Giants starter goes to war with fans amid humiliating struggles

The seventh overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft already labeled a bust by many insisted Wednesday he's improving regardless of what critics who "really don’t understand the game of football to the level that we understand it in this building" think of his play. Neal wasn't finished with a rant that likely will win him few friends among the New York faithful. 

"A lot of fans are bandwagoners," Neal said. "I mean, I get it: They want to see us perform well. And I respect all of that. But no one wants us to perform well more than we do. And how can you say you’re really a fan when we’re out there battling our a---- off — and the game wasn’t going well — but the best you can do is boo your home team? So how much of a fan are you, really?" 

Neal won't have to tolerate home fans for at least a couple of weeks. The 1-3 Giants play at the 3-1 Miami Dolphins this coming Sunday and are then away at the Buffalo Bills on Oct. 15. The 3-1 Bills face the 2-2 Jacksonville Jaguars in London this Sunday. 

Neal and the New York offensive line surrendered 11 total sacks against Seattle. Matt Ehalt of the New York Post pointed out that former quarterback and current ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky thinks Giants signal-caller Daniel Jones was to blame for some of those takedowns. Neal suggested Wednesday that fans don't realize he's better today than he was as a rookie. 

"Go watch the film, man," Neal said. "At the end of the day, I know I’m making improvements. It doesn’t matter what the outside may say or anything. You ask the guys around me and the coaching staff. I know I’m improving. And I’m going to continue to improve throughout the duration of the season." 

History suggests going to war with New York fans will end poorly for any professional athlete, let alone one who is part of a disappointing team. Perhaps the most noteworthy thing about Neal's comments is they may show head coach Brian Daboll is losing control of his locker room after he earned Coach of the Year honors for his first campaign in charge of Big Blue.