The New York Giants stumbled against the surging Detroit Lions at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, falling to 7-3 after a disheartening 31-18 loss.
Here are a few things we learned from the Week 11 disaster.
Things can unravel quickly in this league
Everything was going right for the Giants the first seven weeks of the season, and then they went Seattle and got beat by a better team. They got their much-needed bye after that and returned with a 24-16 win over the sorry Houston Texans at home.
On Sunday, the faced a 3-6 Detroit team that was apparently much better than their record and were completely dominated. They lost several more key players to injury and now head to Dallas, who just crushed the Vikings, 40-3, on the road on four days rest.
Things don’t get much better from there. They still have to play the division-leading Eagles and suddenly relevant Commanders twice each, make a trip to Minnesota and host Jeff Saturday’s Colts at home.
Brace yourself.
Jones and Barkley and pray for rain
If quarterback Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley don’t play above their raisin’ the Giants look like a sandlot team. On Sunday, both were humbled by a Detroit defense that was statistically at the bottom of the league.
Barkley rushed for just 22 yards on 15 carries and Jones threw two costly interceptions and most of his longer passes came during garbage time.
The result was a flogging of the highest order in a game many had them winning. The loss reminded fans that anything is possible in this league.
Coming up small in the trenches
The Giants’ defensive front had been playing so well coming into the game that there had been a lot of Pro Bowl talk surrounding linemen Leonard Williams and Dexter Lawrence.
That took a major hit on Sunday after the Lions rushed for 160 yards and the Giants recorded no sacks of Lions quarterback Jared Goff.
Of offense, the Giants’ line was shuffling personnel all game and never got settled in. They could not run the ball and Daniel Jones was hit total of 10 times, including two sacks.
Injuries continue
We won’t know the extent of the injuries from Sunday but the following players left the game and did not return:
Starting cornerbacks cornerbacks Adoree’ Jackson (knee) and Fabian Moreau (ribs), center Jon Feliciano (knee), offensive tackle Tyree Phillips (neck), safety Jason Pinnock (jaw) and wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson (knee).
They head to Dallas on four days rest with a wounded animal, and your meal on Thursday afternoon won’t be the only thing upsetting your stomach this Thanksgiving.
