Two-time Super Bowl champion and CBS Sports analyst Bryant McFadden, speaking after the New York Giants’ Week 16 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, believes it’s time for the franchise to hit the reset button and start again start.
“When I look at the Giants today, everyone has to go my way,” McFadden said at CBS Sports headquarters.
“I say this is because it’s one thing to be a bad team based on lack of talent, lack of experience or dealing with injuries. But you can’t tolerate the effort or lack thereof.
“You cannot tolerate not being competitive because even if you have no talent, you will still see competition. You would still see a competitive advantage that said team exhibits.
“We’re not seeing anything from the Giants right now. They’re undisciplined when it comes to mental mistakes. They’re undisciplined when it comes to just bad penalties. Again, double-digit penalties. Ten penalties? That’s losing football.”
McFadden believes the problem lies with the coaching staff and not necessarily the players.
“It feels like the locker room is gone, and that’s the ultimate sign when it comes to shaking up the coaching staff,” McFadden said.
While it is up to the coaches to prepare the players, they are not the ones throwing interceptions, fumbling the ball or missing tackles.
While McFadden is right about easing the Giants’ need to make some moves, completely blowing up the game would be out of character for John Mara and, some would argue, unnecessary.
The Giants played the 2024 season without a true starting quarterback and lost their best offensive player (Saquon Barkley) via free agency. They were also besieged with injuries to the offensive and defensive lines, which didn’t help as games are won in the trenches.
Head coach Brian Daboll is two seasons removed from being named AP Coach of the Year after leading the franchise to its first postseason berth since 2016. It’s mind-boggling to think that he suddenly lost his senses.
That said, there are holes in the rosters over the past two years that even the best coaching in the league can’t overcome. And Daboll took over the play-calling this year, making the Giants’ offensive performance worse than the year before, when offensive coordinator Mike Kafka called the plays.
Still, McFadden is clearly behind the Giants.
“Personally, when you look at this organization, you don’t see any silver lining toward the future,” McFadden said.
“Maybe in terms of the plan, maybe the effort. Maybe just the fighting and clawing. They’re not doing either and not right now. Their thoughts are actually focused on the offseason.”
The question facing Mara and co-owner Steve Tisch is whether it’s worth waiting at least two or three years for the results they want before hitting the reset button as a new GM and head coach combination takes their guys and want their systems in place.
Or do they stick with SCoen and Daboll, who, while it wasn’t a package deal, have largely worked together?
McFadden made his position clear.
“I can tell you this much,” he said. “If — hypothetically speaking — I’m (Colorado head coach) Deion Sanders, and you tell me you’re calling on my son, Shedeur, to get involved in that bad environment, no.”