AT A GLANCE

Without their franchise quarterback and three offensive linemen, the Giants still gave the Bills all they could handle at Highmark Stadium as it came down to the final play of the game. Tight end Darren Waller drew a pass interference penalty in the end zone, setting up an untimed down with no time on the clock and the Giants trailing by five points. Tyrod Taylor, starting in place of the injured Daniel Jones, then went back to Waller, but the pass fell incomplete for a 14-9 loss. The Giants dropped to 1-5 while the Bills improved to 4-2 on the season. 

UP NEXT

After starting the season with four primetime contests in the first six weeks – and four road games overall – the Giants return home for back-to-back 1 p.m. kickoffs against the Commanders and Jets, who both improved to 3-3 with victories on Sunday.

WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THE OFFENSE

Brian Daboll confirmed the inevitable Friday morning when he announced that Daniel Jones would not play Sunday night when the New York Giants visit the Buffalo Bills in Highmark Stadium. The starting quarterback injured his neck in the fourth quarter of the team's loss last week in Miami. "He won't make the game. He'll be out," Daboll said. "I think he's getting better but not good enough to play for this game."

Tyrod Taylor, a 13-year veteran, started for the first time in his two seasons with the Giants. Rookie free agent Tommy DeVito was elevated from the practice squad to serve as Taylor's backup.

Taylor completed 24 of 36 passes for 200 yards. He added 24 yards on five rushes.

Three offensive linemen were inactive with injuries. Left tackle Andrew Thomas missed his fifth consecutive game with a hamstring injury, rookie center John Michael Schmitz was sidelined for a second straight week with a shoulder injury, and backup tackle Matt Peart was inactive for the first time this season, also with a shoulder.

The Giants activated veteran offensive lineman Justin Pugh from the practice squad for the first time since the former first-round draft pick returned to the Giants. Jalen Mayfield, another offensive lineman, was signed to the active roster from the practice squad.

From left to right, the starting offensive line was Joshua Ezeudu, Justin Pugh, Ben Bredeson, Mark Glowinski, and Evan Neal. Ezeudu, however, went down in the first quarter with a toe injury, forcing yet another change. Pugh slid to left tackle, Glowinski to left guard, and Marcus McKethan came in at right guard.

Saquon Barkley was one of seven players who were listed as questionable heading into Sunday night, but the running back returned after he missed the last three games with a sprained ankle. There was no apparent pitch count. Barkley had 16 carries in the first half alone, but they amounted to just 23 yards. Barkley finally broke through back-to-back runs of 19 and 34 yards in the fourth quarter in response to the Bills' go-ahead touchdown.

Barkley finished with 93 yards on 24 carries, while the team totaled 126 yards on 33 attempts.

The Giants, who had allowed 18 sacks over the previous two games, faced a Bills defense that led the league in that department. On Sunday night, Taylor was sacked three times.

Entering Week 6, the Giants had been outscored 94-19 in the first half this season. The Bills, on the other hand, had outscored their opponents 88-38 before halftime. That made a gap of 125 points in first-half differentials. On Sunday night, the Giants went into the locker room with a 6-0 lead. However, it could have been more. The Giants ran a run play near the goal line in the closing seconds of the first half and could not get lined up again before the clock ran out.

Wide receiver Darius Slayton hauled in passes of 31 and 27 yards in addition to drawing a pass interference penalty that set up the first-and-goal near the end of the first half.

WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THE DEFENSE

Outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari, who missed the team's games last month in Arizona and San Francisco with a hamstring injury, is now sidelined with an injured ankle. On Saturday, the Giants placed Ojulari on injured reserve among a series of roster moves.

Bobby Okereke punched the ball away from wide receiver Gabe Davis in the first quarter, and fellow linebacker Micah McFadden recovered the fumble. The duo combined for another takeaway in the second quarter, with Okereke deflecting a pass that McFadden intercepted. They kept up the adage that takeaways come in bunches. The Giants were the last defense in the league without one until forcing three in last week's game.

The Giants did not allow a third-down conversion on the Bills' first four attempts of the game.

Entering Sunday, the Bills were 8-1 and averaging 34.3 points per game in Buffalo since 2022. The Giants shut them out for three quarters before Josh Allen threw a three-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Deonte Harty on the first play of the fourth quarter. It capped a 17-play, 89-yard scoring drive that lasted nearly 10 minutes.

WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT SPECIAL TEAMS

Jamie Gillan continued to flip the field, averaging 50.5 yards on four punts with a long of 64 yards. Two were downed inside the 20.

Graham Gano was perfect on three field goal attempts from 29, 43, and 29 yards.

Wide receiver Parris Campbell returned a kick for the first time since his 2019 rookie season.

IN-GAME INJURY REPORT

OT Joshua Ezeudu (toe), CB Adoree' Jackson (neck)

INACTIVES

NYG: QB Daniel Jones, S Bobby McCain, S Gervarrius Owens, C John Michael Schmitz, T Matt Peart, T Andrew Thomas, DL D.J. Davidson

BUF: S Damar Hamlin, CB Dane Jackson, OLB A.J. Klein, T Germain Ifedi, G Alec Anderson, TE Dalton Kincaid