Giants make it Official: Fire Pat Shurmur; Baylor's Rhule Fav to Get Job

The Pat Shurmur era is over in New York. The Giants fired Shurmur this morning less than a day after his team completed a 4-12 campaign with a lopsided 34-17 loss to the NFC East Champion Philadelphia Eagles.

Shurmur was 9-23 in two seasons at the helm of Big Blue. His teams often didn't compete well enough in games, especially this season as Shurmur benched quarterback Eli Manning after only two games, opting to go for the future with quarterback Daniel Jones. While Jones had his moments, he was under center during a hideous nine-game losing streak, and developed a ability to fumble the football at inopportune times.

It was apparent really from the first day he was hired by GM David Gettleman that Shurmur was in over his head. He never looked comfortable here, waging wars with the media, especially WFAN host Mike Francesa, and never carried himself as a leader of men after losses. Shurmur shrugs became a thing of commonplace.

With Shurmur out the Giants opted to keep Gettleman in place, a controversial decision, since he is one who built this team the past two seasons. A lot of rumors circulated this week that the Giants front office was split on whether to keep Gettleman or not. John Mara wanted continuity, while co-owner Steve Tisch wanted both Gettleman and Shurmur out the door.

Instead Gettleman will remain, and will get to pick the next head coach. This doesn't always work out for the best. Just look at the Jets. That franchise tried this kind of move several times, only to have it blow up in their faces, most recently this year when they kept GM Mike Maccagnan and fired Todd Bowles. Maccagnan was fired last June during a power trip by head coach Adam Gase, who Maccagnan agreed to hire.

The Giants are going to have to act quickly to find a new head coach. Top names are peeling off quickly, and there is already speculation that some candidates don't want to come to New York to work with Gettleman.

Ron Rivera who worked with Gettleman in Carolina is expected to become the next head coach of the Washington Redskins, so he is now off the wish list.

Mike McCarthy is getting heavily courted by the Carolina Panthers and Cleveland Browns.

There is a lot of speculation that the Giants could go after Baylor head coach Matt Rhule, which would certainly be an out-of-the-box hire.

Rhule worked one season with the Giants as an offensive line assistant in 2012, before moving to college as a head coach. He has been credited with turning around both the Temple Owls and Baylor Bears in short periods of time. Case in point, Baylor was 1-11 in Rhule's first season back in 2017. They went 11-2 this year and are in the Sugar Bowl.

Rhule has been linked to the NFL for some time. He interviewed for the Colts job two years ago, and was a strong candidate for the Jets job last year. In fact, the Jets offered him the job, but a disagreement over the handling of personnel ended talks as Rhule went back to Baylor.

It is anyone's guess how much control Rhule is going to seek from a team like the Giants, and if he is willing to work under Gettleman.

If the Giants really want Rhule, they might have to hurry. The Dallas Cowboys fired Jason Garrett Monday afternoon, and Rhule is a candidate for that Cowboys job as well.

It is amazing how NFL teams are tripping over themselves to interview a college coach who is only five games over .500 and never won a National Championship.

If the Giants lose out on Rhule, or if he flat out rejects them, another potential candidate could be Garrett. Garret has Giants connections dating back to his playing days in the early 2000's when he was the back-up quarterback to Kerry Collins. Earlier this year, Garrett was linked to as a potential candidate for the Giants job.

If the Giants were to pursue and hire Garrett, it would be ironic, because they would be following the same pattern the Jets followed in hiring Gase -- a failed coach from a division rival.

All Eyes on Pat Shumur After Giants Season Ends in Defeat

EAGLES 34 - GIANTS 17 

The Philadelphia Eagles are going to the playoffs, while the New York Giants are going home wondering who their coach will be in less than 24 hours.

When Daniel Jones fumbled the exchange from center, only to watch the ball flop helplessly around the wet MetLife Stadium turf and into the waiting arms of defensive end Fletcher Cox, before Boston Scott capped off the moment with one of his three touchdowns on the night, it became clear this would be the end of an era.

In some ways the play was eerily similar to the fumble by another bumbling, fumbling Giants quarterback so many years ago, Joe Pisarcik, when he fumbled in the closing minutes against Philly in 1978, only to have Herman Edwards pick up the loose ball and score. That play known as the Miracle of the Meadowlands was the beginning of the end of those horrible Giants.

Help would soon be on the way in the form of George Young, and eventually, Bill Parcells.

Giants fans can only hope that Sunday night's 34-17 smackdown through the raindrops at the hands of the Eagles is only the beginning of the end for head coach Pat Shurmur and GM David Gettleman.

Reports are that Shurmur is defiantly on his way out the door. Sounds like Gentlemen might stay. 

If that is the case, Gentleman better find a head coach who commands respect, preaches defense and  can figure out whether Daniel Jones is worth that first round pick the Giants spent on him last April.

They need a head coach who knows how to win, and knows how to get the best out of his players. A leader of men. That is something the Giants have not had in the building since John Mara and Steve Tisch fired Tom Coughlin at the end of the 2015 season.

Two men currently unemployed now are definitely going to get consideration: Ron Rivera and Mike McCarthy.

If Rivera is the guy the Giants want, they may have to act quickly, since he is scheduled to interview with the Washington Redskins on Monday. Washington is also interested in former Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis.

If Rivera doesn't go to Washington, he would make a lot of sense in New York because of his ties to Gettleman when the two worked together in Carolina. Mike Shula, the Giants offensive coordinator was Rivera's Offensive Coordinator down in Carolina as well.  Rivera would be the right choice -- if available.

McCarthy would also be a wise choice. A guy who succeed with both Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers, and wants badly to get back into coaching. McCarthy wanted the Jets job last year, but they chose Adam Gase. That hasn't worked out for them.

What a feather in the cap it would be for the Giants to rub in the face of the Jets if McCarthy becomes their head coach?!

Those are the two prominent names. The other name to keep an eye out for is Jason Garrett. Garrett is likely out in Dallas after an 8-8 season this year. He is not a great coach, but his ties to the Giants makes him a candidate, and rumors earlier this year was that he would be a candidate.

It will be interesting to see what the Giants do here. They are an organization that doesn't like change, and for weeks there has been an internal battle between Mara and Tisch over whether to fire Shurmur, Gettleman or both. Mara doesn't like making changes too often. Tisch wants to start with a clean slate.

