Giants Week 2 report card: Run defense was lousy

Grading the Giants’ 21-18 Week 2 loss to the Commanders on Sunday:

Offense

This unit had seven possessions and scored three touchdowns.

The problem was, Daniel Jones & Co. were not out there enough.

Jones (16-of-28, 178 yards, 2 TDs, passer rating of 100.0) came up with a strong bounceback from a dreadful opener.

There was actually too much focus on getting rookie Malik Nabers the ball — he was targeted 18 times and finished with 10 catches for 127 yards and his first NFL TD.

His drop on the sideline on fourth down with 2:04 left was a killer and he was ticked about it.

Devin Singletary (16-95) found room to run but he had the ball punched out for a fumble to ruin a promising series early in the third quarter, a turnover that led to a Washington field goal.

The line provided solid protection (one sack allowed). Wan’Dale Robinson had a TD catch early in the fourth quarter.

Grade: B

Defense

When you do not give up a touchdown you should win, but not this way.

The Commanders had seven true possessions and made field goals on all seven — no punts.

That meant the time of possession slanted heavily toward Washington: 37:32 to 22:28.

Coordinator Shane Bowen was supposed to fix the run defense, but it was lousy — 215 yards, with Brian Robinson Jr. muscling for 133, averaging 7.8 per rush.

Jayden Daniels was 23-of-29 for 226 as a passer and 10-44 as a rusher.

He was accurate and avoided mistakes.

There were five sacks, including two from safety Jason Pinnock.

But Pinnock committed a holding penalty to keep a drive alive and failed to make a play on the ball to allow a 21-yard reception for Zach Ertz.

Rookie CB Dru Phillips looks like a keeper.

Micah McFadden had 12 tackles and one sack in his season debut.

Commanders were 0-for-6 in the red zone but 7-for-14 converting on third down.

Bizarre.

Grade: D

Special teams

Ugh.

Not having an active second place-kicker cost, big time, after Graham Gano pulled his right hamstring chasing down the opening kickoff — after coming into the game with a sore right groin.

If punter Jamie Gillan is not trusted to kick short field goals or extra points he cannot be considered a legitimate option.

Gillan missed badly on his only PAT attempt.

Gillan failed to get the ball into the landing zone on a fourth quarter kickoff, giving Washington the ball on its 40-yard line.

A high-arching Gillan punt in the second quarter for 27 yards needed to get inside the 10-yard line instead of dropping down at the 18.

Giants averaged 26 yards on six punt returns.

Grade: F

Coaching

Brian Daboll said game-day activations are collaborative decisions and added they ultimately fall on him.

He needed to have a second kicker available here.

Daboll as the play-caller on offense might have put too much emphasis on targeting Nabers, as there were only four targets apiece for Darius Slayton and Wan’Dale Robinson.

Daboll won a replay challenge in the first quarter when he disputed a spot, denying the Commanders a first down.

Midway through the third quarter, Daboll won another challenge contesting a spot for a first down.

The shabby run defense has to greatly trouble Bowen.

Grade: F