Giants whack McAdoo
Believing the team was spiraling out of control, the New York Giants went out of character by making two major in-season moves, firing coach Ben McAdoo and general manager Jerry Reese.
With the team reeling at 2-10 in a season where most felt it was capable of challenging for a Super Bowl, co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch reached the decision yesterday morning. It came less than a day after the Giants lost in Oakland, with quarterback Eli Manning benched and the offensively inept team performing poorly again.
“We agreed that wholesale changes to this organization needed to be made to get us back to the team we expect it to be,” Mara said at a hastily called news conference in East Rutherford, N.J. “We also agreed it was pointless to wait any longer to make these changes.”
Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will take over as interim coach for the final four games. He coached the St. Louis Rams from 2009-11.
Mara did not know whether Manning will return as the starter this weekend against Dallas, saying the decision will be made by Spagnuolo.
In a radio interview on WFAN, Manning said he told Spagnuolo that he wants to start the last four games.
“I want to be out there and help us go win these four games,” Manning said. “I hope I’m out there ... playing against the Cowboys.”
Mara said neither McAdoo nor Reese was surprised by the decision, saying they were both professionals. He said his meeting with Reese was more emotional because the two had worked together since 1994.
“I don’t think there was any one final straw,” Mara said. “I just think that where we are as a franchise right now, you know, we’re 2-10. We’ve kind of been spiraling out of control. I just felt like we needed a complete overhaul. I don’t think there was any one event or one final act to precipitate that.”
The moves come less than a year after the 40-year-old McAdoo ended a four-year Giants playoff drought in his first season, going 11-6.
Lions Stafford ‘sore’
Detroit Lions coach Jim Caldwell said Matthew Stafford is dealing with soreness in his throwing hand but that “nothing new has popped up” that would lead him to believe the quarterback has broken any bones. Stafford injured his right hand with about 6 minutes left in Sunday’s 44-20 loss to the Baltimore Ravens when linebacker Terrell Suggs stepped on his hand after a fourth-quarter interception . . . .
While Cleveland coach Hue Jackson supports rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer, he knows the Browns may need to draft a QB high in the draft next year. As of now, Cleveland has the No. 1 and No. 7 selections.
“We can’t have too many good quarterbacks right now on this football team,” he said.
Ravens star CB on IR
The Baltimore Ravens will play the final quarter of the regular season without cornerback Jimmy Smith, who will be on injured reserve while serving a suspension for violating the NFL policy on performance enhancing substances.
Smith tore his left Achilles tendon in Sunday’s 4420 victory over Detroit.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh confirmed that Smith will go on IR, and said the team knew of the pending suspension before the game. NFL rules allow a player to serve a suspension on injured reserve. Smith will not be paid during the suspension . . . .
Tennessee Titans defensive lineman DaQuan Jones has a torn biceps muscle and will have season-ending surgery. Also for the Titans, cornerback Logan Ryan is in the concussion protocol . . . .
Bills quarterback Tyrod Tylor has a bruised patellar tendon in his left knee, leaving his status uncertain for Buffalo’s game against Indianapolis . . . .
Atlanta Falcons cornerback Desmond Trufant should be able to play against the Saints after being released from the concussion protocol, giving a boost to the secondary as it prepares to face Drew Brees . . ..
Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz is in the NFL’s concussion protocol after taking a big hit in the third quarter in Seattle.