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Not one word from Giants fans so far about the Rams, not that I blame them. It has been a dismal season for the Giants. They are currently 1-6 with the outlier game being a 23-10 win at Denver. They are 0-3 at home losing to the Lions, Chargers, and Seahawks, and 1-3 on the road with losses to the Cowboys, Eagles, and Bucs.
On their forums the common cry is for the firing of their GM Jerry Reese and their head coach Ben McAdoo. The fans are sensing the end of Eli Manning's tenure with the Giants and they are looking forward to a complete housecleaning and the 2018 draft. This should all sound familiar to long-suffering Rams fans.
The Rams should thoroughly dismantle the Giants on Sunday but if we lose to this pathetic team I will be shocked.
Here are some articles and threads on the current state of the New York Football Giants. Hopefully their fans will chime in during this week.
*****************************************************************************************
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/f...d-grading-big-blue-bye-week-article-1.3595356
Giants Report Card: Grading Big Blue at the bye week
The Giants are 1-6 at their Week 8 bye, so it’s time to grade the players, coaches and management individually to reveal the biggest disappointments and the silver linings.
Players are listed by percentage of snaps played, rounded down, to illustrate both their durability and importance. They are evaluated by their play on the field and are not penalized for injuries. Here we go:
Head coach Ben McAdoo
(DUSTIN BRADFORD/GETTY IMAGES)
MANAGEMENT
Jerry Reese, GM Grade: F
Misjudged team’s quality and needs, stuck with poor O-line, prioritized Brandon Marshall in free agency.
Ben McAdoo, Head Coach Grade: D
Poor play-calling, stubbornness, inconsistent discipline, 30th-ranked offense (16 points per).
Steve Spagnuolo, Defensive Coordinator Grade: D
A mystery why Giants defense forgot in offseason how to tackle, stop the run and protect leads.
OFFENSE
Eli Manning, QB (100% of 445 offensive snaps played) Grade: C-
Ranks 19th in NFL with 86.1 QB rating. Seven turnovers to 11 TDs. Let down by O-line & defense, too.
Ereck Flowers, LT (100%) Grade: D
Cost Giants enormously in Weeks 2 and 3. Tackles’ pass protection problems forced McAdoo to change entire offense.
Justin Pugh, RT/LG (91%) Grade: A
Tough, versatile, durable and the Giants’ most consistent lineman. Moved from left guard to right tackle.
John Jerry, LG/RG (87%) Grade: D+
Involved in a lot of the failed stunt block pickups and culpable in the poor run game.
Evan Engram, TE (80%) Grade: B+
Special talent. Had growing pains, early TD celebration penalty and some drops, but he’s the offense’s best option and leads all NFL rookies in receiving yards.
Brett Jones, C (73%) Grade: A-
Beaten for a big Manning fumble in Week 7, but Jones’ strong play at center in Weston Richburg’s absence has been eye-opening.
Sterling Shepard, WR (61%) Grade: B+
Was on his way to a big season until he reinjured his left ankle. Has played well when healthy.
Brandon Marshall, WR (57%) Grade: F
Never acclimated fully, dropped passes and looked disengaged. Preseason shoulder injury may have affected him more than he let on.
D.J. Fluker, RG (56%) Grade: C+
Has helped run game, but this team needed Fluker to have a better training camp to start in Week 1.
Weston Richburg, C (54%) Grade: A-
Again the Giants’ second-best lineman behind Pugh before he suffered a concussion.
Roger Lewis Jr., WR (51%) Grade: D+
Great TD catch vs. Chargers but made two huge mistakes as punt gunner: overran Detroit’s Jamal Agnew on TD return and failed to down ball outside end zone in Tampa.
Odell Beckham Jr., WR (47%) Grade: B
Game-changer when healthier (Weeks 3, 4) but had dog-peeing TD celebration and six drops, per Pro Football Focus.
Rhett Ellison, TE (46%) Grade: C+
Big missed tackle on Agnew’s punt return TD in Week 2. Valuable run blocker but underutilized early.
