On the Sunday before Hanukkah and Christmas, the playoff-chasing New York Giants inexplicably played flatter than potato pancakes and ginger bread cookies.
Yet, even more incredibly, they still control their own playoff destiny after losing for the fifth time in six games during the second half of the regular season.
Only now, there’s no more room for error, as New York (7-7) must win its final two regular season games to win the NFC East and reach the postseason after the seven-point underdog Washington Redskins (5-9) scored the first 17 points at MetLife Stadium, and cruised to an easy 23-10 victory over the uninspired Giants, who missed a golden opportunity to move back into a first-place tie with the Dallas Cowboys (8-6).
New York, which entered the game tied for seventh in the NFL in scoring (24.9 points per game) and fourth in passing (304.1 yards per game), matched a season low for points and were held without a touchdown until the final minute while sleepwalking through yet another head-scratching home loss as a favorite in a big game during the era of head coach Tom Coughlin, who once against sits squarely on the hot seat just a week removed from a big win in Dallas.
The offense, though, was far from the only culprit for the Giants, whose defense again failed to show up in a big spot.
The Giants did however, come up with a pair of interceptions of quarterback Rex Grossman (15-24, 185 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, 1 sack) during the Redskins’ first three possessions – including an interception off of a flea flicker by cornerback Corey Webster, 33 yards downfield, on the first play from scrimmage.
A New York three-and-out followed as wide receiver Hakeem Nicks (5 catches, 73 yards), looking back into the early afternoon sun, dropped a sure touchdown catch at the Redskins’ 15-yard line on a long third down pass from quarterback Eli Manning (23-40, 257 yards, 0 TD, 3 INT, 3 sacks), who started a career worst 0-for-6 while failing to throw a touchdown pass for only the fourth time this season.
The Redskins then went 52 yards on ten plays in 5:01 to lead 3-0 on a 36-yard field goal by kicker Graham Gano with 9:14 left in the opening quarter – a period in which the Giants managed their fewest yards in a quarter this season, getting outgained 99-29, while getting just one first down to Washington’s six in the period.
After punts on each of New York’s next two possessions, Washington went 82 yards on 13 plays (including a fourth-down conversion) to extend its lead to 10-0 on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Grossman to wide receiver Santana Moss (2 catches, 40 yards, 1 TD) 1:18 into the second quarter.
One play after finally completing his first pass (to fullback Henry Hynoski – 2 catches, 13 yards), Manning underthrew running back Danny Ware, who had the ball bounce off of him, high into the air, and into the arms of safety Oshiomogho Atogwe (4 tackles, 1 PD, 1 INT), who made a diving grab for an interception just before the ball hit the ground. Atogwe got up and returned the ball 26 yards to the Giants’ 41-yard line.
Although replays showed a clear pick, New York head coach Tom Coughlin unsuccessfully challenged the call, making the coach who was the best at challenging rulings coming into the year just 3-for-10 in challenges this season.
Washington turned that break into another touchdown with a nine-play, 41-yard drive that was capped with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Grossman to undrafted second-year running back Darrel Young, who scored his first touchdown of the season (the second of his career), to extend the Redskins’ lead to a commanding 17-0 with left in the first half.
New York then punted, but held when Washington went for a first down on 4th-and-1 at the Giants’ 32-yard line.
Manning finally helped the Giants move down the field after that, completing passes of 15, 13, and 18 yards to set up a 40-yard field goal by kicker Lawrence Tynes that cut the Redskins’ lead to 17-3 with two seconds left in the half.
Two plays into the second half though, cornerback DeAngelo Hall made a nice left-handed grab to snag a pass that was headed for Nicks, and like Atogwe on his earlier pick, returned the ball 26 yards, to set Washington up at the New York 34-yard line.
Rookie running back Roy Helu (just 53 yards on 23 carries after three straight 100-yard games) was then rushed three straight times for nine yards, leading to 20-3 Redskins lead on a 43-yard field goal by Gano 3:11 into the third quarter,
even though Gano’s kick was tipped at the line of scrimmage by Jason Pierre-Paul (10 tackles, 1 sack), who blocked a field goal in the final seconds to secure New York’s win at first-place Dallas last week.
A 12-play, 49-yard drive, taking 6:21, ensued for the Giants, but that trip ended with New York reaching the red zone only to see Manning sacked before Tynes pushed a 44-yard field goal attempt wide left.
Grossman then completed a pair of 17-yard passes during a ten-play, 59-yard drive that resulted in a 25-yard field goal by Gano and a 23-3 Redskins’ advantage three seconds into the final quarter.
Completions of 34 and 13 yards by Manning helped the Giants reach the Washington 20-yard line, but Manning overthrew Manningham for his third pick of the game as cornerback Josh Wilson made the pick in the far left corner of the end zone after some miscommunication between Manning and Manningham, who started on a fade route toward the corner of the end zone before breaking inside. Manningham couldn’t recover in time once the ball left Manning’s hand.
New York forced a three-and-out and caught a break when Manning heaved a long desperation to Nicks, who got his legs tangled with safety Reed Doughty. A questionable 43-yard pass interference call on the play gave the Giants a 1st-and-goal at the Redskins’ 3-yard line.
But, after Ware juggled the ball while being tackled at the goal line, an initial touchdown was correctly reversed, and Manning was sacked on fourth down.
The Redskins then punted, but first took another 4:50 off the clock, rendering a subsequent 13-play, 77-yard touchdown drive by the Giants meaningless.
Running back Ahmad Bradshaw (10 carries, 58 yards, 1 TD) scored on a three-yard run to pull the Giants to within 23-10, but there were only 33 seconds remaining at that point, leaving New York with nothing left to do but to look ahead at a couple of must-win games over the next two weeks.
Playing as the road team in their own building, the Giants will play their Met Life Stadium co-tenants, the New York Jets (8-6), on Saturday at 1 pm ET, with both teams fighting for their playoff lives.
If the Giants lose, it would finish off their third straight second-half collapse and possibly Coughlin’s tenure in New York.
A win over the Jets though, and the Giants and Cowboys would meet at MetLife Stadium in the regular season finale on New Year’s Day in a winner-take-all battle for the NFC East title.
Given a myriad of key injuries this season and a lone win over a brutal six-week span during the second half, the chance to still control its own destiny is all New York could ask for this holiday season.