comfortable topic of discussion for the Saints, who’ve won two straight and enter Week 12 with a one-game lead over Atlanta in the NFC South.

Following its meeting with a desperate Giants squad that only a few weeks ago played well enough to knock off the Patriots in New England, New Orleans will then host Detroit.

“We have a couple of conference games coming up that could affect playoff positioning, which I know we aspire to be there, as do the two teams we’re playing coming up,” Saints quarterback Drew Brees said. “It’s very much strategic. These games mean that much more because of that.”

If the Giants want to reverse their fortunes, they’ll likely have to find a way to slow down Brees, whose 3,326 yards passing led the league through last week’s games and represented the most yards passing through 10 games in NFL history.

Coughlin hopes New York can manage that with pressure from a defensive line as formidable as any in the league. Defensive ends Jason Pierre-Paul and Osi Umenyiora have combined for 17 1/2 sacks.

“You have to have a little bit of the approach that the Rams used,” Coughlin said, referring to the six-sack performance of St. Louis’ defense in a shocking upset of the Saints in Week 8. “They played very well against New Orleans and seemed to get to the quarterback.”

Brees figures he’ll have to get rid of the ball as quickly and accurately as he has all season.

“What I see is a defense that does a great job of getting after the quarterback, that does a great job taking the ball away and taking advantage of those opportunities when they have it,” Brees said. “You have to play extremely smart against them. You can’t be one dimensional. You have to be able to run the ball as well as throw it.”

New Orleans has demonstrated this season that it can run the ball well, though not always consistently. The Saints do have their top four running backs — Darren Sproles, Pierre Thomas, Mark Ingram and Chris Ivory — all healthy coming out of their bye week, though it remains to be seen whether all four will be active.

“Running the football has been a point of emphasis,” Saints coach Sean Payton said. “Certainly we have a lot of confidence in Drew Brees in the pocket and outside of the pocket. I also know and recognize the ally that a running attack provides the quarterback and the importance of that.”

The Saints’ running game ranks in the top half of the league, 13th overall.

Surprisingly, the Giants, who’ve run the ball well in recent seasons, rank second-to-last in rushing with 83.2 yards per game. Still, Payton warned it would be foolish to underestimate New York’s ground game.

“Although their statistics haven’t been as strong as in years past, I don’t think their commitment has changed at all,” Payton said. “I would expect that to be something they’ll work very hard at and try to correct.”

That’s not the only thing the Giants want to fix.

Defensive back Antrel Rolle said his team needs to summon and sustain more emotion on the field. That, he said, might have made the difference in their last loss to the Eagles, and could be vital in New Orleans.

“We are too calm out there and football is not a game for you to be calm,” Rolle said. “It is a game of attitude. It is a game of emotion.”

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Read More: new york giants injury report, Michael Boley (LB – NYG), D.J. Ware (RB – NYG), Derrick Martin (S – NYG), Kareem McKenzie (OT – NYG), Justin Tuck (DE – NYG), Osi Umenyiora (DE – NYG), Ahmad Bradshaw (RB – NYG), Turk McBride (DE – NOS), Mario Manningham (WR – NYG), Will Beatty (OT – NYG), Patrick Robinson (CB – NOS), Cameron Jordan (DE – NOS), New Orleans Saints, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, New York Giants at New Orleans Saints, Nov 28, 2011 8:30 PM EST

The 6-4 New York Giants will travel to New Orleans on Monday night as they look to keep pace with the first place Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East with a win against the 7-3 New Orleans Saints. The Giants are once again banged up – as they have been all season long.

Here is Saturday’s complete Giants-New Orleans Saints injury report:

New York Giants

T Will Beatty, Eye/Back…Out

LB Michael Boley, Hamstring…Doubtful

RB Ahmad Bradshaw, Foot…Out

WR Mario Manningham, Knee…Questionable

WR Michael Clayton, Knee…Questionable

DB Derrick Martin, Hamstring…Out

T Kareem McKenzie, Toe…Probable

DE Justin Tuck, Ankle/Shoulder…Probable

DE Osi Umenyiora, Knee…Probable

RB D.J. Ware, Concussion…Probable

New Orleans Saints

DE Turk McBride … Ankle … Out

LB Jon Vilma … Knee … Questionable

DE Cameron Jordan … Hand … Probable

CB Patrick Robinson … Stomach … Probable

– For the latest Giants news, follow the comprehensive Giants vs. Saints 2011 StoryStream on SB Nation New York and visit our Giants blog Big Blue View.