Bobby Hart, RT (36%) Grade: F
Though it’s a small sample size, when healthy, Hart has been even worse than Flowers.
Shane Vereen, RB (31%) Grade: D
Hasn’t made a noticeable difference. Lots of late-game yardage.
Paul Perkins, RB (24%) Grade: D
Can’t give Perkins an ‘F’ with how poorly line blocked for him and how few screens McAdoo called for him, but needs to be better when healthy.
Tavarres King, WR (23%) Grade: C
Like Lewis, needs to make more of a difference as one of leaders of new receiving corps.
Orleans Darkwa, RB (23%) Grade: A
His 5.4 yards per carry average is no joke. Dropped a few passes in Week 5, but Darkwa, Pugh and Engram are the offense’s best.
Wayne Gallman, RB (21%) Grade: C+
A hard, encouraging runner but has to work on ball security and needs to pop some big gains.
Travis Rudolph, WR (12%) Grade: D
Can’t understand why he and Manning were on such different pages against Seattle.
Jerell Adams, TE (8%): C-
Huge catch vs. Lions but whiffed on his man on Seahawks’ blocked punt.
Matt LaCosse, TE (5%) Grade: B
Entered the offensive rotation with the three-TE set vs. Seattle. Has talent.
Shane Smith, FB (2%) Grade: B
Smith mostly blocked well before being released to practice squad. Special teams hurt him.
Steve Spagnuolo/Newsday
DEFENSE
Eli Apple, DB (93%) Grade: C-
First 3.5 weeks were horrible. Last 3.5 weeks he’s been better, sometimes excellent. But not enough.
Landon Collins, SS (93%) Grade: B-
Still a stud but beaten by Bucs’ Cameron Brate to seal Week 4 loss. Strong vs. Seattle but has more.
Darian Thompson, FS (93%) Grade: D+
Really difficult start. Seems to have corrected his tackling, but it hurt Giants badly early.
Jason Pierre-Paul, DE (92%) Grade: B-
Still a handful for opposing tackles, but hasn’t disrupted games often enough and did nothing in Tampa.
Janoris Jenkins, DB (82%) Grade: B
Still a top corner. Not the reason the Giants defense has struggled, other than Eagles’ final pass that Jenkins and Apple couldn’t knock down.
B.J. Goodson, MLB (58%) Grade: C+
Mean and tough and likeable leader but has struggled in pass coverage.
Devon Kennard, LB/DE (57%) Grade: C+
Quietly has played well at points, but needs to make more big plays like he did at times vs. Seahawks.
Damon Harrison, DT (57%) Grade: A
The only Giant defender to consistently dominate. Quiet most postgames, though.
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, DB (55%) Grade: F
The last thing this team needed at 0-5 was a veteran walking out of the facility in a huff.
Jonathan Casillas, LB (54%) Grade: D+
Not sure he was ever healthy, but struggled with tackling.
Dalvin Tomlinson, DT (53%) Grade: B
Athletic, disrupts offenses.
Keenan Robinson, LB (52%) Grade: C+
Back from a concussion, Robinson has been just OK but improving.
Olivier Vernon, DE (41%) Grade: B
Ankle injury was a killer. He’s a monster.
Jay Bromley, DT (37%) Grade: C+
Played well vs. the Seahawks.
Kerry Wynn, DE (32%) Grade: A
Giants’ most underrated player this season in terms of consistency, effectiveness and effort.
Ross Cockrell, DB (27%) Grade: D
Not a fan. His alarming decision to avoid a tackle against Detroit is impossible to forget.
Avery Moss, DE (20%) Grade: B-
Hard-nosed player but lack of speed has kept him from contributing on special teams.
Robert Thomas, DT (18%) Grade: D+
Not having a great year in limited playing time.
Calvin Munson, LB (18%) Grade: B-
Smart and diligent, a good special teamer, poised in Week 2 when starting at MLB.
Romeo Okwara, DE (15%) Grade: C-
Hasn’t had impact on games like he did as a rookie, took bad angle on Agnew’s punt return.
