Giants-Chiefs storylines: Giants have a lot of things to figure out

The New York Giants will try to avoid an 0-3 start to their season on Sunday night against the Kansas City Chiefs. Here are some of the storylines to follow as the week unfolds.

Which offense will show up?

The Giants scored just six points and totaled a measly 231 yards of offense in Week 1. They enjoyed a vintage Russell Wilson moon ball festival in Week 2, as he passed for 450 yards and three touchdowns as the Giants gained 506 total yards.

Which offense will show up Sunday against Kansas City?

No one should expect the Giants’ offense to be as prolific on a week-to-week basis as it was against the Dallas Cowboys. The Giants, though, have now shown that they can feature an explosive passing attack with the 37-year-old Wilson at quarterback.

To be competitive, the Giants need something in-between the extremes. They have shown what they are capable of, which makes back-sliding to what they did against the Commanders Week 1 unacceptable.

Where’s the defense?

Expectation does not guarantee results. That is a line I wrote on Monday in regards to the Giants’ defense. The Giants clearly don’t wan’t to hear it, but the expectation entering the season was that a defense that had seen a major talent injection after co-owner John Mara expressed his displeasure with the way it performed last season would be the backbone of the 2025 team.

So far, no good.

Through the small sample size of two games, the Giants are

• Last in the league in yards allowed.
• 27th in points allowed.
• Last in rushing yards allowed.
• 31st in yards allowed per rushing attempt.
• Last in total yards allowed.
• 28th in yards allowed per play.
• Last in first downs allowed. The 57 they have surrendered is 10 more than any other team.
• 26th in completion percentage allowed.
• 29th in passing yards allowed per game.
• 31st in the league in Expected Points Added (EPA) on second and third down. (h/t to Justin Penik for that one)

Clearly, defensive coordinator Shane Bowen has to answer for that. There was some thought the Giants would fire Bowen last season, but they opted for continuity, hoping a second season in Bowen’s scheme along with the talent upgrade would bring improvement.

So far, no good.

Players, though, also have to take some responsibility. Let’s use the second-and-10 play at the end of regulation that put Brandon Aubrey of the Cowboys in position to kick a game-tying 64-yard field goal as an example.

Look at the play:

Yes, the defense called was too soft. Perhaps it is consistently too soft on some of these too-frequent long-yardage conversions the Giants are allowing. That’s on Bowen. But, let’s not absolve the players.

Jevon Holland told me on Monday that the Giants were defending the 50-yard line. Holland clearly plants his feet at the 50. Dane Belton, though, retreats all the way to the Dallas 45-yard line. Is...