Giants can’t win with an itsy-bitsy offence

After defeating the Cleveland Browns 27-13 last Nov. 27, the New York Giants have failed to score more than 19 points in six consecutive regular season games, plus one NFC playoff game.

If the Giants fail to crack 20 again on Monday night at home against the Detroit Lions, it’ll be eight straight — the equivalent of half a season.

Why haven’t we heard more about these Giant struggles on offence? Probably because the defence has been so good, at least most of the time. During the slump, the New York defence has allowed 10 points or fewer three times, ensuring three wins.

After starting the season last week with an offensively feeble 19-3 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, the Giants need a win, no matter how few points they score and regardless whether star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. plays.

Word on the weekend was that Beckham will be a game-time decision; he’s officially listed as questionable. He practised, albeit on a limited basis, this past week for the first time in a month after badly spraining his ankle in a mid-August pre-season game.

The blame for the Giants’ long-standing offensive struggles typically gets thrown at veteran New York quarterback Eli Manning — as is the case now, following a number of quickly dispatched check-down throws against the Cowboys last Sunday.

Is such criticism justified? To a point, yes, Giants offensive co-ordinator Mike Sullivan said on Saturday.

“I would say that Eli, like everyone else on the offensive side of the ball, had a bad night … had a night that is not up to our standard,” Sullivan said.

“(It was) one bad night, and to rush to conclusions (as to) where he’s at, or where anybody is after one game, would be premature.”

Head coach Ben McAdoo is feeling the Big Apple heat, too. Remember, he was Tom Coughlin’s last offensive coordinator, and probably the chief reason McAdoo got to replace Coughlin is because Manning liked him a lot and fit his system.

This past week, McAdoo reportedly blasted his offensive players, Manning included.

“We don’t have time to handle things with kid gloves here. We’re going to be open and honest with our communication,” McAdoo said. “We’re critical with ourselves as coaches, and we expect the players to be critical of themselves. That’s the best way to improve. Especially from Week 1 to 2, but every week.”