Donte Deayon, DB (12%) Grade: B-
Deserves more playing time.
Andrew Adams, FS (10%) Grade: B-
Hasn’t excelled in minimal defensive play but leads entire team in special teams snaps, a good backup.
Curtis Grant, LB (6%) Grade: B-
Want to see Grant play more. Has speed on special teams, just got into defensive rotation vs. ’Hawks.
Nat Berhe, SS (6%) Grade: B
Berhe isn’t on the field with the defense much, but whenever he is, he seems to make a play. Big special teams contributor.
Michael Hunter, DB (7%) Grade: A-
Had a great camp, lightning fast as a gunner in Denver. Deserved more opportunities before he got hurt.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Aldrick Rosas, K Grade: C-
Has missed a field goal in three straight games. Refused to address media after loss in Tampa.
Brad Wing, P Grade: D+
Shanks vs. Philly and Bucs cost Giants dearly.
Zak DeOssie, LS Grade: B
Reliable snapping and leadership but also victimized on Agnew’s return in Week 2.
Dwayne Harris, WR (45%) Grade: B-
Made several plays as a gunner, didn’t cost team with bad return decisions, but didn’t break any big ones before his season-ending toe injury.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No more false hope, Giants’ season is officially over
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/f...pe-giants-season-officially-article-1.3581745
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/...s_flopped_this_season.html#incart_river_index
The 9 biggest reasons the Giants flopped this season
By Dan Duggan | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Giants general manager Jerry Reese had the unenviable task of trying to explain his team's 1-6 start on Tuesday. Reese strained credibility by attributing the team's flop to players "buying into some of the hype."
If only it was that simple. The truth is that it took a perfect storm for a team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations two months ago to flame out before the midpoint of the season. Here's a look at the nine biggest reasons for this debacle:
Offensive system
John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
The play-calling has drawn the most attention, and it was long overdue for head coach Ben McAdoo to delegate those duties to offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan. But Bill Walsh couldn't light up a scoreboard while calling plays off of McAdoo's diner-sized play sheet.
The flaws run deeper than the play calls to the fit of McAdoo's West Coast offensive scheme to the team's personnel. McAdoo wants to run a pass-happy offense with a leaky offensive line and an immobile quarterback. That combination is a recipe for disaster.
Most opponents caught on quickly that they could play zone coverage to take away any deep threats because the line can't protect long enough and the Giants don't have the ability/desire to make them pay on the ground.
The brilliance of wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has masked the offensive limitations to an extent, but his season-ending injury has made this offense's ineptitude painfully obvious. The Giants are averaging 11 points and 160.7 yards passing in the three games Beckham has missed this season, compared to 19.8 points and 279.5 yards passing in the four games he played in.
Maybe McAdoo can at least find a way to eliminate the 2-yard throws on third-and-8 from the playbook over the bye.
Regression to the mean
The Giants' crash back to earth after an 11-win season blindsided most. But stat geeks warned this could happen. The Giants went 8-3 in games decided by seven points or fewer last season and seven of those wins featured a late stand by the defense. It's impossible to sustain that level of success in close games.
The Giants have lamented their inability to close out games this season, as they lost three games by a combined 10 points in Weeks 3-5. But it shouldn't be a surprise. The law of averages promised to even things out and the belief that the Giants could rely on their defense to close out tight games every week was misguided.
Personnel decisions
It took injuries to numerous starters before McAdoo found his best offensive line combination and featured his top running back. The offensive line has performed significantly better after Justin Pugh moved to right tackle and D.J. Fluker took over at right guard. And McAdoo finally started using Orleans Darkwa (5.4 yards per carry) after Paul Perkins suffered a ribs injury (1.9 ypc) in Week 4.
Who knows what would have happened if the Giants made those changes sooner, but it's troubling that it took so long for McAdoo to replace under-performing players.
Offensive line woes
Has the offensive line made some strides in the last few weeks? Sure. But don't get carried away. This is still an under-performing unit. The Giants rank 27th in the NFL in rushing and they're tied for 16th in sacks allowed.
