IRVING – In a season that has been so great for so long, it is now at this point in the season where the Giants are picking the wrong time for their first “crisis”.
Once again needing a win to nail down a first round bye and facing another desperate team needing to save their season, the world champions followed up their ineffective, lifeless performance on offense with their worst of the season in a their 20-8 loss to the Cowboys.
The awfulness on offense masked a courageous defensive performance that knocked quarterback Tony Romo down time after time and nearly out. However, with the team running on fumes late, was unable to get a stand to give the game back to the offense with a chance to win.
In game that was controlled by the defenses, the Cowboys defense bullied and pushed around the Giants offensive line, who played their worst game in nearly three years. Quarterback Eli Manning (18 for 35, 191 yards, 2 INT's) was sacked eight times, pressured consistently and the offense resembled that of a below average team, not one of a Super Bowl contender.
The absence of Plaxico Burress has had a trickle down effect. Add not having running back Brandon Jacobs, and yards have been difficult to come by and the offense has only scored one touchdown in the last two games (that score came in garbage time).
On the Giants first offensive play, linebacker DeMarcus Ware sped past left tack David Diehl, sacked Manning, and forced a fumble for a nine-yard loss. It set the tone for the entire game.
Romo was being battered by the Giants defense. On three out of four plays in the first half, he was sacked and was slow to get up after taking a hit to his lower back. Toughing it out in the second quarter, he would gingerly roll to right, drew the defense in and found receiver Patrick Crayton open in the end zone 34 yards for a touchdown to give the Cowboys a 7-0 lead.
The Giants answered with a 34-yard field goal by John Carney to cut the lead to 7-3 going into halftime. It was their only sustainable drive of the half (66 yards in 11 plays), as the 78 net yards was their lowest total of the season.
In the third, neither offense could get on track. Manning pass was intercepted by cornerback Terrence Newman on a slant pass intended for receiver Domenik Hixon. He would also be sacked on back-to-back plays in one series and three times for the quarter.
Romo and the Cowboys finally put some distance between themselves and the Giants when he found fullback Deon Anderson on a one-yard play action pass to them in front 14-3.
Punter Jeff Feagles would pin Dallas deep in their own end and again the Giants defense put Romo on the ground, this time for a safety (sack was split between Justin Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka) to trim the lead to 14-5.
Utilizing a no-huddle after getting the ball back, Manning and the offense moved quickly down to the Dallas 29 before three incompletions forced another Carney field goal. The 47 yarder to cut the lead further to 14-8 and needing one stop on defense to get the ball back with a chance to steal this game that they had been thoroughly dominated.
The Cowboys were called for holding on a second-and-13 play and rather than choosing a third-and-11, the Giants elected to take the penalty to force them to get 23 yards for the first down. Backup running back Tashard Choice ran for 14 yards to bring up third down. However, Tony Romo would get the key first down when he found tight end Jason Witten for 11 yards to essentially seal the game. On the next play, Choice bust through the line for a 38-yard touchdown run to finish the scoring.
For the offense, it was their second bad performance in row, held to only 218 yards and pathetic 3-for-13 converting third downs (6 for 24 over the last two weeks).
There was no wind, and most of the credit can be attributed to the defense of the Cowboys who eliminated running lanes for Derrick Ward (14 carries for 64 yards) and blanketed the receivers one-on-one with no safety help. It is apparent that the absence of Burress is being felt by the rest of the team along with the loss of Brandon Jacobs, who sat again with a lingering knee injury.
The loss dropped the Giants to 11-3 and has setup what now appears to the NFC Game of the Year on Sunday night at Giants Stadium for the right to have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
If the Giants happen to lose and the Minnesota Vikings defeat the Atlanta Falcons at home on Sunday, that would force a game where the winner of Giants-Vikings would be for the number two seed and a first round bye.
Suddenly, things have gotten treacherous in a matter of just two weeks.
There are leaks that are emerging from what was a juggernaut a few weeks ago. Could they be wearing down after not having a bye week since the third game of the season? Is the string of facing strong, over .500 opponents along with the sudden rash of injuries finally taking its toll on the defending world champions?
All of this could be possible.
We will find out on Sunday night.
No comments:
Post a Comment