New York Giants have to adjust playcalling

The New York Giants have to make adjustments after a disappointing home loss to the Washington Redskins.

The Giants rode a wave of momentum into MetLife last Sunday, against the Redskins. They were 2-0 for the first time in seven years, and their new-look defense was performing as advertised. They got off to a fast start by committing to the run, allowing Shane Vereen and Orleans Darkwa to carve Washington up for big plays.

It all came crashing down late and the defense couldn’t bail them out. Not this time. The game was close throughout the second half when the Giants decided to abandon the run. Three turnovers allowed the ‘Skins to steal a victory.

In a Sep. 27, 2016 post on NJ.com, McAdoo reasoned the Giants had favorable downfield match-ups.

Giants’ Head Coach Ben McAdoo

Since 2014, McAdoo has been notorious for his sporadic use of the run game. The Giants paid for it Sunday with a tough division loss.

Of equal concern is where the passes went. With Odell Beckham locked in and Sterling Shepard making plays, Eli Manning went to Will Tye in the endzone.

Moral of the story: don’t repair what isn’t broken. Vereen and Darkwa combined for 120 yards and two scores on the ground. Big Blue could have simply used their running game to take time off the clock. It showed little sign of letting up.

Instead, we’re left to second guess and fuel the ‘Odell Beckham distraction’ narrative all week.

The Vikings Await

Things suddenly look less promising. The Giants travel to Minnesota, where they’ve historically been bad, to take on a legitimate top-tier Vikings defense next week. They’ll do it without Shane Vereen, likely without Darian Thompson, and possibly sans Eli Apple and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

It’s too early to call any game a must-win, but the Giants need to rebound in a big way. The Philadelphia Eagles and Carson Wentz, fresh off a 34-3 thrashing of the Pittsburgh Steelers, look for real. The Dallas Cowboys have emerged in early NFC East conversations as well.

McAdoo will need to adjust his game-plan for the Giants to find success in Minnesota and regain their footing in the division.