The middle-of-the-pack sacks stat is a bit misleading because the Giants' offense is predicated on getting the ball out of quarterback Eli Manning's hands in an instant. And game plans still have been altered to try to hide the offensive line's struggles in pass protection, which may lead to lower sack totals, but also less overall production.
Defense decline
Brad Penner | USA TODAY Sports
The defense carried the Giants last year. The burden has been too heavy this season.
The Giants have dropped to 17th in the league in scoring defense (22.3 points per game) after ranking second last season (17.8 ppg).
A lot of blame has been directed at the defense for blowing late leads in the close losses in Weeks 3-5. While that's technically accurate, it's a bit unfair to pin the 27-22 loss to the Chargers in Week 5 on the defense after Manning fumbled on the Giants' 11-yard line late in the fourth quarter to set up LA's game-winning touchdown.
The inept offense has left the defense with no margin for error the past two seasons. The defense hasn't been up to that challenge this season.
Eli's performance
Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
It's been an odd season for Manning, who has clearly missed Beckham. The Giants have gone into a shell offensively since losing Beckham and Brandon Marshall to season-ending ankle injuries in Week 5, as well as Sterling Shepard to a sprained ankle that has sidelined the slot receiver for the past two games.
Manning had the crucial fumble late against the Chargers in Week 5 and he had another killer fumble in the fourth quarter of last Sunday's 24-7 loss to the Seahawks when the Giants were trailing by just three points.
Manning is the highest-paid player on the team, which brings high expectations. While he's not in a great situation, Manning has failed to raise his level of play.
Game management
McAdoo hasn't been pushing the right buttons this season. He was clearly pressing early in the season, which has led to a horrendous rate on fourth downs (1-for-8). McAdoo repeatedly left points on the board in games that were decided by less than a touchdown.
McAdoo also continues to struggle with when to challenge calls. On the topic of calls, wouldn't it be nice to see a bit more emotion from the coach on the sidelines? It might not accomplish anything if McAdoo threw a tantrum over a blown call, but it'd be a better look than having his face buried in the play sheet after a major moment in the game.
Injuries
Robert Deutsch | USA TODAY Sports
No one wants to hear this, but it can't be ignored: Injuries have contributed to this horrendous start. Beckham missed the opener and was less than 100 percent in Week 2. Now, the Giants still lost the next three games with Beckham close to full strength (before his season-ending injury late in Week 5). But the Giants simply aren't a functional offense without Beckham, which is an entirely different problem.
The mounting injuries are going to be what results in this team being in contention for the top pick in the draft. The roster isn't that bad, but there's clearly not enough depth to overcome the absences of Beckham, Marshall, Shepard, defensive end Olivier Vernon, center Weston Richburg, linebacker Jonathan Casillas and other starters who have missed a game here and there.
An underrated piece of the Giants' success last season was a remarkably healthy roster after years of being the NFL's most-injured team. As was the case with the close wins, the Giants have regressed toward the mean on the injury front this season.
Not so special teams
Brad Wing shanked punts in the fourth quarter of close games in consecutive weeks. Rookie kicker Aldrick Rosas has missed pressure field goals in the fourth quarters of two games the Giants eventually lost.
Meanwhile, the coverage units rank near the bottom of the league and the Giants' next big return will be the first of the season. The Giants have enough deficiencies on offense and defense without the kicking game complicating matters.
--------------------------
Should we see what Webb can do ?
http://boards.giants.com/forum/new-...otball/2991011-should-we-see-what-webb-can-do
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Giants end bye week in search of any hopeful sign amid disaster
http://boards.giants.com/forum/new-...k-in-search-of-any-hopeful-sign-amid-disaster
---------------------------
Wake me up when Eli is gone and we get a real coach
http://boards.giants.com/forum/new-...e-up-when-eli-is-gone-and-we-get-a-real-coach
-------------------------------
Eli trade proposal
https://corner.bigblueinteractive.com/index.php?mode=2&thread=559212
--------------------------
A lot of us want to see MacAdoo gone...
https://corner.bigblueinteractive.com/index.php?mode=2&thread=559161
On their forums the common cry is for the firing of their GM Jerry Reese and their head coach Ben McAdoo. The fans are sensing the end of Eli Manning's tenure with the Giants and they are looking forward to a complete housecleaning and the 2018 draft. This should all sound familiar to long-suffering Rams fans.
