But what's wrong with just throwing it to Beckham down the field or in coverage? Risky? Sure. But why not trust a player who just might be the NFL's best receiver to go and make plays. Manning has a completion percentage of 74.2, and he's thrown just one interception in four games. That's swell, but who cares? The Giants are 1-3.
Throw it to Beckham in double- and triple-coverage. Heave it to him downfield. Sometimes it'll get picked off. Sometimes he won't catch it. But it's a good bet that most of the time he will.
And that's especially true in the red zone, where Manning attempted seven passes on Sunday, completing four. You know how many went towards Beckham? None. In the third quarter, when the Giants were trailing only 19-7 and had a first-and-10 at the New Orleans 14, Manning threw three passes. He didn't look Beckham's direction on any of them. On two, he ran a decoy route, barely jogging as he got off the line.
It's no wonder Beckham looked so frustrated. It's no wonder, after the game, he said "I hate to get out there and waste those 60 minutes."
And that's exactly what this is quickly becoming - a great, big waste. If Beckham isn't going to be the centerpiece of the Giants' offense, the guy they trust in the red zone, the guy they throw it to in key situations, then it's going to lead to a waste of a season, a waste of a truckload of money, and waste of one of the last years of Manning's career. He is one of the biggest playmakers in the league. He should be used that way.
Because it really is a waste if he's not.