Good offense, bad defense or a little of both? 0-2 Giants don't have an identity
Giants running back Cam Skattebo carries the ball in the first half of an NFL game against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday in Arlington, Texas. Credit: AP/Julio Cortez
If there’s one clear truth about the Giants through two games, it’s that there’s no clarity about their identity.
Are they the team that couldn't find the end zone in Week 1 or the one that scored 37 points at Dallas on Sunday?
Are they the team that held the Commanders to 21 points or the one that gave up 40 to the Cowboys?
Whatever the answer, it’s why the Giants are 0-2 for the second straight season. They haven’t figured out who they can be most of the time. It’s led to inconsistent play that’s negated anything they’ve done well.
“Every week is a different week. You have to perform,” coach Brian Daboll said. “You have to make those plays when they come your way. Our guys did for the most part.”
Daboll was talking about his offense but it could’ve easily been about his defense in the opener. It’s one thing to make plays. The problem is they are not able to make enough of them on offense and defense.
The Giants lost their first game because they only scored six points. They lost on Sunday because they couldn’t hold a three-point lead with 25 seconds left and they gave up five consecutive scoring drives in the second half, the last of which forced overtime.
There’s been a lack of complementary football and it has them looking at a cracked mirror trying to put it all together.
“I think you lock in on the things that worked well in both of the games and improve where there were faults,” safety Jevon Holland said. “Both games had their own individual situations where we ended up falling short for whatever circumstances."
There’s other issues, too. Through two games, the Giants haven’t run the ball well. They’re 28th in yards per game (79.0) and tied for 26th in yards per carry (3.6), an indictment of both the offensive line and ground game.
They’re also 1-for-7 in red-zone opportunities. Graham Gano is a perfect 6-for-6 on field goals but it’s troubling for an offense that stalls on long drives.
The run defense that was supposed to be fixed? The Giants have allowed a league worst 177.5 yards per game and second-worst 5.9 yards per carry.
It’s left them with a familiar problem. Since the start of 2013, the Giants have started 0-2 a remarkable 10 times, more than any other team in that span.
“Just figure out what we can get better on,” receiver Malik Nabers said. “It’s a long season, got a lot of more games to go. Just two games in, we can still turn this thing around.”
The Giants know too well that losing your first two games means the playoffs are hard to reach. With those previous 0-2 starts since 2013, only four of those nine Giants teams finished with at least six wins.
Being 0-3 would make it even worse. But the Giants believe the good they showed through two games can be built on to get right against Kansas City in their home opener on Sunday night.
They just have to show it fully instead of half of it.
“I know I want to win and we want to win,” Holland said. “So it’s a one-week season. It’s 0-0 right now, we just got to go 1-0 this week.”
Run game is a week-to-week approach
The Giants used a different running back rotation this week with rookie Cam Skattebo having a team-high 11 carries and playing 35 snaps on offense. He finished with 45 yards and a touchdown in his second NFL game.
Tyrone Tracy Jr. started at kickoff returner so he had 28 snaps on offense and returned five kickoffs.
Devin Singletary started but had just one carry on the game’s opening play. Tracy finished with five carries and Daboll said it wasn't punishment for him being critical of the Giants not running the ball more in the red-zone during the season opener.“Tracy had a number of kickoff returns that I thought, there were a couple of close ones,” Daboll said. “So you give him a break off of there. Thought Skat was running good. Again, that could be a week-to-week deal.”
Injury updates
Linebackers Darius Muasau (concussion) and Chris Board (chest) left Sunday’s loss and didn’t return. Swayze Bozeman, who was elevated from the practice squad Saturday, finished the game lining up next to Bobby Okereke.
Offensive lineman Jon Runyan got an X-ray on his back, per The Athletic, after getting up slow following the game’s fifth play. Daboll said injury updates would come Wednesday since players are still being evaluated.
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
