Game Review: Seattle Seahawks 24 – New York Giants 3

Brian Daboll and Daniel Jones – © USA TODAY Sports

QUARTERBACK

-Daniel Jones: 27/34 – 203 yards / 0 TD – 2 NT / 67.0 RAT

Jones was also the leading rusher with 66 yards on 10 carries. The Giants seemed to protect him against San Francisco ten days ago with very few designed runs and an incredibly quick passing game by design. That approach changed against Seattle. With Saquon Barkley still on the sideline and an offensive line that continues to be a constant unobstructed funnel to the quarterback, Jones took more hits in one game than he’s ever had. He will not last much longer if this continues to be the case. However, on the other hand, him running is by far the most efficient and consistent form of offense this team has.

Jones put this team on his back for most of the game. He did not have time to throw the ball deep. Not once. He took over 20 hits and was one sack away from tying an NFL record. The lack of reliability up front has undoubtedly shaken up his confidence and ability to progress through reads. The receivers had a tough time getting off the line and through initial coverage in a hurry. The offense appears predictable (more on that below) and defenses are not being fooled any longer. All the above are true. And so is the fact Jones appears to have taken a step down the ladder. His interception from the five-yard line that ended in a pick six by a rookie cornerback was the nail in the coffin for both him and this team in their Week 4 matchup. As that rookie cornerback said after the game, he knew where Jones was going to go with the pass before Jones threw it. The play design had created space for the number one acquisition of the offseason for this team, Darren Waller, as he ran toward the back corner of the end zone with enough room. Jones panicked and was responsible for sucking the life out of the comeback effort. The second interception left the coaching staff disgusted. And before both of those, there was a lost fumble that landed SEA inside the NYG ten-yard line and set them up for their first touchdown. Again, a tough play for a quarterback to make but those excuses are no longer valid. Jones, in a rainstorm that was quickly flooding the basement, forgot to turn the pump on. Instead of two inches of standing water that required a quick clean up, the project now started with two feet of standing water.

RUNNING BACK

-Matt Breida stepped in for the injured Barkley again. While he gained just 30 yards on 14 carries, he did lead the team with 5 catches and 48 yards. The 22-yard gain on a broken play, a pass from a scrambling Jones, was the longest gain by the offense. Breida also stuck his nose in there as a pass blocker against the blitz multiple times, allowing zero pressures on 11 pass blocking opportunities.

-Gary Brightwell saw about a quarter of the snaps at running back, gaining just 9 yards on 4 carries. He was flagged twice on special teams, one of which held up. That one was a killer, a personal foul that pushed the putrid offense back to their own 10-yard line to start a drive. Unfortunately, on a team like this in a situation like this, a dumb mental mistake like that feels even bigger.

WIDE RECEIVER

-Seven receivers saw the field for NYG. There was a slight shift in playing time toward the youngest and most explosive playmakers, the two guys who were drafted by this regime on day two (one in ’22, one in ’23). Wan’Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt were on the field for 48 and 45 snaps, respectively. Darius Slayton is still the number one guy when it comes to playing time, but I sense a shift toward the young guns coming.

-Robinson was the one consistent positive on this offense. I know the bar is set low there, but he did play a big game. He had 5 catches for 40 yards and had a rush for another 7 yards. So, 6 touches, just under 8 yards per on average, and five first downs. Robinson’s skill set is unique. Even though the size will limit him in some situations, this is the kind of role player who can move the chains and make the offense more versatile. One of the smallest players in the NFL broke two tackles and gained 30 yards after the catch total. The stutter step quickness and natural vision can be lethal combinations if the scheme can direct attention to other players. He can crush one-on-one coverage and win against lone open field tacklers.

-Isaiah Hodgins had 24 yards on 3 catches (3 targets), Slayton added 23 yards on 2 catches, Hyatt was thrown at twice underneath for 10 yards on two catches, Parris Campbell had 15 yards on 3 catches, and Sterling Shepard had one catch for 6 yards. Combined from all receivers? 20 targets, 16 catches, 118 yards (longest of which went for 12 yards). The lack of production here has much more to do with the offensive line and Jones, but the shift toward younger players and speed is coming if it is not already here.

TIGHT END

-The most dominant player of the NYG training camp, Darren Waller, can’t seem to get off the ground in this offense. The thoughts of Mike Kafka turning him into the NYG version of Travis Kelce floated in the air throughout August. Perhaps it was a bit too lofty. Through four games, we are still waiting for an impactful game. He was targeted three times and he ended with 21 yards on 3 catches. Again, I put blame on the situation more than the player here (many keep repeating that line over and over by the way), but at some point, that will not be good enough. Waller is the guy I want to see this passing game revolve around early in games. Lastly, I credit Waller for his downfield blocking and sheer effort. This is a good example of a guy who does not have the tool or skill set to make an impact as a blocker, but effort can win a lot of battles.

-Daniel Bellinger left the game early with an injury after adding 1 catch for 6 yards. He was hurt on the failed QB sneak.

