Giants Embarrassed by Seattle, 24-3
East Rutherford, N.J. - Disaster doesn't even describe what transpired for the New York Giants in their Week 4 home game against the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football.
The Giants were destroyed 24-3 in front of a nationally televised audience, falling to 1-3 on the year with two tough road games still to come.
Playing without running back Saquon Barkley and left tackle Andrew Thomas for the second straight week, the Giants also lost center John Michael Schmitz to a shoulder injury, further hurting an offensive line that has now seen at least five different combinations this season. New York mustered only 248 yards of offense, while the shorthanded offensive line had a historically poor performance by allowing 11 sacks.
The defense allowed only 281 total yards and even temporarily knocked Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith out of the game. However, they allowed backup quarterback Drew Lock to lead a touchdown drive thanks to allowing a 51-yard reception to tight end Noah Fant.
As for Seattle’s defense, rookie cornerback Devon Witherspoon dominated the Giants’ offense by himself, racking up seven tackles (six solo), two sacks, two more tackles for losses, and a 97-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Giants quarterback Daniel Jones endured a nightmare game, sustaining ten sacks behind the makeshift offensive line (wide receiver Parris Campbell took the other sack on a failed trick play). Jones led the team with 66 rushing yards and completed 27 of 34 passes for 203 yards, but could only lead the team to three points and threw two interceptions, including the pick-six to Witherspoon.
The Giants appeared to get off to an excellent start, as they began the game with a drive into Seattle territory. In the process, they picked up three first downs and were bolstered by a 12-yard reception by Wan’Dale Robinson on 3rd-and-6. Later, the Giants would face 4th-and-1 at the Seattle 27-yard line and opted to go for it; unfortunately, Jones was stuffed for no gain on a QB sneak attempt, resulting in a turnover on downs.
On the Seahawks’ first possession, disaster nearly struck for the Giants right away. Seattle running back Kenneth Walker III was seemingly tackled for a loss by New York linebacker Bobby Okereke. However, the referees never blew the whistle (indicating the play was still live), and Walker, who never thought he was down, continued to run and scored a 73-yard touchdown.
Luckily for the Giants, a replay review showed that Walker’s elbow touched the ground when tackled by Okereke, and the score was negated. New York’s defense ultimately forced a three-and-out thanks to a sack by Kayvon Thibodeaux but had to endure another scare when punt returner Eric Gray muffed the ensuing punt, and teammate Nick McCloud alertly recovered it to maintain possession.
Both teams punted on their next drives, but the Giants would finally make a mistake they couldn’t negate. At his 15-yard line, Jones lost a fumble while being sacked by Mario Edwards Jr., and Jordyn Brooks recovered the ball for the Seahawks at the New York 7. Two plays later, Smith threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to D.K. Metcalf, giving Seattle a 7-0 lead on the last play of the first quarter.
After the first two drives of the second quarter ended in punts, the Giants got on the scoreboard with a 12-play, 61-yard drive that started from their 2-yard line. The biggest play was a 22-yard completion to running back Matt Breida on 3rd-and-4, the first of two third downs New York would convert on the drive. Graham Gano kicked a 55-yard field goal to make it 7-3.
But the Seahawks struck right back with a 7-play, 75-yard touchdown drive led by Lock. On 3rd-and-10 at the Seattle 48, Lock completed a pass to tight end Noah Fant, who broke several tackles before finally being brought down at the Giants 1-yard line. Walker provided the finishing touch with a 1-yard run to extend the Seahawks’ lead to 14-3 at halftime.
The third quarter saw the Giants waste two opportunities to get back in the game. The first was on Seattle’s opening drive of the second half, with Smith back under center; New York’s defense forced a turnover on downs in the red zone on 4th and 1, but the offense immediately went three-and-out and punted the ball away.
The second came after Seattle kicker Jason Myers missed a 53-yard field goal attempt. New York’s offense finally made their first trip to the red zone and converted on a 4th-and-1 when Jones scrambled for 10 yards to the Seahawks’ 6-yard line.
But on 2nd-and-goal from the Seattle 5, Jones’s pass intended for Parris Campbell was intercepted by Witherspoon at the 3-yard line, who scurried 97 yards the other way for a touchdown. The back-breaking pick-six extended the Seahawks’ lead to 21-3 and thoroughly demoralized the already reeling Giants.
With the game out of reach, the fourth quarter was generally uneventful. Jones would throw his second interception of the game to Quandre Diggs, who returned it 21 yards into Giants territory. This would set up a 34-yard field goal by Myers to conclude the scoring. Meanwhile, the Giants’ final possession ended on a turnover on downs, as Jones took two more sacks.
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