Turning to hapless

The Giants have certainly shown some fight in the last two weeks, battling back from deficits in order to put themselves in a position to win.

They rallied to score 24 points in the fourth quarter against the Eagles in Week 3 only to lose on a 61-yard field goal.

On Sunday, they dug themselves into a 13-0 deficit in the first quarter but managed to take back the lead twice before ultimately losing on another lastsecond field goal.

So the opportunities to win games have been there, they just have not found a way to capitalize.

“That's really where we have been struggling,” McAdoo said. “Falling behind early and hanging on late. Second and third quarters we’re playing some pretty good football. We just have to start better and finish stronger.”

THE BLAME game starts right now. Big Blue Bashing season is officially open after their season-killing 0-4 start destroyed any buzz about this being a Super Bowl year and has turned the last 12 games over the next three months into selfpreservation for Jerry Reese, Ben McAdoo, the assistant coaches and any player who doesn’t have enough guaranteed money owed in 2018 to protect him from being a salary cap dump.

No matter how badly things go from here, Reese and/or McAdoo will not be fired during the season. Check back in January.

This just may be the most disappointing season in Giants history. They were supposed to build on last year’s encouraging 11-5 wild-card season, not be among the final four along with the Chargers, Browns and 49ers still in search of their first victory. That sets up a Suck For Sam game on Sunday at MetLife Stadium between the Giants and Chargers and 2004 Draft classmates Eli Manning and Philip Rivers. Who needs to step up and own this mess? Who should be held accountable? There are plenty of candidates:

GM Jerry Reese: Blame: 26%

Really, Jerry, coming back with the same five offensive line starters after the way they played last year? Fireable offense. At the very least, he should have signed Bengals veteran left tackle Andrew Whitworth and moved Ereck Flowers to right tackle or right guard.

Reese can really pick O-linemen. He drafted Justin Pugh as a tackle in 2013 and he had to move inside because he couldn’t handle it outside. Only an injury to turnstile Bobby Hart pushed Pugh back outside the last couple weeks. Flowers , the No. 1 pick two years after Pugh, doesn’t have the quickness to handle speed rushers and eventually will also have to move inside. That’s two first-round tackles who couldn’t cut it. Unless it’s Gene Upshaw, guards are a low priority in the first round.

By the way, even though the NFL has become a passing league and running backs have been devalued, Reese may have put together the worst group in the league. Teams might as well play a 3-0-8 defense.

What does Reese think about 0-4? Who knows? His predecessors George Young and Ernie Accorsi were accessible to the media every day. Reese speaks three times from July to January: The first day of camp, during the bye week and the day after the season. He just can’t be that important that he won’t step up and address what’s going on until it’s nearly Halloween.

Maybe he should tweet.

Ben McAdoo: 17%

He may not be shocked and surprised the Giants are 0-4, but I’m shocked and surprised he appears to be so in over his head after winning 11 games as a rookie head coach. He needs to spend some time at the Bill Parcells School of Game Management. He’s been all over the place going for it on fourth down instead of taking field goals, replay challenges, predictable play calling. It took him until the third game to put Manning in a no-huddle fast-paced threestep drop offense to protect him from his offensive line. In his defense: Reese gave him a flawed team. McAdoo is wound so tight he doesn’t inspire confidence. He’s also adopted the Beckham Rules from Tom Coughlin: Enable him.

Eli Manning: 11%

He led the offense to 13 points in the first 11 quarters of the season and 47 in the last five. Beckham didn’t play in Dallas and was compromised against Detroit, but it was up to Manning to elevate his play and make the players around him better. He couldn’t carry the team and was going down to the ground before he was hit after his linemen adopted the new cashless toll system that doesn’t require pass rushers to stop on their way to the QB.

Ereck Flowers: 9%

If Detroit’s Ziggy Ansah makes the Pro Bowl, he should bring Flowers along as his guest. He got him there.

Jason Pierre-Paul/Olivier Vernon: 8%

Whatever happened to the concept of dominant pass rushers meeting at the quarterback? JPP and Vernon aren’t sharing sacks, so they can share the blame. Their contracts total $147 million, which includes $92.5 million guaranteed. So far in four games, they have totaled 3.5 sacks — two by Vernon (he’s been playing with a sprained ankle the last two games) and 1.5 by JPP. There are 11 players who have more sacks than JPP and Vernon combined. Maybe Vernon should have shown up for OTAs.

Brad Wing: 7.5%

A freaking punter may have cost the Giants the last two games. His 28-yard punt in the final 20 seconds in Philly meant the Eagles had to move only 19 yards to get into position for the game-winning 61-yard field goal on the final play. His 15-yard punt — seriously, 15 yards — in the fourth quarter set the Bucs up with a short field of only 57 yards, which they converted into a touchdown in just four plays.

Brandon Marshall: 7%

He looks old and slow and disinterested. By the way, what happened to his hands? So many drops. I thought this was a great signing, but he’s been worse for the Giants than he was last year for the Jets.

Eli Apple: 6.5%

He never turns around when the ball is in the air. It’s kind of important for a cornerback to have ball skills. So, he’s either getting burned for TDs or getting called for pass interference. It’s time for Annie Apple to have a talk with him.

Odell Beckham Jr: 5%

The lasting image of the Giants’ 2017 season will be Beckham walking like a dog in Philly, lifting his right leg and making believe he was urinating. Classy. He may be pissing away his chance at a $100 million contract.

Landon Collins: 3%

He was a playmaking machine last season. He’s not having the same impact this year. Collins, who had five INTs last year, doesn’t have any this year. In fact, the Giants are still looking for their first interception.

Who do the Giants blame for 0-4? Who don’t they blame?