In a conference call with reporters this past Tuesday to promote ESPN’s Monday Night Football opener, Jon Gruden talked at length about the Giants woes on offense, and in his mind, it’s about the personnel rather than the system.
“I’m more concerned with the personnel right now and the question marks that they have on the offensive side of the ball than I am with the system,’’ Gruden said, according to the New York Post.
Gruden noted that he had been “studying the Giants carefully for the last couple weeks” and said his view on their offense is that “it’s been up and down throughout the preseason.” He also noted the challenge Eli Manning faces as he adjusts to an offense with brand new personnel at many of the positions.
“Eli Manning has changed his fundamentals — he even stands differently in the shotgun,’’ Gruden said. “There are a lot of different receivers, there are new linemen, there are new running backs. So not only is he learning a new system and learning new coaches, he’s had to react to a lot of new players everywhere. It’s going to be, I think, a process throughout the season.”
In the preseason, Eli Manning has managed to complete just three touchdown drives out of 17 series with the starters and completed less than half his overall pass attempts.
“Eli Manning has to stay committed to it. He has to continue to keep an open mind, and hopefully they get Odell Beckham back, because they don’t appear to have the firepower at wide receiver or tight end that Giant teams have had in the past, and the offensive line is still a big question mark from the personnel standpoint regardless of the system.’’
The New York Giants play at Detroit in their regular season opener, on Monday night.
