The Giants’ season got off to a roaring start on Sunday night as they advanced to the Dallas Cowboys’ 8-yard line in just nine plays. The excitement was palpable!
However, their momentum quickly shifted when Graham Gano’s field goal attempt was blocked and turned into a touchdown by the Cowboys’ Noah Igbinoghene. This unexpected turn of events seemed to curse the Giants and bless the Cowboys. By the end of the game, the Giants had scored a disappointing 0 points while the visiting Cowboys had a whopping 40 points on the board.
“From coaching to playing, we were outperformed in every aspect,” admitted Giants Coach Brian Daboll. He didn’t hold back in describing the game as nothing short of a disaster.
To make matters worse, Daniel Jones, the Giants’ quarterback, struggled with only 104 passing yards, two interceptions, two fumbles (both luckily recovered), and seven sacks. Saquon Barkley, the star running back, couldn’t make much of an impact either with just 51 yards on 12 carries.
In the first half, Dallas managed to take a commanding 26-0 lead without even executing a long touchdown drive. They capitalized on the blocked field goal return, field goals, an interception return, and a short 38-yard drive following another interception. Dak Prescott, the Cowboys’ quarterback, only threw for 143 yards, but it was more than enough to secure the victory.
Interestingly, this marked the fifth lowest passing total for a team winning by 40 or more points in NFL history. The Seattle Seahawks achieved a similar feat in 2005, defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 42-0 with quarterback Matt Hasselbeck throwing for only 98 yards.
While the Giants weren’t expected to win the N.F.C. East after their 9-7-1 playoff season, they also weren’t expected to perform so poorly. Sunday night was an all-around disappointment.
Jones summed it up by saying, “This wasn’t our best game, that’s for sure.” On the bright side, it wasn’t their worst either.
Interestingly, this game wasn’t the Giants’ biggest shutout loss. That distinction goes to their 45-0 defeat against the Eagles in 1948. The New York Times sports section helpfully pointed out the team’s lackluster performance the next morning.
Among all the games in Week 1, when fans have high hopes for their teams, this was the worst for the Giants and the fifth worst overall.
If there’s a glimmer of hope for the Giants (which their fans surely need right now), it can be found in history. Two of the four teams that suffered worse shutout losses in their season opener ended up having successful seasons.
Of course, bad performances can also lead to bad seasons. The 1954 Baltimore Colts, who lost 48-0 to the Los Angeles Rams in their opener, finished the season with a disappointing 3-9 record. Similarly, the 1999 Cleveland Browns started with a 43-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers and finished with a dismal 2-14 record.
However, there are cases where teams bounce back from a disastrous start. The 1989 Steelers recovered from a 51-0 loss to the Browns to end the season with a respectable 9-7 record. Likewise, the 1991 Detroit Lions suffered a crushing 45-0 defeat against Washington but ultimately finished with an impressive 12-4 record. Both teams even won a playoff game. (It’s worth noting that the Lions haven’t won a playoff game since then.)
In the grand scheme of things, Sunday’s performance was far from the worst shutout loss in NFL regular season history. That dubious honor belongs to the Cincinnati Reds, who were trounced by the Eagles by a staggering 64-0 scoreline back in 1934.
Despite the Giants’ lackluster display, they will regroup and face the Cardinals in Arizona next Sunday. Will they be able to turn their fortunes around?
Only time will tell.
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