The Rams should thoroughly dismantle the Giants on Sunday but if we lose to this pathetic team I will be shocked.
Here are some articles and threads on the current state of the New York Football Giants. Hopefully their fans will chime in during this week.
*****************************************************************************************
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/f...d-grading-big-blue-bye-week-article-1.3595356
Giants Report Card: Grading Big Blue at the bye week
The Giants are 1-6 at their Week 8 bye, so it’s time to grade the players, coaches and management individually to reveal the biggest disappointments and the silver linings.
Players are listed by percentage of snaps played, rounded down, to illustrate both their durability and importance. They are evaluated by their play on the field and are not penalized for injuries. Here we go:
Head coach Ben McAdoo
(DUSTIN BRADFORD/GETTY IMAGES)
MANAGEMENT
Jerry Reese, GM Grade: F
Misjudged team’s quality and needs, stuck with poor O-line, prioritized Brandon Marshall in free agency.
Ben McAdoo, Head Coach Grade: D
Poor play-calling, stubbornness, inconsistent discipline, 30th-ranked offense (16 points per).
Steve Spagnuolo, Defensive Coordinator Grade: D
A mystery why Giants defense forgot in offseason how to tackle, stop the run and protect leads.
OFFENSE
Eli Manning, QB (100% of 445 offensive snaps played) Grade: C-
Ranks 19th in NFL with 86.1 QB rating. Seven turnovers to 11 TDs. Let down by O-line & defense, too.
Ereck Flowers, LT (100%) Grade: D
Cost Giants enormously in Weeks 2 and 3. Tackles’ pass protection problems forced McAdoo to change entire offense.
Justin Pugh, RT/LG (91%) Grade: A
Tough, versatile, durable and the Giants’ most consistent lineman. Moved from left guard to right tackle.
John Jerry, LG/RG (87%) Grade: D+
Involved in a lot of the failed stunt block pickups and culpable in the poor run game.
Evan Engram, TE (80%) Grade: B+
Special talent. Had growing pains, early TD celebration penalty and some drops, but he’s the offense’s best option and leads all NFL rookies in receiving yards.
Brett Jones, C (73%) Grade: A-
Beaten for a big Manning fumble in Week 7, but Jones’ strong play at center in Weston Richburg’s absence has been eye-opening.
Sterling Shepard, WR (61%) Grade: B+
Was on his way to a big season until he reinjured his left ankle. Has played well when healthy.
Brandon Marshall, WR (57%) Grade: F
Never acclimated fully, dropped passes and looked disengaged. Preseason shoulder injury may have affected him more than he let on.
D.J. Fluker, RG (56%) Grade: C+
Has helped run game, but this team needed Fluker to have a better training camp to start in Week 1.
Weston Richburg, C (54%) Grade: A-
Again the Giants’ second-best lineman behind Pugh before he suffered a concussion.
Roger Lewis Jr., WR (51%) Grade: D+
Great TD catch vs. Chargers but made two huge mistakes as punt gunner: overran Detroit’s Jamal Agnew on TD return and failed to down ball outside end zone in Tampa.
Odell Beckham Jr., WR (47%) Grade: B
Game-changer when healthier (Weeks 3, 4) but had dog-peeing TD celebration and six drops, per Pro Football Focus.
Rhett Ellison, TE (46%) Grade: C+
Big missed tackle on Agnew’s punt return TD in Week 2. Valuable run blocker but underutilized early.
Bobby Hart, RT (36%) Grade: F
Though it’s a small sample size, when healthy, Hart has been even worse than Flowers.
