These are desperate times for the New York Giants. After another 2-8 start, they finally left their underperforming quarterback Daniel Jones out of the game to create “a spark.”
With the Northeast (and the Giants) in a historic drought, is this even a good idea?
Is putting hometown hero Tommy DeVito back in the spotlight really the solution at this point? Or is this a diversionary tactic to distract from the many problems facing this organization?
The Giants are benching Jones for reasons they won't admit, most of them financial, but the reality is they need to change the conversation.
They can do this by promoting their young players into key roles. But they are already doing that. They can make a coaching change, but co-owner John Mara isn't feeling it right now. He's been through too many coaching changes in the last decade and has said he doesn't plan on another one.
The only card they can still play is the Cutlets card. DeVito, who has been the Giants' emergency quarterback all year and hasn't played a single snap this season, was passed over by Drew Lock and thrust into the starting role.
The Giants are actually leaning on DeVito's celebrity status to salvage what's left of this garbage can of a season. This is a big challenge for the Jersey product considering he is a player with limited skills.
Don't get us wrong. DeVito is a legitimate talent at the NFL level, but not as a starter. Until Monday, he was in the right role, namely as a third-string emergency quarterback.
The Giants' decision to return to DeVito is a clear sign that they are running out of ideas. They are desperate and there is nothing that gets on Mara's nerves more than his team playing meaningless football in front of a collection of empty stands in November.
The Giants still have four home games left this season. They're hoping to capitalize on DeVito — the colorful former Don Bosco Prep star who burst onto the scene last year after Jones and backup Tyrod Taylor were both injured — and bring some positive buzz.
The only problem here is that they have already played this card. It worked for a while and then it disappeared. They are in such a dire situation that they have no other cards to play. Sad.
DeVito played surprisingly well at times last season, posting a 3-3 record with eight touchdowns against three interceptions, but his performance wasn't without its flaws.
While DeVito had a knack for making plays, he also looked like a deer in headlights in most snaps. His sack rate of 17.2 percent was troubling. In comparison, former Jets forward Zach Wilson's sack rate was a much lower 12.1 percent and it seemed like he was getting trashed on every play.
But this is where the Giants are right now. Play the string and hope that a franchise quarterback somehow falls into their lap next March or April.
There are seven games left this season. The Giants are 0-5 at home and could challenge the franchise record for fewest home wins in a season (0-7, 1974), but that will be far worse.
In 1974, they were a mess, playing their home games in the Yale Bowl. This season they are once again a mess and manage to surpass that infamous record by losing three of their four remaining home games.
