The New York Giants are 0-2 two weeks into the 2024 NFL season, which unfortunately is not unusual for a team that has suddenly found itself struggling.
The Giants may be celebrating their 100th season, which included eight NFL championships (including four Super Bowls), but the past decade or so has been extremely forgettable.
The Giants are 0-2 for the 10th time in the last 12 years. The names and faces may have changed, but the results remain the same.
For players like defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, a two-time college football national champion at Clemson, and left tackle Andrew Thomas at powerhouse Georgia, losing is a new concept.
Fans have been booing and voicing their displeasure on social media and on sports radio broadcasts, and even the most staunch Giants fans are starting to turn on the team.
“I know what the fans are thinking, but for us as players, it’s a new team every year,” Thomas told reporters on Monday.
“A lot of us haven’t been there in those years, so we’re just focused on the next opportunity. Obviously we weren’t off to a fast start, 0-2, but it’s a long season so we’re just going to focus on Cleveland this week and try to get a win and see how we go from there.”
Of course, the Giants can turn things around. In 2007, they became just the third team to win the Super Bowl after starting the season 0-2 (the other two were the 1993 Cowboys and 2001 Patriots).
No team has done it since, and the Giants don’t appear to be the next team to do it.
In fact, since 2019, only two teams have made the playoffs after starting the season 0-2, and neither team made it past the divisional round.
Manager Brian Daboll’s job may be safe for the time being, but the losses are starting to pile up. His record with the Giants is 15 wins, 20 losses and one tie, but it’s important to remember he began his tenure as manager with a 6-1 record.
Thomas was asked if the head coach sets the tone for the team.
“I think a team takes on the personality of its coach, but the best teams lead themselves,” said team captain Thomas. “Obviously, the coach puts us in positions to make plays, but it’s up to us. The coach doesn’t cross the white line, so it’s up to us to be dominant and be physically and mentally strong to execute. It’s up to us.”
At least, most of it is, but it would be nice to see some of that leadership on the field and soon.
