New York Giants vs. Seattle Seahawks: Full Report Card Grades for New York
The New York Giants fell to 3-6 on the season after losing, 38-17, on the road to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday evening.
The Giants hit a rhythm halfway through the game, claiming a 17-14 lead on a Josh Brown field goal just before halftime. They showed remnants of this rhythm in the third quarter but scored no second-half points to show for it. The Seahawks, on the other hand, were able to tie it up in the third and then go on a 21-point rampage in the game's final frame.
New York looked demoralized by the end of the contest. A valuable opportunity had passed the Giants by, and it more than likely cost them their season. If the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Carolina Panthers Monday night, Big Blue can pretty much forget about any lingering playoff hopes.
To see how each positional unit graded out, click through this slideshow and review the overall report card at the end of the article.
Quarterback
1 of 10
Overall, I don't think Eli Manning played a poor game at quarterback for the Giants. At some points in the game—such as the Giants' final drive of the third quarter—I'd go as far as to say Manning was in a rhythm unlike any other we'd seen so far this season.
It was this confidence that led to Manning's costly mistake, one born of bravado with only 57 seconds left in the third quarter. This play, and this play alone, is what earned Manning a failing grade—his first of the season in my report-card rankings.
After completing big passes to receivers Preston Parker (20 yards) and Odell Beckham Jr. (eight yards), both converting crucial third downs with the game tied at 17, Manning got a tad overly confident. From the 39-yard line on a 1st-and-10, Manning chucked a jump ball up in the end zone for Beckham.
Maybe Manning was feeling it at the time, but it was an unnecessarily overaggressive deep shot that looked more like a prayer as the play unfolded. The best OBJ could do was deflect the ball away from Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman, unfortunately into the hands of safety Earl Thomas.
The Seahawks soared to 21 unanswered points directly spawned from Manning's interception, his first since Week 4. The conservative tosses had gotten the Giants ahead earlier in the game, it was the ridiculously wild risk that doomed the team.
Manning has been the bright spot all season for the Giants. Then, when the rest of his playmakers finally play well enough for the team to win, he makes the fatal error. It was not necessarily a bad night overall (65 percent completion rate; nearly 300 yards), but certainly it was one Manning will want to forget.
Grade: F
Running Back
2 of 10
The Giants running backs were ineffective again versus a formidable Seahawks defensive front.
Andre Williams showed some promise early on. On his first six rushes of the game, Williams had 23 yards (3.83 YPC) and a touchdown. The rest of the game, however, he gained only 10 yards on seven more carries.
Peyton Hillis carried once for four yards and caught one pass for five yards and then was lost for the night with a concussion.
Michael Cox filled in for the rest of the game as the Giants' third-down back. Carried himself like a real D.J. Ware out there with Hillis out. Until his leg was mangled in a fourth-quarter tackle. That was quite a shame.
With Williams being the only healthy running back New York has left, the Giants will likely scour the streets—like they did to find receiver Kevin Ogletree and cornerback Chykie Brown.
Fullback Henry Hynoski can catch passes and pick up the blitz, so he could also fill in as a third-down back if need be.
Grade: D
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
3 of 10
The Giants' pass-catchers played their best game since Victor Cruz was injured. For once, the playmakers did what their moniker would lead you to believe they do: make plays.
Odell Beckham Jr., especially. He was a spectacle to behold in the first half, catching a handful of his seven catches against Richard Sherman. Forty-four of OBJ's 108 yards came on a single, deep catch after he had shaken free from Sherman's coverage with a double move. The Seahawks game was Beckham's second consecutive 100-yard performance.
Preston Parker rebounded from his nightmare outing against the Indianapolis Colts on Monday Night Football. Parker had surer hands against the 'Hawks, snagging seven receptions (tied with Beckham for team lead) for 79 yards, including a six-yard score early in the game.
Rueben Randle made a handful of nice grabs (five catches, 39 yards), but he remains underwhelming in his connection with Manning. Randle only caught half of his targets against the Seahawks.
Larry Donnell made a couple of brief appearances at tight end (four catches, 26 yards). Donnell's backup, Daniel Fell, caught just one pass for before injuring himself—Dan Graziano of ESPN described it as a "burner."
Grade: B+
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Offensive Line
4 of 10
The offensive line is recognized for it's slightly improved performance. This is the first time the unit hasn't failed in my report card in several weeks.
The Giants opened up a few holes for the running backs, but New York only ran the ball 17 times compared to 46 dropbacks. The pass protection was much more of a priority against the Seahawks.
For the most part, the O-line gave Manning enough time to find his targets. However, that's not to say the passer went unscathed. Manning was sacked twice (once late, with the game decided) and weathered nine other hits.
Although this unit showed marginal improvement, part of that had to do with the Giants' apparent acceptance that the offensive line cannot run block. Once New York's passing game started clicking, New York only ran when it had to. And when the Giants fell behind, the run was abandoned.
Worst of all was the penalties. Right tackle Justin Pugh had a false start. Left guard Weston Richburg was called twice for holding. Richburg's infractions, in particular, were drive-killers.
This shambly offensive line still limits the Giants more than anything else, but against the Seahawks on Sunday, some extra effort was on display. On no play was this more evident than on Andre Williams' one-yard touchdown rush, which might not have happened had center J.D. Walton not flung him into the end zone with a free hand.
