The game was over. Until it wasn’t. And then it was lost.
Epic fail.
Dallas MNF 2003 Quincy Carter.
Brian Westbrook punt return 2003.
DeSean Jackson 31-10 comeback 2010.
Blown 24 pt lead + Trey Junkin 39-38.
Another epic fail. It’s the same script. The coaches change, the players change, the Prevent remains the same. The run run run run run run run run penalty run run run run run actually was enough to win. Until it wasn’t. The game could’ve been over on 3rd & 2. Nope. The game could’ve been over again on a 35 yd FG. Nope. The game could’ve been over again if not for the Prevent defense. And then OT had zero chance because there was no Offense.
All wonderful things happen when you don’t have an Offensive Line. Your first string QB gets hurt because he isn’t protected. Your second string QB gets hurt because he isn’t protected. Your third string QB + no OL means disaster. The lack of OL means the Defense is on the field all the time. The OL turns the OC/HC into pussy mush.
When teams blow lock leads it’s on the Head Coach. Coughlin somehow recovered from the 2010 debacle but the others didn’t fare as well. Daboll built up a lot of goodwill as Coach of the Year and he’s not on the hot seat this year. Yet it’s stunning how he has enabled consistent underperformance in 2023 after outperforming regularly in 2022.
The SEA BUF and NYJ games were all winnable. They were squandered. Schoen needs to fix the OL. Daboll needs to avoid being an asterisk on another Giant epic loss.