Category: Giants

Mac Jones, Bailey Zappe, throw same interception as Patriots’ downward spiral continues

The Patriots’ two quarterbacks — Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe — each threw the same horrible interception in a loss to the Giants.

You know the old saying, “If you have two quarterbacks, you really have no quarterbacks?”

That maxim has never been more true that it currently is for the New England Patriots. Bill Belichick’s team continued its horrific downward spiral on Sunday in a 10-7 loss to the Tommy DeVito-led New York Giants, and Belichick’s two quarterbacks — Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe — did something you don’t generally see.

They threw virtually the same type of interception.

As our friend Taylor Kyles points out, both Jones and Zappe threw cross-body intermediate passes into triple coverage, and in both cases, the result was what you’d expect.

I mean… that’s a carbon copy.

Belichick spent most of the week without telling anybody in the public sector who his starting quarterback would be for this game, and you can understand why.

For the game, Jones completed 12 of 21 passes for 89 yards and two interceptions before he was benched at the half, and Zappe completed nine of 14 passes for 54 yards and an interception in relief.

The 2-9 Patriots now have the second overall draft pick position behind the 1-9 Carolina Panthers, who traded their 2024 first-round pick to the Chicago Bears for the right to move up to No. 1 in the 2023 draft. They selected Alabama quarterback Bryce Young with that pick, of course.

We’re assuming that whoever’s in charge in Foxboro next year will be looking similarly at a college quarterback to reboot the franchise.

Giants edge Patriots in puntfest at MetLife

The Patriots missed a late field goal that would have forced OT against the Giants

There were almost as many punts as points in the New York Giants’ 10-7 win over the New England Patriots on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

Mercifully, Randy Bullock hit a 42-yard field goal with 8:09 left to give the Giants the lead.

Even better, Chad Ryland missed a 35-yard field goal as time expired to prevent overtime.

There were 17 points in the game and there were 14 punts.

New England’s Bryce Baldinger kicked six times for 270 yards. The Giants’ Jamie Gillan was called on 8 times and he delivered 363 yards of punts, including a 74-yarder.

The Giants had 220 yards of offense on 50 plays while New England mounted 283 on 68 plays.

Bailey Zappe replaced an ineffective Mac Jones in the second half and led the only TD drive for the Patriots, who fell to 2-9.

This was the NFL’s version of an Iowa Big Ten game.

Tommy DeVito connects with Isaiah Hodgins for Giants score

Tommy DeVito threw a TD pass to give the Giants a lead

Another miracle at the Meadowlands: We have points in the New England Patriots-New York Giants game.

Set up on Sunday at MetLife Stadium when Bobby Okereke returned an interception of a Mac Jones pass 55, yards, Tommy DeVito delivered a TD pass to Isaiah Hodgins.

DeVito should think about trademarking his celebration for merchandise use.

His family was thrilled that the Giants had taken a 7-0 lead.

4-Down Territory: Best/worst coaches, Ohio teams without QBs, Worst of the Week

Next coach fired? Coach of the Year so far? Browns and Bengals without QBs? Worst of the Week? Doug Farrar and Kyle Madson get into it in “4-Down Territory.”

With 11 weeks of actual football in the books for the 2023 NFL season, it’s time for Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire, and Kyle Madson of Niners Wire, to come to the table with their own unique brand of analysis in “4-Down Territory.”

This week, the guys have some serious questions to answer:

  1. Will there be another head coach fired in-season this year?
  2. Who’s the Coach of the Year so far?
  3. Can the Browns or Bengals make it to the postseason without their franchise quarterbacks?
  4. And, what was our Worst of the Week?

You can watch this week’s “4-Down Territory” right here:

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You can listen and subscribe to the “4-Down Territory” podcast on Spotify…

…and on Apple Podcasts.

Giants sweep season series thanks to 6 Commanders turnovers

The Giants have won the season series with the Commanders

Hard to win a football game when you have six turnovers, even if you sack a quarterback 9 times.

Ron Rivera will rue the day his team lost the season series to the New York Giants.

The second defeat was 31-19 on Sunday as Sam Howell accounted for half of Washington’s turnovers with 3 interceptions.

The Commanders have lost seven of nine after winning the first tow games of the season.

The final indignity was a pick-six by Isaiah Simmons. He returned it 54 yards for the score.

