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With Odell Beckham Jr., Saquon Barkley and Evan Engram respectively at the Receiver General, the running back and the tight finals, the New York Giants have one of the most talented offensive skill groups in the NFL.
But that does not matter, as the Giants proved again Sunday night that they could not effectively complete the passes and / or block them for these outstanding players with some consistency.
For the second week in a row, the Giants were only able to find the goal zone after a double-digit margin in the fourth quarter. They scored just 28 points in two games, and 10 of them came in what was essentially a tough time in a sluggish 20-13 defeat on Sunday night against the Dallas Cowboys.
Michael David Smith @MichaelDavSmith
Look, the giants: you can spend all the high prices on the returns you want. You can spend all the money on large receivers that you want. Until you find a replacement for Eli Manning, your attack will fall.
Do not be fooled by the quarterback Eli Manningthe last impressive numbers. Manning completed 33 of his 44 assists against Dallas, but a lot of things happened when the game started and even more during the tight defeats against Barkley, who caught 14 passes for 80 yards.
Manning has only completed two of his eight attempts beyond 15 meters. Despite a 69.1% completion rate on the season, it's only an average of 6.2 yards per attempt. And against the Cowboys, 39% of his 279 passing yards came with the Giants as a result of several points in the final six minutes of regulation.
Of course, the Giants' offensive struggles are not all about Manning. He was under almost constant pressure against the Jaguars and was sacked six times Sunday night in Dallas.
There was a lot of hope for their new line after they made sure that the free tackle Nate Solder, the highest-paying offensive lineman in the history of the NFL, used Will Hernandez. This allowed them to make a choice among the top 10 of the year 2015, Ereck Flowers, on the right side, where he would have the opportunity to get rid of the bust label in one place less difficult.
Nope. In Dallas, right guard Patrick Omameh looked like turnstiles for the second day in a row, Solder and Hernandez were both responsible for sacks on the left side, and center John Greco could not offer much help in Jon's place Halapio, hurt.
There was a steady stream of blast and miss protections as the Giants were systematically overestimated and overflowed into the trenches, leaving Manning with limited opportunities to attack. Not ideal when you experience an early deficit on the road.
"If it was a fight," said NBC's Cris Collinsworth during the second half, "they would stop it".
Ed Werder @EdwerderRFA
With OBJ, Barkley and Engram, the giants recall that the positions of skills can not dominate if the offensive line is a constant defect.
The giants are 0-2. All they had to do was score 21 points in each of their first two games and they would be 2-0. Both Jaguars and Cowboys have given them plenty of opportunities, but passing protection has simply not been enough to allow Manning to get the best of Beckham, Barkley and Engram, and it's clear at this point that the 37-year-old can not do it himself.
There is something to be said for cohesion in this sport, especially with the offensive lines. Solder, Hernandez and Omameh are all new, while Flowers and Halapio are taking up new positions. Now, Halapio is out and these early struggles could lead to more changes.
Remember that Beckham missed most of the 2017 season and Barkley is a rookie. New coaching staff, new offense, new players.
In other words, things could resume for this offense if / when everyone becomes more comfortable.
But there is not much time for that. They are alone in the last place in the NFC East, and their conference is stacked compared to his younger brother. They travel to Houston to face a desperate and talented Texan team in the third week, followed by meetings with the New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons, all of whom played in the playoffs in 2017.
The Giants could have gone in several directions this season, but new General Manager Dave Gettleman has decided to try to win now.
That's why they did not cut baits on one of the most expensive defenses of the league. That's why they chose to keep their quintessential Super Bowl MVP and use that second pick on Barkley, rather than a long-term project. And that's why they made Solder and Beckham the highest paid players in the history of football in their respective positions.
They want – need! – Barkley to do what Ezekiel Elliott did as a rookie in 2016, or what Kareem Hunt and Alvin Kamara did as rookies in 2017, but these youngsters benefited from offensive lines and stronger quarters.
Barkley alone can not give a steady balance to the Giants' attack, which has an impact on Beckham's or Engram's ability to play.
It's vicious, but it's this game. Having talent is one thing; to use it is another.
As long as their stars stay healthy, the Giants will eventually win games. But if this new staff can not do better, and if Manning and his linemen can not get away with it, it will not matter if they are talented elsewhere.
Brad Gagnon has covered the NFL report for Bleacher since 2012.
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