Cover 3: Takeaways from Giants vs. Eagles

John Schmeelk: A couple weeks ago in this same space, I wrote how the Giants appeared to have solved many of their problems in the trenches with the moves they made this offseason. They took a step backward on Sunday.

Without Andrew Thomas, the Giants allowed eight sacks after giving up only nine sacks in their previous five games. The line also failed to get the rushing attack going, gaining only 76 rushing yards on 18 carries. Running backs accounted for only 41 of those yards on 11 carries, which comes to under four yards per carry.

On the other side, 134 of Saquon Barkley’s 176 yards came on only three rushes. On Barkley’s 14 other carries, he ran for only 42 yards. Those three game-changing plays led to three of the Eagles’ four touchdowns. They lost the game for the Giants. Big plays lead to touchdowns, and touchdowns win games.

The Steelers are the Giants’ next opponent and they play one of the most physical brands of football in the NFL. The Giants will have to be better up front stopping a team that wants to run the ball, and slow down a pass rush led by one of the best individual pass-rushers in the NFL in T.J. Watt. If they don’t, the result on Monday night wont be much different than it was against the Eagles.