Eli’s Giant Problem

       If any New York Giants fans were fortunate enough to miss the “Manning Bowl” this past Sunday, consider yourself lucky; Eli Manning wishes he missed it too. In a classic brother pitted against brother matchup, Peyton, the elder Manning, walked out of the Big Apple with the big win. Thankfully, for the now 0-2 New York Giants, Sunday was the first and last time they would have to cross paths with red hot Denver Broncos. After suffering a surprising loss to the Dallas Cowboys on September 8^th, one can only wonder how the 2012 Superbowl champions have fallen so far from prominence. With a long season ahead of them and an insatiable New York fan base, what do the G-men need to improve upon to ensure any success throughout the next 14 weeks?

            First and foremost, the Giants running game is non-existent. In 33 rushes they have picked up 73 yards averaging 1.2 yards per carry. Eli’s woes continued against the dastardly Denver defense as seven of their 19 rush attempts resulted in zero or negative yards. This is especially embarrassing for a veteran team under the direction of offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride, who has been with New York for the last seven years. On the bright side, there is nowhere to go but up for the Giants’ running game, and as time progresses, perhaps the holes in their offense will police themselves.

            Equally as tolling to the New York Giants are Eli Manning’s aerial errors. In Sunday’s loss, Manning threw three fourth-quarter interceptions; placing him as the league leader for picks with an astounding seven in only two weeks of play. Albeit Manning has never been the most consistent quarterback, but he has facilitated four picks in his last 29 passes, reaching a new all-time low. Unfortunately, the consequences of not having a running game places additional pressure on the Giants’ receivers, but all-in-all, Eli Manning needs to stop making poor decisions if this offense is to turn around.

            Is it time to panic? Not quite; the New York Giants started their 2007 campaign with a 0-2 record as well. So there is the factor of resiliency that should not be underestimated. If Manning begins to hit his spots and nurture some type of running game, then this season is still salvageable. The New York Giants are one game out of first in the NFC East and at least have a favorable schedule for the upcoming two weeks. The Giants’ performance against Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles on October 6^th will better indicate how the remainder of the season will play out. For now, we can only sit back and watch the spectacle that is the New York Giants.