Odell Beckham Jr. just said: “This is the best 0-2 team I’ve ever been on.”
With that said I am out for the night. Thank you for sticking with me here if you haven’t already drifted off. Let’s do this again soon. Goodnight.
Updated
The NFC East looks as if it will be a muddle all year. The standings as of now...
- Dallas 2-0 (with several weeks of Brandon Weeden at QB looming)
- Giants 1-1 (started 0-2)
- Washington 1-1 (now missing DeAngelo Hall)
- Philadelphia 0-2 (looking lost for now)
Not a lot to take away from this one. It was pretty sloppy on both sides. The Giants were never as bad as 0-2. Were it not for a bad time-management decision by Eli Manning against Dallas, New York would have been 1-1 coming into this one. The Giants have a solid run defense. They held Washington’s vaunted run game to just 88 yards. Their offense shows signs of being explosive. When Victor Cruz returns next week they might be very dangerous as long as Manning makes good decisions.
Washington really hoped it was moving in the right direction. But the same problems that have plagued this team showed up again. Special teams mistakes put them behind early and Cousins continued to throw interceptions. Twice he was picked off in this one. The Giants stopped Washington’s run game and dared Cousins to beat them. He couldn’t.
Giants win 32-21!
Thankfully that is over! The Giants win their first game of the year, Washington looks awful in a game it hoped would be a step in the right direction.
“We’ve got to keep working,” Eli Manning said twice in the postgame on-field interview.
Cousins gets a 300-yard passing game. 315 to be exact. Not sure that reflects what happened out there tonight. The bulk of those were garbage yards in the second half. Four seconds left. Time for one last play. Hold on...
We can’t even finish this game without a meaningless penalty. A pass interference call on the Giants gives Washington another shot to pad offensive yardage numbers with :49 seconds left.
Because this will make all the difference in well...
Ross’s 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown is now being called 101 yards. Be sure to update your records.
Giants 32-21 Washington. 100 yard kickoff return Rashad Ross!
For 3 1/2 quarters this game couldn’t have been duller. The last two have gone so fast I can barely keep up. After a night of special teams blunders, Washington finally has something go right as Ross takes the kickoff on the goal line and zooms through tacklers and then bursts down the right sideline coming precariously close to stepping out of bounds but never does. Touchdown.
Whew. My fingers are sore. The game that ended 45 minutes ago will never end.
Giants 32-14 Washington. Touchdown Manning to Randle.
While I finished trying to explain how Washington scored when it didn’t really score, Manning lobs a third down pass deep down field to Randle who reaches over Breeland to knock the ball into the air and grab it and then runs into the end zone for the score that ended this.
Giants 25- 14 Washington. Touchdown Cousins to Thompson
Too little too late. Cousins marched Washington to a touchdown, hitting Thompson with a pass inside the five and he appears to fall into the end zone for a score. But he doesn’t! His knee goes down at the 1. While all scoring plays are supposed to be reviewed this one didn’t appear to be. Tom Coughlin was confused. He threw a replay flag -- in violation of league rules since scoring plays are supposed to be reviewed and is charged a timeout.
So to review... Washington scores on a play when it didn’t score and the Giants are charged a timeout for asking for a replay that should have been made.
Sports editor Tom Lutz, always a voice of reason shouting through the noise says...
There is no way RG III is the third-best quarterback on that team.”
And with 5:45 left in a game it is destined to lose, Washington does get a break. Replay officials overturn the fumble saying Garcon had not caught the ball, making it an incomplete pass.. And then things get even better. on a 4th and 14 from their own 19, Cousins throws up a desperation pass and draws a pass interference call on Amukamara on Garcon.
Make that three fumbles lost for Washington tonight. Pierre Garcon loses this one picking up a first down. Prince Amukamara forces it in Washington territory
Our rugby blogger extraordinaire Matt Cleary wonders in an email...
No flea flickers then...”
It pained me to tell him no.
NFL Network just played a Spanish broadcast of Beckham’s touchdown catch. It was more exciting than anything that’s happened on the field tonight.
watching the Jones fumble on a replay I’m not sure if Wade actually knocked it from his hands or not. I can’t get a good angle on it. Jones might have dropped the ball himself. Either way, Washington has had two passes intercepted, lost a fumble and had a punt blocked for a safety. For a team that came into this game bursting with hope after a strong performance against the Rams they could not have looked worse.
Some things never change.
...and yes it is over, as only a franchise as tormented as Washington’s can end ruin a good thing. Jones sweeps left on the 4th and 1, picks up the first down and appears to outrun the Giants defenders to the goal line where he FUMBLES! Yes FUMBLES. It appears Trevin Wade knocked the ball away and it rolls around near the sideline before skipping out of bounds for a touchback. Instead of a score that would have brought Washington to within two touchdowns, New York has the ball on its own 20.
