The New York Giants have gone from a perennial playoff team and a heavyweight in the NFC to a team that's headed for a disappointing end to the 2017 NFL season. Eli Manning and company seem completely lost this season as the team deals with numerous injuries to key players like Odell Beckham Jr. and a head coach in Ben McAdoo that may have lost his players' respect.
In an interview with ClutchPoints to promote his new book, This Book Has Balls, actor/author and diehard Giants fan, Michael Rapaport, talked about what the team is going through and whether it is finally time to move on from Manning as the starting quarterback.
“I don't blame Eli,” Rapaport said of the two-time Super Bowl champion. “Eli has always been inconsistent even when he's led us to Super Bowls. We didn't improve the offensive line. Obviously, we didn't improve at running back. Eli has always made mistakes even when he was at his best, so it may be time to move on from Eli Manning, but I don't think we can just shove away Eli Manning. We have other problems right now.
“You could put Joe Montana in his prime behind that offensive line and he's not going to look like Joe Montana.”
With Manning not to blame, we asked Rapaport whether the finger should be pointed in the direction of McAdoo for the team's current dysfunction.
“He needs to shoulder a lot of the blame,” Rapaport said of McAdoo. “I think there's a disconnect between the players and Ben McAdoo and I think that's a real issue. Players are quitting. Players are getting suspended. Something isn't right when that's happening.”
The Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles appear to be two teams on the rise in the NFC East. Even the Washington Redskins seem to be close to turning things around with a few impressive performances this season.
So are the Giants destined to struggle for the next half decade or more?
“No, I don't think they're in trouble for the next five to 10 years,” Rapaport said. “More disappointing than the offense is the defense. I thought our defense was going to be a top-10 defense, but we're the 30th defense in the league. That to me is more of a Ben McAdoo thing.
“At least if we're not scoring points, we can have a defensive presence. That went down the drain quickly. I don't know what the hell the fix is, but I know that when players are getting suspended and complaining, something isn't right.”
Beckham is arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL today. He makes breathtaking catches on a weekly basis and is virtually unguardable at times when he's healthy and motivated on the football field.
Unfortunately, Beckham can be a handful with a questionable attitude which is remarkably similar to great wideouts of the past that eventually did more harm than good to their team. Rapaport shared his thoughts on what he thinks of the Giants superstar wide receiver.
“Well, Odell is obviously great and talented,” Rapaport said. “He's one of the best receivers in the NFL. I think at a certain point he needs to stop. He needs to understand that he is the best player and that he'll be going into his fifth season. Be the star. Be the best player. Don't be a guy people to coddle when you get upset and all that stuff.
“It's okay when you're 21 or 22, but at a certain point, you need to understand that people are looking at you to be the best player in the league. Historically, when wide receivers have been these temperamental people, it has ended badly. Whether it is Ochocinco or Terrell Owens, historically, it ends badly.
“Odell is great, but he's not at Terrell Owens level yet and we all saw what happened to the beloved Victor Cruz. This is football. This ain't golf. This ain't basketball. These injuries can happen and it can all be over quickly. Victor Cruz, unfortunately, suffered that injury and you're not in the NFL anymore. It sucks and I don't think he's appreciating the time he's having there in the NFL.”
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