Giants: A Tale of Two Teams
By Joe Tufaro
The New York Giants have played like two different teams this year while amassing a record of 8-7. At times we have considered this to be one of the best offenses in team history, and then at other times we have wondered where all the firepower has gone. The Giants have averaged 36.25 points in their 8 wins, and only 13.86 in their 7 losses. They still maintain a plus 50 in point differential, a stat that I usually view as key.
Has it been the lack of practice time available to players due to injuries and new post lockout rules? Has it just been the amount of small nagging injuries that prevents the offense from practicing together on a regular basis? I think it is a combination of the above and lacking the ability to adjust to schemes mid game. While scoring points in the manner they have over their 8 wins…41, 36, 41, 26,27,29,38, and 52 against teams like San Francisco, Green Bay, New Orleans, Washington, and Dallas…it seems incredulous that they could sink to the depths of scoring 13, 16, 0 ,and 14 in their last four losses.
This has been a tale of two seasons for the Giants, as it seems to have been for a few years recently during the regular season. We spoke earlier this year about how the Giants would probably get to 9 or 10 wins, and that starting 6-2 didn’t change that prediction. If they had gone 4-4 in their final 8 it would still be a bit disturbing, but they would have won the division by now. If they finish 3-5, and miss the playoffs, it is not that far off from where we thought they would be, but the manner in which they have finished this season is certainly alarming. To have the chances put in front of you for success and to completely fail to compete is disturbing and needs to be addressed in the off season with some changes on both sides of the ball. Seeing what this team is capable of when healthy and working as a team is impressive, but the flip side is beyond disappointing.
Next week we will either be previewing the Wild Card game the Giants will be participating in, or we will begin to breakdown some of the areas the Giants will need to improve moving forward.