The Giants completely imploded against the Seahawks, leaving Daniel Jones battered

From a playoff team in 2022, the New York Giants have gone to what many expected from them in 2022 — a bottom-feeder. Against a Seattle Seahawks team beset by injuries on both sides of the ball, the Giants not only laid an egg by a final score of 24-3 but looked utterly unfit to be on the same football field as their opponent. Running ever thinner on the offensive side of the ball didn’t help, but the Giants’ relatively healthy defense didn’t look much better.

This was a full-team stinker for the Giants, spanning all three phases of the game. Giants fans are jumping from one coach to another to blame, but it was a collective effort. Each offensive or defensive series and each special teams play led to new lows.

Head coach Brian Daboll understands the fans’ frustration.

“I would be upset, too, if I was a fan,” he said. “There’s a lot of things we’ve got to do better.”

Tackling optional

The Giants’ tackling woes were on full display in Week 3 against San Francisco, and they continued against Seattle. On the Seahawks’ very first play from scrimmage, a Bobby Okereke tackle for loss almost turned into a touchdown run, as Kenneth Walker was just barely down by contact.

The most notable example of the tackling issues was a 51-Yard pass play from Drew Lock to Noah Fant. The actual throw was roughly 8 yards, but Fant broke multiple tackles and tiptoed his way down the sideline, coming within a hair of taking it in for a score.

Special teams nightmare

Outside of Graham Gano, the Giants have had special teams issues going back many years now. Against Seattle, it started with an Eric Gray muffed punt that Nick McCloud somehow managed to fall on top of. After that, Adoree’ Jackson entered to return punts, but Gray made a curious decision to field a bouncing kickoff at the goal line rather than letting it bounce into the end zone. Meanwhile, the Giants had a whopping six special teams penalties, including two on Gary Brightwell. Gano’s 55-yard field goal was the lone deodorant for an absolutely miserable unit.

A sieve up front

With two more starting offensive linemen out plus their lone blocking tight end, the Giants’ blocking could not be any shakier. Daniel Jones sustained 10 sacks, including a strip sack that led to the Seahawks’ first touchdown of the game.

Due to the poor blocking, the Giants posed no vertical threat, which allowed the Seahawks’ cornerbacks to key any short routes. Parris Campbell was tackled for big losses multiple times (one called a sack) because there was nothing to keep the cornerbacks deep, and Riq Woolen nearly picked off a pass intended for Wan’Dale Robinson for the same reason.

Seattle’s first-round pick, Devon Witherspoon, posted two sacks and a 97-yard pick-six against Jones. The entire Giants offense was a discombobulated mess, offering no resistance at any level.

About feeling hamstrung offensively by the injuries up front, Daboll said, “No excuses, I’ve got to do a better job.”

Stats

• Daniel Jones: 27-for-34, 203 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT, 10 sacks, 2 fumbles (1 lost), 67.0 passer rating; 10 rushes, 66 yards
• Matt Breida: 14 rushes, 30 yards; 5 targets, 5 receptions, 48 yards
• Wan’Dale Robinson: 6 targets, 5 receptions, 40 yards
• Isaiah Hodgins: 3 targets, 3 receptions, 24 yards
• Darren Waller: 3 targets, 3 receptions, 21 yards
• Parris Campbell: 5 targets, 3 receptions, 15 yards

For Seattle, Geno Smith went 13-for-20 for 110 yards with a score and a 95.8 passer rating. He left the game for a period of time with a knee injury before halftime, and Drew Lock went 2-for-5 for 63 yards in Smith’s absence.

Tyler Lockett (four catches, 54 yards) and D.K. Metcalf (three catches, 34 yards, 1 TD) paced the Seahawks’ passing game. Kenneth Walker added 79 rushing yards, including a one-yard score.

Highlights

One of the Giants’ lone positives from the game was Kayvon Thibodeaux recording his second and third sacks of the season. Only the first had any sort of relevance to the game.

On offense, Daniel Jones and Matt Breida connected on a 22-yard pass to convert a third-and-long.

To start the second half, the Seahawks drove down the field and appeared poised to take a three-score lead. However, Rakeem Nuñez-Roches stuffed a third-and-short running play, and Micah McFadden’s tight coverage on Zach Charbonnet led to an errant throw from Geno Smith on fourth-and-1, keeping the score 14-3 and giving the Giants the ball back. (They promptly went three and out and punted.)

Injury updates

John Michael Schmitz (shoulder) and Daniel Bellinger (knee) left the game in the first quarter and were ruled out. Shane Lemieux (abductor) was ruled out in the fourth quarter.

Giants inactives

• RB Saquon Barkley (ankle)
• LT Andrew Thomas (hamstring)
• DL Jordon Riley
• S Bobby McCain
• S Gervarrius Owens

What’s next?

The Giants (1-3) head to Miami for a Week 5 showdown with the Dolphins (3-1), who are coming off their first loss of the season, a 48-20 blowout in Buffalo. The game is on Sunday, Oct. 8 at 1 p.m. ET.