Takeaways from the Giants’ 34-27 loss to the Saints on Sunday:
1. It’s too much. There were 47 passes from two Giants quarterbacks and 26 of them were targeted to Malik Nabers (15) and Isaiah Likely (11). Sure, getting the ball to the best playmakers makes sense but there have to be more contributions from wide receivers Darnell Mooney and rookie Malachi Fields. Fields was targeted eight times but finished with only two receptions for 19 yards. Mooney was targeted twice and did not catch a pass — he has yet to get untracked in the passing attack. So much attention to Nabers and Likely makes it too easy for defenses to key on them. Jameis Winston’s two interceptions came on forced throws to Nabers and Likely.
2. After getting demoted in the first quarter for his fumbling issues, Cam Skattebo appeared on the field on the first offensive series of the second quarter, along with 300-pound fullback Patrick Ricard. The Giants had the ball on their 17-yard line and it looked like the time to establish a ground game against the league’s No. 30 run defense. Nope. Skattebo and Ricard were used as decoys as Winston fired to Nabers for 14 yards. Skattebo then came off the field and no running back touched the ball on any of the next three snaps before the Giants had to punt the ball away. The Giants ran it only 13 times in the first half for a miserable 31 yards. What happened to trying to establish the run?
3. Sometimes a team is in such dire straits that there is nowhere to go but up and that was the Saints in Week 6. Their owner, Gayle Benson, in rare public remarks stressed last week that there had to be a strong sense of urgency after losing three consecutive home games and that everyone, including head coach Kellen Moore and general manager Mickey Loomis had to be held accountable for the 1-4 record. The Saints could not run the ball, nor could they stop the run. And yet, for some unforeseen reason, they were slight favorites on the road against the 3-1-1 Giants. Someone knew something, right? The Saints ran it and stopped the run and easily erased a 10-0 deficit to emphatically end their losing skid and stun the Giants. After the game, the Saints did not head back to New Orleans. Instead, they boarded a charter flight to Paris, where they will play the Steelers in Week 7. It probably was a pleasant trip across the pond for the Saints.