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Monday night’s marquee attraction features two of the NFC’s preseason prognostication darlings, only one of which can be happy about the way they’re playing. The New York Giants, losers of two consecutive games, head in to face the New Orleans Saints, coming off a bye week and sitting atop the NFC South with a 7-3 record.

Although New York is tied for the lead in the NFC East at 6-4, the Giants are somewhat restless, given consecutive defeats against the surprisingly stout 49ers and the puzzling Eagles.

Make no mistake: The Giants likely won’t be looking past New Orleans. New York faces the undefeated Green Bay Packers next week, while quarterback Eli Manning tries to fend off the New York media’s ceaseless questions about what’s wrong with the Giants.

Manning, a New Orleans native, has never beaten his hometown team. He has lost two games to the Saints, one at home in 2006 and the last one here in 2009.

GIANTS OFFENSE

The relationship Manning has in New York is much the same as it was for his father, Archie, in New Orleans — alternately revered and reviled, depending upon individual and collective weekly performances. One week, Eli is the same beloved quarterback who led the Giants to a Super Bowl championship. The next, he’s the one who’s criticized for losing to an underachieving Philadelphia team.

This season, Manning has thrown twice as many touchdowns (18) as interceptions (nine) and has New York’s passing offense ranked fifth in the NFL at 281.4 yards per game.

But the Giants’ running attack has provided no help and less balance. New York ranks 31st in the NFL in rushing offense, accumulating only 83.2 yards per game, with nine touchdowns.

Leading rusher Ahmad Bradshaw (440 yards, five touchdowns, 4.0 per-carry average) is out with a foot injury, leaving the heavy lifting for backup Brandon Jacobs, who has rushed for 274 yards on 90 carries, a 3-yard average, and three scores.

Bradshaw has missed the past three games, and likely will not return Monday night, despite Coach Tom Coughlin’s calling the Giants’ running attack “pathetic” after the 17-10 loss last Sunday night to the Eagles.

Manning has been sacked 19 times, and his offensive line had difficulty with the aggressive Eagles defense, which sacked him three times.

Receiver Victor Cruz has been Manning’s favored target this season, catching 46 passes for 800 yards, a 17.5 yards-per-catch average, and five touchdowns. Fourteen of Cruz’s receptions have gone for 20 yards or more, and he has accumulated 251 yards after catches.

GIANTS DEFENSE

Once the pride and backbone during the Giants’ glory years, this season New York’s defense is hovering in the bottom third of the league.

The Giants have the 21st-ranked defense in the NFL, 18th against the pass (allowing 239.1 yards per game) and 21st against the run (123 yards per game, a 4.5 per-carry average).

The scoring distribution is nearly identical — 12 touchdown passes allowed, 10 rushing scores.

New York has allowed 228 points this season, the same number as the Saints.

Bookend defensive ends Jason Pierre-Paul (team-leading 10 sacks) and Osi Umenyiora (seven sacks) lead the charge up front, and the duo certainly can be a handful for an opposing offensive line. Umenyiora has been slowed by a knee injury, but was active against the Eagles, getting three tackles.

Throw in hard-rushing linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka, and the Giants, on paper at least, look to be a formidable challenge.

Yet, New York’s pass defense has been sporadic at best.

Although Eagles reserve quarterback Vince Young was intercepted three times last week, the Giants allowed Young to throw for 258 yards. This season, the New York pass defense has given up 36 completions of 20 yards or more, and a 60-plus yarder against the Eagles was obliterated by a taunting penalty on Philly receiver DeSean Jackson.

Former LSU cornerback Corey Webster has four interceptions for the Giants, along with cornerback Aaron Ross, who could be slowed this week by a left quadriceps contusion. But Webster is dangerous when he has possession of the football, with 55 return yards on his picks.

GIANTS SPECIAL TEAMS

From inside the 50-yard line, Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes is consistent. He has two misses in 12 attempts this season, one inside the 39, the other from beyond 50, and he has converted all 26 extra points.

Punter Steve Weatherford is familiar to Saints fans, having kicked here during the team’s first march to the NFC title game in 2006 and through 2008. Weatherford’s net average this season is 40.1 yards, against a 46.7 gross, and 16 of his 55 punts have been downed inside the 20-yard line.

Kick returner Devin Thomas has turned into an exciting specialist, running back 21 kicks, with a long of 40 yards, and Da’Rel Scott has contributed five returns for a 22.8 average.

