Jerry Reese at the Bye

Another season, another bye week press conference with NY Giants GM Jerry Reese.

There are only so many ways you can defend mediocrity. There are only so many ways you can defend Jerry Reese.

The Giants GM has done a few good things over the years. His 2007 rookie draft was part of a Super Bowl. But since then it has been pretty much all downhill. 2007 was Accorsi’s team plus Jerry’s rookies. Ross, Boss, Bradshaw, Smith and DeOssie all made significant contributions. Since that time, we have watched Reese struggle to maintain a solid roster. And probably more importantly, we have been at a loss to explain the identity he has forged, other than a consistent penchant for WRs. WRs sell tickets. They do not win Super Bowls without defense, an offensive line and a QB. Supporters cite 2011, but a 9-7 season with so many miracles is hardly a GM blueprint. The 4 years that followed without a playoff appearance have confirmed the structural weakness of his front office.

Optimism is important. The world needs believers. This blogger takes on the job as objective realist because sports fans are inherently biased and optimistic already. Reese holds the torch for the Giants organization. He needs to be positive to bring along his fan base and not get morbid. It is in his job description. The difference here is that in these press conferences, he can be a little more frank about underperformance. The furthest he went was in asking for the Offense to “step it up” in the second half of the season. How about a little honesty and taking responsibility for some of the woes.. for not supplying the team with a credible TE, a blocking TE, or more talent/help/depth at OL? We believe that McAdoo has underachieved as well, not leveraging what he has been given by Reese.  OBJ is a star and it is up to McAdoo to find ways to make the rest of the team flourish if OBJ is schemed away by the opposing Defense. That is what Belichick does with every opponent. Until you can answer that with adjustments, you are never going to win in this league.

The Eagles face the Giants this weekend. To say this game is a big one is more than obvious. Before the season started, we believed the Giants could take both games. But Carson Wentz has been the real deal and the Giants will have their hands full. The Giants are small favorites; essentially it is a pick’em game and they need to win. The Giants spent the bye week discussing how they “self-scouted.” So what are the adjustments we are going to see? How do the Giants improve in the second half so that they can get to the playoffs? See the next post for our analyst Wonder’s Rx for how the Giants win tomorrow.