Everything Changed In A New York Minute
Sunday, September 14, the New York Giants traveled to Dallas for a showdown with the Cowboys, hoping to silence the noise from fans and media after a rocky start. What seemed like a chance at redemption ended in heartbreak but if anything, it was a showcase of how culture inside the building (both good and bad) shows up on the field.
In classic Big Blue fashion, the Giants shot themselves in the foot early. During one opening drive, they racked up six penalties, four of them by left tackle James Hudson (stepping in for the injured Andrew Thomas) a feat we haven’t seen accomplished since the year 2000.
The penalties included two unnecessary roughness calls and two false starts, that killed momentum and cost the Giants 45 yards and a touchdown. Hudson was benched after that stretch and visibly frustrated on the sidelines.
Despite the penalty nightmare, the Giants showed flashes. After the half, Russell Wilson found a rhythm, with some help from Malik Nabers for a pair of touchdowns, finishing 30 of 41 for 450 passing yards and 3 TDs. Rookie, Cam Skattebo, also delivered with a 1-yard rushing TD after a 24 yard gain on a hand off from Jaxson Dart. It was almost 4 Touchdowns for Wilson and a win for Big Blue but Wilson and Nabers had a miscue in overtime and sealed their own fate.
Dallas was able to kick a field goal in overtime to make it 14 straight wins for Dak Prescott over the Giants. With New York racking up 14 penalties for 160 yards, it’s a miracle they even stayed in the game, let alone pushed it into overtime.
Dallas still hasn’t figured out how to fill the void they created themselves by trading away Micah Parsons to Green Bay and the Giants were able to exploit some of those weaknesses.
But here’s the problem: for all the good the Giants showed, it was wiped out by questionable coaching decisions, a defense that looked allergic to tackling, and a squad so undisciplined they spent the afternoon shooting themselves in the foot.
Which begs the bigger question: What exactly is the culture in Daboll’s building right now? Because good teams find ways to win. Bad, sloppy teams find ways to lose. And lately, there’s been a whole lot of losing here.
It was an entertaining back-and-forth battle between two rivals trying to avoid 0-2 in the division. Giants showed some fight, but discipline issues, penalties, and some questionable decisions cost them dearly. A win was on the horizon for Big Blue in the final moments of overtime but as we all know – everything can change in a New York minute. #nygiants #dallascowboys
