Giants Q&A: Was this one of Giants’ worst losses? Yes, yes it was

How bad was this one?

Epically bad. Historically bad. All-of-the-above bad.

The 51-17 loss was the Giants’ worst since a 38-0 loss at Carolina on Sept. 22, 2013, and the most one-sided at home since Nov. 15, 1998 (37-3 to Green Bay). Their previous largest deficit at MetLife Stadium was 30 points (40-10) to Indianapolis on Nov. 3, 2014.

The Rams’ 51 points were the most by a Giants opponent since Nov. 28, 2015, when the Giants lost in New Orleans, 52-49. It was the highest point total they allowed at home since Dec. 12, 1964, in a 52-21 loss to Cleveland (which also was the last home game in which they trailed by at least 38 points, as they did when it was 48-10 on Sunday). It was the fifth-highest total given up by the Giants at home (63 by the Chicago Cardinals in 1948, 56 by the Chicago Bears in 1943 and 52 by the Rams in 1948 and the Browns in 1964).

The last opposing team to score 50 points in a Giants home game was Washington on Sept. 19, 1999, in a 50-21 victory.

How did Sterling Shepard look in his return?

Rusty. After missing 2 1⁄2 games with a sprained ankle, the wide receiver came back and played the entire game. He was mostly lined up in the slot, although the Giants did move him around a bit and even had him in the backfield at one point. He was targeted nine times and caught five passes for 70 yards, including a long of 37. The play he looked the best on was a deep post route in which he had a step on the defense, but Eli Manning overthrew him for an incompletion.

Who were some of those guys on defense?

Because of injuries, a few Giants saw their first extended playing time. Rookie defensive end Avery Moss started and after a slow beginning — he was beaten badly by veteran offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth for a 36-yard run on the first Rams snap of the game — he settled in and had six tackles, the only two quarterback hits by the Giants, and a batted-down pass. The Giants also pressed linebacker Curtis Grant into service when Keenan Robinson left with a quadriceps injury. Grant had six tackles, too.

Did the Giants’ streak of allowing a touchdown to a tight end continue?

Yes, and it did not take long for it to reach an NFL-record nine regular-season games in a row. Tyler Higbee caught the first touchdown pass of the game for the Rams just 4:05 into the action to put that tension out of the way early. The Giants have allowed a league-high nine touchdown receptions by tight ends this season.

With Eli Manning getting yanked in the fourth quarter for Geno Smith, is there anyone on the Giants who has played every snap this season?

Yes. Left tackle Ereck Flowers, the team’s new iron man.

Can you give me ANYTHING positive?

Well, if you look hard enough.

Manning did throw for 220 yards, which gave him 50,034 for his career and made him only the seventh player in NFL history to reach 50,000 (Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Dan Marino and John Elway are the others).

Manning topped the plateau on the 37-yard hookup with Shepard in the fourth quarter.

Tavarres King made the first regular-season touchdown reception of his career, a 5-yarder that tied the score at 7.

Evan Engram continued to rack up impressive numbers with four catches for 70 yards and a touchdown (he was targeted 10 times and had several drops).

Oh, and the Giants’ next game is against the winless 49ers in San Francisco. So even if they lose it, they should improve their draft positioning.

By Tom Rock

tom.rock@newsday.com@TomRock_Newsday

Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.