EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The New York Giants entered their Week 8 bye week having matched their win total from last year -- before the midway point of the season.
Something has changed, beginning with the coach. John Harbaugh and his staff have pushed all the right buttons early this season while developing a culture and setting expectations. It has the Giants (4-2-1) in first place in the NFC East.
Accountability is vital in Harbaugh's program. This is crucial because it was considered a shortcoming of former coach Brian Daboll and how he led the team. These new Giants are at a point where it's acceptable and common during team meetings for Harbaugh or his assistants to call out individuals for mistakes during practice or games.
Uncomfortable, sure, but they don't let it fester. Instead, they make it imperative it gets fixed. Communication is key.
This was evident just last week when defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson was unhappy with his unit's effort in running to chase down plays in a 34-27 loss to the New Orleans Saints. The film showed players slacking and not putting in maximum effort to the whistle. Rather than addressing it individually or during the defensive meeting, it was addressed in front of the entire room.
"You confront it. Just like we do, we confront everything," Wilson said. "When you're in the meeting room, you show those plays. I look at guys that don't run to the ball, and I call them traitors because they're traitors to the defense. At the end of the day, when you have a traitor to the defense, you either have to make adjustments to get them off the field, you have to get somebody else on the field, or they have to correct their behaviors."
Harbaugh and his coaching staff haven't been shy about making lineup changes, if necessary. Already this season quarterback Jameis Winston, running back Cam Skattebo, center John Michael Schmitz Jr., defensive linemen Darius Alexander and CJ Okoye, cornerback Paulson Adebo and safety Tyler Nubin have been removed from the lineup at times. Harbaugh doesn't like the word "benched," but in most cases that is effectively what it has been. Salary or veteran standing doesn't stand in the way either. Not in Harbaugh's program.
The only thing that seems to matter is what gives Harbaugh's team the best chance to win. That's how he explained the switch from Winston to J.J. McCarthy last week at quarterback. The move gave the Giants the best chance to beat the Houston Texans that week.
As a matter of fact, Harbaugh was so nonchalant about the move that he didn't make any grand announcement to his team. Many of the players found out about the quarterback change when they started going over the game plan.
Mistakes on the field are a different animal. They are unacceptable and handled bluntly at team meetings.
"We have a bunch of good guys," Harbaugh said. "Our guys understand that we have to confront everything that has to do with our football, and if we do that, that comes from a place of love because we care enough, we all care enough, and we need to hear it too, as coaches, and we did from our players. There are plenty of things that our players talk to us about that they want to see done better from a coaching perspective, and if we have that kind of relationship, that kind of partnership, coaches and players, to me, you just have a chance to be successful because you build trust that way.
"I just am appreciative of the fact that everybody in the building made it about what's important, which is the football. That's what we have to continue to do, and we will continue to do that. We've all seen it be successful."
Not every coach handles it the same way but it's easier to accept given Harbaugh's results in Baltimore and now early in New York. Daboll once held a team meeting after a blowout loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where he only showed the positive plays.
Different strokes for different folks.
"I would say some of [my coaches] have handled it like Harbaugh, some of them haven't. It really just depends on your coaching style and how you want to handle it," veteran offensive lineman Aaron Stinnie said. "But I think guys are taking really good to it and like it. I think it helps. It helps keep everyone accountable and stay on the same page.
"There's definitely a way to do it and he does a good job of having it in a constructive manner. Just being upfront and honest. Everything is transparency."
This is what the Giants were buying when hiring Harbaugh. They got a coach with a track record of success who knows what it takes to win football games. It's no accident they are 3-1-1 in games decided by one score or less one year after finishing 1-7 in those such games last season.
Harbaugh has found ways to get the most out of his players, whether it be calling out guys for lack of effort at team meetings or demoting someone like Skattebo for fumbling. Skattebo rebounded by setting a career high with 124 rushing yards in a 27-21 win against the Houston Texans on Sunday.
"I don't know if it's philosophy so much," Harbaugh said of his tactics. "It's just a week-to-week feel thing with your guys."
Harbaugh can downplay it all he wants. This is what players such as tight end Isaiah Likely, who came over with him from Baltimore, said back in the spring that he does best. The new Giants coach is a wizard with his messaging and so far he's getting the most out of his players, teams and coaches.
It has resulted in the Giants winning despite losing their quarterback, Jaxson Dart, and best defensive player, Brian Burns, due to injury. It has cornerback Deonte Banks playing the best football of his career after two disastrous seasons. It has offensive coordinator Matt Nagy scheming players open with regularity despite being on his third starting quarterback in seven games and Wilson transforming in and out of being a blitz-happy team depending on the week and opponent.
Key to this success is the way they are handling business.
"If you're not doing something to help the team and you're hurting the team, if your effort is bad, if you have a lack of toughness, it gets pointed out. And it gets pointed out in front of everybody, not only in a defensive meeting. It gets pointed out in the full team meeting," Wilson said. "When you have behaviors that's unacceptable, we're not going to accept it. And if you don't change the behaviors, we have to change the players."
The message is being received.