Osi Umenyiora News

The Giants wasted a 14-point fourth-quarter lead, won an overtime coin toss to keep a red-hot offense off the field and watched Lawrence Tynes - who earlier had missed from 31 yards - kick a 36-game field goal with 3:54 elapsed in overtime to give the Giants a much-needed 34-31 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Giants Stadium.

Iin his role as an analyst for Sports USA Radio Network, John Robinson was recently at Giants Stadium for a game that ended so suddenly and sickly for the Giants that it was tempting to envision their entire season spiraling into oblivion.

Head coach Tom Coughlin was cautious about CB Aaron Ross ' return to the lineup in Week 11 against the Falcons, but getting Ross back into the mix with the home stretch in sight is a crucial development.

Ferguson boldly predicted he's bound for the Pro Bowl in Miami once the season is over, essentially doing everything but booking a hotel room in South Florida to prove just how serious he was.

The Giants sent seven players to the Pro Bowl last season. But it doesn't seem likely they'll be able to duplicate that feat this year.

The evidence is mounting, not only in the most recent debacle and the current four-game losing streak, but over a longer and more damning sample, that these Giants are simply not that good.

Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora, walking off the field following the 21-20 loss to the Chargers, plans to watch film and work out before leaving town for the bye, in order to get a jump on the Falcons when the Giants return next week.

Chargers outside linebacker Shawne Merriman recorded his first two sacks of the season against the Raiders last week and is looking like his old self heading into Sunday's matchup with the Giants.

Tom Coughlin made a very telling comment when answering questions about why Brandon Jacobs only got 11 carries despite running well against the Chargers .

LOOK at the way the Bad News Giants have played for the past month. Now look at the schedule.

LET'S GET one thing straight. These Giants didn't win the Super Bowl two years ago.

At the close of Giants minicamp in June, coach Tom Coughlin left his players with a message, basically saying they had to finish the 2009 season better than they had the 2008 schedule.

A four-game losing streak has not only hurt the New York Giants' chances of repeating in the NFC East, it has put their playoff hopes in serious doubt.

It will be back to the drawing board for defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan, left, and Giants linebackers Danny Clark and Antonio Pierce during their upcoming bye week.

NOVEMBER 9, 2009 Q. Thoughts in general on the defense yesterday? A. I think we played pretty well for the most part, but all that was pretty much negated by that last drive which we gave up a game-winning touchdown.

It is risky business to stamp R.I.P. on an NFL team's gravestone, and certainly with seven games left, but if Chargers 21, Giants 20 was not the final nail in the coffin, there is no doubt that the hammering has begun in earnest.

SURRENDER 88 points in two losses and everyone recognizes there's a problem. "I ain't gonna lie," Giants cornerback Corey Webster said.

Watching football has not been a fun experience for Giants fans these last three weeks.

The Giants were hammered by the Eagles, 40-17, on Sunday, their third consecutive defeat of the season and third in succession to their N.F.C. East rivals.

Eli Manning must play better in order for the Giants to beat the San Diego Chargers on Sunday at the Meadowlands.