The New York Giants are 2-8 to start the 2024 season and as they enter their bye week, there is little to no chance they can play their way into the postseason.

So what does the rest of this season look like and what does the future beyond that hold?

Let's save that for now as we first check how they got to 2-8 in the first place.

They've been their own worst enemy

The Giants have lost eight games this season but were competitive in six of those losses.

They lost two games to division-leading Washington by a total of eight points. Both games were winnable as was their five-point loss to Dallas. They lost by eight points to Pittsburgh and by 10 to Cincinnati in a game that was 10-7 up until the final two minutes.

Their most recent loss -- last Sunday to Carolina in overtime in Germany -- was for sure a very winnable one.

So, with a little more focus and effort, they could be 4-6 or even 5-5 at this point. The conversation would totally different around here.

The offense is offensive

Head coach Brian Daboll thought he was helping by taking over the playcalling on offense this year after the Giants finished 30th in scoring last season, averaging 15.6 points per game.

This year, they are averaging 15.6 PPG again and are dead last in the league. Daboll's hand on the throttle has had no effect.

The Giants are 23rd in total offense, averaging 309.7 yards per game but have not been able to complete drives. They are dead last in red zone offense, scoring touchdowns on just 39.3 percent of their trips.

Can't get away from injuries - again

The Giants were hoping their marquee draft picks over the years would help lift them back to prominence, but injuries (and other circumstances) have put a damper on that plan.

Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence has been All-World and become one of the best defensive players in the NFL. That's the good news. Now for the bad.

Quarterback Daniel Jones, who showed promise as a rookie with 24 touchdown passes, continues to shrink in big moments to the point where everyone to a man now sees he's not the answer.

Left tackle Andrew Thomas went out for the season with a Lisfranc injury in Week 7 and outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux (wrist) last played in Week 5.

Right tackle Evan Neal, who began training camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, started his first game in over a year this past Sunday. He played well, but it was at the expense of moving Jermaine Eluemunor out of that spot and over to left tackle where he struggled.

Cornerback Deonte Banks has been all over the map from having his desire to play questioned to concerns regarding his overall competency to be a No. 1 corner.

This year's top pick, wide receiver Malik Nabers, has already missed two games with a concussion. He was checked for another this past week. Something to watch going forward.

Big play blues

The lack of imagination on offense is one thing but the failure to create and execute big plays is another.

The Giants have just 19 plays of 20 yards or more, the second-fewest in the NFL this season. They have only two plays of 40 yards are more, which is third-fewest in the league.

The Giants are 24th in passing yards per game (189.8) and 27th in yards per completion (8.7).

It has been a combination of the play calling and the hesitancy of Jones to look downfield first for opportunities. Add in that his accuracy has waned this year on deep throws, and the picture of why they've sputtered on offense becomes clearer.

Dropped passes haven't helped, either. The Giants have dropped 25 passes this season, second to only the Cleveland Browns (27).

Leadership questions

Who are the Giants' leaders?

On offense, Jones and Thomas -- two notorious wall flowers -- are captains on offense. Thomas is gone for the year and Jones' job is in jeopardy. Everyone else is either new to the team or hasn't established themselves yet.

On defense, Lawrence is a force and has been speaking up as well as leading on and off the field. The other captain, linebacker Bobby Okereke, is in his second season with the team but still appears to be an outsider of sorts. He needs to step up.

Special team captain Casey Kreiter is only here on a one-year contract.

This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants at the bye: Check-up or postmortem?