6 keys to victory in Week 2

For the love of all things, this offensive line has to protect Daniel Jones. He was sacked five times against the Vikings for a total loss of 20 yards. While the line is improved over last year, the adjustments made during the offseason have not yet solidified. The line itself wasn’t awful against the Vikings, allowing Jones nearly three seconds to throw, but it still has to do better. And DJ must do himself a favor and stop running into pressure.

Last week, Daniel Jones targeted Wan’Dale Robinson 12 times and Malike Nabers seven times. Robinson caught just six passes while Nabers brought in five. On-field situations and circumstances certainly affect a receiver’s ability to catch the ball, but Nabers was more reliable last week. With Darius Slatyon’s status in question, Nabers needs to be the guy this week.

Jayden Daniels recorded 184 yards last week on 17 completions. No touchdowns, but also no interceptions. The rookie was conservative, perhaps too much so as he was sacked twice for 23 yards. He was given 2.35 seconds to throw the ball, the lowest in the league. This is what led to Daniels rushing for 88 yards and two touchdowns.

The best thing Shane Bowen and the Giants defense can do is to get pressure on Daniels. Don’t give him the time he needs to make a decision, force him to make bad decisions that result in stops and turnovers.

Dexter Lawrence, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Brian Burns need to shine, and it’s not just about forcing a bad throw, it’s about not letting Daniels out of the pocket.

Despite both Austin Ekeler and Brian Robinson Jr. being running backs, they were Jayden Daniels’ primary targets against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week. Ekeler was the top receiver with four receptions for 52 yards and added two carries for 10 yards. Robinson Jr. rushed 12 times for 40 yards and a touchdown and added three receptions for 49 yards. Aside from Daniels, Ekler and Robinson Jr. were the top producers.

The Giants defense has to be ready for all three of the Commanders’ top offensive threats. Daniels, Ekeler, and Robinson Jr. combined for 138 rushing yards and three touchdowns. They have to be contained if the Giants want to win.

Placing Cor’Dale Flott in the slot last week and not playing Isaiah Simmons was … questionable at best. Flott didn’t practice in the slot all summer and Simmons is among the more veteran secondary players. Those are just two examples of poor player management last week, but it certainly can’t happen again. Brian Daboll, Shane Bowen and Mike Kafka all have to make sensible adjustments that benefit the team.

Okay, the Giants won the time of possession battle against the Vikings. They held the ball for 32 minutes and 26 seconds compared to the Vikings’ 27 minutes and 34 seconds. The problem was the Giants’ two interceptions and the nine penalties for 95 yards. The timing of interceptions and penalties always plays a role, too. The Giants have to clean up their play, hold on to the ball and not make silly mistakes if they want to win on the road this Sunday.