Devonta Freeman emerges as dominant running back NY Giants desperately need, but defense lets Dallas Cowboys off the hook in 37-34 loss Sunday
The NY Giants were in control for much of Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys, even holding a 34-31 lead with 8:41 remaining in the fourth quarter, but the result was a familiar one as Joe Judge’s team fell to 0-5 following a 37-34 loss to their NFC East rivals.
“Look, obviously they’re disappointed after any game where we don’t come out winners,” Giants head coach Joe Judge said afterwards. “But, one thing I know about our team is it’s a resilient group and it’s a hard-working bunch. We’ll come back to work this week, we’re going to get tuned in and ready for another division opponent [next week].”
Judge will need to wait another week to try for his first career win, but has to be pleased with how his offense finally was able to be productive and dictate to an opponent.
The NY Giants produced a season-high in points, yards (300), someone other than Daniel Jones led the team in rushing, and the Giants even converted two of three trips into the red zone into touchdowns.
But, it still wasn’t enough, as the NY Giants were unable to move into position for a game-winning field goal on the offense’s final possession and remain buried in last place in the NFC East.
Before looking ahead to next Sunday’s battle of winless division rivals against the Washington Football Team, let’s take one last look back at Sunday.
Scroll through for in-depth analysis of the NY Giants’ studs and duds from Sunday’s loss to the Cowboys:
Stud: RB Devonta Freeman
Freeman became the Giants’ workhorse running back Sunday.
In his third start, Freeman saw his most extensive workload yet, logging 17 carries for 90 yards and a touchdown, including a bulldozing nine-yard run on the Giants’ first possession that set the tone for the offense.
Joe Judge called for a more balanced offensive attack, and Freeman did his part to deliver as offensive coordinator Jason Garrent wound up calling 27 runs and 33 passes, it seems in part because of Freeman’s productivity on the ground.
If the initial impression was Freeman would be part of a running back by committee based on his first two games, that was blown out the window on Sunday as Wayne Gallman was second on the Giants with nine carries against the Cowboys.
Judge stresses the value of matchup-dependent scheming, but Freeman can consistently deliver the kind of performance he did against the Cowboys, it might be a harbinger of what’s to come for this offense.
Dud: QB Daniel Jones
Jones had his chance to deliver a signature moment, and came up short on the Giants’ final possession.
The Giants’ porous offensive line didn’t do Jones any favors, as he was sacked twice and hit five more times. But, in a game that the Giants absolutely had to have if they had any hope of keeping pace in an NFC East race that no one seems to want to win — with the Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Football Team, and Giants combining for just four victories — Jones was only average. Against one of the NFL’s worst defenses.
Yes, the Giants scored a season-high 34 points, but Jones passed for just 222 yards and lost a fumble that was returned by the Cowboys for a touchdown.
These struggles are nothing new for Jones.
Since Week 1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Jones has thrown three interceptions, lost four fumbles and been sacked 14 times.
That is only good enough to raise questions about whether he is capable of developing into a consistently elite quarterback — as one would expect a sixth-overall pick in the draft to do — and raise concern that he has it in him to be anything more than a system quarterback or if he is able to make the players around him better.
Stud: TE Evan Engram
The Giants’ offense is its most effective when Engram is a key contributor, and Sunday against the Cowboys, coordinator Jason Garrett found a new way to get him involved and bust New York’s two-plus game touchdown drought.
With 6:59 remaining in the first quarter, Garrett sent Engram in motion and had Daniel Jones pitch it to him on a jet-sweep off the left side for a three-yard touchdown.
Engram’s was the first rushing touchdown by a Giants tight end since 1996, and exactly the kind of aggressiveness Judge and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett needed to bring to Sunday for an offense that couldn’t get anything going the first four weeks.
“Evan’s definitely a player we want to have involved in the game plan as much as we can,” Judge said after the game. “Whether that’s handing him the ball or using some kind of misdirection or throwing the ball down the field.”
Engram was a bigger factor in the running game on Sunday, with two carries for nine yards and a touchdown, but also caught a 16 yard pass in the second half.
Look for the Giants to keep finding new ways to get Engram the ball.
