NFL Week 3’s top storylines

Are the Giants dead in the water?

Back in the early days of training camp, I wrote about the enthusiasm and optimism that new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo brought to a New York Giants offense which had stagnated under Kevin Gilbride. It looked a bit rough, but we all figured it was only a matter of time before it all came together, given the talent at hand.

Yet the offense is still misfiring, even after five preseason and two regular season games and that optimism is a thing of the distant past. Opening with two losses for the second season in a row and facing a surprising Houston Texans team on Sunday, the Giants are suddenly teetering on the edge of a third loss and another lost season.

Can they turn it around? The offensive line is in tatters, and defensive end J.J. Watt isn’t going to cut them a break (well, unless he’s a full-time tight end). Eli Manning is trying to do too much again and is clearly not comfortable yet in the scheme and if he holds the ball too long again, well, it’s going to be a long day.

I’ve felt for some time this could be head coach Tom Coughlin’s last year, but I thought he’d be leaving on his own terms. If he loses this game, things could get bad as the schedule doesn’t get any easier. The Falcons, Eagles and Cowboys are three of the four teams they face before their Week 8 bye and the Colts, Seahawks and Niners are cued up when the Giants come back.

We could see sweeping changes for the organization this offseason.

But first we need to get past this season, one which has the potential to be a long one for the Giants.