The New York Giants faced off against the dynamic Miami Dolphins down at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida on Sunday afternoon in hopes of pulling off an upset that could rejuvenate their sagging season.
The Giants entered the game as 12.5-point underdogs to the Dolphins, who lead the NFL in offensive yards gained and total points through the first four weeks of the 2023 regular season.
Buy Giants TicketsThe Giants played without Pro Bowl running back Saquon Barkley (ankle) for the third straight week and were also missing left tackle Andrew Thomas (hamstring) and center John Michael Schmitz (shoulder).
Needless to say, there was no upset and there was no rejuvenation. Instead, the Giants were smacked around and lost quarterback Daniel Jones (neck) in the process.
Final score: Dolphins 31, Giants 16
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final | |
| Giants | 0 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 16 |
| Dolphins | 7 | 10 | 14 | 0 | 31 |
Keys to the game
- Miami showed why they are the best offense in football, despite turning the ball over three times in the game. They racked up 524 total yards to the Giants’ 268.
- The Dolphins hit Giants quarterbacks 14 times and sacked them seven times. This comes on the heels of the Giants’ allowing 11 sacks last Monday to Seattle, a franchise record.
- The Giants came into the game allowing 133.8 yards per game on the ground. Miami ran all over them for 222 yards.
- The Giants were forced into 17 third-down attempts in the game. They converted on five (29%).
It was over when...
In the opening mute of the second half when Tyreek Hill raced past Giants rookie cornerback Tre Hawkins III — who was left in single coverage — for a 69-yard score to give the Dolphins a 24-10 lead. The Giants would narrow the score the 24-13 after that but get no closer.
TYREEK HILL 69 YARD TD 🐆 🔥 pic.twitter.com/xTka8wSyaY
— NFL Fantasy Football (@NFLFantasy) October 8, 2023
Players of the game
- Safety Jason Pinnock. He returned a tipped pass by linebacker Bobby Okereke 102 yards for a Giants’ touchdown to narrow the score to 14-10 with 1:40 remaining in the first half. The return is tied for the longest in Giants’ franchise history. Erich Barnes had a 102-yard return against Dallas in 1961.
- Tight end Darren Waller had his best game as a Giant farthing eight 11 targets from 86 yards. But he also dropped a touchdown.
- Okereke not only deflected the pass that Pinnock returned to the house, but he picked off a pass himself and led the Giants’ defense with 10 total tackles.
Injuries
A hot afternoon in Miami led to a lot of cramping. Several players left the field to rehydrate during the game.
Quarterback Daniel Jones left the game early in the fourth quarter after being sacked hard by Dolphins linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel. He was escorted into the locker room with a neck injury and was replaced by Tyrod Taylor.
Ben Bredeson, playing center for the injured Schmitz, left the field with a laceration to his face in the first quarter but returned after the next series.
Right guard Marcus McKethan left the game with a knee injury in the first half and did not return. He was replaced by Jalen Mayfield.
Wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson left the game in the fourth quarter with a concussion but returned shortly after being evaluated.
Linebacker Azeez Ojulari left the game with an ankle injury and did not return.
Taylor got banged up in the final minutes after a rushing play but stayed in the game after catching his breath.
Rookie cornerback Deonte Banks was also banged up but remained in the game.
What's next?
Head coach Brian Daboll will hold a Zoom call with the team’s beat writers on Monday afternoon before a few players are also made available.
Big Blue will return to practice on Wednesday ahead of a Week 6 game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, October 15 at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. Kickoff is 8:20 p.m. ET.
