ORCHARD PARK — To tug off a gargantuan upset, the Giants needed to reverse just about all the bad trends they established of their first five games of the season.
They’d lost 4 of them and been blown out in every one in all them.
The Giants weren’t blown out Sunday night.
Additionally they didn’t win, coming 1 yard short, despite battling with the heavily favored Bills on near-even terms.
A totally botched offensive sequence at the tip of the primary half cost the Giants priceless points, an egregious error that proved costly in a 14-9 loss at Highmark Stadium.
This one went to the wire.
From the Buffalo 1-yard line, with one untimed play after time expired because the Bills were called for pass interference in the long run zone, Tyrod Taylor faked a handoff to Saquon Barkley and threw a jump ball to 6-foot-6 tight end Darren Waller.
Waller couldn’t disengage from Taron Johnson, the ball sailed over his reach and that was that.
With Taylor starting at quarterback instead of injured Daniel Jones, points were at a premium and the Giants — for the fourth time in six games — failed to supply an offensive touchdown.
That was not going to chop it against the Bills, because the Giants dropped to 1-5 with their first competitive loss, but a loss nonetheless.
The Giants were outscored 94-15 of their first three prime-time games this season and their minus-91 scoring margin was the worst within the league.
This was an improved product on defense and special teams but not on offense, even with Barkley returning after missing three games with a high ankle sprain.
This was not a sack-fest on Taylor but a team must get into the tip zone to win and the Giants couldn’t do it.
Taylor finished 24 of 36 for 200 yards and he was sacked thrice.
The Giants, inexcusably, blew an enormous likelihood to take control of the sport within the waning seconds of the primary half.
Leading 6-0, they’d the ball at their very own 41-yard line with 2:23 remaining after a Micah McFadden interception (off a deflection by Bobby Okereke) and a 30-yard lob from Taylor to Darius Slayton created an actual scoring threat.
A pass interference penalty on cornerback Kaiir Elam put the ball on the Buffalo 1-yard line with 14 seconds left within the half however the Giants were out of timeouts.
There was not enough time for a failed rushing attempt but there was time for one or two passes before settling for a field goal.
Incredibly, Taylor handed the ball off to Barkley, who ran to the suitable and was dropped for no gain.
The Giants rushed to the road to run one other play but time expired.
Because the Bills gleefully ran off the sphere, coach Brian Daboll, animated and incensed, lit into Taylor.
The Giants weren’t going to pitch a shutout and held onto their six-point lead for so long as they may.
The Bills put together a mammoth 17-play, 89-yard drive that took 9:58 off the clock, finally cashing in when Josh Allen hit Deonte Harty on a 3-yard touchdown pass on the primary play of the fourth quarter to go ahead 7-6.
Barkley was in a position to carry the ball 24 times and he gained 93 yards.
He broke free on runs of 19 and 34 yards that led to Graham Gano’s third field goal and the Giants were ahead 9-7 with 10:35 left.
That didn’t last long.
Allen, heating up, ended a 75-yard drive by throwing across his body and finding tight end Quintin Morris, who eluded safety Dane Belton, for a 15-yard scoring toss to place the Bills up 14-9 with 3:48 remaining.
Taylor’s desperation fourth-down pass to Slayton was broken up with 1:45 to go.
Tyler Bass missed a 53-yard field goal with 1:25 left to provide the Giants life.
They fell just short.
Jones hurting and missing games is nothing recent for the Giants.
He was out for 2 games in 2019 and two more in 2020 with sprained ankles and missed the ultimate six games in 2021 with a neck issue.
With this loss, the Giants are actually 2-9 in games played with Jones on the sideline with an injury.
Justin Pugh, signed 11 days earlier, began at left guard but he didn’t remain there very long.
Josh Ezeudu went down with a toe injury midway through the primary quarter, creating an emergency situation for a line already without injured starters Andrew Thomas at left tackle and rookie John Michael Schmitz at center.
Pugh had to maneuver to left tackle, a position he has not played regularly since his 2013 rookie yr.
After not forcing a turnover in the primary 4 games, the Giants suddenly have turn out to be thieves.
They forced their fourth in a five-quarter span when Okereke punched the ball away from Gabe Davis and McFadden recovered the fumble on the Giants’ 44-yard line.
Due to a 30-yard Taylor lob to Slayton, the Giants were in a position to get to the Buffalo 8-yard line but their line was dominated within the red zone and Graham Gano’s 29-yard field goal gave the Giants their first first-half lead of the season.
The Giants’ defense didn’t allow Allen to get comfortable and he was either bothered or not sharp, or a mixture of each.
Third-down pressure by Okereke led to a three-and-out and pursuit by Kayvon Thibodeaux forced one other Allen misfire.
Tyler Bass missed a 52-yard field goal, giving the Giants good field position on their 42-yard line.
A 20-yard reception for Darren Waller and an 11-yard toss from Taylor to Wan’Dale Robinson on third-and-9 pumped life right into a drive that then fizzled and Gano’s 43-yard field goal put the Giants’ lead at 6-0.
It didn’t last.
