You almost have to try to lose a game like that. The New York Giants blew an 18-point fourth-quarter lead in Denver with just under six minutes left on the clock — a lead no team in NFL history had ever squandered under those circumstances. Until now. Final score: Broncos 33, Giants 32. Insufferable pain.
There are bad losses, and then there’s whatever that was. It wasn’t just a defensive collapse. It was a top-to-bottom unraveling that will be remembered for all the wrong reasons. Up 19 points after three quarters. Two missed extra points. A back-breaking interception. 46 fourth-quarter points. A four-play, 56-yard drive allowed with 37 seconds left and no timeouts. All of that happened.
So while there were technically some positives buried in the rubble — shoutout Jaxson Dart for even making it a game — we’re not going to sugarcoat a total meltdown. Here are two winners and six very clear losers from the Giants’ Week 7 disaster.
2 winners (and 6 losers) from Giants' atrocious Week 7 collapse vs Broncos
Winner No. 1: Jaxson Dart's statistical performance
Strictly from a box-score perspective, Dart’s performance was pretty strong. Yes, he had a costly interception in the fourth quarter, but the defensive ineptitude did the Giants in more than one turnover.
Related: 6 key takeaways from Jaxson Dart’s rollercoaster Week 7 collapse vs Broncos
The 22-year-old finished the night 15-of-33 for 283 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. He added 11 yards on the ground, along with a rushing touchdown. Even with the pick, that stat line should’ve been good enough to get the G-Men their third win of the season. Instead, fans are left reeling from one of the worst blown leads of all time.
Winner No. 2: Brian Burns' sack total
Brian Burns’ offside penalty in the fourth quarter was tough. But the 27-year-old was fighting through an ankle injury and was physically doing everything he could to stop the defense’s slide.
He entered the game with 7.0 sacks on the season, and with two more on Sunday, he now has 9.0 — on pace for 21.5 — and leads the league.
Loser No. 1: Shane Bowen's fourth-quarter defense
We’ll keep this short and sweet: There is no world where a team up 18 points with under six minutes left should lose the game. In fact, it’s happened 1,062 times, and the team with the lead has won 1,062 of those games. Not anymore. Thanks to an epic fourth-quarter collapse — giving up 33 points — the G-Men plunge to 2-5.
33 points in one quarter. No adjustments. Same issues every week. Give me a break.
Loser No. 2: Jude McAtamney
In a one-point game, missing two extra points is literally the difference between winning and losing. Giants kicker Jude McAtamney missed both PATs — unacceptable. Big Blue signed veteran Younghoe Koo earlier this season... it might be time to revisit the competition.
Loser No. 3: Deonte Banks
Direct correlation or not, starting cornerback Paulson Adebo got hurt in the third quarter, forcing Deonte Banks into the game, and things went off the rails immediately. After surrendering zero points in the first 46 minutes, the Broncos scored on five straight drives.
His lack of effort on Bo Nix’s 18-yard touchdown run was brutal. It feels like every time he plays, something bad happens. It might be time to pull the plug on the Deonte Banks experiment.
Loser No. 4: Dru Phillips' late-game struggles
It was no surprise who Nix targeted down the stretch — it was Phillips. Late in the fourth quarter, he just completely collapsed:
- Gave up a 9-yard catch to Evan Engram on 3rd & 12 (showing clear lack of effort to make the play)
- Committed defensive pass interference on 4th & 3 the very next play, resulting in a first down
- Allowed a 31-yard gain to Marvin Mims on 3rd & 11
- Then a 29-yard gain to Mims again with 33 seconds left
Talk about an absolutely terrible way to close a tight game down the stretch. Unacceptable. Bowen needs to do something about it, since there's a clear blueprint on how to claw back into games against this Giants defense.
Loser No. 5: Giants' $99 million investments
General manager Joe Scheon invested heavily in the secondary this offseason, signing veteran cornerback Paulson Adebo and safety Jevón Holland to three-year deals. They accounted for $99 million. Both went down on Sunday and didn't return.
Unfortunately, as soon as Adebo went out of the game, Nix targeted his replacement — Deonte Banks — religiously. It just went to show how little depth the team has when something like an injury derails the plan. The statuses of both players are unknown at this time, but no matter how you slice it, losing both marquee free agents in one game is a nightmare.
Loser No. 6: Giants fans watching full 60 minutes
Giants fans watching the first 45 minutes were living their best lives. Those who watched the next 15 likely fought the urge to throw the remote through their television. And it'd be understandable if they let it fly. How a team blows a 19-point lead in the fourth quarter while scoring two additional touchdowns is beyond comprehension.
The fan base deserves better than whatever they were handed in the last quarter of Sunday's game. It was insufferable.