The New York Giants defeated the Buffalo Bills 38-21 in wild weather conditions at Orchard Park, New York earlier today. There were not only high winds, but downpours of rain, then snow. The victory ensures the Giants of a Wild Card playoff spot where they will play either the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or Seattle Seahawks in the first round of the playoffs in two weeks. It will also be the Giants third playoff appearance in three seasons. The Giants are now 10-5 and face the New England Patriots at home in the regular season finale on Saturday.
As has been their tendency, the Giants did not make it easy on themselves. The Giants quickly found themselves in a 14-0 hole in the first quarter of the game after the Bills put together touchdown scoring drives on their first two possessions. Buffalo first drove 60 yards in seven plays and then 66 yards in six plays. The Giants’ first possession was a three-and-out. Their second ended after QB Eli Manning fumbled the ball on 3rd-and-9 at the Bills’ 30-yard line. The Giants recovered, but were forced to punt.
The second quarter belonged to the Giants as the G-Men scored 17 straight points. The first touchdown was set up by a fumble by the Bills’ punter that was recovered by the Giants at Buffalo’s 23-yard line. Manning completed a key 13-yard pass to WR Amani Toomer on 3rd-and-6. Two plays later, HB Brandon Jacobs scored on a draw play from six yards out as the Giants cut the lead to 14-7.
The Giants’ defense forced a three-and-out and the team’s next drive started at their own 43-yard line. The Giants could not pick up a first down as Manning fumbled the ball again on 3rd down. Manning had trouble holding onto the ball all day with five fumbles, two of which were lost. However, on 4th-and-11, the Bills were flagged for roughing the kicker as P Jeff Feagles was clobbered. After the automatic first down, the Giants scored on the very next play as Jacobs exploded off the right side for a 43-yard touchdown run. The game was tied at 14-14.
The Giants’ defense forced another three-and-out, with LB Kawika Mitchell sacking Bills’ QB Trent Edwards for an 11-yard loss. Manning completed a 19-yard pass to Toomer on 3rd-and-5. The drive then stalled, but the Giants had gained enough ground to set up a successful 42-yard field goal attempt by PK Lawrence Tynes to give the Giants their first lead of the game at 17-14.
The Giants blew another chance to add more points before halftime. WR Steve Smith dropped a well-thrown deep pass that should have gone for a 50-yard score. Manning later fumbled the ball away with 10 seconds left at the Bills’ 26-yard line. At the intermission, the Giants lead 17-14.
The second half did not start off well for the Giants. Manning’s first pass of the half was intercepted by the Bills and returned to the Giants’ 31-yard line. Buffalo HB Marshawn Lynch then broke off a 28-yard run followed by a 3-yard touchdown as the Bills retook the lead 21-17.
The Giants followed that up with a 13-play drive that came up with zero points. Some impressive running by Jacobs and HB Ahmad Bradshaw gave the Giants a 1st-and-goal from the 1-yard line, but the Giants could not punch the ball in the endzone as Bradshaw was stuffed once and HB Reuben Droughns three times.
The Giants’ defense forced a three-and-out. Again the Giants’ running game drove the team down the field as the Giants reached the Bills’ 11-yard line. But Manning lost the snap from center and Buffalo recovered on the first play of the 4th quarter on 3rd-and-1.
All was not lost. On the Bills’ second play after the turnover, LB Kawika Mitchell intercepted a deflected pass and returned the ball 20 yards for a touchdown. Giants 24-Bills 21.
After allowing two first downs, the Giants’ defense held and forced a punt. But three straight runs by Bradshaw could not pick up a first down as Bradshaw lost a yard on 3rd-and-1. The Giants’ defense forced another three-and-out. The Giants gave the ball right back as Manning was picked off for the second time in the game at the Giants’ 49-yard line.
Once again, the defense stood strong and the Bills punted after three plays. On the very next offensive snap, Bradshaw broke off an exciting 88-yard touchdown run right up the gut of the Bills’ defense as the Giants went ahead 31-21 with under seven minutes to play.
The Giants then put the game away for good as CB Corey Webster intercepted Edwards and returned the ball 34 yards for the score. CB Sam Madison also picked off a late pass to help the Giants run most of the remaining time off of the clock.
Offensively, while he had some positive moments, Manning was a turnover machine with two interceptions and five fumbles (two of which were lost). He finished the day 7-of-15 for 111 yards. His stats would have looked better had Smith held onto what should have been a long touchdown pass. Only three Giants caught passes (Toomer had five catches for 99 yards). WR Plaxico Burress was limited to one catch for six yards. Jacobs had the other catch for six yards.
But the story of the game offensively was a two-headed ground game as Jacobs gained 145 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries and Bradshaw gained 151 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries.
The Giants’ defense helped to hold QB Trent Edwards to nine completions on 26 passing attempts. Edwards was picked off three times. Kawika Mitchell was credited with 6 tackles, 2 sacks, a forced fumble, and an interception return for a touchdown.
Post-Game Video Highlights: Video highlights of the Giants 38-21 win over the Buffalo Bills are available at Giants.com.
Video of Post-Game Interviews: The video of the post-game media sessions with the following players is available at Giants.com:
Post-Game Notes: Inactive for the Giants were WR David Tyree (death of mother), WR Sinorice Moss (back), CB Kevin Docker (hip pointer), DT Manny Wright (ankle), HB Danny Ware, TE Jerome Collins, OT Adam Koets, and QB Jared Lorenzen (3rd quarterback).
