My parents were both teachers, so they spent a good portion of their lives assigning grades to others.
I’ve never had that pleasure of sitting in absolute judgment of others, so I’m going to create an opportunity here – assigning grades to the Giants’ offense, defense, special teams and coaching in the wake of their 27-13 victory over the winless Browns.
Who knows, I might even grade the Giants’ cheerleaders, too. What’s that, they don’t have any? Well, then that makes my job simple: They get an F. Not an incomplete; an F!
(I’m beginning to think I missed my calling as a teacher.)
Offense: C+
In beating the Browns, the Giants won their sixth game in a row -- their longest win streak since 2008 – and it was the first time this season they’d beaten any opponent by more than a touchdown. Eli Manning was a workmanlike 15 of 27 for 194 yards, 3 touchdown passes and no interceptions. On the season, he now has twice as many touchdown passes passes (20) as interceptions (10), which is great until you realize he should probably have more of each.
I still think this Giants offense is too conservative and plays to the level of its competition. They look for balance in the run-pass game (as evidenced by the two three-and-outs featuring Rashad Jennings in the scoreless first quarter) instead of playing a more chuck-and-duck offensive scheme. Look, I know their offensive line is spotty and that Manning doesn’t have all day to throw. But move the pocket, get creative. Would it kill Eli to roll out once a decade?
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His best pass of the day was probably to Dwayne Harris on a fade route in the end zone, with Harris making the kind of decisive over the shoulder grab that is sometimes missing when he’s fielding punts.
The Giants went over 100 yards rushing for the third straight game, but neither Rashad Jennings (15 carries for 55 yards) or Paul Perkins (9 carries for 29 yards) were impressive on the ground. But by all means, let’s keep opening the game with swing passes to Jennings followed by a run by Jennings to set up third and long.
Not surprisingly, the Giants swallowed up massive amounts of yards when they got the ball in the hands of Odell Beckham Jr., who caught 6 passes for 96 yards and 2 touchdowns. He’s going to need another game like that if the Giants hope to keep pace with the Steelers next week.
Still, 27 points against the Browns, who came in near the bottom of every defensive category ever conceived? Not great. Particularly when you consider the Giants went scoreless in both the first and third quarters.
Defense: B
You know how you keep an undermanned team like the Browns within striking distance? You play a lot of zone defense, which allows opponents like Terrelle Pryor to catch 6 passes for 131 yards. The Giants sacked Josh McCown seven times – led by Jason Pierre-Paul, who had 3 sacks, a fumble recovery (that was more like an interception) and a touchdown.
Yet for some reason the team was often playing zone behind Pierre-Paul, Olivier Vernon, Snacks Harrison and Johnathan Hankins, who were cooking bacon in McCown’s kitchen all afternoon, which should have allowed the Giants to play man coverage in the secondary.
The defensive line forced three fumbles – two on McCown, one on Isiah Crowell – while the secondary had no interceptions. The impression that the secondary played an average game seemed to eat at cornerback Janoris Jenkins, who took to Twitter (where today's men settle their beefs) and threw major shade at Pryor.
If the Giants play zone defense against the Steelers, Antonio Brown is going to set every single-game NFL receiving record and Jenkins will spontaneously combust.
Special teams: B
Giants fans vividly remember how Pro Bowl cornerback Jason Sehorn blew out his knee returning kicks and was never the same player. So there’s a bit of trepidation when Beckham is returning punts or kickoffs. But let’s face it, the Giants’ best player is probably their best option these days in the return game, because Dwayne Harris (who muffed a punt last week) and Bobby Rainey (who lost a fumble versus the Browns) are engendering no confidence these days.
Beckham had a few electric runbacks versus Cleveland, including a touchdown that was called back on a penalty. The Giants should continue to run him out there on punts. Does it increase his potential for injury? Sure. Does it increase his potential for blowing a game wide open? Absolutely. There’s no reward without risk, and right now the Giants can’t afford to risk anyone other than Beckham fielding punts.
Brad Wing had another great game: 9 punts, 5 inside the 20, with a long of 58. Conversely, Robbie Gould was only 3 of 4 on extra points and did not attempt a field goal. If the Giants ever need a clutch field goal down the line, maybe Beckham can kick it for them.
Coaching: C
For a team that has won six games in a row, has secured its first winning season since 2012 and is in line to be the fifth seed in the playoffs, the Giants are still underperforming in the eyes of many people, particularly fans -- who see an explosive offense that too often lies dormant, a coaching staff whose play-calling seems locked in the 1970s (balance, balance, balance!) and a special teams that is often exciting for all the wrong reasons.
Ben McAdoo continues to call the plays and they can be maddening at times. Like yesterday punting on 4th-and-1 from inside the 50 yard line in the first quarter. Where was the aggressiveness he has been espousing? You don’t think you can get one yard on the Browns in that situation? What kind of message is that sending?
If McAdoo would relinquish the play calling duties to offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan, he would probably be up for less criticism. If McAdoo looked like he was enjoying himself more, he would probably get a longer leash from fans. And if McAdoo would shave off his mustache, he would look less like an extra from “Boogie Nights.”
The Giants’ potential is so self-evident that it can become exasperating when the team seems to be its own worst enemy – not because of physical or mental mistakes, per se; but because they don’t play consistently play to their own strengths. It shouldn’t take till the fourth quarter to put away a team like the 0-12 Browns.
Cheerleading: F
Overall grade: C+
