New York Giants Full Team Grades vs. New England Patriots
Nov 15, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; The flag of France is displayed on the field with the American flag prior to the NFL football game between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Coaching Staff Grade: A
Despite getting the loss, the Giants coaching staff deserves a lot of credit for the performance against the Patriots. Many people were writing the Giants off, saying they would get blown out against a Patriots offense that has been explosive, while the Giants defense has been a sieve all season.
Steve Spagnuolo had this group ready to go though, as the Giants defense brought it. They were able to get pressure on Brady throughout the afternoon, which was very encouraging seeing how poor the pass rush has been this season. That was arguably the biggest takeaway, as they picked up three sacks against the Patriots, which was a third of their season total coming into the game.
They also continue forcing turnovers, which is a great equalizer with a defense that gives up as many yards as the Giants do. With the two they forced today, they now rank first in the NFL with 22 takeaways and a differential of +12, also first in the NFL.
Offensively, Ben McAdoo was behind the eight-ball a bit with Justin Pugh being a late scratch because of an illness. He also lost center Weston Richburg during the game, but the Giants were able to keep things going relatively well. He deserves some credit for having his backups ready, but he needs to figure out a way to get this running game going. It is tough to rely solely on the arm of Eli Manning, and it is something they should work a lot on during the bye week.
Tom Coughlin should be proud of how his players fought against the Patriots as they were heavy underdogs. Whatever he does against the Patriots is something others around the NFL would love to know, as he has as much success against them as any team. There are some things that need to be worked on, but Coughlin should come away feeling good about his team.
Next: Osi Umenyiora's Top 5 Moments With Giants
If only he could get them to play with the passion and fire they showed against the Patriots every week. Coughlin will try getting that to happen after the bye, and should be getting some reinforcements as Prince Amukamara could be returning to the field, and Victor Cruz could make his season debut in Week 12. Even with the loss, the Giants look like they are trending in the right direction in a couple of areas.