Giants @ Panthers
Final Score: Panthers 20, Giants 17 (OT)
Munich, Germany
Writer: Brett Ford (@FadeThatMan)
With Election Day finally over, NFL fans surely thought that we were done with competitions like this one. Well, for the second time this week, two groups met trying to prove that one of them was slightly less inept than the other on the national — or in this case the international — stage. The Carolina Panthers led for nearly the entire game, but the New York Giants posted a pair of second-half scoring drives, including a game-tying field goal drive in the final two minutes to force extra time. In overtime however, the Giants make a costly mistake resulting in a turnover, effectively handing the win to the Panthers. Let’s dig in.
Two Up
- Chuba Hubbard – The end-all-be-all of the Panthers offense. It begins and ends with Chuba.
- Jalen Coker – Coker continues to ascend and expand his role within this passing game.
Two Down
- Daniel Jones – If Drew Lock isn’t starting next week’s game, it will only be because ownership doesn’t want to admit defeat on the guy they paid $160,000,000.
- Tyrone Tracy Jr. – Despite the explosiveness and playmaking ability, his lack of ball security proved extremely costly and may ruin his shot at sustaining a large role in the offense.
New York Giants
Quarterback
Daniel Jones: 22/37, 190 Yards, 2 INT | 7 Carries, 26 Yards, TD
Daniel Jones is so frustrating to watch because he has the ability to be a league-average quarterback, but he just can’t figure it out. On several plays, Jones had time and space to deliver a good pass to his receiver and just couldn’t deliver the ball to the right place. Either he air-mailed it (like he did to Malik Nabers on the first drive) or just didn’t throw the ball (the third-quarter flea flicker where Wan’dale Robinson was ALONE deep down the right side). It’s difficult to identify what the issue is, but there’s an issue. And the fact that we’re in Week 10 of Jones’ sixth season and we haven’t figured it out yet is a problem.
Running Back
Tyrone Tracy Jr.: 18 Carries, 103 Yards, TD, Fumble (LOST) | 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 1 Yard
Tyrone Tracy was dynamic and electric, providing a much-needed spark to the Giants’ offense. However, he also cost them the game with an overtime fumble. As distraught as Tracy was after the fumble, the Giants’ fanbase was actually cheering him for potentially sealing a better draft pick in the upcoming NFL draft. Assuming Tracy isn’t punished by the coaching staff, he will continue to be a dynamic rookie talent moving forward, especially if the Giants can remain competitive in close games.
Devin Singletary: 8 Carries, 40 Yards | 1 Target, 1 Reception, 5 Yards
The old veteran was on the field for just under one-third of the snaps that Tracy saw but handled the ball on eight of his 17 chances. Devin Singletary has been relegated to a spell back with very little usage in the passing game and will likely be an afterthought of the Giants’ offense moving forward.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Malik Nabers: 10 Targets, 6 Receptions, 50 Yards
Nabers was on the field for nearly every offensive snap for the Giants and was targeted a team-high 10 times. It translated to just six catches as a handful of Jones’ throws were uncatchable. Not only is Jones missing his top target, but he’s also putting him in dangerous situations with inaccurate balls. Nabers slammed his head on the turf pulling in one of his catches and was checked on the field for a concussion. He returned to the game, but it’s another example of Jones’ inadequacies at quarterback. Not only that, but he looked uncomfortable for nearly the whole game allegedly battling a hamstring injury as well.
Darius Slayton: DNP
Theo Johnson: 6 Targets, 4 Receptions, 37 Yards
Theo Johnson was on the field for nearly every snap, and ran 35 routes compared to the combined seven routes for backup tight ends Chris Manhertz and Daniel Bellinger. Johnson has grown into a larger role on this offense over the past few weeks, even pulling in a touchdown last week, and should continue to see more usage as time goes on.
Wan’Dale Robinson: 8 Targets, 5 Receptions, 51 Yards
Robinson was on the field in the slot when the Giants went 11-personnel, featuring in 49 offensive snaps. He was targeted eight times but was missed for a big gain in the third quarter. The Giants executed a flea flicker that left Robinson all alone deep down the right side, but Jones never threw the ball and took a sack instead. There was time. There were acres of space. Jones just didn’t deliver it.
Jalin Hyatt: 4 Targets, 4 Receptions, 39 Yards
Jalin Hyatt stepped into Darius Slayton’s role on the outside, playing on 55 offensive snaps. He pulled in all four of his targets and was a fine intermediate turn-and-catch option for Jones. With the Giants’ bye week coming up, he will have to battle for a spot with a healthy Slayton in a couple of weeks.
Carolina Panthers
Quarterback
Bryce Young: 15/25, 126 Yards, TD
Bryce Young was fine. He was fine. That’s probably the most complimentary I can be of his play because it wasn’t good. It was just…fine. He made the throws that he needed to make when he needed to make them and was excellent at handing the ball off to Chuba Hubbard. He did his job and took care of the football. That’s all the Panthers needed on Sunday in Munich.
Running Back
Chuba Hubbard: 28 Carries, 153 Yards, TD Fumble (LOST) | 6 Targets, 4 Receptions, 16 Yards
Hubbard was outstanding. Every time he touched the ball he looked like he might break through for a long run. He did an incredible job of shouldering the entire offensive load, running through initial contact, and grinding out extra yards on nearly every touch. He showed excellent vision on multiple cutback runs, exploiting an aggressive Giants defense for a massive day.
Miles Sanders: 2 Rushes, 5 Yards
Miles Sanders was on the field for only a few snaps before leaving the game. He was carted off the field with a lower-body injury.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Xavier Legette: 4 Targets, 3 Receptions, 40 Yards
Xavier Legette wasn’t as involved in the offense as many may have anticipated, earning just four targets. His best route and catch of the day came in the fourth quarter as the Panthers were attempting to run out the clock. On third and long, Legette ran an out-breaking route and tracked back to the ball to secure a first down. His role should increase in games that Carolina is forced to the air more often.
Jalen Coker: 8 Targets, 3 Receptions, 41 Yards
Jalen Coker looked the part of a WR1, commanding a team-high eight targets and pulling in three of them for 41 yards. There were a pair of near misses that could have brought Coker to a much larger receiving day, but his usage within the offense was near-elite with a 32% target share. He’s a name that fantasy managers should keep in mind for bye weeks and waiver claims moving forward.
Ja’Tavion Sanders: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 8 Yards,TD
Ja’Tavion Sanders was targeted just twice, but one of them was in the end zone. On a play that Young extended outside of the pocket, Sanders intelligently found a soft spot in the Giants zone and camped out, finally pulling in the touchdown reception.
David Moore: 4 Targets, 2 Receptions, 18 Yards
David Moore secured a touchdown catch but it was nullified on an illegal formation call. Moore isn’t a major part of the offense and will likely be completely phased out once Adam Thielen returns.