Leading by four points with just over two minutes left after intercepting Jayden Daniels twice in the span of five plays, the New York Giants somehow did not hold on and were dealt a stinging defeat in primetime by rival Washington.
asserted
Giants → lead → Washington
“Every loss stings,” top receiver Malik Nabers said Friday.
asserted
Nabers → sting → ?
“We’re bummed out about the loss, but we continue to try to put it behind us.”
asserted
we → ’re → us
There’s no mistaking this was a bad loss that brings the Giants back to earth and back to the pack in the mediocre NFC East.
asserted
that → mistake → East
Instead of moving another step closer to running away with the division, they go into a brutal stretch of the schedule probably needing to pull off at least one upset to stave off the Commanders or Dallas Cowboys.
asserted
they → move → Commanders
Five of their next six opponents are above .500 and in the playoff hunt, starting with Jacksonville coming to town on Nov. 22 and including games at San Francisco and defending Super Bowl-champion Seattle.
asserted
Jacksonville → start → Francisco
“We don’t live in that scared world,” coach John Harbaugh said.
asserted
Harbaugh → live → world
“Every single one of these games is going to be a big challenge.
asserted
one → go → games
Every single one of these games is going to be really hard to win.
asserted
one → go → games
It’s hard winning.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
It’s tough to win football games in this league.”
asserted
It → ’ → league
Especially when you beat yourself.
asserted
you → beat → yourself
The list of transgressions Thursday night is long, though the most damning part was not being able to pick up a single first down between the time J.J. McCarthy and Isaiah Likely connected on a 66-yard touchdown that got the stadium’s stands shaking and Daniels connecting with Stefon Diggs for the lead-changing TD that quieted the crowd.
asserted
that → pick → crowd
A failed QB sneak by Jameis Winston — who then used “Who Let the Dogs Out” as his cadence to try to get the defense to jump offside on fourth down — ended one drive, and McCarthy not even getting back to the line of scrimmage on a designed run halted another.
asserted
getting → fail → another
All-Pro punter Jordan Stout then picked a bad time for his first shank of the season, booting the ball a whole 12 yards.
asserted
Stout → pick → ball
All of it made for some fine Friday morning quarterbacking in hindsight.
“I’ll probably second-guess all those,” Harbaugh said, even wondering about fourth and 1 from his own 11-yard line with three and a half minutes left.
asserted
minutes → make → line
I’m kind of kicking myself.
asserted
I → kick → ?
Maybe we should have just gone for that one, too.”
asserted
we → go → one
What’s working
The defense is forcing turnovers at a consistent rate.
asserted
defense → work → rate
The interceptions by Jevon Holland and Ar’Darius Washington were the first two Daniels has thrown all season, coming on his 208th and 211th passing attempts.
What needs help
Ball security remains an issue.
asserted
security → throw → help
Nabers fumbled for the first time in his NFL career, a costly mistake in the third quarter.
asserted
Nabers → fumble → quarter
“You’re thinking about plays that could have been a difference in the game, and that could have been one of those,” Nabers said.
uncertain
Nabers → think → those
“We were in the red zone, could have got a field goal or a touchdown and sadly went away just off a mistake that I made.”
uncertain
I → get → that
Stock up
Cam Skattebo ran for 78 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries, showing he can handle the workload of a No. 1 running back.
asserted
he → run → back
Stock down
Rookie kicker Dominic Zvada missed a 33-yard field goal attempt, making him 8 of his last 14 after starting 9 of 9.
asserted
him → miss → 9
The Giants are expected to keep him around through the growing pains.
asserted
Giants → expect → pains
“There was a technique issue there with his plant foot that we’re kind of looking at,” Harbaugh said.
asserted
Harbaugh → be → that
“He needs to clean that up from a consistency standpoint.
asserted
He → need → standpoint
He knows that.”
asserted
He → know → that
Injuries
Acknowledging Jaxson Dart, Brian Burns, Braxton Berrios and Tremaine Edmunds are all out for the season, the active roster has no lingering concerns, according to Harbaugh.
uncertain
roster → acknowledge → Harbaugh
Key number
10 — Net yards gained by the Giants between taking the lead early in the fourth quarter and the Commanders scoring to go up 24-21.
asserted
Commanders → gain → quarter
Next steps
After two games in five days, get away for a weekend and let other teams play football.
asserted
teams → get → football
The Aporia
