The New York giants are facing many challenges this season. With a record of 0-5, they are ranked as one of the worst teams in the NFL. Odell Beckham Jr., Dwayne Harris, and Brandon Marshall are out for the season due to injury, while Sterling Shepard is recovering from a less severe injury. In addition, linemen on offense and defense are showing signs of heavy fatigue. These factors are causing players to reevaluate their roles on the team. Some are less hopeful than others.
DRC vs. Ben McAdoo incident
Giants cornerback Dominique Rogers-Cromartie (DRC) left the Chargers game Sunday due to a leg injury.
Although he was not placed on the injury report, McAdoo decided to bench him Sunday night against the Denver Broncos. Later that week, Rogers-Cromartie arrived at the Giants' practice facility and decided to leave before team meetings. Coach Ben McAdoo stated that Rogers-Cromartie will be suspended indefinitely without pay.
Ben McAdoo told reporters that he and Rogers-Cromartie had a personal conversation about playing time. The following day is when the incident occurred. Rogers-Cromartie spoke with ESPN reporter Josina Anderson about what happened. DRC admitted that he handled the situation poorly, but felt disrespected after McAdoo's decision to not play him this week. DRC said that he was not satisfied with what McAdoo told him during their personal conversation.
Reactions from other players
Giants defensive end Olivier Vernon had no comment about the DRC and McAdoo situation. He said he knew no details about the event and that playing football is the team's main priority. However, defensive backs Landon Collins and Eli Apple had something to say about what happened in the locker room.
Landon Collins said the entire team was completely surprised by the events that unfolded. He speculated that the arguments stemmed from DRC's tension with the assistant coaches. Eli Apple, the player who will replace Rogers-Cromartie, had something to say about the team in general. Apple felt that he was the team's scapegoat when the defense failed.
This became prevalent when McAdoo decided to promote DRC over Apple. Apple explained that when a team loses, the problem isn't a single player. The problem is the performance of the players as a team and that is what has to be fixed.
The Giants' future
It is clear that Ben McAdoo does not have complete control of the locker room. The players do not fully trust his coaching decisions and will retaliate. However, his career as a head coach is not over. These challenges are a test of his coaching skills. If the Giants continue to give an underwhelming effort, it will speak volumes about his ability to lead a team. Next week, the Giants face the Denver Broncos. The Broncos have the highest rated defense in the NFL and will test the Giants' weakened offense. Ben McAdoo has to regain control of the locker room if they want to win.
