EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) - The New York Giants have fallen into a deep pit three games into the season, and their chances of getting out are not good.
Only five teams that started the season 0-3 since 1980 have rallied to get to the postseason. The last was Buffalo in 1998. Compounding the Giants’ problem is that they are now 0-2 in the NFC East.
Coach Ben McAdoo on Monday reiterated the Giants’ problems are mostly self-inflicted in discussing their heart-breaking 27-24 loss to the Eagles on a last-second, 61-yard field goal by rookie Jake Elliott.
There were 10 penalties; a dropped touchdown pass by Sterling Shepard; a failed fourth-down run from the 6-inch line; a shoddy run defense; bad tackling; a 28-yard punt with the game on the line; and no running attack.
McAdoo, who last year led the Giants to an 11-5 record and their first playoff berth since the 2011 season, isn’t worrying about missing the playoffs.
“We need to keep fighting through,” said McAdoo, whose team will face the Bucs (1-1) in Tampa on Sunday. “I believe in this team. I believe in the potential of this team. It starts with me and we need to keep fighting to get better and we need to keep fighting to get the win. Got to get that first one.”
After 11 miserable quarters, the offense finally woke up and scored 24 fourth-quarter points with Eli Manning throwing for two touchdowns to Odell Beckham Jr. and one to Shepard . Aldrick Rosas gave New York a 24-21 lead with a 41-yard field goal with 3:08 to play, but Elliott kicked two in the final 51 seconds.
“We just have to get a win. That’s number one,” McAdoo said. “We can’t accomplish going to the playoffs or getting a playoff berth or anything like that this week. All we can focus on is the way we prepare so we can go down and perform well.”
McAdoo refused to say much about the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Beckham following his first touchdown catch. The dynamic receiver, who had nine catches for 79 yards and two TDs, including another one-handed one , was flagged for pretending to urinate like a dog.
“We should be talking about the way he played,” McAdoo said. “He made some great plays in the ballgame yesterday, some tremendous plays, game-changing plays. I’d rather be talking about that than the celebration penalty.”
When asked if the team was embarrassed by Beckham’s actions, the coach said he had given his answer.
McAdoo took the blame for the Giants’ failure to get into the end zone on the fourth-down play from the goal line in the first half. He called a run against a nine-man front and Orleans Darkwa lost a yard.
“I need a better call there,” McAdoo said, noting that his two outside receivers were better targets on the play.
NOTES: DE Olivier Vernon is going to be day to day with an ankle injury. … There was no update on Darkwa’s back injury. … McAdoo refused to comment on an allegation made by an Eagles’ fan that Giants WR Brandon Marshall spit at him during pre-game warmups.
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