The Giants got a gift prior to kickoff today with Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer listed as a last-minute scratch. Surely, the Giants would not waste this chance to feast on an ill-prepared backup, Drew Stanton, right?
You should know better than to believe that the Giants would ever make it easy on themselves. Inexplicable mistakes would become contagious late as the Giants would turn a 14-10 fourth quarter lead into a 25-14 loss. And it had more to do with the Giants’ inability to get out of their own way than it was a short-handed Cardinals team taking it to them.
New York Fourth Quarter Meltdown
Let’s Start With the Positive: Eli Manning (26/39; 277 YDs/2 TDs/2 INT) . He got hot midway through the second quarter and started to look like the kind of 70 percent triggerman that the Giants think he has the potential to be. Both picks weren’t really his fault (yeah, yeah, yeah…) and he had the offense moving at a much cleaner pace than he did last Monday night. The offense didn’t look hopeless, and right now, that’s pretty much all they have going for them.
Let’s Start With the Positive, Part II: Jason Pierre-Paul looks healthy. This is a major help in rediscovering the pass-rush. Chipping in with a sack and a half, the Giants managed to down Stanton four times on the day.
Let’s Start With the Positive, Part III: Tight end Larry Donnell had himself a nice little coming out party. This position has been in a state of constant flux ever since Kevin Boss was here. Who knows if this is the start of a notable career is up for debate, of course, but he was clearly Eli’s most trusted weapon on the day, hauling in seven catches for 81 yards. He needed to be there because…
Cruz Didn’t Back Up His Words: In a time-honored tradition popularized by Keyshawn Johnson and countless others, it’s only a matter of time before a receiver starts barking about getting thrown the damn ball. There was only one problem. Cruz dropped three balls in the fourth that would’ve gone a very long way in stopping the avalanche of awfulness from even starting. Especially since one of the drops was immediately followed by Ted Ginn, Jr. speeding 71 yards turning a 14-13 lead into a 19-14 deficit.
And it Got Worse: Quintin Demps would fumble on the kickoff, Arizona added three. 22-14. And with the Giants mounting a last-ditch attempt to send the game into overtime, Rashad Jennings’ feet somehow went out from under him at the Cardinals 15 yard-line, causing him to cough up the ball and the Cardinals would put the game away with another field-goal.
Up Next: The Houston Texans with Arian Foster, who is going bonkers today. Giants fans can’t have nice things.
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