The New York Giants could not catch a break during their embarrassing 40–0 Week 1 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night. Anything that could have gone wrong went wrong for New York. Turnovers, dropped passes, missed tackles, fumbles, and many more woeful mistakes plagued the game from the very start.
As the Giants open up the year 0-1, there are many takeaways from the disastrous regular season opener; though, none of them are positive.
The Giants’ offensive line is still a disaster
The New York Giants expected their offensive line to take a big step forward this season after years of poor performances. After one game, the anticipated improvement seems far from making its arrival. The Giants’ offensive line was nothing short of disastrous. They surrendered eight sacks and QB Daniel Jones was pressured on 60% of his dropbacks.
The offensive line’s struggles were so severe that it completely dismantled New York’s game plan. Eventually, they were simply unable to call passing plays as Jones would instantly find himself under pressure.
Second-year RT Evan Neal turned in an abysmal performance on primetime. After struggling throughout his rookie season, Neal was expected to show signs of improvement this season. Instead, he looked arguably worse than ever in Week 1. If Neal does not turn things around quickly, the Giants’ season could soon fall apart.
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The honeymoon might soon be over
Head coach Brian Daboll won over the hearts of Giants fans in his first season with the team. In 2022, Daboll assumed his position and immediately established himself as one of the best coaches in the NFL, winning the AP Coach of the Year award and leading Big Blue to their first playoff win in over a decade. However, that love might soon run dry if he cannot turn this thing around.
Daboll’s team looked unprepared and outcoached against Mike McCarthy’s Cowboys. To make matters worse, a perplexing decision by Daboll to leave his starting quarterback on the field in the fourth quarter of a shutout defeat could be described as malpractice.
With the game already far out of reach, Jones stayed out on the field, continuing to endure a beating from Dallas defenders. The decision to leave Jones out there is one that deserves heavy criticism. After handing Jones a $160M contract, the team clearly established him as their franchise quarterback. Risking his health by leaving him on the field while down 40–0 in the fourth quarter was a risky, irresponsible decision that
At the end of the day, it’s only the first week of the season. Things can turn around quickly. But if they don’t, the New York fans and media will not hesitate to hold Daboll accountable. The Giants will travel to Arizona to take on the Cardinals next week, a team that was projected by many to finish dead last in the NFL this season. A loss to the Cardinals could be the beginning of the end of Giants fans’ honeymoon with Daboll and his staff.
Final takeaways from the Giants’ embarrassing Week 1 defeat
There is nothing positive to take away from this game. The Giants were overpowered by a divisional opponent that looks primed to contend for the Super Bowl. Inversely, New York looked like a team that could contend for the first-overall pick. This game was nothing short of a disaster for Big Blue and, if they do not turn things around quickly, this season could soon be lost for good.