The late afternoon thump heard from MetLife wasn’t the end of the Giants’ season.
There is still much expected in the final three weeks, and their 26-7 loss to Arizona isn’t a total implosion.
Instead, it was a reminder to them that they have to look at things realistically.
It became at halftime that Daniel Jones should have been rested for another week from his lower hamstring pull, and backup Colt McCoy should have been given another shot.
Jones’ opening-drive fumble – one of three on the afternoon – caused by ex-teammate Markus Golden and Dion Lewis’ subsequent miscue changed the complexion of a tight game in the second quarter.
And the Giants’ realized their four-game winning streak and mercurial rise suddenly stopped.
After Arizona opened the second-half with a choking scoring drive, Jones looked like his old self and marched the team down the field to their lone score.
“I don’t think we have any kind of a hangover from going out to Seattle last week,” Giants coach Joe Judge said. “I don’t think that’s a cause of it right here. And again, you know, this game was completely independent of anything that happened before. We simply didn’t come out today and we didn’t, you know, coach one off. We didn’t play well. And that’s just the hard truth of it.”
T
he Giants offense managed a pathetic 159 yards. They didn’t cross midfield until 7:11 remaining in the third quarter. Golden Tate’s one 39-yard catch led the team in receiving.
Joe Judge said they knew Jones wouldn’t be able to run today, even in escaping the pocket. They were expecting that might lead to more sacks. … And it did.
The Giants’ running game, which had gone for a season-high 190 yards on 6.1 yards per carry against the Seahawks, was held to 78 yards on 4.6 yards per rush by the Cardinals.
(Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire)