NFL power rankings 2018, Week 3: Giants fall towards bottom of the league

The New York Giants fell to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night, 20-13. New York is now 0-2, with a lot of games left to prove themselves. With the NFL Power Rankings coming out on various platforms this morning, let’s see where the Giants fall.

We went through seven different site’s power rankings and the Giants came out at No. 27 when you aggregate the various lists. They are as high as No. 24 on Bleacher Report and as low at No. 30 on ESPN. Here is an aggregation of all of the rankings and the explanations.

SB Nation (No. 29)

Yahoo (No. 28)

The Dallas defense is good, but not that good. The Giants looked like a wreck. The offensive line is bad again, and Eli Manning seems to be constantly concerned about the rush. When he does throw he still looks like a quarterback in decline, which he was for the two seasons before this one. A lot of work has to be done before the Giants offense is respectable.

Bleacher Report (No. 24)

The New York Giants have a two-time Super Bowl MVP at quarterback in Eli Manning. Arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL in Odell Beckham. And a Top Two draft pick in the backfield in rookie tailback Saquon Barkley.

What the Giants also have—two weeks into the 2018 season—is an absolutely dismal offense.

Through two games, the Giants have scored all of two touchdowns. One was a 68-yard Barkley run against the Jaguars. The other was a garbage-time touchdown pass Sunday night against the Cowboys.

Both came once the game in question was no longer in question.

It’s not solely the fault of those skill-position players. In both losses this year, the Giants’ retooled offensive line has been pushed around. Holes aren’t there for Barkley. Manning has precious little time to throw.

The Giants are once again the sole occupant of the NFC East basement—and a team in very real trouble.

USA Today (No. 27)

Sure didn’t take long for offensive line issues to resurface ... though Jacksonville and Dallas will be among sternest tests of season.

NJ.com (No. 27)

Sooner than later, the Giants will come to this realization: A productive offense can no longer be built around Eli Manning.. This franchise has tried to upgrade every area, including the offensive line, but the elephant in the room is too big to ignore: Manning can’t move or extend plays. His arm is (or was when he was in his prime) built for downfield passes. But the modern NFL, coupled with the Giants’ limitations, has forced Manning to be something he’s not. It’s a bad mix. The only way out is to get a young, athletic quarterback that can make plays with his legs. Manning can be fine in a perfect world, but that doesn’t exist with this franchise.

Washington Post (No. 26)

The offense isn’t getting it done. The offensive line isn’t giving QB Eli Manning much of a chance, and he doesn’t appear capable at this point of justifying the confidence that the Giants showed in him by not using the No. 2 overall selection in the NFL draft on his eventual replacement.

ESPN (No. 30)

Saquon Barkley broke the franchise record for receptions in a single game with 14 in Week 2. This comes one week after he became the first rookie in Giants history with 100 rushing yards in a season opener. -- Masi