Week 5 Thoughts: Odell Beckham Jr., mid-season-audibles and more!

As the New York Giants (2-2) enter Week 5 against the NFC-rival Green Bay Packers (2-1) this Sunday, questions remain whether the Giants can suture the season back together after a surprising 2-0 start.

OBJ and more about how to help

First, the Giants can be optimistic about Odell Beckham Jr.’s role with the team this season. The calendar reads the first week of October. As the New York Daily News reported recently, the Giants organization and the NFL are working together. The goal: to prevent the distraction caused by Beckham’s highly charged style of play.

Roger Goodell has enough on his plate since San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kapernick decided to engage in protest.

Now the commissioner must oversee the Giants as they decide how to best handle OBJ. There are two schools of thought. On the one hand, the league can come down hard on Beckham for his exaggerated play and puerile antics while on the field. On the other hand, the league can — and does so correctly– prevent the opposition’s “baiting” of Beckham.

In this play, CB Xavier Rhodes offers Josh Norman treatment.

So far, Manning and Beckham have not been the duo of 2015. Then, this pair managed to give Beckham 2755 in receiving yardage over the last two seasons and approximately 15 yards per reception. To make matters worse, Beckham caught a record low 23 yards in two receptions in this week’s game against the Minnesota Vikings. By exercising better judgment, officials can help restore the entertainment value that the league enjoyed during the Coughlin days.

Now, it a sad day to see former head coach Tom Coughlin step out of his comfort zone by making a public address regarding managing a former player. An analogy would be having Donald Trump — would he to become President (perish the thought)– asked to be an advisor to his former employees at the Trump Organization.

More ways to fix the Giants’ injured secondary

Second, the organization needs to do something about the injury prone secondary through roster changes. As the game from this week showed, one word can summarize the Giants defense: mediocre.

Take, Donte Whitner for instance. He is an excellent candidate for the job.

Per rumored free agency deals, the Giants have seriously considered replacements to Mykkle Thompson who sat out for much of the season and on the inactive reserve.

Finding players who can improve statistics of the defense ranked 15 by Yahoo! Sports will be the only way the Giants can get things turned around. The offense seems to look aimless at times as Manning has not been able to maximize the effectiveness of his Pro-Bowl wide receivers so far.

More about Giants’ way with coming up short

The Giants’ organization have showed that they are not invincible as they looked after Manning outdueled Drew Brees. The 16-13 victory was scrappy and sloppy which relied on Josh Brown’s accuracy in field-goal territory.

The official analysis highlights a team that is struggling on both sides of the football made worse by the lack of disciplinary measures once put in place under Coughlin.

Per Michael Wilbon’s game day tweet when the Giants faced the Redskins, it will be forever etched into the Giants’ collective memory of the Giants’ “moronic” 128 penalty yardage.

Under Coughlin, despite two 6-10 seasons, Coughlin would show disappointment in his demeanor, arms akimbo and staring at the culprit who cost the Giants a chance at keeping the game winnable. Now, all the Giants have left is a diplomatic approach of Ben McAdoo’s offering a mild rebuke in press conferences.

The Giants can beat the Packers if they learn how to manage Beckham’s personality, make adjustments to their secondary and if McAdoo listens to the voice inside his head.

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