After a painful loss like last night’s one-point defeat, it might be tough to find any silver lining.
Let’s give it a try.
1st Half: Empty
The Giants could not muster much offense in the first half of last night’s game amassing just 121 yards on a total of 20 plays. The offense had the ball for just 9.5 mins of 30 total mins…less than one-third of the clock. This forced the Giants defense to play over 20 mins of the half.
Where’s the balance in that?
The Giants cannot get off the field on 3rd down plays. Coach Judge used two of the Giants’ timeouts to give his defense a breather as the Eagles neared the goal line. It looked like it was going to be an Eagle runaway win at this point.
1st Half: Full
Despite the lopsided time of possession in the Eagles favor, the defense bent, but didn’t break and got a little lucky as well. After surrendering an Eagles TD on the game’s first drive, the Giants were able to hold on and keep the Eagles at bay for the rest of the first half. Also, even though the offense was not on the field much, they only needed one play to even the score at 7 on a Jones to Tate 39-yard pass play.
Hey, the Giants were opening up for some long ball plays. That’s refreshing! And after that Eagles onslaught, the score was just 10-7. Giants are only down by 3 points. Life is good!
2nd Half: Full
After two more three-and-out possessions to start the 3rd quarter, the GMen finally break free. More specifically, Daniel Jones takes the snap at his own 12-yard line on a read-option play, keeps it, and bursts into the open field.
He gets his engine and legs to churn at the fastest speed of any QB not named Lamar Jackson. In a phrase made famous by ESPN’s Chris Berman, “He could go all the…oops!”
DJ was going so fast, his feet couldn’t keep up, tripping himself and falling at the Eagle 8-yard line for an 80-yard run and stumble.
Great play, great call.
The Giants make it count with a TD and take the lead. Even better, the Giants put their best drive of the season together to start the 4th quarter, 97 yards on 15 plays that takes up over 7 mins of the clock. TOUCHDOWN!! Welcome back, Sterling Shepard! Giants up by 11 with a little over 6 mins left in the game. Life is great!
2nd Half: Empty
Six minutes. Just stay strong Giants defense for six more minutes. Yes! BJ Hill sacks Wentz on 2nd down…wait, what? Penalty on Ryan Lewis for illegal contact? Eagles 1st and 10. Next play Wentz connects with the umteenth wide receiver on the Eagles roster…a kid named Hightower…for 59 yards to the Giants 14 yard line. Eagles score a couple of plays later. Ugh! But not the end of the world. Giants are still ahead after a gutsy stop of a 2pt conversion.
We get the ball with 4.5 minutes left. Time to run some clock. Wayne Gallman is chewing up some yards on four straight run plays. A great call by Garrett on 3rd down, perfect pass by Jones to Evan Engram who is behind his defender with daylight in front of him…right through his hands. Incomplete.
More importantly, the clock stops, leaving the Eagles with two minutes. Not good. Why are the Giants letting receivers get behind them at this late stage of the game??? Two more penalties that lead to automatic first downs. Double Ugh!! Wentz completes his best pass of the night to Boston Scott for the go-ahead score.
Into the Looking Glass
Giants lose a painful one surrendering an 11-point lead in the last six minutes. Maybe Eli Manning’s Ring of Honor night on November 2nd can reverse the course of this season.
That’ll be the last game of the first half of the season.
My glass needs to start filling up again…and fast!
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