We'll know soon enough what the fates are for both men by Monday morning.

Jets Limp to Finish Line of Nightmare Season

JETS 13 - BILLS 6 

The Jets made history Sunday at Orchard Park. They became very likely the WORST 7-9 football team to ever take a professional football field.

Another week, another ugly result, and of late, another ugly victory that has to feel more like a loss for beleaguered Jets fans.

The Jets won 13-6, struggling mightily against the Bills JV squad, as the offense again found itself stuck in neutral. Sam Darnold was bad. Yes, it was pouring rain in Buffalo all afternoon, but the quarterback struggled in key situations, more times than not throwing off his back foot and was lucky to come out of the game throwing only one pick.

It was not a great day for the Jets so-called franchise quarterback who has been two steps forward and two steps back all season long. Sunday was not a step in either direction, as Darnold threw for 199 yards while completing 23 of 36 passes.

Le'Veon Bell had another quiet day carrying the football. After a stellar first half that saw the former Steelers' star dash around the Bills defense for 44 yards on 12 carries, he carried the football an inexplicable four times for minus-3 yards in the second half. He didn't even touch the football again until there was 5:17 left in the game. What was Jets Head Coach Adam Gase thinking? As usual, Bell was an afterthought in Gase's game plan.

About the only thing worth writing home about from this one was the Jets defense, which was once again stellar. They held Buffalo to a pair of field goals, and forced three turnovers. Even with offense doing nothing, the Jets defense kept the pressure on Buffalo back-up quarterback Matt Barkley all afternoon.

Gotta give a hand to defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. He saved the Jets hides this season, and maybe even Gase's. If Williams doesn't get serious consideration for a head coaching job elsewhere it would be stunning. The Jets have a gem here, and they need to keep him.

What's next: A quiet Black Monday. Jets owner Christopher Johnson long ago endorsed the return of Gase inspite of his team's consistent poor play, the regression of his quarterback, and an apparent Twitter burner account that exists.  Gase was even quoted as saying he doesn't give a "f---" what fans think since he is "rich."

As the Jets head into the off-season, Gase is this franchise's biggest liability. He should be cleaning his desk tonight, instead he will enter the 2020 season as the first coach on the NFL hot seat.

Mets Sign Dellin Betances to One-Year Deal

The New York Mets decided to drop a little Christmas cheer in the laps of Mets fans this Christmas Eve.

The ball club notorious for being cheap, signed former New York Yankees reliever Dellin Betances to a one-year deal that will pay him $10.5 million. There is also a players option for 2021 in the deal.

The Mets are taking a flyer on Betances who is out to prove that his year of injuries in 2019 are long behind him, as he looks to reclaim his place as one of baseball's top bullpen arms.

Here is a fast reaction to the signing!

Giants Could Have Say in NFC East Champion

Things are going to be very interesting in the NFC East in the next week.

The Dallas Cowboys 17-9 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night means that Week 17 means everything for the division. The Cowboys could have wrapped up the division title with a win in Philadelphia, but noooooooo.

The Cowboys suffered their fourth loss in five weeks, and lost total control of the division in the process.

Instead the Eagles now have dibs on the division, and Philly can clinch the division IF they beat the Giants next week in the Meadowlands, or if the Cowboys lose to the Redskins in Dallas in week 17.

Most likely the Cowboys will win against Washington in Week 17, meaning the Giants could decide who wins the division. New York has won two in a row, and Daniel Jones tossed five touchdown passes against the Skins.

The Eagles are desperate and banged-up, much like the Cowboys. While a Giants upset seems unlikely now, it would give the Cowboys the division.

The game could also play into the fates of Giants head coach Pat Shurmur and Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett. Unless the John Mara and Steve Tisch with the Giants, and Jerry Jones in Dallas have already decided to move on, week 17 could decide it for sure.

Would the Giants keep Shurmur if the Giants essentially win out next week? Will the Cowboys fire Garrett after week 17 regardless of a win against the Skins? Will Garrett become the next Giants head coach as was rumored a few weeks ago? Lot of intrigue for sure, and it will come down to the final week in the NFL's most bizarre division.

Jones and Barkley Explode as Giants Top Skins

GIANTS 41 - REDSKINS 35 - Overtime 

If New York Giants co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch are on the fence about head coach Pat Shurmur, the embattled coach can only hope that Sunday's performance could help his cause.

After pulling the plug on Eli Manning following his send-off against the Miami Dolphins last week, Shurmur went back to Jones, who was riding a personal eight-game losing streak.

The rookie turned out easily his best start of the season, a 352-yard masterpiece and five touchdowns -- granted it was against the Redskins, but still a five-touchdown effort nevertheless. Jones joined only Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford as the only rookie quarterbacks to throw for over 300-yards and five scores in a game.

Jones started the game tossing a 23-yard score to Sterling Shepherd to make it 7-0 Big Blue, and closed it out with his second touchdown of the day to rookie Kaden Smith in overtime to win it 41-35.

Jones was so good that he was going point for point with fellow rookie Dwayne Haskins, who tossed a pair of touchdowns to keep Washington in the mix in the early stages.

Sunday's game was also a huge day for running back Saquon Barkley, who exploded with 189 yards rushing and 90-yards receiving on the day -- easily his best effort of the season. Barkley's burst was exactly what the Giants had been missing from the Pro Bowl running back all season. Maybe, he's finally getting healthy.

With the game tied at 7, Barkely broke free of a few tacklers and sprinted down the sideline for a 67-yard touchdown run to give the Giants the lead back at 14-7.

Later with 9:16 to go in the second quarter, Barkley was all alone down the middle of the field as Jones hit the running back in stride for a 33-yard touchdown to give the Giants a 21-14 advantage.

The Giants tacked on one more score before the half on a 10-yard touchdown pass by Jones to Cody Latimer to push Big Blue's lead to 28-14.

The Redskins would comeback, eventually tying the game at 35 behind back-up quarterback Case Keenum who had come in for an injured Haskins in the third quarter. Keenum engineered an improbable 14-play 99-yard drive in the final six minutes for the tying score, where it appeared Keenum had fumbled at the one yard line. The officials however ruled that Kennum had crossed the plain.

In OT, Jones moved the Giants with alacrity down field for the winning score. He hit Sterling Shepherd on a critical 23-yard pass to the Washington 40, before Barkley picked apart the Skins defense on a handful of nifty runs. Finally on third and goal from the three, Jones found Kaden Smith for the game winner.

