IT’S A SLOPPY
Judge’s Giants plagued by mistakes in crushing loss
LANDOVER, Md. —Daniel Jones was prime time on Thursday night. He used his legs, setting a new franchise record for rushing yards. And he scored both on the ground and through the air. But it wasn’t enough. A disappointing defense and Dexter Lawrence’s lack of discipline devastated the Giants in a heartbreaking 30-29 defeat.
Washington kicker Dustin Hopkins missed a 48-yard field goal attempt to lose the game as time expired. The Giants thought they had the win.
But Lawrence was flagged for jumping offsides, and Hopkins retried and made his kick from 43 yards to send the fireworks off at FedEx Field.
“To see that first one miss and see those flags, it’s not a fun feeling at all,” said receiver Sterling Shepard
The Giants fell to 0-2 for a fifth consecutive season. Washington improved to 1-1.
“It’s certainly disappointing and it hurts.,” Joe Judge said.
Taylor Heinicke, the Washington QB who said “F--- ’em” of the Giants to his teammates at Tuesday’s practice, led the game-winning field goal drive to redeem himself from a costly interception.
Giants corner James Bradberry, in the middle of a second straight bad game to open the season, jumped and intercepted a pass intended for Terry McLaurin with 2:16 to play and the Giants trailing, 27-26. It gave the Giants the ball at the 20 yard line.
Graham Gano’s fifth field goal of the game from 35 yards had lifted the Giants into a temporary 29-27 lead with two minutes remaining. Jones did his part contributing to the loss there, though, by failing to score a touchdown with such golden field position.
The offense gained just three yards on three plays and took only 16 seconds off the clock.
It looked like the Giants were on their way to winning despite losing captain and offensive lineman Nick Gates to a gruesome left leg fracture in the first quarter.
Jones completed 22-of-32 passes for 249 yards and a TD and added nine rushes for a franchise record 95 yards and a TD. Jones’ previous high rushing yards had been his 92 against the Eagles last season — also in a heartbreaking loss.
The Giants’ 391 yards of offense on Thursday were the most since Jason Garrett took over as offensive coordinator. Their previous high was 386 in last season’s Week 12 win at Cincinnati when Jones and Colt McCoy split time.
But it still didn’t translate to a win. And here appeared to be some harsh words on the sideline in the second half.
TV cameras showed Kenny Golladay yelling at Jones on the sideline on the fourth quarter. Jones, through a bunch of answers, said Golladay’s screaming was about “frustration with the situation” related to getting the ball and trying to make a difference. Jones he and Golladay have a great relationship.
Heinicke took Washington 75 yards in two plays for a 27-26 lead with 4:33 to play just when the Giants defense hoped to stiffen and hold a late six-point lead.
He hit running back J.D. McKissic for a 56-yard gain down the right sideline over linebacker Tae Crowder. Then he delivered a 19-yard TD pass to tight end Ricky Seals-Jones on Adoree Jackson.
Wide receiver Darius Slayton had caught a 33-yard TD pass from Jones down the left sideline with 4:41 left in the third quarter for a 20-14 Giants lead.
But late in the fourth quarter, up 23-20, Slayton dropped a wide open touchdown pass that would have put the Giants up 10 points. After consecutive false starts by Nate Solder and Andrew Thomas, Jones at least got 11 yards back with his legs. Gano’s fourth field goal of the game from 55 yards gave the visitors a 26-20 lead, setting the table for Heinicke’s quick score.
The Giants trailed 14-10 at half because for a second straight week, Pat Graham’s defense surrendered the lead in the final minutes of the first half.
J.D. McKissic scored on a two-yard run with 21 seconds left on 3rd down and Washington out of timeouts. Heinicke encountered little resistance on the 12-play, 84-yard drive that took only 3:48 off the lock.
He hit tight end Logan Thomas for a big 24yard gain up the seam and finished the first half 17-of-21 for 162 yards passing and a TD.
The Giants had an argument for the game being tied at half.
With 6:19 to play and the score knotted at 7 apiece, Jones had scored on a blistering 58-yard run down the left sideline. But it was called back as a 46-yard run to the Washington 22-yard line due to a late holding penalty on wide receiver C.J. Board.
Graham Gano booted a 23-yard field goal for a 10-7 Giants lead, only to watch Heinicke take Washington’s offense nearly the full length of the field.