The improvement is too little, too late.
Grade: D+
Defensive Line
5 of 10
If there was a single bad play you could point to as the turning point in the game, it was Manning's interception. If there was one unit that was utterly dominated from start to finish, it was the defensive line.
Both of them failed in my report card, but the defensive line's performance had a lot more to do with the Giants losing than Manning's did.
The Seahawks were able to exploit the soft edges of New York's defense. Utilizing an option running attack for much of the game, Seattle racked up 350 yards rushing.
Starting running back Marshawn Lynch had a career day, rushing for 140 yards and four touchdowns on 21 carries. Quarterback Russell Wilson cracked 100 yards (and a touchdown) on the 14 carries he kept. Lynch's backups, Christine Michael and Robert Turbin, combined for 103 yards of their own.
The Giants' pass rush rattled Wilson the few times he dropped back (two sacks, five QB hits), but that hardly mattered considering how badly Seattle was owning New York in the running game. The only legitimate bright spot for this unit was the goal-line stand to retain some momentum in the third quarter.
This unit failed, mostly because it got beat the same way over and over and over. The unit showed no discipline and was totally outmaneuvered by Seattle's offensive line.
Grade: F
Linebacker
6 of 10
The linebackers were run over just as badly as the offensive line, ask Jameel McClain. Yet the unit catches a break in this week's report card, as I believe the 'backers were completely overwhelmed due to the ineffectiveness of the four men playing in front of them.
McClain collected 12 tackles, which led the team. Five of them were solo, and one was for a loss. He was alright as the Giants' middle linebacker, but New York needed him to sniff out more plays closer to the line of scrimmage.
Jacquian Willams was exploited last week in pass coverage; this week, the Seahawks took advantage of him as a run defender. Although Williams racked up nine tackles (five solo), second only to McClain, on most plays he was caught up in the wash. He also lost contain multiple times on the outside.
Devon Kennard had one tackle, an electrifying one for a loss. Kennard is a much better downhill defender than Williams and should have had a more productive night.
The linebackers don't fail, only because they were set up for failure.
Grade: D
Secondary
7 of 10
The secondary made Seattle's offense completely one-dimensional. Unfortunately for New York's defense, the Seahawks needed just that one dimension to pound the Giants into submission.
Wilson only threw 17 passes, completing 10 of them (172 yards). One was caught by cornerback Zack Bowman, and another was snagged by safety Quintin Demps. The secondary picked up another takeaway when Antrel Rolle pounced on a loose ball early in the second quarter.
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie hardly had his name called, which is always a good thing for a cornerback trying to define himself as shutdown-caliber. The battered unit held up well with the exception of one play, when Jermaine Kearse got free for a gain of 60. The Seahawks' top receiver, Doug Baldwin, was limited to 31 yards on four catches.
Rolle was consistent, but his partner at safety was not. Demps started the game and was then briefly replaced by Stevie Brown. In the second half, Demps started again, but both safeties saw playing time.
Although the defensive backs completely shut down the pass—the position's main purpose—this unit could have done more in run support.
Grade: A-
Special Teams
8 of 10
Most of the Giants' special teams were air-tight against the Seahawks.
Kicker Josh Brown's perfect season (9-of-9) continued with a 41-yarder made as time expired in the first half. It capped off a well-executed two-minute drill and gave New York a 17-14 lead at the time. Brown's kickoff unit allowed just one return for 28 yards.
Hurting punter Steve Weatherford had an alright outing, downing two of his five punts inside the 20-yard line. He had another that should have been downed deep in the Seahawks' territory, but, instead, it went out the back of the end zone for a touchback. He averaged only 38.6 yards per punt.
New York's returners did nothing exceptional. Michael Cox averaged only 16.5 yards per kick return, and the Giants didn't record a punt return.
Grade: C
Coaching
9 of 10
The Giants' coaching staff narrowly avoid a failing grade, only because they were able to take a lead into the locker room at halftime. The game plan was working at that point, so the New York coaches probably didn't change it much going into the second half.
The conservative play-calling on offense can be annoying, but it was effective against Seattle. The Giants took what they were given to a 17-14 lead, including an efficient two-minute drill to end the first half. Somewhere in the second half, the Giants lost themselves and may have gotten a tad overzealous.
The defense never had a working game plan. Although the Seahawks were kept in check on the scoreboard for most of the first half, that was due to exceptional individual efforts in the form of turnovers. The overall scheme was failing, as Seattle racked up record rushing yardage.
The Giants' loss was their sixth of the season. With only three wins so far, New York's 2014 campaign may already be damned 10 weeks in. No matter how you twist it with injuries and general misfortune, that's a failure on the part of the coaching staff.
The coaches get a "D" here for competing with the defending Super Bowl champs through the better part of three quarters.
Grade: D
Overall
10 of 10
Here's the Giants' overall report card for Week 10:
| Position | Grade |
| QB | F |
| RB | D |
| WR/TE | B+ |
| OL | D+ |
| DL | F |
| LB | D |
| DB | A- |
| ST | B+ |
| Coach | D |
Kevin Boilard writes about the New York Giants at Bleacher Report.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