Shane Vereen, RB (31%) Grade: D
Hasn’t made a noticeable difference. Lots of late-game yardage.
Paul Perkins, RB (24%) Grade: D
Can’t give Perkins an ‘F’ with how poorly line blocked for him and how few screens McAdoo called for him, but needs to be better when healthy.
Tavarres King, WR (23%) Grade: C
Like Lewis, needs to make more of a difference as one of leaders of new receiving corps.
Orleans Darkwa, RB (23%) Grade: A
His 5.4 yards per carry average is no joke. Dropped a few passes in Week 5, but Darkwa, Pugh and Engram are the offense’s best.
Wayne Gallman, RB (21%) Grade: C+
A hard, encouraging runner but has to work on ball security and needs to pop some big gains.
Travis Rudolph, WR (12%) Grade: D
Can’t understand why he and Manning were on such different pages against Seattle.
Jerell Adams, TE (8%): C-
Huge catch vs. Lions but whiffed on his man on Seahawks’ blocked punt.
Matt LaCosse, TE (5%) Grade: B
Entered the offensive rotation with the three-TE set vs. Seattle. Has talent.
Shane Smith, FB (2%) Grade: B
Smith mostly blocked well before being released to practice squad. Special teams hurt him.
Steve Spagnuolo/Newsday
DEFENSE
Eli Apple, DB (93%) Grade: C-
First 3.5 weeks were horrible. Last 3.5 weeks he’s been better, sometimes excellent. But not enough.
Landon Collins, SS (93%) Grade: B-
Still a stud but beaten by Bucs’ Cameron Brate to seal Week 4 loss. Strong vs. Seattle but has more.
Darian Thompson, FS (93%) Grade: D+
Really difficult start. Seems to have corrected his tackling, but it hurt Giants badly early.
Jason Pierre-Paul, DE (92%) Grade: B-
Still a handful for opposing tackles, but hasn’t disrupted games often enough and did nothing in Tampa.
Janoris Jenkins, DB (82%) Grade: B
Still a top corner. Not the reason the Giants defense has struggled, other than Eagles’ final pass that Jenkins and Apple couldn’t knock down.
B.J. Goodson, MLB (58%) Grade: C+
Mean and tough and likeable leader but has struggled in pass coverage.
Devon Kennard, LB/DE (57%) Grade: C+
Quietly has played well at points, but needs to make more big plays like he did at times vs. Seahawks.
Damon Harrison, DT (57%) Grade: A
The only Giant defender to consistently dominate. Quiet most postgames, though.
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, DB (55%) Grade: F
The last thing this team needed at 0-5 was a veteran walking out of the facility in a huff.
Jonathan Casillas, LB (54%) Grade: D+
Not sure he was ever healthy, but struggled with tackling.
Dalvin Tomlinson, DT (53%) Grade: B
Athletic, disrupts offenses.
Keenan Robinson, LB (52%) Grade: C+
Back from a concussion, Robinson has been just OK but improving.
Olivier Vernon, DE (41%) Grade: B
Ankle injury was a killer. He’s a monster.
Jay Bromley, DT (37%) Grade: C+
Played well vs. the Seahawks.
Kerry Wynn, DE (32%) Grade: A
Giants’ most underrated player this season in terms of consistency, effectiveness and effort.
Ross Cockrell, DB (27%) Grade: D
Not a fan. His alarming decision to avoid a tackle against Detroit is impossible to forget.
Avery Moss, DE (20%) Grade: B-
Hard-nosed player but lack of speed has kept him from contributing on special teams.
Robert Thomas, DT (18%) Grade: D+
Not having a great year in limited playing time.
Calvin Munson, LB (18%) Grade: B-
Smart and diligent, a good special teamer, poised in Week 2 when starting at MLB.
Romeo Okwara, DE (15%) Grade: C-
Hasn’t had impact on games like he did as a rookie, took bad angle on Agnew’s punt return.
Donte Deayon, DB (12%) Grade: B-
Deserves more playing time.
