Giants head coach Brian Daboll gave the Seattle Seahawks credit for stopping the run and big plays to shut down the Giants’ offense and said “they did better than we did” – but perhaps the two biggest plays of the game came on special teams, as the Seahawks forced two Richie James fumbles on punt returns, one in each half, and scored 10 of their 27 points off those turnovers.
“Taking care of the ball is one of our main goals, and obviously we didn’t do it, and they capitalized on it with 10 points,” Daboll said after the game. “Turn the ball over on your side of the field, it’s tough.”
The first came with the score tied 7-7 and less than three minutes left in the first half, as he was hit by Will Dissly and coughed up the ball, which Seattle recovered in the red zone and ended up kicking a field goal to take a three-point halftime lead:
The second, much more costly in multiple realms, came with just over six minutes left and the Giants down seven, as James was hit by Travis Homer and the recovery, by Dissly, at the Giants’ 32 led to the touchdown that iced it for Seattle:
James was injured on that play and diagnosed with a concussion, so he was unavailable to the media after the game, but Daboll was succinct in his thoughts on both fumbles.
“I thought one guy knocked it out of his hand pretty good, but two tough plays,” the head coach said. “Richie knows you have to take care of it, and that’s the game.”
The Giants did not turn the ball over otherwise – Daniel Jones did fumble, but recovered his own loss – and were tied or within one score for most of the second half, which has been exactly where they seem to be every week, but couldn’t notch another fourth quarter comeback on Sunday.
“Our guys are confident, we just didn’t do enough today all the way around,” Daboll said. “The ball is important, and we have to do a better job of taking care of it and executing. Turnovers are tough, but there’s a lot we could’ve done better. A lot to work on.”
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The Giants don’t play again for two weeks, when they face the Texans at MetLife Stadium on Nov. 13, but they will work out on Monday before having a day off – because they, as Daboll said multiple times, have a lot to work on.
“Fly home, make the corrections, have a bye week, and get ready to play Houston.”
Follow Lou DiPietro on Twitter: @LouDiPietroWFAN
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