New York Giants’ True Character Will Come Out vs. Dallas Cowboys

By Michael Woolfson on October 16, 2014

The New York Giants have had a rough week to say the least. Not only did they get blown out on Sunday night and fall two games back in the NFC East, but they took a huge emotional hit when they lost Victor Cruz to a season-ending knee injury.

Odell Beckham Jr. has since admitted that he felt like he saw a ghost on the sidelines after Cruz’s injury and that the team couldn’t pull itself together. This is definitely understandable considering how much of a leader and role model Cruz was to the rest of the team. Beckham often calls Cruz his big brother and has said that he made his transition to the NFL much easier. The Giants weren’t playing well before Cruz’s injury, but you could tell that after the injury they didn’t have a chance.

This week the Giants travel to Texas to take on the red-hot Dallas Cowboys who are on a five-game winning streak. This game will tell a lot about the Giants’ character and whether they are going to feel bad for themselves. If the Giants want any chance to be a playoff contender they must win this game, and if they don’t want to go into a complete free-fall they need to show that they will move on and play with pride. The Giants will be without key players including Cruz, Trumaine McBride, Rashad Jennings and possibly Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, but that is no excuse because there is still enough talent on the roster.

After all of these injuries it can be argued that the Giants aren’t a very good team, but one thing that cannot be argued is their leadership. It starts with head coach Tom Coughlin and filters down to Eli Manning, Antrel Rolle and Jon Beason. The leaders are the same from the 2013 team that finished 7-9. That is significant, because last year’s team was deficient in talent and could have realistically finished 4-12. Coughlin is such a good coach that he always gets the absolute most out of his team. The good news for Giants fans is that this year’s team has a lot more talent then last year’s team, even with the injuries.

Although they lost one of their leaders and best players, the Giants are probably itching to get back on the field and prove that last week’s blowout was a fluke. The Cowboys have shown they are a very good team, so the Giants certainly cannot afford to feel sorry for themselves for one second come Sunday. This week’s game is a true test of character for the Giants, and thanks to Coughlin and Manning, I would bet that New York will have a much better showing and make this game a lot closer than people think. Either way, this week will tell us a lot about the Giants’ true character.