The New York Giants found the end zone on three occasions Sunday against a leaky Washington pass defense, preventing the Commanders from scoring a touchdown. But the G-Men still found a way to lose, 21-18, and tie an NFL record at the same time.
It was just the second time in league history that a team suffered a defeat while scoring three touchdowns and allowing none. The only other time it happened was 35 years ago when the Minnesota Vikings topped the Los Angeles Rams. The Giants loss in Week 2 should have never happened and head coach Brian Daboll has no one else to blame but himself.
"Competitive game. Disappointed in the outcome," Daboll said. "I was proud of the way the guys competed. The quarterback played well. There was a play here or there that we came up short on and that's the outcome of the game. There were improvements made. Checking on the offensive side of the ball. Red zone, third down, efficient running game, efficient passing game.
"We went for it there at the end of the game. Thought our chances were good throwing it to Malik
Daboll's decision not to have a backup plan in case Gano aggravated his groin or was unable to kick cost New York a golden opportunity to notch a road win at Northwest Stadium. It's a costly blunder that is inexcusable and should have never happened.
"I'm not making excuses," Daboll said. "All the decisions that are made are mine. I think Graham would've been good if he didn't pull his hamstring."
Unfortunately for the Giants, Gano did pull his hamstring and Daboll's decision to not have an insurance policy available cost the team a much-needed victory.
The Commanders' secondary was torched for 289 yards and four touchdowns in Week 1 by Baker Mayfield, so Jones was expected to perform better than his ugly game in the season opener. The 27-year-old completed 16-of-28 passes for 178 yards and two scores. He also added 32 rushing yards on five carries.
For fans looking to wager on how Jones and the Giants will perform moving forward, New York’s best betting sites offer a range of odds and prop bets. Despite Jones' solid performance, New York remains unpredictable, which keeps the betting landscape exciting.
"Despite what the expectation was after last week, I felt confident in our group, I felt confident in myself," Jones said. "I thought we prepared well this week of practice. We'll continue to build confidence through our process and through our hard work. Very disappointed with the outcome today … but in terms of my confidence and the team's confidence, I don't think that's going anywhere."
Although Jones played well enough on Sunday to temporarily silence all the hometown fans seeking a change at quarterback, the beleaguered sixth-year veteran remains on the hot seat despite praise from his head coach.
"He went where he was supposed to go with the football," Daboll said. "He saw the field well. He threw it to the guy he was supposed to throw it too, and gave him a chance. I was proud of the way he competed, I was proud of the way he prepared during the week, I was proud of his mental toughness."
The dynamic pass-catcher erupted for 127 yards and a touchdown on 10 catches in just his second NFL game. However, a costly drop on a fourth-and-4 with 2:09 remaining led to the Commanders’ walk-off field goal. It was a play that the rookie playmaker will not soon forget despite his breakout performance.
"I'm disappointed," Nabers said. "No matter how good of a game you can play, that last play came down to me. I'm hurt that I let those veterans down. I know what kind of confidence. I don't want to ever let my team down. That's the main model that's in my head — don't let my team down. And I let my team down."
Nabers was the beneficiary of an eye-popping 18 targets and earned accolades from his veteran quarterback despite dropping the fourth down pass.
"I think it's pretty obvious we wouldn't be in the position we were in without the game he played," Jones said. "Big time for us throughout the game, made tons of big plays and was a matchup issue for them all day. He knows he played a good game, and we have to pick him up. He's a competitor and holds himself to a high standard, so I know it bothers him."
The Giants, who were fortunate to sign Nabers at the start of the season, are still waiting to see the full scope of his potential. His flashes of brilliance have shown what he can bring to the offense, but consistency will be key as he continues to develop.
Saquon Barkley's replacement tallied 5.9 yards per rush while posting 95 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. Singletary also caught his lone target out of the backfield and headlined a rushing attack that netted 129 yards. But his fumble after ripping off 15 yards on a third-quarter run hurt the Giants.
"Can't have it," Singletary said. "Just got to use it as fuel. That's really what it comes down to. You know, we're really close.
New Defensive Coordinator Shane Bowen was supposed to fix the run defense, but it looks worse than last season's porous unit. Washington's Brian Robinson Jr. averaged a whopping 7.8 yards per rush en route to 133 yards on 17 carries, while dual-threat quarterback Jayden Daniels added 44 rushing yards on 10 carries as the Commanders tallied 215 yards on the ground.
"Hats off to them, they did a great job executing," New York defensive end Brian Burns said. "That offensive style, I got to watch the film to see exactly what happened but just the read option and the RPO, they're able to kind of manipulate the defense in a way where everybody has to do their one job. If somebody's out of their gap, they can hit it."
Veteran linebacker Bobby Okereke, who posted a sack and eight tackles, was not happy with his play on Sunday.
"Yeah, disappointing for sure; 0-2. First road game, you know, you want to start off on a great foot. But keeping the perspective, this is week two. We're going on to week three. We've got a great opportunity with the Browns next week and a great opportunity to right the ship in practice.
"Too many explosive plays on the defense, especially on third down, too many missed tackles and it starts with me," Okereke said.
The Giants have lost five of their previous six regular season contests dating back to the 2023-24 campaign and will once again be on the road Sunday against a strong Brown defensive unit. Cleveland Browns defeated New York, 20-6, in their last meeting nearly four years ago.
As the Giants prepare for a tough matchup, fans and bettors can get in on the action by placing wagers on the game. Top NFL betting sites like DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM offer a variety of betting options, including point spreads, moneylines, and prop bets. Whether you're backing the Giants to bounce back or betting on the Browns' defense, now’s the time to explore the odds and make your pick for Sunday’s game!