Ross is the primary punt returner, with 13 for 100 yards. He has made 10 fair catches. New York’s punt-return defense, however, has allowed opponents 10 yards per return, including a long of 51 yards, and the kickoff-coverage team is giving up 23.2 yards per return on 27 run-backs.

Giants special teams have not allowed a touchdown this season.

LAST TIME THEY MET

Oct. 18, 2009, Superdome

The Saints put the game away by scoring 34 first-half points, then added 14 more in the second half for a relatively easy victory.

Quarterback Drew Brees threw for 369 yards and four touchdowns and controlled the clock for 36:07. New Orleans piled up 493 yards total offense, as running back Pierre Thomas pitched in 72 rushing yards and Mike Bell and Reggie Bush each pushed across touchdowns.

What do you guys think about this.

What other media outlets are writing about the New Orleans Saints’ next foe, the New York Giants:

Giants’ tackle to have eye surgery (Jorge Castillo, The Star Ledger) 

Giants sign Will Blackmon after Michael Coe sent to IR (Mike Garafolo, The Star-Ledger)

Brandon Jacobs calls out Giants fans (Jorge Castillo, The Star-Ledger)

Chris Canty looks to step into leadership role (Mike Garafolo, The Star-Ledger)

That’s all the news for today.

The New York football Giants strutted to New Orleans in October 2009 undefeated and ready to be crowned the best team in football. Instead, they were embarrassed by a New Orleans Saints team that, events culminating in Super Bowl XLIV would prove, actually was the best team in football.

Giants quarterback and New Orleans native Eli Manning insisted Wednesday that 48-27 humiliation isn’t at the forefront of his thinking this week as he prepares to return to his hometown for a Monday night showdown with the Saints. But he hasn’t forgotten it, either.

“We haven’t, it’s a couple of years ago and this is a new season,” Manning began. “You know, they had a great day. It was one of those days – it hasn’t happened against us many times. It’s happened for us, where everything is clicking. Offensively, you’re hitting everything. You’re having great play calling and guys are getting open. It’s one of those days where things feel easy out there. That’s the kind of day their offense had and our offense – we really had opportunities in the game to hit some go routes. I overthrew Steve Smith, I missed a post route, so there were opportunities to hit big plays and match them but we were just a little off and all of a sudden the game got out of hand.

“Look, we know they’re a talented team,” he said, switching gears. “But we feel we’re talented also and we can go in there and play a good game.”

The Giants have not appeared in the playoffs since the pasting they received in New Orleans, a game that precipitated what has become a staple for Big Blue: the second half season collapse.

That is a distinct possibility again in 2011, as the Giants (6-4) have dropped consecutive games to San Francisco and Philadelphia and now must face New Orleans, Green Bay and then Dallas.

That’s all the news for today.

What they’re writing about the New Orleans Saints’ next foe: the New York Giants:

Giants’ struggles begin with offensive line (Mike Garafolo, nj.com)

Prince Amukumara earns praise in Eagles loss (Garafolo)

Video: Chris Camby says team needs to be more physical vs. Saints

New York bewildered by lack of intensity (Jorge Castillo, nj.com)

Thanks for reading! .

Gotta run!.

The New Orleans Saints have released oft-injured tight end Jeremy Shockey after three seasons, terminating his contract Tuesday.

Shockey, 30, was due $4.7 million in 2011. He has battled various injuries during his nine years in New Orleans and with the New York Giants. A 2002 first-round pick of the Giants out of Miami (Fla.), Shockey was a four-time Pro Bowler in New York before being traded after that team’s Super Bowl XLII-winning season.

The Saints made an expected move Tuesday in cutting ties with oft-injured tight end Jeremy Shockey.

Although Shockey contributed well as a run blocker for the Saints, injuries hampered his production in the coach Sean Payton’s prolific passing offense. He broke his fibula as a Giant in 2007, sustained a sports hernia in 2008 and then had lingering knee problems last season.

Shockey now joins David Thomas as a Saints free agent tight end. Both became expendable with the late-season emergence of rookie third-round pick Jimmy Graham.

Overall, Shockey played in 42 games in New Orleans, including playoffs, and totaled 148 receptions for 1,542 yards and eight touchdowns. He scored on a 2-yard pass from Drew Brees to help the Saints beat the Colts in Super XLIV. Shockey has 510 career receptions.

“Jeremy played an important role in helping our team bring a Super Bowl championship to New Orleans,” Payton said in a statement. “He contributed to the success of our offense, both as a pass-catcher and run blocker, and we’re appreciative of his efforts.”

Not much else going on in the NFL world today.

Feel free to leave your comments below.

What are your opinions.