Mike Shula looking forward to Giants’ “versatile” offense debuting on Sunday On Sunday : 0xbt
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Mike Shula looking forward to Giants’ “versatile” offense debuting on Sunday On Sunday

    liny
    By liny
    Authentic Saquon Barkley Jersey , the New York Giants open their 2018 regular-season slate at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars. There is much new about this iteration of the Giants, and much of that is on the offensive side of the ball. That includes their offensive coordinator, with Mike Shula taking over for Mike Sullivan in February following the hire of Pat Shurmur as the Giants’ new head coach. Shula spoke with the media on Thursday.On his offensive weaponryThe Giants aren’t lacking for offensive playmakers this year. The healthy return of Odell Beckham, Jr. means that quarterback Eli Manning again has an elite-level target to throw to, while the addition of running back Saquon Barkley in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft should make both the running and passing games better. Add in receivers Sterling Shepard and tight end Evan Engram and the offense presents myriad options to take advantage of opposing defenses.Shula’s goal is “to use the guys the best way we can,” adding that “the number-one thing is to have our guys playing fast, and knowing what to do and doing it fast because we feel like if they do that, it gives us our best chance.” It starts with Manning: “We want to have Eli make good decisions and take what they give you, you hear that all the time, find the one on ones and things like that.” Ultimately, Shula knows that the key to the Giants’ offensive success will hinge on finding the best ways to use their collection of talent. “We want to be versatile with our scheme, whether we’re running it, throwing it, quick game, drop back, play action, misdirection, but also versatile with where the ball’s going based on our personnel,” said Shula. And though Shula cited Beckham as having “really, really good hands and he’s a guy that has made big plays in big situations,” he was also quick to point out that Beckham is “a big piece to our puzzle, he’s not the only piece.”Why Kyle Lauletta got the nod over Davis WebbOne of the more surprising decisions the Giants made as part of the weekend’s roster cuts was the decision to release backup quarterback Davis Webb, whom the team selected in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Now, Manning’s backups will be Alex Tanney and Kyle Lauletta http://www.newyorkgiantsteamonline.com/saquon-barkley-jersey , the latter selected by the Giants in Round 4 of this year’s draft.Shula cited Lauletta’s ability to learn the position quickly as a major factor in his earning of a roster spot. “We think Kyle is a young guy that just has continued to get better with reps. He’s got very good football intelligence, I think he’s got some intangibles that you need at that position,” said Shula. “You can kind of sense that day in and day out, the learning process that [Lauletta’s] going through and how quickly he’s picking things up — not just by what you see on the field, but how he is in the meeting rooms with the other players, always kind of thinking about things other than maybe just the way it’s drawn up.”Giants’ Odell Beckham leads with his words, now needs to do it with his play It would have been easy on Friday afternoon to jump straight into an “Odell Beckham Jr. should just shut up and play better” rant or otherwise rip him for using an ESPN interview to vent his frustrations at his teammates over the New York Giants 1-3 start.I’ll admit. The first thing that came to mind was “here goes Beckham, making it about him again.”This, though, is one of the reasons why, after 11 years here at Big Blue View and 40 years of writing for a living, I try not to do “hot takes.” They can be great reads. They can get reactions, good or bad. They can also be wrong.Was Beckham venting frustration at the team’s 1-3 record and poor offensive start, was he throwing his quarterback and his other teammates under the bus when he questioned their energy and said the Giants”need to play with some heart?” Was he saying “look at me, I’m doing everything and these guys are dragging me down?” Was this Beckham speaking out of turn and causing an unnecessary headache for Pat Shurmur.Or, was Beckham — more mature in his fifth season from everything we have seen to this point and with the richest contract ever given to a wide receiver in his pocket — trying to step up, trying to get his teammates’ attention, trying to hold them accountable?Was this Beckham’s Antrel Rolle moment? You remember back in 2011 when Rolle called out his teammates, in particular defensive captain Justin Tuck, and the Giants went on a Super Bowl run. That’s the view expressed by Art Stapleton of northjersey.com. Was this Beckham, as Pat Traina wrote for Forbes, trying to be a leader?Beckham’s teammates didn’t have a problem with what he said. Shurmur didn’t seem to have a problem with it, basically telling reporters to go find Beckham and clarify what he meant.Having thought about it for a day, I don’t have a problem with it http://www.newyorkgiantsteamonline.com/patrick-omameh-jersey , either.Beckham is the Giants’ heartbeat. He is their energy source. Beckham is for the Giants what Reggie Jackson once called himself for the Yankees, “the straw that stirs the drink.”In retrospect, I think Beckham tried to deliver his message about losing not being acceptable on Thursday during his weekly locker room scrum with the media. During that chat he used the word “energy” 12 times. That barely registered on anyone’s radar. Perhaps, and we don’t know for sure because Beckham wasn’t in the locker room during Friday’s media session to clarify anything, he felt that when he spoke to ESPN’s Josina Anderson that he would have to go a step further to get the impact he was hoping for. Thus, the word “heart.” Or, maybe he didn’t mean to go there at all. Beckham is right that the Giants need to be better on offense. He’s right that they need to challenge defenses down the field more often. He’s right that you need to put in the work all week and not just on Sunday. He’s right that their season isn’t doomed because of their 1-3 start, although the heartbeat — sorry — is faint.Maybe Beckham’s words will spur his teammates. Also, though, Beckham needs to play better. Yes, Eli Manning has missed Beckham on a few throws — throws that he needs to make. The fact that Beckham hasn’t gotten into the end zone and is averaging a career-low 10.7 yards per catch is not, though, all Manning’s fault. Or, the offensive line’s fault. Or, Shurmur’s fault. Beckham has admitted to being hesitant at times to reach for the extra gear that made him special. He said Thursday that “I don’t feel like I can be covered,” but at times he has been covered — even 1-on-1. There are examples of both missed throws and times Beckham isn’t open in the video below.If Beckham is trying to lead, which I think he is, that’s good. He should. As I said, he’s the team’s heartbeat. He is the face of the franchise. The Giants, though, will look like they have a lot more energy and heart when they are playing better. When they stop making mistakes and going backwards more than 17 percent of the time as an offense.They need Beckham doing the things on the field that made him special to make that happen.