After an encouraging preseason opener, Eli Manning & Co. followed it up Sunday night with a dud.
The Giants fell to the Colts 20-12 in their second game, but don’t put this one on the defense.
Manning and his receivers were rarely on the same page, as the QB finished 8/17 for just 91 yards and an interception. Not even a return from Hakeem Nicks could help Eli get on track, as he was only able to reel in 2 of 5 targets. Manning, for the most part, seemed uncomfortable and out of sync most of the first half.
The real concern, however, wasn’t the lack of chemistry all over the field, but rather their red zone efficiency. The Giants settled for a mere six points on three trips inside the Colts 20-yard line with Manning calling the shots.
This is the second week in a row Manning has stalled in the red zone.
Last week, the Giants first team offense failed to punch it home from the 5-yard line against the Steelers. If running back Andre Brown can’t get it done on short-yardage situations, the Giants are going to seriously need to reconsider their options on third down.
One of the bright spots in the passing game was the emergence of the other tailback, David Wilson. He only brought in 2 catches for 21-yards, but those passes only started out as dump offs. Wilson showed a lot of creativity after the catch, and could provide some relief in the passing game if Eli can get it to him in the open field.
Overall, the Giants second preseason game left more questions than answers for Manning and his weapons. If the Giants are going to reach the playoffs, Big Blue’s offense will need to be clicking on all cylinders, and right now, their still greasing gears.
Kyle McMorrow | Featured Columnist
Twitter:@Kyle_McMorrow
