At least the Giants mixed a few oddities into their losing ways this time.
They ran more plays (68-54) than the Dolphins in Sunday’s 31-16 loss, controlled the time of possession (35:39-24:01) and, incredibly, still did not come close to winning.
Why did the Giants lose so convincingly? They averaged 3.9 yards per play on offense.
The Dolphins averaged a bloated 9.7 and outgained the Giants in yardage by a mammoth 524-268.
It was the most yards allowed by the Giants in nearly eight years.
They gave up 608 yards in an epic 52-49 loss to the Saints in New Orleans in 2015.
The only forceful contribution by the defense was producing three turnovers, including Jason Pinnock’s 102-yard interception return for a touchdown that brought the Giants within 14-10 late in the second quarter.
“We played, I’d say, complementary football to a degree,” coach Brian Daboll said Monday, “but we didn’t finish in the red zone, and we gave up 10 explosive plays and didn’t get any.”
The Giants are playing without their best two players on offense: left tackle Andrew Thomas and running back Saquon Barkley.
It looks as if the Giants might be getting one, but not both, of these key players back for Sunday’s game against the Bills in Buffalo.
Daboll said “it’s yet to be determined’’ regarding the likelihood of those players returning to action this week, adding that “I’d say Saquon is probably closer than Andrew Thomas is.’’
If that holds true, Thomas will miss his fourth straight game and Barkley has a chance to return after missing the past three games.
The Giants are averaging 3.3 yards per rush without Barkley.
Daboll said right guard Marcus McKethan, who was forced out with a knee issue, did not get hurt seriously and the expectation is he will be ready to play this weekend.
It came close to the Giants having to go with a third quarterback when Tyrod Taylor got the wind knocked out of him in the fourth quarter.
Problem is, the Giants did not have a third quarterback active for the game.
Wide receiver Parris Campbell was an option, but Daboll said “we had another kind of wildcat runner’’ that would have gotten the call.
“We were set to go with another player,’’ Daboll said.
The other player was going to be running back Matt Breida.
Quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney was hurriedly working with Brieda on the field as Taylor was being attended to by team medical personnel.
Taylor was able to stay in the game.
Ben Bredeson, moving over from left guard to starting at center in place of injured rookie John Michael Schmitz, had to come off the field for three plays late in the third quarter, allowing Jaylon Thomas, elevated from the practice squad, to make his NFL debut.
Bredeson’s helmet came loose, resulting in a bloody nose, and an official told him he needed to go to the sideline to get the wound cleaned up.