Do Singletary's Struggles Foreshadow Giants' Offense?

The New York Giants had an eventful first half in their second preseason game against the Houston Texans. Ultimately, they fell short, 28-10, in Houston.

Their day was headlined by quarterback Daniel Jones throwing two interceptions in his return to game action, the first of which epitomized ugly quarterbacking.

However, Jones bounced back, operating in rhythm for the second quarter, connecting downfield with receiver Darius Slayton, finding a rapport with receiver Malik Nabers, and helping fans feel better about his outing. The same can’t be said for running back Devin Singletary.

Singletary scored New York’s only touchdown of the first half, a one-yard scamper past Houston’s. He also had a 10-yard rush, his biggest gain of the day.

The rest of Singletary’s Giants debut was rather bleak.

The veteran running back saw 10 carries for just 20 yards on Saturday. Take away his longest run and he averaged just over a yard per carry. That’s not the most sound way to judge a running back, but Singletary wasn’t creating the explosive plays to ignore stalled out rushes.

That, in itself, is fine. The Giants aren’t leaning on him for chunk gains. But they need him to be consistent and to make the most of the blocks New York’s offensive line can provide. The front five wasn’t stellar, but a few errant cuts spoiled Singletary’s day.

It’s far too early to tell whether the offensive line will provide the holes he found in Houston last year. Singletary not delivering on the elite technique that made him the Giants’ starter could have drastic consequences for the offense as a whole.

This unit may not be capable of surviving a high-volume season from Jones. If the run game struggles and the quick game doesn’t compensate, trouble is a near certainty.

Related: What Did Giants Learn About Gray, Tracy in Preseason Opener?

One rough preseason game shouldn’t incite panic. New York isn’t necessarily short on options, either. If backups Eric Gray and Tyrone Tracy Jr. (and his Wolverine-like ability to heal) continue to have strong summers, his leash may be shorter than initially anticipated.

Singletary’s Saturday wasn’t telling, though his unsteadiness would make the loss of Saquon Barkley feel that much more important. He’s worth keeping an eye on in the early weeks of the regular season.