QUARTERBACK
Daniel Jones: 16/28 – 178 yards / 2 TD – 0 INT / 100.0 RAT
Jones added 32 yards on the ground on five carries. After a week one to forget, he bounced back and put this team in position to win. That is the first job of a quarterback, and he got it done. When looking at the details of his game – the factors that impact wins and losses the most (turnovers, sacks, explosive plays, and penalties) Jones’ performance was taken to an even higher level. Not one turnover, he took just one sack for three yards, he passed for three explosive plays 20+ yard gains). The mis-fire metric that I discussed last week was down from a week ago by an incredible margin. I recorded just two poor throws (the missed deep balls were not mis-fires). He was one of 9 quarterbacks league wide to finish with a 100+ passer rating. He was one of 11 quarterbacks league wide to not throw any turnover worthy passes.
So, the numbers look great in contrast to where Jones started off week one. Beyond that, I was pleased with the decisiveness overall feel in the pocket. The offensive line was outstanding in pass protection, but there were some leaks here and there. Jones navigated the traffic within the pocket when it was there with strong ball protection tactics while maintaining his eyes downfield. It was quality quarterback play from all angles. The one negative would be the lack of success on his deep balls. That was a reason why you do not see a ton of yardage production. Most of the gains came from receivers (Nabers in particular) making things happen after a short pass. But as I said last week – those yard-after-catch dominant plays do partially stem from well-placed passes, something Jones was on for the vast majority of the afternoon. Him rising to the occasion was a must, especially with this team at 0-2 with a game coming up with one of the best five defenses in football.
RUNNING BACK
Devin Singletary: 16 att – 95 yards – 1 TD / 1 rec – 0 yards
What a gutsy performance by the new #26. Once again, Singletary dominated the snaps and workload. Tyrone Tracy Jr. is the only other back to get a touch (a single two-yard run). The sixth-year back who is on his third roster in as many years was breaking tackles and making Washington defenders miss left and right. He led the NFL Week Two in missed tackles forced with 10 (next highest was 7). He had success running left and down the middle because, once again, the offensive line came through. But it was Singletary who created even more on his own. His elusiveness is truly next level. He is not the ideal back in some situations but if he can offer this kind of yard creation in this offense, he is going to be a big factor in this team scoring more points. His fumble on the opening drive of the second half following a 15-yard gain as they approached the red zone was a significant blow. It puts a cloud over the performance, but his play overall was encouraging.
-Eric Gray handled the kick returns, averaging 25.6 yards per with a long of 30. Tyrone Tracy was the number two back, seeing 12 snaps and getting just one touch, a carry for two yards.
WIDE RECEIVER
-The offense had a clear plan. Go through Malik Nabers. He was targeted 18 times – second most in an NFL game this season. It resulted in 10 catches for 127 yards including the first touchdown of his career. When you see a stat line like this, you’d assume there was a big play downfield (or two). Nabers was targeted deep a couple times, but nothing connected. Nearly all of his yardage production came after the catch and it showed the diverse, explosive skill set he has with the ball. He won with speed, power, and most importantly instincts. In the NFL, we see special talent everywhere, every week. But the players who anticipate the defense and stay a step ahead mentally are the ones who turn into stars. Nabers displayed exactly that and his ability to drag a defender for a first down in the fourth quarter was one of the best plays of the day because of how hard and rare that is. The drop on the final drive, however, was an absolute back-breaker. Giants likely win if he brings that in.
-Darius Slayton and Wan’Dale Robinson were not only the only two other receivers to catch passes, they were the only players on the roster to have a ball thrown their way other than Singletary’s catch for no gain. No Jalin Hyatt factor for the second time in as many weeks. Slayton finished with 33 yards on 4 catches and dropped a two-point conversion pass. Robinson caught just 2 passes for 18 yards; however one of which went for a touchdown on a 7-yard quick out. His sudden burst and fast hands are a weapon on those quick-strike looks.
TIGHT END
-The tight ends were a complete non-factor. Not one target between the three of them. Theo Johnson remains the starter, but it was interesting to see Daneil Bellinger at third string. He played just seven snaps while the best blocker of the trio, Chris Manhertz, was on the field for 26 snaps. He was tasked with a lot of pass protection help, notably on the right side. While it is far down the list of priorities, I have not been satisfied with his blocking overall, nor the other two. Lack of latch and poor footwork causes too many tackles from their assignments.
OFFENSIVE LINE
-All five starters played all 56 snaps. They allowed just one sack (Andrew Thomas on a somewhat-broken play). The difference in functionality of this offense, especially one that needs to feed the ball to a receiver, when the offensive line plays well is blatant. Truly, it was a joy to watch, and I was even more pleased when re-watching the game. While they were not exactly facing off against the ’07 NYG Nascar package – (a lifetime ago) – they got the job done against the opponent across from them.
