Get the cold tub ready.
The Giants have had to wait a long time since their season-opening loss to the Cowboys and that’s given them some time to figure out what needs to change for the team to get back on the winning track. Defensive end Justin Tuck thinks one of those changes has to come from the team’s younger players, who he believes aren’t approaching their jobs with enough urgency. Tuck thinks it is up to the veteran players to get the whippersnappers into shape.
“But it’s going to take little incentives from some of our veteran guys to help them along. Maybe some guys need to get in some guys’ faces. I think sometimes there’s a little too much lovey-dovey,” Tuck said, via Mike Garafolo of USA TODAY. “You’ve got to challenge these guys. If we allow them to play or practice at their pace, they’re going to continue to do that. But as leaders, we have to set a good example and then remind them what’s at stake. This ain’t a scholarship, this ain’t school pride. You’re talking about guys’ livelihoods. This is how guys feed their families.”
Safety Kenny Phillips had a different take on things. While he agrees that the young players need to step up their games, Phillips believes that the veterans need to step up their games if the Giants are going to return to the right side of the scoreboard.
Rookie running back David Wilson fumbled in the opening game, but there were plenty of veterans with egg on their faces as well. Tuck and Osi Umenyiora were pretty much invisible against a suspect Cowboys offensive line, veteran tackle David Diehl had a bad night and wide receiver Victor Cruz, who may actually count as a young player since he’s played just two seasons deemed worthy of a memoir this offseason, dropped three passes.
Basically, everyone on the Giants needs to be better if the team wants to have better results in the coming weeks. We’ll see if all this finger-pointing and soul-searching pays off against Tampa on Sunday afternoon.
