Former Giants head coach Ben McAdoo returns to MetLife Stadium Sunday because the Carolina Panthers’ offensive coordinator.
McAdoo got here again final December as a Dallas Cowboys guide for a 21-6 win over his former group. Now he’ll attempt to beat them together with his play calls into Baker Mayfield’s ear.
“Love New York,” McAdoo informed reporters in Charlotte on Thursday. “Got a lot of great memories there. A lot of great people in that organization. Love the city. Love North Jersey.”
McAdoo is the one head coach to take a Giants group to the playoffs within the final decade. He did it as a rookie in 2016 with a terrific protection and an opportunistic offense led by Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr.
Unfortunately, McAdoo and GM Jerry Reese had been scapegoated and fired in the course of the 2017 season after some gamers give up on the sector and possession signed off on Manning’s benching. McAdoo began Geno Smith in that fateful late-season loss at Oakland as an alternative.
What did McAdoo study from his time in New York?
“Probably having an experience is a lot greater than having an opinion,” he mentioned. “You really get a chance to find out what’s important to you. I guess that’s something you could write about, you know?”
Manning remained the Giants’ starter for a 5-11 season in 2018 beneath new coach Pat Shurmur earlier than being benched in Week 3 of 2019 and retiring after that yr.
Smith beat Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos face to face final Monday because the Seattle Seahawks’ beginning quarterback.
McAdoo’s profession was derailed. He returned to the NFL because the Jacksonville Jaguars’ quarterbacks coach in 2020, then labored for the Cowboys final yr to climb again to an OC spot on Matt Rhule’s Panthers workers.
“You get an opportunity like I had in New York, it’s a great opportunity,” he mentioned. “I had a chance to learn from a lot of great people. You go in and you apply things you think you really believe in. Then you figure out what you really believe in, when it’s a baptism by fire situation, your first chance to be a head coach in this league.”
“There’s nothing that really prepares you for it,” McAdoo added. “And usually you fall back on things you grow up with, and how you were raised, and a lot of it maybe from your high school coach.”
Giants receiver Sterling Shepard – one in every of solely two gamers who had been right here in 2016, together with quarterback Davis Webb – oddly mentioned when requested about McAdoo: “I’m trying not to think about any of that stuff anymore.”
McAdoo will attempt to give the Giants a lot to consider Sunday. But there are tons of different intriguing ties between the Panthers and Giants, two franchises who’ve been at comparable phases of tear down, rebuild and irrelevance the previous few years.
TOP THREE IN 2018
Mayfield, the Panthers’ beginning QB, was drafted No. 1 total by the Cleveland Browns in 2018. Barkley went No. 2 to the Giants. Sam Darnold, an injured Carolina backup QB, went No. 3 to the Jets. That draft modified a variety of franchises’ fortunes for higher and worse. Mayfield and Darnold now are on completely different groups. Barkley is in his fifth, contract yr. “Yeah, they’re not on their original teams,” Barkley mentioned this week. “That’s the nature of this league, but the guys who are able to get a second chance, you’ve got to find a light out of everywhere. Some people aren’t in the NFL right now … You’ve got to put that in perspective.”
QB DRAMA
Mayfield famously mocked the Giants’ No. 6 total number of Jones within the 2019 NFL Draft. “I cannot believe the Giants took Daniel Jones. Blows my mind,” Mayfield informed GQ in the summertime of 2019. “Some people overthink [QB evaluation] … They forget you’ve gotta win… Either you have a history of winning and being that guy for your team, or you don’t.” Mayfield insisted in Aug. 2021 that there was no lingering awkwardness. “We’re great,” Mayfield mentioned of his relationship with Jones. “He came down to Austin when Colt [McCoy] was with the Giants. We all hung out. No, we’re good. Talked through that.” Mayfield beat McCoy and the Giants 20-6 with the Browns in 2020 at MetLife Stadium. Jones was harm and didn’t play.
CAROLINA TIES
Gettleman, the previous Panthers and Giants GM, drafted McCaffrey No. 8 total for Carolina in 2017 and Barkley No. 2 total for New York in 2018. Both franchises skilled downturns or continued irrelevance off of quite a few poor personnel choices. But McCaffrey and Barkley additionally stay two of probably the most gifted gamers who will take the sector on Sunday.
McCaffrey solely had 14 touches for 57 yards and a TD in Week 1 for Carolina, in comparison with McAdoo mentioned the Panthers know he’s “unique” and “special player. “We do have to get the ball in his hands,” he mentioned. Barkley had 24 touches for 194 yards, a TD and a two-point conversion.
IKEM EKWONU AND EVAN NEAL
The Giants drafted go rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux No. 5 total in April. It’s believed GM Joe Schoen would have been comfy taking both deal with Ikem Ekwonu or Evan Neal at No. 7. The Panthers drafted Ekwonu, now their beginning left deal with, at No. 6. The Giants then drafted Neal, their beginning proper deal with. Brian Daboll mentioned of Ekwonu:
“Had a really good experience with him in the draft process both as a person and a player. I think he’s gonna be a good player for a long time.” O-line coach Bobby Johnson mentioned of Neal’s debut: “Evan did a good job. Everybody wants him to be perfect. No lineman will ever play a perfect game, especially a rookie. But I think he did a good job. I was really impressed with how he kept his composure and stayed in the moment.”
ALMOST HEAD COACH
Carolina placed on a full-court press for head coach Matt Rhule in Jan. 2020. Rhule’s interview with the Giants by no means occurred. They employed Joe Judge. After yr one, Carolina employed a brand new GM Scott Fitterer to create alignment. Rhule is in yr three. The Giants retained Gettleman in an organized marriage with Judge.
They fired each after Judge’s second yr and employed Schoen and Daboll this previous winter … In the 2019 draft, the Panthers took go rusher Brian Burns (No. 16) one decide earlier than the Giants chosen DT Dexter Lawrence.
In the 2020 NFL Draft, the Giants took left deal with Andrew Thomas No. 4 total, three picks forward of Panthers DT Derrick Brown and 5 forward of Carolina nook C.J. Henderson (picked at No. 9 by Jacksonville). The Giants additionally grabbed security Xavier McKinney (36) two picks earlier than Carolina go rusher Yetur Gross-Matos (38) … Former Giant security Sean Chandler is on Carolina’s lively roster, and former Giant Madre Harper is on their apply squad.
GIANTS GAME STATUSES VS. PANTHERS
OUT: WR Wan’Dale Robinson (knee), CB Aaron Robinson (appendicitis), CB Nick McCloud (hamstring), S Jason Pinnock (shoulder) … Doubtful: OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (knee), OLB Azeez Ojulari (calf) … Questionable: WR Kadarius Toney (Hamstring)
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Source: www.bostonherald.com