Jason Pierre-Paul and Johnathan Hankins would like to get back to dancing.
Credit: Getty Images
The Giants are going streaking heading into their Week 8 bye — but in the wrong direction.
Following Sunday’s 31-21 loss to the Cowboys (6-1), New York has lost two straight contests after winning their three previous games. Physically and mentally, it seems like the bye is coming at just the right time.
“We’ve got to regroup and figure out what went wrong,” said defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul. “When we come back, we want to be a great team.”
Despite being blistered by Cowboys wideout Dez Bryant to the tune of nine catches for 151 yards, cornerback Prince Amukamara noted the mindset of Big Blue and its fan base shouldn’t be too far in the dumps, as they’re still well within striking distance of the division’s elite.
“I think the original reaction is to panic, but we shouldn’t,” said Amukamara said. “I think this team is sticking together. We have nine games left and nobody wins this division in October.”
During this week hiatus, Giants head coach Tom Coughlin is hoping his team can regroup and find a way to get back to its winning ways.
He thought the Cowboys game would’ve been the elixir following the Eagles debacle, so maybe the beating in Dallas will finally give them a jolt.
“I asked them after the Philadelphia game, ‘How much motivation do you need after a game like we played there?’” said Coughlin. “I thought we’d come out ready [against Dallas]. I thought we were determined to make up for that, but we didn’t. It was too little and just not enough. … We need to find a way to shore up some things [and] find a way to be able to hang on to the football. I am concerned with playing better football.”
The Giants now have a full week to lick their wounds and find a way to play better football. But if they don’t, the stench of losing will emanate at the end of this season as opposed to the losing streak that doomed them at the start of last year’s marred campaign.
Coughlin probably didn’t want to sound too gloomy about the Giants’ second-half prospects. He quickly added the season is far from lost.
“There’s still a lot of season to go,” Coughlin said. “We have nine games remaining and we can turn this around. But we have to focus and concentrate and find out where the problems are.”
Big Blue notes …
»Linebacker Jon Beason left Sunday’s game to get an X-ray on his toe, and never returned. The result was negative.
»Defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins has a calf strain. He was seen wearing a boot on his right foot and on crutches. The veteran said he thinks he’ll be out “a couple of weeks.”
»Running back Rashad Jennings (knee) still hopes to play in the Giants’ first game after the bye, but added he’s “day to day.”
Follow Giants beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8.
