“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.

“Until we start winning regular-season games, I’m not going to feel better either. There is uncertainty. There are a lot of new faces: Are they going to play together? Is the new offense going to work? You always have that anxiety. But we improved the team on paper. Hopefully, it’ll work out.”