It is fitting that on a day when families all across the country gather together to eat turkey, the New York Giants would be on the menu for the Dallas Cowboys. The 2024 season has devolved into 2021 for this team. They are injured to be sure, but they also seemed last week, and for much of today, to be going through the motions as the season marches inevitably to a disastrous end, one that could have implications for the futures of the coaching staff and front office as well as many of the players. Still, they came back from being down 27-10 early in the fourth quarter to make it close, losing by only a 27-20 score and being within a barely failed defensive stop on third-and-3 at the two-minute mark from having a chance to tie or win. What if anything did we learn from the Giants’ 27-20 loss to the Cowboys?

Chris Hubbard and Evan Neal cannot block Micah Parsons, Chauncey Golston, and Carl Lawson

It’s no embarrassment. Offensive tackles around the league have had problems with Micah Parsons ever since he came into the league, and Golston and Lawson are no slouches either. The Giants thought they had solved their offensive tackle problem when they signed Jermaine Eluemunor this off-season. But then Andrew Thomas suffered yet another injury in his uncomfortably injury-riddled pro career, and Eluemunor went down last week against Tampa Bay. That left Even Neal and Chris Hubbard to fend for themselves, because Tyre Phillips was only recently added to the practice squad after his own injury rehabilitation.

You knew it wouldn’t end well, and it didn’t. Parsons in particular wreaked havoc, but starter of the week Drew Lock was fleeing pressure all night. Lock didn’t look any better than Tommy DeVito did last week – what was all the fuss about who was No. 2 and who was No. 3? But both QBs could reasonably sue for lack of support from in front. Lock was sacked six times, and was pressured at least three times as often as that. He’s not the answer, and he took a beating, but props to him for standing in there and leading a late drive that almost gave the Giants a chance to tie at the end.

The interior run defense is non-existent

I mean, I could design an offensive game plan against the Giants’ defense. Just run it, anywhere, but especially up the middle. Rico Dowdle, who hadn’t rushed for 100 yards all season, rushed for 112 tonight, averaging 5.1 yards per carry.

There were extenuating circumstances, though. I thought Rakeem Nunez-Roches came to play, but he went out with a neck injury. Dexter Lawrence left with an elbow injury, and D.J. Davidson with a shoulder injury. By the end the interior was down to Elijah Chatman and Jordon Riley, and Joe Schoen was roaming the stands looking for volunteers to suit up and be activated.

(Maybe) the kids are alright

Tae Banks didn’t play tonight because of a rib injury suffered in the Tampa Bay game. That pressed Cor’Dale Flott and Adoree’ Jackson into action at CB1 and CB2 for almost every snap. Flott, who still counts as a kid in my mind since he’s on a rookie contract, allowed receptions on only three of the seven throws that came his way, and broke up two passes. He did give up one big play for 36 yards, but he competes. Unlike Banks, who watches his man catch the ball, Flott plays the ball and tries to get his hand up to disrupt at the catch point.

Malik Nabers has been a reduced to being a possession receiver in this nearly quarterback-less offense rather than a downfield threat, but he he did have eight catches in 13 targets despite another drop and helped the Giants move the chains. Meanwhile Theo Johnson, no stranger to drops himself early in his career, caught all five balls that came his way. Tyler Nubin had seven tackles and five assists and allowed only one reception for 3 yards. Tyrone Tracy only had 32 yards in nine carries, but he did score a TD, did not fumble after coughing it up three times in the past two games, and made several nice moves to gain yards after first contact (24 of his 32 yards were after first contact).