The win did leave a sour taste in the mouths of many Giants fans, as Big Blue slips in the draft order behind the Bengals and Redskins. A lot of fans want the team to draft Ohio State defensive end Chase Young if he comes out. Still what fans should really worry about is whether a strong finish by the Giants prompts ownership to keep Shurmur and Gettleman around.

There has been a lot of rumors that Shurmur is definitely on the hot seat, but the Giants are known as a franchise that does not like to change coaches too often. We'll see if another strong effort by Daniel Jones in week 17 sways the final verdict.

Jets Outlast Steelers in Slope Fest for 6th Win

JETS 16 - STEELERS 10

Saying it wasn't pretty would be a serious understatement.

 The Jets 16-10 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers was downright ugly, as Gang Green outlasted a bad Steelers team and its two moribund back-up quarterbacks for their sixth win of the season -- the most victories by a Jets team since 2015.

That little fact should provide little solace for Jets fans who probably feel like they were delivered a lump of coal by winning this game.

After stories surfaced over the weekend that players do not respect Head Coach Adam Gase, and the video former NFL Safety Ed Reed recorded at the Jets training facility where he openly rips Gase as "people who get jobs they are not even qualified to be in...," the only thing owner Christopher Johnson is going to care about at the end of the day is wins.

And Adam Gase has six of them.

Like I mentioned earlier, the six victories is most 'W's this team has had in a season since Todd Bowles first season in 2015. If you didn't need any more evidence that Johnson is going to stick with Gase after giving him a vote of confidence seven weeks ago, a win against a Steelers team vying for the playoffs helps the embattled head coach.

Sorry Jets fans. You lose by winning.

The Jets won this game, even though the offense again suffered. Granted, while they were facing a Steelers defense that is ranked 4th in the NFL this season, the entire offense was uninspiring. The Jets managed only 14 first downs, and were a paltry 4-of-15 on third down, which including 0-for-6 when the down was third and less than five-yards to go.

Aside from an electric opening drive where quarterback Sam Darnold connected with Robby Anderson on a beautiful 23-yard touchdown pass to cap a 75-yard scoring drive, the offense was pray to silence. They accomplished very little, except kick three field goals.

Darnold managed only 11 completions in 19 attempts the rest of the day, and Le'Veon Bell was again virtually invisible rushing for 75-yards on 25 carries, 2.9 yards per attempt.

It was bad.

And the Jets, and Adam Gase's horrible play-calling were bailed out because Delvin "Duck" Hodges and Mason Rudolph aren't Ben Rothlisberger.

As much as Mike Tomlin deserves credit as you want for keeping the Steelers in the mix this long after losing Big Ben way back in September, he deserves criticism from Pittsburgh fans for starting Hodges in this game after his awful effort against Buffalo.

 And to think he left Hodges in the game to throw not just one, but two interceptions in the first half, before pulling the plug with the Steelers down 10-0.

Mason Rudolph, on the other hand, did give the Steelers a bit of spark. He guided the Steelers on a 10-play, 55-yard drive with three minutes to go to get a field goal to cut the Jets lead to 10-3. He then hit a miraculous 29-yard touchdown pass to a wide open Diontae Johnson in the end zone, tying the game at 10.

After that, Rudolph was ineffective on three drives in the third quarter before suffering a shoulder injury, forcing him out of the game. Hodges returned, and the Jets pinned their ears back.

At one point Hodges managed to move the Steelers to the Jets 29-yard line before he was sacked on second and seven, and later fumbled on third and 16, costing the Steelers valuable field position.

In the waning seconds, Hodges would have had a miraculous touchdown pass to James Washington, but Marcus Maye made a tremendous play, knocking the ball out of Washington's hands to preserve New York's 16-10 lead.

Finally with 41-seconds to go, Hodges had JuJu-Smith Schuster open for a first down, but the Pro Bowl wide out had the ball slip through his fingers.

The Jets survived. New York's defense was outstanding, while everything else about the Jets game leaves little to be desired. So at 6-9, and with one game left in this nightmarish season, Jets fans are settling into Christmas knowing full well that Adam Gase is going nowhere. Humbug indeed.

Ex-Giants Coach Tom Coughlin Fired by Jaguars

Give Giants Head Coach Pat Shurmur credit, he outlasted Tom Coughlin by about two and a half weeks.

The former Giants head coach, and current Jacksonville Jaguars Vice President of Football Operations was fired Wednesday after the NFL Players Association sent out a letter warning potential free agents not to sign in Jacksonville after it became apparent that Coughlin was fining players for not attending rehab and doctors appointments in Jacksonville.

The biggest example was former Jaguar Dante Fowler who threatened with a fine in excess of $700,000 if he didn't attend physical rehab within the organization.

The NFLPA also stated that more than 25 percent of  grievances that have been filed by players have come against the Jaguars, a clear sign that Coughlin was completely insubordinate in his job.

Coughlin always had an edge to him. When he was the head coach of the Giants, he was notorious for running training camp and practices like a drill sergeant, and players in the early Coughlin-years didn't like playing for him.

With Coughlin squarely on the hot seat in 2007, defensive end Michael Strahan begged Coughlin to change his ways, which he did and the Giants went on to win the Super Bowl that season, and would return to win another under Coughlin four years later.

After being fired by the Giants following the 2015 season, Coughlin returned to Jacksonville, the franchise he jumpstarted way back in 1995, as their VP of Football Ops. It started out great as the Jags went all the way to the AFC Title game in 2017, but the past two seasons have been mired in mediocrity, and rifts between the players, coaches and management.

The most notorious spats came with Leonard Fournette last season, and with Jalen Ramsey this season. Ramsey was traded to the Rams earlier this season.

Coughlin also struck out in the quarterback department, signing Nick Foles to a record deal in the off-season, only to see the former Eagle bit both by injury and poor play. Foles is now on the bench backing up rookie Gardner Minshew who has hit a collective wall.

In short, Coughlin had to go. There is no word what might happened to General Manager David Caldwell or Head Coach Doug Marrone, but the guess here is everyone is getting blow out of the building in Duval County.

At the very least, you can forget about an Eli Manning-Tom Coughlin renaissance in Jacksonville in 2020.