-While Thomas remained the top grade of the group once again, I would give the game ball to center John Michael Schmitz. For the second straight week he performed well in the run game. He did miss a help-assignment on a play right guard Greg Van Roten (the lowest game grade of the five) allowed a pressure that led to the sack. Beyond that, his power and attachment helped excel the inside run game. I know it sounds basic, but him staying on his feet from start to finish routinely is such a big sign of improvement.
-Newcomers Jermaine Eluemunor and Jon Runyan both have quietly solid efforts. The former did allow two pressures but his level of play snap-to-snap, drive-to-drive is more than acceptable. It is, actually, dependable. Same is said for Runyan, who pitched a shutout in pass protection against some solid interior pass rush opponents. While he did not get a ton of movement in the run game, his quickness and ability to play in space created extra yards for both Jones and Singletary. His athleticism can create options for blocking schemes.
EDGE
-After a week one that was filled with disappointment from exciting edge duo, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux took a step up the ladder. While they did not reach the top (not even halfway) they did climb with some production. Burns had 3 tackles, 2 pressures, and a pass break up. His sack was called off by a bogus defensive holding penalty in the secondary. Thibodeaux was very active. While I remain underwhelmed with both his lack of power and secondary rush moves, he played his butt off. I could make a solid case that he made the most hustle plays on the entire defense. He finished with 4 tackles, 2 of which went for a loss, and added 3 pressures with 2 QB hits. The disappointment does settle in, however, when I consider the fact they were up against one of the worst starting offensive tackle pairs in the NFL. In addition, Thibodeaux lost his edge setting fits against the run multiple times. Washington played games with him via misdirection. While it was better, I still expect more from not just one of them, but both. They should be licking their chops. Cleveland left tackle James Hudson and center Ethan Pocic lead the NFL in pressures allowed at their respective positions.
-Azeez Ojulari offered some help in relief, recording 1.5 TFL with a pressure. His power presence and overall feel for the running game, in particular inside, were notable.
DEFENSIVE LINE
-There were multiple issues that led to Washington averaging 6+ yards per carry. It is never one thing, but I would point at this group first. They were not playing with gap integrity nor were they getting off their blockers. You can live without one if they excel with the other but having neither is a recipe for disaster.
-Dexter Lawrence had an average game to his standard. He was getting so much attention from multiple blockers and that should have opened the door for the likes of Rakeem Nunez-Roches and Elijah Chatman. Neither stepped up.
-Jordon Riley and DJ Davidson both came in to spell the starters but neither got the job done. They were the ones I saw the most when it came to struggling to get off blocks.
LINEBACKER
-Micah McFadden was back on the field. He led the team with 13 tackles, one of which went for a loss. On a day where he and the rest of the defense got crushed by the WAS run, he at least made up for some of it by creating wins for the unit. He made 5 tackles near the line of scrimmage and applied a pressure. That pressure, however, resulted in a missed sack as Jayden Daniels somehow got away from his latch.
-Bobby Okereke added 8 tackles, 1 TFL, and a sack. He is a guy who always shows up but there were a few issues in coverage. He also missed a tackle where his agility in space looked awful. I will chalk it up to being caught off guard. The NYG defense did not seem to have a strong grasp of what Washington was trying to do.
-Isaiah Simmons got on the field, unlike last week. He was mainly in for coverage responsibilities. He made two tackles but was also juked badly by Daniels, forcing a missed tackle.
CORNERBACK
-On a day where the defense overall was lackluster, we did see a breakout game by rookie Andru Phillips. Last week he made the “stud” list, and I wrote that he needed to play more. Well, he finished fifth on the defense in snaps played and was the best defensive player on the field not named Dexter Lawrence. He finished with 12 tackles, 1 sack, and 2 TFL. His reaction time is faster than a blink and the ability to finish is a tone-setter for the defense. Phillips has the energy that can ignite a defense and even though the aggressive style can create issues (two missed tackles), what he is doing so early on is such a good sign. I did not use the holding penalty against him, as it was a garbage call that impacted the game.
-Deonte Banks is clearly the best cover man on this team and it isn’t close. He was excellent against Terry McLaurin. The size/speed/physical nature combination is really something else especially with the fire he plays with. His run defense assignment-wise was poor, however. While he is aggressive, he isn’t very assignment savvy.
-Cor’Dale Flott was the other starting outside corner. He really wasn’t heard from much (good or bad) but late in the game he was beat badly by Noah Brown, an August roster cut by Houston, on the final drive that got Washington in to NYG territory. He also missed a tackle and was crushed in run defense by their receivers. It is not often you blame a corner for lack of run defense, but Flott was a part of the problem. He doesn’t play big enough. He doesn’t play fast enough. I’m not sure who is the lesser of two evils between him and Adoree’ Jackson, who played just 11 snaps.
