Ben McAdoo admitted his team has taken a big hit to the ego.
“We were humbled, obviously, the first half of the season,” McAdoo said Monday.
Last week, general manager Jerry Reese said one of the reasons for the 1-6 record is the Giants bought into the hype heading into this season and did not play with the hunger and passion needed to win. McAdoo did not fight this claim.
“You take a look at the first half of the season, I don’t think you can point to just one thing,” McAdoo said. “Were we a hungry enough football team? You can make a case that we weren’t. But that’s just part of it. It’s not just one thing.”
Asked if he and Reese are on the same page, McAdoo said: “One hundred percent. We’re tied at the hip. Jerry and I have multiple conversations every day. We have a great relationship — great working relationship. I have a lot of respect for Jerry and everything that he’s done in this profession.”
Looking back on what transpired the first seven games, right tackle Justin Pugh said Reese may be onto something.
“I’ll tell you this, in the NFL, the hungriest team is gonna win,” Pugh said. “If he said that, I can see where he’s coming from. Games come down to inches. Games come down to one play. Whoever wants it more, those are the teams that come out with that win. If hungry is the adjective we want to use [to describe] how we lost all those close games this year and we won those games last year, I can see where he’s coming from with that.”
Cornerbacks Janoris Jenkins and Eli Apple and running back Paul Perkins were excused from Monday’s practice for personal reasons. McAdoo said all three are expected back for Wednesday’s practice.
Justin Pugh said his back began bothering him in the fourth quarter of the game in Denver and it locked up in the second half against the Seahawks, forcing him to the sideline. Pugh did not practice Monday.
“I couldn’t get it to calm down in the Seattle game,” Pugh said. “Hopefully this week, it will be good. Having the week off was definitely helpful, so just go from there.”
Wide receiver Sterling Shepard ran routes and said he is feeling better. He missed the past two games with a sprained ankle. … Defensive end Olivier Vernon (ankle) did some running outside with trainers. … Still not working in practice: linebacker B.J. Goodson (ankle) and center Weston Richburg (concussion).