The NY Giants seemed to hit rock bottom in Sunday’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons, falling to 0-3 to open the 2021 NFL Season
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Maybe the NY Giants are what they appear to be, rather than what they think they are.
Following Sunday’s disastrous 17-14 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, on the heels of the Washington Football Team kicking a game-winning field goal as time expired in prime time in Week 2, regardless of what they might say, the Giants simply look like a team that doesn’t have a clue how to win.
“I don’t think we’re a bad team,” NY Giants running back Saquon Barkley said after the game. “I know you guys are going to say whatever you’re going to say, write what you’re going to write. There are no bad teams in the NFL.”
The mounting evidence doesn’t support Barkley’s optimism.
Since Barkley was chosen with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the NY Giants are just 15-36. Through the first three weeks of the season, had it not been for a garbage time touchdown as time expired, New York would have scored just 51 points through three weeks. As it stands, the NY Giants are averaging just 18.6 points per game, in a league where half the teams are averaging at least 23.
“I’m sick of losing,” Barkley admits. “Everyone’s sick of losing. I wouldn’t consider us a bad team.”
On the Falcons’ final drive, Adoree’ Jackson dropped an interception in the end zone.
Earlier, Logan Ryan let what was seemingly an easy interception bounce off his hands.
Good teams make those plays. Bad teams find a way not to.
Likewise, Matt Ryan and the Falcons took over with 1:50 remaining in a tie game, and drove 58 yards on seven plays, with ease, setting up Younghou Koo’s 40-yard game winner.
Two weeks. Two losses. Two fourth quarter comebacks allowed by the NY Giants’ defense.
“The key for us is to make sure we go back to work,” NY Giants head coach Joe Judge said afterwards. “Correct the mistakes, and we stay together as a team and keep pushing forward. That’s the biggest thing for us, moving forward.”
NY Giants fans seemingly have seen more than enough losing, voicing their frustration in the form of thunderous, vociferous boos of owner John Mara as Eli Maninng’s No. 10 was unveiled in the Ring of Honor, and again while booing a pair of Evan Engram’s drops and cheering the tight end off the field.
Things are far from alright for Judge’s NY Giants, who for the second consecutive week saw the defense allow a fourth-quarter game-winning drive.
Judge’s NY Giants committed eight penalties for 53 yards, after spending the better part of two training camps trying to instill discipline and fundamentals.
Even the ever-optimistic Joe Judge afterwards pleaded for patience, to no one in particular, when he stepped off the podium following his post-game press conference and stated “We’re going to be alright, guys. Don’t worry about it. We’re going to be alright.”
Now off to an 0-3 start, it’s fair to question if the NY Giants have the pieces in place to turn this season around, because it’s seemingly destined to look like most have since Manning hoisted his second Lombardi Trophy for an organization that is just 57-90 since.
Matt Lombardo is FanSided’s National NFL Insider and writes Between The Hash Marks each Wednesday. Email Matt: Matt.Lombardo@FanSided.com.