10-34. That’s what the New York Giants record has been since the 2017 season. What does that equate to? A lot of losing and a lot of frustration over the course of three seasons.
And on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, it was no different as the Giants dropped their eighth straight of the season and lost, 31-13, which put them at 2-10 and in sole possession of last place in the NFC East.
With the loss, the Giants were officially eliminated from all playoff contention — not that many people thought that they were going to the postseason at this point anyway.
Now the focus shifts to where the Giants will land for the 2020 NFL Draft, as they are currently in the driver’s seat for the second overall pick and just one game back for the first pick. It’s not something the fan base wants to see, but when you’re 2-10, that’s what happens.
Following the loss to the Packers, whose stock was up and down for the Giants?
Stock up: Saquon Barkley
After facing repeated questions surrounding his health, Barkley really looked like the guy we all saw last year against Green Bay.
He ran for 83 yards and had 32 receiving yards, giving him 115 total yards and his first 100-plus yard game since the loss against the Detroit Lions back in October.
Whether Barkley will ever be fully healthy or not remains to be seen, but on Sunday, he sure looked healthy enough to be effective.
Stock down: Daniel Jones
Yes, it was the first time Jones was playing in the snow and in the elements of New Jersey in December.
But in the end, Jones struggled. While Aaron Rodgers was thriving in the elements at MetLife Stadium, Jones didn’t.
Aside from the one touchdown pass he had, Jones threw three interceptions and had another fumble, although he didn’t lose it this time.
All in all, it’s a learning experience for him and one he should strive to improve from.
Stock up: Aldrick Rosas
A streak ended for Rosas on Sunday, and likely one he wanted to put behind him anyway.
Rosas had five straight games where he missed at least one kick, whether it be a field goal or an extra point. A week ago, Rosas missed two field goals, and ultimately, those six points were the deciding factor in a five-point loss.
Against the Packers, Rosas was perfect, as he made his only extra point attempt and nailed two field goals, one from 27 and the other from 45 yards.
Stock down: Antoine Bethea
Bethea had a couple of key tackles in the game on Sunday, but his play in coverage was noticeably bad.
Bethea was burned several times by Aaron Rodgers and was in the area of three of his four touchdown passes.
Bethea is 35 and has a dead cap bit of $125,000 if he is released after the season. While he’s had a solid career, Bethea hasn’t worked out like most had hoped and for the better part of the season, has looked like an aging veteran who is well beyond his prime.
Stock up: Kaden Smith
A week ago, Smith made his debut for the Giants and caught his very first NFL touchdown pass against the Chicago Bears.
This week against the Packers, Smith continued to show how reliable he can be in the passing game, as he caught six passes for 70 yards and lead all Giants receivers in both categories.
With Evan Engram and Rhett Ellison both dealing with injuries, Smith has really shown that he deserves more of a look long-term in the offense and continues to get better each week.
Stock down: James Bettcher
When he came over from the Arizona Cardinals, Bettcher was expected to transform the Giants’ defense back into a hard-hitting unit that made plays and got stops.
It has been anything but that with him running the defensive unit. For the seventh time in 12 games, the Giants defense allowed 30-plus points. The defense also did not record a single sack on Aaron Rodgers, which shows the lack of pass rush and the ability to even generate one.
But now the Giants have an even bigger problem to deal with — having a veteran player in Janoris Jenkins publicly criticizing his defensive coordinator for his scheme, as he was upset over not shadowing the opponent’s best receiver.
Granted, at times, Jenkins has been inconsistent, but he’s also been the Giants’ best corner all season. And it would likely help the team’s chances if they had Jenkins shadowing like he has done in the past.
All in all, it’s been a disaster with Bettcher running the defense and it wouldn’t come as a shock if he were to be relieved of his coaching duties in four weeks time.
