".@Giants: WATCH: Reese on state of the #Giants heading into bye https://t.co/qEv7pNIyfO" Not gonna miss this guy. A pass the blame artist.
— Jubilation Way (@JubilationWay) November 16, 2015
New York Giants general manager Jerry Reese met with the media Monday for the only time during the regular season. He said the 5-5 Giants have "battle scars" at this point and that you can "blame all of us" for the up-and-down nature of the team thus far.
"We've got some battle scars from the first 10 games," Reese said on Monday. "Hopefully it'll make us battle-hardened and be a benefit to us going down the stretch."
Reese said he feels like the GM of a first-place team "cause that's where we are."
"We haven't finished games like we want to finish games. That's been an issue," Reese said. "You have to win the close games. For whatever reason we've come up short a few games at the end of the game.
"You can blame it on all of us. I think everybody can take some blame. I can take some blame, the coaches can take some blame, the players can take some blame about where we are. But again, we're in first place. We've got six games to go and we're going to try to win'em all."
Here are some other takeaways from Reese's Monday press conference.
"We can compete with anybody"
Reese came out of Sunday's loss to New England feeling like the Giants are capable of playing with the best teams in the league.
"If New England's the best team in the National Football League, which a lot of people think they are, we took them to the wire yesterday. If they're the best team, we feel like we can compete with anybody," he said. "It comes down to finishing games. You've gotta win the close games at the end."
Reese continued:
"There are some positive things that happened the first 10 games. A few plays here and there, the record could look a lot different. We are where we are right now and we're gonna fight with everything we have to finish these last six games, try to get in the tournament."
Jason Pierre-Paul's return
Reese admitted to being "a little bit" surprised by how much impact Jason Pierre-Paul has been able to have in his first two games.
"Obviously the injury was a big injury," Reese said. "For him to come back, to even be out there it's amazing. I'm happy for him."
Giants' ongoing injury issues
The subject of injuries had to come up with Reese, especially on a day when Victor Cruz announced he will not be able to play this season.
"It's not us. It looks like us because you guys cover us," Reese said. "Go around the league ... You gotta play the hand you're dealt, the young players you have on your team have to step in and play, you have to get 'em ready. That's just the way it is. Everybody has injuries."