Written by: Tony “The Prophet” Yantosca
THE BLOWN GAME
The Giants have another game and chalk up anotherheartbreaking loss. Once again the Giants beat themselves. I tweeted well after midnight, “How the hell can you go to sleep after another blown game by a point!!!!!!!” This was a truly winnable game vs a team with a backup quarterback who the Giants made look like Dan Marino. In the first 2 weeks the Washington defense does not look like the unit from last year. They are worse and got very little pressure on Jones.
The Giants defense, that was supposed to be the strength of this team, is a sieve and a joke! They have given up 827 yards in 2 games. Defensive coordinator, Graham, is running an umbrella defense that is being torched for big yards over the middle with plenty of YAC given up. They have given up 57 points in 2 weeks. For Washington Taylor Heinicke was starting only his third game. He threw for 336 yards and 7.3 YPA. You would think that Graham would come up with some exotic looks to confuse him. That’s what Belichick would do. Graham has not been at New England since 2015 and he may have forgot what he learned there.
There were too many twists and turns in this game to document them all. Kurt Warner on YouTube in his #StudyBall segment outlined 10 plays that Daniel Jones could have had completions and/or more yards. He made the wrong reads or hurried the throws. Is this what we get from the 6th overall pick in the 2019 draft. After 3 years we are still getting incompetence.
I’ll start in the second quarter with the score 7-7. Jones runs 58 yards for a touchdown. However, it is called back because of an offensive holding call by Board. The call was somewhat questionable but there was probably enough evidence to warrant the call. Seven points are taken off the board. They settled for a field goal so there were 4 points lost here.
The outcome of last week’s game came down to the last 5 minutes. The Giants have the lead 26-20 with 4:50 left in the game. Slayton dropped a touchdown pass at 6:25 left in the game. That’s 11 points left on the field.
It only took Washington 2 plays and 17 seconds to go 75 yards and retake the lead 27-26. The first play is a 59-yard pass to McKissic and the next is a 19-yard touchdown to Ricky Seals-Jones who beat Adoree Jackson. Jones is a journeyman who is with his 4th team in 5 years. What is Graham doing? After this year it may be time to get rid of the 3 G’s: Gettleman, Garrett and Graham!
With 2:16 left in the game, Bradberry jumped the pass route to McLaurin and bats the ball to himself for the interception. It was his best play of the night. He probably had his worst game as a Giant otherwise but he makes a redemption play.
This is where Judge and Garrett blew this game. The Giants have the ball on the Washington 20-yard line. First down the give the ball to Barkley who runs through the right guard for 1 yard. Second down is rinse and repeat for 2 yards! Now on 3rd & 7 Jones does not survey the field, hurries the throw to his first read, Shepard, and the throw is behind him vs a nickel defense. They kick a field goal and I am screaming the game is over! Jimmy Johnson would have thrown for a touchdown on first down after a turnover. Go for the throat. That’s why Garrett hasto go! He is garbage! You can’t win with him.
You all know what happens from here. Washington goes down the field, misses a field goal and Dexter Lawrence is off sides. They make the retry and the game is over, 30-29!
I have to also say that I am getting tired of Joe Judge’s comments after the game. It’s the same lines since he’s got here. You can play a tape recording. He crafts canned Belichickian retorts. We have to do better. The team is working hard. We are making continuous improvement. I have to look at the tape. His act is wearing thin! He should run a ton of laps!
THIS WEEK’S MATCHUP
The football gods lay up a patsy for the Gmen. They get the 0-2 Falcons at home. This may be the only game they are favored in for the rest of the year. I think the Giants need to establish the run in this game. The Falcons gave up 62 yards to Jalen Hurts in week 1. Jones will need to rack up the yards vs Atlanta. Unfortunately, he has been the Giants leading rusher. This will set up play action later. The biggest problem for the Giants is that they are down 2 starting offensive lineman, Nick Gates and Shane Lemieux. Gettleman like his predecessor, Jerry “Reach”, have talked about fixing the offensive line but have been unable to accomplish it for a decade.
The Falcons run cover 2 at 49% as they try to keep the pass game in front of them. The unimaginative Garrett (except on the scripted first drive last week) will need to work in Engram, who returns for his first game this year. Let’s get him open underneath. It’s time to get Toney more involved in the offense. He played 28% of the snaps last week and 8% in week 1. Garrett also needs to get Golladay more involved. The $72 million man has 7 catches for 102 yards. At this pace he will catch only 60 passes for 867 yards! I expect Jones to continue to find Shepard who has 16 receptions for 207 yards in 2 games. He needs to get his 100-yard average. The Falcons have given up 388 yards a game, 6.1 yards a play and 40 points a game. If they don’t get pressure on Jones, he should feast. By the way, Jones is only good when he is not pressured.
When the Falcons have the ball, Ryan will be looking to get rid of the ball quickly and have success in the pass game. The Falcons cannot run the ball. Christian McCaffrey, back up from last year, Mike Davis is anemic replicating how he played the second half of the season last year. He has 3.6 yards/ attempt rushing and 4.8 yards/ catch receiving. This made OC, Dave Ragone, start to use Cordarrell Patterson out the backfield in the pass game. The Falcons only have 89 yards rushing a game. They will try to run some to keep the Giants defense honest, but they need to win through the air.
The Giants need to get pressure up the middle. Matt Ryan, like pocket quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, are vulnerable from pressure up the A gap. Ryan is not mobile. The Falcons will look to use their pass weapons. Ridley needs to have 100+ yards receiving. Ryan needs to push the ball down the field. His ADOT (average depth of target) is 5.1 yards, second lowest in the league. Tight end rookie phenom, Kyle Pitts, has only caught 9 passes for 104 yards. Ryan has to be smacking his lips when he sees Graham’s soft umbrella defense that leaves the middle of the field open. Graham needs to make adjustments. I think Pitts gets his first touchdown vs the Gmen. I would be running crossers over the middle out of trip wide outs. The Falcons will miss Gage who is out for this game. Zaccheaus will have to pick up the slack and they can stack Pitts to that side.
The Giants are retiring Eli Manning’s number before the game. The players don’t want to crap the bed even though the Giants have played better on the road. The Giants have had 10 days to prepare for this game after a heartbreaking loss fueled by mistakes. The Falcons give up 40 points a week. Even Garrett can figure a way to get 30 points. Look for the Giants defense to get some interceptions. Ryan threw 2 pick 6 interceptions last week.
I am calling this one Giants 30 and the Falcons 23. Based on the way teams like the Raiders and Panthers that looked like wins, the Falcons may be one of the few teams that the Giants can beat for the rest of the year unless we see MAJOR improvement.
GIANTS DECADE OF MALAISE
Dave Gettleman’s Record since becoming GM: 15-35
Giants Record since last Super Bowl win: 51-69
Giants Record since 2017: 15-35
Daniel Jones Record: 8-20, has not beaten a team with a winning record.
Joe Judge’s Record: 6-12
Winning Seasons since 2011 Super Bowl Year: 2
New York Giants Underground 