With the Denver Broncos taking on the New York Giants, I have crossed enemy territory and got to sit down with Curt Macysyn over at GMEN HQ.
The Denver Broncos and New York Giants are set to square off for the first time since 2013 on Sunday Night Football. This will be a game of both teams heading in opposite directions. The Broncos are looking to keep pace with the Kansas City Chiefs in the division.
Meanwhile, the New York Giants are looking for answers and fast. The season is not looking pretty for them. Currently sitting at 0-5, the Giants have lost some key players due to injury this season. The team does not look like the once dominant Giants of the past.
It will be interesting how they perform with their backs against the wall for this game. For this game, I have decided to sit one-on-one with Curt Macysyn over at GMEN HQ and get his takes on the New York Giants’ season. I also asked him about the game on Sunday.
How will the losses of both Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall impact the Giants offense going forward?
The New York Giants actually lost all three starting wide receivers on Sunday, with slot receiver Sterling Shepard going down with an ankle injury as well. There’s no way to adequately replace Odell Beckham, but the Giants did bring in three receivers who played with the team during training camp. Tavarres King actually outplayed Roger Lewis during training camp, but he sustained an ankle injury (go figure) and was cut early in the season.
King has shown chemistry with Eli Manning, and rookie tight end Evan Engram will also be featured. These two guys will be the top threats. Roger Lewis is hit or miss, and I doubt he can transition into a starting role. But it is what it is, and he will get the start. Rookie Travis Rudolph was a work-in-progress on the practice squad, but now will be called upon to step up. Injuries are part of the NFL, and no one is going to feel sorry for the Giants. Some of these young players have to grab onto this opportunity.
What is your take on the New York Giants season thus far? Who is to blame for their 0-5 season thus far?
Literally everyone is to blame, starting with general manager Jerry Reese and ownership, particularly John Mara. Mara put the burden on Reese, and Reese has not delivered. The offensive line screamed out for an upgrade, and Reese sat on his hands. He brought in D.J. Fluker and tried to convince everyone that Ereck Flowers would grow into his position. Flowers is the worst left tackle in the NFL, and right tackle Bobby Hart isn’t much better.
The coaching staff shares blame as well, as head coach Ben McAdoo’s play-calling has become a negative focal point. McAdoo claimed that the offensive line was improving each week, and that was a fallacy. The negativity surrounding this club is as bad as I have ever seen it. Players like Flowers and 2016 first-round pick Eli Apple have not developed either. It was a disaster even before Beckham got hurt, but Reese may yet land on his feet.
Do you think Ben McAdoo is currently on the hot seat as a head coach? If so, do you believe that the Giants will be looking to make a change at any point in the season?
There will not be an in-season coaching change for the New York Giants. And McAdoo may be given another season. It seems that he is in over his head, and it appears that he is losing control of the locker room too. In reality, Jerry Reese should have been let go when Tom Coughlin was fired (mutually parted ways), but Mara kept him on board. Reese deserves to get fired over the offensive line alone, and McAdoo has not distinguished himself as head coach. The player procurement process is a mess. So what came first the chicken or the egg? I’m not sure that Tom Landry, Vince Lombardi and Chuck Noll would have fared much better.
The Giants travel to Denver to take on the Broncos. What do you believe it will take to get their first win?
Literally a miracle. The team lacks confidence, lost its best player and never seems to have a cohesive game plan. The players act as individual contractors, and McAdoo cannot get them to perform as a unit. Quite frankly, I don’t see how they can keep it close.
Is there a player on the Giants roster that not a lot are talking about that can make an impact on Sunday?
Defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson is the team’s 2017 second-round pick from Alabama. He replaces Johnathan Hankins who left for Indianapolis as a free agent. Tomlinson could have attended Harvard, and he was a three-time wrestling state champion in Georgia. He’s one of the few solid draft picks by Reese. Rookie running back Wayne Gallman has gotten carries the past two weeks and produced. Going against the Broncos defense will be a good challenge for him.
Next: Cowboys Could Look to Trade with Broncos for RB
Thank You Curt for taking the time out to chat with me. If you want to see what he and the rest of the GMEN HQ staff are up to, you can check them out here.