David Wilson and the Giants were run over by the Eagles on Sunday.
Credit: Getty Images
Just one day removed from the mess at MetLife Stadium, the Giants don’t get the chance to hang their heads, as they now must think about traveling to Chicago for a Thursday night showdown with the Bears.
“It might be a good thing. I hope so. We’ve got to find a way to get our spirits back up to go out and face a good Bears team,” said Tuck. “I believe [in this team]. Why wouldn’t I? We’ve just got to figure it out. … Like I’ve said this is a close-knit team, man. We win and tie and lose together, regardless of what happens on either side of the ball. It’s always been that way, and as far as I’m concerned, it always will.”
Head coach Tom Coughlin would rather put the pressure on himself. And to that end, the coach said the team needs to rally from within. He also reasoned that any other team facing these adversities would likely wilt.
Coughlin won’t give quarterback Eli Manning a free pass, allowing that Manning’s league-high 12 interceptions are “demoralizing.” He added he could “understand what the football world may [negatively] think,” and that “the number of turnovers is in a terrible state,” but in the end, Coughlin feels his maligned quarterback is taking too much of the blame.
“The guy is trying to play the best he can,” Coughlin said. “He’s certainly trying to do too much. He knows his team and he knows his responsibility. He’s an extremely accountable guy and he’s going to do everything he possibly can.”
Coughlin would rather put the pressure on himself. And to that end, the coach said the team needs to rally from within. He also reasoned that any other team facing these adversities would likely wilt.
“We’ve been right there to put ourselves into position to win the fourth quarter in most games, but we haven’t done it. A major objective is playing four quarters,” said Coughlin. “Play four solid quarters of championship quality football, supporting one another in all three phases, eliminate the foolish penalties and eliminate all that garbage that keeps you from being one. … We’ve got to figure out a way to play a whole game and not turn the ball over [because] you can’t do it.”
Becoming united won’t be a problem, said wideout Victor Cruz. The dazzling receiver could’ve had every reason to sulk and pout after being an afterthought in the passing game against the Eagles.
Cruz entered the game as one of the hottest receivers in the game, tallying 26 catches for 425 yards and four scores in just four games, but ended Sunday’s loss with just five catches for 48 yards and no touchdowns. That’s way down the Giants’ wide receiver production line, led by Hakeem Nicks’s nine catches for 142 yards and even Rueben Randle’s six-reception, 96-yard, two-score afternoon.
“We can’t think like that,” Cruz said when asked if he thinks the season is close to being a lost campaign. “We can’t think about the season becoming lost. We can’t think about anything like that. We have to think about it one week at a time and that’s the only thing we can control.”
Big Blue notes …
»The Giants’ five-game losing streak is their longest since they lost eight in a row in 2004.
»The Giants rushed for 53 yards, their fifth consecutive game with less than 100.
»The 52 passes increased Manning’s career total to 4,660. That moved him past Phil Simms (4,647) and into first place on the Giants’ career list.
»This was the 20th regular-season game in Giants history in which they threw at least 50 passes. They are 1-19 in those games, including 1-17 when one quarterback throws every pass.
»Philadelphia gained 439 yards, the highest total allowed by the Giants since Baltimore totaled 533 yards on Dec. 23, 2012.
»The Eagles’ 28 first downs were the most by a Giants opponent since Dallas had 28 on Oct. 28, 2012.
»The Giants have now allowed 30 or more points in every game this season.
»The Giants and Jaguars are the only 0-5 teams in the league. The other winless teams, the Steelers and Bucs, are each 0-4 and had a bye last week.
Follow Giants beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8.
