The New York Giants found a new way to lose ugly Thursday night, blowing a late lead in a heartbreaking 24-21 loss to the Washington Commanders. The defeat drops the G-Men to 5-3-1 with eight games remaining, putting a pretty nasty damper on what was shaping up to be another impressive win for John Harbaugh's squad.
For a second there, it felt like the Giants' primetime Thursday night matchup against the Commanders might actually get canceled. A nor'easter rolled through the Meadowlands, and at one point, MetLife Stadium asked fans and players to seek shelter. Not exactly ideal football weather, unless you're a duck.
If only it got canceled.
Thankfully, the storm cleared well before kickoff, and they got the game going on time. After a sluggish first half that saw just seven points from New York, the G-Men snapped out of it in the second half, only to watch Jayden Daniels find Stefon Diggs for a game-winning 32-yard touchdown with 57 seconds left.
Brutal doesn't even begin to cover it.
5 immediate takeaways from Giants' crushing loss to Commanders
G-Men should always defer after winning the coin toss
If you're going to choose to receive the opening kickoff, at least have the gall to go end zone or bust, especially if you get the ball past the 50-yard line and into the opponent's territory. If you're going to be aggressive, be aggressive.
The Commies called heads on the coin toss, and it was tails. Big Blue opted to receive the opening kick, and they did all of nothing with it, going 33 yards in seven plays and punting the ball with over 11 minutes remaining in the first quarter. So much for a hot start.
The weather might've dictated the call, but maybe moving forward, they should just stick to the usual and defer to the second half.
Cam Skattebo heard the trade deadline noise
Jonathan Taylor. Tony Pollard. Bijan Robinson.
The Giants were reportedly very active at the trade deadline looking to upgrade their running back room, which has had more downs than ups through the first half of the season. After a career game against the Houston Texans in Week 7, Cam Skattebo suffered a hamstring injury that held him out of their last contest against the Eagles. The ground game suffered mightily, hence the panic to make a move.
Skatt was apparently very aware of the noise.
The 24-year-old human-sized fire hydrant finished the game with 122 total yards (78 rushing and 44 receiving) and two touchdowns. Not a bad way to remind everyone why the Giants drafted him in the first place.
The loss stings, but at least Skattebo gave Big Blue one less reason to regret standing pat at the deadline.
J.J. McCarthy is stirring up a QB controversy
J.J. McCarthy finished the game completing 23-of-36 passes for 293 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. For those keeping track, the 23-year-old's four-game streak of not throwing a touchdown pass as a starter is finally over. Good riddance. But so is his being undefeated as Big Blue's starter, too. Bad riddance.
In the middle of the fourth quarter, McCarthy stood in the pocket, making the throw of the night to tight end Isaiah Likely, who took the pass 66 yards to the house to put the Giants up late, 21-17. His first TD pass as a starter couldn't have come at a better time. At the time.
And while the loss certainly takes some shine off the performance, McCarthy is making the Giants' QB situation a little more interesting. Nobody expected the former Vikings first-rounder to come in and immediately start winning games, but he's showing enough to make the eventual return of Jaxson Dart a very interesting conversation.
Giants might not regret standing pat at trade deadline, but upgrades would've helped
While most of the reporting coming out of the deadline was about Big Blue's interest in adding a running back, the biggest need was upgrading the defensive line.
To be fair, the Giants actually held Washington to 106 rushing yards on 31 carries, an average of just 3.4 yards per attempt. That's a pretty good showing for a unit that's had its fair share of struggles against the run this season.
But the defense still couldn't get the stop it needed when it mattered most. Daniels finished with three touchdown passes, including the 32-yard dagger to Diggs that sent MetLife into stunned silence. New York had its reasons for not overpaying at the deadline, but it's hard not to wonder whether another difference-maker could've helped prevent Thursday night's loss.
The Jayden Daniels curse isn't over yet
Coming into the game, Commies QB Jayden Daniels had been unbeaten against Big Blue in four career starts (3-0-1). And thanks to a last-minute 32-yard touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs, that annoying little streak lives to see another day.
Not that it's anywhere near Dak Prescott territory, who won 14 straight against the G-Men at one point, but it's still an embarrassing streak nonetheless. And for a minute there, it looked like November was turning into a curse-crushing month for New York. Just four days after snapping their 13-year losing streak in Philadelphia, the Giants were seconds away from finally handing Daniels his first loss against them.
Instead, they're now 0-4-1 against him. Lovely.
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