EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The Giants understood the importance of Monday night’s game against the Seahawks. With a 1-2 record, following a comeback win against the Cardinals and blowout losses to the Cowboys and 49ers, they needed a win to prepare for upcoming road games against Miami and Buffalo. However, the Giants were far from competitive.
The Seahawks dominated the game, winning 24-3 in a contest that didn’t even seem close. The Giants struggled and showed signs of dysfunction, which was even more disappointing considering they had an extended 11-day break following their loss to the 49ers in Week 3.
The Giants’ poor performance led to researchers at the Elias Sports Bureau examining the historic nature of their failure. They allowed a franchise-record 11 sacks, while the Seahawks had only achieved five sacks in their previous three games.
This season, the Giants have been outscored 64-3 in their two home games, committing six turnovers and allowing 18 sacks. Overall, they have been outscored 122-46, with a point differential of -76, the worst in the league.
While the Giants have held onto the fact that they still have the core of last season’s playoff team, the reality is that they have been on a downward trend since their strong start of 7-2. They currently have a record of 4-9-1 in their past 14 games, being outscored 382-259 in that period.
Many of the Giants’ homegrown players are more familiar with losing than success, as they have started at least 1-5 in four of the past six seasons. They face a similar situation with a tough road schedule ahead.
Safety Xavier McKinney acknowledges that the season could quickly go downhill if they don’t respond effectively. He has experienced a team’s downfall before and understands the challenges of the league.
The Giants’ poor start has been amplified by the fact that all three of their losses have occurred in nationally televised prime-time games, making them easy targets for criticism. They were even mocked by players from other teams, such as Arik Armstead’s tweet about Daniel Jones’ quick passes preventing him from getting sacks.
Despite the criticism, McKinney stated that they need to focus on improving and not pay attention to what others are saying.
The team is now left with the question of how to turn things around. There doesn’t seem to be an easy solution, with tight end Darren Waller admitting that he doesn’t have the answers and can only focus on executing his role.
The Giants must find a way to resolve their issues quickly. Otherwise, last season’s playoff appearance will seem like an anomaly in a decade-plus stretch of ineptitude.
In addition to the game analysis, the article touches on the issue of potential staff changes. While it’s premature to start firing coaches just four games into the season, coaches like special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey and offensive line coach Bobby Johnson may be on notice due to the team’s poor performance in those areas.
Overall, head coach Brian Daboll’s magic touch from last season seems to have disappeared, and the coaching staff’s inability to have the players ready for games is reflected in the team’s poor first-half performances.
The Giants need to do some soul-searching and make necessary improvements in order to regain their competitive edge.