New York Giants: Ereck Flowers’ Apology Doesn’t Erase Poor Play

New York Giants offensive tackle Ereck Flowers apologized to ESPN reporter Jordan Raanan, but how will the team address his poor play on the field?

New York Giants offensive tackle Ereck Flowers apologized for pushing ESPN reporter Jordan Raanan in the locker room after a 23-16 loss to the Green Bay Packers.

NJ.com reporter Dan Duggan chronicled the locker room incident. On the following day, during a teleconference head coach Ben McAdoo said the organization addressed the issue with Flowers and will continue to deal with him behind closed doors, per Duggan:

"I talked to Ereck, (general manager) Jerry (Reese) talked to Ereck and (public relations) talked to Ereck. We had a chance to sit him down. He called and spoke with Jordan and apologized. He understands that he cannot behave that way. It’s unacceptable. It’s important for us all to have a professional relationship with the media, players and coaches. All discipline will be handled in-house."

Raanan took the high road and posted a tweet squashing the whole ordeal with the Giants offensive tackle:

With the incident behind them, how will the Giants handle their struggling left tackle on the field? The team hopes to see considerable improvements as the season progresses, but his progress seems stagnant. Flowers continues to allow too much cushion, which enables strong defensive ends to either push him into quarterback Eli Manning or enough space to grab the signal-caller for a takedown.

Pro Football Focus grades Flowers as the No. 55 offensive tackle in pass protection with a 49.2. Nonetheless, he’s ranked as one of the best run-blocking perimeter linemen in the league. Opposing defenses sacked Manning nine times through five games, which isn’t an alarming rate. However, Flowers’ expectations as a 2015 first-round pick raise the bar on his potential career outlook.

Until starter Rashad Jennings returns to the field, the Giants can’t take full advantage of Flowers’ run-blocking strength. Overall, McAdoo must reshape the game plan, but the offensive line doesn’t have an alternative for Flowers. The coaching staff has to do their jobs and develop his skill sets.

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Coming into the season, the offensive line carried question marks, and Flowers needed a strong showing to quiet the naysayers. As evident in his frustrations after Sunday’s loss, it’s not going well for the second-year pro.

The overall struggles on offense seem uncharacteristic for a team with more able-body offensive weapons and McAdoo pushing all the buttons. Despite the Giants’ 2-0 start, the offense didn’t look overly impressive in the victories. New York only scored 16 points against the New Orleans Saints’ No. 29 pass defense in yards allowed.

Of course, Manning’s tendency to look over his shoulder for a 280-pound defensive end on his blindside may affect his comfort in the pocket. The signal-caller’s accuracy dropped significantly in each game after Week 2.

It’s unfair to place the blame for a struggling offense on Flowers. Nonetheless, with the investment tied to his draft status, he must show notable improvement over the next few weeks.