New York Giants at Baltimore Ravens | Gameday Blog

Giants quarterback Daniel Jones faces his biggest test to date this week--and how he does could tell us a lot about his prospects for the future.

Jackson Thompson | Dec 27, 2020

New York Giants at Baltimore Ravens | Gameday Blog /

There is no more margin of error for this Giants team. If they want to show they've made progress, they need to have a strong, winning performance against a very challenging Baltimore Ravens squad who, like New York, needs a win to keep its playoff hopes alive.

For the Giants, this will be the biggest test to date for quarterback Daniel Jones, who is on track to return after missing last week's game with ankle and hamstring injuries. Jones, who still isn't 100% but who is believed to have a bit more mobility in his legs than what he showed against the Arizona Cardinals in a losing effort, is going against a Ravens defense that has forced a league-leading 25 fumbles this year.

Despite the challenges posed by the Ravens, this is a very beatable team if the Giants run defense, a strength for most of the season finds a way to limit the Ravens running game.

And for the Giants to get the upper hand, they need to start quickly against this Ravens team by not only running the ball but by taking a few shots deep down the field against a shaky Ravens defensive secondary.

Overall, this is a golden opportunity for Jones to make a statement game. Can he load the team on his shoulders and carry it to its first win against the Ravens in Baltimore, or will he end up looking like the deer in the headlights, running for his life?

Follow our live blog as we detail our observations and notes from the game. And be sure to stick around here at Giants Country for postgame coverage, thoughts, and much more postgame and into Monday.

Giants: What to Watch For

CB James Bradberry aims for fifth consecutive game with at least one pass defensed. Bradberry is tied for second in the NFL with 17 passes defensed this season.
DL Leonard Williams needs 1.5 sacks (8.5) to reach 10.0 this season. This season,
Williams surpassed his career-high of 7.5 sacks (2016). The last time a defensive lineman had 10.0 sacks was Jason Pierre-Paul in 2014.
K Graham Gano needs one 50+ yard FG (4) to surpass Aldrick Rosas (4 in 2018) and Josh Brown (4 in 2014) for most 50+yd FG in a season in franchise history.
Gano needs three more converted field goals (27 in a row) to move into first place all-time in franchise history for consecutive field goals made. (Josh Brown, 29).
WR Darius Slayton needs six receptions (94) to reach 100 for his career.

This Week on Giants Country:

Inactive Lists

Find the inactive lists here.

Pregame

Quarterback Daniel Jones is active after missing two of the last three games with a hamstring and ankle injury.

Jones made a premature return from the hamstring injury in Week 14 against the Cardinals, and the injury's lingering effect was highly visible as Jones struggled in the pocket and completely strayed away from running the ball himself.

After missing last Sunday's loss to the Cleveland Browns, the coaching staff saw enough out of Jones this week in practice to put Jones back on the field.

However, Jones won't have veteran wide receiver Golden Tate to throw to, as Tate is out with a calf injury.

First Quarter

The Giants kick-off to start the game for the first time in two weeks. Receiving the opening kick off has backfired on the Giants over the last two games, as both game-opening drives yielded no points and an early lack of momentum.

This time they will let their defense start off the game against Lamar Jackson and an elite Ravens offense.

The Giants' defense fails to supply any momentum on the opening drive as Jackson leads the Ravens right down the field on 13 plays, capping it off with a six-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Marquise Brown who was wide open in the corner of the end zone.

Ravens lead 7-0.

After an imperfect series on defense, the Giants have an absolute disaster on their opening drive of the game, as back-to-back false start penalties on their two veteran offensive linemen, Cameron Fleming and Kevin Zeitler, backs a 3rd-and-7 back to 3rd-and-17.

After a conservative short pass to tight end Evan Engram, the Giants are forced to punt the ball right back to Jackson.

Jackson puts together another effortless drive, as the Ravens march down the field in 10 plays and rookie running back J.K. Dobbins punches it in for a touchdown.

Ravens lead 14-0.

Second Quarter

A decent start to the Giants' second drive comes to an end as wide receiver Austin Mack drops an easy third-down pass and the Giants are forced to punt again.

The Giants' best defensive series of the game ends with Ravens tight end Mark Andrews dropping a pass in the end zone, which finally forces a 3rd-down stop, however the Ravens still get three points on a 20-yard field goal by Justin Tucker.

Ravens lead 17-0.

Then the Giants best offensive drive of the game stalls inside the red zone as Jones misses a touchdown pass to Mack, and the Giants are forced to settle for three points with just over a minute left in the first half.

Ravens lead 17-3.

The Giants' lone scoring drive is essentially wiped out just before the half as Jackson leads the Ravens into field goal range and Tucker connects from 28 yards out as time expires.

Ravens lead 20-3.

Halftime

"The worst half of the season" is a phrase that has been getting repeated on a weekly basis for the Giants but this week has undoubtedly taken the cake. Really for the first time this season, the Giants have gotten dominated from start to finish from a physical and schematic perspective.

Offensively, they've managed to move the ball but haven't executed on critical downs.

Meanwhile on defense, they simply have had no answers for Jackson and the Ravens offense.

Third Quarter

The Giants' opening drive of the second half is wasted on a 3-and-out with some more questionably conservative playcalling by offensive coordinator Jason Garrett.

The Giants catch a break on the Ravens' subsequent drive however, as the Ravens commit a penalty on a field-goal try and are pushed out of range and punt for the first time today.

The Giants are able to cut the lead back to just two possession as Graham Gano connects from 42 yards out.

Ravens lead 20-6.

Fourth Quarter

Jackson hits former Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant in the endzone to extend the Ravens lead back to three possessions.

Ravens lead 27-6.

After Jones is sacked on three straight plays, a roughing the kicker penalty against punter Riley Dixon gives the Giants life, as they get a free 15 yards and an automatic first down.

The Giants capitalize on their opportunity with a solid drive and get some help from a plethora of Ravens penalties. Jones leads the Giants down the field on 15 plays and connects with veteran wide receiver Sterling Shepard for a three-yard touchdown.

Ravens lead 27-13.

The Shepard touchdown breaks a drought of nine straight quarters without a touchdown for the Giants.

The Giants' defense responds with a rare 3-and-out against Jackson and gives their offense another possession with 6:17 left in the game.

The Ravens defense holds up on the subsequent drive however, blitzing Daniel Jones on three straight plays and forcing a turnover on downs.

With the Ravens at the goal line looking to put an exclamation point on the game, running back Gus Edwards coughs up the ball and the Giants will get another offensive possession with less than two minutes in the game.

The Giants turn the ball over on downs on their final possession.

Ravens win 27-13.

Published Dec 27, 2020

JACKSON THOMPSON