This just continues to bother me. Over the last three seasons, going back to 2012, the Giants have managed to be held without a score in a game on 4 different occasions. 4 games is not a huge sample size over that period but I just can't wrap my mind around how an offense, with a legitimate QB, that can look unstoppable at times can accomplish this.
I didn't have the time to look at every team in the NFL to see how that number of shut-outs matches up to other franchises, but I did take a look at the Jaguars, Raiders and Bucs. Right now those three teams are awful (and have been awful for a while) and have a combined record of 1-16 . . . yet between all three of them they have been shut-out a total of just one time over the last three seasons. Just once combined compared to 4 times for the Giants alone.
For me, this used to be one of my biggest knocks on Kevin Gilbride. I didn't believe that a team with any kind of above average QB could ever be held scoreless in today's NFL where the emphasis is completely on offense and running up the scoreboard. So I blamed the OC whenever the Giants got blown out because I never thought that the talent level on this offense ever came close to approaching the mediocrity of teams like the Bucs, Jets or Jaguars.
But now with a new OC I'm starting to wonder if maybe there is something else going on. Coughlin and Eli are the only static variables left, and I can't help but think that the inconsistency that we've been seeing with the offense over the last few years may be more linked to Coughlin than previously thought.
I'm really trying my best not to overreact to this shut-out. I understand that it was against the Eagles, and its going to sting a lot more than usual and that we're all searching for answers around here. But man . . . the Giants have had some really brutal, embarrasing losses in recent years. I think it's fair to stop and ask what has the head coach's role been in all of them.
I don't care if it's 50-14, 50-7, 50-3, 50-0... The "shut out" aspect itself means little to me.
And hey... maybe we still have Cruz if we just kick it... LOL.
I guess to them losing 17-3 is better than 17-0?? Just nothing but box score politics, I say!!
never mind mentioning the fg we passed up on would have been gifted to us by our defense anyway, the offense absolutely didnt earn 3 points there starting a drive where they did
It's actually hard to get completely shut out in this league and yet, we've done it 4 times in less than 2 full seasons worth of games.
In a 60 minute football game, you should not be unable to drive the football down the field and score at least ONE time. Not in today's NFL. And not when your same offense was putting 30's and a 40+ on the board the 3 weeks prior.
I don't know what it is, I don't know why it happens but it happens far too often to this football team in this regime. It's concerning.
Joe, it shouldn't be a surprise that it's the same crowd that gets extra butt hurt when you criticize Eli, but won't hesitate to insinuate that our miscues are 10 times out of 10 on the WR's.
Teams with multiple games of 0 Off TDs and 1 or less FG since 2012:
Jets 5
Giants 4
Jags 4
Miami 4
Arizona 3
Philly 3
KC 3
SF 2
Hou 2
Min 2
TB 2
Not good company
Teams with multiple games of 0 Off TDs and 1 or less FG since 2012:
Jets 5
Giants 4
Jags 4
Miami 4
Arizona 3
Philly 3
KC 3
SF 2
Hou 2
Min 2
TB 2
The thing that stands out to me right away is how many shitty football teams are on this list.
It's really not one I feel good about the Giants being on. Especially not right near the top of it.
We get it
2013 Games vs playoff teams:
Denver:41-23 L
Carolina: 38-0 L
Kansas city: 31-7 L
Philadelphia: 36-21 L
Philadelphia: 15-7 W
Green bay: 27-13 W
San Diego: 37-14 L
Seattle: 23-0
2012 games vs playoff teams:
San Francisco: 26-3 W
Washington: 27-23 W
Cincinnati: 31-13 L
Green Bay: 31-10 W
Washington: 17-16 L
Atlanta: 34-0 L
Baltimore: 33-14
Teams with multiple games of 0 Off TDs and 1 or less FG since 2012:
Jets 5
Giants 4
Jags 4
Miami 4
Arizona 3
Philly 3
KC 3
SF 2
Hou 2
Min 2
TB 2
That's definitely an interesting list, but the first thing that I would point out is that the concern isn't specifically about the offense not scoring points, but the entire team. As it was mentioned in the OP, there should be a question of what head coach's role has been in some of these games - not just the OC or the offensive players because clearly adequate opportunities were not created by defense or special teams either.
The second thing I would be curious about is exactly WHEN did those made field goals occur in those games when a single TD wasn't scored. As Marshall pointed out already, it's pretty common practice for any team on the verge of shut out to not kick a field goal in garbage time or when it would not have a significant impact on the game.
My hunch is that the majority of those teams that were only held to a field goal scored those points at a time when the game was still very competitive, which would be a much different circumstance than if the Giants had settled for the FG on 4th down (as opposed to passing it to Cruz in the end zone) at that point in the game against the Eagles. Essentially, the Giants (offense, defense, special teams) were just incapable of scoring a single point during a time when meaningful football was being played - and that's where the issue is.
i dont see other teams leaving points on the field when they are there... Dallas was Down 10- then got a FG... then a TD...
sometimes once you score... you score again rapidly... Footbal is as much about psyche as it is physical and mental gameplanning.