The fact is they’ve blown two fourth quarter leads very late in the game against two pretty prolific offenses. Not mathematically, mind you, but psychologically.
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After one week of play, the Atlanta Falcons arrow is pointing up. The Redskins are 1-1, but a threat to no one. They kept everything underneath.
This sure looks headed for another dismal season. For the Giants to find success this week they will need to continue to run the ball well and Manning and Beckham need to find a rhythm. And the Giants hope they’re over it. Heck, it is not even autumn yet.
This is just a little note about keeping spirits up.
“You just have to believe you’re going to get it done”, he said. But it happened. “That’s only Week 1”, fourth-year receiver Rueben Randle said. For almost all of last week, Eli Manning and Co. were the butt of Twitter jokes and tabloid fodder. It’s a mystery why they went away from him in the second half. He dropped the first, caught the second for a 5-yard gain.
Still, Manning, the eternal optimist, views the glass as being half-full despite the offense’s failure to come up big in key situations. This is a guy who caught 71 passes in 2014, a second-round pick who is supposed to be a keeper. Devonta Freeman took over for Coleman, finishing with 25 yards on 12 carries, including the game-winning touchdown run from 2 yards out. On the day he was 27-for-40 for 292 yards with two touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough. The Giants forced a three and out and drove down to the red zone again. Manning will make a few plays to Beckham to make things interesting, but in the end the Falcons hold on.
Amukamara was confident his team will get past the last two weeks. His best ball was his 46th attempt. His friend noted Coughlin’s age, 69, and said he thought this would be his last season, whether or not the Giants end their three-season playoff drought. But that lost fumble on the strip-sack with the Giants on the doorstep of going up 17 points late in the third quarter was devastating.
Julio Jones remains a force to be reckoned with as he had an outstanding performance despite batlling a hamstring injury. I think I did OK today.
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was a defensive sparkplug for the Giants last week, returning an interception for a touchdown. The Falcons would go on to score fourteen consecutive points, making all the crucial plays the Giants couldn’t.
That’s all the room Matt Ryan needed to get the offense back on track and close out the game strong. That’s a great credit to Unga, but it’s not good for the defense.
At 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, he has the size and strength to run through jams at the line of scrimmage, and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan has designed plays that line up Jones at both outside receiver spots and in the slot. Would Jameel McClain have been a better option, especially considering Jon Beason is nearly always hurt and unavailable? He is a gamer who is disruptive but needs help.
The Falcons defense looked improved in their week one victory over the Eagles, but the jury is still out on if they can find the consistency necessary to find success over the long haul.
On Sunday, it was a total team collapse.
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– Devon Kennard played 54 snaps. While the old regime seemed to be getting in the way of the team more often than not, Dan Quinn and Kyle Shanahan have been working to elevate the play of the team. He’s one of the top three defensive players on the roster.
