The New York Giants are hurting in more ways than one.
Three starters with injuries suffered physical injuries in the first half against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
The mental pain was just as bad when the winning Giants (0-3) dropped a 17-14 decision to the Falcons on a 40-yard field goal by Youngho Koo in the final game of the game.
It was their second consecutive defeat in the final game of the game. Washington beat him 30–29 on September 16 when an offside penalty allowed Dustin Hopkins to kick off the winner by rocking a miss.
There is another factor to consider. Giants fans are disappointed with yet another poor start after years of losses. That should have changed this year after a 5-3 finish last season under rookie coach Joe Judge. Now it looks like it is heading towards another year of losing.
Co-owner John Mara was booed at halftime while speaking during the ceremony to retire two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning's number 10 jersey.
He made a tight end to Evan Engram after a fumble and a drop, and cheered on leaving the field afterward. And when Koo added to his woes, he booed more.
"I think people are disappointed and certainly disappointed with the results," Daniel Jones said after hitting 24 of 35 passes for 266 yards. "We're all competitors and we want to win and we expect to win, so it's disappointing, and we have to understand that and feel it today."
The fans didn't want any of this. The Falcons (1–2) entered the game with an average of 40 points and New York did not take advantage. It gained 346 yards and had two long drives that ended with a Graham Gano field goal.
While the defense played its best game of the season, Logan Ryan dropped two potential interceptions and Adori Jackson blew one in the end zone before Matt Ryan scored a TD pass with 4:13 to play Lee Smith. threw away.
The unit also surrendered a winning drive on the final series for the second straight game.
“Obviously, you prepare every week to be successful. You come out of any game without success and there are things you are definitely not happy with,” the judge said. “The key for us is to make sure we go back to work, we correct mistakes, we stay productive in the things we are good at and that we stick together as a team and keep moving forward. It's the biggest picture thing right now."
Saxon Barkley, who scored a 1-yard run to help the Giants lead 14-7 in the fourth quarter, doesn't think New York is far away.
"We are so close, so close," he said. "We keep saying this. Somebody has to do something about it, and that's me and the leader of this team. We have to step up and play."
Barkley hasn't played on a winning team with the Giants since being included as the No. 2 overall draft pick in 2018.
"I'm sick of losing. Nobody wants to lose," said Barkley, whose touchdown was his first since a major knee injury at the start of last season. "Everybody is sick of losing but I don't think we're a bad team." I'll agree."
At 0-3, the Giants are at the bottom with 14 more games.
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The Giants defeated Blake Martinez with a knee injury in the opening series and lost wide receivers Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard to hamstring injuries in the opening half. After the game, the judge said he hoped he could return soon. He didn't have any updates about his terms.