N.Y. Giants: Coach Shurmur Continues Suppressing Running Game

From the desk of: DO IT FOR THE DUKE

Week Eight

Giants    25

Lions      36

FINAL

COACH SHURMUR ISN'T EVEN TRYING TO PRESENT A BALANCED ATTACK

Daniel Jones enjoys what is easily his best game as a starter, going 28/41 (68%) for 322 yards, with four touchdowns, and no interceptions.  While he experiences a personal uptick in fortune, it's a bittersweet achievement as the Giants still lose to the Lions at Detroit and see their record fall to 2-6 on the season.

In my PIGSKIN picks, I said,

Saquon Barkley has yet to rush more than 18 times in a game.  Not until Coach Shurmur intensifies the running game will Daniel Jones resemble the quarterback we saw in week three.  Shurmur needs to give the Lions front seven something other to do other than just sacking Daniel Jones.  He's been sacked 18 times in five starts.  That needs to stop.

The offensive line is not great by any stretch, but they are improved and at the very least, serviceable.  However, to what degree is indeed debatable.  After all, they yield another three sacks and five QB hits at Detroit, bringing the total number of sacks allowed to 21 through Daniel Jones first six starts.  Jones fumbled on one QB hit which the Lions returned for a touchdown.

That being said Coach Shurmur's play calling remains contrary to Dave Gettleman's narrative with regard to running behind the hog mollies.  On Sunday Saquon Barkley rushes the ball a season high 19 times for 64 yards, and Elijhaa Penny accounts for three yards on one rush.  Otherwise Daniel Jones runs for another 13 yards on four sprints.  The Giants 24 rushing attempts are 37% of all plays called from scrimmage, and Daniel Jones 44 pass attempts account for 63% of plays called from scrimmage (punts not included).

With Sunday's 80 yard rushing effort the Giants through eight games have now run for 739 total yards.  They rank ninth in the NFC, and 17th in the NFL.  But where it concerns the Giants backfield, Saquon Barkley accounts for 373 yards, while Wayne Gallman; Jonathan Hilliman; and Elijhaa Penny; together account for 234 yards.  That's four Giants backs joining for 607 yards.  Said another way Dalvin Cook (MIN); Leonard Fournette (JAX); Christian McCaffery (CAR); Nich Chubb (CLE); and Ezekiel Elliott (DAL); all have more.  In fact only Daniel Jones' added 19 run attempts for 121-yards gives the misleading appearance that the Giants average one hundred ground yards per game.

Coach Shurmur's play calling against the Lions continues right in line with his previous seven games.  Eli Manning and Daniel Jones have to date joined on 246 pass attempts, accounting for 64% of plays from scrimmage.  Saquon Barkley, Wayne Gallman, Jonathan Hilliman, and Elijhaa Penny, account for 142 rushes, or just 36% of plays called from scrimmage.  In other words Coach Shurmur isn't even trying to present a balanced attack.

As previously stated, until Coach Shurmur intensifies the running game this offense will remain predicable and out of sync.  The situation is not without its positives.  Daniel Jones and fellow rookie  Darius Slayton (two touchdowns) are establishing an effective connection together.  Saquon caught a touchdown, and the returning Evan Engram caught one as well.  Even then, Saquon is only averaging a mere four receptions for 32 yards per game.  But can we agree getting sacked an average of four times a game is detrimental to Jones' well being?

This lack of pass/run balance is made more ponderous because the personnel (Saquon Barkley) is there.  So how about Shurmur reverses gears on the offensive line.  Instead of having them back peddling in pass protection, why not get all that brute force and ignorance moving forward in an effort to create Saquon Barkley more daylight.

N.Y. Giants: Vikings Sack MetLife Stadium

From the desk of: DO IT FOR THE DUKE

BACK TO THE LAB

WEEK FIVE

Vikings  28

Giants    10

FINAL

WEEK FIVE REACTION: YOUNG GIANTS ARE GOING TO EXPERIENCE GROWING PAINS, BUT THERE ARE SURE SIGNS OF BETTER DAYS AHEAD.

I kinda saw this coming, so I'm not gonna get twisted out of shape.  Remember, you can not be disappointed with what you do not expect.  Instead I'm here to speak of the positives from this game.

