This game was something. Each week when this article gets put together
http://www.authenticsnewyorkgiants.com/ ... win-jersey , there’s one or two really big plays and the rest are meaningful but don’t have a massive impact on the result. That was not the case in the 33-31 New York Giants loss to the Carolina Panthers. There were numerous big plays and big swings, especially in the second half. These are the biggest plays in the game, by Win Probability Added (WPA) and Expected Points Added (EPA). Explainers here (WPA) and here (EPA).Both WPA and EPA presented from the perspective of the offense.Not so special teams - 14:21, second quarterEPA: -7.22 | WPA: -16.6 percentSo this happened.The Giants have struggled to find success on punt returns, so Odell Beckham Jr. got the call in this game. He had a 15-yard return early in the game, but this play was as bad as they get and Beckham wasn’t trying to return it. In an attempt to push the closest defender away and let the ball get into the end zone, the ball instead brushed off Beckham’s leg, bounced around, an in another comedy of errors with more Giants trying to jump on the ball, it ended up in the end zone in Carolina’s possession for a touchdown.When you need something done ??- 6:48, second quarterEPA: 5.54 | WPA: 18.3 percentIn an interview with ESPN that aired pre-game, Odell Beckham said he was disappointed in the lack of deep passes for the offense this season. So he did it himself. On a second-and-18, Beckham took a backward pass from Eli Manning and unloaded a throw with a defender in his face across the field to an open Saquon Barkley for a 57-yard touchdown. Trick plays with wide receiver throws often create ample space for the throw, but the degree of difficulty on this throw was not easy. The play not only gave the offense a needed boost, it saved the Giants from a likely punt following a 2nd and 18.A poor defensive hold - 4:22, third quarterEPA: 3.08 | WPA: 10.7 percentCarolina lined up to punt on fourth-and-8 from the Giants’ 41-yard line, but an encroachment penalty on Kareem Martin moved it up to a fourth-and-3 and the Panthers chose to keep the offense on the field. The result of the play was initially incomplete, but a hold was called on B.W. Webb away from the throw. The five-yard penalty allowed the Panthers drive to continue and Webb’s extra 15-yard penalty for making contact with an official made it worse. Three easily avoidable penalties could have cost the Giants, but they ended up not mattering all that much because...Dueling interceptions, part 1Cam Newton to Curtis Riley - 3:44, third quarterEPA: minus-4.3 | WPA: minus-11.7 percent...three plays later Cam Newton threw an interception. After a holding penalty, the Panthers faced a second-and-20 at the Giants’ 26. Newton had time to throw and ripped a pass up the middle toward rookie tight end Ian Thomas, but the throw was off-line (or Thomas didn’t cut his route correctly) and the ball was placed perfectly into the waiting arms of Curtis Riley, who returned it for another 12 yards.Eli Manning to Mike Adams - 1:38, third quarterEPA: minus-5.94 | WPA: minus-12 percentBut not to be outdone, Eli Manning gave the ball right back to the Panthers on the following drive. This first-and-10 play looks like an RPO — the right side of the line plus a pulling Will Hernandez run blocked — with the read based on the pre-snap box count. With six men on the line and one more directly behind them , Manning decided to throw — not the wrong decision with one-on-one coverage outside. But at the snap, pressure got through on the right side and Mike Adams, one of the Panthers on the line, dropped back into coverage. With the need to get the ball out quickly, Manning threw into what he thought would be an open window for Beckham one-on-one. But Manning never saw Adams drop back and the throw went straight to the defender. Catch CMC - 11:28, fourth quarterEPA: 3.39 | WPA: 13.1 percentCarolina went nine plays and 68 yards on the drive following the interception, capped off by an 18-yard touchdown pass to Christian McCaffrey. It was a beautiful play design by the Panthers to get McCaffrey into space. Carolina came out in shotgun with a 2x2 formation and McCaffrey in the backfield to the right. At the snap, the two receivers on the right side ran slants to the inside, which pulled all the defenders away from the sideline. That opened everything up for McCaffrey to take a swing pass, turn the corner, and score.The touchdown gave the Panthers a two-score lead, 27-16.Dueling interceptions, part 2Eli Manning to Mike Adams, again - 10:41, fourth quarterEPA: minus-3.74 | WPA: minus-11.3 percentIt didn’t get much better for the Giants on the next drive — one that lasted only two plays ended with another Eli Manning interception. After a 1-yard Saquon Barkley run on first down, the Giants faced a second-and-9. The Giants tried to go downfield again — something that worked well in this game — but Manning didn’t really step into the throw and the pass floated up the field instead of the sideline where Sterling Shepard was located. Again, Mike Adams was in perfect position for the interception.Cam Newton to Janoris Jenkins - 9:08, fourth quarterEPA: minus-5.86 | WPA: minus-22.1 percentBut, Newton would not be outdone. While Newton threw the first pick of the game and Manning answered on the following drive, the two switched roles in the fourth quarter. Three plays after the Panthers picked off Manning, Newton threw another interception intended for Ian Thomas. With pressure from Landon Collins in his face, Newton threw outside of Thomas and into the waiting arms of Janoris Jenkins, who turned into a punt returner and gained another 29 yards of zigging and zagging after the pick, down to the Carolina 34.Beckham gets one - 8:16, fourth quarterEPA: 3.65 | WPA: 13.1 percentIt only took the Giants two plays to find the end zone. The first was another one-yard run from Barkley.
