For the New York Giants, heartbreak has become routine. Week 10’s 24-20 loss to the Chicago Bears was another brutal reminder of how far this franchise has fallen from its gritty, disciplined identity. Once again, the Giants held a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter. Once again, they made all the wrong decisions down the stretch. And of course, they again walked off the field beaten, confused, and pointing fingers.
Same story, different Sunday
Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
The Giants appeared in control for most of the game. They built a 17-10 lead behind a poised performance from quarterback Jaxson Dart. When Dart exited in the fourth quarter with a concussion, though, everything unraveled. Backup Russell Wilson couldn’t sustain drives, the defense fell apart, and head coach Brian Daboll’s conservative play-calling proved costly. Caleb Williams orchestrated two late touchdown drives. That was capped by a 17-yard scoring run that sealed yet another fourth-quarter collapse.
Now at 2-8, the Giants’ season has effectively imploded. What was once viewed as a rebuilding year filled with promise under Dart has devolved into a parade of missteps and missed opportunities. Sunday’s debacle in Chicago served as the defining low point.
Here we’ll try to look at and discuss the New York Giants most to blame for their latest epic collapse vs. Bears.
Brian Daboll’s disastrous coaching
Daboll’s fingerprints were all over this collapse. With his team leading late and facing fourth-and-goal at the Bears’ one-yard line, Daboll made the kind of decision that haunts locker rooms: he kicked a field goal. Instead of putting the game away with a potential two-touchdown lead, he opted for three points. That handed Chicago just enough oxygen to mount a comeback.
On paper, the decision extended the lead to 20-10. In reality, it signaled a lack of killer instinct. The Bears marched downfield on the next possession. It cut the deficit in half, and suddenly the Giants were on their heels. Former players and fans alike blasted Daboll on social media. They called out the conservatism that has plagued his late-game approach all season.
Even worse, Daboll declined a fourth-and-goal penalty with just over 10 minutes remaining. It would have given the Giants another shot at a touchdown from inside the one. Instead, he settled for a 19-yard Younghoe Koo field goal. The Giants never scored again. The Bears scored twice.
Defense’s fourth-quarter meltdown
The defense was supposed to be the backbone of this Giants team. Instead, it’s become their Achilles’ heel.
With just over six minutes left and a 10-point lead, the Giants’ defense had Chicago pinned deep at its own nine-yard line. Statistically, the Giants had a 94 percent chance to win. However, the Bears and shredded those odds in a hurry. Williams engineered a 91-yard, nine-play touchdown drive, then a 53-yard, four-play march for the game-winner.
The Giants pressured Williams 15 times. However, they couldn’t finish. Time and again, he slipped through tackles, extended plays, and found open receivers downfield. On the final drive, Williams’ 17-yard touchdown run through missed tackles sealed New York’s fate. It encapsulated the defense’s lack of composure and discipline.
Coordinator Shane Bowen’s unit continues to rank near the bottom of the league against the run. That weakness was once again on full display. Poor pursuit angles and missed assignments turned manageable gains into backbreaking plays.
Simply put: when the game was on the line, the defense didn’t show up.
Special teams blunders
It’s hard to win in the NFL when your special teams are part of the problem. On Sunday, the Giants’ unit was exactly that.
Punter Jamie Gillan’s rollercoaster season hit another low point. Tasked with handling kickoffs, Gillan sent one out of bounds and another short of the target. Both resulted in penalties that gifted Chicago valuable field position. Eventually, kicker Younghoe Koo had to take over kickoff duties.
Then came the backbreaker. Gillan shanked 26-yard punt midway through the fourth quarter that set the Bears up near midfield. Four plays later, Chicago took the lead for good.
These are the kinds of mistakes that separate disciplined teams from the ones that can’t finish. In close games, special teams errors are magnified. Gillan’s miscues weren’t the only reason for the loss, but they certainly helped set the stage.
Jaxson Dart’s injury
It’s unfair to blame the Giants for Dart’s concussion. That said, his absence exposed the team’s biggest vulnerability: there’s no Plan B.
Dart had been the spark that reignited the Giants’ offense since taking over the starting role. His ability to extend plays and push the ball downfield gave New York a much-needed edge. When he went down, that spark vanished.
Russell Wilson stepped in with the Giants up 17-10 and managed to lead a 79-yard drive. It stalled at the one-yard line, though, resulting in a field goal instead of a knockout punch. After that, the offense sputtered. Two straight three-and-outs and a failed final drive sealed the team’s fate.
Wilson looked rusty and tentative. Without Dart’s mobility, the Bears’ defense clamped down. By the time they adjusted, it was too late.
Dart’s injury wasn’t the cause of the collapse, but it amplified Daboll’s indecision to the defense’s lack of poise.
No excuses
David Banks-Imagn Images
This loss was more than another mark in the ‘L; column. It was an indictment of an organization that can’t get out of its own way.
Daboll’s questionable decisions, a defense that folds under pressure, and repeated special teams breakdowns have turned this season into a disaster. The Giants are inventing new ways to lose.
At 2-8, and another epic collapse, one thing is clear: something in New York has to change.
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