Brandon Jacobs calls Jets a 'circus' who will never be No.1 in New York

Brandon Jacobs is 3,000 miles removed from the New York Giants camp and he still can't keep himself from putting his two cents in Big Blue's business.

Yesterday, the former Giants running back said he thought the Giants D.J. Ware was headed to a breakout year.  Okay. But today, he chimed in about the New York Jets and wasn't so kind.  He said the Giants MetLife Stadium roomies will never be number one in New York.

"And it's always going to be like that," Jacobs told CBSSports.com.  "They were in the AFC Championship  game twice in a row, but the year after that the Giants win the Super Bowl.  That discredits everything as far as the Battle of the City.  They can't ever one-up the Giants— not in my eyesight; not in anyone else's eyesight.  They can never do that. They keep trying, but they're doing it the wrong way."

Last December, the Giants backed up Jacobs' words when they beat the Jets 29-14 in Week 16 in the Battle of New York— which, for the curious, was played in New Jersey.  The win began a six game win streak culminating with the Giants winning the Lombardi Trophy.

Jacobs ended the Jets game with more words by telling Jets head coach Rex Ryan at mid-field, "It's time to shut up, fat boy" and called him a "loudmouth bastard."

"It's a circus, man.  But every year, it's like that," said  Jacobs who now plays for the San Francisco 49ers.  "But all this surrounding [Tim] Tebow and [Mark] Sanchez... I truly think it's going to be Sanchez.  He's going to be the guy.  He's got to be the guy.  He's the natural quarterback.  That's just my opinion.  I shouldn't be speaking of their team, but I'm so tired of hearing of everything over there... and it's mid-August.  It's like, 'Are you kidding me? Camp's not even over.'"

Jacobs had compliments for his old nemesis Ryan but still gave the Jets plenty of bulletin board fodder when the 49ers come to MetLife Stadium in Week 4.

"No question," said Jacobs.  "I really like coach Ryan.  I feel like we're sort of alike."

He gives a little love to the Jets players too.

"They're talented, no question about that," he said.  "They've got a good team, man, but sometimes... I just don't know what the problem is.  That's why things go the way it does for them."

Giants cut Brandon Jacobs after seven seasons

The New York Giants released running back Brandon Jacobs today after he and the team could not come to an agreement on a restructured contract which would include a pay reduction.

The 260-pound bruiser wanted to return to the Giants, but knew he was never going to get the $4.4 million he was schedule to earn in 2012.

For seven years the 29-year-old Jacobs plowed through defenses for the Giants and had two Super Bowl rings to show for it.

Only last week, Jacobs said he wanted to stay but warned, "I'm not willing to sell my soul, you know?  It's a great organization and I want to be a part of it , but if not, if they're not feeling the same way, then so be it."

Apparently, the Giants didn't feel the same way.

Still, Jacobs had no hard feelings.

"I might be leaving, but my name will stay," he said.  "But it's time to move on.  We tried, couldn't reach an agreement.  It's been great though, I can't say anything bad about anybody in the organization."

Jacobs had a $500,000 roster bonus to be paid on March 17, a sum that will not see his bank account any more.

The team wanted Jacobs for another season but at a lower price. He had one of his least productive seasons in 2011 (571 yards, 3.8 yds per carry) and went from starter to reserve behind Ahmad Bradshaw.

Last year, Jacobs took a pay cut to retain a spot on the team.

"I feel like I'm 25 years old," he said last week.

Jacobs, a fourth-round pick in 2005, leaves the Giants as the fourth leading rusher in team history with 4,849 yards.  His 56 rushing touchdowns are the most for any Giant.

Jacobs was considered a fullback when he first backed up Tiki  Barber before becoming the starting running back.  The sight of the punishing Giant knocking down opposing players was the source of Giants fan's pride for seven seasons.

His best seasons were in 2007 and 2008 when he had the only two 1,000 yard seasons of his career.

The release of Jacobs leaves the team with Bradshaw, D.J. Ware and Da'Rel Scott as the only running backs on the roster.

Bradshaw is not known as an every down back and hasn't ever played a full season without injuries.

