One or Two Plays Have Cost The Giants Games

[Ed Vette]

Sometimes, it's a penalty in a crucial situation that negates a TD or kills a drive, a dropped pass, or it's a critical turnover. It happened again yesterday. It's getting to the point where I'm just expecting it to happen. Good teams are making these plays and not shooting themselves in the foot.

Just one example. Last night in the third quarter, Sam Darnold threw a perfect pass to Jefferson who made a great catch in the basket for about 40 yards, and I was thinking to myself that if it was the Giants, that play has a 10% chance. Why? Well either the Receiver gets pushed to the sideline and can't make the catch, or the pass was short and the receiver had to hold up, or the Defender breaks up the pass, or the receiver drops it. Or, the Official calls a ticky-tack penalty negating a TD.

What's the problem? Coaching and preparation? Lack of focus? Talent? A combination of all of it? 3 games could have gone the other way, and 2-7 becomes 5-4.

I know, you are what your record says you are.

[T200]

I know what you mean, Ed. I posted in the game day thread that I was so traumatized by this team, I was waiting for Manhertz to drop the TD pass or a flag to be thrown.   

I think it's a combination; coaching and discipline, lack of focus, and heart.

I think the defense is tired of the offense not doing their part. I think it showed yesterday.

One thing I'm having mixed feelings about is DJ's newfound fire and emotional outbursts. He showed his frustration with that stupid-ass 2-point conversion call where nobody seemed to know what the hell to do. Then yesterday on his TD run, he gave a nice forearm shiver to the DE trying to stop him from getting into the end zone. I'm thinking something flipped, in a good way, for him. I can see them blowing out Carolina next week.

[Ed Vette]

I know what you mean, Ed. I posted in the game day thread that I was so traumatized by this team, I was waiting for Manhertz to drop the TD pass or a flag to be thrown.   

I think it's a combination; coaching and discipline, lack of focus, and heart.

I think the defense is tired of the offense not doing their part. I think it showed yesterday.

One thing I'm having mixed feelings about is DJ's newfound fire and emotional outbursts. He showed his frustration with that stupid-ass 2-point conversion call where nobody seemed to know what the hell to do. Then yesterday on his TD run, he gave a nice forearm shiver to the DE trying to stop him from getting into the end zone. I'm thinking something flipped, in a good way, for him. I can see them blowing out Carolina next week.

Another HC fired. I have to think that the players must have in the back of their minds what happens if they lose to Carolina. An Owner notorious for firing HCs after 2 seasons, even after words of support. I think we're going to see how much this team wants to support Daboll. People can say what they want about Daniel Jones, but he will go down fighting.

[AZGiantFan]

Sometimes, it's a penalty in a crucial situation that negates a TD or kills a drive, a dropped pass, or it's a critical turnover. It happened again yesterday. It's getting to the point where I'm just expecting it to happen. Good teams are making these plays and not shooting themselves in the foot.

Just one example. Last night in the third quarter, Sam Darnold threw a perfect pass to Jefferson who made a great catch in the basket for about 40 yards, and I was thinking to myself that if it was the Giants, that play has a 10% chance. Why? Well either the Receiver gets pushed to the sideline and can't make the catch, or the pass was short and the receiver had to hold up, or the Defender breaks up the pass, or the receiver drops it. Or, the Official calls a ticky-tack penalty negating a TD.

What's the problem? Coaching and preparation? Lack of focus? Talent? A combination of all of it? 3 games could have gone the other way, and 2-7 becomes 5-4.

I know, you are what your record says you are.

Karma for all the breaks that went their way in 2022?

[Bob In PA]

Sometimes, it's a penalty in a crucial situation that negates a TD or kills a drive, a dropped pass, or it's a critical turnover. It happened again yesterday. It's getting to the point where I'm just expecting it to happen. Good teams are making these plays and not shooting themselves in the foot.

Just one example. Last night in the third quarter, Sam Darnold threw a perfect pass to Jefferson who made a great catch in the basket for about 40 yards, and I was thinking to myself that if it was the Giants, that play has a 10% chance. Why? Well either the Receiver gets pushed to the sideline and can't make the catch, or the pass was short and the receiver had to hold up, or the Defender breaks up the pass, or the receiver drops it. Or, the Official calls a ticky-tack penalty negating a TD.

What's the problem? Coaching and preparation? Lack of focus? Talent? A combination of all of it? 3 games could have gone the other way, and 2-7 becomes 5-4.

I know, you are what your record says you are.

Ed: It goes back to what Carl Banks said recently... you've got to focus, sure, but sometimes you really have to "bear down" and mind your p's and q's in crucial situations.

Once a team learns how to win, that type of stuff is contagious and occurs almost as an after-thought.