Eli Manning Leads G-Men to Victory, in What Could be Last Start

GIANTS 36 - DOLPHINS 20 

There was something special about this game when on Friday the Giants announced that Eli Manning would make the start for the second consecutive week.

The Giants losers of nine straight games, a team in complete and utter turmoil, whose head coach should and likely will be fired in two weeks, finally won a game for the first time since September.

If you want the math, it has been 76 days since Big Blue last won a football game. In that time, the Yankees swept the Twins before falling to the Astros in the ALCS; the Mets won a game; the Jets won five games; and the Knicks won six games -- and fired a coach.

Yeah, it was a long drought. But Sunday's 36-20 victory over the Miami Dolphins wasn't so much about snapping the skid as it was about quarterback Eli Manning.

In what could be his final start in a Giants uniform -- pending Daniel Jones' ankle, of course, Manning guided the Giants to victory for 117th time. He is at .500 in his career as a Giants quarterback -- which doesn't exactly do justice to how much he has meant to a franchise he brought two Super Bowl titles to.

It wasn't a perfect outing by Manning, he did throw three interceptions, but the offense clicked for the first time in months with him under center. With Manning in the game, the Giants move along like a well oiled machine, something that was not happening with Jones under center.

It makes you wonder had head coach Pat Shurmur and General Manager David Gettleman not lay all the blame for the teams woes at Manning's feet,  and never benched him, who knows where this season would have gone. That in itself is reason enough to fire Shurmur and Gettleman at the end of the season. They blew it.

 On the day, Manning went 20-of-28 for 283 yards and two touchdowns.  His first score came on a beautiful 51-yard strike to Golden Tate, who initially bobbled the ball at the 30, before securing it and dashing past Dolphins defenders for the end zone, tying the game at seven.

At the start of the third quarter, the veteran quarterback was at it again, finding his new favorite target Darius Slayton for 26-yards on the first play of the drive, before hitting Cody Latimer for 21-yards to the Dolphins' 16-yard line. Two plays later, Manning found Slayton again from five yards out to give the G-Men their first lead at 14-10.

New York would never trail again.

Manning guided Big Blue on three more scoring drives; two of them culminated in touchdowns for running back Saquon Barkley as the Giants blew it open at 30-13. Barkley had his best day since September, frying the Fish for 112 yards on the ground, his first 100-yard game since week 2 against Buffalo.

Ironically all three of Barkley's 100-yard efforts this season came when Manning was under center. Another hint that Shurmur and Gettleman got it wrong when it came to benching the future Hall of Famer.

About the only thing Shurmur got right in this horrible season was allowing Manning to get a standing ovation from the fans when he was substituted on the field with Alex Tanney. Manning waved to the fans and hugged by teammates as he came back toward the sideline.

Is it the final time? If the Giants are smart, it won't be. They should allow Manning to play these final two games. There is nothing for Daniel Jones to gain by starting against Washington and Philadelphia, other than aggravating that ankle injury.

This should be Manning's month; his chance to say thank you to the fans who stood by him through all the highs and lows.

The question will inevitably be whether Manning will retire at end of the season or play elsewhere. Clearly he won't be in a Giants uniform in 2020. However the past two weeks have shown the 38-year old still has something in the tank. Will he accept being a bridge quarterback elsewhere? Probably not. Would he go to Jacksonville to reunite with Tom Coughlin? How about Indianapolis to play on his brother's old team?
Who knows.

Maybe after all these years, all the great moments and the low moments, maybe Manning, knowing he has family and a home here in New York, does indeed call it a career after all. If this was his final start -- he leaves the way he came in in 2004: a winner.

No Surprise: Jets Have No Answer for Action Jackson & Ravens

RAVENS 42 - JETS 21

Let's face it, this game was over when the sun rose Thursday morning.

The Jets had no shot against the heavily favored Baltimore Ravens. Quarterback Lamar Jackson -- as he has done all season -- ripped up another opposing defense with both his arm and legs as the Ravens stomped on the hopeless Jets in  a 42-21 drubbing that wasn't even that close.

Right from the onset, fans knew where this game was going when Gang Green managed only five yards on its fist possession, while Jackson guided the Ravens on a nine-play, 84-yard drive for the opening salvo to make it 7-0 birds.

It was just a none contest. Jackson was too fast as he broke the single season rushing record for a quarterback, once held by Mike Vick, on the opening drive of the game. He also picked apart a horrendous Jets secondary, finding open men all over the field when he wanted to.

Overall, Jackson threw for 212 yards and five touchdowns to five different receivers. It's the third time this year Jackson has tossed five TD passes in a game. He did a few weeks ago in a 45-6 smackdown of the Rams out in LA, and against the Dolphins to start the season in a 59-10 victory.

On the ground, Jackson carved up Gang Green for 86 yards, he didn't score, but didn't need to. Mark Ingraham took care of that, scoring on a ten yard scamper that blew the game wide open at 42-13 with 9:58 to play in the game.

As for the Jets, their sputtering offense continued to do just that: sputter into oblivion. Sam Darnold once again delivered an above average performance, tossing two scores, and throwing a horrible interception into a crowd of black jersey's and helmets. He wasn't that great, as his regression under head coach Adam Gase takes its last ugly turn for the 2019 season.

What had to really drive Jets fans batty, Thursday was the play-calling and decision making in this game.

Believe it or not, the Jets had their chances to do something in this contest, especially in the first half. A blocked field goal on New York's second possession would have cut the Raven lead to 7-3, but alas it didn't happen.

Later with New York down 21-7, the Jets drove all the way down to the Ravens 12 yard line, on a drive that ate up nearly eight minutes. Facing a fourth and one after the two minute warning, head coach Adam Gase decided to roll Darnold out and throw a desperation pass down field, when all Gang Green needed was one yard. The Jets have a Pro Bowl running back in the backfield in Le'Veon Bell, and the Jets decided not to use him. Another pox against Gase.

Had the Jets converted, maybe they score a touchdown to cut the Ravens lead to 21-14.

Finally after the Ravens were turned over on a three-and-out, the Jets had a great field position at the Baltimore 41-yard line, but Darnold was picked off on first and 10 from the 25, killing the drive. In short the Jets easily left 17 points on the field in the first half.  A series of gaffs proved to be critical, especially against such a good team like the Ravens.

In three primetime games this season, the Jets have been outscored 98-24. It's easy to say now that the Jets won't get as much primetime coverage next season after that kind of showing.

