NY Giants Grades: wobbly Daniel Jones struggles, defense unable to hold up

MVP: P Riley Dixon

The Giants only scored seven points against the Cardinals. Nothing the offense tried sparked the team’s playmakers. The defense was unable to create a turnover, and special teams again looked flat.

But it was a busy day for the Giants punter, Riley Dixon.

Dixon punted the ball eight times. He had a long of 55, he pinned the Cardinals inside the 20 once, and once set them up with a touchback.

But the real reason he’s the MVP was his yardage. The offense only had 159 total yards. Dixon punted the ball for 390 yards, which is as much as the Cardinals offense put up. Even with the Cardinals’ Christian Kirk totaling 77 return yards, Dixon still had more than 300 yards.

One man cannot win a game, but Dixon did everything in his power to help his team win. The offense was unable to move the ball, which meant that Dixon really needed to make up those yards with his leg, which he did with flying colors.

His play was even more appreciated due to the degeneration of the Giants special teams. After starting out the season as one of the team’s strengths, the special teams unit has looked shaky each time they take the field.

It’s never good anytime a punter punts it eight times in a game. Hopefully this will be the only time Dixon gets the Game Grade’s MVP.