Following the Giants' 20-15 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, here is how the experts reacted to the game:
**Mike Greenberg, ESPN:** "Don't overreact on the Giants offense. That's the best defense in the sport they're facing. Jaguars are legit. Giants are still going to be good."
**Jeff Saturday, ESPN**: "When your running back (Saquon Barkley) can get over 100 yards in his first football game as a rookie, that's telling you a lot about his future. He had a fantastic football game. They got to be very excited. Even in the loss, I get they lose, but they understand they're on the way to build this thing back. It's not going to look like it did last year."
**Bob Glauber, Newsday**: "[It's] important to recognize the possibilities here and not simply dismiss them after a decidedly imperfect opening act in the [Pat] Shurmur era. The Giants hung with a team that is coming off an AFC Championship Game appearance and boasts one of the NFL's best defenses — if not the best. In the end, it wasn't enough, but you saw enough hints about what might be for this to become a quality team over time."
**Art Stapleton, The Record**: "The Giants promised to be aggressive defensively and they were. The physicality shown by safety Curtis Riley early on was impressive, and the tackling was solid. But the Giants seemed to give up too many counter passes on which backs leaked out, taking advantage of Kareem Martin and later Landon Collins on the edge."
**Paul Schwartz, NY Post:** "Huge break came when RB Leonard Fournette (9 carries-41 yards) left in the second quarter with a hamstring injury. The Giants had trouble getting off the field early but pitched a shutout in the second half. Rookie LB Lorenzo Carter is the real deal. CB Eli Apple was solid but there are greater challenges ahead. CB Janoris Jenkins' interception led to first Giants points. Other than 41-yard run by QB Blake Bortles, the Jaguars were held in check on the ground. This was a winning effort."
**Herbie Teope, NFL.com:** "He struggled early in the first half against a stout defense and failed to convert a 2-point conversion attempt, but Barkley's ability to get it going in the second half proved the Giants' ground game is primed to improve after finishing the past two seasons ranked near the bottom of the league."
**Jordan Raanan, ESPN**: "It didn't matter that, at times, he was being covered by All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey. [Odell] Beckham was the better player. He was creating separation even in that matchup. It was a confirmation of what Beckham's teammates saw this summer, when Sterling Shepard went as far as saying the Giants' Pro Bowl receiver looked even better than before the smashed ankle."
**Zach Schonbrun, New York Times:** "There were some good memories revived: Odell Beckham Jr. streaking across the field with defenders giving chase, Eli Manning connecting on pass after pass and the Giants' defense strengthening in the second half. But, more evocative of last season's 3-13 campaign were the futile performances along the offensive line, crucial turnovers and missed opportunities that marred Shurmur's debut and led to a 20-15 defeat against the Jacksonville Jaguars."