MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Daniel Jones finally took a hit he couldn’t withstand.
After getting pulverized week after week behind an overmatched offensive line, Jones suffered a neck injury early in the fourth quarter Sunday and it added injury to the insult of a 31-16 beatdown at the hands of the Dolphins.
Jones’ health is the overarching concern, especially given that he underwent a procedure on his neck after he missed the final six games of the 2021 season.
The Giants didn’t score an offensive touchdown for the third time in five games.
Their first mistake was trying to play football at a track meet.
Their second was trying to do it with an offensive line that has now allowed 18 sacks in the last two games.
A painstakingly anemic offense and a defense that forced three takeaways but looked stuck in cement at times was no match for the explosive Dolphins, who averaged 11.4 yards per play while piling up chunk gains over three quarters.
The Dolphins had touchdown drives of 75, 75, 89 and 94 yards — but “drives” might be generous considering two of those possessions took three plays and less than one minute apiece.
Tyreek Hill caught eight passes for 181 yards and De’Von Achane carried 11 times for 151.
It was clear that the Dolphins were going to attack the Giants with sweeps, bubbles and other quick throws into open space from the start.
The mirage of a close game lasted until the first minute of the third quarter, when Hill beat a confused defense for a 69-yard touchdown to open up a 24-10 lead. With top cornerback Adoree’ Jackson on the sideline, rookie Tre Hawkins raced from one side of the field to the other to match up with Hill just before the snap and then quickly was left in the dust by the NFL’s fastest player.
It would’ve been a blowout sooner if not for Jason Pinnock’s 102-yard interception return for a touchdown that swung the game from a possible 21-3 deficit to a manageable 14-10 late in the first half.
Tua Tagovalioa’s forced pass went off of linebacker Bobby Okereke’s fingers, but it was a break for the Giants that the faster Pinnock wound up with the ball and a clear sideline path.
The one play means that Pinnock has half as many first-half points scored (six) as the Giants’ offense (12) does in five games.
Okereke got his own interception in the third quarter — gifting great starting field position — but the offense went four yards in four plays and kicked a field goal.
Once the Giants fell behind, their woeful offensive line — which allowed 36 pressures last week — was back in the spotlight. Left tackle Josh Ezeudu — who was filling in for All-Pro Andrew Thomas — was pulled in favor of Matt Peart after allowing the sack that left Jones in pain.
The offense scored its weekly first-half field goal with 3:41 to go, as Graham Gano connected from 49 yards out after missing from 55 earlier.
The scoring drive overcame three penalties committed by Ezeudu but was haunted by what could’ve been.
A potential touchdown slipped away when Jones led Darren Waller to the end zone but Xavien Howard tugged on Waller’s forearm until the ball slipped through his fingers for an incompletion.
It was the type of difficult play turned into a near-miss that looms large when playing with no margin for error.