Few are not aware of the horrific start to the season by the NY. Football Giants. I mean it doesn’t get much worse than a 0-3 start; the latest loss by a lopsided shutout at the hands of the non-elite Carolina Panthers. But should their early results come as such a shock given their recent past?
Consider that Big Blue owns a 3-8 record over their last 11 regular season games which include two shutout losses. Throw in their abysmal Pre-Season performance (1-3), especially that of Eli Manning who looked ‘disinteredted’, the loss of Safety Stevie Brown (8 interceptions last season), Jason Pierre-Paul returning from back surgery in June, and the loss of RB Andre Brown to IR, and you have a recipe for disaster.
The worse begginning to a season under Tom Coughlin’s rule, the Giants 38-0 loss to the Panthers on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2013, ends the revered coach’s amazing streak in which he started 5-2 every year since he was hired in 2004.
The capitan Eli Manning, who had an up and down season last year, looked totally rusty in the pre-season and has thrown 8 interceptions in the first three games this year. The biggest culprit on this team without question has been their offensive line which has not made it possible for any lanes to open up for David Wilson (75 rushing yards in three games) and Brandon Jacobs (who now has 10 carries for six yards since signing with the Giants for a 0.6 YPC average).
With an ineffectice O-Line the protection for Eli has also been non-existent. It’s affected the time he has to release the ball and has a lot to do with him making poor decisions by virtue of his 8 picks. He also has already been sacked 11 times!
#10 Eli Manning, sacked multiple times in the 38-0 loss to the Panthers, only had 1 passing yard in the first half on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2013. Photo: Mike Mccarn/Associated Press
Second on the list of causes for the Giants demise, is their lack of any semblence on defense; from a limited pass-rush to cornerbacks and safeties that have allowed their opponents to rack up 115 points (38.3 YPG) average through the early going.
It won’t get any easier for the G-Men either as they will face the 3-0 Kansas City Chiefs next week at K.C. and then after a home game against the Eagles, they will have to play the 3-0 Bears in Chicago. It is quite conceivable that by October 13th we could be staring at the Giants sitting at 0-6 or at best 1-5.
Playoffs? Ponder this: The last time an NFL team began the season at 0-3 and made the playoffs was 15 years ago when in 1998 the Buffalo Bills and the Detroit Lions both accomplised that feat.
Tom Coughlin? The man will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in the first round of eligibility, or should be. Got to feel for him as earlier last week he lost his 63 old brother in a freak accident. Instead of his team playing one “for the Gipper”, they just rolled over and played dead. Losing usually begets more losing…
Giants coach Tom Coughlin at the press conference after the embarrassing loss to the Panthers said, “He expected more from this team..” Photo: Rueters
This latest edition of this team is clearly lacking in talent. Hopefully Giants General Manager Jerry Reese will go into his bag of tricks and pull out some players that can make a difference in the 13 remaining games for the Giants to at least gain some relevance in a very poor division. In the meantime, Owners, Coaches, players and fans…”Let the panic begin!”
Panic, yes, but let’s not start a stampede. A team that goes to the Super Bowl every four years, that’s as up and down as the Giants, in their sub-par division? The trend line says, yes, this could be a terrible season, but we’re at least a game from needing Xanax (possibly two).
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Being a realist, there’s two things I know:
1. The team has given up on itself as their 14 turnovers in 3 games and the most points given up per game (38.3) in the NFL will indicate.
2. I can’t see them beating the Chiefs or Bears on the road at this stage of the season.
Big Coughlin fan. I just hope he hasn’t lost the team…
Thanks for checking in…
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Being a fan of an NFL team is about the here and now, but I learned a long time ago that belly aching over a losing streak can cause ulcers and sleepless nights. Having been a Giants fan for more than 30 years, I know that there’s a 3 in 4 chance that they will disappoint, for a significant part of a season, if not an entire one. I don’t just think about the upcoming game, but about the larger theme of where the team’s headed.
3-8 over the last 11 games going back to last season, given the injuries and changes to personnel — not to mention Eli’s terrible play — seems to indicate that the team needs to think ahead about stockpiling for the future. That said, this team has shown too many times over the years that the season is a roller coaster ride, and sometimes that means throwing up.
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Nicely put! However, every team goes through changes in personnel and injuries. This team just looks like it’s given up on itself.
When a team has an elite quarterback, and two of the league’s best wide receivers they should be able to put 7 points on the board is all I’m saying.
We’ll see what they have left Donald..
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you’re not jumping off the GW Bridge yet are you?? 13 weeks left to the season, I have confidence that Coughlin will turn this around. His track record says as much.
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I said the same thing Jerry…right before the Panthers game yesterday. And all that they did was give Coughlin his worst defeat in the 10 years he’s been here. No I’m not jumping off the GW Bridge yet, I’m just approaching the ramp however..
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No, 0-6. They don’t have the Chiefs D to stop the Eagles or the Offense or Defense to beat Chicago.
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You could be right. They just know the Eagles a whole lot better than the the Chiefs and the Bears and the defense s of K.C. & Chicago can’t hold a torch to that of Philly. Either way it just doesn’t look good in the immediate future.
Rememnber too, that the Giants now have the worst rushing numbers in the league and when you can’t run the ball, or keep your QB upright, and turn the ball over 14 times in 3 games, you can’t win games.\
Thanks for checking in!
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Thanks!
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