New York Giants vs. Detroit Lions: Full Report Card Grades for New York
The New York Giants opened the 2014 season in Detroit, where the Lions defended their home field in a 35-14 defeat of Big Blue.
The Giants are 0-1 after one week of action. The Lions looked far more prepared to start the regular season, as the Giants wandered through several half-baked moments both offensively and defensively. The Lions took advantage of those opportunities, turning them into takeaways and scoring plays.
The Week 1 performance was a team failure. However, if you're interested in breaking down the blame based on positional production, this article will grade each unit (A-F).
See which unit made the honor roll and which has been held back in this week's positional report card.
*Statistics courtesy of ESPN box score.
Quarterback
1 of 10
The Giants did not lose the game because of their quarterback play.
Eli Manning did not have the game of his life either. With a 55 percent completion rate (18/33) for 163 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions, Manning's first stat line under Ben McAdoo did not look much different than the ones he posted under Kevin Gilbride.
The difference between Manning in his Super Bowl winning seasons and now is obvious. He has lost any semblance of comfort in the pocket. Manning is still trying on a McAdoo-tweaked dropback, and he's doing it behind a patchwork offensive line.
Manning's receivers aren't doing much to help. The team's leader in receiving yards was a tight end that had only caught three passes before Monday night; the second-leading receiver was a running back.
Manning needs more help.
It's a different scheme, but it's the same problem.
In 2013, Gilbride's offense was built around David Wilson being a dominant multi-threat running back. When he was ineffective early and lost for the season by Week 5, New York's other weaknesses, like a deteriorating O-line, were magnified.
Now, in 2014, McAdoo's offense is built around a chain-mover on the outside, ideally Odell Beckham Jr. With him out of the lineup, nursing a hamstring injury, New York's other weaknesses, like a deteriorating O-line, are magnified.
Yet Manning will be the scapegoat.
The Giants offense—and Manning's reputation—will suffer until the team has available the proper personnel to run it.
Manning: 18/33, 163 yards, TD, 2 INT (2 sacks)
GRADE: C
Running Back
2 of 10
The most admirable offensive effort of the night was Rashad Jennings' performance.
Jennings did not get much help in the running game. He was not given a fullback to run behind very often. If the Giants had any chance to win on Monday night, it was to establish a power running game. I did not witness a dedication to any such game plan against the Lions.
Still, Jennings gutted out 46 yards on 16 carries, the most heroic of which being a one-yard second effort in the fourth quarter. Where he really made hay was as a pass-catcher out of the backfield; Jennings finished the game with four catches for 50 yards.
Andre Williams got in the game but, surprisingly, not on the goal line. He ran hard—though not effectively—against the Lions' fierce defensive front. Williams took his five touches nine yards on the ground. The rookie is still a liability in pass protection and a non-factor as a pass-catcher.
Peyton Hillis was in for one goal-line snap but did not touch the ball.
The Giants did not commit to the power running game, partially because they trailed big early, causing New York's floundering pass attack to be exposed by Detroit's defense.
Jennings: 16 carries, 46 yards, TD
Williams: 5 carries, 9 yards
GRADE: B+
Wide Receiver/Tight End
3 of 10
The passing game will not flourish so long as it runs through Jerrel Jernigan on the outside.
Manning has locked onto him as the target of most his primary reads. I don't think it's because the 5'8" receiver offers the greatest physical mismatch; I think it's because he's the most likely receiver to get open given the way the defense is covering him.
Jernigan is a good reserve to have for the slot, but on the outside he is easily smothered. One can't help but consider the offense's potential with Odell Beckham Jr. getting the seven targets Jernigan got versus the Lions.
While Jernigan is the biggest problem, Rueben Randle and Victor Cruz are not off the hook.
Randle caught two passes for a total of one yard. Not a lot of imposing receiver showed up in that 6'3" frame Randle sports. That quick screen to the sideline used to be as good as a run, a guaranteed five yards with a Hakeem Nicks stiff arm. Randle did not display a similar ability in Week 1.
