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EAST RUTHERFOPD, N.J. (AP) — The New York Giants are giving new meaning to the phrase: “There is no place like home.”
Home is becoming the last place the Giants (2-4) want to be these days. They have played three games at MetLife Stadium and lost them all, the latest coming on Sunday night in a 17-7 defeat to the struggling Cincinnati Bengals.
Not only have the Giants lost, they have not given their fans much to cheer about, especially the offense. It has scored 28 points in losses to Minnesota, Dallas and Cincinnati and tallied one touchdown, that coming on a 1-yard run by rookie Tyrone Tracy Jr. in the third quarter following a pass interference call in the end zone.
“It’s probably a number of things. I’ll go back and watch the tape,” coach and offensive play-caller Brian Daboll said. “I thought we had some opportunities throughout the game. Whether it be run, whether it be pass.”
The mistakes by the offense were huge.
Quarterback Daniel Jones drove New York to the Bengals 14 with about four minutes left in the first quarter with the Giants down 7-0. On first-and-10, he looked for tight end Theo Johnson on a throw back across the field and was hit by former Giants defensive lineman B.J. Hill while throwing. The ball fluttered in the air and Germaine Pratt intercepted it near the goal line.
Late in the second quarter, Jones connected with Darius Slayton on a quick crossing pattern and run for 56 yards. The run-pass option that started at the Giants 9 was nullified when left tackle Andrew Thomas was ruled to be illegally downfield.
That's the way the night went for New York, which was 5 of 15 on third down and 3 of 5 on fourth down. The Giants outgained the Bengals 309 yards to 304.
“It’s very disappointing — just couldn’t sustain drives, execute, get into a rhythm, and frustrating,” said Jones, who was 22 of 41 for 205 yards. “I feel like we’ve taken steps and progressed as an offense. Obviously, we didn’t do that today, so we’ll get a look at what we need to do better and clean it up.”
What's obvious is the Giants have missed rookie sensation Malik Nabers, who was leading the league with 35 catches when he sustained a concussion against Dallas on Sept. 26. He has missed the last two games, although New York won at Seattle last weekend.
Nabers, who has three TD catches, has been progressing and the hope is he can return next Sunday against the Eagles, which unfortunately is also at MetLife Stadium.
“He definitely brings out a certain energy, he brings out a certain aura when he is on the field,” outside linebacker Brian Burns said. “He’s an explosive player and we would love to have him (back out on the field), but we have seen guys step up last week and guys step up this week, so it’s always next-man-up.”
The Giants longest plays in the game were four passes for 15 yards, which are not considered explosive plays.
“It makes it tough when you have to do that in this league,” said Jones, who led the Giants with 56 yards rushing on 11 carries. “I think credit to their defense, their scheme and their plan is to prevent some of those plays, but we’ve got to execute and find a way to generate some of them.”
The positive for the Giants was the defense has played well at home the last two games. It limited Dallas to 20 points in a 20-15 loss last month and the Bengals to 17, after they had scored at least 33 in each of their previous three games.
Special teams also did not help Sunday. Kicker Greg Joseph missed field goals from 47 and 45 yards in the fourth quarter, the first one with New York down 10-7.
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