season. He sees an offense that strays from the plan too often,

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- With one of the NFLs better top offenses, the New York Giants went on a spending spree in free agency to shore up the defense. They hope to give rookie coach Ben McAdoo a shot at ending the franchises four-year playoff drought.The strategy was simple: Fill all the holes on the leagues worst defense and the days of consecutive 6-10 seasons would end.The plan has the Giants returning to the glory days that saw Tom Coughlin lead them to Super Bowls titles in the 2007 and 11 seasons.A funny thing happened in the preseason. The defense, led by newcomers Olivier Vernon, Damon Harrison and Janoris Jenkins, lived up to all the expectations. It stopped the run and forced turnovers.The offense went south, though. Eli Manning, Odell Beckham Jr. and the rest of the group were simply horrible. She Giants once again are a question mark heading into the season opener at Dallas on Sept. 11.Even playing in the weak NFC East wont help if the offense doesnt wake up.Everybody is excited, Manning said after the Giants (2-2) wrapped up the preseason. We are excited for this year. ... We know we have some quality players on this team. The defense has been playing great football, so hopefully they can continue to do that, and the offense, we will pick it up and score some points.The defense has come a long way since blowing six games either in the fourth quarter or overtime last season.Honestly, we are going to have to wait and see come Dallas, said Vernon, who signed a five-year, $85 million contract. Thats a good team. They have a lot of weapons. You know its going to be rocking. Its our first division game, against one of the big-time rivals. Well see how it pans out and go from there.Here are some keys to the Giants season:OFFENSIVE LINE: With the starting group returning, the Giants did nothing to help the line either in the draft or free agency. It was believed that left tackle Ereck Flowers, left guard Justin Pugh, center Weston Richburg, right guard John Jerry and right tackle Marshall Newhouse would get better. They havent.The players insist they will improve once the team starts game planning. Perhaps.Veteran Will Beatty, who missed all of last season and then was cut in a cap move early this year, was re-signed last week in an effort to help.DEFENSIVE LINE: The addition of Vernon and Harrison has transformed this group into a force. Vernon is one of the leagues top pass rushers and Harrison stuffs the middle. Added to end Jason Pierre-Paul and tackle Johnathan Hankins, and reserves Owa Odighizuwa and Kerry Wynn, this group has the capability to control games like the lines in the Super Bowl days. Thats a gift for the linebackers who have been able to run free, and for the secondary, which benefits from quarterbacks under duress.ROOKS: This might be one of general manager Jerry Reeses best draft classes. Top three picks cornerback Eli Apple, receiver Sterling Shepard and safety Darian Thompson are going to get big playing time. Thompson was expected to start, but has been slowed by a shoulder injury. Tight end Jerrell Adams, the sixth-round pick, has been making strides.COMPANY FOR BECKHAM: Odell Beckham Jr. has been the teams big-play threat in his two seasons. Last year, he did it almost by himself because the team didnt have a consistent No. 2 receiver. This year is going to be different. Shepard is a sure-handed threat and Victor Cruz seems ready to contribute after missing last season. Dwayne Harris, Tavarres King and Roger Lewis Jr. also are available, all good news for Manning.THE NEW COACH: McAdoo has done and said all the right things since being hired to replace Coughlin in January. The former offensive coordinator now must lead the whole team and find ways not to blow late leads. The 39-year-old McAdoo has yet to say whether hell continue calling offensive plays or hand it over to Mike Sullivan. His biggest decision will come in Week 2: Does he keep placekicker Josh Brown? The steady veteran who had a career year in 2015 is suspended for the first game because of a domestic violence incident in 2015. No charges were filed but the team has been under pressure. Randy Bullock has been signed to kick against Dallas and the team said there is now a competition between Brown and Bullock for the job.---AP NFL websites: http://pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL Pat LaFontaine Jersey . 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FORT WORTH, Texas -- JD Miller got the message from new coach Jamie Dixon coming off TCUs first loss under its new boss.Miller scored 12 points with a more aggressive approach that sparked a huge advantage on free throws, freshman point guard Jaylen Fisher led five players in double figures with 13 and the Horned Frogs beat Wofford 72-63 on Saturday, bouncing back from a loss to crosstown rival SMU.I missed a couple of shots early in the game at SMU, Miller said of the 74-59 loss in Dallas earlier in the week. I thought this game I should just attack the basket. Thats all I was thinking.Kenrich Williams had his fourth double-double of the season with 11 points and 13 rebounds for the Horned Frogs (9-1) in the first meeting between the schools. Dixon, a former TCU player, improved to 3-0 against the Terriers after beating them twice in 13 years at Pittsburgh.Fletcher Magee scored 18 points for Wofford (3-7), a four-time qualifier for the NCAA Tournament since 2010 but winless in seven tries against Division I teams this season. Ryan Sawvell had 12 points and 13 rebounds.TCU, which had a 30-12 deficit on free throws in the loss to the Mustangs, had 20 free throws to none for the Terriers in the first half. The Horned Frogs finished with a season-high 41 to eight for Wofford but shot just 59 percent from the line to help Wofford stay close.It was the difference, Dixon said. We got beat at the line the other night and we beat them at the line. But youve got to shoot a higher percentage. Its almost a turnover when you go 24 for 41.Brandon Parrish had two 3-pointers for all six of his points, the first giving the Horned Frogs their first double-digit lead midway through the second half and the other ending an 8-0 run that got the Terriers within three points in the final two minutes.Williams scored seven of his points from the line, and Fisher offset a 3-of-10 shooting game by making five of six free throws. The Horned Frrogs outscored the Terriers 24-6 at the line.dddddddddddd.That wasnt a matter of the school from South Carolina coming to Texas and getting the bad end of the stick, Wofford coach Mike Young said. They were tougher. They were more aggressive. Consequently, they shot more foul shots than we did.BIG PICTUREWofford: The Terriers have been competitive in most of their losses, a solid sign in pursuit of another Southern Conference tournament title that would secure another trip to the NCAAs. I thought this one had the makings, Young said. Were getting closer. Certainly not off to the start that we anticipated.TCU: Dixon isnt ready to start thinking about the difficult Big 12 season. He sees an offense that strays from the plan too often, but has the promise to be competitive in one of the nations most difficult conferences.FIRST START, CAREER HIGHSlovakian forward Vladimir Brodziansky of TCU got his first start of the season and had a career-high five blocks to go with 10 points and eight rebounds. One of the boards came on a missed 3 by Williams with TCUs lead down to 64-61 with 1:37 remaining. It led to Parrishs second 3. Hes playing good. Got to play a little bit better post defense and score a little better, Dixon said. Hes improving. Theres no question.Freshman Desmond Bane added 10 points off the bench.UP NEXTWofford: The Terriers play Austin Peay at home Thursday followed by road games at Coastal Carolina (Dec. 19) and Georgia Tech (Dec. 22) before conference play starts Dec. 31 at home against Mercer.TCU: After an eight-day break, the Horned Frogs have two more tuneups before the Big 12 opener against No. 3 Kansas at home on Dec. 30. Texas Southern visits Dec. 18, followed by Bradley on Dec. 21.---More AP college basketball: www.collegebasketball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25 ' ' '