This was the way the Giants hoped and envisioned their running game would operate, showing versatility and efficiency. On his first rushing attempt, David Wilson held onto the ball and gained five yards. On the very next play, Brandon Jacobs, signed about 10 minutes earlier, got the ball and powered up the middle for another five yards. First down, Giants, thanks to speed and strength from their backfield.
A nice start quickly devolved into a terrible middle and equally dreadful ending. After gaining those 10 yards, the Giants ran the ball 17 more times and produced 13 yards. They finished with 19 rushing attempts and 23 yards, an average of 1.2 yards per carry in a 41-23 loss to the Broncos. It was the lowest rushing total by the Giants since Nov. 12, 1989, when they ran for six yards in Los Angeles against the Rams.
If the Giants have a plan for their ground game, it is not readily apparent. Wilson lost two fumbles in the season-opening loss to the Cowboys, and as a result he’s being viewed as damaged goods. He wasn’t thrown into Tom Coughlin’s doghouse, but it is curious why he and Jacobs each received seven rushing attempts, considering Jacobs was signed last Tuesday, had no offseason, training camp or preseason and, after a wasted 2012 season with the 49ers, really hasn’t played since the end of 2011. It certainly seemed like too much, too soon for Jacobs, who in the third quarter needed two attempts to get the 12 inches needed for a touchdown plunge.
Wilson (7-17) didn’t do much and Jacobs (7-4) did less. The only positive from Da’Rel Scott (5-2) was the speed he showed on a 23-yard screen pass for a touchdown when the game was out of hand in the fourth quarter. The Giants are averaging 36.5 rushing yards in their two losses, and, one way or another, they are going to have to get Wilson untracked because he is a first-round pick and he has to be the guy.
The snap distribution against the Broncos went like this: Wilson (24), Jacobs (14), Scott (39). Wilson must get his hands on the ball more often. Of course, he also has to hold onto it once he gets it.
Other notables from a rough game for the Giants:
– Perhaps we should hold off on the “Rueben Randle has emerged’’ rhetoric. The second-year receiver was targeted nine times and came away with three receptions for 14 yards. He wasn’t at fault late in the game, though, when a deep pass thrown in his direction was intercepted in the end zone. Eli Manning took the blame for that one.
– There’s a hole in the middle of the defense. Dan Connor is gone for the season and Mark Herzlich does not appear to be the answer at middle linebacker. He had a fumble recovery in his hands and couldn’t hold on in the third quarter, a key turnaround as the Broncos took command. Herzlich was on the field for just 34 percent of the defensive snaps (25 of 74), which shows though he’s the nominal starter, the position of middle linebacker is a part-time role.
– Jason Pierre-Paul said he was “terrible’’ in his debut last week after not playing in the preseason following back surgery. He won’t be too pleased with his second game, either. He failed to register a single quarterback hit on Peyton Manning while playing 48 of the 74 defensive snaps.
– Mathias Kiwanuka is back where he feels most comfortable, at defensive end, but his pass-rush prowess has yet to arrive. He was not very active in run support, either, surprising considering the range he showed at linebacker. In 52 defensive snaps, Kiwanuka was credited with one assisted tackle and no quarterback hits. His game rating of minus-2.6 by Pro Football Focus was the lowest of any Giants player.
– It gets lost in the second half struggles, but Tom Coughlin made the right call when the Giants pulled within 17-15 with 3:08 remaining in the third quarter. Other coaches can’t resist going for the two-point conversion to tie the game, but it was too early for that thinking and Coughlin wisely went for the PAT to bring the Giants within 17-16. Trying for a two-point conversion before the fourth quarter is not smart.
– The 41 points were the most points allowed by the Giants at home since Dec. 27, 2009, when the Panthers closed out Giants Stadium by hammering the Giants, 41-9. The Panthers’ head coach was John Fox, the former Giants defensive coordinator who is now the Broncos head man. For a defensive-minded head coach, Fox knows how to score against the Giants.
– The Giants were outclassed by the Broncos, who weren’t even clicking on all cylinders. They committed 13 penalties.
– The Giants have 10 turnovers (seven interceptions, three lost fumbles) in two games, their highest-ever total in the first two games of a season.
– Perhaps Coughlin should reconsider deferring after the Giants win the coin toss. He did it against the Broncos and lost. The last time he did it was last November in Cincinnati, and the Bengals crushed the Giants. Usually, Coughlin takes the ball when his team wins the toss.
– File this under empty numbers: Eli Manning has thrown for 812 yards, the highest two-game total of his career. He threw for 362 yards against the Broncos, the 27th time in his career he’s surpassed 300. The Giants are 13-14 in those games.