Best of the Giants on WFAN: An agonizing collapse

Gregg Giannotti (0:00)

And this was the first time, I understand they went out to LA and got smacked around by the Rams, and that wasn't a great game for them, and should have beat the commanders the first time, there was a tie there. But this really was the first time the Giants had an opportunity against a team that I believe that they are better than, that most people believe they're better than, to end their season, and they couldn't do it. This was the real first one that got away, bad loss for them on the year, and it does have ramifications. Giants are still going to be favorites to win the division. I still think they do win the division and get to the playoffs, but you could have in back to back weeks buried two NFC East opponents, and you had the commanders buried last night on multiple occasions and couldn't finish it out. This is the first time that a John Harbaugh team in 2026 for the New York Giants didn't do exactly what I expected them to do. Good morning, Boomer, how are you?

Boomer Esiason (0:53)

Yeah, good morning, G. I'm like everybody else this morning. I'm disappointed, and I'm disappointed, obviously, because of the way this game ended last night, the second half was insane. And there were so many opportunities for the Giants to close out the game on offense, they couldn't do it. And then, of course, defense gives up the touchdown to Steph Diggs, and that comes out of the blue. But there are encouraging things that did happen yesterday. And one of those encouraging things that I saw anyway was that JJ. McCarthy stood in there versus the Blitz. They ramped up the Blitz in the second half, and they were getting after his ass. And that touchdown pass that he threw to Isiah Likely is a guy bearing right down on him.

It might have been Sonny Stiles. I'm not sure who it was. But as he stood in there, and he delivered this ball between two Washington defenders to hit Likely, I think Likely was surprised. The ball actually was coming, and he caught it and goes for the touchdown. I mean, so from a quarterback perspective, yeah, I would have liked them to close out the game. They had numerous opportunities to close out the game. Those last two series prior to the interception that he throws to Malik Nevers. But I have to say, I was thoroughly impressed with him handling the weather, handling the blitz, getting the ball to his players, and he makes big plays. He creates big plays.

It's unfortunate that for whatever reason, these two teams over at MetLife Stadium have these just heartbreaking losses, and it's impossible. Is the place cursed or something?

Gregg Giannotti (2:24)

No, because the Giants have been pretty good throughout the years, and have had championship teams.

Well, one championship team, right? I guess, because it was 2011, 12 Yeah, I don't know. But no, I don't think it's cursed. It's cursed for the Jets, but everything's cursed for the Jets. Wherever the Jets go, it'll be cursed. It's not cursed for the Giants, but yeah. I mean, so the thing I was going to ask you about this, you bring it up about the standing in there. So when he throws that final interception just from the snap and watching the game at the end, I'm like, you don't need to get the ball down the field like that. But then they end up showing from that camera behind and point out.

Boomer Esiason (3:01)

That's on McNagy. So you could basically say, you need a seven man protection there.

Gregg Giannotti (3:07)

Yeah.

Boomer Esiason (3:07)

As opposed to getting all these guys out, especially if you're going to just try to throw it to Mollique Neighbors. I mean, if he gets it out there a little bit further, I think Mollique Neighbors has a chance at it. But it was a little bit under thrown. And the reason it was under thrown is because he's taken another hit to the chops. So again, they ramped up the blitz, I think, 50% of the time in the second half. So on 50% of the throws, they ramped up the blitz. In the first half, it was only like 26%.

And his last three throws, he was for 3 against the blitz. But prior to that, he was really good against the blitz. And the defense, basically, if they can smell it, they can get to you. And they were close to him a couple of times. They're just going to keep doing it. And until you show you can stop it, they're going to keep doing it.