Silverman: McAdoo Gets Chance To Prove Himself Over Tough Stretch

By Steve Silverman
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The New York Giants had a lot of positive developments in the first two games of the season.

The team that couldn't win close games in 2015 picked up two tight victories over the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints. And while the Giants didn't play particularly well in either game, it seemed that the football gods might be willing to pay Big Blue back for all their painful defeats last year.

The Giants were 1-7 in games decided by six or fewer points in 2015. Many of those defeats were the result of poor game-management decisions by former coach Tom Coughlin, giving management a tangible reason to fire the longtime boss at the end of the season.

The decision to promote Ben McAdoo from offensive coordinator to head coach certainly was logical because the Giants played strong offensive football all season and Eli Manning flourished under his direction. Of course, the skeptic might point out that Manning flourished because he was throwing the ball to Odell Beckham Jr.

The Giants' run of good luck did not continue in Week 3 despite building a double-digit lead early in their game against the Redskins. They lost 29-27, and while Manning had the ball in his hands in the final two minutes with a chance to win, he threw an interception that gave the Redskins their first win.

Manning didn't have a bad statistical game, as he threw for 350 yards, but his two interceptions cost him dearly.

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That was a bad loss. And while the tendency might be to say that the Giants had two wins in the bank, so it's not so bad, it was too reminiscent of the many losses they had last year, when they finished 6-10.

New York is now coming to the iron of its schedule, starting Sunday night with a game in Minnesota against the league's newest powerhouse.

NFL fans should not be surprised with the way the Vikings (3-0) have been playing under head coach Mike Zimmer. In his third season, he is already one of the best at his job.

Technically, he understands defense and implements his players as well as any coach. But Zimmer has grown into the role, and he has turned an ordinary team that regularly found a way to lose into a bunch of warriors who will take their opponents' best shot, turn it around and then pummel them without mercy.

If the Giants play their best game, they might be able to move the ball fairly well and hold down a Vikings team with Sam Bradford at quarterback and Jerick McKinnon at running back. But they would probably need an end-of-game break to win.

If they don't play their best game, the Vikings will win with relative ease.

And then there is no letup. The Giants will play at Green Bay (2-1) in Week 5, return home to face Baltimore the following week and then go to London to play the Rams (2-1) -- always a pleasant trip (not) -- before a bye week and home games against phenom quarterback Carson Wentz and the Eagles (3-0), and the Bengals (1-2), a playoff team last season.

Then the crush finally will come to an abrupt end as the hapless Chicago Bears (0-3) come to MetLife Stadium in Week 11.

That's why the loss to the Redskins was so painful. If the Giants had taken what should have been theirs, they would have gone to Minnesota with some margin for error.

Now there is none. They will likely come out of that game with a loss, and then the Packers game becomes a much tougher assignment.

The Giants do not want to lose to both the Vikings and Packers, and it seems more likely that they might have a better chance at Green Bay than Minnesota. The Packers are a far more explosive team with Aaron Rodgers and the return of Jordy Nelson, but they have weaknesses in the running game and on defense.

The Vikings are all iron and are not likely to give the Giants much ground.

McAdoo has to show his mettle in this upcoming six-game stretch. The Giants need to find a way to go at least .500 before they can take advantage of the softer part of their schedule.

McAdoo needs to help the team build on it strengths and limit its weaknesses. The passing game – with Beckham, Sterling Shepard and Victor Cruz – is a remarkable strength. The defense – which is much better than the 32nd-ranked unit from last year – is the area that must be protected.

The rookie coach faces his first major test, and his performance will play a key role on whether the Giants are a playoff team this year.

Follow Steve on Twitter at @ProFootballBoy