Giants, Daniel Jones wilt under pressure in opening-night massacre

After losing the coin toss and electing to receive, the Giants put together an impressive drive that ended with a touchdown in their Sunday night season opener against the Dallas Cowboys.

A nice way to christen the new season?

Nope.

Exactly the opposite.

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It was the start of a disgraceful opening-night performance by the Giants that ended with a 40-0 loss to the Cowboys on a fittingly gloomy and wet night at MetLife Stadium.

If not for a classy 9-11 tribute, an outstanding rendition of the national anthem by Newark native Queen Latifah and an appearance by newly crowned women’s U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff, the crowd would have had nothing to cheer about.

Having waited nearly nine months for this moment, the fans were understandably in a foul mood after watching an epic meltdown by the Giants. They booed Daniel Jones and the offense off the field at the end of the first half with the home team already trailing 26-0.

In his first game since signing his four-year, $160 million contract, Jones looked like the quarterback so many had doubts about before last season. To be sure, it wasn’t all his fault.

All the fears about the Giants’ offensive line against a talented Dallas defense were realized in the first half. Jones was sacked four times as both rookie center John Michael Schmitz and second-year right tackle Evan Neal struggled to keep Jones from being pressured. Those two were not alone, however. The entire offensive line was awful and the new additions — Darren Waller, Jalin Hyatt and Parris Campbell — contributed nothing of consequence.

Waller caught three passes for 36 yards, Campbell had one catch for two yards and Hyatt did not have a catch.

Jones wasn’t able to handle the Cowboys’ relentless rush and he went just 5-for-13 for 43 yards in the opening half while also throwing two interceptions. His passer rating at halftime was 8.3.

The quarterback finished the night 15-for-28 for 104 yards and was sacked seven times.

In their last three games against the Cowboys, the Giants have allowed 15 sacks without registering one of their own.

The most disturbing part of it all was that things started so well for Jones and the Giants.

Jones, with his arsenal of new weapons, moved the football from the Giants’ 25-yard line to the Dallas 8-yard line on their opening possession.

Just as he had done so many times a year ago, Jones made plays with his legs. His first scramble of the season went for eight yards and a first down. Fifteen more yards were tacked on for a late hit out of bounds by the Cowboys.

After Saquon Barkley picked up five yards on a third-and-one play to keep the drive alive, reserve running back Matt Breida ran for six yards and Jones scrambled for 11 and 8 yards to take the Giants to the Dallas 8-yard line.

And then Andrew Thomas, arguably the best player on the team, was flagged for a false start, turning a third-and-two situation into a third-and-seven.

That triggered a monstrous freefall the rest of the night for the Giants.

Schmitz botched the next snap, leading to a 14-yard loss that pushed the Giants back to the 27 and creating a field-goal opportunity for Graham Gano.

The 45-yard attempt, however, was blocked by Juanyeh Thomas, scooper up by Noah Igbinoghene and returned 58 yards for a touchdown, leaving the crowd in stunned disbelief.

The worst was yet to come.

On their next four possessions, the Giants ran just 10 plays for a net total of minus-16 yards and Jones was intercepted twice.

The first pick went for a Dallas touchdown when Barkley took a massive hit from Trevon Diggs that jarred the football out of the running back’s hands and into the waiting arms of DaRon Bland, who ran 22 yards into the end zone to make it 16-0.

Two series later, with the Giants down 19-0, Jones was forced to scramble to his right as another wave of Dallas defenders closed in on him. Schmitz was flagged for holding on the play, but the Cowboys declined when Jones’ attempt to throw the ball away instead became a terrific interception by Stephon Gilmore, the five-time Pro Bowler the Cowboys added as a free agent in the offseason.

Six plays later, the Cowboys had another touchdown and it was 26-0.

The humiliation continued through the second half in a heavy downpour and the stadium was nearly empty by the time it was over.

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Bob Brookover can be reached at rbrookover@njadvancemedia.com.