At 5-9, the Jets have two more games left in this nightmarish season. They play host to the Steelers next weekend at MetLife Stadium, before wrapping things up in Buffalo on the 27th.

Mets Get Busy, Add Ex-Cardinal Michael Wacha

The New York Mets made a firm and quick response to the Yankees signing of Gerrit Cole ... eh ... sort of ...

The Mets agreed to terms with former St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Michael Wacha on a one-year deal worth $3 million. He will slot into the number four or five spot in the rotation behind Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Marcus Stroman and Steven Matz.

This is a good signing by the Mets, and one that carries little risk.

The 28-year old went 6-7 with 4.67 ERA in 29 appearances for St. Louis last season, a year where Wacha also made five appearances out of the bullpen.

Wacha was a break out star for the Cardinals in 2015, when he went 17-7 with a 3.38 ERA. His namesake, of course, drawing comparisons to the famous saying by Jim Henson's Fozzy Bear muppet, Wacha became an instant star in the sport.

However, injuries hampered the righty the past few seasons. Wacha dealt with shoulder inflammation in 2016, making only 24 starts that year. Two years ago he missed almost the entire 2018 season after suffering an oblique strain, which was most unfortunate because Wacha was on pace to duplicate his success from 2015.

Last season Wacha suffered elbow inflammation in his final start of the season, and could't pitch in St. Louis' run to the NLCS against Washington.

This is really a no risk move for the Mets. They aren't paying Wacha a great deal, and if he works out then they don't have to run either Seth Lugo or Robert Gsellman into the rotation. At the same time, if Wacha shows he's better suited for the bullpen, the Mets can now make that transition work for someone like Lugo to go into the rotation.

The Mets had pursued free agent Rick Porcello during the Winter Meetings, but the former Red Sox signed a ridiculous five-year $118 million deal with the Phillies.

Meanwhile, the Mets are still in the hunt for center fielder Sterling Marte, but if they do acquire him they would have to give up Brandon Nimmon to get him. The Mets are also considering a trade for Houston Astros short stop Carlos Correa, but it might be hard for the Mets to provide Houston the prospects it would be looking for in return.

Yankees Get Their Man, Sign Cole to $324 million Deal

Just hours after the New York Yankees lost Didi Gregorius to the Philadelphia Phillies, the Bronx Bombers scooped up free agent pitcher Gerrit Cole on a record breaking nine-year, $324 million deal. 

Didi who? Exactly. 

The Yankees got the pitcher they have coveted for well over a decade when they drafted him out of high school in 2008. Back then, Cole spurned the Yanks for college and UCLA. Cole would eventually make it to the Big Leagues, but with Pittsburgh, before being dealt to Houston in 2018.  

The Yankees always wanted to have Cole on their team for so many reasons, the obvious being he was a combined 35-10 with a 2.68 ERA in Houston the past two seasons, and his record setting 326 strikeout season in 2019 was certainly none too shabby. 

The guy is a difference maker, just ask the Astros who watched Cole win 20 games for them and lead them to an American League title this past season. 

Cole, a Yankee fan growing up in California, who used to fly cross country to see his favorite team, now gets to suit up for them every single day for the next decade. 

Let's be honest the Yankees had to do this. 

They have tremendous young stars on the field in Aaron Judge, Gleyber Torres, Gary Sanchez, and Luke Voit, all of whom are entering their prime years. While New York's bullpen was one of the best in the Big League's last season, the Yankees  Achilles heal was their lack of quality starting pitching. The Yankees went the entire 2019 season without a defiant ace, and somehow got to the ALCS. 

Sure Mashairo Tanaka can be THAT guy, but he's as good a number two starter as there is in the Majors. The uncertainty surrounding Luis Severino and his health certainly scares the Yankees, especially after inking him to a long term deal. James Paxton had an solid first season in the Bronx, but he's no ace, and CC Sabathia just retired. The Yankees needed this marriage to happen. 

They couldn't afford to sit and watch Cole take more money to play in Los Angeles with the Angels or Dodgers. 

After watching the Red Sox and Astros dominant the American League and the sport the past three years, the Yankees wanted to get their pound of flesh. They have been so close to competing for and winning a title, that they know Cole gets them a step closer to making that dream a reality. 

For Brian Cashman and crew, it is mission accomplished. Now the rest of the off-season is about tightening up the back end of the rotation, adding pieces to the ben and improving the bench. Regardless the Yankees are entering a new decade as the favorite to win the World Series. 

Eli Manning Plays Well, But Giants Lose in OT

EAGLES 23 - GIANTS 17 
Overtime 

Eli Manning made his return to the starting lineup, Monday night, and were it not for an Eagles second half rally, and eventual win in overtime, it was a successful return to the field. Yes, the Giants lost their ninth straight game; they stand at a woeful 2-11, as head coach Pat Shurmur's seat continues to get red hot by the day.

But for one half of football anyway, Eli Manning proved that he can still play in this league. He proved in one half of football that Pat Shurmur and David Gettleman were too quick to pull the trigger on him after a Week 2 loss to the Buffalo Bills. He proved that he has enough left in the tank to play at a high level and win. Unfortunately for Eli Manning, he is playing on a dumpster fire of a football team.

In the first half Manning looked great. He was 11-of-19 for 179 yards and two touchdowns, both of which were long distance TD's to Darius Slayton of 35-yards and 55-yards respectively, as Big Blue built a 17-3 lead.

However, the second half was a different animal. Manning was only 4-of-11 for 24 yards. The Giants offense went completely into a shell, unable to move the football, as Shurmur went the conservative root of running Saquon Barkely into an incompetent Giants offensive line.

Nothing was more frustrating for Giants fans to watch then to see Shurmur on two seperate occasions, with a 2-10 football team, decide to punt on fourth on short when his team desperately needed a big play, especially out its future Hall of Fame quarterback. Shurmur took the ball out of Eli's hands and gave up on his team.

The Giants had a fourth and five at their own 41, leading 17-10, and decided not to go for it. They should have been more aggressive. The worst was punting on fourth and three at the 32-yard line with the game knotted at 17. Sometimes you have to just role the dice, and Shurmur refused to do that.

Instead the Eagles came to life in the second half. Carson Wentz went from being booed out of Lincoln Financial Field in the first half, to being a conquering hero  by the end of overtime.

