Grades from the Giants’ 25-22 loss to the Eagles on Sunday:
Offense
What a wasteful day of work. Promising first half and absolutely abysmal second half. How abysmal? Try three points, 56 total yards, three first downs. Just terrible. Eli Manning (26-of-37, 297 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) cannot throw that interception near the end of the first half. Saquon Barkley (13/101 rushing, 7/41 receiving), strangely, barely touched the ball after halftime. Eagles cornerbacks were a ragtag group and Odell Beckham Jr. (8/85) and Sterling Shepard (1/29) were not given enough opportunities to exploit the weakness. There was a costly drop by Corey Coleman. Beckham needs to hydrate more effectively.
Grade: D
Defense
Game-winning field goal drive was so easy — pathetically easy. Carson Wentz (20-of-28, 236 yards) was sacked three times, but usually had all the time he needed. As expected, TE Zach Ertz (7/91, 1 TD) was a tough cover. Too many missed tackles. When the Eagles needed to run the ball in the second half, they did not feel much resistance, as they pounded away with Josh Adams (22/84, 1 TD). Another roughing-the-passer penalty on Olivier Vernon, but it did not prove to be costly. There were some good moments for rookie CB Grant Haley.
Grade: C-minus
Special teams
Corey Coleman, who seems to have a big return every game, ripped off a 46-yarder late in the second quarter. Aldrick Rosas continues to excel. He was 3-for-3 on field goals, including a 51-yarder. Holding call on Michael Thomas on punt return put the Giants back on their 10-yard line. Riley Dixon in the third quarter had crummy punts of 38 and 39 yards.
Grade: B
Coaching
Pat Shurmur calls the plays and that Barkley only had four rushing attempts in the second half is on him — even though there were some extenuating circumstances. Also, there needed to be more vertical threats to test the shaky Eagles corners. That is why the wide receivers were so frustrated afterwards. Eagles penalty put the ball on 1-yard line and prompted Shurmur to go for two on opening drive. Like the aggressiveness, hated the play (pass to fullback Eli Penny). Defensive coordinator James Bettcher made the best of what he has to work with.
Grade: D