Articles

by: Craig J. Santucci @NYGiantsRush

Rock Bottom

While the Redskins may have more losses than the Giants, this ultimately feels like rock bottom for Big Blue. On Sunday, the New York Giants were embarrassed and outcoached by their opponent who happens to be the New York Jets.

Let’s look at the Giants and Jets’ overall win totals since the Giants won the Super Bowl in 2011. The Giants have been trending in the wrong direction since 2012 and with coaching staff there is no light at the end of the tunnel.

  • Giants – won 49 games
  • Jets – won 43 games

Pat Shurmur consistently shows that the game may be too big for him as a head coach and that his approach to the game is better suited as a coordinator. Because of his brief success with Nick Foles and Case Keenan someone nicknamed Pat Shurmur a QB Guru. The Giants roll the dice again.

Coach up the QB:

One would have to ask themselves what is Shurmur waiting for with Daniel Jones? Is he treating Jones-like Eli allowing the rookie the same “space” as a 16-year veteran? To get the most of the first-round pick and to keep him healthy and productive, Shurmur actually might have to work. It appears that Jones continues to make the same mistakes over and over.

  • Ball Security: Stop using the overplayed “he’s a rookie” excuse. Ball security is something you are taught in middle school. Jones leads the NFL in fumbles and fumbles lost.
  • Slide: Jones continues to dive headfirst into defenders. If you don’t want to see Eli…then teach your rookie to slide, every play.
  • Step Up: As the defensive rush collapses around him, Jones seems unaware of the pressure and rarely steps up to avoid the sack. He has to have an internal clock, throw the ball out of bounds, or slide to the side…improvise.
  • Prepare: The entire NFL is watching the film. Every Defensive Coordinator in the league knows that Jones is standing in the pocket and fumbling the ball. Yesterday the Jets were relentless with pressure against three back up lineman. Shurmur’s response: Barkley up the middle. Hello? Try a three-step drop, quick snap, center screens, Jet Toss, pitch back…anything! The damn Tight End roll out to Ellison went for 31 yards…run it to they stop it.

Shurmur’s Offense:

Since everyone wants to give Shurmur credit for “his” offense. And that Shula is just an empty suit, fixing this disaster solely falls on Shurmur’s shoulders. The offensive predictable. Time management stinks and personnel grouping are head-scratchers.

  • Running Attack – Barkley is either still hurt or has a new injury. The entire viewing public knows your going to run between the tackles. Don’t you think the defense knows too? Did you watch Arizona run ALL OVER the Giants? What did they do? PULL the guard and the center to get the back into space. It’s not brain surgery..
  • 4th down – need a yard? STOP abusing the QB. He practically had his head ripped off on the sneak. It’s ignorant. If the running game can’t get push up the middle, why do you think your QB can? Try blocking with a full back, a sneak off tackle or how about a fake. Be creative, try the element of surprise. The entire stadium knows what’s coming and Shurmur…you don’t have the horses to have that confidence.
  • Oline – This unit is still underperforming after all the offseason bluster. However, nine weeks in and this head coach still refuses to give the tackles help on the outside with a Tight End. Of yea…both starting tackles were down with an injury and the backup tackle told reporters he “did not” receive any snaps at tackle in practice.
  • Time Outs: How many “Time Outs” did Shurmur call with 4 minutes left? Three?

Fix a mistake with a mistake:

Shurmur is not the guy to lead the Jones era. At a minimum…someone else needs to call the plays. Ownership settled for a GM, HC and an OC. Twice.

McAdoo & Sullivan

Shurmur & Shula

rock bottom