Wentz carved up the Giants, throwing to the likes of Dallas Goedart, Boston Scott and Josh Perkins as they erased a 14-point deficit. Before the Giants knew what hit them, Zach Ertz was in the end zone for his first touchdown catch of the night to tie the game at 17.

In overtime, the Eagles were on fire, as Wentz engineered an eight-play 75-yard drive, with Boston Scott's 25-yard run to the Giants 39-yard line proving the turning point. A few plays later, Wentz found Ertz again in the end zone for the game winner.

Manning never got the chance to touch the football in overtime; Shurmur's copout on fourth and three was the last time we saw him.

Whether we see Eli Manning under center again in a Giants uniform this season is unknown. One would figure he would at least get the start against Miami next Sunday, but who knows. If it is the last time, Manning gave it his all, left it one the field, and more importantly showed, he's still got game.

SpyGate II: Patriots caught video taping Bengals

Stop me if you heard this before. The New England Patriots have been caught videotaping a teams sideline during a live game.

Spygate II, the sequel the NFL didn't want is here.

According to ESPN, the NFL is currently investigating why the Patriots had a video crew taping in the press box of the Cleveland Browns - Cincinnati Bengals game, Sunday. The video crew was credentialed by the Browns to be there to video a series called "Do You're job" about the Patriots scout team. The Patriots play the Bengals next week.

However, the Bengals were not made aware of the recording, and found out through a Bengals employee that the Patriots were video taping the Bengals sideline. The Bengals employee "flagged Bengals security and media relations, then interviewed the Robert Kraft videographer. The league hasn't issued a statement and is has a copy of the video.

Meanwhile, the Patriots tweeted out a response, explaining their version of the story.

"For the past year the New England Patriots content team has produced a series of behind the scenes footage on various departments within the organization. On Sunday December 8, the content team sent a three-person video crew to the Bengals Browns game in order one part of a long feature on the Patriots scouting department.

"While we sought and were granted credentialed access from the Cleveland Browns for the video crew, our failure to inform the Bengals and the League was an unintended oversight," the statement reads.

The Patriots further claim there was never any intention to use the video for any other purpose than the feature the scouting department in a video series.

While that may be the case, why were the video taping the sideline? We all know when Spygate happened in 2007, the Patriots were video taping the signals from the New York Jets sideline before they were outed by then Jets head coach Eric Mangini. The word at the time, the Pats had conducted such video taping for years. Even the Rams claimed back in 2001 that the Patriots were video taping their practices before Super Bowl XXXVI.

Is this a case of the Patriots trying to get away with cheating again? And if the video was intended to be used as a way to steal signals from the Bengals, how long were the Patriots continuing their spygate practices post-2007?

This is a huge question, and another black eye for a franchise that has dominated the sport for two decades. If it's found the Patriots continued their cheating ways, the entire organization must be severely punished by a commissioner and a league that dropped the ball on Deflategate about six years ago.

Refs Give Jets Early Christmas Gift

JETS 22 - DOLPHINS 21

The Jets had no business winning this football game against the Miami Dolphins at MetLife Stadium.

But, they did -- not because it was anything they did. Adam Gase didn't draw up some brilliant play call. Sam Darnold didn't turn into John Elway in the fourth quarter. Instead the Jets needed the refs to overturn a supposed pass interference call on third and 18 in order to give New York a chance to win the football game.

Dolphins head coach Brian Flores hated the call, and even charged after the refs afterwards, and who could blame him? The reversal was horrendous.  Yes, the corner did have a hand on Vyncint Smith's back, but only reached around to block the ball. He didn't grab onto Smith's arms, and didn't spin him around.

The original call of incomplete was correct, but the refs reversed it. Terrible call against Miami. A boon to Gase and the Jets, they should send Christmas gifts.

The win overshadows what was a horrible effort by the Jets offense, as Darnold had one of his worst efforts. He was 20-of-36 on the day for 270 yards and two touchdowns, but Darnold telegraphed an interception that led to a Miami field goal, and overthrew a number of receivers throughout the afternoon. Taking a huge sack on second down on the Jets game winning drive almost proved to be the team's death nail on the day. He was not good.

It won't get any better on Thursday when the Jets travel to Baltimore to face the 10-2 Ravens. New York is already a -14 point underdog. Take the Ravens and lay the points.

Billionaire Steve Cohen Looks to Buy Mets from Wilpons

This might be the single greatest day in New York Mets history.

The long, horrifying nightmare that has been the reign of Fred and Jeff Wilpon is mercifully coming to an end. At least soon anyway.

Reports are sizzling up the hot stove that the infamous owners are looking to sell 80 percent of team to billonaire Steve Cohen (no relation by the way).

The transaction would value the Mets at $2.6 billion. Cohen is a Long Island native, and avid Mets fan. According to Bloomberg, he is somewhat "controversial" and his life story inspired the long-running Showtime hit, "Billions" (we assume Damien Lewis' character).

That's the exciting news. The sobering news? The Wilpon's will remain in control of the team for at least five more years though at least 2025. Even if the sale is complete and Cohen controls the team, the Wilpon's will still have a stake, so they aren't going away.

The sale is welcome news to Mets fans who have suffered for years with the Wilpon's in firm control of all baseball operations. Since Fred Wilpon wrestled control of the team away from Nelson Doubleday in 2002, the Mets have made the playoffs only twice, getting to a World Series once in 2015 where they were defeated by the Kansas City Royals.

But success has been few and very far between during the Wilpon's reign. The franchise has been decimated by what fans perceive as cheap ownership, where the team has been unwilling to spend on big ticket free agents off-season after off-season. When the team has spent money, the Wilpons have burnt money on risky long-term deals like the albatros four-year deal to Yoenis Cespedes, who is still owned $29 million this season.

Whats more the Wilpon's heavy involvement in baseball activities, especially by Chief Operating Officer Jeff Wilpon has left the franchise in a black hole. Under Wilpon's leadership the taem has entrusted a former sports agent in Brodie Van Wagenen to run the team as its General Manager. And after last season's total disaster that involved Van Wagenen calling into the dugout to levy instructions to the coaches, that alone should leave you with all you need to know about how dystopian the Mets have become.

Of course the Wilpon era (or error, depending on your preference) will always be best remembered for the Bernie Madoff scandal.

