The New York Giants’ offense delivered another lackluster performance at home against the Philadelphia Eagles on October 20, resulting in a decisive 28-3 loss to their NFC East rivals.
One of the more disappointing aspects of the game was the quiet second half for rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers, who ended the game with 4 catches for 41 yards. While this stat line led the Giants’ wide receivers in Week 7, all of Nabers’ production came in the first half, as the Eagles’ secondary completely shut him down in the final two quarters.
After the game, when reporters asked Nabers if Philadelphia’s defense made any adjustments to limit him in the second half, his response was surprisingly blunt.
“Nothing really different,” Nabers said. “Watch the target tape. That was it, I was open.”
In team sports, candid comments like this are often frowned upon, even if they turn out to be accurate.
Giants Offense Experienced Groundhog Day Without Left Tackle Andrew Thomas
The Giants face a significant issue moving forward, and it directly impacts Malik Nabers’ claim of getting open but not receiving the ball. The core of the problem lies in the lack of protection for New York’s quarterbacks, whether it was Daniel Jones or Drew Lock under center. Without left tackle Andrew Thomas guarding the blindside, the offensive line was overrun by the Eagles’ pass rush, a situation painfully reminiscent of Thomas’ absence in early 2023.
Malik Nabers was asked if the Eagles' defense did anything differently in the first half that he hadn't seen on film:
"Watch the target tape. That was it. I was open." pic.twitter.com/QEVtCBzNBE
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) October 21, 2024
Joshua Ezeudu, filling in at left tackle, struggled to contain Philadelphia’s edge rushers, and Jones, under constant pressure, reverted to his shaky 2023 form. This breakdown in protection essentially took offensive weapons like Nabers and Darius Slayton out of the equation, limiting their impact downfield. Wan’Dale Robinson led the team in receptions with six but didn’t generate significant yardage.
For Giants fans, this performance felt like “Groundhog Day” at MetLife Stadium, with the offense repeating the same mistakes. If these offensive struggles persist throughout the rest of the 2024 season, it’s difficult to imagine general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll surviving their third year at the helm of the organization.
Giants HC Brian Daboll Admits Team Was ‘Outcoached’ & ‘Outplayed’
After the Giants’ 28-3 loss to the Eagles, head coach Brian Daboll opened his postgame press conference by admitting that the team was “outcoached” and “outplayed.” He emphasized the offensive struggles, saying, “Obviously, we didn’t do enough offensively. Hardly had any yards, no points.”
Daboll did praise the defense, stating they “battled hard,” but acknowledged that the game slipped away from the Giants as it progressed, implying that both the offense and defense were eventually overwhelmed. He made it clear that there would be “no excuses” for the team’s performance, summing up the game as “just not a good day, all the way around.”
The Giants’ offensive woes were stark, despite running just 10 fewer plays than the Eagles and matching them in passing first downs (6) and total drives (13). However, they were dominated in the running game, with Philadelphia rushing for 13 first downs compared to New York’s four. This imbalance led to a huge disparity in time of possession, with the Eagles holding the ball for 35 minutes compared to the Giants’ 24.
The biggest issue, though, was the yards-per-play differential. The Eagles averaged 5.2 yards per play, while the Giants managed only 2.2—a glaring 3.0-yard advantage for Philadelphia that underscored the Giants’ inefficiency.
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