Special teams just a total mess in loss

The Giants’ special teams did everything wrong except allow a touchdown.

In that regard, this disaster was an improvement from the last home game.

While none of the mistakes made Monday in a 24-3 loss to the Seahawks were as decisive as the blocked field goal returned for a touchdown by the Cowboys in Week 1, the Giants’ nonfunctional offense and underachieving defense were not helped out by sloppy special teams.

Rookie Eric Gray fumbled a first-quarter punt in what looked like a replay of a scene from a practice last week. The Giants recovered the loose ball but Gray was benched for Adoree’ Jackson, who suffered a sevenweek knee injury as a fill-in punt returner last season.

“Once I looked up at it, looked down at the coverage and looked back up, it kind of turned on me,” Gray told The Post. “By the time I got to it, it just dropped. I’ve got to get my feet under it. The first responsibility is just catching the ball.”

With the worst-case scenario in mind, it seemed Jackson — who was the choice over sure-handed and seldom-used Sterling Shepard — was told not to risk his health on a return. It worked out fine on his one fair catch, but he allowed two others to bounce and roll, pinning the Giants deep in their own territory, where the offensive line was helpless against the Seattle pass rush.

The problems were just beginning. Perhaps most unbelievable was that the Giants committed six penalties on special teams, which had head coach Brian Daboll throwing his hands up in disgust at coordinator Thomas McGaughey.

“That’s another thing we just have to look in the mirror,” said linebacker Isaiah Simmons, who was flagged once. “It’s easy sh-- to happen. Just have to do it. People can’t be hurt by tough coaching based off tough coaching of what we put on film.”

Third-string running back Gary Brightwell was flagged for unnecessary roughness at the end of a kickoff that put the offense at its own 10yard line. He wasn’t done.

After the Giants used two timeouts in the final minute of the first half to try and get the ball back and cut into a 14-3 deficit, Brightwell committed a running-into-thekicker penalty that negated a punt and allowed the Seahawks to convert a fourth down. Of course, had Brightwell been more aware of his surroundings, the Giants still would have lost possession because Cam Brown simultaneously was flagged for holding on the same play.

It was almost ironic to see the special teams run off the field celebrating when kicker Jason Myers missed a 53yard field goal wide left — as if that could salvage any credit.