LANDOVER, Md. -- With all the New York Giants' concerns right now, the last thing they need is an Evan Engram problem.
The tight end was having such a promising rookie season until these past five days. Engram had one catch for nine yards on six targets with a drop in a win against the Kansas City Chiefs. That ended a four-game streak with a touchdown.
Engram then had three catches on seven targets for 18 yards with two drops in Thursday night's 20-10 loss to the Washington Redskins. That doesn't even include a catch down the seam in the first quarter that Engram didn't make. He lost the ball when he hit the ground.
Engram had a rough evening. His drops were relatively easy grabs on short passes on third downs.
"I don't know. I just got to be better," he said. "There's no excuses for it. I just got to make some plays, just got to be better."
An otherwise encouraging rookie season has quickly gone off track. Engram is tied for third in the NFL with five drops this season, and the Giants desperately need him to get back on track as their offense continues to struggle badly. They have just one offensive touchdown drive (of 14 yards) in the past two games combined.
It doesn't help that the Giants have had to thrust Engram into a bigger role than he's likely suited to handle in his first professional season. With Sterling Shepard (migraines) sidelined and Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall out for the season, Engram has been asked to be Eli Manning's No. 1 receiver.
That's an awful lot of responsibility for a rookie tight end. They better hope it doesn't backfire. Engram still leads all tight ends in catches (44), yards (470) and touchdowns (5), but the drops are starting to pile up, the production is dipping and the frustration is rising.
"Are they a concern? Tonight, yeah," Engram said after Thursday's loss. "A big concern."
The Giants are doing what they can to keep him on track. There is too much talent in that 6-foot-3, 240-pound frame to let it continue trending in the wrong direction.
Coach Ben McAdoo admitted he had a couple of conversations with Engram throughout the game on Thanksgiving. He was trying to make sure the speedy pass-catcher wasn't dwelling on the mistakes.
"Especially after the first one, you have to flush it and move on, because at a certain point of time, you have to reset mentally," McAdoo said. "That's the big part of it."
That doesn't just apply to during the game. It also holds true moving forward.
Engram and the Giants will try to get back on track next week against the Oakland Raiders, who happen to be one of the worst teams defensively against tight ends. They allow more than five receptions per game to opposing tight ends.
Opportunities should be there to make plays for Engram, who denied feeling he hit the rookie wall. But it's possible he just doesn't realize it.
"Well, you just have to keep fighting," Manning said. "You get to the second half of the season, and these rookies, it can get long for them. So you just have to keep grinding and make sure you're focused, and we're going to need him to make some plays for us."
The Giants have 10 days to get ready for the Raiders. That should provide Shepard, who has been dealing with migraines, an opportunity to get healthy.
Shepard's presence would make life easier for Engram. Defenses have been able to concentrate their efforts on Engram the past two weeks. Maybe that has contributed to this current case of the dropsies. Maybe he's trying too hard knowing he needs to make plays with the Giants so short on healthy playmakers.
These are all just theories. The results the past two weeks say it's a situation that needs to be monitored regardless.
"There are no excuses,” Engram said. "Just have to be better."
