New York Giants Week 9 Report Card: Defensive Struggles Lead to Disappointing Grades
The New York Giants fell to the Washington Commanders in a close 27-22 loss. Here’s a breakdown of how each area of the team performed.
Offense
Surprisingly, the offense wasn’t the Giants’ main issue in this game. They scored 22 points, their second-highest total of the season. After a sluggish start, falling behind 21-7 at halftime, the Giants rallied in the second half, outscoring Washington 15-6.
As expected, the Giants focused on their ground game, achieving 164 rushing yards, with 142 of those coming in the first half. They also converted 54.4% of their third-down attempts, going 6 for 11, and averaged 5.5 yards per play. However, the passing game struggled, with a net of -8 yards by halftime, despite a touchdown pass from Daniel Jones. They allowed two sacks, and receivers repeatedly failed to reach first-down markers on their routes.
Defense
The Giants’ pass rush, which had been strong recently, was ineffective against Washington, recording just two hits and no sacks on Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels. With only two pass breakups on Daniels’ 22 attempts, the pass defense faltered.
Deonte Banks once again demonstrated that he may not be ready for a No. 1 cornerback role. Dru Phillips and Tyler Nubin missed key tackles on the Commanders’ drive that ended in Terry McLaurin’s second touchdown just before halftime. The defense also couldn’t produce a crucial stop when needed.
Special Teams
Despite a penalty from Tomon Fox (his second consecutive game with a costly infraction) and a weak 32-yard punt from Matt Haack, special teams were largely reliable. Kick returner Eric Gray averaged 26 yards per return, with a long of 29 yards. Rookie kicker Jude McAtamney successfully hit a 31-yard field goal and an extra point, delivering a mostly stable performance.
Coaching
Head coach Brian Daboll’s reliance on analytics was evident, and it sometimes led to questionable decisions. The Giants attempted two 2-point conversions (and failed both), including one early in the fourth quarter when a safer point might have been more practical for a team not known for offensive explosiveness.
Additionally, late in the game, after Washington gained just one yard on first down with 2:48 remaining, the Giants chose not to call a timeout to stop the clock. This decision missed an opportunity to potentially get the ball back for a final offensive drive.
