The New York Giants played host to the Denver Broncos on Sunday afternoon in front of the first packed house since 2019.
However, just as it was in 2019 and again last season without fans, there wasn’t much to cheer for. There was, however, a lot to boo over. And boo the fans did.
Teddy Bridgewater and the Broncos dominated the Giants from the open whistle until the final whistle. The 27-13 score doesn’t actually represent just how one-sided the game actually was.
Let’s take a look at the winners and losers (and those in between) from the latest and all too familiar Giants loss.
Winners
AP Photo/Matt Rourke
Devontae Booker: Booker may not have lit up the box score, but he had an impressive one-handed grab to save an incompletion in the second quarter. He followed that up a few plays later with an excellent chip block to help spur a Daniel Jones pass that went to Sterling Shepard for a touchdown. Sterling Shepard: Shepard had a bad slip on the opening drive of the game but rebounded with the crisp route running and good field awareness we all know he possesses. He was the highlight of the game for the Giants. Others: Tae Crowder, Leonard Williams, Andrew Thomas
Losers
AP Photo/Matt Rourke
Nate Solder: Solder was dominated by Von Miller for a third-down sack in the first quarter and didn’t look very comfortable after a year away from the game. As part of the OL rotation, he was replaced by Matt Peart in the second quarter but eventually returned. Jason Garrett: Garrett’s conservative play calling borders on absurd at times. He genuinely seems afraid to let his players play and never was that more evident than late in the second quarter when he went three-and-out following a Logan Ryan fumble recovery. A run up the middle into a stacked box, a two-yard pass (incomplete) to Eli Penny and a two-yard pass to Kyle Rudolph that was seven yards short of the sticks. Joe Judge: Judge threw a challenge flag in the third quarter on a play that was unable to be challenged. As a result, he cost the team a timeout. Lorenzo Carter and Oshane Ximines: There was no edge rush whatsoever on Sunday. The only pressure the Giants generated come from the inside, during rare quality coverage or on the blitz. Third-, fourth-down defense: The Broncos converted on 7-of-15 third downs and 3-of-3 fourth downs. Others: Danny Shelton
Mixed reviews
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Darnay Holmes: Holmes was all over the place early on but late in the second quarter, he was called for a personal foul penalty setting up a Denver score. He was benched after the fact (came in a few more times late, but role was significantly decreased). Blake Martinez: Although he’s a bit of a liability in coverage, Martinez is every bit the tackling machines he was a season ago. Well, until he wasn’t. Blake missed on tackle in the entire game and it went for a back-breaking touchdown. Daniel Jones: Jones continues to be maddening. In the rare opportunities he had on Sunday, he looked brilliant. But then came the moment everyone dreads: rather than sliding, he dove head-first for the stick in the third quarter and fumbled as a result. The turnover cost the Giants at least three points if not a touchdown. Others: Adoree’ Jackson, Darius Slayton, Azeez Ojulari
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