EAST RUTHERFORD — They sought after to bridge the space — had to bridge the space. With a purpose to ascend to the higher echelon of groups of their convention, the Giants first had to catch the ones of their department.
What higher technique to display they’d than this? Website hosting the Cowboys, lengthy a thorn in New York’s facet, underneath the lighting of Sunday Night time Soccer. This used to be once they’d in any case beat them — they in truth felt that. And so they’d set the tone for the season in doing so.
They even constructed up the hype — a “blue out,” they referred to as it.
Extra like blowout.
The Giants misplaced to the Cowboys, 40-0. They had been outmanned, outplayed and, possibly greater than the rest, outcoached. Stuck up? No. This used to be a reality-checking slap within the face.
There’s no bridged hole. It’s wider than ever.
“It’s embarrassing,” mentioned protection Xavier McKinney.
It’s arduous to explain the Giants’ opener as the rest as opposed to a Large Blue embarrassment. They sought after an electrical surroundings. By way of the second one quarter, Cowboys enthusiasts reigned de-fense chants down on Daniel Jones and Co. By way of the 0.33 quarter, those self same enthusiasts occupied the decrease bowl to the purpose MetLife felt like AT&T North East.
It’s shocking to consider the Giants as soon as appeared in regulate of this sport — albeit temporary. They took their opening power right down to the Cowboys’ 13 backyard line. Saquon Barkley ran violently. Jones scampered and scrambled, too.
A false get started on third-and-two driven issues again, then got here a nasty snap from rookie heart John Michael Schmitz, adopted via a blocked Graham Gano box function that Noah Igbinoghene returned for a landing.
After which the flood gates opened.
Jones used to be horrific, taking a look not anything just like the participant who earned a $160-million contract extension within the offseason. He finished 15-of-28 passes (53.6 p.c) for 104 yards. He threw two interceptions, one in every of which used to be returned via Daron Bland for a 22-yard landing. He married deficient choices with errant throws till being relieved past due within the fourth quarter via backup Tyrod Taylor.
Granted, it wasn’t like Jones had a lot lend a hand. The Cowboys made kid’s play with the Giants’ supposedly-improved line. New York if truth be told felt they had been higher suited for take care of Dallas’ move rush than they had been a yr in the past, when the Cowboys sacked Jones 8 instances of their two video games, that used to be comically ignorant.
The Cowboys sacked Jones seven instances on Sunday evening, and two extra had been negated by means of penalty. They hit him 12 instances and stressed him on 62.9 p.c of his drop-backs.
Final yr, it used to be Evan Neal who struggled immensely. He used to be unhealthy once more within the opener, however this time so had been such a lot of of his teammates round him. 5 other Cowboys had sacks, led via Dorance Armstrong and Osa Odighizuwa, every of whom had two.
“All we will do is be told from this, develop from this, and be higher,” Neal mentioned. “As a competitor, being a person within the enviornment, going in the market and striking the whole thing at the line, the entire arduous paintings that it takes to move in the market and carry out and feature a outcome like that? It sucks.
“However what are you able to do as opposed to pop out and paintings more difficult? What are you able to do as opposed to return within the place of job, be told from it, and paintings more difficult to ensure it doesn’t occur once more.”
The Giants’ protection wasn’t manhandled via any stretch (Dak Prescott completed 13-of-24 for 143 yards with out a landing or interception), however with such little lend a hand from the offense, Wink Martindale’s unit may best bend such a lot sooner than breaking.
A ten-play, 75-yard power from the Cowboys at the opening ownership of the second one part proved to be the tipping level. The Giants performed the vast majority of the second one part taking a look like a group that give up on itself.
Alarming, bearing in mind this group’s never-say-die perspective is what endeared itself to their fan base ultimate yr.
“That’s now not us,” Daboll mentioned when requested if he had considerations together with his group’s effort. “That’s now not us to insinuate that that somebody’s now not giving effort. Everyone offers ball’s-out effort. We simply didn’t do a nice sufficient activity executing.
“I don’t query that. No longer ever.”
The Giants had been one of the crucial feel-good tales of the 2022 season. The franchise had taken a gentle decline since its 2011 championship, however ultimate yr proved to be a go back to glory.
The Giants had been at a skill downside apparently each week, however it didn’t subject. They embraced enjoying unsightly, week in and week out they drug their opponent to the deep finish of the pool to look if they might swim, and maximum couldn’t.
The Giants made the playoffs, and so they beat the Vikings in Minnesota within the Wild Card spherical. Then got here a fight with the Eagles within the divisional spherical.
Philadelphia, uncovered New York’s roster deficiencies, which set the rallying cry for this offseason.
The litmus take a look at used to be this sport in opposition to the Cowboys, a group the Giants had overwhelmed simply as soon as of their ultimate 12 makes an attempt, and so they failed that take a look at miserably.
“It’s now not what you wish to have to look,” mentioned tight finish Darren Waller, who had 3 catches for 36 yards. “It’s now not the beginning that you wish to have to have.”
The defeat used to be the eighth-most lopsided in group historical past. It virtually for sure would had been worse had the Cowboys now not pulled their starters early within the fourth quarter. Perhaps worse used to be how the Giants looked as if it would give up after they got here out in the second one part.
Daboll earned his Trainer of the 12 months honor ultimate yr, however Sunday displays as a lot on him as somebody else. The Giants by no means matched Dallas’ power. When issues started to spiral, no person tried to tug them out.
This used to be regression in each sense of the phrase.
“We were given our tooth kicked in this night,” wideout Sterling Shepard mentioned.
Context is wanted. This is only one sport, in spite of everything there are 16 nonetheless to move, together with some other assembly with the Cowboys.
It’s arduous to place into phrases how disheartening this sport is. It completely has the possible to resonate and bleed into coming weeks.
The Giants spent all offseason speaking about in need of to turn they had been as nice as Dallas, as nice because the Eagles. Every now and then on Sunday, it seemed like the Cowboys had been enjoying a unique game. Come what may, the Giants got down to shut an opening and located a technique to make it wider.
“It’s Week 1,” mentioned McKinney. “I be sure that after we get to Week 10 it gained’t be the similar. We’ll be alright. We’ll be advantageous.”
