Giants news, 12/4: Giants are young, but not “historically young”

Good morning, New York Giants fans!

Are the Giants really “historically young?”

Coach Pat Shurmur described his team that way on Sunday after the Giants suffered their eighth straight loss. That’s not quite accurate.

Per an annual study by the Philly Voice, the Giants began the season as the league’s 18th-youngest team. In-season roster changes have made them younger, with Mike Garafolo of NFL Network stating that they are now the league’s ninth-youngest team.

Now, Shurmur is correct that the Giants have relied heavily on rookies.

The Giants had 10 picks in the 2019 NFL Draft, and eight have now started at least one game. That ties the team’s single-season high since the 1970 merger. The 1971 team also started eight draft choices (out of 14).

No other team has started at least eight draft choices this season. Indianapolis started nine in 2018. The Colts, incidentally, went 10-6 last season and won a playoff game before losing the divisional round.

Including undrafted players Kaden Smith and Jon Hilliman, 10 rookies have started a game for the Giants this season. The last time the Giants had that many rookies start a game (excluding the 1987 season with replacement players) was 1980 when 15 rookies started games.

More headlines

NFL hot seat rankings: Will Jason Garrett be next coach to be fired?

Ron Rivera is already out. Pat Shurmur is on the list of coaches who could be next.

Pat Shurmur can't blame Giants' offensive line problems on youth

No, he can’t. This is a veteran group that has underperformed expectations. This is also symptomatic of one of the main issues the Giants have had this season. Young players have not been the only ones making unacceptable mistakes.

Inside Giants' heartless locker room: 'What's the actual problem?'

I’ve been in that locker room after several of the losses this season. “Heartless” is not the word I would use. Disappointed, demoralized, confused, sure. Not “heartless.”

Carl Banks appalled by state of Giants defense

Banks took to Twitter to explain what he sees. In my view, he is absolutely on the mark.

“The issue for me is how talent is developed within the scheme and how a scheme adapts to its talent,” wrote Banks, who is the color analyst for the team’s radio broadcasts.

“I currently see no cohesion, a lack of execution in basic zone concepts, glaring holes in man concepts, successful plays against a defense that fails to adjust.. my thoughts.

“A good talent without a play to maximize is a waste. Bad habits are formed when emphasis is not on a sound fundamental foundation. Too many explosive plays for me to say this is a sound scheme.. too many individual breakdowns to say fundamentals are emphasized.”

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