Despite the turn for the worst that the 2014 regular season has become for the New York Giants, they have a chance to make some noise this Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The expectations within a year-in-year-out basis for the Giants are always high making mediocrity and sub par performances unacceptable. While the franchise will never make excuses, the team has finished the gauntlet-portion of their schedule which involved playing the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts, Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, and a return trip from the Cowboys — all teams that have winnings records and are heavily involved in the push to play in January.
The Giants hoped to be playing amongst that competition but injuries and a lack of depth were glaring weaknesses that came to surface. Being mathematically eliminated from playoff-contention puts the dagger in the heart and the nail in the coffin for any hope of 2014 causing for any fruition to another Super Bowl championship season. Fans are already looking forward to the offseason and the upcoming 2015 NFL Draft in hopes finding that next batch of home-grown talent.
Before doing so, Giants brass need to see what kind of heart and talent that they have from this team that can be salvaged. Odell Beckham Jr. may just have a shot of being carried over…
With the First Pick
Many questions surround this team: How much further will head coach Tom Coughlin and quarterback Eli Manning be extended into Giants history? Does general manager Jerry Reese put together an overall solid draft class in 2015 after the duds that were 2012 and 2011 when reviewing at this point in time? Will the offensive line ever be back to dominant form from 2007 through 2011? Same can be asked about the pass rush which helped anchor those Super Bowl championship teams.
With all due respect to the Jaguars — a game like this is when a team like the Giants should play better than what their record indicates. “You are what your record says you are,” a quote made famous by former head coach Bill Parcells. While it is a legendary quote by the former Giants coach, a season like this still leaves many heads scratching by all of those who follow this team.
Coughlin has always been admired for the will that he imposes on his team to get the best out of them but the organization is shooting blanks on all cylinders right now from the players on the field through all the way to the general manager’s office.
Giants co-owner John Mara, who declines any sort of state-of-the-team conference to the media throughout the season, will likely have a lot to say again once Week 17 is in the books. If the team wants to go into the offseason the right way, if there is any chance of that, it should start this Sunday where they should feast on the Jaguars.