Well, at least no Giants running back lost a fumble in their 41-23 home-opening loss to the Broncos Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
So they’ve got that going for them.
That, however, is where the positives end for the Giants’ running game, which was nonexistent in the defeat, leaving far too much of a burden on Eli Manning’s right arm.
The Giants, who once built a reputation as being bruisers with their ground game, have been wildly one-dimensional on offense this year, which is as much a reason for their 0-2 record as any. The 23 rushing yards on 19 carries for an embarrassing 1.2-yard average yesterday was Exhibit A.
David Wilson, fresh off his two lost fumbles in last week’s loss against Dallas, was the Giants’ leading ball carrier with all of 17 yards on seven carries.
Brandon Jacobs, signed during the week as a result of Wilson’s fumbles and the team’s lack of confidence in him, ran seven times and gained 4 yards, though he did score a touchdown.
Da’Rel Scott, the third-down back, had five carries for 2 yards.
It all added up to a whole lot of nothing for the Giants, who have passed the ball 91 times in two games and run it just 33 times — 19 fewer attempts than their opponents.
“Quite frankly, to not be able to run the ball [and] to have so few attempts rushing the ball, it’s just not our style,’’ Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. “We haven’t had a lot of success with it. To see the ball thrown that many times … some of the results are very difficult to explain.’’
Wilson, who endured perhaps the longest week of his professional life, hoped to rebound from last week’s nightmare.
“I quickly put [last week] in the past behind me and was looking forward to getting on the field and helping my team get a win,’’ Wilson said. “It felt good to get back there, but I wish I could have done something to give the team a spark.’’
As long a week as it was for Wilson as he waited to redeem himself, it had been an even longer two years for Jacobs, whose last meaningful NFL carry came in 2011.
It was a bittersweet day with a wide range of emotions for Jacobs, who was so fired up before the game, he led the players’ pregame rally as if he had never been let go by the team two years ago, and he looked like he was going to run through the wall of the west end zone after he scored on a 1-yard run that pulled the Giants to within 17-16 in the third quarter.
But in the quiet of the Giants locker room after the game, all that lingered amidst the dirty laundry was the end result.
“It sucks,’’ Jacobs said. “It’s emotional. I’m a Giant. I got a chance to get into the end zone. Scoring that touchdown was very important, but we didn’t win, so it means nothing. I was happy I got it, but it means nothing because we didn’t win.
“I hate losing, but it could be worse for me as an individual. I’m happy to be in this locker room.’’
The reality possibly lost on Jacobs, however, is he might not remain in the Giants locker room much longer if the running game doesn’t improve.