In 2008 it was reported that the Mets lost close to $700 million in the ponzy scheme, but later reports indicated that the Wilpon's were actually making money during the scheme. The scandal took hold of the franchise, providing an everlasting black-eye for Wilpon, as the Mets frugal owners tightened the purse strings even more on the Major League club as the case dragged on through the year 2011 and 2012. By 2012, the Mets settled with Irving Pichard on his lawsuit for $162 million.

The sale can't happen soon enough for Mets fans. They deserve a winner. Heck they deserve an owner who cares.

Kenny Atkinson Now Longest Tenured Coach in New York

When the New Jersey Devils fired head coach John Hynes Tuesday afternoon, it had an immediate impact on their former co-tenants the Brooklyn Nets.

Nets Coach Kenny Atkinson is currently the longest tenured head coach in the Tri-State.

Hynes held the distinction previously, having led the Devils since 2015, but with his ouster it is now Atkinson who is the longest tenured coach in town, having helmed the Nets since 2016.

The current list of coaches for all nine major, professional sports teams is as follows:

NBA

Kenny Atkinson, Brooklyn Nets, Hired April 2016

David Fizdale, New York Knicks, Hired May 2018

NHL

David Quinn, New York Rangers, Hired May 2018

Barry Trotz, New York Islanders, Hired May 2018

Alain Nasreddine, New Jersey Devils, Promoted December 2019

NFL

Pat Shurmur, New York Giants, Hired January 2018

Adam Gase, New York Jets, Hired January 2019

MLB

Aaron Boone, New York Yankees, Hired December 2017

Carlos Beltran, New York Mets, Hired November 2019

In short, if you are a head coach in New York, don’t get too comfortable. Hynes may not be the only coach on the way out. David Fizdale is rumored to be on the Hot Seat with the Knicks, and Monday’s 132-88 loss to Milwaukee won’t help his cause.

Meanwhile, Giants head Coach Pat Shurmur is in the midst of an eight game losing streak with the Giants, and is 7-21 in two seasons as the head coach of Big Blue. He could be on his way out. And of course, Jets fans want Adam Gase out after one season, despite the fact owner Christopher Johnson endorsed his return for 2020.

The good news for Brooklyn is Atkinson isn’t going anywhere. The team has improved in each of his first three seasons at the helm, including going 42-40 with a playoff berth last season. Atkinson signed an extension in the spring.

This season, the expectations were ratcheted up with the off-season acquisitions of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.

While Durant won’t play this year as he nurses his Achilles tendon tear, and Irving has missed nine games with a shoulder injury, Atkinson has kept the team afloat. The Nets are 10-10 on the season, and 5-2 in their last seven after a 5-8 start.

Brooklyn is currently the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference.

Devils Finally Fire John Hynes as Coach

Finally!

Finally, a team in this area had the gumption to do what needed to be done, as the New Jersey Devils fired head coach John Hynes after a horrible 9-13-4 start to the 2019-20 season.

Let's be honest this needed to happen. The Devils had high expectations coming into the season. They drafted Jack Hughes with the number one overall pick in last Spring's draft, and acquired an All Star defenseman in P.K. Subban, and even had Taylor Hall healthy for the first time in two years.

And what has it wrought? Absolutely nothing but more misery.

Hall, for example, has scored only four goals this year, and is 1-for-9 on power plays, a stark contrast from where he was two years ago when Hall netted career highs in goals (39) and power play goals (13). Devils fans have to wonder if they will ever get the best of Hall ever again.

Subban, whom the Devils acquired last summer in a deal with Nashville, has been nothing but disappointing. Subban's shooting percentage is down to 3.2 percent - continuing a disturbing trend in the 30-year old's career. This season, Subban has scored only twice, even though he is averaging 23 minutes on the ice per game.

Bottom line, something had to change. The Devils are ranked 30th in defense and 29th in offense in the league, and look awful. Clearly Hynes message grew stale with the players, and his inability to address the mired of issues with this team was too much to handle. New Jersey's last two games, a 4-0 loss to the Rangers on home ice, and a 7-1 loss to Buffalo was the final straw for the Devils. They couldn't allow Hynes to continue any longer.

Assistant coach Alan Nasreddine takes over on an interim basis.  Even with tonight's 4-3 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, the Devils already looked better. New Jersey held a 2-1 lead after two periods before Vegas rallied on a third period hat trick by Jonathan Marchessault. Nasreddine deserves to finish the season as coach, for no other reason than providing some stability. Maybe he can get something out of this underachieving team that Hynes couldn't.

While Devils fans wanted this day to come sooner, give the front office credit for taking action -- something the other teams in this town refuse to do when things are not going well.

Open Mike Program: Pat Shumur and Adam Gase both on the Hot Seat

After another dispiriting week for New York football, the Hot Seat has been turned up on Giants head coach Pat Shurmur and Jets head coach Adam Gase. There is not much to say anymore. Shurmur's Giants are 2-10, in the midst of an eight game losing streak, while Gase's Jets are coming off a horrible 22-6 loss to the once winless Cincinnati Bengals.

On this week's Open Mike Podcast we talk about both situations.

One-Year Anniversary of Horrid Mets Trade for Edwin Diaz and Robby Cano

Happy Anniversary Mets fans! It may not be at the level of Bobby Bonilla Day -- yet, but it is an anniversary that Mets’ fans shudder to think about.

It was one year ago today that Mets General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen completed a deal with the Seattle Mariners to acquire closer Edwin Diaz and second baseman Robinson Cano for Jay Bruce, Anthony Swarzak and three prospects, one of whom turned out to be Jarred Kelenic.

We all know what happened. The trade turned out to be a colossal disaster for the Mets. Diaz, who was the AL Reliever of the Year in 2018, was the complete antithesis last season, posting a career worse 5.59 ERA in 66 games, while blowing seven saves and losing his position as the teams closer.

Instead the Mets had to rely on a closer by committee of Seth Lugo, Justin Wilson and Robert Gsellman just to end games without having to worry a large lead would be blown.

Robinson Cano was no better. The 36-year old second baseman sent to the Mets as a cash dump by Seattle, was either ineffective at the plate or injured. There was really no in between for Cano.

Aside from a four consecutive multi-hit games in early August, there wasn’t a lot to write home about for the former Yankee. Cano wound up with only 100 hits in 390 at bats with 13 homers and a career-worst 39 RBI. He hit .256, also a career low. The worst part of the Cano trade? He’s under contract for three more years. Nice.  

