Big Blue View
The New York Giants fought valiantly in a 34-27 overtime loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday, but once again found a way to lose a game it looked like they were going to win. Let’s get to the ‘Kudos & Wet Willies’ review.
Mike Kafka — We can argue, and argue, and argue some more about going for it on fourth-and-goal at the 6-yard line with three minutes to play while leading by three points. I LOVED it.
Kafka has watched the Giants’ defense play all year. He knew full well there was zero chance the defense was holding a three-point lead. In my view, the only card to play there was going for the touchdown to try and make it a two-score game.
Kafka coached a terrific game. He broke out two trick plays for touchdowns. The Giants compiled more than 500 yards of offense. For the fifth time this year they built a double-digit lead the defense could not hold. Kafka coached like a man who knew the defense wouldn’t hold up.
In addition to the fourth-down play, there are some saying Kafka should not have called a pass play on second down, a decision that resulted in an incompletion and stopped the clock. Again, I disagree. The goal there was to get a touchdown. That’s what mattered, whatever play or plays they chose to run.
The under-manned Giants never trailed in regulation to a team that was 13.5-point favorites. Without Jaxson Dart, Malik Nabers, Cam Skattebo, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Paulson Adebo, Micah McFadden, and Tyler Nubin. Getting his team to play that well and compete that hard against a team as good as the Lions on the road is praise-worthy.
Wan’Dale Robinson — Robinson had the best game of what has been an outstanding season for the fourth-year slot receiver. In fact, he had a career game. Robinson had nine receptions for 156 yards and a touchdown, surpassing the 142-yard receiving game he had against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2.
Robinson had a 40-yard touchdown catch, and added receptions of 39, 26, and 17 yards. He averaged 17.3 yards per catch.
Jameis Winston —This game was a full-on Jameis Winston Experience game. He went 18 of 36 for 366 yards passing, two touchdowns, and one interception. That doesn’t even scratch the surface of telling the story.
