The demise of the Giants started with Jerry Reese.
There are many reasons to criticize Jerry but the most damming criticism is due to his lack of vision.
In past years the Giants built their teams with a specific image of what a Northeastern team should be.
The Mara’s and Tisch’s did not enclose the new MetLife stadium because they wanted to maintain the inherent home field advantages of a cold weather site.
I guess Jerry did not get the message.
The as team presently constituted is a quasi-West Coast finesse team that features the skill players. Northeast teams historically featured “smash mouth” physical teams. The old Giants teams wanted to impose its will on their opponents. To do this the Giants focused on the offensive and defensive lines. Their mantra was to win in the trenches. Stop the run and run the ball.
When George Young was asked why he preferred to draft offensive and defensive linemen he used to quip, that there are only so many large people in the world, so you must get them early.
Jerry Reese inherited a team that had a great base, a franchise QB, and a great coach. This team was good enough to win a Superbowl. What he needed to do to refill the coffers by reinforcing the lines and drafting smart physical players. He needed to maintain the continuity of his predecessors. But, the Giants preferred to draft skill players.
The offensive line is a microcosm of the problems for the Giant team.
The line needed to be rebuilt for years. So, the Giants drafted Pugh, Richburg, Flowers, signed Schwartz as a premium free agent, and attempted to fill the other spots with low level draft picks and free agents.
The problem is that the line is mismatched.
Pugh, Jones, and Richburg, are smaller finesse players who are mobile, while Flowers, Fluker, Jerry, and Schwartz, etc. are larger less mobile players. The players may be better individually then they are as a group. When was the last time any Giant fan felt comfortable with a 3rd and short run? The Giants line is not coordinated. They cannot perform simple combo blocks ones that you are taught in high school and they cannot move the line.
The lines problems are further compounded by smaller running backs who do not run well between the tackles and an immobile qb. This is not the Seattle Seahawks who had Lynch and Wilson. Reese should have acknowledged the problems but he did not.
Reese magnified the problem by hiring coach who was also miss-matched to the personnel and the schemes. I think that McAdoo can be a very good coach, but, not the way it is constituted.
But you're right, Reese is a problem, if not THE problem.
They are having a problem with their offense this year and some of it is due to a lack of running.
The problem is that the Giants have an immobile QB who needs both a running game and protection to be successful.
He is not like Brady in that he can sustain drives with a short passing game.
The OL is a good example, but you can also point to LB, CB or RB. Their two best CBs came via free agency, and the top 10 pick there looks to be a reach. The less said about the impact the LBs have had on these games the better.
The Giants are going to be drafting high again this year. I don't trust Reese or his staff to draft the right players. Get rid of them, sooner rather than later so the new staff can begin the process of evaluating players.
Why no roof - ( New Window )
They are having a problem with their offense this year and some of it is due to a lack of running.
The problem is that the Giants have an immobile QB who needs both a running game and protection to be successful.
He is not like Brady in that he can sustain drives with a short passing game.
Eli moves pretty well in the pocket -- TD to Beckham yesterday case in point. Like all QBS, he has problems with pressure in his face but his relative mobility isn't the problem with the offense.
The OL is a good example, but you can also point to LB, CB or RB. Their two best CBs came via free agency, and the top 10 pick there looks to be a reach. The less said about the impact the LBs have had on these games the better.
Have to reluctantly agree and the worst part of it is after missing HUGE on his O-lineman, he doubles down on them by not bringing in ANY help during the off-season. I don't consider Fluker (LA Chargers cast-off) help of any significance!
The Giants are going to be drafting high again this year. I don't trust Reese or his staff to draft the right players. Get rid of them, sooner rather than later so the new staff can begin the process of evaluating players.
But they overspend...
Really, this year was sunk with the OL.
OL causes RBs to stink (arguably, they weren't that good to begin with, but regardless, they get hit before they can get started).
Eli has to throw quicker, off balance, no time in pocket
Hence bad throws.
Defense also stinks, and I'm not sure why. It starts up front. LBs are never a priority.
The OL is a good example, but you can also point to LB, CB or RB. Their two best CBs came via free agency, and the top 10 pick there looks to be a reach. The less said about the impact the LBs have had on these games the better.
The Giants are going to be drafting high again this year. I don't trust Reese or his staff to draft the right players. Get rid of them, sooner rather than later so the new staff can begin the process of evaluating players.
Chris Mara was extremely vocal about wanting the official GM title when Accorsi retired. Reese has never had the autonomy Young or Accorsi did. Of course Accorsi had less than Young did or Tom Coughlin would have never been coach of the Giants. Reese has practically none. We're back to the 70's. It's a Mara run football operation again and look at the results.