Steve Serby

Steve Serby

NFL

Gilbride: Giants are in ‘collective malaise,’ but can fight way out

Eli Manning and Kevin Gilbride were joined at the hip for seven seasons as Giants franchise quarterback and offensive coordinator, for two Super Bowl championships, for record-breaking seasons. Then their Big Blue world together turned upside down. Gilbride retired, and Manning has been force-fed a West Coast offense that looks every bit as broken as the one that made John Mara desperately seek a fix.

Gilbride concedes that this is a giant gamble, but he has too much affection and respect for Manning to believe he won’t find the light at the end of this dark, foggy tunnel with a completion percentage that could reach the mid-60s.

“Any time you change something, you’re always rolling the dice,” Gilbride told The Post. “I think what they’ve tried to do is make it as seamless as possible by giving them more parts than we had last year with the running game, with an improved offensive line, with another big-time receiver [injury-plagued first-round pick Odell Beckham Jr.].

“Any time you take a guy that’s broken every record there is and try something different, you’re taking a chance, but it won’t be him. He’ll work as hard as he needs to to become proficient in that offense. The whole group has to do that. I would think there’s enough ability to be able to accomplish that.”

Gilbride was asked what message he would give apoplectic Giants fans.

“I would say try to be patient, which I know is difficult to do, for anybody, especially people who are bleeding blue,” he said. “But there’s enough talent there now — that wasn’t necessarily always that case, but there is now — that they should be able to get this thing turned around. If they can just regain some confidence, and go out and perform as they’re physically able to do, they’ll be better than they’re showing now, and I think they’ll be good enough to be right in the hunt.”

Gilbride, hired as a television analyst for NBC’s “Pro Football Talk,” recognizes why new coordinator Ben McAdoo’s offense remains a work in progress.

Running back Rashad Jennings is one of the weapons the Giants added in the offseason.Paul J. Bereswill

“It just looks like they threw the whole offense at him, there’s a whole-part methodology of teaching, and that’s the one that looks like they have embraced,” Gilbride said. “So as a result, when you throw all that at ’em, you can just tell that their heads are swimming, there’s nothing natural, they look very disjointed at this point. … There’s just a collective malaise right now because of confusion, but I think once that evaporates, they’ll play a lot better.

“I mean, they’ve added a lot of bodies that should help ’em. Most notably, jumping out at me is we had no running game at all last year, they got two legitimate runners now [Rashad Jennings and rookie Andre Williams]. We didn’t have backs that could run and block last year. All those things should help, but they’re gonna have to throw the ball, and I just think that’ll get better and better as the cobwebs clear.”

While Gilbride notes the Giants are “losing the dynamism of that vertical stretch stuff,” he also believes Manning’s efficiency should rise because there will be less synchronization required between Manning and his receivers.

“Eli will see the coverages easily, once he trusts that they’re all doing the right thing, he’ll throw the ball with precision and accuracy,” Gilbride said. “It’s actually gonna make his job easier from that standpoint, from that perspective.”

McAdoo’s stated goal was 70 percent completion accuracy.

“I think it should be up in the 60s,” Gilbride said. “I think if he can get to the mid-60s, that’d be phenomenal. I heard some media people were talking, quoting, I guess, one of the coaches, as saying 70 percent — that may be pie-in-the sky, hopeful thinking. But there’s no reason for him not to be above 60 percent, and hopefully he’ll be in that mid-60 range.”

A back such as Jennings should be a receiving weapon.

“Just like we used to throw a lot to Tiki, when we had a guy that could catch the ball,” Gilbride said. “They finally have a guy that can catch the ball and do some things. That’s certainly a viable alternative in your progression.”

Tom Coughlin is still waiting on a tight end, however.

“We always felt that Larry Donnell had unique athletic ability for a man his size,” Gilbride said. “Now he’s not an experienced tight end, so every step’s a baby step forward. Adrien Robinson’s a big, strong kid. If he ever got to the point where he comprehended what was going on around him, he would be able to contribute because of his size and he could catch the ball. Once he gets going, he runs pretty well. … If they want to run the ball, it’s always nice to have a guy that’s big enough and strong enough, and the two young kids are definitely big enough and strong enough.”

Time is running out, but Gilbride saw improved command from Manning in Indianapolis, his 1-for-7 stat line notwithstanding.

“Last year was an abysmal year, so everybody wanted to make a change,” Gilbride said, “but I think it should be good, because they’ve added good players.”

Asked his gut feeling as to Manning’s and the Giants offense’s readiness for Opening Night in Detroit, Gilbride said: “I wouldn’t even answer that because my heart’s with him too much, so I couldn’t even be objective. I expect him to do well.”