Andrew Adams, FS (10%) Grade: B-
Hasn’t excelled in minimal defensive play but leads entire team in special teams snaps, a good backup.
Curtis Grant, LB (6%) Grade: B-
Want to see Grant play more. Has speed on special teams, just got into defensive rotation vs. ’Hawks.
Nat Berhe, SS (6%) Grade: B
Berhe isn’t on the field with the defense much, but whenever he is, he seems to make a play. Big special teams contributor.
Michael Hunter, DB (7%) Grade: A-
Had a great camp, lightning fast as a gunner in Denver. Deserved more opportunities before he got hurt.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Aldrick Rosas, K Grade: C-
Has missed a field goal in three straight games. Refused to address media after loss in Tampa.
Brad Wing, P Grade: D+
Shanks vs. Philly and Bucs cost Giants dearly.
Zak DeOssie, LS Grade: B
Reliable snapping and leadership but also victimized on Agnew’s return in Week 2.
Dwayne Harris, WR (45%) Grade: B-
Made several plays as a gunner, didn’t cost team with bad return decisions, but didn’t break any big ones before his season-ending toe injury.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No more false hope, Giants’ season is officially over
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/f...pe-giants-season-officially-article-1.3581745
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/...s_flopped_this_season.html#incart_river_index
The 9 biggest reasons the Giants flopped this season
By Dan Duggan | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Giants general manager Jerry Reese had the unenviable task of trying to explain his team's 1-6 start on Tuesday. Reese strained credibility by attributing the team's flop to players "buying into some of the hype."
If only it was that simple. The truth is that it took a perfect storm for a team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations two months ago to flame out before the midpoint of the season. Here's a look at the nine biggest reasons for this debacle:
Offensive system
John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
The play-calling has drawn the most attention, and it was long overdue for head coach Ben McAdoo to delegate those duties to offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan. But Bill Walsh couldn't light up a scoreboard while calling plays off of McAdoo's diner-sized play sheet.
The flaws run deeper than the play calls to the fit of McAdoo's West Coast offensive scheme to the team's personnel. McAdoo wants to run a pass-happy offense with a leaky offensive line and an immobile quarterback. That combination is a recipe for disaster.
Most opponents caught on quickly that they could play zone coverage to take away any deep threats because the line can't protect long enough and the Giants don't have the ability/desire to make them pay on the ground.
The brilliance of wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has masked the offensive limitations to an extent, but his season-ending injury has made this offense's ineptitude painfully obvious. The Giants are averaging 11 points and 160.7 yards passing in the three games Beckham has missed this season, compared to 19.8 points and 279.5 yards passing in the four games he played in.
Maybe McAdoo can at least find a way to eliminate the 2-yard throws on third-and-8 from the playbook over the bye.
Regression to the mean
The Giants' crash back to earth after an 11-win season blindsided most. But stat geeks warned this could happen. The Giants went 8-3 in games decided by seven points or fewer last season and seven of those wins featured a late stand by the defense. It's impossible to sustain that level of success in close games.
The Giants have lamented their inability to close out games this season, as they lost three games by a combined 10 points in Weeks 3-5. But it shouldn't be a surprise. The law of averages promised to even things out and the belief that the Giants could rely on their defense to close out tight games every week was misguided.
Personnel decisions
It took injuries to numerous starters before McAdoo found his best offensive line combination and featured his top running back. The offensive line has performed significantly better after Justin Pugh moved to right tackle and D.J. Fluker took over at right guard. And McAdoo finally started using Orleans Darkwa (5.4 yards per carry) after Paul Perkins suffered a ribs injury (1.9 ypc) in Week 4.
Who knows what would have happened if the Giants made those changes sooner, but it's troubling that it took so long for McAdoo to replace under-performing players.
Offensive line woes
Has the offensive line made some strides in the last few weeks? Sure. But don't get carried away. This is still an under-performing unit. The Giants rank 27th in the NFL in rushing and they're tied for 16th in sacks allowed.
