The unfortunate reality for the New York Giants and their loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in week one of the 2020 regular season was that some of the more trusted players failed to leave their mark on the game.
The offensive line was poor at times, especially in run blocking. With the most tenured Giant being Will Hernandez on the OL, who only joined the team two years ago, the chemistry between the players was always going to be shaky to start.
Factoring in a lack of preseason reps, 13 new starters on the team, a change in the coaching staff, and the application of a new scheme on both sides of the ball, having early success was a tumultuous task. Nonetheless, the Giants only lost by 10 to one of the best teams in the NFL and an elite defense. They had spurts of good moments and could’ve easily been involved in the game if not for an untimely Daniel Jones red-zone interception.
The Giants will hopefully put a better performance together against the Chicago Bears in week two.
Three players who need to improve in week 2 for the New York Giants:
1.) Evan Engram
Evan Engram played one of the worst games I’ve seen in his professional career on Monday night. Dropping a multitude of passes and failing to pick up any assignments in the running game, he was a liability across the board.
Returning from foot surgery, it could just be that Engram had to shake off some of the rust. He’ll have another opportunity to redeem himself in week two against Chicago, a defense that is strong but not nearly as elite as the Steelers’. As one of the best pass catchers on the team and a playmaker in many different facets, the Giants desperately need him to reach his potential.
When he’s healthy, he’s one of the best receiving TEs in the league, but he did not display that against Pittsburgh on Monday night. Bouncing back in week two is a necessity if he wants to maintain his rep count with Kaden Smith quickly climbing the ranks.