Another week and another crushing loss for the NY Giants as they drop to 0-3 following a 17-14 defeat to the Atlanta Falcons. Unsurprisingly, there’s plenty of blame to go around in week 3.
It’s now the third time in the last five seasons where the NY Giants begin its season at 0-3, and the fifth year in a row where the team is below .500 through week 3. However, this year is especially daunting.
In Week 1, it felt like the same old story, with Daniel Jones fumbling at a crucial moment in the game as the Giants fell to the Broncos 27-13. Week 2 was particularly alarming as Daniel Jones looked good, but the defense completely wet the bed, as Washington won on a last second field goal, 30-29.
In a shocking turn of events, this game featured neither a puzzling Jones turnover nor a bad defensive performance.
With the NY Giants season looking fatally bleak already, here’s who to blame for the loss in week 3.
NY Giants TE Evan Engram
This is an easy one.
In Evan Engram’s first game back from injury and his first game of the 2021 season, he recorded two catches for 21 yards on six targets, and a costly lost fumble.
Following last year, everyone was aware of Engram’s problem with drops, as he was credited for 11 in 2020. Fortunately, fumbles were never an issue, as the fifth-year tight end put only one ball on the ground in 35 career games.
With 1:10 left in the first half, Jones hit Engram in the middle of the field for a 13 yard gain before Isaiah Oliver punched the ball out of his hands, giving Atlanta the ball on the Giants 36-yard line.
Although the Falcons didn’t score off the turnover, it was a crucial lost opportunity for the Giants to go down the field and at least get three points on the board to retake the lead.
In a game where the Giants skill group was shorthanded, Engram’s playmaking ability he’s flashed from time to time in his career was needed more than ever. Without fail, he faded once again, tallying no yards in the second half.
Fans at MetLife Stadium tried their hardest to boo Engram out of town, too.