Leadership on the field is important but so is having sufficient talent to start with. Giants continue to shoot themselves in the foot at the worst possible times, and that criticism applies to just plain TOO MANY players, each of whom take a turn at being the goat from play to play and game to game.

Bob

[Ed Vette]

Ed: It goes back to what Carl Banks said recently... you've got to focus, sure, but sometimes you really have to "bear down" and mind your p's and q's in crucial situations.

Once a team learns how to win, that type of stuff is contagious and occurs almost as an after-thought.

Leadership on the field is important but so is having sufficient talent to start with. Giants continue to shoot themselves in the foot at the worst possible times, and that criticism applies to just plain TOO MANY players, each of whom take a turn at being the goat from play to play and game to game.

Bob

I think Daboll had a good game plan yesterday if not for some breakdowns. This is a Run First team that can do well in the passing game with a successful Running Attack. They gave that game away yesterday.

On a side note, I don't care what the analytics say; you don't go for two when you could be down by 7. That's gonna come back to bite him in the ass.

[Giantleap56]

Would love to have seen how the game would have ended had Robinson TD wasn't called back.

[MightyGiants]

Sometimes, it's a penalty in a crucial situation that negates a TD or kills a drive, a dropped pass, or it's a critical turnover. It happened again yesterday. It's getting to the point where I'm just expecting it to happen. Good teams are making these plays and not shooting themselves in the foot.

Just one example. Last night in the third quarter, Sam Darnold threw a perfect pass to Jefferson who made a great catch in the basket for about 40 yards, and I was thinking to myself that if it was the Giants, that play has a 10% chance. Why? Well either the Receiver gets pushed to the sideline and can't make the catch, or the pass was short and the receiver had to hold up, or the Defender breaks up the pass, or the receiver drops it. Or, the Official calls a ticky-tack penalty negating a TD.

What's the problem? Coaching and preparation? Lack of focus? Talent? A combination of all of it? 3 games could have gone the other way, and 2-7 becomes 5-4.

I know, you are what your record says you are.

Mike Lombardi likes to say that it comes down to coaches, players, and scheme when things don't go right for a team.  Right now, I think all three elements have major issues.

[Bob In PA]

I think Daboll had a good game plan yesterday if not for some breakdowns. This is a Run First team that can do well in the passing game with a successful Running Attack. They gave that game away yesterday.

On a side note, I don't care what the analytics say; you don't go for two when you could be down by 7. That's gonna come back to bite him in the ass.

Ed: If the game had been in Washington I'd argue with you.  Just like in baseball, when you're on the road you go for the win (as he did).  At home, you play for a tie (many reasons for this). Bob

[Ed Vette]

Ed: If the game had been in Washington I'd argue with you.  Just like in baseball, when you're on the road you go for the win (as he did).  At home, you play for a tie (many reasons for this). Bob

Why? The coin flips heads 50% of the time.

[Bob In PA]

Why? The coin flips heads 50% of the time.

Ed: I know, but the home crowd can make a bit of a difference (though it rarely happens for us); players do try harder when the crowd gets fired up; and no one will ever convince me otherwise on the following, but in NFL home teams get better spots and often the benefit of a close call or non-call (it DOES happen for us but IMO less often the for some other teams). 

A shorter response to your question is... I was speaking generally, not specifically to the Giants.

But you also have to throw all other extraneous factors into the decision (especially the fact that we already "had nothing to lose" by being a bit more daring, since we're already virtually mathematically eliminated from the playoffs). That also tipped the scales even more so against Daboll's decision.

Bob

[Ed Vette]

Ed: I know, but the home crowd can make a bit of a difference (though it rarely happens for us); players do try harder when the crowd gets fired up; and no one will ever convince me otherwise on the following, but in NFL home teams get better spots and often the benefit of a close call or non-call (it DOES happen for us but IMO less often the for some other teams). 

A shorter response to your question is... I was speaking generally, not specifically to the Giants.

But you also have to throw all other extraneous factors into the decision (especially the fact that we already "had nothing to lose" by being a bit more daring, since we're already virtually mathematically eliminated from the playoffs). That also tipped the scales even more so against Daboll's decision.

Bob

Maybe he subconsciously wants to lose.

[T200]

Maybe he subconsciously wants to lose.

More to the point, he wants Mara to see without a doubt that Jones is not the answer at QB.

[Bob In PA]

@Ed Vette and @T200 I agree with both of your responses immediately above this. Bob

[AZGiantFan]

More to the point, he wants Mara to see without a doubt that Jones is not the answer at QB.

Do you think he and Schoen are going to have a hard time convincing Mara it's time to cut him loose?  If so then it's worse than I thought.