Giants' 12 biggest disappointments in 2018 | It's not just Eli Manning

By Ryan Dunleavy | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com | Posted October 13, 2018 at 06:05 AM

By Ryan Dunleavy | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

For all the changes the Giants made since the 2017 season ended, one thing remains the same.

The record after six games. The Giants are 1-5 for the second straight season.

"We are trying to grow away from 3-13," coach Pat Shurmur said, "so the young players that were not here -- the Saquon Barkleys and the Will Hernandezs, and the guys that are getting a lot of experience, the rookies -- have to understand that they were not part of it.

"But they are going to help the guys that were here a year ago. We want to try to help forget that and keep moving. And the record does not speak to that right now. I get that."

But are the Giants just growing toward 3-13 (or worse) again?

Here are the 12 biggest disappointments in 2018 (and a reminder who was on the list in 2017):

12. LB B.J. Goodson

Goodson opened the season as a starter, saw his snaps decline in the first quarter of the season and then took back his starting job from Ray-Ray Amrstrong.

But he has only 17 tackles with 0.5 sack in six games. By comparison, Goodson had 18 tackles in his first game of the 2017 season. The Giants need him to step up if they are going to avoid being torched by opposing tight ends.

11. SS Landon Collins

10. FS Curtis Riley

A case of fluctuating expectations.

When Riley signed a minimum contract with the Giants in March, it barely registered as a blip on the radar. Riley played in 11 games with zero starts during two years with the Titans.

It all changed in training camp when Riley beat out Andrew Adams and Darian Thompson -- two former starters -- to become the starting free safety. He has 32 tackles and an intercpetion but has struggled with his angles in pass coverage.

5. WR Odell Beckham

Beckham has 45 catches for 506 yards -- both ranking in the top five in the NFL -- which means he is on pace for 120 catches and 1,349 receiving yards. The difference is Michael Thomas (Saints), DeAndre Hopkins (Texans), A.J. Green (Bengals) and Antonio Brown (Steelers) are finding the end zone more frequently.

How in the world can be that seen as a disappointment? Well, Beckham only has one touchdown catch.

And he has caused the type of drama he vowed to avoid as a mature beneficiary of a $95 million contract extension. Reverting to old nonsense like head-butting a cooling fan been more disappointing than anything else.

Let's block ads! (Why?)