NY Giants: Evaluating their First Half Struggles
Giants at Ravens Week 16
The Giants Week 16 game in Baltimore was the team’s worst first half of the season.
The defense started the game on the field and was gashed from the start. Lamar Jackson picked apart the defense to the tune of 13 plays and 82 yards in a long 8-minute 12-seconds drive.
The Giants offense did as bad a job as the defense as they came out with a three-and-out with three yards in three plays in under two minutes.
After eight minutes on the field, the tired Giants’ defense was forced to come back out with basically no time to catch their breath. Lamar came right back and punished the Giants defense again.
Action Jackson surgically moved the Ravens’ offense effortlessly to another 10-play, 65-yard drive in 5 minutes. To end the first quarter, the Ravens led 14-0 and the Giants had nothing to show for the first 15 minutes of the game.
The Giants had three total plays in the 1st quarter, their lowest number in over 40 years, one play shy of tying the NFL’s all-time record for fewest in a first quarter.
One three and out and two 10+ play, 65+ yard drives allowed by the defense is as bad a quarter any football team can ask for. That’s the type of quarter a JV team should put up against the Varsity squad.
Again, the Giants offense had no answers for the Ravens defense to start the 2nd quarter and bad complementary football was fully blown into the Big Apple team. Jones led the team to one first down, their first of the game, before another 3 and out to end the drive at the Giants’ 30.
The Ravens’ hot start continued as they again came back to punch NY in the mouth. Lamar led his third straight drive with over 10 plays and 60 yards. The Ravens were knocking on the door at the Giants’ two-yard line, but the defense prevailed and held Baltimore to a chip-shot Tucker field goal to go up 17-0.
Finally, the NY offense showed some life and went on an 11-play, 64-yard drive of their own. They finally crossed midfield for the first time all game, reached the red zone, but were unable to come up with a touchdown.
A Gano field goal cut the deficit back to two touchdowns at 17-3 but Baltimore was already in full control of this game. To end the half, the Ravens went on their 4th consecutive scoring drive and hit a field goal at the half’s end to go up 20-3.
In summary, the Giants first-half totals consist of 90 total yards, one possession across midfield, and three points to show for it. Throw in the defense letting up points on all four drives, all of which were at least 10 plays, 60 yards, and all the drives were five minutes or more except the half-ending drive to hit a field goal.
Giving up points on every drive, letting up such long drives every possession, and getting gashed for over 100 yards on the ground is paltry numbers for any defense. Right now, the Giants entire first half operation and execution has been a full-blown disaster from both sides of the ball and with little resistance.