At first glance, the one that got away appeared to be an overthrow by Eli Manning on a play the Giants could have, and probably should have, struck gold with an 80-yard scoring pass.
A blitz by Steelers inebacker Lawrence Timmons was picked up by running back David Wilson, a very good sign for the Giants as the play started to develop Saturday night in Pittsburgh. Rueben Randle seemed to do his part, operating on the left side and gliding past cornerback Ike Taylor. Manning’s pass, though, sailed well beyond the reach of Randle.
Errant throw? Nope. My bad, said the second-year receiver.
“Just one of those plays you wish you had back,’’ Randle said. “If I came off the ball a little bit faster, I’d be able to get up to that ball. Just one of those things you have to live with and do better next time. I could have made that play. I feel I came off the ball a little too slow. Just got to do a better job next time.’’
Giants coach Tom Coughlin, a former receivers coach, watched the tape and determined Randle “could have released faster and they could have hooked up.’’ Coughlin, with some remorse for opportunity lost, added, “That would have been a nice thing to see.’’
Two plays later, Manning did hit Randle for a gain of 16 yards. Three plays after that, Victor Cruz was splitting cornerback William Gay and safety Troy Polamalu to ignite a 57-yard catch-and-run for the Giants’ lone touchdown. It was a big play from an offense that slumped in that department in 2012 after setting new standards in quick-strike potency during the 2011 Super Bowl season.
The missed opportunity by Randle and the strike to Cruz are encouraging signs for the Giants as they seek to make the quick strike a bigger part of their attack. Cruz noticed Polamalu, “was lining up to whatever side I was on. … I sensed him shading to whatever side I lined up on. To have him be on my side the majority of the time, whether it was scripted or not, is definitely a humbling part in my life.’’
In 2011, Cruz was a big-play machine, averaging 18.7 yards per catch while finding the end zone on pass plays of 68, 72, 74 (twice) and 99 yards. Opposing defenses had to shade their coverage to Hakeem Nicks on the outside, allowing Cruz a healthy amount of single-coverage when he was operating out of the slot. Last season, as Nicks labored with foot and knee problems, defenses acknowledged Cruz was the Giants’ most dangerous threat and shifted accordingly. His per-catch average dipped to 12.7 yards and his long-distance scoring plays (an 80-yarder and a 77-yarder) were greatly reduced.
Nicks didn’t play in the preseason opener; Randle started in his place. The big “if’’ with the Giants’ offense centers on Nicks’ health, which is imperative to re-introduce Manning to the downfield success he craves, the success he had, on one play, in the first preseason game.
“It’s good to know that we can get back to making plays when we need to,’’ Manning said.
Cruz knows he overcame the added attention thrown his way in Pittsburgh, but also knows that won’t be the case most Sundays if Nicks cannot force defenses to pick their poison.
“As long as we’re out here healthy and on the same page, a lot of teams will have decisions to make,’’ Cruz said.
Those decisions will turn to nightmares if Randle hits the accelerator on the readily-apparent progress he has made this summer after an uneven rookie year. The Giants want to believe when they go three-wide, they can line Nicks and Randle up outside, put Cruz in his oh-so-comfortable slot position and spread any defensive backfield dangerously thin.
“I was here last year and I know how our offense works,’’ Randle said, “and if we’re on the same page with Eli, there’s going to be a lot of those kind of touchdowns. If you know this offense, if you know Eli, it will just fall into your hands.’’