There were all sorts of local pro and college sports mascots in all shapes and sizes — including Mr. and Mrs. Met — on the field at halftime Sunday running around and “playing’’ football against the Junior Bulldogs from Rutherford, N.J.
That slice of time was the extent of the fun and entertainment at MetLife Stadium for anyone other than Ravens fans who made the drive in from Baltimore. The Giants were no match for a legitimate playoff-caliber opponent, which came as no surprise to anyone who has been paying attention for lo these many months.
It was quick enough and painless enough and routine and easy and lacking in any intrigue or any question as to the final result. The Giants, as expected, lost their ninth consecutive game, dutifully routed 35-14.
The Giants (2-12) went into the game as a 16.5-point underdog to the Ravens (9-5), the highest point spread in the NFL this season. It was the largest point spread as an underdog for a home team in the league since at least 1966. Even that bloated spread could not be covered by the overmatched Giants.
They did not even come close.
Lamar Jackson barely broke a sweat. He completed his first eight throws and tossed five touchdown passes, matching a career-high, with his only concern at times choosing which wide-open target to hit running free in the Giants’ depleted, makeshift secondary.
On touchdown toss No. 5, running back Justice Hill was so wide open for a 29-yard catch-and-run that it was impossible to determine who was at fault, as there was no one on the entire right side of the defense in any sort of coverage.
Jackson sat out half of the fourth quarter, his workday complete, going 21 of 25 for 290 yards for a passer rating of 154.6. A perfect rating is 158.3. He also ran six times for 65 yards.
Tommy DeVito (10 of 13, 68 yards) started at quarterback for the Giants but he did not finish, as he made it through the first half before leaving with a concussion.
That meant Tim Boyle became the fourth Giants quarterback to throw a pass this season, the first time that has happened since 1992 with Phil Simms, Jeff Hostetler, Dave Brown and Kent Graham. This season, it has been Daniel Jones, DeVito, Drew Lock and Boyle.
This was another week, another game and another plea to Giants co-owner John Mara to take action, with the fates of general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll very much up in the air as their third season is shaping up to be historically bad.
Ninety minutes before kickoff, a small aircraft flew overhead toting this message: “MR MARA ENOUGH — WE WON’T STOP UNTIL YOU FIRE EVERYONE.’’
This was a more aggressive demand compared with last week’s aerial messaging. Prior to the 14-11 loss to the Saints, a plane flew across the sky above the stadium carrying a banner that read “MR MARA ENOUGH — PLZ FIX THIS DUMPSTER FIRE.’’
At least the airspace above the stadium, unlike many areas in the Garden State, was drone-free.
The 2024 Giants now share an inglorious franchise record, as this matches the longest losing streak in their 100-year history. The 1976 and 2019 teams lost nine straight and there was a nine-game losing streak bridging the 2003 and 2004 seasons.
So, these Giants take their place with the dregs of the franchise.
As for the game, the less said or written about it, the better, as far as the Giants are concerned. They trailed 7-0 after one quarter on Jackson’s 13-yard strike to tight end Mark Andrews and were down 14-0 early in the second quarter when Rashod Bateman’s double-move lost safety Jason Pinnock, allowing Bateman to run free for a 49-yard touchdown reception, dancing around Pinnock and Greg Stroman for the final few yards.
The Ravens helped the Giants to their first points, committing four penalties for 41 yards on defense, breathing life into a 13-play, 80-yard drive that included DeVito passes of 14 yards to Malik Nabers and 13 yards to Daniel Bellinger, finished off with Devin Singletary’s 2-yard scoring run to make it 14-7 with 2:15 remaining in the first half.
Not bad, right? Well, wrong. Jackson with the greatest of ease got his team 80 yards in nine plays, needing only 1:43 to make it 21-7, hitting Bateman deep again, this time for 20 yards as he eased past safety Dane Belton. Jackson found — how could he not? — a no-one-near-him Devontez Walker for a 21-yard scoring hookup late in the fourth quarter to make it 28-7.
It was 35-7 when Nabers snatched Boyle’s lob into the end zone for a 23-yard touchdown connection with 6:36 remaining. By then, there were more fans driving away on the New Jersey Turnpike than there were still in their seats.
