The New York Giants faced off against the Carolina Panthers in a highly anticipated Week 10 matchup in Frankfurt, Germany. Despite the excitement surrounding the international game, the team failed to deliver, falling short in all phases of the game. Below is a breakdown of their performance in key areas.
Offense
While some final stats may appear decent, the overall outcome was far from acceptable.
Daniel Jones (22 of 37, 190 yards, 2 INTs) managed to rush for a touchdown but started off poorly, missing a crucial scoring opportunity with Malik Nabers on the opening drive. His passer rating of 50.5 was dismal. Nabers (6 receptions, 50 yards) struggled to gain separation and generate big plays downfield.
His costly fumble in overtime sealed the game for the opposition—a learning moment for him. Jalin Hyatt (4 receptions, 39 yards) finally got involved but wasn’t impactful enough. Jermaine Eluemunor, shifted to left tackle, allowed DJ Wonnum to deliver a crucial hit on Jones. Although the team rushed for 167 yards, three turnovers—two in critical scoring zones—undermined their effort.
Grade: F
Defense
The defense showed once again that it struggles to contain the run, surrendering 188 yards on the ground, averaging 5.9 yards per carry. Chuba Hubbard (28 carries, 153 yards) consistently found success, often breezing past the edge on crack tosses.
Despite an early sack by Brian Burns, Bryce Young (15 of 25, 126 yards, 1 TD) managed to evade pressure and extend plays. The defense allowed an 80-yard touchdown drive immediately after cutting the deficit to 10-7, undermining any momentum. While the second half saw some improvement, with just 116 yards allowed, it wasn’t enough.
Rookie Tyler Nubin (12 tackles) and Dru Phillips displayed strong tackling. Phillips forced a late fumble, recovered by DJ Davidson, but overall, the defense lacked the consistency to keep the team competitive.
Grade: C
Special Teams
In his first game since Week 2, kicker Graham Gano missed a crucial 43-yard field goal early but redeemed himself with a 42-yarder to send the game into overtime.
Punter Jamie Gillan had mixed results, placing two punts inside the 10-yard line but mishitting one in the third quarter, leading to a 13-yard return. He placed four of five punts inside the 20-yard line, showing some reliability.
Ihmir Smith-Marsette committed two critical penalties—unsportsmanlike conduct and unnecessary roughness—after a fair catch, undermining field position and momentum.
Grade: C
Coaching
Questions arise about Brian Daboll’s decision-making, particularly whether he should have considered benching Daniel Jones after a scoreless first half. Daboll admitted fault for calling a third-and-one deep shot in the second half, which ended poorly.
The defensive struggles under Shane Bowen’s guidance were glaring, with consistent issues in setting the edge and stopping outside runs. The inability to adapt and tighten up the run defense ultimately doomed the Giants.
Grade: F
