Grading the Giants‘ 20-17 overtime loss to the Panthers in Germany on Sunday.
Offense
Some of the final numbers are not terrible, but the results remain unacceptable.
Daniel Jones (22 of 37, 190 yards, 2 INTs) ran for a touchdown but got off to a painfully slow start — he missed a wide-open Malik Nabers on the opening series.
His passer rating of 50.5 is depressing to see. Nabers (6-50) continues to take a beating and fail to get down the field for big gains.
Rookie Tyrone Tracy (18-103, 1 TD) ran hard and his 32-yard scoring run was nice.
But his fumble to start overtime handed the game away and was unfortunate; he needs to learn from it and move on. Jalin Hyatt (4-39) was dusted off and got involved.
Jermaine Eluemunor moved to left tackle and got beat on a flea-flicker by D.J Wonnum for a killer sack. Rushing for 167 yards was good, but three turnovers — one in the red zone, one right on the edge of it — is losing football.
Grade: F.
Defense
Will this unit ever be able to buckle down and stop the run? Getting gashed for 188 yards — an average of 5.9 per rush — is disastrous, with Chuba Hubbard (28-153) getting to the edge on crack tosses with the greatest of ease.
Brian Burns had an early sack against his former team but after that, Bryce Young (15 for 25, 126 yards, 1 TD) got rid of the ball with the speed of light.
Giving up an 80-yard drive after the lead was trimmed to 10-7 was not exactly complementary football. After allowing 190 yards in the first half, the second half (116 yards allowed) was cleaner.
Rookies Tyler Nubin (12 tackles) and Dru Phillips were both strong tacklers. Phillips forced a fumble late in regulation that was recovered by D.J. Davidson. There is no margin for error with this group.
Grade: C.
Special Teams
In his first game since Week 2, Graham Gano returned and promptly missed wide right on a 43-yard field goal attempt. That was not helpful.
He later made a 42-yarder with five seconds left to force OT.
Jamie Gillan’s first punt was well-placed and pinned the Panthers back on their 10-yard line. His second punt was a 42-yarder to the 9-yard line. In the third quarter, Gillan mishit a low liner that was returned 13 yards. He put four of his five kicks inside the 20.
Ihmir Smith-Marsette, after a fair catch, got called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty (for tossing the ball at a Panthers player) and unnecessary roughness, a double whammy.
Grade: C.
Coaching
Should Brian Daboll have benched Daniel Jones after a scoreless first half?
Daboll said he did not consider it. He second-guessed himself for calling a flea-flicker on third-and-1 in the second quarter.
It seems as if whatever he calls, something often goes wrong.
If Shane Bowen’s defense is not going to stop the run, this is not going to work. His guys could not hold the fort on outside runs, as setting the edge was optional.
Grade: F.