...and maybe it’s not. Cousins his Thompson on a crossing route setting up a 4th and 1 on the 17..
...and well maybe it is, Washington is called for a delay of game, pushing it back to the 21...
Giants are keeping Washington in the game. Landon Collins grabs a Washington receiver giving the DC team a first down on the New York 16. This isn’t over yet...
With their hopes fading Cousins is trying to rally Washington. He’s led them into Giants territory and hits Ryan Grant on 4th and 2 from the Giants 40. Here’s a chance for him to make a statement that he hasn’t been able to make in his brief stints as Washington quarterback.
Giants 25 - 6 Washington. Touchdown Beckham
Finally from the doldrums come fireworks! Odell Beckham, Jr flies down the field with single coverage from Bashaud Breeland and Manning hits him with a 30-yard pass that he grabs while jumping high above Breeland. As they fall to the end zone turf, Breeland pounds the ground with his fist.
Beckham then performs some kind of dance that I probably should know but don’t. It involves a shaking and wiggling of his hands with him making some kind of muscle pose with his right arm bent at a right angle. I’m unsure what this is but it does seem to be the end of Washington tonight. That is unless Cousins stops throwing to the Giants defensive backs.
The third quarter is over, Giants lead 18-6.
To this point we have been treated to an ugly game played by two teams trying to hold their seasons together. Washington’s special teams were predictably bad and Kirk Cousins still keeps throwing the ball to players on the other team. The Giants have proven they can move the ball but haven’t been able to finish off drives. It’s hard to imagine this what the NFL had in mind when it created a network to drop the hammer on the other TV affiliates.
As the third quarter winds its way toward a conclusion the Giants get a big break as two Washington defenders jump on Beckham. Chris Culliver gets the penalty. The next play New York is called for holding. And on it goes...
And, of course, just as I say Washington is moving Cousins throws another interception. He can look so good, especially when he falls into a rhythm, then he forces something inexplicable. This one wasn’t completely his fault, Devon Kennard jumps in front of a pass intended for Derrick Carrier and knocks the ball in the air. Unai Unga dives and catches the deflection.
As Hall gets checked out Washington’s offense has burst to life. A national audience is getting to see how good Jordan Reed can be with a couple of big plays that has gotten Washington into Giants territory.
Washington’s trainers are saying DeAngelo Hall’s injury is to the toe not the knee or Achilles. This is obviously good news for them. They even say his return tonight is “questionable.” That seems unlikely given the way he was taken off on the cart but then again in the NFL a player’s head could fall off and teams will call his return “questionable.”
Giants 18-6 Washington. Josh Brown 48-yard field goal
This is turning into one of those nights where the kicker is the star. Brown nails a long field goal right down the middle with room to spare. So far this has been far from a scintillating primetime matchup and instead a sluggish march from two teams trying to keep from falling too far in a division that might be the worst in the NFL. The way the Giants first drive of the half stalled with two broken pass plays could stand as a metaphor for the night. Washington, dominated so far and now without two key players -- Hall and Lauvao -- are far from dead here.
The Giants have already chewed up 7:20 at the start of the second half.
Jennings fails to get a first down on 3rd and short. On a 4th and 1 the Giants go for it with a spread formation and Manning his Beckham while sprinting out right. First down.
Manning is methodically working the right side of the field, hitting Randle with passes that have moved the Giants over midfield. This is as efficient a drive as New York has had tonight
This could be really bad for Washington. Corner DeAngelo Hall, their best player on the secondary, is being carried off the field. He cut right on the second down play and immediately starts to hobble, holding his right leg at an awkward angle. Has that look of either a knee or Achilles injury. Either one is a worst case scenario for a team that can’t afford worst case scenarios. Doctors are working on him on the bench now.
The second half starts
Jay Gruden tells NFL Network that this is a fourth quarter game, implying that he has a fourth-quarter team. So far Rashad Jennings has been all third quarter picking up one first down. Looks like the Giants want to establish the run.
Interesting halftime stats...
Manning is 14-20 for 148 yards, Cousins 8-15 for 98...his first-half interception deep in his own territory was critical.
The vaunted Washington run duo of Morris and Jones only have 44 yards on 13 carries.
ooops botched the last post, was trying to show this... The crowd is definitely muted tonight -- not a night football crowd, certainly not a New York crowd.
Halftime and the drunk tank is totally empty for a primetime NFC Eat game here. Definitely the under on that one pic.twitter.com/fi3hrkP1xw
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) September 25, 2015
Halftime Giants 15-6 Washington
Washington runs a draw to keep from getting a second safety. The Giants could have run away with this game but they didn’t. Basically this has turned into an NFC East game. Physical, not many big plays, lots of running. New York gets the ball to start the second half.
