It has been a full week since the New York Giants fell to 0-2 for the fifth straight season, at the hands of a division rival whose number they’ve had in their previous five meetings. Usually by this stage of a standard NFL work week, the bruises of the previous game’s defeat have disappeared and the critical chatter ceased with the team’s focus shifting to the task ahead.
In the aftermath of their crushing loss to the Washington Football Team, 30-29, last Thursday, that has not been the case. The exact opposite has occurred, with drama stemming from an in-game confrontation and a player’s postgame social media post prolonging the discussion of those matters at team press conferences this week.
Wide receiver Kenny Golladay has been one of the constant subjects of the media’s questioning following camera footage of his heated exchange with another member of the Giants organization, later determined to be offensive coordinator Jason Garrett. Head Joe Judge, Golladay,and Garrett have each addressed the situation to the headline-hungry writers on numerous occasions, with all three emphasizing emotions and passion as the scene’s causation and not a disagreement over the receiver’s touches.
Remaining within the Giants’ wide receiver room, rookie first round draft pick Kadarius Toney’s online behavior following the game also caught himself in the net of media perceptions. Toney posted an Instagram story that some in the media perceived as being an attack on the Giants organization in response to his lack of productivity in the offense. A belief that the University of Florida kick returning star said was completely false and misinterpreted,
Finally, after dealing with all the discrepancies from Week 2, the Giants can now brush off Washington and fully embrace the opportunity to get right against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. New York enters the contest without a win, but there is reason to feel at least some confidence and optimism towards this matchup.
Notably, the current state of the Falcons at the onset of the 2021 season. Atlanta also sits at 0-2 after demolishing losses against the Eagles and defending champion Buccaneers, both of which had deficits of over 20 points. Their offense, led by aging veteran quarterback Matt Ryan, has lost all remnants of luster it had with Julio Jones’ departure, averaging 15.5 points per game (31 points total) while struggling on third down efficiency and having only two receivers with double digit targets and 100 yards of receiving. On the other side of the ball, the defense has been a disaster, allowing an average of just below 400 offensive yards per game and giving up 81 points in the two week span.
At the same time, however, the Giants must approach the matchup with a chip on their shoulder. It doesn’t need much mentioning how disappointing they’ve played since 2017, but now there is added pressure for them to leave this game with a victory at home–the presence of one of their own legends entering a prestigious club.
Sunday afternoon sets the stage for an emotional yet celebratory moment in the franchise’s history, as Eli Manning will return to MetLife Stadium to have his No. 10 jersey officially retired and his name entered into the New York Giants Ring of Honor after 16 seasons with the team. Manning, now involved with the organization through a business operations and fan engagement role, will be joined by his family, former teammates, and coaches as he is recognized for his incredible accomplishments and dedication to a city considered rough for those who come from his background.
There is undoubtedly going to be a stadium full of emotion come the halftime ceremonies, but there will also be the energy of thousands in the stands expecting their present to honor the past with a stellar performance of their own. A single game has meaning beyond falling to another 0-3 start.
Coming out the gate, it would not be surprising to see the Giants offense move the ball with a quick tempo to put a Falcons defense giving up 40 points a game on their heels early. Atlanta gives opposing offenses a reset of the sticks 40% of the time on third downs, so the Giants should have less trouble sustaining longer, clock controlling drives downfield.
If the offensive line, now without two starters for the remainder of the season in captain center Nick Gates and left guard Shane Lemieux due to leg fracture and patella tendon injuries, can get the running lanes open on a weaker defensive line unit, it could finally be a breakout game for Saquon Barkley since his return from the ACL rehabilitation. While Daniel Jones led the Giants in rushing last week, Barkley did show improvement in finding holes in a much stronger Washington defense and using his footwork to break for longer carries. He finished with 13 carries for 57 with one rush going for 41 yards that nearly outraced the Washington defense for a touchdown.
Outside of establishing a tempo and getting the run game going, the Giants need to control the time of possession and take some gambles in the redzone. Last week’s loss to Washington proved that playing the field goal game, even with one of the best legs in the league in Graham Gano, isn’t a good enough strategy to win games in the modern NFL. The Giants had a prime opportunity to put six on the board last Thursday–following an huge interception by James Bradberry at the Washington 25–and put their rivals to rest but instead ran two runs and an incomplete passing play that led to just three points which kept Washington alive.
The defensive effort will key on stopping Atlanta’s top two passing weapons in Calvin Ridley and Kyle Pitts, the only Falcons with over 100 yards receiving thus far. However, they must also watch out for former receiver turned running back Cordarrelle Patterson whom the Falcons have turned into a dual threat. Patterson has made a name for himself as a kick returner in his previous stints with Minnesota and Chicago, but last week against Tampa Bay he was responsible for two of the Falcons’ touchdowns on 10 rushes and 7 targets.
New York has allowed an average of 287 passing yards and 126 rushing yards per contest. Yet it has been their ability to force timely turnovers that has been their impact on the first two games of the season. The Giants forced two fumbles against the Denver Broncos in week 1 before getting their first interception in week 2 from Taylore Heinicke’s costly mishap that ended up being nothing in the end.
All the preparation that gets put into executing a perfect game is one thing, but it’s another entirely different thing for a team to go out and put that perfect game on film. The Giants need to have their perfect game this Sunday against a struggling Falcons team who find themselves in a similar situation as their opponent just a few years prior. With an aging quarterback, an inexperienced offense, and a porous defense in the bottom of the NFL.
Joe Judge’s squad has everything they need to have their best game and enter the win column for the first time this season. A healthy offensive arsenal, hardnose defense, rejuvenated Saquon Barkley, and a stealthy Daniel Jones that showed last week he can shake off his turnover demons with simple ball protection. Add to all that the return of tight end Evan Engram and the extra motivation from the pomp and circumstance of Eli Manning’s storybook Giants career that will ensue during halftime.
It’s a “get right” game for the New York Giants on Sunday afternoon. For a team that is hungry to show the league that they are not ready to roll over on their backs after two weeks.
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