Giants cornerback Janoris Jenkins defends against TE Jimmy Graham. Photo from giants.com

EAST RUTHERFORD: The Giants came into their game against the Seattle Seahawks with a new-found attitude on offense following Big Blue’s 23-10 road win against the Denver Broncos last week.

The Giants defense always had the attitude.

But attitude alone was not enough Sunday as the Seahawks offense was able to wear down the Giants and open up what had been a close game and pull away for a 24-7 win at MetLife Stadium.

The Giants simply do not have the horses on offense to win many games this year.

But it was fun to watch the Giants defense give it all they had.

Scoreless at the time, Seattle had an astounding 12 touches inside the Giants 15-yard line at the end of the first quarter and into the second, and came away with nothing.

Big blue even helped the Seahawks with two penalties inside the 10-yard line and still no score.

After the Giants went three-and out, their defense made another impact play when defensive end Avery Moss forced a fumble that was recovered by Landon Collins who ran 42 yards before being tackled at the Seattle 17-yard line.

On the second play, Eli Manning hit rookie tight end Evan Engram with a five-yard touchdown pass to go up 7-0.

Collins said his interception was a game-changing play, they just needed more of them.

“There’s going to be game-changing moments all throughout the game,” Collins said at his locker after the game. “It’s not going to always give us a boost with all the game-changing moments. We knew it was going to die down but at the same time we kept trying to make plays. At the same time, I’m glad we got some points on the board and got in positions to put points on the board. If we could continue to keep forcing turnovers and making plays, we’ll be OK.”

The Seahawks finally got on the scoreboard when their fifth drive of the first half stalled at the Giants 21-yard line. Blair Walsh booted a 39-yard field goal with 46 seconds left to make the score 7-3 at the half.

The Giants continued to see drive after drive go nowhere. It is hard to win games with so many key players out.

In addition to missing their three top wide receivers Odell Beckham, Jr., Brandon Marshall (both out for the year) and Sterling Shepard, the Giants missing starting running back Paul Perkins, defensive end Olivier Vernon, linebacker Jonathan Casilllas and center Weston Richburg…all deactivated with various injuries.

In the third quarter, starting right guard Justin Pugh left the game with a back injury and did not return.

Last week Pugh kept Denver Broncos all pro defensive end Von Miller in check helping Big Blue earn their first win of the season. Sunday he had success against Seattle’s Pro Bowl defensive end Michael Bennett, who went without as sack and had no real impact.

In the third quarter, Seattle made the score 10-7 when quarterback Russel Wilson finished a 59-yard drive hitting Doug Baldwin with a 22-yard touchdown pass.

Collins said that by the end of the third quarter, the defense started to feel the strain of being on the field for so long.

“Guys were kind of wearing down with all the snaps,” Collins said. “I think at halftime they had almost 50 snaps. Third downs. They got some good third downs. Breakdowns at the back end.”

The Giants were unable to get anything going offensively and eventually Seattle scored again when Paul Richardson caught a 38-yard touchdown pass from Wilson with 9:34 left in the fourth quarter. Wilson finished the scoring at the 2:14 mark with a one-yard pass to tight end Jimmy Graham, who had two bad dropped during the game.

Manning was 19 of 39 for 134 yards one touchdown pass and no interceptions. He was not sacked.

Engram was targeted 12 times, caught six for 60 yards and the Giants one score.

Wilson was 27 of 39 for 334 yards, three touchdown passes and an interception. He was sacked once. His quarterback rating was 121.1.

Neither team rushed the ball particularly well. Seattle came up with 104 yards as a team on 31 carries (3.4 yards per carry), the Giants rushed just 17 times for 46 yards (2.7).

The Giants didn’t get a first down by rushing at all. Of their 14 first downs for the game, six were by penalty.

Head coach Ben McAdoo would not use injuries as a reason for the lack of offensive production.

“We weren’t sharp on offense today.”

Seattle guard Mark Glowinski, subbing for Luke Joeckel who missed the game due to injury, said the Seahawks knew the Giants defense was going to take chances to help set up their offense.

“You didn’t know what they were going to come out and do,” Glowinski said in Seattle’s locker room after the game. “You didn’t know what kind of pressures they were going to try so you had to focus on what down it was and what looks they were showing and make sure we picked it up.”

Some of the Giants efforts worked in the first half as the Seattle offense only had three points on the board at intermission.

“I think it was us more than them,” Glowinski said. “I think we just got a little out of whack a little early and at times pressed a little too hard. Once we dialed in, relaxed a little bit, focused on what we were supposed to, things worked out better.”

Engram said the one positive for him is he is getting experience he might not get with a full lineup. Obviously he would rather have the whole team playing and have more wins, but why not make the best of it”

“Yup, there is an opportunity to step up and make plays,” Engram said at his locker after the game. “I’m learning every day, learning every game, so yeah it’s an opportunity to step up and make plays when I need to. But we know we’re a good team. We be fine if we keep working.”

The Giants are 1-6 at the bye. Collins was asked…where do you go from here?

“I can’t even answer that question,” he said. “We just have to stick together as a team, keep fighting and try and make a good outcome come out of this.”

Follow Al Thompson on Twitter @thompsoniii

Head coach Ben McAdoo