The pass interference ruins any hope for the Giants to score before half. Pushed back to their own 45 they punt and pin the ball inside the one. Washington will at least have to run a sneak with :12 left. No dropping on a knee
Nothing better than a befuddled expression on Ton Coughlin’s face as Dwayne Harris is called for pass interference on a pick of Keenan Robinson. Coughlin doesn’t seem to agree and gives one of those wide-eyed arms splayed wide look
Eli running a two-minute offense with some precision. He has the Giants over midfield with a pair of passes to Beckham. Ball in Washington territory with :36 left
Giants 15-6 Washington. Dustin Hopkins field goal
Landon Collins flies in on Cousins on a blitz that forces Cousins to lob a wild throw to the end zone. Jordan Reed, who was open for the score, couldn’t even turn around to get it. Another opportunity squandered for Washington. Right now they are outgaining the Giants despite a night of blunders
Cousins pulls Washington out of a hold with two big passes to Pierre Garcon. They are in the red zone for the first time tonight. Two minute warning comes. This game is flying by. A touchdown here puts Washington right in the game after a dreadful start.
Oh my can Washington do anything right? Cousins drops a nice screen to Jamison Crowder for a 20 yard play deep in Giants territory but it gets called back with a hold. Second and 17
Cousins dodges a Giants pass rush and dumps off a pass to Reed on a third down that Washington needed. Turns a 3rd and 9 deep into a 20 yard play.
Giants 15-3 Washington. Josh Brown field goal.
Tight end Larry Donnell drops a Manning pass wide open inside the 10 on third down. The ball was right on his hands and he dropped it like a boulder. Once again Washington dodges a bullet. New York has had the ball for 13 minutes so far this game, Washington only 9. The Giants should be up by a lot more than this.
Nice pass and catch by Eli and Daniel Fells. Washington’s secondary is so consumed with Beckham and Randle they left Fells open enough to pull in a pass slightly out of reach that he was able to pull in inside the 25.
another special teams screwup for Washington. Jeron Johnson pushes a Giant to the ground for some inexplicable reason. It costs Washington yards. It allows New York to start on the 32
Giants 12-0 Washington. Field goal Dustin Hopkins
Really nice play by Landon Collins to knock a pass away from Jordan Reed in the end zone. Reed had separation and the ball was probably a bit underthrown but not much. When healthy, Reed is quietly one of the best pass catching tight ends in the league and the Collins matchup is a good one for Washington but it was an opportunity missed. Still some points for a team that desperately needed them.
Cousins misses an open Ryan Grant deep in Giants territory then Washington takes a timeout when the play clock is about to expire. Still shooting themselves in the foot
Matt Jones looking more like the Matt Jones of last week. He thunders over the Giants for another first down. Ball down on the 31 of New York
Cousins at the start of the second hits Andre Roberts 18 yards down on a nice route picking through the zone. Washington is even over midfield.
I asked rugby blogger extraordinaire Matt Cleary, star of the 49ers Liveblogs to offer a contribution to this blog. Here is what he sent...
And so to mighty [Name of Stadium] for the Friday night death match between home town [ed note.. team name removed here] and big gun [Jets], and it should be a ripper. It could of course be a risk-less bash-fest, as “sheep station” games can be. But here’s hoping it isn’t. And it shouldn’t be when both teams have such crack hot weaponry.
At the end of the first quarter Giants lead 12-0
Washington finally gets a first down! Cousins even throws a complete pass. Perhaps the second quarter will be friendlier to them.
Giants 12-0 Washington. Field Goal Josh Brown
Washington holds. They blitz Eli who has to fling the ball to the ground on third down forcing the easy field goal attempt from 35 by Brown who sends it down the middle. Not the start Washington wanted but to have had a punt blocked inside their 10 and an interception deep in their own territory and only be down 12-0 is a victory in itself.
Eli was 8-8 for 74 yards before throwing a pass to not sure who,perhaps Larry Donnell and the ball seems to land in the hands of a diving DeAngelo Hall for an interception. Replays show the ball clearly bounced. The ref has gone under the hood to talk to New York (even though they are in New York -- or New Jersey which really isn’t New York). Surely this will be overturned...and it is. No interception
Eli Manning is on! He fires a long pass down the right to Rueben Randle. They catch DeAngelo Hall looking the other way. Then after a holding penalty, Eli hits Jennings with an 18 yard pass.
Washington successfully gets off a punt! The snap was clean, everybody was blocked and the ball actually was punted cleanly. Then the Giants fumble the kick but New York gets the ball back. That kind of night for the DC team.
As if things weren’t bad enough for Washington, right before the interception they lost guard Shawn Lauvao with a sprained ankle. He’s been carted off. He’s played well so far this year. As if to show how much he is missed, Washington goes three and out.
