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Recap: 5 straight turnovers erase fast start in New Orleans

JAXSON-DART

The NFL is a week-to-week league.

Coaches repeat the cliché all the time for a reason. Seven days ago, the Giants, led by Jaxson Dart in his first start, picked up their first win of the season by handing the Chargers their first loss. On Sunday, they fell to the previously winless Saints 26-14 in New Orleans after opening the game with a double-digit lead.

Five turnovers on five consecutive drives will do that.

"Credit to the Saints," coach Brian Daboll said at the top of his postgame press conference. "It's hard to win when you turn the ball over five times on five consecutive drives. We missed a couple of opportunities offensively, the flea flicker and some others. On defense, we did a good job in the run game. Gave up some huge plays for us. We can't have those things, too many DPI penalties. You get five turnovers to zero, you're not going to win in this league."

THE GAME WAS OVER WHEN…

Kool-Aid McKinstry intercepted Dart on back-to-back drives following the Saints' 86-yard fumble return touchdown by Jordan Howden to start the fourth quarter. The interceptions came on passes intended for Jalin Hyatt and undrafted rookie Beaux Collins, two wide receivers who were looking to step up after Malik Nabers suffered a season-ending knee injury last week.

SPOILED START

The Giants jumped out to a 14-3 lead after their first two drives ended in Dart touchdown passes to tight Theo Johnson. It was the second consecutive game the Giants scored a touchdown on their opening drive. It was also the first time they recorded touchdowns on their first two possessions of a game since 2020. Both came in the red zone, where the Giants were converting just 26.7 percent of trips into touchdowns (lowest in the league entering Week 5).

It was downhill from there. The Giants' next eight possessions to end the game were: punt, punt, Darius Slayton fumble, Dart fumble, Cam Skattebo fumble (returned 86 yards for a touchdown), interception, interception, turnover on downs.

"It is not good, have got to cut it out," Dart said. "It starts with me being a leader. Obviously some of those came from me, and I have to be a better example and leader. In those situations can talk to the guys in the huddle and remind them about ball security. As a quarterback, I put those on myself."

The five turnovers are the most by the Giants in a game since Week 11 of 2014 against the 49ers. According to NFL Research, they are also the the first team to commit a turnover on five consecutive possessions in a game since the Jets in Week 3 of 2016 against the Chiefs.

MISSED OPPORTUNITY

The Giants had a chance to quell the Saints' comeback with 2:50 left in the second quarter. With a 14-13 lead at the time, the Giants dialed up a flea flicker on third-and-two from near midfield. Dart handed the ball off to Skattebo, who pitched it back to the quarterback. However, Dart was unable to hook up with Slayton for a potential touchdown on a pass that they both would like back.

"I just wish I would've tried to get back to it in some type, shape or form," Slayton said. "End of the day, the quarterback can't be perfect, put it near us, it's our job to go up and fight for the ball. I wish would've went about it differently."

NOTABLE

The Giants had no sacks and just one quarterback hit on Spencer Rattler, who was previously 0-10 as a starter. A week ago, they had two sacks and 12 quarterback hits on the Chargers' Justin Herbert.

QUOTABLE

"Kid, that's the NFL. Every play matters, and he knows that. He's as hard on himself as anybody. There's a lot to learn from this, and that's what we will do. There will be ups, there will be downs, and I thought he started out really well. Collectively, we have to do a better job. We have to make the play down the field when we have the opportunity to make the play. We have to hold on to the ball when we are scrambling. Those are things that we will build off of with him, make sure he's prepared and ready to go. Again, it's a broken record but it's hard to win with five turnovers." -- Daboll on message to Dart after his first loss

WHAT THE LOSS MEANS FOR THE GIANTS

The Giants have a short week before hosting the Eagles (4-1) on Thursday Night Football. The Eagles were undefeated heading into Sunday's 21-17 loss to the Broncos (3-2), whom the Giants face the following week in Denver.

INJURY REPORT

Slayton (hamstring) and Swayze Bozeman (ankle) suffered injuries in New Orleans.

Saints safety Justin Reid left with a concussion.

The week started with the news that wide receiver Malik Nabers will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL, which he suffered in last Sunday's victory over the Chargers.

Running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. missed his second consecutive game after suffering a shoulder injury in Week 3 against the Chiefs.

Defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence (illness) and safety Tyler Nubin (groin) were questionable heading into Sunday, but both played.

Linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (hamstring) was questionable and then downgraded to out. He did not travel with the team to New Orleans.

STARTING OFFENSE

  • TE Theo Johnson
  • TE Daniel Bellinger
  • LT Andrew Thomas
  • LG Jon Runyan
  • C John Michael Schmitz
  • RG Greg Van Roten
  • RT Jermaine Eluemunor
  • WR Wan'Dale Robinson
  • WR Darius Slayton
  • QB Jaxson Dart
  • RB Cam Skattebo

STARTING DEFENSE

  • OLB Brian Burns
  • DL Roy Robertson-Harris
  • DL Dexter Lawrence
  • DL Rakeem Nuñez-Roches Sr.
  • OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux
  • ILB Bobby Okereke
  • ILB Darius Muasau
  • CB Cor'Dale Flott
  • CB Paulson Adebo
  • S Tyler Nubin
  • S Jevón Holland

INACTIVES

NYG: ILB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (hamstring), RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. (shoulder), OL Evan Neal, DL Elijah Garcia, QB Jameis Winston (Emergency 3rd QB)

NO: RB Devin Neal, CB Isaac Yiadom (hamstring), OL Cesar Ruiz (ankle), T Xavier Truss, DT Khristian Boyd, DE Chase Young (calf)

WEEK 5 ROSTER MOVES

NYG: WR Malik Nabers (placed on IR), K Jude McAtamney (activated from practice squad), LB Neville Hewitt (activated from practice squad), OLB Tomon Fox (waived, added to practice squad)

NO: QB Taysom Hill (activated from PUP), TE Foster Moreau (activated from PUP), LB Eku Leota (activated from practice squad), WR Trey Palmer (placed on IR), TE Moliki Matavao (waived)

View photos from the Week 5 matchup between the Giants and Saints.

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