The New York Giants face a pressing challenge as they prepare for their upcoming game against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on Fox. With an underwhelming loss to the Washington Commanders still fresh in their minds, the Giants find themselves in an urgent dilemma. They have to retool their very bad offense on the fly. Quarterback Zach Wilson‘s performance under pressure, coupled with a lack of production from key players, has left coaches and fans alike questioning the team’s direction.
Even in that loss to the Commanders, Wilson was awful when pressured. In fact, he only managed to complete 2 of 12 passes for a total of 26 passing yards. He got a 25.5 quarterback rating (QBR) on the first weekend of the NFL season. This dismal performance rated him the fifth-worst quarterback. These stats make it obvious that the Giants offensive line has to do a better job protecting their franchise player. That’s why it’s time to set a new, smarter playbook.
These offensive woes weren’t exclusive to Wilson’s clipboard. Wide receiver Darius Slayton was a popular but surprising signing given the deal he received ($12 million per year) this past offseason. That resulted in him being targeted just once all game. Such absence from the table is deeply concerning. Are they getting the most out of their talent investment and implementing their passing attack as best as they could be?
The numbers do a pretty good job of illustrating just how bad the Giants have been offensively as well. On 12 first-down rushing attempts, they averaged a paltry 2.5 yards—one of the surest signs that a team hasn’t established any sort of ground-game presence. His poor performance should be blamed in part on the fact he was pressured on 36% of his dropbacks. Specifically, James Hudson III really struggled, giving up nine pressures as per NFL Next Gen stats.
The team struggled in critical situations, failing to score on two red zone trips despite having 12 plays inside the Commanders’ 20-yard line. The offense was through the roof bad at getting in the end zone, failing even 2 times from inside the 10. This failure epitomized a large failure in command and control during pivotal moments.
Coach Brian Daboll addressed the team’s struggles after the game, stating, “Offensively where we’re at isn’t where we want to be.” His comments demonstrate a great recognition of the need for more coming with an eye toward them meeting again in the future.
Wilson accepted the blame for his lackluster performance saying flatly, “I didn’t play good enough.” His acknowledgment of the need for improvement is crucial as he prepares to lead the team against a formidable opponent in the Cowboys.
Slayton knew what it took to win games in the clutch times and reiterated that the play needed to be executed perfectly. He explained “little things in those moments” are what truly decides success or failure on the field. Darius Slayton mentioned, “And so those types of things are in the details and that’s definitely what I think has been a focus of ours at practice.”
Another major target of criticism has been the offensive line’s performance. In Week 1, Jon Runyan and Greg Van Roten each averaged a run block win rate of 50%. This performance put them in the bottom 20th percentile among offensive linemen. This dismal pass protection and run-blocking statistic underscores how badly they need to get better.
As the Giants head into their biggest test yet with Dallas on the horizon, these are problems that need fixing in a hurry. The coaching staff will undoubtedly focus on refining their offensive strategy and enhancing player performance to avoid repeating past mistakes.
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