In life, it’s essential to, well, learn to crawl before you can run. The same goes for soccer; you need to show you can get the job done before diving into more complex plays.
The Giants experienced a rough start in Week 1, managing only 30 rushing yards. With three running backs, they combined for just 15 yards against the Commanders. It was a disappointing performance that overshadowed one of Russell Wilson’s strengths as he looked to prove a point against the Cowboys.
“We definitely took it personally,” said Tyrone Tracy Jr., who had 10 carries for 24 yards—well below expectations, as noted by Nextgenstats. “If we don’t perform up to our standards, that’s not good enough for us.”
To illustrate the struggles, their first play call from the 1-yard line was an incomplete pass aimed at backup offensive tackle Marcus Mbow. This was a situation where the offensive line and Tracy needed to assert themselves.
“When you start reviewing the tapes, you begin to see alignments that might work,” stated offensive coordinator Mike Kafka. “We were looking to attack, but it didn’t pan out. With the first call, it’s challenging to read the defense, so was it the right move to throw?”
Interestingly, out of the Giants’ 13 red zone plays, the majority were passes—12, in fact—including six of the seven executed during a one-score game in the first half.
“I know what I’m supposed to do, but honestly, I thought we should have run the ball on that one-yard line,” Tracy expressed. “Everyone felt that way, I think—whether it’s the offensive line, the quarterback, or the running back. For play action to work, you need a solid running game first.”
Wilson has built a reputation as one of the NFL’s more dynamic passers. Since 2020, he’s recorded 36 touchdowns and just 11 interceptions using play action, having completed a notable 64.7% or better in four out of his five seasons, per Pro Football Focus.
Yet, in Week 1, less than 20% of his pass attempts came after play fakes, and his attempts beyond 20 yards were underwhelming—a frustrating start.
“No matter how skilled you are, establishing the run is crucial,” Tracy commented. “Without that, everything else becomes difficult. It’s much easier to execute plays when the running game is working; that eases the pressure on everyone involved.”
The Cowboys have had a stronghold on the line of scrimmage against the Giants over the past decade. They’ve reportedly made moves, like the trade involving Mika Parsons, driven by concerns about run defense heading out of training camp.
Even though the Packers brought in Pro Bowler Kenny Clark, the Cowboys still allowed the Eagles to rack up 158 rushing yards and three touchdowns in their opener.
The Giants’ offensive line faced its own challenges, often being pushed around by the Commanders. Tracy, Devin Singletary, and Cam Skattebo all managed just 19 yards combined.
“We recognize that our run game hasn’t performed as it should, and it needs to improve,” said center John Michael Schmitz. “We’ve been focusing on the first half’s three-yard carries and refining our approach to make it explosive in the second half. We just have to keep at it.”
Before the season, the offensive line set ambitious goals.
“We aim to be the best offensive line in the NFL,” left guard Jon Runyan Jr. mentioned. “If we can’t achieve that, we’d like to at least land in the top 5 or 10, but we know we are still pretty capable.”
This raises the question: why did the running game falter so much?
“We just missed the mark,” Kafka admitted. “I overlooked some details—maybe a block or a key read was off, or we picked the wrong time to make certain calls. We need to perform better early on to find our rhythm and get our players moving.”
