With two weeks and two preseason games remaining, the Giants have a number of issues to work on as they continue to evaluate the roster with the mindset of improving before their season opener against the Dallas Cowboys.
The play of the offensive line:
In the Giants’ 21-0 loss to the Buffalo Bills the offensive line looked totally out of sync. The team rushed for 102 yards on 19 rushing attempts but that 5.4 yards per carry stat is totally misleading since 67 yards came on a single carry by Bobby Rainey. If you remove that Bobby Rainey run then the Giants rushing attack accounted for 35 yards on 18 rushing attempts, a measly 1.94 yards per carry. The Giants’ running backs were not able to establish the run as they were frequently hit behind the line as the Bills defensive line controlled the line of scrimmage. In addition , the offensive line was completely incapable of creating any holes for the running backs to see the light of day. There was no cohesion from the starting unit or the reserves. The issue has been discussed for some time now because the Giants did not upgrade the line in the offseason even though it was clearly a position group that needed to be addressed. For their running game to improve this season and to allow Eli time to breathe in the pocket, they’re going to have to begin to operate as a unit. The quality of play in both preseason games hasn’t inspired confidence that they’re on track to do that. The play from the second and third teams has been particularly woeful. The issue of depth is a significant part of the problem. This week of practice is very important as those players fighting for a spot need to prove that they can come in and make an impact when called upon. Saturday’s game against the Jets is a serious test for the offensive line. Whether they can rebound from a subpar effort and play at a high level for an entire game remains to be seen.
Victor Cruz back on the field :
Victor Cruz has a lot to prove this week as he returns to the practice field after missing the past two weeks of practice along with the first two preseason games due to a groin injury. According to reports he got off to a good start earlier today when he made a team high 7 receptions in practice. Cruz hasn’t played a game in close to two years, sustaining injuries to his knee and calf. The last time he played was against the Philadephia Eagles on Oct. 12, 2014. That was the game that he tore his patellar tendon. To say it’s been an incredibly tough road back to the playing field would be putting it mildly. Cruz needs to build on Tuesday’s practice and continue to show the Giants that he’s still able to make a valuable contribution to the team. Preseason game three will mean a great deal to Victor Cruz’s future as a New York Giant. The Jets game will be his first opportunity to prove the naysayers wrong and begin his comeback. If he suffers another setback in the next two weeks, it’s possible that we may be seeing the last of Victor Cruz in a Giants uniform.
Injuries :
According to reports Linebacker J.T. Thomas was activated from their Physically Unable to Perform list earlier today. The return of J.T. Thomas will certainly help with depth at the linebacker position. The team is currently dealing with a number of injuries that at this point do not appear to be very serious. Staying healthy is of paramount importance as week one of the regular season is fast approaching.
Free Safety Darian Thompson : Shoulder Injury
Safety Mykkele Thompson : Concussion
Tight End Matt LaCosse : Knee Injury
Fullback/Tight End Will Johnson: Burner
Dan Evans is a Contributing Writer for PureSportsNY You can follow him on Twitter @DanEvansPSNY