ORCHARD PARK — To tug off a gargantuan upset, the Giants needed to reverse just about all the bad trends they established of their first five games of the season.
They’d lost 4 of them and been blown out in every one in all them.
The Giants weren’t blown out Sunday night.
Additionally they didn’t win, coming 1 yard short, despite battling with the heavily favored Bills on near-even terms.
A totally botched offensive sequence at the tip of the primary half cost the Giants priceless points, an egregious error that proved costly in a 14-9 loss at Highmark Stadium.
This one went to the wire.
From the Buffalo 1-yard line, with one untimed play after time expired because the Bills were called for pass interference in the long run zone, Tyrod Taylor faked a handoff to Saquon Barkley and threw a jump ball to 6-foot-6 tight end Darren Waller.
Waller couldn’t disengage from Taron Johnson, the ball sailed over his reach and that was that.
With Taylor starting at quarterback instead of injured Daniel Jones, points were at a premium and the Giants — for the fourth time in six games — failed to supply an offensive touchdown.
That was not going to chop it against the Bills, because the Giants dropped to 1-5 with their first competitive loss, but a loss nonetheless.
The Giants were outscored 94-15 of their first three prime-time games this season and their minus-91 scoring margin was the worst within the league.
This was an improved product on defense and special teams but not on offense, even with Barkley returning after missing three games with a high ankle sprain.
This was not a sack-fest on Taylor but a team must get into the tip zone to win and the Giants couldn’t do it.
Taylor finished 24 of 36 for 200 yards and he was sacked thrice.
The Giants, inexcusably, blew an enormous likelihood to take control of the sport within the waning seconds of the primary half.
Leading 6-0, they’d the ball at their very own 41-yard line with 2:23 remaining after a Micah McFadden interception (off a deflection by Bobby Okereke) and a 30-yard lob from Taylor to Darius Slayton created an actual scoring threat.
A pass interference penalty on cornerback Kaiir Elam put the ball on the Buffalo 1-yard line with 14 seconds left within the half however the Giants were out of timeouts.
There was not enough time for a failed rushing attempt but there was time for one or two passes before settling for a field goal.
Incredibly, Taylor handed the ball off to Barkley, who ran to the suitable and was dropped for no gain.
The Giants rushed to the road to run one other play but time expired.
Because the Bills gleefully ran off the sphere, coach Brian Daboll, animated and incensed, lit into Taylor.
The Giants weren’t going to pitch a shutout and held onto their six-point lead for so long as they may.
The Bills put together a mammoth 17-play, 89-yard drive that took 9:58 off the clock, finally cashing in when Josh Allen hit Deonte Harty on a 3-yard touchdown pass on the primary play of the fourth quarter to go ahead 7-6.
Barkley was in a position to carry the ball 24 times and he gained 93 yards.
He broke free on runs of 19 and 34 yards that led to Graham Gano’s third field goal and the Giants were ahead 9-7 with 10:35 left.
That didn’t last long.
Allen, heating up, ended a 75-yard drive by throwing across his body and finding tight end Quintin Morris, who eluded safety Dane Belton, for a 15-yard scoring toss to place the Bills up 14-9 with 3:48 remaining.
Taylor’s desperation fourth-down pass to Slayton was broken up with 1:45 to go.
Tyler Bass missed a 53-yard field goal with 1:25 left to provide the Giants life.
They fell just short.
Jones hurting and missing games is nothing recent for the Giants.
He was out for 2 games in 2019 and two more in 2020 with sprained ankles and missed the ultimate six games in 2021 with a neck issue.
With this loss, the Giants are actually 2-9 in games played with Jones on the sideline with an injury.
Justin Pugh, signed 11 days earlier, began at left guard but he didn’t remain there very long.
Josh Ezeudu went down with a toe injury midway through the primary quarter, creating an emergency situation for a line already without injured starters Andrew Thomas at left tackle and rookie John Michael Schmitz at center.
Pugh had to maneuver to left tackle, a position he has not played regularly since his 2013 rookie yr.
After not forcing a turnover in the primary 4 games, the Giants suddenly have turn out to be thieves.
They forced their fourth in a five-quarter span when Okereke punched the ball away from Gabe Davis and McFadden recovered the fumble on the Giants’ 44-yard line.
Due to a 30-yard Taylor lob to Slayton, the Giants were in a position to get to the Buffalo 8-yard line but their line was dominated within the red zone and Graham Gano’s 29-yard field goal gave the Giants their first first-half lead of the season.
The Giants’ defense didn’t allow Allen to get comfortable and he was either bothered or not sharp, or a mixture of each.
Third-down pressure by Okereke led to a three-and-out and pursuit by Kayvon Thibodeaux forced one other Allen misfire.
Tyler Bass missed a 52-yard field goal, giving the Giants good field position on their 42-yard line.
A 20-yard reception for Darren Waller and an 11-yard toss from Taylor to Wan’Dale Robinson on third-and-9 pumped life right into a drive that then fizzled and Gano’s 43-yard field goal put the Giants’ lead at 6-0.
It didn’t last.
