Are you ready for some “Monday Night Football” featuring teams with a combined record of 1-10? The Giants (0-6) next welcome in the Vikings (1-4) ,and perhaps ESPN should quickly put together a “Bud Grant: The Iceman Cometh’’ documentary to air in Minnesota and replay the 2000 NFC Championship Game to the New York/New Jersey market.
Eli Manning and his 15 interceptions will be up for nationally televised dissection, but at least the Giants know good ol’ No. 10 will be in the huddle. The Vikings are expected to unveil their third starting quarterback in six games. Josh Freeman, cast aside by the Buccaneers, is expected to take over for Matt Cassel, who took over for Christian Ponder, who might have taken over for Joe Kapp.
“I’d like to, by the time we get back and practice on Wednesday, have an idea which guy is going to be leading our team.,’’ said Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier, the man making the decision.
Jack of all trades
The Giants were not happy and felt a bit blindsided when they left tight end Jake Ballard unprotected after the 2011 season and the Patriots — the tight end-filled Patriots — swooped in and claimed Ballard off waivers. The Giants knew Ballard had suffered a serious injury to his left knee in Super Bowl XLVI and he likely would not play at all in 2012, but they liked him enough to want him stashed on their reserve list.
As it turned out, Ballard’s knee prevented him from making the Patriots roster this summer, but reports are he is on the mend and looking for a tryout. Is there any reason for the Giants not to invite him in? It’s not as if their own tight ends are doing much of anything and free-agent addition Brandon Myers looks as if he will be a one-and-done. It is a laughably stagnant position for the Giants, and
Ballard not long ago was a revelation. Undrafted out of Ohio State, he surprised veteran tight end coach Mike Pope with an ability to make down-the-field receptions as he caught 38 passes for 604 yards and four touchdowns, greatly helping the 2011 Super Bowl run.