Mark Cannizzaro

Mark Cannizzaro

NFL

Giants staying positive, despite 0-6 start

If you are a frustrated and bewildered Giants fan, you probably want the players to be bleeding right now, feeling your pain, living with your anger, paying for being 0-6.

These emotions are completely understandable, but also completely unproductive.

Players moping around and feeling sorry for themselves are not going to get the Giants their first win of the season when they play the Vikings Monday night at MetLife Stadium.

Dwelling on Eli Manning’s shocking 15 interceptions and the team’s non-existent running game will not help the Giants beat the Vikings, get to 1-6. Nor will the stunning inability of the Giants defense to pressure opposing quarterbacks (they have an NFL-low five sacks) or force turnovers (they have seven takeaways).

As Tony Robbins as this might sound, the only way out of the abyss for the Giants is to stay positive and united, not succumb to becoming depressed.

Even Giants head coach Tom Coughlin flashed a rare public side of his dry sense of humor on Monday when he was asked if he took some time away from the game over the weekend.

“I took a long walk on Saturday,’’ Coughlin said. “I thought the leaves were nice. Someone told me they change this time of year.’’

Coughlin hopes the Giants can change the course of their wayward season and, behind closed meeting-room doors, he has been harping on his players remaining positive because, as grim as it looks at 0-6, goals are still attainable — however unrealistic that might be.

“We go from a Thursday night game [the loss to the Bears] to a Monday night game in prime time with everyone watching,’’ tackle Will Beatty said. “You want a game to show who you are? You want to get a win? This is the time to get it. This is the week that you can change things.’’

Beatty said the team is, “doing a great job of not allowing the morale to sink.’’

Based on the upbeat, bustling vibe in the Giants locker room Monday, if you did not know the Giants record, you would not have guessed it was a place a winless team resides.

“Coming into work with our heads down is not going to help us,’’ Beatty said. “You look around and see the players in here now, and it’s not silent with guys moping around and dwelling on the past. We are all hurting and upset about what’s happened. Being 0-6 is not something anyone wants. We’re not used to being in this position, but no one is saying this is where we’re going to stay.

“We’re going to get out of this. We’re going to get a win and we’re going to keep moving forward. We have a game plan that has won Super Bowls. We’re not saying that game plan needs to be revamped.’’

Coughlin, the architect of that game plan that helped build two Super Bowl winning teams, liked what he saw as his players came back to work after a weekend off.

“They came back and they jumped right into the meeting room, jumped into the weight room [and] this has been a pretty good practice, so I think it was a nice break for them,’’ Coughlin said.

“It’s still very positive in here with guys [who] are still excited about the next opportunity, which is Minnesota,’’ guard Kevin Boothe said. “Is it frustrating? Is it disappointing? Sure, obviously, but we want to get it right.’’

Safety Antrel Rolle, the de facto locker-room spokesman, said, “We have 10 games left. It’s up to us to determine how this season’s going to turn out. Are we still playoff bound? Who knows? That’s not the most important thing right now. The most important thing right now is coming together as a team, going out there and playing together as a team and focusing on getting a win.’’

Receiver Hakeem Nicks added, “The future lies in our hands. We’ve got to change the situation.’’