Why does things always go wrong in year 2 for a Giants head coach?

[shadowspinner0]

McAdoo was the OC if an offense who was above average for 2 seasons and gave Eli 2 of his best statistical seasons, so him being a head coach I didn't see as a negative. Even though the offense struggled in 2016, they still made the playoffs. Things really unraveled in year 2, the team was horrible, the players quit and we went 3-13. It was a radical difference from year 1. That, like 2021 signing a veteran receiver, drafting a TE to bolster the offense to match the strong defense.

Shurmur seems to have the most consistent tenure, the team wasn't that great while he was hear but the offense looked better under him and the 20119 season on paper had the least talent, traded their best receiver, a rookie QB started most of the year and Barkley was hurt for 1/4 the season. He was fired then Judge came in.

Even while going 6-10 everyone praised how hard they played and thought things were in the upswing. Fans for the most part loved Judge, loved his attituded and felt unity with the team. However like 2017, it was a radical changed, everyone hated the head coach, he looked nothing like he did last year and everyone like McAdoo, wanted him fire.

With Daboll, he took a bad roster to the playoffs and actually won a playoff game. Fans were feeling optimistic that they finally found the right guy. Then in year 2 it was a total 180, we see signs of being outcoached, bad roster management, team being unprepared, fighting with coaches, being way to conservative.  Year 3 hasn't improved at all and just exposed his problems more. So why is it that when the first year looks promising, year 2 is always a collapse, even when on paper changes were done to improve the team?

[DaveBrown74]

In the cases of Shurmur and Judge, fans (and Giants ownership) were likely seeing what they wanted to see in year ones of their respective tenures. The Giants were bad in both of those years. In Shurmur's first year, there was, however, a belief that maybe "we had something" in Jones, who had a pretty good rookie year if you're willing to look the other way on the fumbles. With Judge, we had a number of losses that were considered moral victories that "easily could have gone the other way." So even though we were 6-10, people were somehow bullish.

McAdoo we legit did well in the regular season of his first year, although we got destroyed on Wild Card Weekend in the playoffs. Still, that was solid as I believe we were 11-5 that year.

Daboll's first year was certainly good, but we kind of won with mirrors that year and weren't a good team after the first 6 or 7 games.

[UncannyGfan]

I think with Daboll's first year it was:

1) DJ's comeback from his neck injury, i was shocked he'd play again, let alone be a running QB.
2) An offense over relying on Barkley carries and Jones runs that occasionally set up a deep throw (Slaton) or would keep defenses honest.  This ate up clock and kept games close until the 4 quarter where they could get lucky.  The running game helped Neal out at the beginning of his career. 
3) A Defense with both Lawrence and Williams on the inside and Jackson and Mckinney having career years up until the bye week complemented their offense ball control style.  Losing Jackson and Mckinney took a toll on the second half of the season.  Thibodeaux had a good start to his career in that defense.     
4) Dex and Barkley high snap counts got them their win against Minnesota but playing Philidelphia short a day's rest meant it wasn't going to be a fair matchup after their bye week.

In year 2
1) The offense approach changed as evident by the Waller signing.  Jones had kept defenses honest by being a threat to run rather than making various reads and yet the coaches this season seemed to expect him to be more of a traditional passer. 
2) Thomas getting injured early followed by JMS's inexperience and injuries and Neal completely ill equipped for the additional responsibilities made the new scheme the worst possible pairing with the talent on the team.
3) Jones was eventually injured.  So was Taylor.  Who wouldn't be in that scheme with that line?
4) Snap counts on defense wore them down and they got mad at the offense and team chemistry broke down.
5) DeVito is unexplainable. period.  Kids dream of one day suddenly starting for their favorite team in an emergency.  Adults do too.  Even adults in mid-life.  It happens in the movies.  But in real life it does not happen.  To win three games?  none of it is real.  can't be.  unexplainable. 

What role did Daboll have in year 1 vs year 2?
Direct coaching impacts such as the change in offense scheme.  Indirect coaching impacts such as team chemistry breaking down.  The unprofessional open back and forth with Wink.  Players not playing up to their previously demonstrated potential.  His meltdowns on the sideline signaled he wasn't in control.   


McAdoo's first year is essentially explained by the FA signings and cycles of cap space flux:
DE Olivier Vernon
DT Damon Harrison
CB Janoris Jenkins

plus the club came off of JPP's hand that year.  Think about this DL: DE Vernon, NT Harrison, DT Hankins, DE JPP.  Jenkins was flanked by DRC at CB and Collins had his breakout year as a SS.  Although the OL had vulnerabilities Richburg played the full season at Center and Pugh at OLG had a great season except for the games he missed later in the season due to the MCL injury.  Eli to OBJ connection and McAdoo's quick pass offense helped compensate for their offensive tackle play.   

I think year 2 was explained by injuries and a disastrous offseason roster strategy (remember the shiny hood ornament debates?):
The Giant only got 4 games from Richburg and 8 games from Pugh (of which ORT rather than OLG).  The Eli to OBJ connection couldn't make up from that loss of OL talent.  Unsurprisingly neither did the addition of Engram (who was selected ahead Ramczyk) and Brandon Marshall (who was signed instead of Whitworth).  This was also the year OBJ got hurt and Marshall was hurt around the same time 5 games into the season.  McAdoo felt it was the right time to end Eli's streak.  There were also multiple player suspensions that season.  It was an ugly lost season.         

I haven't thought about Shurmur and Judge in a long time so might have to come back to it later.  I think with McAdoo and DaBoll's tenures it was the shock of going from legitimate playoff teams to disarray so quickly.     

[ralphpal1]

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[TONKA56]

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