The NY Giants end their four-game win streak with an ugly loss at home.
All good things come to an end, and that’s what happened to the NY Giants winning streak Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals
The Giants were never able to get their offense past first gear. They had more punts than they had first downs. They were held to just 159 total yards on the day. And in his anticipated return, Daniel Jones fumbled three times, lost it once, and was sacked six times for more than fifty yards, in a 26-7 drubbing.
It was the sloppiest the Giants looked since their Week 3 blowout against San Francisco. And it was the fewest points the team scored all season.
Unfortunately, the lack of any sustained offense whatsoever erases what would have been an otherwise strong outing for the Giants defense. For the majority of the game, the defense was able to contain Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins to keep the Giants competitive.
Worse, the loss couldn’t have come at a worse time. With the Washington Football team surging, and the rest of the NFC East hanging right around the Giants record, New York is now on the outside looking in at the playoff race.
The Giants still have three games left on the schedule. But before looking ahead, let’s look at this week’s Giants Grades.
Offensive Line
Grade: F
In the first two weeks after the Giants’ bye week, the young offensive line appeared to finally be in sync. A new coach was put in charge of the young line, and they all seemed to be responding. Perhaps more than anyone else, first round pick Andrew Thomas seemed to improve exponentially.
The Giants had over 380 yards of offense, with more than 140 rushing yards, in Week 12. They racked up 290 yards of offense in Week 13, 190 of which were on the ground. Things were looking up.
This week the line came crashing down to earth.
The Giants only had 159 total yards. Of the team’s 12 drives, only one ended in a score, three ended in fumbles and eight ended with punts. They only moved the chains seven times, and converted on just three of 12 third down conversions.
But sacks is what really makes this collective group such a failure this week. The team gave up eight sacks for 64 yards. Six of those were on Daniel Jones, who fumbled on three of them, turning over on one.
That one came on the first drive, when former Giants linebacker Markus Golden was untouched on his way to Jones. And while many of the sacks stem from Jones’ inability to feel pressure, anytime a defender goes untouched to the quarterback, someone missed an assignment.
The line was giving up sacks on both sides of the field. The pocket collapsed repeatedly and quickly. And Jones, who was out with an injured hamstring last week, could not get the ball out in time.
The line took a big step backward this week.
QB Daniel Jones
Grade: D
Was this loss all Daniel Jones’ fault? No. But he was a big reason.
His streak of games without a turnover ends at a career-long of just three. He fumbled three times against Arizona, losing the ball once. That brings his total fumbles up to 10 times this season, with six turnovers. Of the twelve games he’s played in this season, he’s turned the ball over in nine of them.
He was also sacked eight times this week, losing more than 50 collective yards. He only completed 11 of 21 pass attempts — his lowest of the season. And he only threw for 127 yards.
Yes, the line was awful this game. But Daniel Jones looked rusty, slow, and uncertain each time he dropped back in the pocket.
If the intent of Jason Garrett was to call a game where Jones could make quick passes for short yards to build up some confidence, it did not remotely work. Jones averaged just six yards per pass, and that’s including the one 39-yard bomb to Golden Tate. Only Sterling Shepard joined Tate for a pass longer than 20 yards.
Understandably, Jones did not even attempt a rush. But his arm is not what makes him dangerous on the field — his legs do. Without that threat, the defense knew as long as they covered their assignments, Jones would likely make a mistake as pressure got to him.
And he did, over and over again. The Giants longest drive was seven plays, 75 yards, but only took three minutes off the clock. Their only other drive that reached at least three minutes was their longest, holding the ball for only 3.16 in the waning minutes of the first quarter.
Turnovers and the inability to sustain a drive meant the defense was tiring itself out, being on the field for the majority of the game. And Jones’ inability to feel pressure or hold onto the ball is how many of those drives end.
DT Dalvin Tomlinson
Grade: B
The Giants knew that getting to Murray, who was recently dealing with a shoulder injury, could mean the difference between a win and a loss. In fact, they did a great job containing him in the first half, forcing Murray to remain stationary in the pocket.
The Giants did what they could while he was there. They only sacked him once, but also added four QB hits. And Murray looked shaken up when the Giants were really getting to him in the second quarter.
Tomlinson led that effort. He was responsible for the lone sack and he recorded one of the QB hits. He only had three tackles, but two of them were for losses.
He clogged up the middle, and kept constant pressure on Murray. His effort put Murray on shaking legs, but the Giants were ultimately unable to keep him down.
S Jabrill Peppers
Grade: A
Jabrill Peppers was all over the field against Arizona, as his stats reflect. He led the team with 13 tackles, two of which were for losses.
His prowess was on full display on a particular rive in the second quarter. With Arizona up by just three and driving in Giants’ territory, Murray scrambled to his left with nothing but open field in front of him. Peppers came up to the flat, and though Murray gained five yards, that’s all he gained thanks to Peppers fantastic open-field tackle.
The Cardinals reached the redzone that drive. They handed it off to Kenyan Drake on 2nd and 15, who met Peppers immediately in the hole, resulting in a tackle for loss. And to cap that drive, Peppers stopped a short pass to Hopkins, who tried to cut across the middle to gain more yards but was dragged down for just one.
It’s hard to say anyone deserves an A after a poor game. But the defense played hard, keeping the game close for as long as they could. And Peppers played all over the field to help contain Murray.
Peppers has stepped up this season to become a young leader in the Giants defensive secondary, and this game showed how. He earned his grade.
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.