EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) - Ben McAdoo isn’t much of a numbers guy.
The New York Giants’ rookie coach knows that statistics can be misleading. Take a look at New York’s scoring.
They are ranked 27th in the NFL, averaging just over 18 points.
It’s not good, and certainly well below what one would expect from a team that is entering its third season in the West Coast offense and has Eli Manning throwing to Odell Beckham Jr., Sterling Shepard and Victor Cruz.
McAdoo is expecting more, and soon. He knows the problems. The Giants are gaining yards, but hurting themselves with penalties and turnovers.
“I think we are ready to break out,” McAdoo said Wednesday after the Giants (2-2) practiced for Sunday night’s game against the Green Bay Packers (2-1).
When asked if he was referring to points, McAdoo said the breakout was going to come “in every way, shape and form.
“We are ready to breakout. We are due,” he said, adding he has confidence in his offense.
Manning felt the Giants did some good things against a good defense in their 24-10 loss to the Vikings on Monday night.
“We are close,” the two-time Super Bowl MVP said. “I don’t think we have to go and just change up everything. A lot of guys are doing a lot of good things. We have to connect on a few more plays here and there and we’ll be in good shape.”
The Giants are sixth in the league in total yards, averaging 382.3 yards.
In their two-game losing streak, the Giants have hurt themselves. They have turned the ball over five times and had 19 penalties for 197 yards. They are also 9 for 28 on third down, roughly 32 percent. The defense also has failed to record a takeaway.
“We have all the pieces,” said halfback Orleans Darkwa, who has taken over as the starter with Rashad Jennings sidelined and Shane Vereen (triceps) out for the season. “We just have to put it all together.
“We have had good weeks of practice. I feel we are there. We are chomping at the bit. You see the offense. You see the receivers we have and the weapons we have, on the line and in the backfield. It’s just a matter of time.”
Left guard Justin Pugh also feels good about the offense, noting the mistakes have hurt more than anything.
“You can’t keep saying if this would not have happened or that would not have happened, and this would have gone differently,” he said. “It’s not helping us saying stuff like that. We have to go out there and execute. We have to do it, and stop saying we’re going to do it.”
Defensive end Olivier Vernon believes the Giants have time to change things.
“We have 12 games left if I am not mistaken, and we have time to make our adjustments and play better ball overall as a team, and I think everyone realizes that,” he said.
NOTES: CB Eli Apple (hamstring), S Nat Berhe (concussion), tight end Larry Donnell (concussion), T Marshall Newhouse (calf), and S Darian Thompson (foot) did not practice. Jennings (thumb), CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (groin) and DT Robert Thomas (illness) were limited on Wednesday. … Pugh said the only distraction he feels relating to Beckham is constantly being asked questions about the receiver’s behavior. “I want to go out and play and I know he wants to go out and play, answering questions about it every week is not going to change how I feel about it. Every week, I want to go to work. He wants to go to work. End of story. I am not going to answer any more questions about Odell because it is pointless.”
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