Giants' grades from loss to Eagles in season finale: Offense could not do much against Philadelphia's backups
New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll walks the sidelines during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton) Credit: AP/Derik Hamilton
OFFENSE: D
Thirteen points and 10 first downs did not cut it against the Eagles’ B team on Sunday in the Giants’ 20-13 loss in Philadelphia. Sure, there were some highlights, headlined by Malik Nabers setting a Giants single-season receptions record with 109 and capping his rookie season with a spectacular 45-yard touchdown catch-and-run that included an off-balance tiptoe along the sideline. Wan’Dale Robinson had 10 receptions but for only 43 yards. Drew Lock was far from terrible, going 22-for-29 for 138 yards, but he was not good enough.
DEFENSE: C
Allowing 20 points against the Eagles normally would be an achievement, but the quarterback was Tanner McKee, not Jalen Hurts or Kenny Pickett. Saquon Barkley was in street clothes, which helped the Giants hold the Eagles to 51 yards on 25 carries. The Giants would have gotten the ball back with decent time on the clock in the final minutes, but an offside penalty on Boogie Basham and a roughing-the-passer penalty on Kayvon Thibodeaux gave the Eagles two crucial first downs.
SPECIAL TEAMS: B
Graham Gano made two field goals, one from 53 yards that bounced in near where the crossbar meets the post. Ihmir Smith-Marsette, who returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown against the Colts in Week 17, had a punt return of 25 yards. The Giants also gave up a 51-yard kickoff return by the Eagles’ Isaiah Rodgers.
COACHING: C
There were some strange strategic and personnel decisions, but that is to be expected when it is Week 18 and one team is locked into a playoff seed and the other team is locked into oblivion — and trying to protect its early draft position. The Giants did seem to be playing hard for Brian Daboll, whose approach looked a lot like that of a coach who has been told by ownership that he will be back rather than a coach needing a victory to survive. We will know soon enough.
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.
