Many teams in the NFL have disappointed their Fans with awful starts to their seasons. No team has been a bigger disappointment than the New York Giants. The Giants have failed to live up to any expectations set before them this season and now their playoff chances are practically gone. With a terrible o-line and almost their entire receiving core injured, Eli Manning has struggled to keep the Giants afloat despite a legitimate defense. Someone has to be blamed for their 1-6 start, but who should is it?
Poor performances
The players are the ones who have to go out there and perform, so it would be logically correct to blame them, right?
The offense has been a no-show throughout their first seven games. They rank 30th in the league in points per game (16), 27th in both total yards (296) and rushing yards (83), and 20th in passing yards (216). The biggest problem on the offense is the O-line. The offensive line has failed to produce a push in the run game and has failed to protect Manning. Manning has been sacked 17 times this season, and the offense's inability to produce has trickled over to the defense.
The defense also ranks in the bottom tier in the NFL across the board. The defense played well in the team's lone win against the Broncos, but besides that, they have been stuck on the field. When the offense is consistently getting three and outs the defense has to run back out there on the field.
They begin to get tired and end up making mistakes and then they start giving up points. The Giants had arguably one of the league's best defenses before the season began, but now it's been getting ran through on a weekly basis.
Coaching catastrophe
Even though the players have to perform, one could blame head coach Ben Macadoo for the team's depressing start.
He seems to have very little control of the locker room now, which dates back to last year with Odell Beckham's antics. Macadoo has been calling the plays for the offense as the head coach, but his play calls sometimes make fans scratch their heads. Macadoo has a history of throwing his players under the bus, and that probably didn't go well with the players.
Coaching is a critical aspect of a team and Macadoo has failed this season.
Front office follies
Much of the blame could go towards the front office of the Giants. GM Jerry Reese was given the task to make the roster better every year and he has done that on the defensive side. But, he has failed to put pieces in front of Manning to protect him. Eric Flowers has been getting bullied left and right during the season and is one of Reese's draft picks. A running back has been a sore spot for the Giants ever since Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw departed and the Giants failed to draft good talent or even sign a decent free agent (Rashad Jennings was a failure). Reese has failed to do his job and now his team is suffering because of it.
All three parts of the Giants organization have failed to produce wins for their fans and could all be blamed equally. But something about the whole picture doesn't seem like equal blame is right. Are the players simply failing to perform? Is it Macadoo's failure to have control of the team and his questionable play calls? Is it Jerry Reese and his failure to get the right players? One thing is certain: the Giants season is essentially down the drain.
