New York Giants report card: How we graded Big Blue in Week 12 loss

The New York Giants fell to 2-10 on the season after their 34-27 overtime loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday at Ford Field.

It was the Giants' sixth straight loss and a franchise-record 12th consecutive loss away from home. The loss also guaranteed them another double-digit loss season, their 10th in the past 12 years. In addition, they were eliminated from the postseason, their earliest exit since 1976.

The Giants blew another fourth-quarter lead in this game. It is the fifth time this season they have done so. As a result, the team dismissed defensive coordinator Shane Bowen on Monday morning.

Here is how we graded the units in this latest letdown.

Offense

517 yards of total offense with your backup quarterback (Jameis Winston) under center usually gets you a win. And the Giants had it, leading, 27-17, with under 11 minutes remaining in regulation. Winston had a great day, tossing for 366 yards and two touchdowns while scoring a third on a 33-yard pass play from wide receiver Gunner Olszewski.

Wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson continued to pick up the slack, grabbing nine of his 13 targets for 156 yards and a touchdown. Theo Johnson had three receptions for a total of 77 yards, and Isaiah Hodgins continued to impress, making a leaping grab in the end zone to complete a 30-yard touchdown strike from Winston.

Running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. racked up 130 total yards from scrimmage, and the offensive line allowed just one sack in the game.

Grade: A

Defense

As stated, another fourth-quarter collapse crushed the Giants' hopes. It all makes sense in the context of the injury situation. They simply cannot stop the run, allowing the Lions 11.9 yards per attempt and 237 total yards on the ground. Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs embarrassed Big Blue with touchdown runs of 49 and 69 yards.

Safety Dane Belton led the way with nine total tackles, one for a loss, and a pass defensed. Rookie defensive lineman Darius Alexander recorded two sacks, and rookie linebacker Abdul Carter had three QB hits in the game. None of that was able to keep Bowen from being fired, however. It was a move the Giants have needed to make for some time.

Do you miss Wink Martindale yet?

Grade: F

Special teams

Again, there's nothing special about these units. As long as they don't cost the team the game, they can be lived with. Punter Jamie Gillan looks either hurt or tired. He shanked another punt on Sunday. The return teams were average, but allowed a 44-yard kickoff return by Kalif Raymond. Younghoe Koo was perfect on the day, hitting both field goal attempts and all of his points after.

Grade: B

Coaching

Interim head coach Mike Kafka knew he had to get the most out of his offense on Sunday and pulled out every trick in the book, including a flea flicker and an RPO using a backup wide receiver and quarterback who never threw and caught a pass in their respective careers. Both went for touchdowns. If anything, it was refreshing and entertaining for a team that can barely perform the basics consistently.

The defense, on the other hand, played well for three quarters again. They simply do not have the manpower or personnel to play 60 effective minutes any longer. They are vulnerable to the run with Dexter Lawrence mysteriously playing well below his norm, safety Tyler Nubin hurt, and the Giants down to their fourth-string run-stopping inside linebacker.

In Bowen's defense, he had little left in the well to draw from. The Giants were never right after losing stud inside linebacker Micah McFadden in Week 2. Then they lost his understudy, Darius Muasau, for the season, and, on Sunday, Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles to a neck injury. It was no wonder Gibbs went untouched on his game-winning touchdown gallop.

Still, the job wasn't done again. No one cares why it wasn't done; they just know that it wasn't done.

Grade: C-

This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: New York Giants report card: How we graded Big Blue in Week 12 loss