The middle-of-the-pack sacks stat is a bit misleading because the Giants' offense is predicated on getting the ball out of quarterback Eli Manning's hands in an instant. And game plans still have been altered to try to hide the offensive line's struggles in pass protection, which may lead to lower sack totals, but also less overall production.
Defense decline
Brad Penner | USA TODAY Sports
The defense carried the Giants last year. The burden has been too heavy this season.
The Giants have dropped to 17th in the league in scoring defense (22.3 points per game) after ranking second last season (17.8 ppg).
A lot of blame has been directed at the defense for blowing late leads in the close losses in Weeks 3-5. While that's technically accurate, it's a bit unfair to pin the 27-22 loss to the Chargers in Week 5 on the defense after Manning fumbled on the Giants' 11-yard line late in the fourth quarter to set up LA's game-winning touchdown.
The inept offense has left the defense with no margin for error the past two seasons. The defense hasn't been up to that challenge this season.
Eli's performance
Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
It's been an odd season for Manning, who has clearly missed Beckham. The Giants have gone into a shell offensively since losing Beckham and Brandon Marshall to season-ending ankle injuries in Week 5, as well as Sterling Shepard to a sprained ankle that has sidelined the slot receiver for the past two games.
Manning had the crucial fumble late against the Chargers in Week 5 and he had another killer fumble in the fourth quarter of last Sunday's 24-7 loss to the Seahawks when the Giants were trailing by just three points.
Manning is the highest-paid player on the team, which brings high expectations. While he's not in a great situation, Manning has failed to raise his level of play.
Game management
McAdoo hasn't been pushing the right buttons this season. He was clearly pressing early in the season, which has led to a horrendous rate on fourth downs (1-for-8). McAdoo repeatedly left points on the board in games that were decided by less than a touchdown.
McAdoo also continues to struggle with when to challenge calls. On the topic of calls, wouldn't it be nice to see a bit more emotion from the coach on the sidelines? It might not accomplish anything if McAdoo threw a tantrum over a blown call, but it'd be a better look than having his face buried in the play sheet after a major moment in the game.
Injuries
Robert Deutsch | USA TODAY Sports
No one wants to hear this, but it can't be ignored: Injuries have contributed to this horrendous start. Beckham missed the opener and was less than 100 percent in Week 2. Now, the Giants still lost the next three games with Beckham close to full strength (before his season-ending injury late in Week 5). But the Giants simply aren't a functional offense without Beckham, which is an entirely different problem.
The mounting injuries are going to be what results in this team being in contention for the top pick in the draft. The roster isn't that bad, but there's clearly not enough depth to overcome the absences of Beckham, Marshall, Shepard, defensive end Olivier Vernon, center Weston Richburg, linebacker Jonathan Casillas and other starters who have missed a game here and there.
An underrated piece of the Giants' success last season was a remarkably healthy roster after years of being the NFL's most-injured team. As was the case with the close wins, the Giants have regressed toward the mean on the injury front this season.
Not so special teams
Brad Wing shanked punts in the fourth quarter of close games in consecutive weeks. Rookie kicker Aldrick Rosas has missed pressure field goals in the fourth quarters of two games the Giants eventually lost.
Meanwhile, the coverage units rank near the bottom of the league and the Giants' next big return will be the first of the season. The Giants have enough deficiencies on offense and defense without the kicking game complicating matters.
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Should we see what Webb can do ?
http://boards.giants.com/forum/new-...otball/2991011-should-we-see-what-webb-can-do
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Giants end bye week in search of any hopeful sign amid disaster
http://boards.giants.com/forum/new-...k-in-search-of-any-hopeful-sign-amid-disaster
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Wake me up when Eli is gone and we get a real coach
http://boards.giants.com/forum/new-...e-up-when-eli-is-gone-and-we-get-a-real-coach
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Eli trade proposal
https://corner.bigblueinteractive.com/index.php?mode=2&thread=559212
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A lot of us want to see MacAdoo gone...
https://corner.bigblueinteractive.com/index.php?mode=2&thread=559161