Giants offense stalls in late drive against Washington
Jameis Winston’s failed sneak and a missed field goal by Dominic Zvada sealed a 24-21 defeat for New York on Thursday night.
By Julia Wang ·
The New York Giants lost to the Washington Commanders 24-21 on Thursday night after failing to protect a fourth-quarter lead. The Giants held a 21-17 advantage with under six minutes remaining, but defensive stops by Washington handed the ball back to New York on two separate occasions. The Giants’ offense was unable to convert those opportunities into points or sufficient time consumption, leaving the team vulnerable to a final drive.
The defensive unit forced two interceptions, the first with 5:27 left in the fourth quarter and the second with 2:15 remaining. On the first of those two possessions, running back Cam Skattebo carried the ball for nine yards. The drive ended when quarterback Jameis Winston was stopped short on a third-and-one play. A replay confirmed the ball did not cross the goal line. On the final possession, the Giants attempted to advance the ball down the field rather than simply setting up a field goal attempt to force overtime.
Kickoff specialist Dominic Zvada missed a 33-yard field goal attempt, pushing the ball wide left. The miss was his sixth failure in nine games. Only Harrison Butker of the Kansas City Chiefs has missed more field goals in the current season. Zvada, 23, acknowledged the error immediately. “It’s just inexcusable,” Zvada said. “It’s a PAT. I make those.”
Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels completed 14 passes for 227 yards and one touchdown in the win. He was sacked once on 33 pass attempts. Daniels also rushed 11 times for 28 yards. The winning score came on a 32-yard pass to wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Daniels is now 5-0-1 against the Giants in his career. He threw two interceptions in the game, his first two of the season, but otherwise avoided pressure from the Giants’ defensive line.
The Giants’ offensive line allowed Daniels to escape the pocket with relative ease. The team gave up multiple opportunities that resulted in first downs. The final score reflects the impact of the late-game stops and the missed kick. The Giants will look to adjust their fourth-quarter strategy as they prepare for their next matchup.
The Commanders’ defense recorded two critical takeaways in the closing minutes. Those stops provided Washington with the ball in a position to score. The Giants’ inability to move the chains on their final two drives proved decisive in the outcome of the game.
