The key word from Saturday’s debacle-incomplete.
Manning‘s 83 yards on 8-of-20 passing wasn’t exactly inspiring, as missed opportunity after missed opportunity defined the first half for the first string Saturday night. Hakeem Nicks didn’t fair much better, looking a step slow and a few inches out of place.
You could chalk up the poor numbers to a stout Jets defense, but that’s never stopped Manning from delivering before.
Or, perhaps, you could point to Nicks’ lack of practice time, but then again, that’s never been an issue either.
No, things are much different this time around. Granted, it was only the third week of the pre season, but the Manning to Nicks combo just wasn’t there. There’s no sense of familiarity, no anticipation of where they should be, and certainly no emotion. Just hanging heads and disappointed faces walking around MetLife Stadium on Saturday.
Nicks caught only one pass on 6 targets, and even that was a circus one handed grab down the sideline.
As for the rest of the offense, more of the same disappointment came in the red zone. Big Blue took it down to the Jets 4-yard line late in the first half, only to to see three plays net 2-yards, and a fourth down incomplete to Nicks on a fade in the corner of the end zone.
The Giants need to get back into the lab and create, recreate, or locate the chemistry they once had, or this team is going to be in for one very long and disastrous season.
Kyle McMorrow | Featured Columnist
