The New York Giants are stuck in a cycle of mediocrity, and according to ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky, there’s only one way out: get back to basics.
Orlovsky recently told Kevin Clark that the Giants have lost their identity by ignoring the trenches, a hallmark of their success during the Tom Coughlin era. For a franchise that once thrived on controlling games in the trenches, this shift has been a critical misstep.
“At the end of the day, you have completely lost sight of organizationally who you’ve been,” Orlovsky said, pointing to a lack of investment in offensive and defensive line talent as a key factor in the Giants’ downfall. While he acknowledged the need for a franchise quarterback, Orlovsky emphasized that rebuilding the lines of scrimmage is the first step to turning things around. “The Giants organizationally should be a line of scrimmage organization, and they haven’t been,” he added.
How do we fix the Giants?
— Kevin Clark (@bykevinclark) December 23, 2024
"You have completely lost sight organizationally of who you've been." -@danorlovsky7.
Why the Giants need to get back to being a line of scrimmage team. AMAZING This Is Football coming this week. It'll be on ESPNNews Wednesday because of holiday. pic.twitter.com/O6c3fvu1gT
The numbers back him up. The Giants’ offensive line is currently ranked 24th by Pro Football Network, and their defense hasn’t fared much better. The rushing defense gives up the second-most rushing yards per game with 142.6 yards. That's a direct indictment of the team's missteps in roster management and team building.
The lack of stability and impact of players on either side of the ball has been glaring, contributing to another lost season.
Dan Orlovsky believes Giants need to re-establish the trenches
Orlovsky’s take isn’t groundbreaking, but it’s exactly what Giants fans have been screaming for. From 2004 to 2012, when the team made five playoff appearances and won two Super Bowls, the offensive and defensive lines were the foundation of their success.
Players like David Diehl, Chris Snee, Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck, and Osi Umenyiora didn’t just dominate the line of scrimmage—they gave the Giants their identity.
Under general manager Joe Schoen, however, the focus has shifted toward skill position players (if the current roster has any) and patchwork solutions in free agency. The results speak for themselves.
Draft picks like Evan Neal and Joshua Ezeudu have struggled mightily, and veteran signings on both sides of the ball have been inconsistent at best. Meanwhile, the Giants’ inability to protect the quarterback or stop the run has made them one of the most predictable and ineffective teams in the league.
Orlovsky is right: the Giants need to rebuild from the inside out. This team was built on the efforts of the guys up front. They set the tone and imposed their will on their opponents, and the rest of the team took care of business. Is it the flashiest method? Probably not. But, at least they were a respectable franchise.
Forget about the flashy moves and focus on what made this franchise great in the first place. Until the Giants prioritize the trenches, their freefall will continue, and any hope of recapturing the glory days will remain a pipe dream.