Cruz dropped two passes, including one over the middle, disrupted by contact. He made one big catch for 20 yards and another for only four. An outstanding slot receiver is a side product—not a perpetuator—of a working offense. Cruz can't find much room to work with no help on the outside.
The Giants got Corey Washington in, and Manning even targeted him on a goal-line fade. A considerable reward for the undrafted rookie's tremendous preseason.
The surprise star of the game was second-year tight end Larry Donnell. He came into the game with only three catches but eclipsed that figure against the Lions with five catches (56 yards), including a one-yard touchdown grab. The first interception was a miscommunication between he and Manning that appeared to be more his fault than that of the quarterback.
Donnell was the Giants' leading receiver. That's just as much a testament to how poorly the receivers played as it is to how well Donnell played.
Donnell: 8 targets, 5 catches, 56 yards, TD
Jernigan: 7 targets, 4 catches, 25 yards
Cruz: 6 targets, 2 catches, 24 yards
Fells: 1 target, 1 catch, 7 yards
Randle: 3 targets, 2 catches, 1 yard
Washington: 1 target
GRADE: D
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Offensive Line
4 of 10
Make no mistake about it: The Giants' offensive line was the team's worst prepared unit.
Not much was expected of the interior O-line. It was an all-new starting trio. They looked the part, too. J.D. Walton played center, John Jerry was in at right guard and rookie Weston Richburg played left guard. They were especially weak against the run. Detroit D-tackles Nick Fairley and Ndamukong Suh were dominant in the middle, so New York found no room to run behind even its meatiest men.
On the edges, Justin Pugh and Will Beatty were far from impenetrable. Beatty underwent a particularly thorough manhandling at the hands of second-year pass-rusher Ziggy Ansah. Pugh was called for a false start.
The Giants have some serious problems along the offensive line. They are one injury away from a full-blown disaster. With Geoff Schwartz on short-term injured reserve, New York's best shot at an effective O-line seems to be at least eight weeks away.
You can call for the firings of the general manager, the coaches or the quarterback. You can complain about the play-calling, the energy or the effort. The team is never going to win if the offensive linemen are subpar and prone to injury.
Sacks: 2 (19 yards)
Rush Avg.: 2.4 yards/carry
GRADE: F
Defensive Line
5 of 10
Th Giants' greatest highlight was their play along the defensive line.
For most of the game, the run defense was stifling. Detroit featured two competent backs in Reggie Bush and Joique Bell, and New York held them to 76 yards on 30 carries—an average of 2.5 yards per carry.
Jason Pierre-Paul was particularly strong against the run, finishing the game with four tackles. He knifed into the backfield well and pursued with impressive closing speed.
Neither Damontre Moore nor Mathias Kiwanuka set the stat sheet ablaze, but both players put pressure on the passer at times. Kiwi registered one tackle, and Moore was shut out.
In the middle, Cullen Jenkins and Johnathan Hankins were huge. Jenkins was the Giants' most consistent pass-rusher, collecting two tackles (one for a loss) before the game's end. Hankins was an unblockable menace and racked up five tackles.
Mike Patterson got in on the action with one tackle out of the three-man rotation at D-tackle.
Robert Ayers made the defensive line's highlight of the game. The reserve end's only tackle of the game was a five-yard sack of Stafford. Ayers' sack was the only time New York's pass rush got home on Monday.
Pierre-Paul: 4 tackles (2 solo)
Kiwanuka: 1 tackle (1 solo)
Hankins: 5 tackles (4 solo)
Jenkins: 2 tackles (2 solo)
Patterson: 1 tackle (1 solo)
Ayers: 1 tackle (1 solo), 1 sack
GRADE: B+
Linebacker
6 of 10
The Giants linebackers were busy against the Lions.
It was refreshing to see Jon Beason back from a foot injury. In his return to action, Beason made a tangible impact, especially against the run. He finished the game with four tackles, including one for a loss. Jameel McClain matched Beason's output when the starter needed a rest. McClain also finished with four tackles, including one for a loss.
