Simple Mistakes Cost the Giants Victory Against Seattle

The New York Giants were right there. They had the ball at the five-yard line with under two minutes to go, and mistakes cost them. Physical mistakes are acceptable, but the amount of mental mistakes the Giants did in the red zone cost them a victory against the Seattle Seahawks.

A false start penalty by Jake Ballard caused the Giants offense to misfire in the red zone early in the fourth quarter. Instead of going up seven points, the Giants settled for a field goal to take a three-point lead. The Giants' offense looked unstoppable in the fourth quarter, but that simple mistake caused the Giants four points.

What I simply don't under stand was why the Giants were in a hurry with the ball at the Seattle five-yard line with under two minutes to go in the game. The Giants just drove the ball 75 yards in six plays to get down there. There was no need to be in a hurry to score then. Huddle up, get the right personnel, call a play and let Seattle use their remaining two timeouts to get the ball back. 

The defense was to blame, too. After the offense, which had done nothing until the fourth quarter, gave the Giants the lead twice, only to give up the lead right back. The defense gave up the go-ahead touchdown after both Antrelle Rolle and Aaron Ross both bit on a would-be wide receiver screen and leaving a wide-open receiver in the secondary. The whole team looked to have stopped, expecting the play to be blown dead since Osi Umenyiora jumped offside. But the refs let the play go and the Giants got burnt.

Physical mistakes, like wide receiver Victor Cruz slipping on a the game-winning interception return is tolerable. The mental mistakes the Giants did throughout the game need to be corrected quickly. Too many mental mistakes will short circuit the Giants' season in a hurry.