NFL
By: Rick O’Donnell
After yet another poor start to their season, the New York Giants have parted ways with head coach Brian Daboll. The team has shown promise with their young stars, but starting their season 2-8 with a brutal schedule of the Packers, Lions, and Patriots coming up before they circle back to the division, the team had seen enough. Should the Giants step up to the Mike McCarthy sweepstakes and go all-in?
Despite the opinions of fans who don’t want a former division rival to head their team, Mike McCarthy could be a good fit in NY. First and foremost, McCarthy has a .608 career win % in his 18 years as a head coach, of which he has won a Super Bowl. In that span, he’s won 10+ games 11 out of 18 times, a milestone that in the NFC East almost surely guarantees a playoff spot in a tough division. Before his final season in Dallas, McCarthy had back-to-back-to-back 12-win seasons, but it wasn’t enough for Jerry Jones, and a 7-win season would be the final straw.
Fast-forward to how he fits with the New York Giants. It would be easy to point out how he worked with a future Hall of Fame quarterback in Aaron Rodgers to rationalize his success. Heck, some would even put Dak Prescott down as a great as well, but you have to wonder, did he just have really good quarterbacks, or was it the systems he helped install that contributed to their success? Before becoming a head coach, McCarthy worked his way up from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator to eventually head coach. Here’s a guy who knows a good offense, and that’s what the Giants need.
Yes, their defense is struggling this year as well, but the Giants’ offense is set up for success; it just needs better direction. Jaxon Dart looks like he’ll provide a spark for them at quarterback while flashing a bit of moxie needed for that division. Cam Skattebo was on pace to have his name in the Rookie of the Year race. Wide receiver Malik Nabers looks like he’s barely scratched the surface of his potential. If they can find another impact player at tight end, this offense could be scary good once they figure out their offensive line.
The New York Giants may be at the bottom of their division, but they’re not that far off. With a little direction and a solid free agent period and draft, this team could be a contender within a year or two. It won’t be easy, but the nucleus is there. If they can get a coach who knows how to push people to their potential, this team could climb not only their division, but conference standings. Mike McCarthy might not be everyone’s favorite coach, but he could be exactly what the Giants need.
