N.Y. Giants: The Wayne Gallman Era Begins

From the desk of: DO IT FOR THE DUKE

IF OFFENSIVE LINE DOMINATES LINE OF SCRIMMAGE

WE'LL HAVE NOTHING BUT GOOD THINGS TO SAY 

ABOUT DANIEL JONES AND WAYNE GALLMAN

WEEK FOUR

D.C. Football

vs.

New York Giants

So much for protecting and preserving Saquon Barkley.  You can't prevent injury.  It doesn't work.  I just hope Barkley learns the value of occasionally slipping out of bounds.  There's always the next play to consider.

Otherwise the Giants were slowly building up his work load.  They start him in week one with 11 rushes/4 receptions, then 18 rushes/3 receptions in week two.  Saquon was up to 8 rushes/4 receptions when he went down in the second quarter against Tampa.  Week three understandably was the first game in which the Giants failed to gain 100-yards rushing.  However, rookie Daniel Jones saved the day with two touchdowns on the ground and two more via the air.

Reports say Saquon will not require surgery but will nevertheless miss anywhere from four to eight weeks.  Yet the news doesn't seem to dissuade opinions and expectations from changing on a dime.  That's what you get for winning the first game of the post Eli Manning era.  So what now for Daniel Jones, Pat Shurmur, and the suddenly optimistic (1-2) New York Giants?

Quite obviously they need a viable running game.  Poised to make his third ever NFL start, Wayne Gallman stands ready to seize the moment.

Right?

He has averaged 4.0 yards per carry through 31 career games.  Meanwhile the Giants offensive line is generating a league best 6.3 yards per rush, according to ESPN.

Perchance to dream ...

Between Gallman and perhaps rookie Jonathan Hilliman it would please me to see them join for 25 to 30 rushing attempts.  Not so much in an effort to beat Washington, but for sake of establishing offensive credibility in the weeks to come.  How else does coach Shurmur expect to keep the opposition honest?  After Sunday, the Giants host Minnesota then travel to New England.  Do you really think Belichick game plans with a sense of mercy in light of Big Blue's rookie quarterback and broken backfield?

Exactly ...

I can't speak for Big Blue's defense.  But I do know the best way of limiting their time on the field is for the offensive line to dominate the line of scrimmage; win time of possession for a change.  Get behind the Hog Mollies and at least try running with power.  If they create daylight Wayne Gallman will find it.  Then Daniel Jones can go about the business of being a good quarterback.  But the Hog Mollies must protect Jones as well.  The offensive line allowed just two sacks and ten QB hits through weeks one and two.  Tampa recorded five sacks and 15 other QB hits!  Shaquil Barrett had four sacks alone.  Meanwhile overly expensive left tackle Nate Solder performed with all the grace and athleticism of a mailbox.  That must change.

It's already week four, a quarter of the way through the season, and the Giants are still searching for identity.  I do not believe in trickery nor reliance on broken plays and QB scrambles.  You can move the pocket only so many times until the situation demands a QB stay put and make a pass.  But when all else fails, the ability to run effectively is a fundamental pigskin necessity.  Washington presents a perfect opponent for putting Dave Gettleman's Hog Mollies to the test.  Let's see how they perform in a run intensive environment.

Please ...

After all, the Giants are in rebuild, right?