N.Y. Giants: What's The Play!?

From the desk: DO IT FOR THE DUKE

GETTING DARK EARLY AT EAST RUTHERFORD

WEEK THREE

Falcons    17

GIANTS  14

FINAL

More Mistakes, More Flags, More Mismanagement, More Losing

Once is an event, twice is a coincidence, and three times is a trend.  With Sunday's loss against the worst team on their schedule, the Giants now own an 0-3 record after three weeks.  It speaks for itself.

Week three featured yet more second-half folly.  Moreover, the offensive line penalties are becoming maddening; otherwise, eight-team penalties for 53 yards.  

At about the 9:00 mark of the third, Will Hernandez, who should absolutely know better, was flagged for an ineligible man downfield.  It cost Saquon Barkley a 23-yard gain.

If you were watching on TV, at 6:29 of the third quarter Daniel Jones was changing the play at the line of scrimmage.  Or was he?  Because not just once, but at least twice, we heard very clearly someone yelling out, "What is the play?"  When they finally do snap the ball, Brad Bredeson is flagged for holding.  

Nate Solder was called for another costly fourth-quarter penalty, and Billy Price another.  It's downright exasperating, and it costs the Giants games.

The Hog Mollies yielded two sacks and five other hits, which is manageable.  But they're still not creating requisite daylight.  They rushed 19 times for just 61 yards.  Saquon Barkley rushed 16 times for 51 yards.  Daniel Jones ran for 39 yards giving the Giants 100 yards for the game, but as I've been saying, this is far from optimal, nor is it tenable.

Where in the world was Deventae Booker?  Why isn't he increasing Giants' rushes to upwards of 22 to 25 per game?  Why the hell did they shovel money at him if they're not going to play him?  Elijhaa Penny and Gary Brightwell rush three times for ten yards.  

Really?

Cycling back to Jason Garrett, despite a season-high 19 rushing attempts, his play calling is still far from balanced and sometimes even nonsensical.  Why would you devise a running play for the fullback to rush around the edge?

I'll wait ...

It doesn't end there.  In the first half, Daniel Jones and the Giants' offense did many things right.  But the Giants entered the red zone three times and stalled, including a dropped pass in the end zone, thus coming away with only six points, only to lose by a field goal.

The Giants trailed 7-6 at the half, ordinarily nothing to fret over.  That is until a mistake-riddled third quarter.  

Some of that is on Joe Judge.  He needs to clean up this pandemic of penalties and better manage his timeouts!

But unlike Jason Garrett, defensive coordinator Patrick Graham called a decent game.  The Giants posted an improved three sacks and six other hits.  They held the Falcons to 17 points and under 300 total yards.  Atlanta rushed for just 69 yards, and Matt Ryan was held to 243 yards passing.  However, another costly penalty near the goal line afforded the Falcons a second chance resulting in an easy touchdown connection with the tight end.

Yes, in consecutive fourth-quarter drives, they yielded the tying score and winning score.  They even dropped a potential interception in the end zone.  But I can't put this loss on the defense, fourth-quarter letdown, and all.  Lest we forget, they lost Blake Martinez in the first half and for the season.

Despite mixing and matching Hog Mollies, investing foolishly big bucks on receiver Kenny Golladay, picking up a tight end, and selecting Kadarius Toney in the draft, the Giants' biggest problems remain on the offensive side of the ball, and not necessarily Daniel Jones.  Nor can penalties and rushing inefficiency be blamed on injuries to Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard.

With the game tied at fourteen, the Giants were given the ball with 4:13 left and mustered nothing except for Solder's holding penalty.

Sunday's loss makes two games they've been held under fifteen points.

The numbers tell no lies.