OFFENSIVE LINE

-The offensive line has been a reminder for the game and for life that, “Things could always be worse.” The line, especially without left tackle Andrew Thomas, has been the kryptonite to this offense through four games. The dosage of that kryptonite compounded against the Seahawks in a game where they sacked Jones 11 times, one shy of tying an all-time NFL record.

-Joshua Ezeudu got off to a solid start, but the second half brought his demise into the light. 4 sacks and 2 pressures for the former guard who many were holding out hope for. Evan Neal continues to look overmatched in pass protection. He allowed 5 pressures, one of which was a QB hit. We are seeing whiffs, awful footwork (which is getting worse), and poor balance. Next to him is Markus McKethan (3 pressures, 2 sacks) and it is hard to watch. Neither of these guys can recover, which is an essential component to offensive line evaluation. You cannot expect these guys to win off the ball every time, nobody does. But recovery tactics are a huge part of the margin between good and bad linemen. The two guys on the right side of this line look completely overmatched and incapable in their current state.

-Rookie center John Michael-Schmitz tweaked his ankle on the first play of the game and then suffered a shoulder injury on the failed 4th-and-1 QB sneak attempt. His injury created two problems on the line. Ben Bredeson struggled at center as his replacement. He allowed 2 pressures, a TFL, and was flagged for a hold. He was responsible for a couple of poor shotgun snaps and proved to be incapable of getting across a fast upfield three-tech. The other problem that arose after the Schmitz injury was the fact Shane Lemieux had to step in at guard. He got rag-dolled in the running game by Mario Edwards, creating a stop for the defense and was completely missing the Seattle linebackers in space. He, too, suffered an injury which brought Mark Glowinski in for 25 snaps. Those 25 snaps, by the way, were positive for the group’s most experienced veteran.

EDGE

-For just the fourth time since Kayvon Thibodeaux was drafted, both he and Azeez Ojulari played 40+ snaps in the same game. And right on cue, they combined to have an impactful performance this defense desperately needed. They pressured the quarterback a combined 6 times and Thibodeaux ended the game with 2 sacks. They were both matched up against backups, as starters Charles Cross (toe) and Abraham Lucas (knee) were out with injuries. The glaring positive within their impact was the fact they were beating one-on-one blocking, forcing penalties, and creating opportunities for their teammates. The main defensive takeaway from this game was the fact these two play a full load of snaps and made an impact from start to finish.

-With the emergence of those two, Jihad Ward play just 19 snaps, the lowest in a game since signing with the Giants prior to 2022. This was a must, and it still is. Ward’s lack of athleticism in space and mere average ability against the run this season should keep him in a backup role. I would not even mind seeing him as an interior pass rusher in certain looks but even in this game where we saw him in space against a banged-up Geno Smith on a bootleg, it is obvious his movement traits are going to hurt this defense more than help it.

DEFENSIVE LINE

-Chalk up yet another big day for the All-Pro Dexter Lawrence who appears to be on that same track yet again. He had 2 pressures and a QB hit, one of which forced a hold. He is top three league wide in pressures and hits from the inside and just like 2022, he is the only one near the top in the league lining up in the A-gap. In fact, Lawrence has 130 snaps from that alignment so far this season. The next highest? 89. The sixth highest? 79. That is easily the most overlooked variable to Lawrence’s performance, and it makes him even more impressive. Leonard Williams added 2 pressures and 2 tackles, but was flagged for a personal foul after getting into a scuffle with a rookie SEA lineman following a SEA touchdown on a play he was clearly beat.

-A’Shawn Robinson, D.J. Davidson and Rakeem Nunez-Roches all impressed in their backup duties. Robinson’s penetration caused tackles for loss on two separate occasions, and it is important to see him clicking now after he barely saw live action in August. Davidson was the overlooked stud of the game. On just 19 snaps, he finished with a TFL and 2 pass break ups. His feel for the play and sheer power were difference makers.

LINEBACKER

-If you look at the stat sheet, Bobby Okereke had a monster game. 10 tackles, 3 TFL, a pass break up, and a pressure. Collectively, it was his best game as a Giant to this point. However, two missed tackles, one of which was a horrific display on the 51-yard Noah Fant catch and run, are the plays that stand out the most. As I have said about other players on this team (and it generates an odd feeling of responsibility to defend for some), players who are paid to be the best and most impactful are held to a higher standard. That was a whiff by Okereke that cannot happen, plain and simple. On a defense that is undoubtedly struggling to tackle, Okereke needs to step up and stop adding to the problem. I do like the fact he made multiple stops that were indeed big plays in the second half, but they need a complete clean game from him.

-Micah McFadden and Isaiah Simmons added 4 solo tackles apiece, one of which went for a loss by Simmons. He seems to be getting more comfortable in the scheme and it is allowing for faster football.

