The 75,000 fans in attendance at Twickenham Stadium in London had the opportunity to witness one of the world’s most recognizable athletes first-hand. New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. certainly did his part in showing British fans some love, but besides a few catches, the offense was mostly limp.
Offensively Limp
NFL Network commentator Dan Fouts accurately described the offensive performances of the Giants and Los Angeles Rams. Fouts’ analysis that each was “offensive”; an apt term for the football on display at 9:30 a.m. Sunday.
The NFL Network sells their product to customers all day Sunday, and in their words, “waking up to football” sounds like a good thing. But just like the league’s concussion protocol, the idea sounds a lot more promising than the actual program.
Just as the Giants began last week’s game against the Baltimore Ravens, the offense turned the ball over on their first possession. On the day, they looked helplessly futile for a majority of time. It took the offense over 50 minutes of game time to find the end zone. Even then, the fortuitous field position was only granted after Landon Collins secured a tipped pass off the hands of teammate Keenan Robinson.
At this point in the season, it serves almost little purpose to rehash statistics of futility and ineffectiveness. Ben McAdoo has conceded the offense’s lack of anything, namely moving the ball and scoring points. He called it “a tough day”. If it was a that, then it has been a miserable year.
Statistically Limp
According to ESPN’s Jordan Ranaan, the offense has scored over 20 points only twice this season, and has yet to put over 30 points on the board. The starting running back is averaging 2.7 yards per carry, according to NFL.com. Even with this lack of success, the Giants run the ball on first down nearly 60 percent of the time.
The Giants are last in the league in time of possession and third to last in turnover differential, even after intercepting four Keenum passes. The offense converts a dismal 35 percent of third downs. Not much works in the running game at this point. And while the passing game was supposed to be a strength this season, the Rams have just as many touchdown passes as the Giants this season.
The star of the London game was Landon Collins, who recorded his first two career interceptions, including an impressive 44-yard touchdown return. He provided some semblance of interesting football, in a morning almost completely devoid of it. Even as the defense held the Rams to 10 points, Case Keenum still had an opportunity to push the game into overtime. And then proceeded to remind everyone watching that he is Case Keenum, lofting a pass to nobody in the back of the end-zone. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie secured the gift interception, and allowed all watching a reprieve from the sloppy football on screen.
Bye at the Right Time?
The bye week is much needed but what can the team hope to accomplish during the bye? The first seven weeks of the season have featured much of the same, unimposing and uninspiring football. What the Giants have failed to do on the field will likely not be cured in the next week. During the brief post game show on the NFL Network, the panel highlighted the Giants offensive struggles: an uncomfortable and unsure Eli Manning, a non existent rushing attack, and vanilla play calling. Seven weeks in and another one will not solve these issues. The Giants are 4-3 heading into their bye, but like much of the current NFL, the record does not say much beyond mediocrity trumping mediocrity.