big blew it

Big Blue was back in primetime last night as they hosted a "whiteout" for all fans in attendance. But what felt like the most important game at MetLife in the last decade resulted in a massive letdown.

The Giants defense looked lost early on, letting Jayden Daniels shred them up and down the field throughout the first two quarters, including a last-second TD pass to end the first half. On the other side of the ball, the offense actually looked great. JJ McCarthy looked comfortable, Skattebo was balling with 72 yards and a touchdown in the first half, and Likely seemed to be open on every play.

Things flipped in the third quarter as the defense began to turn things around, forcing a few quick three-and-outs. Meanwhile, Skattebo continued to run through defenders and gave the Giants the lead with his second TD. Washington responded with another score, but the Giants weren't done yet. Likely caught a crossing route with eight minutes to go and took it all the way to the house for a 66-yard touchdown.

(image via nygiants.com)

After two crucial INTs thrown by Daniels, it looked like the Giants might finally be able to pull this one out. However, the Commanders broke through on an in-breaking route as Diggs scored the go-ahead touchdown. And a last-second interception thrown by McCarthy ended any hopes of a comeback for the G-Men.

As I watched this game and went through the highs and lows in real time, I took notes, and despite the loss, there was some good. The first thing that comes to mind was the safety play. Ar'Darius Washington, who took the starting strong safety gig from Tyler Nubin, played his best game as a Giant. He had seven tackles, two pass deflections, and a big interception late. And the Giant's free safety Jevon Holland continued his Pro Bowl caliber season, adding another pick to his total.

I also have to mention Cam Skattebo, who came back from his hamstring injury with a big chip on his shoulder. After showing up to the game in an Iron Man mask (yes, that's real, look it up), he totaled 122 yards and scored twice.

(image via Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

Now to the negatives.

My biggest negative in this game was the playcalling. The Giants made too many questionable decisions in situations where they could have put the game away. The designed run with JJ McCarthy on third-and-short late in the fourth, specifically, was a head-scratcher. On a night when Skatt was averaging over four yards a carry, why not give him another opportunity to pick up the first down?

The other play that sticks out came later on the Giants' own 11-yard line. On a fourth-and-inches, the Giants trotted out Jameis Winston for a tush push, but rather than actually snap the ball, Jameis sang "Who Let the Dogs Out" by the Baha Men. (Again, yes, that's real. Look it up.) But Head Coach John Harbaugh later said he had no real intention of going for it.

My question is, why?

Of course, going for it from the shadow of your own goalpost is never ideal. But in a situation where all you need is an inch, with a 6-foot-4 quarterback, and an opportunity to put the game on ice isn't the risk worth it? Not to mention you have a defense that had played well in the red zone all night long. In my eyes, the worst-case scenario was Washington scoring and being down three with all three timeouts and three minutes left to play. But instead, the Giants essentially handed the ball back to Washington, giving them a chance they wouldn't have otherwise had.

There are so many frustrating takeaways from this one, with the most obvious being that a win would have all but secured the NFC East for Big Blue. Now, the Giants have a four-game gauntlet ahead of them as they look to reset and begin to extend their lead in the division.

They'll have ten days to get ready for the red-hot Jacksonville Jaguars, in CBS's Game of the Week on November 22nd at 4:25 pm.