CORNERBACK

-Adoree’ Jackson was back outside for the demoted Tre Hawkins after a couple of tough games for the rookie. Jackson was not much better. He missed two tackles and was flagged for a pass interference. Rookie Deonte Banks was beat by D.K. Metcalf for a first down on a couple of occasions, but the physicality and aggression he showed are the traits we want to see consistently at this stage. The one area I want to see improvement is the ball location. Geno Smith hit Metcalf for a touchdown on a broken play where Banks did cover well initially, but completely lost his spacial and play awareness. The ball was thrown his way and completed to the receiver he was covering without Banks ever knowing the play was filtering in his direction.

-Cor’Dale Flott saw his first action of the season at nickel. The difficult tackle in space he made against Jaxon Smith-Njigba was exactly what this team needs from that spot that Jackson did not bring. After just one game, I feel much better about this corner combination than what they opted to roll out there weeks 1-3.

SAFETY

-Jason Pinnock and Xavier McKinney played the majority of the snaps again. Both were quiet, combining for 5 tackles (one missed by Pinnock) and neither we challenged much in coverage. The SEA passing game attacked the outside and they did not need to look in the direction of these two enough to note.

SPECIAL TEAMS

-K Graham Gano: 1/1 (Made 55)
-P Jamie Gillan: 5 punts / 53.6 avg – 45.0 net

3 STUDS

-WR Wan’Dale Robinson, DT D.J. Davidson, EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux

3 DUDS

-OT Joshua Ezeudu, OT Evan Neal, CB Adoree’ Jackson

3 THOUGHTS ON SEA

1. Seattle was without 4 of their 5 starters along the offensive line. While their backups did not exactly play well, it was rather easy to see the difference between “good enough” and “non-competitive.” Are their backups that much better? I think the result had more to do with scheme and situational awareness. Their play-calling was hard to predict. They had a quarterback who understood the situation he was in. And their cohesion appeared to be cleaner.

2. Pete Carroll has my respect as much as any Head Coach in the game. You may not love his style (you would if he were coaching NYG), but the fact he is doing what he is with the ingredients he has without getting away from his principles has been impressive. Sustaining competitiveness like this is incredibly rare. He became the Head Coach in 2010. That was the year Tom Coughlin coached the Giants to a 10-6 season, Ahmad Bradshaw led the team in rushing, Hakeem Nicks broke 1,000 yards receiving for the first time, Terrell Thomas led the team in passes defended, and Matt Dodge accidentally punted to DeSean Jackson which resulted in a game winning touchdown in the fourth quarter of a Week 15 game in year one of the New Giants Stadium (not yet called MetLife). A lot has happened since then, hasn’t it? Carroll has been there ever since with 10 playoff appearances.

3. No team has used more draft picks on running backs since 2016 than SEA (9). They have quietly accepted the idea that investing in young backs (a lot of them) is the way to build the backfield. While they have lacked consistent star power, there is a revolving door of production stemming from the backfield and it is a template I bet many teams wish they used since that time. Their current backfield is, in my opinion, the best they’ve had when it comes to ceiling and potential production.

3 CLOSING THOUGHTS

1. Bill Parcells once said the quickest way to improve a football team (and win 1-2 more games per year) is on special teams. It moves the needle more than the general fan and media understand. On the flip side, a poor special teams unit can swing the needle downward in a hurry. Hidden yards, penalties, points. They all add up. NYG is set at kicker, and punter Jamie Gillan is playing much better as well. But the number of mistakes we are seeing from this unit is utterly pitiful. I will not pretend to know how the schematics are impacting the result, but Special Teams Coach Thomas McGaughey needs to be put on notice. What his group is doing is simply unacceptable. Through all the NYG coaching turmoil since 2018, he remains. Makes one think.

2. The multiple instances of Brian Daboll’s disdain for Daniel Jones on national TV were telling. The re-watch of the tape was telling. With things falling apart all around him, the starting quarterback is only throwing fuel on the dumpster fire. He is not bringing a hose full of water. He is increasing the size of the early season disaster that is historically bad. The interceptions were on him. At least three of the sacks were on him. And multiple missed opportunities were on him. It can no longer be hidden by the excuses. We know the situation around him is dire. We know he is fighting uphill. But even the Head Coach is fed up with what Jones is, and is not, doing. There is no debate here. Jones is not raising his play to a higher level. Case closed, chapter over. Fortunately for him, the book still has another 21+ games left where he can turn it around. The physical ability is there, but the mental game needs to catch up or this will go down as one of the biggest disappointments in franchise history. That is the magnitude of the situation.

3. Does NYG need to make big changes? Like what? Fire coaches? Cut players? Make trades? Unfortunately, I do not think any of the above will help. What they need is Andrew Thomas and Saquon Barkley. Their two best offensive players can create at least some stability and playmaking. But the downfall of this team is a lack of depth. It did not get tested like this a year ago and with the schedule that is much tougher, it is getting exposed on a much deeper level than expected. Roll with the punches will be the only avenue to take. The coaches are the ones who need to adjust, as the league has appeared to adjust to them. The most vital stage and the margin between bad coaching and good coaching is response to adversity. The season is still young, but so far that ingredient is a major failure by this staff. If they cannot respond to adversity, we will soon be scouring the league for the next “big time assistant”.