Giants offensive lineman Evan Neal is heading into a critical sophomore campaign after a disappointing rookie season, but his reintroduction on Sunday night resulted in being fully overmatched by Micah Parsons and the elite Cowboys pass rush.
The offense actually looked solid to start the game, marching down the field before a low snap on third down led to a blocked field goal returned from a touchdown, suddenly shifting momentum in Dallas’ favor while Big Blue crumbled.
“It was tough to get that spark back,” Neal said. “Once they got the momentum going, it was tough to slow it down. Never want to feel like this again. Definitely a horrible feeling. But all we can do is learn from this, grow from this, and be better.”
Neal and company provided no protection for Daniel Jones, who was limited to just 63 passing yards in the 40-0 loss, while being sacked seven times. The offensive line was considered a potential issue heading into the season, and now, it has to be seen as a glaring void that could derail the season if it isn’t addressed quickly. Until then, Neal and company can only take responsibility for the blowout loss, and turn the page to Week 2.
“We definitely shoulder the responsibility,” Neal said. “Definitely didn’t go out there and play our best game, or execute, and that was the result.”