Denver, CO – Turns out the spark the New York Giants got last week in their win didn’t last long after all, as the Giants gave up 16 unanswered first half points to a Denver Broncos team that had lost four in a row coming into this week’s game. The result? Another embarrassing loss, this one by a score of 26-6.
The 16 first-half points surrendered by the Giants defense was the first time in a regular season game since December 5, 2004 against Washington that the Giants failed to put any points on the board in the first half of a game. Moreover, excluding the final drive of the second half in which time ran out, the Giants defense surrendered scores in eight of their last nine series going back to the 14 game-tying points Atlanta had scored the week before.
“I thought we played very poorly tonight. There was no excuse for that, no ‘short week’ – none of that stuff,” said a subdued head coach Tom Coughlin.
What went wrong this week? Really the same things that plagued the Giants during their four-game losing streak which they snapped last week against Atlanta.
On offense Eli Manning was sacked three times and threw one interception as part of a 24-of-40 performance for 240 yards. The running game, meanwhile rushed for just 57 yards total as a group – 3.6 yards per attempt. And there were two additional turnovers (fumbles) to bring the Giants’ total to three.
The biggest problems though came on defense as New York was unable to stop the Broncos passing game from exploiting the middle of the field. There were missed tackles, very little pressure on the quarterback, and the rushing game continued to gash the Giants’ defensive middle to the tune of 40 carries for 138 yards.
With their opportunities running out, the Giants will have one final chance to right their ship as they’ll face three straight games against NFC East opponents starting in ten days against Dallas. The 8-3 Cowboys are currently the NFC East’s division leader, but one of their three losses was to New York earlier in the season.
After that, they’ll host the Philadelphia Eagles, who annihilated the Giants earlier this month to the tune of 41-17. The Giants will need to bounce back with a win in that one in order to even the head-to-head tiebreaker that is used to decide playoff seeding, as the second determining factor used in breaking ties would be the best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division.
Believe it or not, the Giants still feel that they’re a better football team than they’ve shown. “I still feel that we can play better,” Coughlin said. However, time is running out for these Giants, who if they don’t find their ‘A’ game soon, are going to find themselves sitting at home in January.
Notes
LB Antonio Pierce, who has been sidelined indefinitely by a bulging disc in his neck, will remain inactive noted orthopedic surgeon Dr. Robert Watkins concurred with the original diagnosis of rest. Pierce is hoping that the disc will ultimately shrink to where he won’t need surgery. Originally the prognosis was six week; my understanding is that that prognosis is still the case.
No word on whether injured reserve has been discussed for Pierce, but it wouldn’t surprise me if it happens. Pierce, who visits Dr. Watkins in Los Angeles, didn’t make the stopover in Denver to be with his teammates for their Thursday night game.
RB Danny Ware has informed the team that he wants to be known as “DJ Ware” from this point forward. DJ stands for “Danny, Jr.” and is what he was called growing up to avoid confusion with his father, Danny, Sr.
So for those keeping score of the roster at home, that’s five Johnsons; two DJs; a Ross, Boss, and Moss; a Manning and a Manningham, and a Hedgecock in a pear tree.
