New York Giants: 3 good, 3 bad, and the ugly in loss to the Saints
The “3 Bads”
Bad #1: The play calling
Okay, it would be easy to say the entire offense struggled, but in almost a good way the real problems are easy to point out.
The Giants did not use Saquon Barkley, or any running back quite like they should have. Even when they did, it was not that effective.
Aside from an opening drive that felt like a statement at the time, it ended up being a bust. The Giants play calling was putrid. They did well converting a two point conversion later in the game but that is about it.
Overall, the Giants ran the football just 15 times and barely eclipsed four yards per carry.
The Saint ran it 32 times. So, clearly the Giants had no desire to play their opponent and keep up with them. Instead, they underutilized the thing they built up the most this offseason, the run game.
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Bad #2: Odell Beckham Jr.
It pains to say this, but OBJ did not have the best game. It’s not that he was terrible, and he wasn’t the ugliest, he just did not play like the rich man he is.
In a game where the Giants clearly wanted to use the passing game, OBJ needed to have more than seven catches and 60 yards.
Again, that is not terrible, or even 100% his fault, but the Giants attempted a pass 41 times. Their number one WR needs to make more plays if that is the case, even if he was being covered well, that is enough opportunity to make one big play and swing the game.
Bad #3: Turnovers
A silver lining is that Eli Manning had a game where he did not throw any picks. However, he still lost a fumble. Wayne Gallman lost one as well.
So, the Giants failed to win the turnover battle. Against the Saints the last thing you want to do is give Drew Brees any more opportunities than he would get naturally.
The Giants losing two fumbles is not going to work against the Saints, well it did not work.
The key to beating the Saints is exposing their defense and winning the turnover battle to keep their elite offense off the field.
The Giants losing two fumbles, regardless of how, is not good. That is bad, thus being on the list.
Time for the good news!