NFL

Defenders getting physical with Giants’ Nicks, Cruz

Remember all that talking and squawking about how cornerbacks and safeties have no chance to cover all the talented receivers in the NFL because the rules favoring the offensive players make it impossible to do so? Perhaps there’s not as much validity to that claim as there once was.

The Giants certainly will attest to a not-so-subtle change in the way they have been yanked at and pulled at and impeded by opposing defenses. Once upon a time this season, Eli Manning was at the helm of a high-flying passing attack but the air show has been grounded for a month. Failing to produce big plays was a main reason why the Giants went into last night’s important NFC battle with the Packers riding a two-game losing streak.

The breakdowns were not triggered exclusively by failures in the way Manning was delivering the ball. His receivers, notably Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks, were often not able to escape the clutches of defenders who would rather take their chances on a penalty than risk a huge play down the field.

“Actually overall the defensive back play this season has been very physical, not just with Victor, but with all of the receivers, the entire crew,’’ Giants receivers coach Kevin M. Gilbride said. “That’s something that we now are starting to overcome a little bit. We’re starting to understand how to play through some of that contact, whether it’s right at the line of scrimmage or further down the field.’’

The success of the entire operation depends on turning that understanding into action. Gilbride after serving as an offensive assistant the past two years is in his first season as the receivers coach and the quicker he can get his guys in gear the better it will be for his father, Kevin Gilbride, who is in his sixth season as the offensive coordinator.

Watching Manning have his way in the passing game through the first six games started the conversation that perhaps he should be in the MVP picture. That conversation has been muted as the passing attack has faltered, badly. Manning hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass in three straight games. Cruz has 60 receptions in 10 games, but only 10 in the past three games. His longest reception in that span is 26 yards.

Nicks, slowed by foot and knee problems all season, missed three consecutive games in late September and early October and has been stuck on one touchdown catch since the second game. He’s slowly healing from his ailments, taking a regular turn in practice and two weeks ago broke out with a nine-catch performance in an otherwise dreary 31-13 loss in Cincinnati.

Along the way, Cruz and Nicks have been knocked around by defensive backs who are adopting a “more physical the better’’ approach. Neither starting receiver is a physically-dominant player, though Cruz is strong and Nicks often looks like a basketball player rising for a rebound the way he elevates to get the ball in his huge hands. The deep ball hasn’t been there for either player. Plus, the execution in the short-passing game leaves plenty to be desired.

“I think based on what defenses try to do, they can take away certain things, and I think that’s really what has happened,’’ the younger Gilbride said. “In the Pittsburgh game, we had a couple opportunities on some deeper balls that for whatever reason we didn’t quite connect on. On two of those plays, we ended up getting a penalty called on the defense anyway and got that chunk of yardage, but we couldn’t capitalize on the top ends of those drives, which we needed to in order to give ourselves a chance to win. When a defense is taking things away from you, then you do have to adjust and usually it’s built within each play to try to take advantage of the underneath coverage if they’re playing with extended coverage over top.’’

All three players vying for the No. 3 receiver role — Domenik Hixon, Ramses Barden and rookie Rueben Randle — have had eye-opening games, but none have been able to break away from the pack. Hixon’s sprained ankle kept him out of the game against the Packers, giving Randle the opportunity to show that his big game (six catches, 82 yards) seven weeks ago against the Browns wasn’t a fluke.

The Giants don’t care which receiver rises to the top, just as long as one of them does.

“As teams have started to play certain ways against us, and really it’s not just against us, it’s across the NFL, those are the adjustments you have to make,’’ Gilbride said. “Not any particular week, but I think we’re starting to understand that it’s happening and make the proper technique adjustments.’’