The New York Giants were shattered by the Dallas Cowboys, 40-0, in their 2023 regular season opener at MetLife Stadium on Sunday night in front of the whole world.
They did nothing right the entire night.
If one wondered about what the worst-case outcome would look like before the game, they didn’t have to wait long to find out. The Giants broke down in all facets of the game — offense, defense and special teams — and seemed as if they were staying still as the speedy Cowboys outhustled and manhandled them all night.
It was bad, for sure, but how bad? Historically bad, that’s how bad.
The shutout loss was only the third at the hands of the Cowboys since 1960. They lost, 35-0, in 1995 and 27-0 in 1996 but in those games, the blowout outcomes were expected.
The largest shutout loss the Giants ever suffered in a regular season game came in 1945, right after World War II when the Philadelphia Eagles handed them a 45-0 beating.
Next up was the ill-fated trip to Oakland in 1973 when the Raiders rocked them, 42-0. This was a complete mismatch as the Raiders were a league power under legendary coach John Madden and the Giants were struggling to find their way in the post-merger era.
Sunday night’s game ranks third on the list. The Giants came into the game with high expectations only to fall flat on their faces.
For the record, other shutout losses of 34 or more points in Giant history:
- 1938 – Detroit 38, Giants 0
- 2012 – Atlanta 34, Giants 0
- 2013 – Carolina 38, Giants 0
Still not convinced this was an all-time beating?
In NFL history, no team has even lost 40-0 (or worse), lost the sack battle 7-0 (or worse), lost the turnover battle 3-0 (or worse), had a field goal blocked and returned for a touchdown and thrown a pick-6 in the same season.
These Giants accomplished that in under four full quarters on Sunday night.
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