Contributing to the growing pains is the new terminology of an offense instituted by coaches who have been in the organization only a few months. The offensive players sometimes look like students in a new school. Their heads are swimming with the changes, and every lesson is delivered by an unfamiliar teacher.

“We’ve got to get to the point where all of these things are second nature,” Manning said. “And that takes a little time and a little patience.”

Manning said, for example, that on a typical play after he has read the defense, made the appropriate call and communicated that call to the other players, he has to remind himself of something that should be elemental, like which foot should take his first step back.

He cannot, after all, listen to his feet without getting off on the right (or the left) foot.

Whether a new offense could be taught to an established quarterback in a brief time was one of the risks of the sweeping change the Giants chose to embrace in the off-season.

They also have six new offensive starters, including three on the line, which has struggled at times in the preseason to mesh as a unit. Stepping out of character again, the Giants went after a fleet, dynamic wide receiver, Odell Beckham Jr., with their first-draft pick instead of taking a steady lineman like Notre Dame’s Zack Martin. Beckham has missed months of practices with a hamstring injury, and his absence has seemed even more conspicuous because the Giants could sorely use another quality offensive lineman.

“There is risk to what we’ve done,” Mara said. “But it is not irresponsible risk. It’s early. You don’t make permanent evaluations in the preseason. I understand the fans’ apprehension.