The NY Giants’ offense was non-existent in a 26-7 loss to the Arizona Cardinals that dealt a serious blow to New York’s playoff aspirations
The NY Giants had what could be fatal flaws exposed by the Arizona Cardinals in Sunday’s 26-7 loss where a listless offense cast serious doubt over this team’s playoff chances.
“We’re playing complementary football is the goal,” NY Giants head coach Joe Judge said following the game.
His team did anything but against the Cardinals.
The Giants now on the NFL’s 31st ranked scoring offense, and were held to just 159 yards of total offense against Arizona, and while quarterback Daniel Jones seemed hobbled in his first game back from a hamstring injury, it was the first time in his career he didn’t log one rushing attempt.
“I think I wasn’t able to run like I usually do,” Jones admitted. “But, I felt good during the game.”
What won’t feel good for the Giants are the vast number of corrections that need to be made after the offensive line allowed eight sacks. Nor will the fact that the Washington Football Team, Philadelphia Eagles, and Dallas Cowboys all won on Sunday, dropping the Giants to second place in the division.
Washington now has a one-game lead over the Giants in the NFC East, and by virtue of Sunday’s win Arizona now owns the tiebreaker over the Giants in the NFC Wild Card race. Sunday’s defeat, essentially, leaves the NFC East crown as the only realistic postseason path now that the Giants are in 10th place in the NFC standings at 5-8.
Things won’t get much easier as the Giants now stare down the barrel at games against the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens the next two games that could decide whether the regular season finale carries any meaning beyond draft positioning.
Here’s a look at the Giants’ studs and duds from Sunday’s game:
QB Daniel Jones – DUD
Whether he wasn’t fully healthy, or fully confident in his right hamstring, Jones offered little resemblance Sunday to the quarterback who powered the Giants’ offense with his mobility during a four-game winning streak.
Jones was sacked four times, at times looking tentative in the pocket and reluctant to run, and he fumbled once, including one that was recovered and returned by Markus Golden 30 yards to the Giants’ 9-yard line.
Despite the fact at times Jones looked limited at times, Giants head coach Joe Judge wasn’t using Jones injury as any excuse for his lackluster performance.
"“I have no regrets on playing [Daniel],” Giants head coach Joe Judge said afterward. “We made a calculated decision based on what he could do as a player, we went out there, and as a team, we have to execute better.”"
Following a fourth quarter sack, Jones was hobbling and badly missed a wide open Wayne Gallman on a screen pass where it was evident that he couldn’t fire off his plant-leg.
Finishing 11-for-21 passing for 127 yards, Jones didn’t do nearly enough to lift a listless Giants offense.
WR Golden Tate – STUD
Following a listless first half effort from the Giants’ offense, and during an opening possession of the second half that featured four runs, Daniel Jones finally found a spark when he hit Golden Tate deep downfield for a 39-yard pass to the Cardinals one-yard line.
Tate made an acrobatic high-point catch over Cardinals defensive back Byron Murphy for what was the Giants’ longest offensive play of the game.
OT Andrew Thomas – DUD
Hassan Reddick set the Cardinals’ franchise record with six sacks, multiple coming against the Giants’ No. 4 overall pick.
The most consequential came with the outcome already decided, but Reddick bull-rushed over Thomas to sack Colt McCoy and force a fumble on the Giants’ final offensive play of the game.
Thomas had been building momentum in recent weeks, and far more closely resembling a top-five pick than he did at any point during the season, but Sunday was a reminder of just how much further he needs to come to develop into a top tackle.
RB Dion Lewis – DUD
As the Giants’ defense more than did its part in the first half, Dion Lewis buried them in a deeper hole.
With 8:17 remaining in the second quarter, Lewis had the ball kicked out of his hands on a kickoff that the Cardinals recovered, while nursing a 6-0 lead. Arizona went on to convert the fumble into a Kyler Murray touchdown pass that extended the lead to 13-0.
It has become obvious that Lewis has slid to a distant third in the Giants’ backfield timeshare, but he is also quickly becoming a liability in the return game, as well.
Lewis did produce a one-yard touchdown plunge with 5:38 remaining in the third quarter to pull the Giants to within 20-10, but finished with just two carries for 14 yards and a score.
RB Wayne Gallman – STUD
Wayne Gallman was once again the focal point of the Giants’ offense.
One week after rushing for a career-high 135 yards, Gallman produced 57 yards on 12 carries and also figured in the passing game by catching three of four targets for 16 yards.
Beyond his statistical output, the Giants’ offense was its most effective when he was in the game. At times, it was jarring how easily Gallman gets to the second-level of the defense by quickly hitting the hole and how dominant the Giants’ offensive line is in front of his power-running style.
OG Kevin Zeitler – DUD
Fifth-round rookie Shane Lemieux has replaced Will Hernandez in the starting lineup, but the Giants might have inserted the Oregon product at the wrong guard spot.
Kevin Zeitler was a revolving door against the Cardinals.
Zeitler allowed several pressures and at least two sacks, including one to Markus Golden that pinned the Giants’ offense back inside its own five-yard line with just under 7:00 remaining.
The longest-tenured starter along the Giants’ offensive line, Zeitler was supposed to provide veteran stability, but he has dramatically regressed this season and never was that more evident than throughout Sunday’s game.
Matt Lombardo is the site expert for GMenHQ, and writes Between The Hash Marks each Wednesday for FanSided. Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattLombardoNFL.