Going winless over the first quarter of the season is different than going winless over the first quarter of the season in New York when the team had Super Bowl aspirations.
Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul understands this, and went big picture on reporters Thursday when asked about what their high-priced defense needed to do in order to regain their confidence.
"Me personally, I don't think other teams when they play the New York Giants, I don't think they fear us," Pierre-Paul said, via comments distributed by the team. "What we put on film is what we put on film and the only way to change that is going out and winning the game. Obviously, (the Giants and Chargers) are both 0-4, but it is what it is. You just got to go out there and put what we need to put on film and starting this week."
Pierre-Paul's honesty is refreshing, if not depressing. From a schematic standpoint, the combination of Pierre-Paul, Olivier Vernon and Damon Harrison was wildly enticing. So too was the Giants' high-profile secondary led by budding star safety Landon Collins.
The offensive line and head coach Ben McAdoo's playcalling has taken a brunt of the criticism thus far, but no unit is truly performing up to its capabilities. If that were true, the Giants wouldn't be 0-4.
This weekend's game against the Chargers represents a chance to get back on the board. Like the Giants, the Chargers boast a loaded defense and brand-name coordinator who have also fallen far below expectations. Only one team in NFL history has made the playoffs from such a pit (the 1992 San Diego Chargers), but eliminating the winless streak can at least help get some of the confidence back. With confidence, Pierre-Paul knows, comes fear.