The improbable run ended in New Orleans as undrafted rookie quarterback Tommy DeVito and the New York Giants fell to the Saints by a score of 24-6.
After the loss, DeVito had one word for his personal performance in Week 15 — “average.”
The blunt reaction is pretty honest from DeVito, but the word “average” could also be used to describe the entire team in New Orleans.
The defense allowed 24 points which included three passing touchdowns and turnover-free football from Derek Carr and the Saints. Saquon Barkley and the run game were completely shut down. And the NYG offensive line seemed to revert to its early season form.
The whole showing was “average,” if not worse — especially when you take into account that playoff hopes were on the line.
Brian Daboll Confirms Tommy DeVito Will Continue on as Giants QB
Giants head coach Brian Daboll took the podium before DeVito and he did confirm that the rookie will continue on as the starting quarterback in Week 16.
“I’d say collectively, just not good enough, pretty much take any area,” Daboll told reporters after the game. He also gave credit to the Saints.
“Nothing was where it needed to be today,” the Giants HC added later.
The typically efficient DeVito finished 20-of-34 in Week 15. That completion percentage yielded just 177 passing yards and zero touchdowns. He was also sacked seven times with a passer rating of 72.8 on ESPN.
“I think [the Saints] did a pretty good job defensively, especially the D-line,” DeVito voiced. He also attributed the offensive struggles to a lack of execution, a poor job of converting on third down and a lack of “swagger” or “juice.”
DeVito took full responsibility for each of those areas, including the energy issues.
“I just feel like we kind of got into a little bit of a lull at times,” the QB explained. “I think it just goes with the execution part but [we got to] just keep the energy high at all times.”
Darius Slayton & Darren Waller Lead Weak Giants Passing Attack vs. Saints
As Daboll noted himself, the only thing really working for the Giants offense in Week 15 were the quarterback runs. To that point, DeVito racked up 36 yards on the ground.
Through the air, it was wide receiver Darius Slayton and tight end Darren Waller that led the way.
The latter finally made his return from injury, accumulating 40 yards off four catches. Slayton was a little better with four receptions for 63 yards.
The rest of the passing attack struggled mightily to get going. Wan’Dale Robinson had 25 receiving yards, Barkley added 23, and both Jalin Hyatt and Isaiah Hodgins were held without a catch despite four total passes in their direction.
Granted, the Saints defense wasn’t an easy matchup but the Giants will likely chalk this one up as a learning experience all around. At the end of the day, it’s only the second loss in games that DeVito has started but the reality is that this defeat might end the season from a playoff perspective.
“We’re all pros,” Daboll replied when asked about the message moving forward. “You get ready to play. You get ready to play the next week, that’s our job. So, look forward to the opportunity to be able to play next week.”
The Giants next outing will come on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles (10-3) on December 25, otherwise known as Christmas Day.
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Giants QB Tommy DeVito Gives 1-Word Description of Performance vs. Saints