It looks like the Giants will have to add a veteran back through free-agency or draft one out of college.

Still, the sight of Jacobs rallying his Giants teammates and riling opponents will be missed.

Tom Coughlin Bowled Over By Giants 29-14 Win Over Jets

You could say Tom Coughlin was bowled over by his New York Giants players 29-14 victory over the New York Jets—literally bowled over.

In the waning minutes of a wild fourth quarter, the Giants head coach was taken out by his own running back D.J. Ware after the Giant player was pushed out of bounds into the Giants side of the field at the end of a long run.

The play was reminiscent of the one which took out New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton at the beginning of the season and had him calling shots in a cast from a stadium booth for a few weeks.

Coughlin looked shaken as his assistant coaches ran over to help him but the tough-as-nails coach knew this game was important and shook off the helping hands.

Both teams were playing to keep their playoff hopes alive along with bragging rights to MetLife Stadium.  Coughlin might have been playing for his job as well.

So there was no way Coughlin was going to let being steamrolled by a 230-pound man keep Old Iron Britches from the sidelines—especially when the Jets were making the game interesting after the Giants seemed to have put the game away.

A lackluster first 28 minutes of play by the Giants (8-7) was whisked away by a 99-yard catch and run touchdown by Victor Cruz to give the Giants a 10-7 halftime lead. 

Cruz tied an NFL record with the 11-yard catch and the ensuing 88-yard sprint and became only the 13th player ever to go 99 yards with a reception.

Eli Manning's new favorite target also broke the Giants single-season record for receiving yards with a 36-yard catch in the third quarter.

The great TD catch inspired the Giants as they headed to the locker room at half-time and it carried over into the second half.

A late safety and touchdown run by Ahmad Bradshaw sealed the victory for the G-men.

There was no word on how serious Coughlin was hurt, but a Dallas Cowboys loss might help ease the pain.

Somewhere though, Tiki Barber must be smiling.

Giants Bradshaw Could Need Foot Surgery

The New York Giants already know they will head into Sunday's game against the New England Patriots without Ahmad Bradshaw—one of their most dangerous offensive weapons.  Now, the Giants are also in danger of losing their most valuable running back for the remainder of the season.

Bradshaw injured his foot last Sunday against the Miami Dolphins and, according to the the New York Daily News, is mulling season-ending surgery.

The Giants haven't provided full details about Bradshaw's injury but said the 5th-year veteran—who has had foot and ankle problems before— is thinking about having corrective surgery.

Both Bradshaw and Giants receiver Hakeem Nicks missed practice today.  Nicks is nursing a hamstring injury and looks doubtful for this Sunday's game.

At first glance, the Giants will use backup Brandon Jacobs as their primary running back.  Jacobs has  been ineffective so far this season and has grumbled about his lack of playing time over the past few weeks.  Last week, against the Dolphins, the 260-pound Jacobs totaled 10 yards on four carries.

Beyond that, the Giants can got to D.J. Ware (45 yards on 14 carries this season) and rookie Da'Rel Scott— who hasn't had a carry since the preseason ended but, in the last exhibition game against the same Patriots team, ran for 114 yards and a TD while returning a punt for another TD.  Expect to see a lot of Ware on passing downs.

The Giants head coach Tom Coughlin said Bradshaw was still "sore and swollen" on Wednesday.

The Newark Star-Ledger reported that unnamed sources said Bradshaw has a fractured foot but are unsure if he just aggravated an old injury.  The running back already had a screw inserted into the foot for an old fracture and tests on Thursday will determine whether or not there is a new break.

Bradshaw, meanwhile, told the source that he might be sidelined for only two weeks, however doubtful that looks.

Bradshaw's loss is huge blow to the Giants rushing offense.  He accounts for 60% of the carries—on a team that only has 440 total yards on the ground this season—and the team faces a brutal nine game schedule to close out the regular season.

Jacobs just returned from a knee injury himself after missing two games.  He has run 42 times for 126 yards this season and looks like a shell of the bruising back he once was.

The free-agent-to-be Jacobs had been yapping about his lack of playing time until this week when he vowed to turn his season around.

 Let's see if he can back it up.