The Giants are not the same team we’ve watched struggle to win football games. At least that’s what I’m telling myself.
Denying the truth doesn’t change the facts.
After watching the Giants take a 27-13 defeat on the chin from the Denver Broncos, there’s simply no more room for denial when it comes to this team.
Yes, they are what we thought they were — until they prove us wrong.
We saw the usual flashes of talent and questionable play calling. There was enough red flags on defense to make you think your morning subway commute to work really isn’t that bad.
It’s now five consecutive years the Giants have lost their season opener.
Here are my takeaways from the game:
The play calling on offense needs work, again
This has been bubbling for awhile. If there’s a fresh batch of calls in the playbook for offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, the fan base hasn’t seen it yet.
Too many times in this game we saw Saquon Barkley run into a stacked defense. This offense needs to establish an identity, preferably sooner than later.
Too conservative has been the knock on Garrett’s play calling since his arrival. This is an offense stacked with playmakers, conservative is not what fans are expecting from this team. Furthermore, in agreement with the fan base, there’s been a blandness to the type of offense Garrett is bringing to the table every week. It warrants watching as the season progresses.
Giants still need a pass rush on defense
Because it’s still painfully obvious they don’t have one.
The Broncos converted on 7-of-15 third downs and 3-of-3 fourth downs. They dominated the Giants on time of possession with 35:08 to 24:52.
Denver quarterback Teddy Bridgewater have the Giants headaches with his ability to extend plays long enough to move the chains.
Those stats are clear indicators of an inability from the Giants’ defense to get off the field.
As we saw in this game, not having a pass rush puts more pressure on the secondary. The Giants need more from their edge rushers.
Daniel Jones — the good, bad, and the ugly (again)
There’s going to be one drive in every Giants game where Daniel Jones is going to leave fans gasping for air.
It’s just never never in a good way.
Jones, with the Giants trailing 17-7, hits Sterling Shepard on 3rd and 5 for 15 yards to convert a first down. A few plays later, again on third and 8, Jones finds Shepard for 20 more yards.
Here — all of a sudden — are Jones and Garrett, giving hope to a fan base just looking to cheer for anything positive at this point.
And then a couple of positive plays later, the inevitable happens.
Jones, on first down at Denver’s 22-yard line, scrambles up the middle, gets hit, and fumbles away the football.
A chance at a field goal or even — dare I say — a touchdown. Dream deferred, again.
It was downhill from there.
Again it’s Jones, in a crucial year for his development, adding fuel to the fire that he’s not the answer at quarterback for this team.
And Joe Judge, we haven’t forgotten about you
That’s right, the head coach didn’t do his team any favors with a challenge flag in the third quarter on a play that was unable to be challenged. The gaffe by Judge cost the Giants a timeout.
What’s Next?
Not much time to sit on this one, because the Giants head to D.C. this Thursday night for a week 2 matchup with the Washington Football Team.
Image: Joe Judge – AP Photo/Matt Rourke
