To have any realistic chance of making a playoff run this season the 0-2 New York
Giants have to find a way to defeat the also 0-2 Houston Texans on Sunday. Here
are some of the things to watch as the Giants try to get their first victory of
the Pat Shurmur era.Somebody set an alarm clock
New York Giants Hoodie , please!The Giants need to figure out what time kickoff is, and remember that the first few series of the game actually do count. In Week 1,
the Jacksonville Jaguars scored on three of their first four possessions en
route to building a 13-3 lead. In Week 2, the Dallas Cowboys got a touchdown and
a field goal in their first two possessions.Of course, it would also help if
someone would tell the offense it’s legal to score early in the game.Tackle ...
the ... quarterbackSpeaking of things they aren’t doing right, let’s hope the
Giants come up with as better plan for defending the read option this week.In
Week 1, Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles rumbled around left end for a 41-yard
gain on a read option. The only thing that kept him from going father? He’s a
quarterback and he ran out of gas.In Week 2, Dak Prescott ran 7 times for 45
yards. By my count, five of those runs were read options.Through two games,
whatever the Giants are doing against the read option isn’t working. It’s a bad
plan. They need to get a new one or Deshaun Watson might run for a million or so
yards. The end zone is ... that way, somewhereThe Giants have scored only 28
points in two games. They have only two touchdowns. It’s sort of obvious, but
Shurmur said Wednesday that “we’ve got to get in the end zone, quite
frankly.”Yes. Yes, they do.It will help if they are able to throw some passes
down the field against Houston. Throwing two-third of their passes either behind
or within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage, like they did last Sunday against
the Dallas Cowboys, isn’t going to cut it. Having Odell Beckham averaging 10.8
yards per catch isn’t going to cut it. Being 29th in the league in yards per
play and 31st in red zone percentage is not going to cut it. Being last in the
league in yards per play on first down isn’t going to cut it.Can everybody
please block somebody?Dallas made the Giants look silly with rushers constantly
heading unimpeded to Manning. The Giants couldn’t seem to get everyone blocked
when the Cowboys blitzed last Sunday, even when they had enough blockers. They
couldn’t seem to keep track of who was supposed to block whom when Dallas used
twists and stunts along the front line. Man on man the Giants seemed to do OK
most of the time. It just seemed like far too often Giants blockers had no idea
which guy they were actually responsible for.Per Football Outsiders the Giants
offensive line is last in the league in Adjusted Line Yards when run blocking
and 24th in Adjusted Sack Rate while pass protecting, Not good.With a dominant
defensive front, the Texans pose a massive challenge for the Giants beleaguered
offensive line. Pray that new center John Greco makes the right calls, that
guysknow their assignments, that Manning moves just enough to stay in one piece
and make a few plays along the way.DeAndre Hopkins vs. Janoris JenkinsWith Eli
Apple (groin) almost certainly sidelined on Sunday, the Giants would appear to
have little choice but to have Jackrabbit shadow Houston’s All-Pro wide
receiver. If Jenkins can play the way he did in memorable 2016 matchups against
Dez Bryant
Cheap Customized New York Giants Jerseys , virtually taking the then-Cowboys star out of a pair of games, that would be a massive boost for the
Giants.A little pass rush, pleaseThe Giants have just one sack. It doesn’t look
like Olivier Vernon is going to return to action this week. Maybe the porous
Houston offensive line, which has surrendered seven sacks in two games, will be
the elixir for the missing pass rush which, per Football Outsiders, has been the
worst in the league in terms of Adjusted Sack Rate (1.7 percent). It takes a lot
to put a smile on Bill Belichick's face and get a handshake from the stoic New
England Patriots coach in the fourth game of the preseason. Third-string
quarterback Danny Etling did it all on one play.In a meaningless game Thursday
night in which neither team played their starters, Etling added a lighthearted
moment to the contest and iced the Patriots' 17-12 win with an 86-yard run on an
option keeper that totally fooled the New York Giants' defense."Well that was
one of the most exciting plays I have seen in preseason, I'll say. Great call by
Chad," Belichick said, referring to the selection by receivers coach Chad
O'Shea, who was given a chance to call the play.Etling, who also tossed a 1-yard
touchdown pass to Ralph Webb early in the second half, said he looked behind him
seven times on the jaunt down the right sideline."I just wanted to make sure no
one was catching me," said Etling, who finished 18 of 32 for 157 yards after
throwing six passes in the first preseason game. "I didn't realize you could use
the Jumbotron."Etling's big run came on the first play after an Alex Tanney-led
drive from the New York 1 stalled at the Patriots 14 with New England ahead 10-6
with 4:11 to play.Etling, who finished with 113 yards on seven carries, faked a
handoff and ran an option around right end and scored untouched to give the
Patriots a 3-1 preseason record."When's the last time a quarterback ran for 85
(really 86) yards, let alone for the Patriots," Belichick said. "I'd say at
least 20 years, I know that. Maybe (Steve) Grogan, (Jim) Plunkett.
Eighty
Authentic Rhett Ellison Jersey , that's a long run."Nobody has worked harder than Danny. He's the first one in, last one out. He is diligent. When something
like that happens, you are happy for him."The Giants finished their first
preseason under new coach Pat Shurmur at 2-2.'"I thought the guys played hard,
we didn't make enough plays in the end to win the game," Shurmur said.Giants
quarterback Eli Manning chatted with receiver Odell Beckham Jr. in the first
half, while Tom Brady sat next to the New England water coolers and relaxed.Two
Giants penalties for lowering the head to initiate contact set up Stephen
Gostkowski 33-yard field goal in the first quarter.Rookie Kyle Lauletta, who
made the start for New York with Manning and backup Davis Webb held out, put the
Giants ahead early in the second quarter with a 41-yard pass to Amba Etta-Tawo.
Backup placekicker Marshall Koehn missed the extra point.Etling set up the
touchdown to Webb with a 40-yard pass to K.J. Maye.Tanney closed out the scoring
with an 8-yard TD pass to Alonzo Russell with 48 seconds to play. The 2-point
conversion run failed.GOOD IMPRESSIONSGiants CB Donte Deayon, who battled a
hamstring injury in the preseason, might have secured a roster spot with two
interceptions. His drawback is he is small and injury prone."I won't be
nervous," Deayon said of Saturday's final cut. "At this point, I put it all out
on the table, I put my best foot forward. At this point, what happens, happens."
... Patriots free agent CB J.C. Jackson also had two interceptions and broke up
a deep pass before being carted off late in the third quarter because of
dehydration. "Yeah, I had something to prove tonight. I knew I had to ball. This
is the last preseason game and I'm trying to make the roster," Jackson said. ...
Giants veteran CB Chris Lewis-Harris was excellent in coverage and
tackling.OBJThe NFL's highest paid receiver will head into the season for the
Giants having not played a down in the preseason. He has not appeared in a game
since breaking his left ankle on Oct. 8. Coach Pat Shurmur said he has been
cautious with the 25-year-old wideout, but says Beckham will be ready for the
opener.LEG WEARYPunters Ryan Allen of the Patriots and Riley Dixon of the Giants
had busy nights, kicking six times each.ANTHEMThere were no displays of protest
by either the Patriots or Giants, with both teams standing on their sideline for
the anthem.INJURIESPatriots: OT Ulrick John (foot) and CB Jackson (dehydration)
left the game. John was wearing a walking boot after the game.Giants: T Nick
Becton (ankle) and RB Robert Martin (ankle) had to leave the game.UP
NEXTPatriots: open regular-season at home against Houston on Sept. 9.Giants:
open at home against Jacksonville on Sept. 9.