Commanders sack Giants QB Tommy DeVito nine times… and lose by 12 points

The Commanders sacked Giants QB Tommy DeVito nine times on Sunday… and lost by 12 points. So go Jack Dal Rio’s coverage concepts.

Give credit to the Washington Commanders’ defensive line for sacking New York Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito nine times on Sunday. Give equal raspberries to the Washington Commanders for blowing enough coverages to allow DeVito to look like a legitimate NFL starter, sacks aside.

The sack total was especially impressive given the fact that Washington recently traded Montez Sweat and Chase Young, its two best outside pass-rushers. Seven different defenders had at least one sack, led by linebacker David Mayo’s two.

But man… when DeVito is able to complete 18 of 26 passes for 246 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 137.7, when he had completed 34 of 51 passes for 260 yards, three touchdowns, three interceptions, and a passer rating of 65.4 in his previous three NFL games in relief of injured quarterbacks Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor… well, we already know that any Jack Del Rio defense will feature more blown coverages than the legal limit should allow, and that happened here.

Tommy DeVito to Saquon Barkley gets Giants on scoreboard

Tommy DeVito throws a TD pass for the New York Giants

Tommy DeVito is looking to have better luck against another NFC East foe than he did against the Dallas Cowboys in his first start.

The undrafted rookie from Illinois found Saquon Barkley in the end zone for a 24-yard touchdown pass on Sunday in the first quarter.

This isn’t the first time DeVito has matched up at QB with Sam Howell.

When he played at Syracuse, DeVito dueled Howell and North Carolina in 2020.

The Tar Heels won that game, 31-6, as Howell threw for 295 yards to DeVito’s 112.

45 years ago: Herman Edwards and the Miracle at the Meadowlands happened

45 years ago, Miracle at the Meadowlands

The date was Nov. 19, 1978. The New York Giants were about to defeat the Philadelphia Eagles at the Meadowlands.

About being the keyword.

The Giants were up 17-12 and set to spoil the Eagles’ hopes for a wild-card spot later in the season.

Rather than taking a knee as the clock ticked below 30 seconds, Joe Piscarcik attempted to hand off to Larry Csonka.

The exchange was botched — it never came close to happening.

Herman Edwards was on the spot and the DB grabbed the football and returned it for a touchdown.

Don Criqui was on the call for CBS, per Wikipedia

“It’s Giants football now, third and two. We thank our producer Bob Rowe, our director Jim Silman, and our CBS crew, spotter and statistician John Mara and Tom McHugh here at Giants Stadium. As the clock winds out on the Philadelphia Eagles, a game they thought would project them into a possible wildcard position, it would bring them 7–5 had they won, but a late interception by the Giants will preserve a Giant victory, an upset win as the Giants lead 17–12, we’re inside 30 seconds, the Eagles have no timeouts. [At this point, the snap and fumble take place.] Wait a minute… here’s a free fla- I don’t believe it! The Eagles pick it up and Herman Edwards runs it in for a touchdown! An incredible development!”

The Eagles won 19-17 and Pisarcik and the Giants became a page in NFL infamy.

Worst of the Week for Week 10: Patriots and Giants bottom out, more bad officiating, Frank Reich

Frank Reich, the Patriots and Giants find the bottom, more horrid officiating, and one weird fumble return. It’s time for the NFL’s Worst of the Week!

Football is a wonderful, thrilling, inspiring game that can lift us to new heights in our lives.

But football is also a weird, inexplicable, at times downright stupid game that may force you to perform Keith Moon-level furniture destruction in your own living room.

So, as much as we at Touchdown Wire endeavor to write about what makes the game great, there are also times when it’s important to point out the dumb plays, boneheaded decisions, and officiating errors that make football all too human.

Folks, it’s time for the Worst of the Week for Week 10 of the 2023 NFL season.

Cowboys’ Neville Gallimore ejected from game for kicking Giants’ Justin Pugh in groin

Neville Galimore of the Cowboys kicked the Giants’ Justin Pugh in the groin

The game on Sunday between the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys had long been decided. Neville Gallimore of the Cowboys used poor judgment in its final minutes and it will cost him, a fine for sure and possibly more.

Galimore came close to sacking Giants QB Tommy DeVito. He came up short but knocked the third-string QB down.

Big Blue offensive lineman Justin Pugh took offense and pushed Galimore.

The Cowboys’ defensive lineman reacted in an ill-advised manner, kicking Pugh in the groin.

Gallimore was ejected from the game. We’re sure he will be hearing from the league office this week.