So the Giants got their clock cleaned by the Eagles yesterday. The only question for you, the reader, is- were you really surprised? If you were, then I’m not sure what else to say…
Blogging the Giants for the last 10 (okay 16) years has been a cheaper form of therapy. It helps us to explain what the hell is going on when Reese fails (year after year) to address the OL. It helps us to explain why Gettleman was the wrong guy well before the Giants were willing to admit their mistake in hiring him.
AND NOW, IT HELPS TO EXPLAIN WHY WE HAVE SO MUCH MORE OPTIMISM BEYOND 2022.
SCHOEN. DABOLL. Mara went outside. We’re good.
The Giants had just gone to 6-1. This is what we said:
“As far as this season is concerned, there are too many breaks that have broken the Giants way that we can get too enamored about the outlook.”
UltimateNYG 10/24/2022
Teams figured out what the Giants were doing, which is fine and expected. How do you answer that (adjust) when you’ve been manufacturing it via clever schemes up to that point and don’t have the personnel (via an inherently weak rebuilding roster and injury depletion)? Of course we all wanted better, but the Eagles are a very talented team who were going to expose anyone.
We would have much bigger problems if Schoen was (1) suckered into a big Barkley contract (2) a win-this-year trade deadline mortgage or (3) an OBJ insanity. He did none of that, and that’s why I’m optimistic about the future… because Schoen has the discipline in the present. It never was a 2022 story. Gettleman saw to that. It’s a good story. What do you expect w/o 3 of your best defenders (Williams, McKinney, Jackson)? And Schtick dreck on offense? If we are in the same place in 2024, then that’s a completely different matter.
Said another way- how many times this year has this blog (or even on Twitter) used the word “rebuild” and how many times this year has it used “playoffs”?
Or yet another way, after Week 4, when Wonder said:
PHL– If there is a weakness on this team, I do not see it.
NYG– Just made the list of the top 10 worst 3-1 teams in the NFL.
UltimateNYG- 10/2/2022
One last thing- how many freaking times do we have to be right about Barkley? In 2017 when he was at Penn State, and we said no? Too high! On draft day, when we said no? Too high! In this season’s preview, when we were “super bullish” on him in 2022? Too low! And then, on October 23rd of this year, when we said NOT to re-sign him? Too high! Only weeks later, everyone was buying, wanting to pony up the gazillions? Waaay too high! All it took was a FEW MORE WEEKS and another couple of injuries to see what this is. I love the player. I hate the position.
Quick- tell me who the OL is for the Eagles? 
Jason Kelce (Hall of Fame) Landon Dickerson (a Wonder draft guy) Lane Johnson (1x All Pro, multiple Pro Bowls) Round 3 Guard Isaac Seumalo (quietly getting it done) Jordan Mailata (inconsistent but excellent value for a R7 starting Tackle). Those 5 guys are why the Eagles are where they are. Quick, tell me who the Eagles RB is? Miles Sanders, a Round 2 guy getting paid $1.3M/yr on a rookie deal. Case closed. For the umpteenth time.
Remember all of this, this off-season, when everyone is pining to re-sign Barkley and draft WR in Round 1. The Eagles scooped up AJ Brown when they were close to the prize and all 5 of those linemen were already in place.
Let’s not get too high or too low on anything about the Giants. They’re on a good path. We’ll talk playoffs when OL is in place. Is that fair?!