ARLINGTON, TX – SEPTEMBER 16: New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) fumbles after being sacked by Dallas Cowboys linebacker Damien Wilson (57) during the game between the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys on September 16, 2018 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. (Photo by Andrew Dieb/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The New York Giants are trending downward, as evidenced by the fact Eli Manning is on pace to sacked 55 times this season.
The New York Giants lost their sixth game of the season on Monday night to the Atlanta Falcons, 20-13, and Eli Manning was sacked four times throughout the game. Per Pro Football Focus, Manning is on pace to be sacked 55 times this season, the most in his career.
The 37-year-old Manning has never been sacked 50 times in a season, or even 40 times in a season. His previous high is 39 sacks, in 2013.
In last night’s loss to the Falcons, Manning was sacked four times. This year only one quarterback in the NFL, Houston’s Deshaun Watson, has been sacked more than Manning. Watson has been sacked 26 times.
The Giants purpose for signing Nate Solder this offseason was to bolster a struggling offensive line, which would, in turn, grant Manning more time in the pocket. But the more things have changed, the more things stayed the same. The Giants released their struggling right tackle Ereck Flowers earlier this month, and the Giants overall have appeared to regress. Solder’s signing from New England was meant to push the team forward.
The season isn’t over with yet, but a 1-6 record means the Giants must double down on their issues to truly turn their season around in time for a playoff push. The good news is Manning has a talented, all-purpose running back in Saquon Barkley and a dynamic receiver in Odell Beckham Jr. so the resources are there to turn the season around. The bad news is that they’re running short on time, and Manning may eclipse his own sack record with another early season exit in the process.