Dud: RT Cam Fleming
Fleming had been the Giants’ most consistent offensive lineman through the first four weeks of the season, but made a costly error late in the first half Sunday.
With the game tied at 17 and under 1:00 remaining in the first half, Judge called a fake field goal attempt, and holder Riley Dixon hit Engram for what appeared to be a 27-yard touchdown, but, Fleming was called for an illegal shift because he never fully set.
You have to applaud Judge for the aggressiveness, particularly given the Giants’ offense’s ineptitude through the first four games of the season, and cannot blame the rookie head coach for being apoplectic at Fleming. Fleming’s penalty was a rookie mistake, for a team that stresses fundamentals. Graham Gano ultimately hit a 50-yard field goal, but Fleming’s error cost the Giants four points.
Stud: LB Kyler Fackrell
Sunday might have been the finest performance of Kyler Fackrell’s NFL career, but it most certainly was his most dominant game in a Giants uniform.
Fackrell was in the right place at the right time when he made Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott pay for letting a Dak Prescott pass bounce off his fingertips, intercepting the Cowboys quarterback and returning it for a touchdown with 6:01 remaining in the first quarter.
The pick-six was the first interception of Fackrell’s career.
In addition to his interception, Fackrell finished with three total tackles, one tackle for loss and one pass breakup.
With edge rusher Oshane Ximines on injured reserve and outside linebacker Lorenzo Carter’s season in doubt after suffering an Achilles tendon injury Sunday, the NY Giants are going to be relying on Fackrell to play an even more vital role the rest of the season.
Dud: LB Markus Golden
Golden was forced into a more prominent role following Ximines and Carter’s injuries, and in his most extensive playing time of the 2020 season, the veteran pass rusher made a strong case that he should probably be used sparingly.
Frequently out of position, Golden missed several tackles in the running game and was flagged for a costly facemask penalty late in the game.
Golden finished Sunday’s game with two tackles, half a sack, and two quarterback hits.
An NFL general manager told GMenHQ that Golden is likely one of the Giants most likely to be targeted at the trade deadline. If Dave Gettleman’s phone rings with a team inquiring about Golden, he’d be wise to take what he can get …
Stud: WR Darius Slayton
Darius Slayton had a monster game, and very nearly won it for the Giants.
Slayton accounted for 129 of Jones’ 222 passing yards, and had a 31-yard touchdown reception nullified by a Damion Ratley penalty for setting an illegal pick with 9:51 remaining in the third quarter.
It is apparent that Slayton is Jones’ favorite target, and the 2019 fifth-round pick out of Auburn continues to flash game-breaking speed, as he did against the Cowboys.
Even with Sterling Shepard eligible to return from injured reserve next Sunday against Washington, there’s no reason to think Slayton won’t continue to build momentum with Jones as the offense’s most dangerous big-play threat.
Stud: K Graham Gano
Gano continues to be worth every penny, and among the NY Giants’ most lethal weapons.
Sunday, Gano drilled a 55-yard field goal with 13:30 remaining in the second quarter to extend the Giants’ lead to 17-3.
Later, Gano made a 50-yard field goal near the end of the first half. Through five weeks, Gano is 11-of-12 on field goal tries. All told, Gano made three field goals of 50-plus yards.
Given the Giants’ overall struggles, and Gano’s consistency, it isn’t difficult to envision the kicker becoming the Giants’ next Pro Bowl player or even an All-Pro.
Dud: LT Andrew Thomas
Sunday was a low-point of what has been a rocky start to No. 4 overall pick Andrew Thomas’ career.
Cowboys edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence bull-rushed right past Thomas with 5:08 remaining in the second quarter and rocked Daniel Jones from behind, forcing a fumble that Anthony Brown recovered and returned for a touchdown.
Lawrence’s was the fourth sack allowed by Thomas through five weeks. Entering Sunday, Pro Football Focus ranked Thomas as the 65th out of 70 offensive tackles in the NFL.
At least Thomas caught a pass for a two-point conversion …
Matt Lombardo is the site expert for GMenHQ, and writes Between The Hash Marks each Wednesday for FanSided. Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattLombardoNFL.