5 Questions: Aidan Hutchinson Could Cause Giants Trouble

Patricia Traina of Giants Country answers five questions regarding the Detroit Lions' Week 11 contest with the New York Giants.

Patricia Traina covers the New York Giants for Giants Country. She answered five questions heading into the Lions-Giants matchup at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. 

1.) What has coach Brian Daboll been able to do to unlock the success of the New York Giants?

Patricia Traina: Brian Daboll is a rare bird. He comes from the Belichick-Saban coaching trees, yet he’s enough of his own man who has experienced the highs and lows of coaching. The first and most important thing he’s done is come in here willing to trust everyone in the program -- both players and coaches. He doesn’t micromanage the coaching staff, nor does he necessarily henpeck the players. He lays out his expectations in crystal-clear terms. If someone isn’t living up to expectations, he attempts to get to the bottom of things through open communication, rather than silent retaliation.

He also lets his coaching staff do their job and doesn’t interfere. Does he contribute ideas? Yes. But, he won’t micromanage his assistants, and that’s a big difference from past staffs. Getting back to the players, he’s not married to a specific system; rather, he looks to figure out how to best deploy a player’s skillset into the gameplan to win that given week’s matchup. Again, past staffs seemed too married to their systems because that’s all they knew. And, by removing himself from a play-caller role, Daboll has been able to see the big picture.

His players and staff love him. The rest of the building loves the guy, and with good reason. He’s the type of guy you’d probably enjoy sitting at a bar with having a beer because he shows a human side. When I had COVID over the summer, he found out about it. He took a few minutes to call me to see how I was and to wish me a speedy recovery, which no other head coach in my 30-plus years on this beat has ever done.

Coaching is a result-based business, yes. But, without people, there are no results. Daboll gets it, and so far, he’s been able to get the most out of this roster.

2.) What are the strengths and weaknesses of the team?

Traina: On offense, the strength is the running game, hands down. One of the biggest gambles was that Saquon Barkley, who dealt with injuries the last two years, would return to his rookie form. And, he’s done that and then some. Barkley was the NFL rushing leader (931 yards) before Derrick Henry retook the lead on Thursday. The 25-year-old back is currently on pace for approximately 1,758 rushing yards this season (if he stays healthy). He’s also the team’s receiving leader (29 catches, 197 yards), making him the clear choice for MVP.

I’ll give you two strengths on defense: Third-down and red zone. The Giants are ranked second in both categories, and it’s a big reason why their games have been close and why the offense, which isn’t quite the juggernaut they’d like it to be, can skate by averaging 20.8 points per game.

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3.) How challenging has it been for the Giants to deal with the play of wideout Kenny Golladay?

Traina: I’d say “frustrating” is probably a better word here. Golladay has dealt with injuries, but when he’s been out there, at times, he's looked disinterested, which is worrisome. I’ve also noticed that when asked about the coaches, he avoids the topic and instead talks about his teammates.

Last week, he told reporters, “I’m not trying to prove nothing to no coaches. I’m out here playing for my guys, these people in the locker room. Of course, I got to show on the practice field to the coaches, but at the exact same time, I’m playing for the guys in this locker room, period.”

Those words suggest that maybe he’s not seeing eye-to-eye with the coaching staff, and that’s a very slippery slope to skate on. The coaches are as much a part of the team as the players and vice versa, and I must confess that I don’t understand Golladay’s logic on this one. He's hurting himself with that attitude, as the coaches decide if he plays, not his teammates. For Golladay to sit there and openly exclude them suggests that there’s trouble in paradise and that the looming divorce between the Giants and the receiver could get ugly.

4.) Which key matchups are you looking forward to seeing when the Lions play the Giants at MetLife?

Traina: I’m looking forward to seeing Aidan Hutchinson against the Giants' offensive line. I know he mostly lines up against the left tackle -- in this case, it would be Andrew Thomas, who is having a Pro Bowl-caliber season. I also know that Hutchinson has been moved around to find the most advantageous matchups, and I wouldn’t be shocked if that were the case Sunday. The interior of the Giants' offensive line still worries me, and I have concerns that the Lions will somehow scheme a way for Hutchinson to attack that part of the line.

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5.) How do you see the game playing out, and who ends up winning the Week 11 contest?

Traina: I’ve been calling this a trap game all week, mainly because after this, the Giants get a Thanksgiving Day rematch with the Cowboys in the first of five NFC East games. I know the coaches have heavily stressed staying in the moment, but I get a sense there is growing excitement about settling the score with the Cowboys, which beat the Giants back in Week 3. That said, I think this will be a close one and a classic backyard brawl. But, once the smoke clears, the Giants will come out on top.