Dissecting the New York Giants in week 1 of the regular season is nearly impossible. We can see the faults and holes on both sides of the ball, but they call it “mid-season form” for a reason. The team looked lost at times and the offensive line certainly saw its fair share of struggles.
One of the most glaring miscues of the game came when Eli Manning lofted a deep pass to Odell Beckham Jr. that missed by a few feet in the endzone. The pass would have secured the lead for the Giants and put them in an advantageous position going into the fourth quarter.
Here’s a question many fans asked after the game: Was Manning at fault for missing the throws?
Now, I believe there’s certainly enough blame to go around in regard to the loss, but I think it’s fair to give Manning the benefit of the doubt when it comes to Beckham Jr. The pair haven’t played in a live-game since week 5 of the last season, which is a little less than a year ago. Beckham missed the entire pre-season as a precaution and returned for the home opener.
I personally think the two will need a game or two to shake of the rust, and if 11 catches for 111 yards is considered “rust,” I’m extremely excited to see what the future holds.
How did Saquon Barkley take the pressure off of OBJ?
Rookie running back Saquon Barkley seemed to be an effective way of taking the pressure off of Beckham and allowing him to get open in the secondary. One of my biggest concerns during the game was the lack of efficiency from Barkley in the passing game. Barkely finished the game with two catches for 22 yards on the day, but was targeted six times. It’s important to recognize that the Giants’ offense faced off against a top 2 defense in the Jaguars and that other teams will be easier to exploit.
Saquon offers immense value in the running game and can break off a huge run at any moment. This electric ability forces the opposing defense to play close to the line of scrimmage and leave the receivers in more man-coverage. Beckham faced off against one of the best corners in Jalen Ramsey, but that won’t be the case in future weeks.