EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- It doesn't get a lot preseason-er than Eli Manning going 4-for-14 for 46 yards and Odell Beckham Jr. failing to catch any of his five targets. The New York Giants' first-team offense hoped to show more in its second preseason game Saturday, but with wideouts Victor Cruz and Rueben Randle out with injuries, the downfield passing game was nonexistent. They'll try again next week against the Jets. Meanwhile, here are a few more thoughts from the Giants' 22-12 exhibition victory over the Jaguars:
QB Depth Chart: Manning was in the game for three series and a total of 19 plays. He missed on a couple of throws, but Beckham and Preston Parker each dropped a catchable pass, and Beckham short-armed a couple in a cautious effort not to get clobbered by a safety. The Giants said this week that they'd focus on the downfield passing game, so the fact that they ran six passing plays and no run plays on the first series was a plan and likely had something to do with the first-team offense's ability to establish a rhythm. But these are practice games, so it's not right to read anything into Manning's performance.
Maybe That Dude Could Start: Rookie defensive end Owa Odighizuwa is a work in progress as a pass-rusher. But he was active and disruptive behind the line of scrimmage in some second-quarter time with the first-team defense Saturday night. Should the third-round pick come more quickly than anticipated, it's not out of the question that he could be a significant part of the pass-rush rotation early in the season. The Giants are looking for answers there.
Who Got Hurt?: Middle linebacker Jon Beason left the game with a left knee sprain and did not return, though he did stay on the sideline in uniform, which could be a good sign the injury is not serious. Linebacker Mark Herzlich left the game early in the first quarter with a concussion. Safety Justin Currie fractured his right ankle in the first quarter and should be out for a very long time. Linebacker Tony Johnson left in the third quarter with a knee injury. Guard Adam Gettis was ruled out of the game in the third quarter with a stinger, but apparently made a miracle recovery and returned to the game before the third quarter ended. Starting safety Bennett Jackson sprained his right knee making a tackle with about three minutes left in the game, though he was able to walk off slowly under his own power after being down for a while and tended by trainers.
Surprise Performer Who Looks Good: Second-year running back Andre Williams has outperformed veteran Rashad Jennings so far in camp and looked good with the starters Saturday night. Williams finished the first half with 13 yards on three carries, including a nifty 11-yard run that came with the help of a strong Ereck Flowers block (more on Flowers in a bit). Williams also picked up a blitzer on a second-quarter play in which Manning threw deep to Beckham but he couldn't reel in the catch.
Rookie Watch: Flowers held up well at left tackle in his second preseason game. He's a big help in the run game and did fine in pass protection, though his primary one-on-one work seemed to come against Jacksonville linebacker Dan Skuta. Sixth-round pick Geremy Davis looked quick and precise as a wide receiver and should be able to make the team, assuming he's not completely useless on special teams. We already discussed third-rounder Odighizuwa above.
When It Was Starters vs. Starters...: The defense struggled. No, they didn't allow any touchdowns, but they didn't generate any real pressure, either. What's most alarming is that it appears coordinator Steve Spagnuolo understands that he's going to have to bring a lot of blitzes to generate pressure, and anyone who's familiar with Spagnuolo's work the first time around in New York remembers the key to his success was his ability to generate pressure with his front four. The problem the Giants have right now is that they're too thin on the line to expect consistent pressure with four, and too thin in the secondary to allow them to bring blitzes constantly. Where are the difference-making players on defense?
One Reason to Freak Out: As usual, since it's preseason, there's no reason to freak out. But for those who are inclined that way, the fact that all of the injuries were on defense once again could qualify. The Giants listed seven defensive backs among those ruled out due to injury before the game started, then had three linebackers and two safeties get hurt during the game. Again, they're not very deep on defense, which means injuries are only going to leave them further exposed. They should have cornerback Prince Amukamara and safety Landon Collins back soon, but if they lose four or five defensive players every game, they're going to be awfully short awfully soon.
Odell's Temper: Asked this summer what he would do if he were a defense trying to stop him, Beckham said, "Try to make me mad, I guess?" He has spoken openly about his need to control his emotions on the field, and it seemed as if they got the better of him for a brief moment Saturday. There was a second-quarter play where he was running down the right sideline on a route and Jaguars safety Sergio Brown seemed to snag hold of his left arm. Beckham couldn't make the play, and he shoved Brown as they were slowing down out of bounds. Beckham and a couple of Jaguars players had to be separated, but the officials kept the situation from escalating. Something to watch, as you know teams will try to get under Beckham's skin.
Sound in the Kicking Game: If you're going to have a field goal battle, it's nice to have a reliable field goal kicker. Josh Brown kicked five field goals Saturday night, connecting from 51, 43, 53, 37 and 28 yards. He missed a 46-yard attempt, but that miss was wiped out by a defensive offsides call that allowed the drive to continue and resulted in the game's first touchdown. Brown made the 33-yard extra point attempt.