Big Blue View
The New York Giants pushed the Detroit Lions to the limit in their 34-27 overtime loss on Sunday. Again, the Giants blew a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter. Shane Bowen’s defense harassed Jared Goff for much of the game, but their inability to consistently fit the run and stop explosive plays bit them in the rear end once again.
Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for 219 yards on just 15 carries with two rushing touchdowns and a receiving touchdown. Missed tackles continue to hurt the Giants’ defense. The Giants established a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter on a nine-play, 85-yard drive that ended with a Jameis Winston receiving touchdown. But, three plays into the Lions’ subsequent drive, Gibbs found a crease and out-ranthe Giants’ safeties for a 49-yard touchdown.
Gibbs’ explosiveness was on display all game, and he showcased it on the first play of overtime as well. He rushed for a 69-yard touchdown to open overtime while Dexter Lawrence was on the bench; after the game, though, Mike Kafka stated that Lawrence was “nicked up.” The Giants’ offense would drive down the field on 12 plays, but Winston was sacked by Aidan Hutchinson on fourth-and-five to secure a Lions’ victory.
This was a very exciting game with over 1,000 total yards of offense. New York was competitive, energized, and the offensive play-calling was exceptional for most of the game. Mike Kafka deserves a lot of credit for the effort and the preparation, but the end result is a similar one – another loss for a New York Giants team that significantly struggles to finish games. Here are the grades.
Jameis Winston can sling the football – that’s for sure. He is incredibly fun to watch; plus, apparently, he can receive the football and make a defender look silly for a touchdown. Winston converted half of the offense’s third downs (8 of 16) and kept the game alive in overtime with a fourth-down rushing conversion. He finished the game 18 of 36 for 366 passing yards with one interception and a 33-yard touchdown reception. Winston delivered 10+ explosive receptions to his receivers. He was active in the pocket and gave the Giants a chance to win the football game. A valiant and exciting effort for the Giants’ signal caller, but it fell short.
Grade: A
The Giants were able to establish a solid rushing attack with their running back by committee: Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Devin Singletary. Tyrone Tracy Jr. rushed the football 20 times for just 62 yards but had a few key runs, and was an asset in the passing attack underneath. Kafka dialed up a few screen-plays and Winston found Tracy Jr. once on a busted coverage that went for 42 yards. Tracy Jr. finished with three catches for 68 yards. Devin Singletary finished with 14 carries for 47 yards.
Grade: B+
Wide receivers Wan’Dale Robinson, Gunner Olszewski, Isaiah Hodgins, Darius...
