REPORT CARD

OFFENSE

Eli Manning’s third-down mental gaffe was costly and inexcusable, and the Giants’ preseason decision to keep Preston Parker (three critical drops on third down in Dallas territory) over veteran James Jones didn’t take long to bite them in the behind. The running game had 99 yards against a tough front, but Odell Beckham Jr. was barely a factor.

D

DEFENSE

Steve Spagnuolo’s unit kept the Cowboys’ running game in check (just 3.5 yards per attempt) and forced three big turnovers, but all of that was negated by the epic lastminute collapse. Tony Romo didn’t even have Dez Bryant (broken foot) and still didn’t need to break a sweat in leading the Cowboys to the game-winning points. What a choke.

D-

SPECIAL TEAMS

Josh Brown was 4-for-4, including a 50-yarder, and new punter Brad Wing had a solid 45.4-yard average with three kicks downed inside the Cowboys’ 20. But Dwayne

Harris was a high-priced flop in his debut as the punt returner, mustering just 3 yards on two returns, and the coverage on the Giants’ final kickoff was poor — and ultimately costly.

B

COACHING

Tom Coughlin took the blame, but this one was on Manning and Spagnuolo. The decision to not blitz Romo and play mostly soft zone coverage on the decisive final drive was a huge reason the Giants let what would have been a gutsy victory slip away in agonizing fashion.

A