Jacquian Williams was all over the field, usually chasing a man who'd gotten open on his watch. Williams was burned by backs out of the backfield and tight ends all day. He also failed to bring down Matthew Stafford when the Lions passer tucked it and decided to run for a five-yard touchdown.
Devon Kennard left the game with a hamstring injury and was not much of a contributor on defense.
The Giants were not difference-makers at linebacker against the Lions. Perhaps things will improve when Beason reaches full stride and Calvin Johnson doesn't have Williams stretched so thin. I still think this unit can become an attacking force, but on Monday night the group was only average.
Beason: 4 tackles (1 solo), 1 TFL
McClain: 4 tackles (1 solo), 1 TFL
Williams: 7 tackles (5 solo)
Herzlich: 1 tackle (1 solo)
Paysinger: 1 tackle
GRADE: C+
Secondary
7 of 10
Matthew Stafford tore down a highly touted Giants secondary on Monday.
New York's defensive backfield offered no solution for Calvin Johnson. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie allowed Johnson to get open for most of his 164 receiving yards on Monday night. Two of Megatron's seven catches were for touchdowns.
Prince Amukamara broke up a couple passes, but the Giants were so focused on Johnson that Golden Tate had himself a game on the opposite side. New York allowed Tate to get loose for 93 yards on six catches.
Walter Thurmond III saw a lot of playing time but did not break up a pass.
The safeties were nowhere to be found an a completely busted coverage, resulting in a long Johnson touchdown on Detroit's opening drive. The missing members of the secondary were reminiscent of the early Perry Fewell days when the defense was particularly susceptible to giving up the big play.
Antrel Rolle and Stevie Brown were both supportive against the run, combining for 13 tackles. Nat Berhe stuck his nose in on two tackles, while Quintin Demps recorded none.
Rodgers-Cromartie: 4 tackles (4 solo), 2 PD (passes defended)
Amukamara: 8 tackles (4 solo), 2 PD
Thurmond: 2 tackles
Rolle: 4 tackles (4 solo)
Brown: 9 tackles (6 solo)
Berhe: 2 tackles (1 solo)
GRADE: C
Special Teams
8 of 10
The Giants special teams were sufficient with the exception of punt protection.
New York allowed the rush to reach Steve Weatherford once, and the reliable Giants punter rolled his ankle rather awkwardly. Weatherford gutted out the rest of the game, averaging more than 40 yards per punt despite having one blocked.
Josh Brown handled his limited kickoff duties well and was not called upon to attempt a field goal.
Weatherford: 5 punts, 201 yards, 1 punt inside 20
Brown: 2/2 xp
GRADE: C-
Coaching
9 of 10
The Giants are in a coaching conundrum, as there are few solutions to the situation they're currently in.
There's not much a coach can do to prevent injuries to offensive linemen or expedite the healthy return of a first-round selection. But a coach can do more than what Tom Coughlin has done to counter the adversity New York has faced.
The Giants looked unprepared, often confused on offense. The defense was strong overall but was also left in shambles on several big Detroit gains.
Coughlin should have encouraged offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo to employ a fullback more often and to feature the power running game New York is capable of fielding. The passing game won't catch on until Odell Beckham Jr. is healthy, so if the Giants are interested in winning any time soon, they'll need to find another way extend drives and save the defense.
New York must make a return to the ground.
Total Yards: 197 gained / 417 allowed
Penalties: 4 for 25 yards (N.Y) / 8 for 85 yards (Det.)
Time of Possession: 23:56 (N.Y.) / 36:04 (Det.)
GRADE: D
Overall
10 of 10
| UNIT | GRADE |
| QB | C |
| RB | B+ |
| WR/TE | D |
| OL | F |
| DL | B+ |
| LB | C+ |
| S | C |
| ST | C- |
| Coach | D |
Kevin Boilard covers the New York Giants for Bleacher Report.
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