EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Dominique Franks received good news and bad news in the same sentence. He was going to play in Sunday’s playoff game, but only because All-Pro cornerback Brent Grimes was inactive with an injury. Word came right before kickoff.
Franks was the starter on the left side in the Falcons’ 24-2 loss to the New York Giants. He was credited with five tackles and a hit on Giants quarterback Eli Manning. Yet the Giants successfully targeted him at times.
Trying to make up for the loss of Grimes, the Falcons used Chris Owens and Franks in dime and nickel packages; Owens was assigned the outside receiver while Franks’ obligation was the slot receiver. Grimes, however, was sorely missed.
Owens, who broke up two passes and made six tackles, wasn’t taking any bows -- not when the Falcons’ season had come to an inglorious end.
“It wasn’t enough,” Owens said. “As a player, you’re always critical. I had pass breakups, [but] I want interceptions. It wasn’t good enough, not today.”
The Giants rotated wide receivers at Franks and the strategy paid off when Hakeem Nicks went over Franks and came up with the game’s first touchdown -- on a 4-yard catch with 2:47 left in the first half.
The drive covered 85 yards in 13 plays and took 7:32 off the clock. It gave New York a 7-2 lead it wouldn’t give back and was the first of two touchdown receptions for Nicks. He next burned the Falcons’ defense on a third-quarter, 72-yard catch that increased the Giants’ lead to 17-2.
The Giants, for whatever reason, were not able to take immediate advantage when Franks was matched up against Victor Cruz. Cruz dropped a pass on the initial offensive play off the game and dropped another ball early in the third quarter.
Yet Cruz burned Franks for a 22-yard catch that kept a drive alive and culminated with a 22-yard Lawrence Tynes field goal that pushed New York’s advantage to 10-2.
Manning completed passes to seven other receivers and finished with 23 completions on 32 attempts for 277 yards and three touchdowns.
“We are not going to force things to a certain guy; if they want to take away Victor, that is fine,” Manning said. “That is why we have Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham [who caught Manning’s third touchdown strike, a 27-yard hook-up]. These guys are playmakers. We feel good about whatever the coverage is, whatever your plan is; we are going to have an answer.”
The Falcons’ secondary found that out, and no longer has any games to play.
