In one of the most frustrating games in recent memory, the Giants fell to the Saints 34-27. After starting with a 10-0 lead, Big Blue made several mistakes that cost them. None more than the Charlie Jones fumble late in the second quarter. This gave the Saints an extra drive starting at the Giants’ 28, which they used to score and tie the game. That flipped momentum and propelled the Saints to score 27 unanswered points.
While the Giants rallied and made things interesting, they dug themselves into a hole too big to climb out of. This is the second straight week that the Giants had a costly fumble. Sure, they got lucky last week, but this week showed how costly these mistakes can be. John Harbaugh and the rest of the coaching staff need to fix this ASAP. Here are the other takeaways.
JJ McCarthy Deserves to Be The Starter Going Forward
Jameis Winston had another shaky performance. Since taking over for Jaxson Dart, the veteran has been inconsistent. He has some drives where he looks spectacular. But for most of his time this season, he hasn’t looked great. Sunday was no different, as he was 14/26 for 152 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. After his second interception in the fourth quarter, Harbaugh decided he had seen enough and put JJ McCarthy out there. It started rocky, but McCarthy led three scoring drives.
McCarthy gave the offense the spark it desperately needed. It was a night-and-day difference between Winston and McCarthy. McCarthy attempted 21 passes, completing 11 for 243 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. He had a big 28-yard rush late in the fourth. You can argue this happened in “garbage time,” and McCarthy wasn’t playing under pressure, but it’s the best the offense has looked in weeks. At this point, it would be foolish not to give McCarthy the start against the Texans to see if he can continue his success.
The Run Game Was Putrid
One of the Giants’ offense’s most glaring weaknesses was the running back position. With Cam Skattebo’s lackluster play and a costly overtime fumble against the Commanders that cost the Giants a win, many thought it was time to scale back his touches. Harbaugh agreed, but probably went more aggressive than everyone expected. He played only six offensive snaps and didn’t carry the ball. Yes, the fumble was unacceptable, and he needed to be punished, but benching him seemed like too much.
Especially when you look at how the other three running backs performed. The trio of Devin Singletary, Najee Harris, and Tyrone Tracy combined for 34 rushing yards on 14 carries and a touchdown. While there is no guarantee Skattebo fixes that, he’s struggled this season, so he’d likely have been better than what the Giants put out there. He alone would give them 40-45 yards, and who knows what that does. It could open things up a bit and give the Giants more offensive production.
Giants Run Defense Is a Problem Again
For years, one of the biggest problems for the Giants’ defense has been its inability to stop the run. It has cost them many games over the years, and the Giants have never solved it. Whether it’s new players, scheme, or coordinators, nothing has worked. That trend has continued this season: the Giants are allowing 135 rushing yards per game, the fourth most in the NFL. These struggles were on full display against the Saints, who allowed 175 rushing yards on 38 carries. That is 4.6 yards per attempt.
But it was not just the run defense that struggled for the Giants. The unit as a whole had one of its worst performances of the season. They allowed 34 points and had 12 missed tackles. One of the biggest problems a team can have is missing tackles. It turns short games into longer ones. Big stops can turn into a new set of downs. This should be the main thing that Dennard Wilson focuses on in practice this week. If the Giants want to pull off the upset against the Texans, they will need to play perfectly. Long runs and missed tackles go against that.
