Giants fans of this generation are not used to this.
The last time the G-men lost their first three games of the season was in 1996
under head coach Dan Reeves. The Giants went 6-10 that season and were one of
the worst offenses in football. A lot has changed since then for Big Blue, and
fans rightfully had higher expectations for the Giants than the type of
performance they’ve showed so far this season.
Supporters of big blue also anticipated a little
more heart than a 38-0 beat down against the Carolina Panthers in week three.
Suffering a loss against an equally desperate team is one thing, but a complete
embarrassment? Giants head coach Tom Coughlin admitted that his team was
completely “man handled” up front, and that may have been the light way of
putting it. The Panthers were able to only send four rushers for the entirety
of the game and the Giants offensive line had no answer for it. Giants
quarterback Eli Manning was sacked seven times, and was hurried or hit on
virtually every play. But the one statistic remains a disheartening fact: a big
fat goose egg on the scoreboard.
A shock like this naturally brings a lot of negative
media attention towards the Giants locker room. Even on seasons where the
Giants fell short of the playoffs, Coughlin has not had a Giants team that was
below .500 since his first year with the team in 2004. For almost a decade,
Giants fans have been spoiled with a high level of competitive football. Now
due to recent woes, fans have a tendency to distance themselves from the pain
and suffering that’s been seen the past few Sundays.
That type of tendency is known as being a “fair
weather” fan, showing up for the good times but not the bad. Yes it can be
tough to endure when a beloved team struggles, but it’s just not right in
nature to do something like that. The definition of a fan reads as a “person
filled with single-minded zeal.” That type of devotion to a cause can’t only be
on sunny days. That would be contradictory to the very nature of fan hood.
The Giants will look for answers, but on a positive
note, the NFC East has struggled as a whole and the Giants can easily be right
back in the picture with a couple of victories. It is a long season and the NFL
is more competitive than ever before. Teams are still looking for identities in
the 2013 season, and a lot can change in a short period of time.
The New York Football Giants under Tom Coughlin have
had a reputation over the years of bouncing back from adversity and surprising
the media just as they were about to be written off. This idea of bouncing back
in the 2013 season is without a doubt the largest challenge the Giants have faced
in quite a while. Since 1990, only three teams have been able to clinch a
playoff appearance after starting their seasons 0-3, and none of them have won
a Super Bowl. The Giants turning this debacle of a season around, almost seems
farfetched and unlikely.
There are almost always reasons for a fan to
believe. And fans have an obligation to stand by their team through thick and
thin. That type of loyalty is an admirable trait and should be held in high
honor. As long as there is a mathematical possibility of an optimistic future
for the Giants, there’s no reason not to stand by them at all times. The Giants
under Coughlin have busted it for fans in the past, and it wouldn’t be
justified to turn on them at the first sight of complications.
Both Baas and Snee are sitting out. They were not equipped to play last week. There are newspaper articles projecting more woes due to the fact that 3 of the 5 o-line will be new (Brewer, Cordle and Pugh) but I feel that this is actually good. Old guys playing hurt are not equal to young guys, although inexperienced, who are lively and fit. There is also the 0-3 and 3-0 match up tendency. This is a trap game for KC. That being said, they are a good team and the G-men need to prove they can rebound. The season is played one game at a time. The new era might defy the statistical tendencies. If ever there was a time or year for an 0-3 team to 'still make the playoffs', this is the year/era. Look at San Fran this thursday. week 1 and 4, their offense looks super bowl bound. week 2 and 3, confused, anemic, in decline. With this tendency for "11 on 11" football, 2 or 3 mismatches are enough to stifle an entire offense or rip through an entire defense. Tom C will be prepared. let's hope for 1 victory and discuss next week when next week comes. LET'S go GMEN. Zealous and still single minded.
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