Giants Bad Juju Re-Opens Old Wounds with Big Easy Debacle

Photo via LA Times

The Giants suffered another demoralizing, brutal, back-breaking, soul-sucking, last-minute loss – this time against the pass-happy, defense-light New Orleans Saints. I had to watch this post-Halloween horror movie unfold on my phone because I was at Stream Con NYC in the Javits Center. I didn’t have the audio on, so I had no idea what was going on when the Saints fielded the final punt return of the game. I saw Marcus Murphy field the ball about 20-30 yards in his own territory and run for a good 10-15 yards before getting touched. I witnessed Craig Dahl come up with a huge strip only to have Willie Snead grab it and turn to run. Then punter Brad Wing comes up and makes the tackle. Though, the Saints were in Giants territory, they would’ve need a kick of a lifetime to win the game. Instead, the referees call a 15 yard facemask on Wing, which present New Orleans with a much more manageable 50 yard try. And they nail it. Game over.

I’ve heard a lot of people compare this to Miracle at the New Meadowlands when … you know what, we all know what happened, no need to open old wounds. I’d say they’re not entirely off. Here was a game that was very winnable.

photo via For The Win USA Today Sports

The Giants D came up with a big interception return for a touchdown to cap a tremendous comeback after being down 42-28 early in the 4th. Then, the Giants D escorts New Orleans to the endzone to tie the game at 49-49 with about 36 ticks on the clock. The Giants offense runs off a total of 16 seconds on their 3-and-out, which is damn near unfathomable considering the day’s events, and Brad Wing boots the ball 42 yards with little to no hang time. If the Giants convert on 3rd-and 5… if Brad Wing BOOMS the ball like he had on a 62 yarder earlier in the game… if the Giants recover Dahl’s strip… they get to OT and possibly escape The Big Easy with a big W. Instead, they punch the Big Blue fanbase in the balls yet again.

Drew Brees passed for career highs of 511 yards and 7 TDs while getting sacked 0 times. The Saints offense was 7 of 11 on third downs. Ben Watson… !!!BEN WATSON!!! … has emerged as a legitimate threat, exposing the Giants deteriorated LB corps and subpar safeties for 9 grabs totaling almost a buck 50 and a touch.

I’m not sure anyone gets any positive reviews from that side of the ball for New York. DRC had a pick and lead the team in solo tackles (clue #1 that your D got torched when your CB sits atop the solo tackle count). McBride came up huge with the pick six. Kennard didn’t look healthy. Meriweather was a ghost. Damontre Moore had yet another horrible roughing the QB penalty.

Casillas and Unga were lost, Brinkley shouldn’t be on the field. The Giants sorely missed Beason and JTT. Hankins can only do so much in the middle of the D-line; by now, most teams know if you take #95 out of the equation, you can gash the interior for big chunks. And, no joke, I had a night terror about Landon Collins.

WHERE IS THIS?!?

The trade deadline has now come and gone and the Giants didn’t make any moves. Rumor had it that Eric Weddle was a possibility, but no dice. Bears LB Willie Young was another option as was Bears TE Martellus Bennett. Nothing. The Giants are content with the personnel they have.

Photo via NOLA.com

My guess is the Giants brass think the team can float along and around the .500 mark and win the division when they get all their weapons back: most notably Cruz and JPP. Well, they’re wrong. Not with this defensive unit. Not with the Cowboys getting Romo back. Not with the Eagles being so unpredictable. Not with a wily Washington team that refuses to go away.

Somehow, the Giants offense was 1 of 8 on third down, but was 100% in the red zone (4 of 4) and goal to go (3 of 3). If that’s not a telltale sign that the Giants are clueless when it counts most, I don’t know what is. Odell Beckham went off for 8 catches, 130 yards and 3 touchdowns but doesn’t get a target on the last possession? You go to Randle and Harris with a dump-off to Vereen?

We saw both Bad Eli and Good Eli in this game. One of the most beautiful tosses ever on the long bomb to Odell to open up the second half for 6, but then he loses the grip on a pass attempt and almost fumbles away the ball? The 4th down touchdown to Harris was one of those ‘heave-and-a-prayer’ plays.

Six touchdowns, no picks. But when the Giants needed him most on that last drive, he leads them on a 3-and-out. Not placing the blame on him for the loss, but my confidence in Eli is as unstable as ever. And this is a guy who just passed Joe Montana for career TD passes…

I mean, Eli has at least 1 pass a game that makes you say, ‘Wow, that’s sniper-esque pinpoint accuracy’.

Andre Williams is … officially our #3 or #4 back? 5 carries, 7 yards. My guess is he’s the workhorse when the Giants have a lead and are trying to milk the clock?

Darkwa appears to have leap-frogged DreWill to be the #2 / #1 back.

Vereen had another good game catching out of the backfield.

Larry Donnell gets hurt and Will Tye loses a fumble. For the love of Kevin Boss, give Eli a reliable pass-catching TE.

Dwayne Harris was clutch yet again in the red zone, though the 4th down TD grab was drenched in luck sauce.

So, is this the Big Easy Debacle this year’s version of the Miracle at the New Meadowlands? Will the 2015 Giants follow the same fate as the 2010 Giants? After the Saints got off to an 0-3 start, I felt good about the Giants chances, then New Orleans beats the Falcons and all bets are off. I knew the Giants D would have trouble defending the pass, but never imagined it would get that out of hand. I mean, dudes were so wide open I thought those plays had been blown dead by a whistle. I say that only because…

COMING UP NEXT: Sunday, November 8th @ Buccaneers, 4:05 PM

We pretty much all had this chalked up as a W when Famous Jameis Winston threw a bunch of picks and looked awful against the Titans in Week 1. Then, he goes out and leads his team to a win against Atlanta. Is Atlanta not the real deal or is Tampa turning the corner? Their defense can be dangerous at times and Tampa could run roughshod over the Giants weakened front 7. Every game is a must-win, but with the Pats coming up, this win will keep them in the hunt. 4-6 going into a bye? You can say bye to the postseason.