New York Giants: This loss starts with Pat Shurmur

Hopefully, everyone can agree that the New York Giants were thoroughly outclassed, losing to the Tennessee Titans 17-0 at MetLife Stadium.

If we cannot come together on this basic detail, then please stop reading. Initially, on Sunday, the Titans did more to keep the New York Giants in the ball game, than Big Blue’s offense did. Straight up, I’m not a big believer about play-calling being a reason why teams lose football games, although fans like to be armchair play-callers at the drop of a hat.

For several reasons, it’s over-rated, and I’ll get into more detail on that this week and in the months ahead.

In terms of this game, I don’t think anyone was impressed with the preparedness of Big Blue, and that deficiency falls squarely in the lap of head coach Pat Shurmur. Very simply, it’s incredible that folks marvel about Tennessee’s game plan to stop rookie running back Saquon Barkley.

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The fact that there didn’t appear to be a “Plan B” for the G-Men is equally perplexing to me as well.

Let’s recall that since Barkley was drafted this spring, general manager Dave Gettleman and Shurmur pumped up the former Penn State star at every possible turn.

In justifying the No. 2 overall selection, the Giants reliance (or perhaps over-reliance) on Barkley has been telegraphed throughout the league for a long time. In addition the game film doesn’t lie, and quarterback Eli Manning’s decline is front and center for everyone to see. Countless coaches and general managers have tried to fit a square peg in a round hole, and most of them are unemployed right now.

In that respect, the Titans defensive game plan was meh, but their execution was flawless.

Give full marks to Titans head coach Mike Vrabel and his staff for calling the Giants’ bluff. In a game where the visitors from the Volunteer State had to win, they came out with a plan and executed it. They played with a palpable sense of urgency.

On the other hand, the home team looked confused and disheveled from the opening gun.

Defensively, in weather more suited for ducks, the Giants clearly were not prepared and/or motivated to stop running back Derrick Henry. These simple facts outline everything you need to know why the G-Men lost a game that they needed to have.

One team ran the ball with regularly, and one team couldn’t execute its passing or rushing attack.

Coaching can make the difference

Now the one thing that hasn’t changed in NFL football over the years is the requirement for good coaching. Offensive and defensive schemes come and go, but there’s no substitute for being organized and having a realistic identity.

Remember when former New York Giants head coach Ben McAdoo emphasized his physical offensive line. That was false bravado. The one thing that Tom Coughlin did well was to adpt his philosophy to his available personnel.

That is until his available personnel was not NFL suitable.

NFL teams line up each offseason to find the next best thing. And guys like Bill Belichick, Mike Tomlin, John Harbaugh and Andy Reid are worth their weight in gold.

We’re not ready to put Mike Vrabel in that category yet, but a guy like the Los Angeles Chargers Anthony Lynn is certainly knocking at the door.

As for Pat Shurmur, he may want to review last week’s preparation for this contest, and make multiple revisions. It was apparent from the opening kickoff that one team was prepared and the other wasn’t. And that reality was certainly reflected in the final score.

To begin, this loss starts with head coach Pat Shurmur, but doesn’t end there. Sure, some players need to raise the level of their game, but also remember that a fair amount of the roster has been turned over already. The ghost of Jerry Reese should have departed the building already, and continually blaming personnel deficiencies gets to be a fool’s errand, especially when your hand-picked quarterback plays as poorly as Manning did on this December afternoon.

This game should be the wake up call for Shurmur that the honeymoon now is officially over. You are what your record says you are, as one great New York Giants coach once said. The over-riding takeaway wasn’t that the Giants lost, but instead how they lost. Quite simply, you play the hand you’re dealt and leave excuses at the door.