Giants grades vs. Commanders: Bad day all-around after frustrating loss
Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. (8) is tackled by Giants linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux (5) after a run during the second half in Landover, Md., Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. Credit: AP/Matt Slocum
OFFENSE: C
Daniel Jones played well enough to not be the story — or the problem — this week, finishing 16-for-28 passing for 178 yards and two touchdowns and rushing five times for 32. Devin Singletary looked good rushing 16 times for 95 yards but had a key fumble that led to a Washington score. Rookie receiver Malik Nabers caught 10 passes for 127 yards, including his first NFL touchdown, but he had a critical drop on a late fourth-down play. The Giants possessed the ball for only 22:28, which was more an indictment of their defense than the offense.
DEFENSE: D
It is difficult to get a grade this low when you do not give up a touchdown and record five sacks, but facts are facts: The Commanders finished with Austin Seibert field goals on all seven of their full possessions and had 37:32 in possession time. Washington repeatedly helped out the Giants in the red zone, including five false start penalties, but moved the ball at will in the middle of the field. The home team was 7-for-14 on third downs. Brian Robinson Jr.’s 133 rushing yards on 17 carries led a 215-yard rushing total for Washington.
SPECIAL TEAMS: F
The Giants thought they had avoided trouble when Austin Ekeler’s 98-yard kickoff return to open the game was called back by a penalty. But kicker Graham Gano hurt his right hamstring trying to chase down Ekeler, which messed up the rest of the day for the Giants. After punter Jamie Gillan missed an extra point kick, coach Brian Daboll only used him for kickoffs thereafter. That also did not work out. Gillan had a fourth-quarter kickoff squib short of the landing zone, which gave Washington the ball at the Giants’ 40-yard line and set up a drive to a field goal.
COACHING: D
There was a lot to like in the offensive game plan, which included a return to competency by Jones after a week in which he was battered from all sides by criticism. But all of that was overshadowed by a crucial personnel decision: Not having a Plan B in case Gano had problems with a groin injury that turned up during the week, which then ended up being followed by a hamstring injury he suffered on the first play of the game. The cascade of problems that followed that turn of events ruined what should have been a happy day for the Giants.
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
