In the aftermath of the Giants' Thanksgiving night disaster in Denver there were the usual array of empty answers and familiar deer-in-the-headlights looks. The players, as they have for the last two months, sounded dazed and confused.
So maybe the answer offered by defensive end Osi Umenyiora after the Giants' 26-6 loss to the Broncos was the most honest assessment of what's happened to Big Blue since their troubles began in mid-October.
"Well, to be honest with you," Umenyiora said, "I don't even know what is going on."
Judging by the Giants' performance on the field, no one does.
So how did they get here, to the brink of their season, just 49 days after a 5-0 start left them looking like one of the NFL's powerhouse teams? How have they gone from NFC favorites to a game against the Dallas Cowboys next Sunday that, if they lose, they'll have little hope of winning the NFC East?
The answers are hard to pinpoint because too many things have unraveled, from the Giants' once-powerful rushing attack to their once-sack-happy defense. They've stopped playing physical defense. Their offense has become run-and-shoot seemingly overnight. The play-calling has been suspect. The special teams, at times have been bad.
In a season where the lack of a No. 1 receiver was supposed to be their only weakness, that position has become one of their few strengths. And with just five games left, it might already be too late to fix all the things that have gone wrong.
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