Game Preview: New York Giants at Chicago Bears, October 10, 2013

Damontre Moore – © USA TODAY Sports Images

Approach to the Game – New York Giants at Chicago Bears, October 10, 2013: It’s over now. The game against the Philadelphia Eagles was the last chance for the Giants to salvage the 2013 season. You can hear it in the voices of the head coach and the players. The Giants are well on their way to one of the worst seasons in the franchise’s history. The team has the feel of one that is going to struggle to finish the season with even two or three victories. If true, the Giants haven’t had a season this bad since 1983 when Bill Parcells was almost fired.

What’s weird about all of this is that the Giants shouldn’t be this bad. Even if you account for a rapidly declining talent base, this team still has Eli Manning, good wide receivers, good defensive tackles, and some talent in the secondary. When BBI first started, in 1995 and 1996, the Giants were playing for a lame duck coach (Dan Reeves) and had a terrible quarterback (Dave Brown). The best player on offense was the fullback (Charles Way). The defense was decent, but not overwhelming. Yet those teams still managed five and six wins. The Giants are going to be hard pressed to match those “lofty” win totals. It just doesn’t make sense. But you are what your record says you are. And the Giants can’t blame injuries or bad luck on this mess.

And it is a mess. If the Giants finish with four, three, two, one, or heaven-forbid, no wins, that is the type of season that may lead to dramatic change up and down the organization. It’s been a great run, but it’s over. It’s time to rebuild.

The Giants are going to lose to the Bears on Thursday night and fall to 0-6. So let’s look at the key issues facing the team in preparation for the 2014 NFL season.

Coaching Staff: The #1 immediate question facing ownership and the front office is it time to say goodbye to Tom Coughlin? The terrible season does not erase the fact that we are talking about one of the top three coaches in the history of the franchise. And ¼ of the team’s eight NFL Championships came on his watch with some of the most memorable and fantastic playoff games in team history. Giant fans should be thanking their lucky stars that Tom Coughlin was the head coach of this team.

But has his leadership, philosophy, and interpersonal skills grown stale? Sometimes it just happens. You saw it with even Hall of Famers such as Tom Landry, Don Shula, and Chuck Noll. Tom is 67 years old now. Is he the right man for a rebuilding project at his age? I would hate to see his coaching career end on this note, but I also fear the Giants’ ownership thinking the same thing, and not pulling the plug if this is the best time to do so for the franchise’s sake.

Even if Tom stays, others have to go. Perry Fewell is simply over his head as a defensive coordinator. His defense had a nice little 6-game run in 2011 (thank God), but that was about it. His NYG defenses are some of the worst in franchise history. This is the third year in a row where the regular-season defense has just sucked. Time to go.

Kevin Gilbride has more of a proven track record. Under his influence, the Giants have had some of the most impressive offensive teams in the franchise’s history. But the offense has regressed the last two seasons. He’s 62 and one wonders if the game is starting to pass him by. Again, is he the right guy for a rebuilding job and a franchise quarterback who is also regressing? Perhaps Eli will be reinvigorated with a new offensive approach.

Personnel: It’s time to get younger, cheaper, and most importantly, hungrier. It’s time to fill this roster with passionate, talented football players who hate to lose, and who are afraid of facing their coach if they do so.

The 2013 trading deadline is October 29. I would listen to any and all offers in order to accumulate 2014 NFL Draft picks. If I’m John Mara, I order Jerry Reese to not trade away anymore picks for injured veteran players (see Jon Beason).

First of all, these players will see their contracts expire at the end of this season:

• Curtis Painter
• Andre Brown
• Brandon Jacobs
• Henry Hynoski
• Hakeem Nicks
• Louis Murphy
• Brandon Myers (voidable)
• Bear Pascoe
• David Diehl
• Kevin Boothe
• Jim Cordle
• Justin Tuck
• Justin Trattou
• Linval Joseph
• Shaun Rogers
• Mike Patterson
• Jon Beason (voidable)
• Spencer Paysinger
• Mark Herzlich
• Keith Rivers
• Dan Connor
• Corey Webster (voidable)
• Terrell Thomas
• Aaron Ross
• Trumaine McBride
• Stevie Brown
• Ryan Mundy
• Josh Brown

I have almost no interest in bringing back the bulk of these players. It’s time to move on. Most are too old, too fragile, too content, too expensive, or simply not that good. Of this group, Nicks and Joseph are still young and talented. I would like for them to be back, but I get the sense that Nicks has his ring and is simply looking for his big pay day. The Giants already spent a 2014 draft pick on Beason (stupid) so I hope they can re-sign him to see if he pans out.

Perhaps some serious playoff contender who needs a veteran presence with championship experience could be lured into trading for Webster or Tuck. Rogers and Patterson might draw some limited interest. The Giants could receive a serious offer for Nicks. I’d listen.

Outside of Eli Manning, let’s also look at the expensive players whose contracts are not yet to expire:

• Chris Snee
• David Baas
• Mathias Kiwanuka
• Cullen Jenkins
• Antrel Rolle
• Steve Weatherford
• Zak DeOssie

The Giants need to dump Snee (hopefully he’s smart enough to retire). Baas simply cannot stay healthy and makes too much money. Kiwanuka is just a guy who makes a lot of money. Rolle is the highest paid defensive player on the roster yet is not much of a play-maker. Jenkins is on the wrong side of 30. I would listen to any offers for Rolle and Jenkins.

So Eric, you would basically give up on the rest of this season and trade away some talented players? Yes. But I wouldn’t define it as “giving up” but getting ready for 2014 and determining which players want to earn the right to be on a professional football team in 2014. If they can trade away a player or two or three, I would sign young, hungry guys from the Practice Squad who may or may not have a future. But now is the time to find out if they do.

And it’s time to get the younger guys into the line-up.

• David Wilson and Michael Cox need to get the carries, not Brandon Jacobs.

• John Conner needs to play fullback, not Bear Pascoe

• Larry Donnell needs to play tight end, not Brandon Myers

• David Diehl should sit. James Brewer needs to play. I would strongly consider playing a line of Beatty, Brewer, Boothe, Mosley, and Pugh for the rest of the season.

• I would move Jason Pierre-Paul to left defensive end and start Damontre Moore at right end. Justin Trattou should see more snaps. Linval Joseph and Johnathan Hankins should start. When he is ready to come off of the PUP, Marcus Kuhn is activated and Rogers or Patterson are released or traded.

• Beason needs to start at middle linebacker. I still think Paysinger might be decent. But I’d like to get a look at Allen Bradford.

• If he can get healthy, I would like to see more of Jayron Hosley in order to determine if he has a future in the NFL. Same with Will Hill, Cooper Taylor, and Charles James.

Who has talent? Who is a leader? Who hates losing? Who wants to be here?

What we do know is this. Eli will still be the quarterback in 2014. Victor Cruz and Rueben Randle will be here. Prince Amukamara will be here. Jason Pierre-Paul. Damontre Moore. Johnathan Hankins. Justin Pugh. David Wilson. These will be the players to start building around again.

This sucks, but it can also be a fun and exciting time to watch the next edition of the New York Giants begin to emerge.

The worst thing the Giants can do is play a bunch of older, more sedate veterans, who won’t be here in 2014. If they are going to make mistakes and lose, I want to see the young guys play and fight for a future.