For those New York Giants fans who also moonlight as Finding Nemo fans out there, “Good feeling gone.” It took one week for the G-Men to throw their 21-18 Week 4 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.
It was always going to be an uphill battle for the offense after Malik Nabers went down with a season-ending ACL injury, but for the majority of one half, it looked like they’d be fine. Rookie quarterback sensation Jaxson Dart was rolling early. He led New York to back-to-back touchdown drives before everything collapsed.
It was a tale of two halves, with the second getting worse by the drive. When the clock read 0:00, the G-Men saw their record drop to 1-4, with a brutal 26-14 loss. The wind got ripped out of Big Blue’s sails, and while there will be no moral victories or silver linings from this one, here are the biggest winners and losers from a truly disappointing Week 5 showing.
2 winners (and 4 losers) from Giants' nightmare Week 5 loss vs Saints
Winner No. 1: Daniel Bellinger's job security
To say Daniel Bellinger was on the outside looking in would be an understatement. The fourth-year tight end typically shies away from the spotlight, but the 25-year-old left the field on Sunday as Big Blue’s leading pass catcher.
Bellinger ended the day with four receptions for 52 yards. Known more as a blocking tight end, the receiving chops are a welcome addition, especially with Leek done for the year. Who knows, this could jumpstart something special for the soon-to-be free agent. You can bet this just earned him a second contract.
Winner No. 2: Cam Skattebo (with football in hand)
When he’s not turning the ball over, rookie running back Cam Skattebo is one of the few Giants players who can move the football. Skatt is quickly turning into a force to be reckoned with. With 104 scrimmage yards, it’s the second time in three weeks he’s eclipsed the century mark. Look out.
The former Arizona State standout wrapped up Week 5 with 59 yards on the ground and 45 through the air. A costly fumble in the second half will surely rain on his parade, but when he holds onto the ball, this human-sized fire hydrant is a problem for opposing defenses. Give credit where it’s due.
Loser No. 1: Ball security
Speaking of that second-half turnover...
What happened to the G-Men in the final 30 minutes of the game? They turned the ball over on five consecutive drives, all but putting the nail in the coffin. Four of those turnovers came after halftime.
A Darius Slayton first-half fumble got things started. Dart didn’t want to miss out on the fun on the opening drive of the second half. Skatt apparently felt left out too, so he fumbled on the next drive (it was returned for a touchdown). Then the 22-year-old signal-caller felt the need to outdo everyone, throwing back-to-back, back-breaking interceptions to do them in. Talk about a nightmare.
Loser No. 2: Getting to the quarterback
It’s crazy what can happen in one week’s time. It felt like just yesterday, fans were sat there talking about how terrifying the G-Men’s pass rush looked against LA. Twenty-two quarterback pressures and two sacks. Against the Saints, they amassed one quarterback hit and zero sacks. This team is not going to win if the defensive front doesn’t get pressure.
Loser No. 3: Brian Daboll's job security
This one's easy. Blowing a 14-3 lead over a winless NOLA team, due to a lack of discipline, execution, and good coaching. This one is on Dab's shoulders. His hot seat isn't cooling any time soon.
Loser No. 4: Jaxson Dart's encore
Talk about deflating. It was just a week ago the rookie shocked the world by beating the previously undefeated Chargers. His stat line wasn’t the most impressive, but a win — especially against a playoff-caliber team like the Bolts — is a win. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as well Round 2.
Related: 5 major takeaways from Jaxson Dart’s tale-of-2-halves meltdown vs Saints
Dart finished the game 26-of-40 for 202 yards, two touchdowns, and three turnovers (two interceptions and a fumble). Not exactly the second start the 22-year-old was hoping for, but it’s goldfish time: Forget and move on.