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NY Giants: The “what-if games” of 2020

By Danny Friedman

LANDOVER, MARYLAND - NOVEMBER 08: Head coach Joe Judge of the New York Giants looks on as he holds a red challenge flag in the second half against the Washington Football Team at FedExField on November 08, 2020 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MARYLAND - NOVEMBER 08: Head coach Joe Judge of the New York Giants looks on as he holds a red challenge flag in the second half against the Washington Football Team at FedExField on November 08, 2020 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA- OCTOBER 22: Boston Scott #35 of the Philadelphia Eagles is congratulated by teammates after catching the game winning touchdown against the New York Giants during the fourth quarter at Lincoln Financial Field on October 22, 2020 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA- OCTOBER 22: Boston Scott #35 of the Philadelphia Eagles is congratulated by teammates after catching the game winning touchdown against the New York Giants during the fourth quarter at Lincoln Financial Field on October 22, 2020 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

Week 7: NY Giants at Philadelphia Eagles

There’s never a NY Giants season without an annual meltdown in Philly. 2020 was no different.

After a back and forth affair in the first half, the game opened up for both offenses and created some serious drama in the second half.

Daniel Jones started it off himself with an infamous play.

On the first play of the drive from their own 8-yard line, Jones fooled the entire Philly defense with a QB keeper off to the right side with nothing but daylight ahead of him. Jones ran for 80 yards to the Eagles’ 8-yard line before tripping on his own feet and falling down forwards just short of the end zone while untouched. This play was seen by a national audience and instantly became a meme and Jones was a butt for several jokes on Twitter.

Thankfully for Big Blue, the Giants didn’t let the embarrassing end of this play define the drive. Wayne Gallman punched in a touchdown from the Eagles’ goal line to take the lead 14-10.

The Giants defense responded with back to stops coming from a punt and a 4th down stop on their own goal line.

The NY offense roared back to life, with their best drive of the season. They went 97 yards in 15 plays, taking up nearly eight minutes of game clock, and put up their third touchdown of the game thanks to Sterling Shepard. This crucial touchdown put the GMen up two scores at 21-10 with 6:10 remaining in the game.

All New York needed to do was not let up two quick touchdown drives and the game was theirs as the Eagles’ seven-game winning streak vs NY would’ve ended. Instead, the Eagles immediately went down the field and scored in just 1:22 of game clock.

With the score at 21-17, the Giants just needed to milk some clock and gain some yards and the game was effectively over. They picked up consecutive first downs on the opening first two plays, both runs by Gallman. From there, the offense stalled (as usual) and the game came down to 3rd down and 7 from the Giants’ 46.

Jason Garrett put in an excellent play call to close it out and win the game. Jones put a perfectly placed ball right into Engram’s hands deep in Eagles’ territory but was unable to reel in the routine play and cost NY the chance to close out the game with their offense.

Now, the NY Giants had to punt it back and not let up a touchdown and they would still win the game.

If only it was ever that simple.

Carson Wentz picked the Big Blue D apart and connected with Richard Rodgers for back to back gains for 41 yards. Boston Scott, the latest NY Giants killer, then did his things and picked up a crucial 16 yards on back-to-back plays to quickly bring Philly to the Giants’ 5-yard line. After a costly penalty, the Eagles didn’t flinch and went right back to Scott for the game-winning 18-yard receiving touchdown.

Philly failed to convert their ensuing two-point try and Jones got the ball back with 40 seconds needing just a field goal to win. Unlike Andy Dalton and Carson Wentz, Jones failed in this spot for the FIFTH time in seven weeks and fumbled to end the game in an embarrassing fashion.

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