{"id":8819,"date":"2015-12-01T18:35:10","date_gmt":"2015-12-01T22:35:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thehogs.net\/blogs\/?p=8819"},"modified":"2025-06-01T23:29:25","modified_gmt":"2025-06-02T03:29:25","slug":"the-loser-papers-2015-edition-v","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/the-hogs.net\/blogs\/2015\/12\/01\/the-loser-papers-2015-edition-v\/","title":{"rendered":"The Loser Papers 2015 – Edition V"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the great things about TLP editions coming out of New York, is that you have so many newspapers to choose articles from. In honor of the Skins drubbing of Mara’s woeful Giants, that carried them into first place, I am presenting three articles from three different papers. First up, we have\u00a0a submission from\u00a0the New York Daily News:<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Flat effort from Giants puts Tom Coughlin back on hot seat<\/h1>\n

By Ralph Vacchiano<\/p>\n

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS<\/div>\n
Updated: Monday, November 30, 2015, 1:06 AM<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\n

LANDOVER, Md. \u2014 Tom Coughlin\u2019s damning assessment of the Giants\u2019 disgraceful effort on Sunday were four simple words: \u201cToo little, too late.\u201dThose might end up being the final words of this Giants season.<\/p>\n

They could also end up being the epitaph on the end of his own Giants career.<\/p>\n

Because if this all ends up continuing downhill and the Giants don\u2019t win their pathetic division and Coughlin is pushed into a forced retirement he clearly doesn\u2019t want, then this will be the moment where all that was locked up. In the biggest game the Giants have played in three seasons, with a chance to give themselves a clear and easy path to the playoffs, they spent three quarters in an embarrassing, inexplicable funk.<\/p>\n

Never mind that they rallied for two touchdowns in the final 10 minutes to make the final score, 20-14,<\/a> look close. Don\u2019t be fooled by that. They blew this game when they \u201cslept-walked,\u201d as Coughlin admitted, right out of the tunnel. They tossed away a chance to put a stranglehold on the NFC East by coming out mind-bogglingly flat.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
Rob Carr\/Getty Images<\/span><\/h5>\n
Sunday’s loss to Washington could be the beginning of the end for Tom Coughlin.<\/h5>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Coughlin had two weeks to get them ready for this game, to pound home the implications, to come up with a winning strategy.<\/p>\n

But still, in an enormous moment, the Giants were no-shows.<\/p>\n

And to be honest, the way this season has gone, that\u2019s hardly a surprise.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been the story of our season, you know?\u201d said defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins. \u201cWe have not cashed in our opportunities. We get opportunities, we get a chance to start to distance ourselves, and we just don\u2019t take advantage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t do anything in the first half,\u201d defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul added. \u201cWe waited until the fourth quarter to start playing. By then it was over.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey wanted it more badly.\u201d<\/p>\n

If that\u2019s true, that is a horrible sign.<\/p>\n

The evidence sure is strong to support that, though. The Giants\u2019 first two drives ended with Eli Manning interceptions, both off passes that at one point were right in his receivers\u2019 hands. And even when Washington couldn\u2019t convert those into any points, it wasn\u2019t enough to rouse the Giants out of whatever deep sleep they were in.<\/p>\n

The only big player who stepped up with a big game was Odell Beckham (9 catches, 142 yards, and one spectacular, diving, one-handed touchdown catch<\/a> in the fourth quarter). But he was pretty much the only one, which Manning clearly knew since he threw toward him 18 times.<\/p>\n

Maybe the Giants were handicapped by an offensive line that was missing two (and later three) starters. But they certainly had plenty of other players on both sides of the ball to make plays. Two weeks ago, the Giants fought valiantly to the end<\/a> against the undefeated New England Patriots. This time they were playing a flawed Washington team with Kirk Cousins at quarterback.<\/p>\n

Yet somehow, the Giants found themselves in an incredible, 17-0 halftime hole.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe came out flat and this wasn\u2019t the game for that,\u201d Jenkins said. \u201cThis had to be the game where we come out and play the best game of the year. We didn\u2019t do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt looked like that first half wasn\u2019t us,\u201d added cornerback Prince Amukamara. \u201cIt looked like we had a bye week hangover.\u201d<\/p>\n

The players can\u2019t be let off the hook for that, but that hangs on the head coach too. And this one will hang on Coughlin the way the Giants\u2019 ugly, 25-24 loss in Jacksonville hung on him last season \u2014 the one where they blew a 21-3 lead and had co-owner John Mara wanting to fire everyone when it was done.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
Patrick Smith\/Getty Images<\/span><\/h5>\n
A poor performance out of Eli Manning and the Giants could have very well cost them the NFC East.<\/h5>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Maybe he\u2019s not responsible for the poor plays, like the poor throw on Manning\u2019s third interception of the game, in the end zone in the third quarter that would\u2019ve been a touchdown if he had thrown it in front of Rueben Randle. Or like the 63-yard touchdown pass from Cousins to DeSean Jackson right over cornerback Jayron Hosley right after Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie had limped out of the game.<\/p>\n

But Coughlin has to take blame for the lack of effort, the lack of fight, especially after two weeks of hearing and talking about how excited the Giants were to finally be playing meaningful late-season football again.<\/p>\n

They still have meaningful, late-season games left to play, of course. They\u2019re still technically in a first-place tie. But how meaningful are any of these games really going to be if this is how the Giants are going to respond?<\/p>\n

\u201cWe came in knowing everything was on the table and we didn\u2019t put our best foot forward,\u201d Beckham said. \u201cWe are 5-6 for a reason.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTerrible,\u201d Pierre-Paul added. \u201cWe had a chance to seal the deal and we didn\u2019t get the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Giants are lucky that all is far from lost in a division that\u2019s starting to look like it might produce a 7-9 champion. They will have several more opportunities to secure their first playoff berth since 2011 in the next few weeks.<\/p>\n

But this was an opportunity too \u2014 one too big to pass up, which is exactly what they ended up doing.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe came in here knowing full well what all the circumstances were and we didn\u2019t have a lot going on early in the game,\u201d Coughlin said. \u201cBut had we had a little more time in this one, it might have been a different story.\u201d<\/p>\n

Time is something the Giants are running out of this season. And with flat efforts like this one, Coughlin may soon be out of time.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

http:\/\/www.nydailynews.com\/sports\/football\/giants\/vacchiano-tom-coughlin-giants-running-time-article-1.2449994<\/p>\n

Next up, we get an entry from the New York Post:<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

What was once Giants\u2019 greatest hope is now their biggest\u00a0trouble<\/h1>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\n
\n

By George Willis<\/a><\/p>\n

November 30, 2015 |<\/span> 10:36pm<\/p>\n

\u00a0 <\/picture>\n
Eli Manning threw three interceptions during the Giants’ loss to the Redskins on Sunday. Photo: Getty Images<\/span><\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\n

It seemed like the perfect mixture for a special season for the Giants\u2019 offense. Eli Manning was in his second year in Ben McAdoo\u2019s system and McAdoo was in his second season of calling plays. Victor Cruz would be healthy and paired with Odell Beckham Jr. for a potentially dynamic set of receivers with Larry Donnell maturing into a big-play tight end. The offensive line would add depth and more experience while the running game looked improved with the addition of Shane Vereen.<\/p>\n

Then it all began to fall apart. Cruz never played a regular-season game because of a calf injury. Donnell has been plagued by injuries and drops, while the offensive line is losing a battle of attrition. A special season and the Giants\u2019 worst nightmare collided Sunday at Washington, where Manning and the Giants were shut out for three quarters before a late rally fell short in a 20-14 loss to their NFC East rival<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

An offense that was envisioned to be one of the more productive in the league scares no one right now, at least not when anybody but Beckham has the football. He is the Giants\u2019 only real threat, their only game-changer. His spectacular one-handed, 21-yard touchdown grab<\/span><\/a> with 4:57 left Sunday put the Giants within a touchdown of tying the game and an extra point of leading.<\/p>\n

Yet deep in your soul, you knew a miraculous comeback wasn\u2019t going to happen. Not for these Giants. Not after guard Geoff Schwartz went down with a fracture in his leg<\/span><\/a> in the first quarter; not after three interceptions thrown by Manning; not after 10 straight possessions included three picks and seven punts; not after DeSean Jackson reminded the Giants of his explosive skills with a 63-yard touchdown catch. The last time Manning got the ball, he was at his own 16 with just 19 seconds remaining. The game ended in an embarrassing display of hot potato with Manning getting the ball back and taking a hard shot that the Giants were lucky didn\u2019t do damage.<\/p>\n

The Giants started the season playing three strong quarters and not being able to finish the fourth. Against the Redskins, they slept for three and woke up in the fourth.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought our effort was there,\u201d Manning said Monday. \u201cI thought our desire to do it was there, just our execution has to be better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Injuries are starting to decimate the offense, which now must figure out a way to find production against a Jets defense that forced two turnovers in a 38-20 win over the Dolphins.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019ll be a great test for us,\u201d Manning said. \u201cThey\u2019re a good defense. Their offense is playing well and scoring points and we have to play well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Five games remain and the Giants still believe they can win the NFC East, make the playoffs, get on one of those rolls like they did in 2007 and 2011, and finish with a parade. But those teams were finding their rhythm about now. The Giants (5-6) are off the rails, scrambling to piece together an offensive line and looking for production from someone other than Beckham, who could be shadowed by Darrelle Revis<\/span><\/a> this Sunday.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, it\u2019s not about Odell versus Revis,\u201d Manning said. \u201cIt\u2019s about our offense versus the Jets\u2019 defense and us moving the ball, finding completions, and not trying to win individual battles.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Giants offense won\u2019t be the high-powered juggernaut it hoped it would be. Week after week, we waited for Cruz to return, only to see him lost for the year. Tackle Will Beatty, who tore a pectoral muscle in May, was supposed to come back and never did. Now Schwartz is gone and the Giants will be lucky to get Justin Pugh (concussion) back this week.<\/p>\n

As bad as it all looks, head coach Tom Coughlin is not about to make excuses.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou keep working. You keep fighting. You keep scrambling. You keep battling,\u201d the coach said.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s little more the Giants can do.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

http:\/\/nypost.com\/2015\/11\/30\/what-was-once-giants-greatest-hope-is-now-their-biggest-trouble\/<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

And finally, we\u00a0hear from\u00a0the “paper of record,” The New York Times:<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Giants Wake Up Too Late to Seize a First-Place Opportunity<\/h1>\n
\n

By BILL PENNINGTON<\/span><\/a><\/span>

\"\"<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u00a0Giants quarterback Eli Manning, who was under constant pressure from Washington, being brought down during the second quarter. He was sacked three times.<\/span> Credit<\/span> Patrick Smith\/Getty Images <\/span><\/h5>\n