Giants news, 12/6: Underdogs again, Daboll, Love, more headlines

Good morning, New York Giants fans!

Giants-Commanders ‘Kudos & Wet Willies’ review: Disappointing tie is tough to grade

The Giants’ offense, though, came up short, according to BBV’s Ed Valentine. Saquon Barkley (18 carries, 63 yards) averaged only 3.5 yards per carry. The Feliciano play, the Slayton miss, the botched third-and-3 in overtime all cost the Giants opportunities.

The Giants have issues in the interior of their offensive line and don’t have enough explosive play makers at wide receiver, but I am left to wonder where the creativity has gone. The Giants seem to be playing vanilla, low-risk offense. I am sure that’s on purpose, and what Daboll and Mike Kafka feel is best with the personnel they have. I just keep waiting for, and wanting, something more.

From Big Blue View

• Giants injury updates: Leonard Williams, Adoree’ Jackson, Xavier McKinney, more
• Giants-Eagles odds: New York nearly a touchdown underdog
• Giants vs. Commanders flexed to Sunday Night Football in Week 15
• Giants vs. Commanders, Week 13: Stats and analytics from a frustrating tie
• Rodarius Williams, Tae Crowder of Giants go public with playing time complaints
• PFF stats and snap counts: What did we learn about the Giants from Week 13?
• Giants-Commanders: 5 plays that led to a 20-20 tie
• Our best homegating tips for Giants fans during the holidays

Other Giant observations

Jon Feliciano rip refs, but Giants made too many mistakes to earn win vs. Commanders | The Athletic

Yet, over and over again, the Giants did things Sunday to make it too close for comfort. And as a result, instead of heading into next weekend’s showdown against the 11-1 Eagles with a much-needed victory in hand, they left Sunday’s overtime affair with their first tie in 25 years.

The details were their undoing. The Feliciano penalty might be the most glaring error because of its easy controversy, but on Sunday, the Giants couldn’t find it within themselves to finish off a Commander's team on the ropes.

Daboll on why he used his second timeout in OT

Giants head coach Brian Daboll on overtime punt, play calls | WFAN.com

“Look, the decision that we made, I’m good with it. I felt comfortable with [it], and we went down, we almost ended up getting the ball out of them. Had a chance at the end. Could have had a little bit closer, but that’s a decision based on where we were at on the field, the time of the game and the situation that we’re in that we felt was best.”

How Giants-Commanders tie affects NFC East playoff odds | ESPN

The Commanders have a 60.1 percent chance of making the postseason at this point, according to ESPN Analytics. The Giants now have a 56.8 percent chance of breaking their five-year playoff drought. Heading into the contest it was 63 percent for Washington to make the postseason, 59 percent for the Giants. So both teams’ chances dipped ever so slightly.

Why Giants’ Brian Daboll isn’t considering taking over offensive play calling | nj.com

NFL Week 13 grades: Giants, Washington play average football | CBSSports.com

Long-term implications of Giants’ tie with Commanders TBD | Giants.com

Giants’ Xavier McKinney ‘feeling good’ about hand injury, could return Sunday | NJ.com

“I think there’s always a chance” McKinney told NJ Advance Media. “But knowing me, knowing how I am, obviously it’s killing me that I can’t be out here with the guys right now. Whatever I can do to get back, that’s what I’m going to do.”

The other puzzling Giants moment from tie that will be scrutinized | New York Post

Winners and Losers of NFL Week 13 | The Ringer

Obviously, both the Giants and Commanders could have improved their individual playoff chances with a win. But what if you’re someone whose primary rooting interest is getting all four NFC East teams into the playoffs? (Surely, this person is a TV executive.) Sunday was perfect. Washington is now last in the NFC East, but only a half game out of the seventh playoff spot.

This week’s opponent

NFL Week 13 grades: Eagles get an 'A+' for destroying Titans | CBSSports.com

A+ Eagles. Another MVP performance from Jalen Hurts, as he became the first player in franchise history to throw for 350 yards, throw for three touchdowns, and rush for a touchdown in a game. Hurts knew how much the game against the Titans meant to A.J. Brown as the duo hooked up for two touchdowns -- one for 40 and one for 29 yards in the win. The Eagles defense was just as dominant as the offense, sacking Ryan Tannehill six times and holding Derrick Henry to 11 carries for 30 yards. The Titans had just 209 yards of offense on the day. Philadelphia looks like the best team in the NFL with Sunday being one of the biggest statement wins that you're going to find.

Jalen Hurts’ big outing against the Titans should scare the rest of the NFC | SBNation.com

Because Hurts put together perhaps his most complete game as a passer this season, completing 29 of 39 passes for 380 yards and 3 touchdowns, without an interception. Beyond the numbers was how Hurts crafted this performance, as the Eagles were explosive in the vertical passing game, with Hurts making a number of impressive reads and throws from the pocket.

Also notable? How their success in the air, after last week’s success on the ground, is a window into how dangerous they are as a team.

Spadaro: 6 takeaways from a dominating TEAM win over the Titans | PhiladelphiaEagles.com

The defense stomped all over the Titans with a vicious pass rush and some outstanding point-of-attack power against Henry and a Tennessee running game that was the bread and butter of the Titans' offense. All week the Eagles' defensive players heard how physical the Titans were and about how it would be a challenge for the Eagles to match Tennessee.

"That bothers you a little bit," linebacker Haason Reddick said after he recorded a sack and 4 quarterbacks hits. "We're physical. We're 11-1. We're coming after you. That's what we wanted to do today. We went after the Titans. We didn't let them breathe. We swarmed them."

Mobile Quarterbacks Evolution | ProFootballNetwork.com

Of the top 10 single-season QB rushing attempts list, eight have come since 2017. There has been an explosion in their usage, spearheaded by the Baltimore Ravens and Lamar Jackson. Between the Ravens QB, Jalen Hurts, Cam Newton, and Kyler Murray, they hold the eight highest spots. It takes 133 attempts to sneak onto the list, and Hurts, Jackson, and Justin Fields are all on pace to make it.

In fact, Fields and Hurts are on pace to break the record, and Jackson is on pace to be just shy of his record 176 attempts. With the passing game inching closer and closer to the line of scrimmage and with the invasion of RPOs at the NFL level, mobile quarterbacks ask more questions than a defense can answer. The numbers simply aren’t there to defend everything consistently.

Around the league

Panthers waive struggling QB Baker Mayfield | ESPN.com

With the move, Mayfield will be available on waivers to the other 31 NFL teams. If he goes unclaimed by 4 p.m. ET Tuesday, he will become an unrestricted free agent. Among the teams possibly looking to add a veteran quarterback are the San Francisco 49ers, who lost starter Jimmy Garoppolo for the season Sunday to a broken ankle, and the Baltimore Ravens, who could be without Lamar Jackson (knee) for a few weeks.

Dolphins sign veteran OT Eric Fisher; Austin Jackson headed to injured reserve | NFL.com

Week 13 NFL playoff picture: Buccaneers can take commanding lead in NFC South - ProFootballTalk

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