Giants have serious offensive woes
The New York Giants made the playoffs last year, largely on the back of a defense that became one of the league’s best down the stretch. New York went 11-5 and was the top NFC wild card before bowing out in the opening round against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.
During the offseason, the idea was that general manager Jerry Reese would start in earnest on fixing the offensive problems that plagued the team under first-year head coach Ben McAdoo. Instead, Reese barely did anything to the line, the position group that needed the most help, while adding receiver Brandon Marshall and tight end Evan Engram.
Engram was a surprising first-round pick, because while the Ole Miss product does represent a likely upgrade at his position, he’s more pass-catcher than blocker for a team that desperately needs help in the trenches. An argument could be made that Reese should have gone with a lineman in that spot, perhaps Forrest Lamp out of Western Kentucky.
On Monday night, New York played its second preseason game of the summer, and it was just as ugly as the first. The Giants, who allowed seven sacks in their opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 20-12 defeat, gave up only two in the 10-6 loss against the Cleveland Browns, but the pressure was early and often.
If New York is going to be a real contender this season, the offensive line simply must improve by leaps and bounds. On the first offensive series of the game, the Giants missed an easy twist on the right side of the line, with guard John Jerry allowing an uncontested sack of Eli Manning. On the left side, former first-round selection Ereck Flowers was beaten inside repeatedly by rookie Myles Garrett, only to get away with some questionable non=holding calls.
In the regular season, none of that is going to fly. The Giants will be flagged more often than not for some of Flowers’ moves on Monday night, and the combination of Jerry and Bobby Hart on the right side will continue to be trouble. In the preseason, nobody is gameplanning to expose you. When the standings come into play, opponents will be dissecting every inch of tape, making this line an even larger problem.
The defense is locked and loaded with stars such as Damon Harrison, Jason Pierre-Paul, Olivier Vernon and Landon Collins. If the offense cane simply be competent the Giants have a legitimate chance to dethrone the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East and make a run at a third Super Bowl appearance under Eli Manning’s watch.
Still, the line looms large as an obstacle in front of their path. Perhaps that is the only thing that group can block.
