They played, they turned offensive football back several decades and they lost.
Ladies and gentlemen, the Giants’ 2024 season rolls on.
For those who watched from start to finish as the Giants were routed by the Falcons 34-7 inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium, congrats and condolences.
For those who decided to spend a frigid day in the New York/New Jersey area away from their television sets, smart move.
For those who made the trip to Atlanta, braving airport travel during the holiday crush, you should get a medal, or a mental scan to see if you have lost your mind.
The details of these games are all a blur now, with the Giants losing their 10th consecutive game and their performances making it clear that they are the frontrunners for “worst team in the league’’ status.
Here are some thoughts about all this:
The Giants played and lost in the 1 p.m. window.
The Raiders edged the Jaguars, 19-14, in the 4 p.m window and who would have thought that game, between two lousy teams, would mean so much to the Giants and their fans?
The Giants are now the only team in the NFL with only two wins and thus they control their destiny, as far as holding onto the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
There were plenty of questions about what sort of team the Giants would be this season and figuring they would win only five or six games was a projection that many shared. Being in position for the top pick was not a development many thought possible. But here we are. And it is a rare spot for the Giants.
This is their 100th year playing football and only twice before have they ever been so bad that they earned the No. 1 pick. They had it in 1951 and selected running back/wide receiver Kyle Rote. They had it in 1965 and selected running back Tucker Frederickson.
Breaking down play after play and analyzing every decision is not high on anyone’s list right now. But we can ask this: Is Brian Daboll too pass-happy?
The head coach is also the play-caller on offense and Daboll has always been known as a pass-first guy. The Giants came out and Drew Lock threw the ball on the first three plays on offense. There was one completion for six yards, two incompletions and then a punt.
In the first half, when it was still somewhat a competitive game — the Giants trailed, 17-7 — there were 19 passes and only nine runs. For the game, there were 39 passes and 19 rushing plays.
“I think we have good receivers,’’ Daboll said. “We try to move them around a little bit. Mix in the runs. Some of those quick screens or look passes to Wan’Dale [Robinson] or [Malik] Nabers are like runs to me. Get them in space and run after catch.”
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Sure, some of these passes are behind the line of scrimmage or screens of quick-hitters — yes, like running plays. And yes, it is difficult to lean on a ground game if it is not there. The Giants gained only 45 rushing yards, averaging only 3.5 yards per attempt.
Still, given what Daboll has at quarterback, the Giants are not going to pass their way anywhere.
This is just sad.
Tyrone Tracy’s two-yard touchdown catch was the first by a Giants running back this season. The rookie has four scoring runs and now one touchdown reception.
His five touchdowns ties him with Malik Nabers for the team lead.
Drew Lock threw two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns. The last Giants quarterback with multiple pick-sixes in a game was Eli Manning during the 2007 season. That was quite a day.
Manning threw THREE pick-sixes in a 41-17 loss to the Vikings. Darren Sharper, Dwight Smith and Chad Greenway were the culprits. At the time, no one was envisioning big things for the Giants or that Manning would end that season as the Super Bowl MVP.
This game attracted attention nationally mainly for the curiosity factor inherent in rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. making his first NFL start.
It was an overwhelmingly easy victory for the Falcons but it was not an overwhelmingly impressive showing from Penix. He completed 18-of-27 passes for 202 yards and one interception. The game plan was set up to simplify what Penix had to do and the Giants never made him deviate from that plan.
“I feel like they did a good job of catering to him, not putting too much on his plate,’’ cornerback Adoree’ Jackson said. “He has a great running back (Bijan Robinson) behind him. He was able to run with the boots and take shots when needed. I think they did a good job of managing the game.’’
Making the move to Penix was a bold move from Falcons coach Raheem Morris, with his team fighting for an NFC playoff spot. Benching slumping veteran Kirk Cousins for a rookie was a gamble that could go sideways. One game in, Penix wasn’t asked to do anything other than not to mess anything up.
The Falcons (8-7) finish up with the Commanders and Panthers.
“To be able to watch him go do that stuff and seamlessly go through his motion and his rhythm of how you get the ball out, it’s pretty easy for us,’’ Morris said. “Those things don’t really matter as much as the kid’s accuracy, the kid’s arm talent, his mind, what’s between his eyes and all those things. He has that in a big way, and that’s what he showed us throughout the draft process. So, to be able to watch him go articulate and do those things was absolutely outstanding.’’