Giants Look to Fix Offense Before Bengals Game EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Tom Coughlin is concentrating on generating more first downs in an effort to reboot a Giants attack that has not moved the chains in the last couple of weeks. The Giants produced only 13 first downs - three via penalty - in a 24-20 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. The previous week, despite winning, 29-24, at the Dallas Cowboys, they were held to 11 first downs. They did not score a second-half touchdown in either game. "We haven't had any first downs in two weeks," Coughlin said Wednesday. Make some first downs! You make a first down, you have a chance to get some rhythm, get some continuity. You get into your play-calling. When you don't have first downs, it's like this: throwing darts at a board. You need to have continuity. The Giants (6-3) are emphasizing the need to regain their offensive stride for their game at Cincinnati (3-5) on Sunday, their final game before a bye. Coughlin met with Eli Manning on Tuesday to ask for suggestions on anything that might be done differently. As is his custom, Manning was at the training complex to watch film during the players" day off. "We just had a talk about how to get back on track, playing at a high level," Manning said. He stressed that not too much significance should be attached to the meeting because he maintains a steady dialogue with the head coach throughout the season. He said, "We don't have to rewrite the book here." Manning spent more time than usual working one on one with his receivers during Wednesday's practice in an effort to sharpen timing. Manning completed 10 of 24 passes for 125 yards with no touchdowns and an interception, for a 41.1 passer rating, against Pittsburgh. The Giants" 114 net passing yards were their fewest since Manning threw for a net 94 at the Buffalo Bills on Dec. 23, 2007. The Giants" 182 yards over all were their fewest since they totaled 181 in a 44-7 road loss to the Minnesota Vikings to close the 2009 season. Although the Giants have struggled to gain first downs of late - they converted 2 of 10 third downs against Pittsburgh - Cincinnati Coach Marvin Lewis said he did not expect that to continue. "They have an effective offense with effective players, and we have to do a good job of limiting their explosiveness and vertical plays," Lewis said during a conference call on Wednesday. They pride themselves on that. Lewis is hardly alone in his search for ways to counter Manning's powerful arm and the speed of wide receivers Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks. Teams are increasingly keeping their safeties deep in an effort to prevent backbreaking plays like the 77-yard bomb to Cruz with 1 minute 13 seconds remaining that allowed the Giants to defeat the Washington Redskins, 27-23, on Oct. 21. "They are staying back and playing those deep routes so we can't get over the top of them," Cruz said. We've got to keep hitting them underneath until the big plays open up. Tight end Martellus Bennett used a basketball comparison to echo Cruz. "You can't live by big plays; it's like shooting 3"s all day," he said. We need to start getting some of the underneath routes, the dinks and dunks. Tom Coughlin said safety Kenny Phillips would miss his sixth consecutive game with a sprained knee. With the bye following the Cincinnati game, Coughlin hopes that will allow Phillips to return the next week, against Green Bay. ... Wide receiver Hakeem Nicks (knee), guard Chris Snee (ankle) and running back Ahmad Bradshaw (foot) were among other prominent players who sat out practice. ... Safety Will Hill has completed a four-game suspension for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances. Hill said he had taken Adderall, which he said was prescribed by a doctor before he signed with the Giants to help him deal with attention deficit disorder.