Week 2 of the preseason didn’t bring along anything different for the New York Giants. That offensive line was horrid yet again.
- New York Giants 6 (0-2)
- Cleveland Browns 10 (2-0)
- NFL, Preseason Week 2, Final, Box Score
- FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
Those media members and fans alike who all believed this New York Giants offense was going to be special immediately need to do a quick 180 and analyze the situation a little more closely.
This offensive line is still horrid and Week 2 of the preseason in Cleveland on Monday Night Football showcased that exact notion to the world.
Through eight quarters of play, this Giants offense has collected six field goals and has yet to cross the goal line.
The first-team offense played into the second quarter. Eli Manning didn’t impress anybody but more importantly, that pesky, questionable five-man unit in front of him didn’t afford him a proper opportunity.
Manning finished 10-of-14 for 80 yards, most of which came underneath as he quickly released the ball facing a 2-deep, 4-man pass rush situation that’s difficult to deal with on every down.
Odell Beckham Jr. snagged three receptions for 37 yards. Evan Engram caught three for 32. Will Tye also caught three balls.
Speaking of OBJ, the big story of the first half was his exit from the game. On a play that saw a Browns defender go low, Beckham struggled to exit the field and even get to the locker room (as the ESPN cameras made sure to capture the horrifying moment in the tunnel).
He was tested for a concussion. Results came back negative. The early reports surrounding OBJ is that it’s an ankle sprain, allowing all of Big Blue fandom to take its first breath of the night.
Geno Smith played almost the rest of the way to mixed results. He finished 11-of-17 for 79 yards and an interception.
The running game, as per usual, was pathetic, even when facing a 7-man light box. Paul Perkins carried six times for 10 yards while Wayne Gallman went for 22 yards on five attempts.
Defensively, fortunately, is where this team’s bread and butter remains and very quickly the unit showcased its talent. Early in the first, Olivier Vernon deflected a Brock Osweiler pass that ended up as a Jason Pierre-Paul interception.
Again, B.J. Goodson played well. He came away with a team-high seven tackles and also chipped in with a sack. Vernon and JPP combined for the team’s other sack of the night.
With tensions rising from an offensive perspective, Ben McAdoo and company will get back to work on a short week and hope the New York Jets in the Snoopy Bowl this coming Saturday is the exact medicine needed.