Giants grades: A dreadful game all around
Defensive end Jason Hatcher #97 of the Washington Redskins sacks quarterback Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants in the first quarter at FedExField on Nov. 29, 2015 in Landover, Md. Credit: Getty Images / Patrick Smith
OFFENSE
FEli Manning's two interceptions on the first two drives of the game set the tone for the ineptitude that was to come. The Giants, who came in as the fourth-highest-scoring team in the league, spent the first 49:50 of the game without a point. A red-zone pick in the third quarter really hurt. Playing most of the game without three starters on the offensive line didn't help, but 33 rushing yards is inexcusable. There was a spark at the end on a pair of TD passes, but not enough time to try for a third.
DEFENSE
DThe unit did a decent job of holding Washington without any points after those two turnovers in the first quarter, but when they needed a stop on Washington's final drive, they couldn't get the ball back to the suddenly surging offense. The third-down conversion pass to tight end Jordan Reed was a killer. The Giants did not have a takeaway for the first time since the 49ers game Oct. 11. Kirk Cousins was not sacked.
SPECIAL TEAMS
DThe Giants had a few opportunities to pin Washington deep on punts. One was overturned when Dwayne Harris slid into the end zone while touching the ball, another was a touchback when Landon Collins was decoyed into stopping his pursuit. The Giants had a penalty on an extra point. Jay Bromley blocked a field goal in the first quarter. Harris averaged only 3.5 yards on four punt returns.
COACHING
FWith all the breaks the Giants got in the last week while on their bye, coach Tom Coughlin needed to make sure the team did not come out as flat as it did. Yet there he was after the game, adding a new term to his lexicon with the phrase "slept-walked." Another silly roughing-the-passer penalty, this time on Bromley and not Damontre Moore, ate up precious time in the fourth quarter. When the Giants needed big chunks on their final drive with less than a minute left, they settled for underneath routes.
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
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