It’s not like Seattle made out like bandits either. Jay Bruce and Anthony Swarzeck both underwhelmed early in the season and were quickly traded. Gerson Bautista was really bad in eight games out of the pen with an ERA of 11, and Justin Dunn did ‘ok’ in four relief outings.

What gave Seattle the edge in this deal, of course, is Kelenic. The 19-year old outfield prospect flourished in the Mariners farm system, batting .291 with 23 homers and 68 RBI between Single-A, High-A and Double-A ball. The Mariners hope that his progress continues in the minors in 2020 before becoming a factor at the Big League level by at least 2021.

Why bring this up now? Well, the Mets might be on the precipice of another big trade for a former Reliever of the Year. As has been reported both here on Amazin’ Clubhouse and other outlets, the Mets are interested in Milwaukee Brewers closer Josh Hader.

Hader dominated hitters in 2019, recording 281 strikeouts in 157 innings. It’s hard to find lefty relievers, and it is even harder to find lefty relievers who break 95-plus on their fastball.

The Mets are interested, for no other reason than Hader is (let me know if you heard this before) a former CAA client of Van Wagenen’s.

Are the Mets prepared to do this again? Really? Has Van Wagenen learned from past mistakes? If the Mets were to part with a major hall of players, which many reports indicated would be a prerequisite to even begin discussions with Milwaukee, it would be a major risk.

The Mets do not have a deep farm system, and their best prospects are far down in the minor league system. They are also not one player away from seriously contending for a World Series. At the same time there is pressure to win-now when a two-time Cy Young Award winner in Jacob deGrom, and reigning Rookie of the Year, Pete Alonso are on the roster.

Past is prologue? We’ll see. As you hang that tinsel on the Christmas tree, remember, Happy Anniversary Mets fans! 

Jets Embarrassed Again, Lose to Toothless Bengals

BENGALS 22 - JETS 6 

So Christopher Johnson, how about that endorsement of head coach Adam Gase now? Better yet, will the Jets skip partying at Bounce Sporting Club this week?

Yes, the Jets three-game winning streak came to a thundering halt Sunday at the hands of the once 0-11 Cincinnati Bengals, who dominated a pathetic Jets football team 22-6. It was almost like the Jets were the 0-11 team, not the Bengals.

As has become typical under Gase, the Jets looked ill-prepared, unfocused and unmotivated. So much for a three-game winning streak that now seems like a distant memory. As much as people will point out that the Jets winning streak came against the Giants, Redskins and Raiders who together are a combined 11-25, how does one come up with an excuse for this latest disaster?

The Jets made history Sunday in losing to the Bengals, becoming the first team in NFL history to lose to two teams who were 0-7 or worse in the same season. If you need a reminder the Jets fell on their faces in Miami four weeks ago when the Dolphins were 0-7; oh by the way, the Jets face the Dolphins again next week, nice!

Sam Darnold was bad. He was an erratic 28-out-of-48 for 239 yards and four sacks, spending most of the day either on his back or limping around the backfield. How did the Jets not take this guy out of the game?!?

Whats more the Jets never pursued a consistent ground attack against a Bengals team ranked dead last in defense. Le'Veon Bell carried the football only 10 times for 32 yards; totally inexcusable. Whether Bell is indeed injured, or Gase has no clue how to utilize him, it's an utter embarrassment the Jets can't run the football this season. They have shown no desire to run the football at any point this year, and it only continued Sunday.

The lack of a sound ground attack, froze the offense. Get on Darnold all you want for his erratic play, he was under pressure all night because the Jets couldn't help him.

Then there is a Jets defense that had no answer whatsoever for quarterback Andy Dalton. Dalton, who was benched earlier in the year, made his first start in about a month because head coach Zach Taylor was desperate. It worked as Dalton tore up a leaky Jets secondary for 243 yards and a touchdown.

Jets safety Jamal Adams, who had the best three-week stretch of his career entering the game was invisible Sunday, registering only one tackle. Only Steve McClendon registered a sack, but it wasn't enough in a game that will go down as one of the most embarrassing losses in Jets history.

With four weeks left in this nightmare of a season, there is not much to look forward. The hype that people were starting to buy into after the Jets 34-3 win over the Raiders last week is gone. No more parties at Bounce. No more endorsements. No more excuses. The Jets are every bit the train wreck we thought they were in October.

Giants Snowed In by Rodgers and Packers

PACKERS 31 - GIANTS 13

About the only nice thing that happened Sunday at MetLife Stadium was the snow in the first quarter. Nothing says the holiday season than football in a snow globe. Other than that, there was not much else to root for for Giants fans, other than continue booing a horrid football team.

The G-Men were predictably run over by the Packers, Sunday as Aaron Rodgers picked apart Big Blue's leaky defense for four touchdowns in a 31-13 victory.

Meanwhile, Daniel Jones again struggled, tossing three interceptions as the Giants failed to answer three Green Bay touchdowns in the blowout defeat.

It was the typical tease Giants fans have grown accustomed to. Trailing 7-0, Jones engineered an 11-play, 71-yard drive, dashing through the snowfall en route to the tying score, an 18-yard pass from Jones to Sterling Shepherd.

It didn't take long for Rodgers and the Packers to respond. After scampering for a 15-yard gain on a key third and five, Rodgers found Allan Lazard from 37-yards out for a touchdown to put the Pack back on top 14-7.

How did the Giants respond? A critical interception by Jones on third and 10, killing the momentum.

Fast forward to the third quarter, and Aaron Rodgers was at it again, guiding Green Bay on a 14-play, 75-yard drive as he carved up the Giants defense, including passes of 25-yards and 17-yards to Devonte Adams, with the later serving as a touchdown that extended Green Bay's lead to 24-13.

What do the Giants do in response? You guessed it, another interception on a long third down. What is Pat Shurmur thinking putting his quarterback in such an untenable spot during an ice storm, no less. What a complete disaster.

The Packers, of course, turned the turnover into points when Rodgers found the ageless Marcedes Lewis in the end zone to put the game on ice, literally, 31-13.

What did the genius, Shurmur have to say afterwards, well, let's just say it wasn't scintillating. "At some point, we'll be good enough to win." Yes, at some point the Giants will be, when Shurmur is no longer the head coach.