LAS VEGAS -- In safety Xavier McKinney's estimation, something is not right with the New York Giants. The leaders on the team are not being heard, and it contributed to the 30-6 drubbing they took Sunday at the hands of the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium.
The Giants (2-7) allowed the Raiders, with a new coach and offensive coordinator six days on the job, to score on four of their six possessions in the first half. New York's offense again looked sloppy, and Las Vegas led 27-0 at halftime in a game in which the Giants lost starting quarterback Daniel Jones likely for the season.
"Honestly, it sucks. But, I don't know, man. I don't really have many words. I think that from a leadership standpoint, I don't think they've done a great job of letting the leaders lead, and listening to the leaders and the captains," said McKinney, one of the team's 10 captains elected prior to the start of the season. "But obviously it sucks losing."
McKinney seemed to be talking about the coaching staff and/or team's brass. That is under coach Brian Daboll's purview.
Clearly the frustration is boiling over. The Giants' locker room was as distraught as it has been this season after the loss to the Raiders. And that is significant, since there has been a lot of losing and some devastating defeats.
So what exactly was McKinney referring to when he mentioned the leaders' and captains' words falling on deaf ears?
"It's just been tough," he said. "I don't want to speak on it too much, but that has been my frustration. It's tough losing your quarterback. We tried to fight through it but we couldn't."
The Giants' defense led by coordinator Wink Martindale had allowed just 33 points in the previous three games combined. In this one, the Raiders rushed for 105 yards and three touchdowns in the first half alone.
Rookie quarterback Aidan O'Connell went 16-of-25 passing for 205 yards with no turnovers.
"It was little things," McKinney said. "It was one of those things where you have some of your leaders, captains from a defensive standpoint, trying to switch things up. And just not really being heard.
"I don't know. There are other things too that we could've done. Like I said, the execution stuff could've been better. But when you got guys out there that are playing and seeing different things and are being vocal and communicating that with the coaches and whoever and are not being heard, it's hard to go out there and be able to make plays and do things of that nature."
There is something beneath the surface that Daboll will need to monitor, at the very least. This Giants season has already gone south, and it could get only more difficult without their quarterback.
New York traded one of its captains, defensive lineman Leonard Williams, prior to last week's deadline. That wasn't met with a ton of enthusiasm in the locker room.
"I didn't see why. I still don't understand why," defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence II said this week. "It is what it is."
Two other captains, kicker Graham Gano and tight end Darren Waller, are currently on injured reserve, and Jones seems destined for a similar fate.
McKinney insisted the players are still united.
"At the end of the day, the guys that are actually between those lines, we're still the ones that have to go out there and compete and play hard," McKinney said. "We have to stick together. There is not going to be any breakage to the guys in this locker room. We're not going to fold. We're going to keep playing and be vocal about the things that we see and hopefully we can make changes."
The goal at this point for Daboll might be to make sure the cracks don't start to show any more than they already have. Otherwise, this boat might sink to depths once considered impossible coming off a playoff season last year.
The Giants have a difficult game next week on the road against the Dallas Cowboys.
"We can all do a better job," Daboll said after Sunday's loss. "That is what we'll do."