N.Y. Giants: Rushing to Conclusions

From the desk of:  DO IT FOR THE DUKE

Offensive Line Inability to Create Daylight

Keeping Big Blue Fans Brooding in the Dark

New York Giants Football: After Three Weeks, Season Already Seems All But Lost.

It took three games, but the Giants finally broke the century mark in rushing.  They ran the ball 17 times for 49 yards during Sunday's 24-27 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, finally pushing them over the 100 yard mark in rushing for the season.

Through the first three games, the Giants backfield of Darkwa, Perkins, and Vereen, have rushed a total of 43 times for 134 yards.  That averages out to 14 attempts for 44.6 yards per game/ 3.1 yards per rush.

That's not complimentary football, folks, as Coach McAdoo likes to say.

Sure ... Eli threw three TD passes in the fourth quarter against the Eagles.  And on the one hand, Eli Manning and Odell Beckham proved that when they're in sync, they're among the most feared threats in football.  That being said, the Giants most gifted offensive player and lone scoring threat is at the same time the team's main source of controversy and fan irritation.

Eli clearly made adjustments heading into this game and got his throws off (more or less) within two seconds or less.  With regards to Coach McAdoo's version of the West Coast offense, that's the way it's supposed to be.  And in a micro sense, it worked.  Pressure on the offensive line was reduced.   They allowed no sacks and only four other QB hits.

But I ask, what good is this quick strike capability when their inability to run the ball and control the clock is continually putting Coach Spagnuolo's defense on the field for an average of 34:31 minutes a game?  Said another way, the Giants opposition is possessing the ball for ten more minutes per game.

More defensive field time equals more wear and tear.  In Week One, Dallas' Ezekiel Elliott rushed 24 times for 104 yards.  Detroit rushed 29 times for 115 yards.  Meanwhile, the Eagles oppressed the Giants defense with 39 rushes for 193 yards.  Said another way, they've already allowed a grand total of 437 yards on the ground, an average of 145 yards allowed per game.

With more wear and tear, injuries at some point could become problematic.  Janoris Jenkins, J.T. Thomas, and B.J. Goodson all had issues heading into Week Three.  Meanwhile, Olivier Vernon leaving Sunday's game with an ankle injury perhaps is not coincidental.

I derive no joy by saying the Giants regular season, and any aspirations of making the playoffs already seem like dust in the wind.