BBV Mailbag: 0-2 start by Giants raises lots of questions

The New York Giants 0-2 start has raised a ton of questions. Let’s open up the Big Blue View mailbag and try to answer some of them.

Ed says: Well, it’s not like Texas is a cross-country trip that would wear them out. OTAs, training camp, preseason is for the “bonding” part of the deal. I know the Giants have lots of new faces, but as far as preparing for a game the Giants have everything they need at their facility in New Jersey. I would think they would practice better, rest better, be able to take care of injured players better if they are at home in their own facility.

Ed says: The Giants targeted Beckham an extraordinary 15 times in their season-opening game. He was targeted nine times in Week 2, which is still a high number. They are making efforts to get him the ball, but you just can’t get the ball down the field when the blocking won’t allow it. If and when the Giants are able to get defenses blocked with more consistency I think the playbook will open up and you’ll see more creativity. If you can’t block, that sort of limits your options.

Ed says: The Giants have used that a little. Chad Wheeler played three snaps as a jumbo tight end in Week 1 vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Giants used three tight ends on three snaps against the Dallas Cowboys and used Shane Smith as a fullback on four plays. Remember that when you put in an extra lineman you take away a potential pass receiver. I’m sure we will see it again, but it’s not line Wheeler is a dominant player. I would suspect we see more of Simonson, and some packages with new fullback Elijhaa Penny.

Ed says: If Janoris Jenkins can handle DeAndre Hopkins alone, and we’ll see if he can, that would the ideal scenario. That would allow free safety Curtis Riley to shade toward Will Fuller, giving B.W. Webb some help there.

Ed says: Neither Dalvin Tomlinson nor B.J. Hill has made a big impact with the pass rush, and that is pretty much what we expected the case would be. Tomlinson has one quarterback hurry in 40 pass-rushing snaps. Hill has been coming off the field in obvious passing situations. He has one hurry in just 16 pass-rushing snaps. Neither of those guys is going to make a big impact in the pass rush. They might push the pile and clean up if other guys flush the quarterback, but they won’t be leading the charge.

Ed says: It’s not going to matter what they do if they can’t get anyone blocked. Still, as Dan Pizzuta pointed out on Thursday, the Giants haven’t been as creative or multiple on offense as we may have expected. I think, to be honest, that’s a function of the blocking issues and the idea there are part of the play book they haven’t been able to get to yet because of the situations they have been in. Over time, I believe that will correct itself.

Jon Gerstein asks: Rough start to this season but I’m trying to stay positive. Do you have any sense of if/when RJ McIntosh might be activated this year? Has he been practicing? We could definitely use the pass rush help.

Ed says: McIntosh is on the reserve/non-football illness list. He has not been practicing. To my knowledge he hasn’t participated in a single practice since he was drafted. I would think that at this point it would be highly unlikely that McIntosh, even if he were eventually cleared to return to football activities, could actually help the Giants this season. They started early May. He’s done nothing. The Giants I’m certain were aware of whatever medical condition has sidelined McIntosh, but could not have anticipated what has happened with him.

PJ Caust asks: For someone like Sam Beal, does he spend the season attending all the meetings he normally would if he was healthy, so that he can at least mentally adjust to the pros, or does he spend the season recuperating at home?

Ed says: Beal has been around the facility and has been spotted occasionally in the locker room. He is allowed to attend meetings, but cannot practice.