Los Angeles Chargers 37 – New York Giants 21

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS 37 – NEW YORK GIANTS 21…
An incompetent, uncompetitive, poorly-coached, and talent-deficient New York Giants team was utterly humiliated 37-21 by a Los Angeles Chargers team that barely broke a sweat on Sunday afternoon. Two late touchdowns by the Giants made the final score misleading. Indeed, the game seemed more lopsided than when the Chargers went up 37-7 in the 4th quarter. The Giants are now 4-9 on the season with four games left to play. The Giants will have a losing season for the eighth time in the last nine years.

The contest was best epitomized by what transpired in the final two minutes of the first half. Already leading 17-7, the Chargers were forced to punt the ball from their own 8-yard line. The Giants got the ball back, 1st-and-10 on the Los Angeles 41-yard line with 1:40 left before halftime. Three straight pass attempts by starting quarterback Mike Glennon resulted in the Giants actually losing two yards. Riley Dixon’s punt only traveled 18 yards. The Chargers got the ball back on their own 25-yard line with 40 seconds on the clock. Four plays later, with 25 seconds left, quarterback Justin Herbert threw a 59-yard touchdown pass to give the Chargers a 24-7 advantage at the break.

Of note, the Giants have now been outscored 59-0 in the final two minutes of first halves this season.

Five of New York’s six first-half possessions resulted in two first downs and five punts. Four of those drives gained only 17 yards. The only first-half points came on the third possession, a 7-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a 3-yard touchdown pass from Glennon to fullback Eli Penny. This tied the game at 7-7. It was all downhill for New York after that.

The Chargers’ six first-half possessions resulted in three touchdowns, a field goal, and two punts.

With the game already out-of-hand, the second half was like watching a slow death. The Chargers scored on each of their first three drives, adding two field goals and another touchdown. Meanwhile, the Giants turned the football over on downs (an incomplete pass by Dixon on a fake punt) and fumbled (Glennon was sacked on 4th-and-9 near midfield, fumbling the ball away to Los Angeles). The outcome of all of this was the Chargers going up 37-7 with 9:28 left in the game.

The Giants made the score more respectable with two late touchdown drives. The first was a 10-play, 75-yard affair that ended with an 18-yard touchdown pass from Glennon to running back Saquon Barkley (the Giants failed on the 2-point conversion). After a Los Angeles punt, the Giants drove 63 yards in seven plays, with Glennon scrambling seven yards four a touchdown. A 2-point conversion run by Penny cut the score to 37-21.

New York actually successfully recovered an onside kick with 1:18 left to play. But four plays later, Glennon was picked off with 47 seconds left.

Glennon finished the game 17-of-36 for 191 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. He also fumbled the ball away. Running back Devontae Booker was the leading receiver with just four catches for 28 yards. Barkley carried the ball 16 times for 64 yards, and Booker gained 56 yards on eight carries.

The defense was abysmal, allowing 423 yards of offense and seven scoring drives (four touchdowns, three field goals). The Giants only broke up one pass. Herbert finished the game with a 133.1 quarterback rating. The Chargers also ran for 152 yards. New York did not force a turnover.

Video lowlights are available at Giants.com.

PRACTICE SQUAD ACTIVATIONS, INACTIVES, AND INJURY REPORT…
The Giants elevated CB Jarren Williams from the Practice Squad. In addition, WR/returner Pharoh Cooper was activated from the Practice Squad as a COVID-19 replacement for OG Wes Martin (Reserve/COVID-19 List).

Inactive for the game were QB Daniel Jones (neck), WR Kadarius Toney (oblique), CB Adoree’ Jackson (quad), WR Collin Johnson, and LB Oshane Ximines.

DE Leonard Williams injured elbow in the second quarter and did not return to the game.

POST-GAME REACTION…
Video clips of post-game media sessions with Head Coach Joe Judge and the following players are available at Giants.com:

• Head Coach Joe Judge (Video)
• QB Mike Glennon (Video)
• RB Saquon Barkley (Video)
• FB Eli Penny (Video)
• S Logan Ryan (Video)

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Head Coach Joe Judge will address the media by conference call on Monday.