Kevin Durant (on the right) throws passes on the Redskins' sideline just a few minutes ago. Celebrity has privileges. pic.twitter.com/RbRruRG6ao
— Bart Hubbuch (@BartHubbuch) September 25, 2015
meant to put this up before the game. Durant is a Washington-area native and a fan of the team.
Giants 9-0 Washington. Touchdown Andre Williams
After the interception, New York marches downfield. Washington looks shellshocked at it’s sloppy start. Williams takes a handoff and thunders left from the one to give New York a big early lead.
Ohhhh boy things are getting bad for Washington. Interceptions, the bane of Kirk Cousins existence, have come back and at a horrible spot too. He fires a pass over the middle right into the arms of Amukamara Prince.
More special teams problems for Washington. What else is new? This time a hold on the Giants punt by Terrance Plummer, Washington starts pinned down at their own five
The Giants pick up a first down but can’t get another one as Keenan Robinson jumps a third down pass and keeps New York from another first down.
Safety! Giants 2-0 Washington
Washington’s second attempt to punt was blocked -- more special teams problems for Washington! -- Rashad Jennings rolled in from the right overpowering his man. It almost looks the ball is punted right into his helmet. The ball shoots through the end zone for a safety. Quite frankly, this was a huge break for Washington who could have seen the ball recovered for a touchdown but it banged so hard of Jennings there was no chance for New York to jump on it. Not a great start for the team from DC.
Updated
A weak first effort from Washington with a nice pass play to Chris Thompson negated by a penalty. Washington has to punt but the first effort to do so is negated by ofsetting penalties. Time to repunt...
Kickoff!
And Washington’s special teams underwhelms once again with a return short of the 20.
Great intro on telecast with Lawrence Taylor and John Riggins. This rivalry never was so good as when LT and Riggo roamed the fields
The NFL Network talked to injured Giants receiver Victor Cruz during pregame. He warmed up with the team even though he is still inactive. He said it was the first time he has been out on the Metlife Stadium Field this year and seemed to feel good. He promises to be back next weekend -- so there is that.
Reader Natasha Keswani weighs in on our decision to not use the Washington team’s nickname...
Thank you so much for highlighting this ongoing issue. It is a genuine tragedy that we as a country cannot see the indignation that is the Washington team’s nickname.
Something to watch tonight will be how well Washington’s reconstructed offensive line holds up against the Giants defensive line. Washington hired Bill Callahan to turn the Washington line around. Top draft pick Brandon Scherff has settled in after a shaky preseason. Trent Williams is always solid but guard Shawn Lauvao has played well so far. They have allowed Washington to run the ball with tremendous success through two games.
The Giants are as good as anyone in the league against the run, however. there are no secrets in division play and you can expect the Giants to be aggressive. Kirk Cousins isn’t the story here as much as the men in front of him. If they can continue controlling the line and allow Alfred Morris and Matt Jones run free, Washington can have a lot of success.
Here are tonight’s inactives courtesy of Giants.com. No great surprises here except I count five potential starters on the Giants side. That is a lot of talent to be sitting out...
NEW YORK GIANTS
WR Victor Cruz
TE Jerome Cunningham
DT Markus Kuhn
DE Owa Odighizuwa
CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
Tackle Ereck Flowers
DT Robert Ayers
WASHINGTON
QB Robert Griffin III
WR DeSean Jackson
CB Justin Rogers
LB Perry Riley Jr.
Guard Spencer Long
DE Frank Kearse
Guard Arie Kouandjio
Hello and welcome to our Liveblog on the big NFC East Thursday Night Football matchup between New York and Washington. The division is wide open right now so this should be fun.
Before we get started I want to make clear that I will not be using the Washington team’s nickname in this Liveblog. If you have an issue with that you are free to drop an email complaint at les.carpenter@theguardian.com. If your argument is persuasive enough I might use it on the Liveblog, but not before removing all references to the Washington team nickname.
Les will be here shortly, in the meantime here’s a little something on the new extra-point rule:
Geoff Schwartz is a 340lb New York Giants offensive lineman in his seventhNFL season. As he sat at his locker this week after a practice, he said his job is tougher than ever. A rules change has made it so.
His responsibilities include playing left guard on the Giants’ extra-point unit. Before the NFL altered its rules this season to make an extra-point attempt 13 yards longer – and, it hoped, less automatic – his task involved merely thumping into the defender right in front of him. The play was over so fast, and far less could go wrong.
Now, though Giants kicker Josh Brown has made all four extra-point attempts this season, Schwartz notices that defenses are much more bloodthirsty. The altered rules also include awarding two points for a blocked or muffed extra point returned to the other end zone.
“Oh, guys are coming a little harder,” Schwartz said, “because those two points can make a difference. PATs used to be just five-on-five blocking up front, but now they’re doing more exotic rushes.”
