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This is ordinarily the part where I detail some of the key plays, the plays that directly influenced the ebb and flow of the game.
But for the New York Giants, there was just one key play -- maybe two -- that set this game on the course to being one of the worst, sloppiest games in recent memory.
It all started out so brightly with the Giants. They efficiently shredded the Eagles' defense, leaving their heads spinning as Rashad Jennings gashed the on the ground and Eli Manning dissected them through the air. First going 5-for-5 with an opening touchdown, then 10-for-10 following a quick three-and-out.
But on Eli's 11th pass, it all fell apart.
It was a great pass from Eli to Larry Donnell. It was perfectly on time and on target, placed only where Donnell could get it. However Donnell failed to reach out and snatch the ball out of the air, instead letting the ball into his chest/gut. Because the ball wasn't really in Donnell's hands, he wasn't able to immediately secure it as he was tackled.
Ordinarily, that detail would be concerning, but ultimately academic.
However, this time it resulted in the end of the Giants' night. Or at least the beginning of the end. Because when Donnell was tackled, DeMeco Ryan was able to get a hand inside and pry the ball away in what was ultimately an interception charged to Manning.
That turnover was the pebble rolling down the mountain that ultimately turned into an avalanche of bad play.
The defense promptly stepped back up and got off the field on third down. That was until Dumb Damontre reared his ugly head with a horrific roughing the passer the penalty that directly led to a touchdown.
Then the avalanche took over as poor play and mental mistakes by the Giants allowed the Eagles to score 27 unanswered points, despite the Giants taking the ball away four times themselves (including interceptions by Jayron Hosley and Landon Collins).
As a side note -- because no Giants fan really has the right to complain about the officiating with the team doing plenty to sabotage their season -- the NFL needs to take a look at their officiating. The Giants had two drives killed by blown calls (one bad spot, one blatantly missed defensive pass interference), and then had an Eagles drive extended -- wiping out a safety from Damontre Moore -- when the officials didn't afford the Giants the time to substitute while the Eagles substituted. These are simply added on to the litany of poor officiating performances this year.