The New York Giants might have fallen to the New England Patriots 35-14, but they put up a resilient fight that proved they’re capable of hanging with the best.
The NFL’s best team and top-rated defense had fits with Big Blue all night, especially their defense, who returned a fumble recovery for a touchdown and dominated in the trenches all game. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to secure the win as star running back Saquon Barkley, and a slew of influential players were forced out due to injury.
Here are three positives from the New York Giants loss to the Patriots:
1.) The defense showed they can fight
Typically, allowing 35 points is nothing to write home about, but the Giants defense stepped up in a big way in Foxboro.
The pass rush was dominant, and outside linebackers, Markus Golden and Lorenzo Carter, both made colossal impact plays to keep the Giants alive late in the game. Golden returned a fumble for a touchdown, and Lorenzo Carter was in the backfield, frequently putting pressure on Tom Brady.
Also, interior defenders Dexter Lawrence, BJ Hill, and Dalvin Tomlinson all wreaked havoc on the Patriots offensive line and forced Brady to get rid of the ball quickly. Before a late-game scamper by Sony Michel, the Patriots hovered around the 50 rushing yard mark, an impressive number for a defense who was without starting linebacker Ryan Connelly.
The resiliency showed by the unit proved they could be a quality defense moving forward. They have the puzzle pieces and are finally coming together with improved chemistry. Some weak spots need to be addressed next off-season, but they are beginning to understand James Bettcher’s scheme and take advantage of what his style can provide.
2.) Darius Slayton is the real deal
The New York Giants might have found themselves a quality wide receiver in late-round pick, Darius Slayton. The rookie was lined up across from Stephon all game, the league’s top cornerback. He finished the night with three receptions for 32 yards, but a majority of his catches came on third downs. He seems to be Rueben Randle on steroids, a player that can contest the balls and act as a trustworthy target for Daniel Jones.
Slayton has 179-yards over 12 receptions and one score this season. He has elevated his game lately, securing a majority of those numbers in the last two contests. We should keep an eye on his development and improvement as the season progresses.
3.) The reality of Saquon Barkley is REAL
If there is anything we learned from Thursday night’s loss to the New England Patriots, it is that running back Saquon Barkley is extremely important to the functionality of the Giants offense. On the night, Jon Hilliman ran for 38 yards on 11 carries. He also fumbled the ball towards the end of the game that put the Giants to bed. Barkley’s shiftiness an ability to break off big runs makes him a constant threat for opposing defenses.
His influence forces opposing defensive coordinators to take players out of coverage, which ultimately helps open up the field for quarterbacks. Gaining back Barkley soon will be a huge boost and support the Giants succeed down the road. However, we now know they can battle against the best teams, but they certainly need their best players to do so.