Despite Sunday's further compromising of the running game, the Hog Mollies continue proving their collective worth.  Allowing four sacks and eight other QB hits might speak otherwise.  But closer inspection reveals their growing cohesion.  Through five games I'm agreeably copacetic with the respective performances up the middle from Will Hernandez, Jon Halapoi, and Kevin Zeitler.  Otherwise glaring issues where it concerns week five should be kept within the context of losing Wayne Gallman very early in the game due to concision protocol.  Although not a gargantuan task, I'm sure having Daniel Jones attempt 38 passes was not Coach Shurmur's plan heading in.  Forced into playing catch-up football minus Wayne Gallman, Coach limits Jonathan Hilliman and Elijhaa Penny to just 12 rushing attempts for 35-yards.

On Coach Shurmur himself, he has my attention.  That should be construed as a compliment.

Daniel Jones is 21/38 (55%) for 182 yards, with an INT, and one touchdown.  Unsightly numbers to be sure but I continue appreciating what I see ... loss be damned.  His accuracy, arm strength, feel for the pocket, toughness, mobility, and overall on-field intelligence, have been nothing short of impressive.  He and fellow rookie Darius Slayton also appear to be forming a wonderful relationship together.  The impact of Golden Tate's return is yet to be determined.

The defense spent nearly 33-minutes on the field.  I kinda expected that as well.  The Giants are thoroughly compromised at linebacker and it showed on Sunday.  The Vikings rush for 211 total yards.  Meanwhile Adam Thielen burned the secondary for 130 yards and two touchdowns.  However there were times when the Giants beleaguered secondary actually provides marvelous coverage.  In turn the defense generates three sacks.  Two sacks come from the young guys up front.  Rookie Dexter Lawrence registers his second sack of the season, and sophomore tackle RJ McIntosh records his first ever NFL sack.  But the Giants only generate three other QB hits.

With an eye on Dave Gettleman's draft picks, I see worth in week five's loss.

Giants have a quick turnaround.  They play the Patriots at Foxboro on Thursday night.

N.Y. Giants: Two Big and Two Blue To Be True

From the desk of: DO IT FOR THE DUKE

WEEK FOUR

D.C. Football   3

GIANTS        24

FINAL

Ask and ye shall receive ...

Prior to Sunday's game I left off saying:

The ability to run effectively is a fundamental pigskin necessity.  Between Wayne 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.  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 his job of being a good quarterback.

The Giants defense spends less than 24-minutes on the field!

That's because the offense achieves 24 first downs and possess the ball for over 36-minutes.  I understand Washington isn't exactly up to NFL standards, but who are we to judge.  They play the opponent in front of them.  The mission was to beat Washington, and the Giants did just that.  Wayne Gallman and rookie Jonathan Hilliman rush 28 times for 99 yards and a touchdown.  All told the Giants rush for 164 yards on 37 attempts, including 5/33 from Daniel Jones (16-yard gain eluding a sack).  Take away dandy Jones numbers and the Giants still rush 32 times for 131 yards, with seven rushing first downs.  Gallman also makes six receptions for 55 yards and a score, giving him 118 combined yards from scrimmage with two touchdowns.

That's how you seize the moment!

But I'd be remiss if I didn't rain praise upon the Hog Mollies.  I put Sunday's game squarely upon their shoulders.  They respond with a commendable effort.  The Giants are now 2-2 at the one-quarter mile turn as a result.  In addition to creating clock-controlling daylight, the offensive line yields no sacks and just four QB hits all day.  In turn Daniel Jones goes 23/31 for 225 yards (7.3 yards per pass), with a touchdown, and the first two INT's of his career.  It's good, in a way, that they happen and quickly get put behind him.  After all if you're not throwing INTs, you're not trying.  Otherwise Jones throws/runs for 13 first downs and completes 74% of his pass attempts.

Cycling back to the defense, make that six straight stellar quarters of football.  After limiting Tampa to three second half points, the Giants limit Washington to three points all game.  Washington QB's Dwayne Haskins and Case Keenum join forces on 121 yards passing, and four INTs.  The Giants defense generates three sacks and eight other QB hits.  The Giants hold Adrian Peterson and Chris Thompson to just 32 yards on 15 rushes.  Haskins winds up leading D.C. with 23 yards on the ground.

First round pick Dexter Lawrence quietly makes one tackle.  Third round selection Oshane Ximines has joined on a sack in each of the last three games.  Last year's third round selection B.J. Hill has yet to register a sack.  Janoris Jenkins and the rest of the secondary play well.  Julius Peppers in particular has a big day with six tackles and a pick-six.