The only thing missing Sunday in Atlanta was a plane.
Joe Schoen’s and Brian Daboll’s Giants set a new franchise record with a 10th straight loss in blowout fashion, 34-7.
The Falcons‘ domed Mercedes-Benz Stadium saved co-owner John Mara from watching a third plane fly overhead with another mandate to fire his GM and head coach and start over.
But Mara can expect another one next weekend when the Giants (2-13) aim for the first 0-9 home record in NFL history and the first winless Giants season at home since 1974.
True to this team’s pathetic identity, they didn’t just lose on Sunday. They got embarrassed.
Falcons defensive players Jessie Bates III and Matthew Judon both returned Drew Lock interceptions for touchdowns, marking Atlanta’s second-ever game with two pick-sixes as a franchise.
Michael Penix Jr., a quarterback the Giants passed on in April, played capably to beat them in his first-ever NFL start. Running back Bijan Robinson rushed for two touchdowns and had no problem gaining yards when he needed them.
A nervous Schoen claimed “we’re not far off” on Nov. 12 during the Giants’ bye week, when the team shut down and then released franchise quarterback Daniel Jones.
Since then, the Giants have lost five games by a combined score of 140-59. But those stats don’t even tell the true story of how bad it’s been. They’ve scored 32 of those points in fourth quarters, 24 of them during garbage time of blowouts.
So this is not a typo: the Giants have scored 27 total points in the first three quarters of their last five games.
Daboll’s offense committed five penalties and a turnover on downs on Sunday’s final drive for good measure. Malik Nabers undercut setting the Giants’ rookie receptions record with two more illegal shift penalties and only seven catches on 14 targets.
Michael Ghobrial’s special teams unit also had a punt blocked.
That’s 2024 Giants bingo: All three phases unacceptably bad.
How Mara is actually considering bringing either this GM or coach back is unthinkable.
The first plane that flew over MetLife Stadium on Dec. 8 before a loss to the Saints carried a banner that read: “MR MARA ENOUGH – PLZ FIX THIS DUMPSTER FIRE.”
Another plane flew over MetLife before last week’s loss to the Ravens with a stronger message streaming behind it: ‘MR. MARA ENOUGH. WE WON’T STOP UNTIL YOU FIRE EVERYONE.’
On Dec. 10, 1978, a fan flew a rented plane overhead during a win over the St. Louis Cardinals with a sign that read: “15 Yrs of Lousy Football….We’ve Had Enough.”
Who would have thought that the dysfunction of those dark days would only be topped during the organization’s 100th season?
Don’t worry: they have two more games against the Colts and Eagles to make this even worse.
