STARTING OVER
Giants end miserable year with third win New coach, GM will have No. 2 draft pick
There is a new general manager, interviews for the next head coach will begin shortly and as a new year kicks in, it is all about 2018 for the Giants. The sooner they leave behind this season, the better.
And so, as Steve Spagnuolo lingered on the MetLife Stadium field after Sunday’s frigid New Year’s Eve 18-10 victory over the listless Redskins, he motioned to the team photographer to make sure he snapped a few shots as the interim head coach hugged the franchise quarterback, Eli Manning.
“Because, you know, it’ s a memory,’’ Spagnuolo said. “It’s a memory.’’
There is nothing much to remember about a season that ended 3-13, but at least the final day included a best-case scenario for the Giants, as they won and retained the No. 2 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft when the Colts defeated the Texans. The Giants already set a franchise record for most losses (13) in a season and their unsightly record ranks as one of the worst in their 92-year history.
“Yeah, it’ s probably been my toughest year of football, I would say,’’ Manning said of a season during which he saw his consecutive-game starting streak end at 210, for no good reason.
There were rows and rows and section upon section of empty seats on a 16-degree day with a wind chill of 1 degree, and those who remained to the bitter end chanted “Eli Manning … Eli Manning’’ in the closing seconds.
“I heard them,’’ Manning said.
To kick off the search for their new head coach, the Giants on Monday are expected to ask the Eagles for permission to speak with their defensive coordinator, Jim Schwartz — which should not be construed that Schwartz is the favorite. Based on new general manager Dave Gettleman’s opening remarks and co-owner John Mara’ s expressed desire to bring in someone with experience, Schwartz checks the boxes. He is no kid (he’s 51) and was an NFL head coach for f ive years — five largely forgettable years in Detroit, as he went 29-5 1 . Then again, he took over a 0-16 team and in three years got the Lions into the playoffs for the first time in 12 years.
The Giants are expected to also show interest in Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia and def initely Bill O’Brien, if he shakes free of the Texans. Pat Shurmur, the Vikings offensive coordinator, fits the bill in that he was a head coach, going 9-23 in two years with the Browns. And, as a possible wild card, there could be interest in Mike Munchak, a Hall of Fame offensive lineman, former head coach of the Titans and currently the Steelers offensive line coach.
Schwartz also was the defensive coordinator with the Titans and Bills and currently runs the Eagles defense. He is considered to be very smart — he has a degree in economics from Georgetown — and has t he endorsement of Bill Belichick. Schwartz got his start in the NFL working for Belichick with the Browns.
The key with hiring anyone with a background on defense is who he will bring in as offensive coordinator. Schwartz has a working relationship with Todd Downing, currently the Raiders’ offensive coordinator. Downing, 37, was the quarterbacks coach for Schwartz in Detroit and the two also worked together on Doug Marrone’s staff in Buffalo in 2014.
As for the merciful end to this sorry season, the Giants rushed for a season-high 260 ya rd s , wit h s oon- to- be f re e agent Orleans Darkwa ripping off a 75-yard touchdown run on the second snap en route to a 154-yard day. On defense, Kelvin Sheppard had two interceptions and Ross Cockrell had one as Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins headed into the offseason with a shabby performance that will not help value.
Spa gnuo lo apologized for getting to the postgame press conference a few minutes late, explaining, “It takes a long time to hug 80 some-odd people.’’ He took over from f ired Ben McAdoo when the Giants were 2-10 and lost the next three ga mes as the interim head coach. So, this meant something to him. And to Manning, who is under contract but does not know if he will return for a 15th season with the Giants.
“To have some cheers and have some hugs and kind of end this tough year on a good note is special,’’ Manning said.
For all the Giants, this was the first game with Gettleman in charge of the entire football operation and what they did on the field will fold into the decision of who stays and who goes.
“Everyone mentioned that, you only get one first impression,’’ linebacker Devon Kennard said. “He’s here, I’m sure he’s gonna go back and watch our film from all year but this is his first time being able to see us live and I think guys wanted to make a first impression. I know I did.’’