WASHINGTON 30 - GIANTS 29
In what will go down as one of the worst losses in Giants history, there are so many, and I mean SOOOOO many different directions to go with the Giants 30-29 loss to the Washington Football Team on Thursday night, but one theme stands out above the rest: mistakes.
The Giants had one mistake after another on Thursday that in the end, cost them a chance to even their record at 1-1, earn a huge win in the division and spoil a spirited effort by quarterback Daniel Jones, who had one of the best games of his career.
But as has become commonplace with the Giants in recent years, even the best efforts by the most impactful position on the field is not enough.
There were the Giants leading 23-20 with less than seven minutes to go in the game. Up to this point Daniel Jones was having his way with the Washington Football Team, driving the ball down the field to open receivers, while the Giants defense held Washington to a pair of field goals in the second half.
It looked like a win was in hand. And it literally almost was.
Then on 1st and 10 at the Washington 43-yard line, Jones heaved a pass down the middle of the field to a wide open Darius Slayton. Slayton extended his arms out, had the ball bounce into and out of his hands for an incompletion. Had Slayton held onto it, it would have been a walk-in touchdown. The Giants would have a 30-20 lead, en route to a win; and all we would talk about was how this game was Daniel Jones' coming out party.
Instead, the Slayton drop was just the beginning of the end for the Giants. Sure the settled for a field goal and 26-20 lead, but the dye was cast.
Washington quarterback Taylor Heinicke, as he had all night, ripped apart the Giants defense. He hit running back J.D. McKissic racing untouched down the sideline for a 56-yard catch-n-run to spot the ball inside the Giants 20.
Next play, Heinicke heaved a 19-yard touchdown pass into the back of the end zone to Ricky Seals-Jones to give Washington a 1-point lead. Talk about a swing of momentum.
Even when James Bradberry, who had been tormented all night by Heinicke and wide receiver Terry McLaurin, snuck around McLaurin to pick off a Heinicke pass with 2:26 to go, the Giants still couldn't do anything with it.
They went ultra conservative in their play selection, ramming the ball down the heart of the Washington defense with Saquon Barkley for no yardage, and wound up settling for another field goal to make it 29-27 with two minutes to go.
Oh, what a horrible mistake.
Heinicke moved Washington down field with little fuss from the Giants defense for a potential game winning field goal with :05 to go. And even here, the Giants screwed up again. The kick by Dustin Hopkins was wide right. The Giants would have escaped with a miracle 29-27 victory; but no!
An off-sides penalty was called on New York, giving Hopkins another shot, and of course he drilled it through the uprights.
How much worse could it get for Big Blue, and I didn't even mention the holding call on C.J. Board when Daniel Jones scored on what would have been a 58-yard touchdown in the second quarter, that would have given the Giants a 14-7 lead. Instead they settled for three.
For those looking to blame Jones, you can't. He was great on Thursday. 22-out-of-32 for 249 yards and a touchdown. He drove the football down the field, and looked like the leader the Giants are hoping he turns into in year 3.
The wins won't come if the defense doesn't do its part. They won't come if Taylor Heinicke looks like Tom Brady or Kurt Warner. It won't happen if Terry McLaurin has 11 catches for 107 yards and a touchdown against Bradberry who was a Pro Bowler for the Giants last year.
Look at the NFC East right now. The Eagles looked great in Week 1. The Washington Football Team might have something in Heinicke to go along with that incredible defense. And the Cowboys looked fantastic in defeat last Thursday in Tampa Bay.
The 0-2 Giants are in big trouble.
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