Odell Beckham returns, but hapless Giants fall 24-10 to Lions

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — This time, the New York Giants had Odell Beckham Jr. in uniform.

But it didn’t matter on Monday night, as the team — once again — stumbled to a dismally ineffective offensive performance.

The Giants lost their second consecutive game Monday night, this one 24-10 to the Detroit Lions. New York could not sustain enough drives, generate enough yards, or score enough points to stay in it after falling behind 17-7 at halftime. So now, gone is the narrative that played out last week that New York’s offense needed Beckham back — even if he was still hobbled. Beckham provided a boost, but offensive flaws are rooted far deeper than the receiver’s health.

“We go back to work,” head coach Ben McAdoo said after the game. “We have to analyze everything we’re doing. I mean, we can’t pull points out of a hat. We’ve got to get to work. We have to block better, we have to handle the ball better, we can’t turn the ball over, we have to play complete, complementary football and we’re not doing it.”

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McAdoo added later that the Giants would “consider everything,” including personnel changes and even a switch of play-calling duties. McAdoo, despite being the head coach, also directs the offense and calls the plays.

After scoring only three points last week, New York is now ranked 30th in scoring offense. The Giants managed just 270 yards Monday. And for a team that had aspirations to compete for an NFC East championship, the Giants (0-2) are suddenly in last place.

Beckham, nursing a high-ankle sprain of his left foot, made his season debut but played only 33 of the team's 55 snaps. Sixteen of those came in the fourth quarter, when the Giants tried to close the deficit.

Rarely was Beckham on the field to start drives. In fact, he actually didn’t register the start and played his first snap on New York’s third offensive play of the game. Giants coaches typically inserted Beckham on third down and passing situations, as well as when the team marched into the red zone.

Because Beckham didn’t play his regular load of snaps, it’s an indicator that he’s still not completely healthy. Earlier this week, he told reporters it was a “six-to-eight week thing,” yet he played exactly four weeks after suffering the injury in an Aug. 21 preseason game at Cleveland.

Beckham caught four passes for 36 yards on five targets.

“I felt like a little bit of myself,” Beckham said before adding that he’s “still not there” and “didn’t suffer any setbacks” after making his debut.

But the star receiver's limitations weren't even close to the chief reason for New York’s struggles. The offensive line, which suffered an injury when starting right tackle Bobby Hart left the game in the first quarter with an ankle injury, allowed quarterback Eli Manning to get sacked five times, three by Lions defensive end Ezekiel Ansah.

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Manning never settled into a rhythm and appeared to be aware of oncoming Detroit pass rushers as soon as the ball was snapped. He threw for 239 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.

Receiver Brandon Marshall, whom the Giants signed this offseason, caught just one pass for 17 yards. He dropped a deep go route early in the fourth quarter when New York was down seven points. That pass hit him in the hands and could’ve changed the outcome of the game.

Two plays later, Lions corner Jamal Agnew took a punt 88 yards to the end zone to punctuate the game.

That leaves Marshall with two catches this season.

New York ran for only 62 yards on 18 carries.

The offense is broken, and the Giants have a short week to fix it. New York makes the short trip south to face the Philadelphia Eagles (1-1) Sunday in its second divisional game of the season after last week’s loss against the Cowboys.

“We’ve just got to figure out what’s our best personnel, what’s our best style, how we’re going to be able to move the ball,” Manning said. “Stay in good down and distance, having to convert on third down and what’s going to be our best style of being able to get the ball downfield at times. Just keep working and get better. It’s not about changing a whole lot, it’s about improving on the things we’re doing.”

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Follow Lorenzo Reyes on Twitter @LorenzoGReyes

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