SAFETY
-Similar to this being the McKinney + Pinnock show in 2023, Tyler Nubin and Jason Pinnock essentially played every snap together. Pinnock had one of the more up and down games you will see. He was flying all over the field and making plays (9 tackles, 2 sacks), but he also led the team with 3 missed tackles on a day where the tackling was a huge culprit of the loss, but he was also penalized twice and he allowed an explosive play in the passing game. If he is going to be a reliable leader for this defense, he needs to cut out the roller coaster performances. He is too up and down to be considered a pillar of a quality defense. That sets the tone for this group that has underachieved through two weeks. Nubin finished with 5 tackles, 0 misses.
SPECIAL TEAMS
-K Graham Gano was injured on the opening kickoff (hamstring) after being put on the injury report Friday (groin). More on this below.
-P Jamie Gillan: 2 punts / 43.5 avg – 31.5 net / 0/1 XP
3 STUDS
-CB Andru Phillips, WR Malik Nabers, OC John Michael Schmitz
3 DUDS
-DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches, CB Cor’Dale Flott, DT DJ Davidson
3 THOUGHTS ON WAS
(1) I can’t say for certain, but I do think my QB stack from the 2024 NFL Draft was the only one with Jayden Daniels at the top over Caleb Williams. Time will tell there, and I know it does not matter beyond my own opinion – but I do believe this kid has the goods. He can be a Pro Bowl / All-Pro level talent. He has Lamar-caliber movement ability, and he entered the league as a much better passer. Now Washington needs to make their next two offseasons about protecting him and providing for him.
(2) You may not realize it by watching them play against NYG – but WAS has one of the worst rosters in football. In the past year they have traded Chase Young, Montez Sweat, Sam Howell, John Ridgeway, and Jahan Dotson. They were not replaced with any notable free agents. Their offensive line has three new starters with a combination of a journeyman and rookie at left tackle. Head Coach Dan Quinn brought in some comfort players over from Dallas who are average at best. They have a ways to go to build this thing right but they will have a ton of cash in the next 2-3 offseasons to spend. And remember – owner Daniel Snyder is no longer involved, which is a huge win for that fanbase.
(3) The number of bodies they have in their defensive line room who have recently been both signed and drafted open the door to them selling another defensive lineman this year if/when they are out of the race. Eighth-year defensive tackle Jonathan Allen has another year on his contract (through 2025) with cap hits over $20 million both this season and next. He turns 30 in January and his style of play will age well in the coming years. Keep an eye on injuries around the league, as this is an immediate plug-and-play, every-down, every-situation, all-around solid player.
3 CLOSING THOUGHTS
(1) Before we get to the negatives. How about Malik Nabers? The rookie showed almost everything you want to see in this game. As a junior at LSU in 2023 he led the nation with 34 catches of 20+ yards. Guess who leads the NFL in catches of 20+ yards in 2024? The Giants’ first rounder. 83 of his 127 yards in week two came after the catch. This was reminiscent of Odell Beckham’s breakout game in 2014. He caught 8 passes for 156 yards against the Colts (82 of those yards came after the catch). He then went on to break 100 yards in 6 of the next 8 games via 10+ targets in 6 of 8 games. The offense went through Nabers, and based on the team’s 0-2 record and Daboll’s infatuation with him, Nabers is heading toward being the next LSU first-round pick by NYG to take over the show.
(2) The Giants are on the wrong side of history. The more time that passes, the more we find them doing things that have never been done. Scoring three touchdowns + allowing zero touchdowns and still losing is a feat that has only occurred once before in NFL history. In the past twelve years, NYG has begun 0-2 in nine of them. The sack margin (very strong correlation to wins/losses) last year was the worst in the NFL since 2000. The 85 sacks allowed were the second most in NFL history. There are bad teams but when your version of bad is historic and you’re in year three of a regime? You bet you’re on the hot seat. Especially considering the fact this team has two All-Pros in the trenches and an apparent budding star at receiver. We can point to this and that when looking at the roster. But the leadership is going to fall on the sword if they can’t get this better in a hurry. “From Bono to Bozo”…
(3) Tough, smart, dependable. The mantra of this front office and coaching staff since inception in 2022. Let’s discuss the final two. Being smart is ALWAYS having 53 players on your roster when you wake up on game day. How that is specifically engineered can be debated. Whether or not you’re using all 53 spots available to you, every resource possible within the rules, is not. NYG did this Week One as well. Gano, a 37-year old kicker with a recent history of soft tissue injury, had a groin issue heading into the weekend. He did warm up and he did hit 50+ yarders in warmups. So even if they did have 53 players on the roster, there is no guarantee an active spot would have been used on a backup kicker. But not calling one up from the practice squad Saturday was an inexcusable mistake. They did not even have an option to use a new kicker. It was not smart, it was incredibly stupid. Thus, it was not dependable, it was anything but. Had they had a kicker available on the 53, but he was not made active to ensure they had depth available elsewhere, this would have looked a lot better. If Daboll is going to preach and demand being smart and dependable, he needs to look in the mirror first. There is nothing worse than a leader who does not believe in what he’s preaching. That is a one-way street to your next job, a demotion.