New York Giants 37 – St. Louis Rams 27

The Big Melee – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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The New York Giants defeated the St. Louis Rams 37-27 on Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, Missouri. It is the third win in a row for the Giants who have now improved their overall record to 6-9.

The 37 points scored by the Giants was the most given up this season by a Rams’ defense that is one of the best in the NFL. The Giants gained 514 total net yards on offense and controlled the clock for almost 10 minutes more than the Rams.

Eli Manning – © USA TODAY Sports Images

Quarterback Eli Manning completed 25-of-32 passes for 391 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. The leading receivers were Odell Beckham with eight receptions for 148 yards and two touchdowns and Rueben Randle with six catches for 132 yards and one touchdown. Running back Andre Williams carried the ball 26 times for 110 yards.

Passions ran high in this contest as there were a number of dirty plays and cheap shots made by Rams’ players, culminating in a sideline fight in the second quarter after Beckham was hit late of out of bounds. Three players were ejected from the contest, including wide receiver Preston Parker and defensive end Damontre Moore.

“‘That dirty shit don’t make them tough,” said linebacker Jameel McClain after the game. “God damn that is a dirty ass team. They suck as an organization.”

“They were playing nasty football,” said safety Antrel Rolle. “They were taking cheap shots. I felt like they were trying to take Beckham out of the game…You can play physical but they were going over and beyond. Everyone saw that.”

The Giants were flagged 12 times for 149 penalty yards while the Rams were flagged nine times for 76 yards.

Rueben Randle – © USA TODAY Sports Images

The Giants scored 20 first half points, including 10 on their first two possessions of the game. New York received the opening kickoff and drove 69 yards in 10 plays to set up a 29-yard field goal by place kicker Josh Brown. The big play on this drive was a 49-yard pass to Randle.

On the ensuing Rams’ kickoff return, reserve running back Orleans Darkwa forced a fumble that was recovered by safety Nat Berhe at the St. Louis 21-yard line. Five plays later, Manning hit Beckham for a 9-yard touchdown and the Giants were quickly up 10-0.

The Rams then started with superb field position at the Giants’ 48-yard line after a return to the 37-yard line and 15-yard personal foul penalty on the kickoff. The Rams’ offense only gained 15 yards but it was enough to set up a successful 51-yard field goal to cut the New York lead to 10-3.

The Giants punted on their third possession but quickly got the ball back when rookie defensive end Kerry Wynn intercepted a pass at the Giants’ 37-yard line and returned it seven yards. New York moved the ball 37 yards in seven plays to set up Brown’s 37-yard field goal as the Giants went up 13-3.

Orleans Darkwa – © USA TODAY Sports Images

The Rams punted on their next series and the Giants responded with an impressive 10-play, 80-yard drive, culminating with a 12-yard touchdown run by Darkwa.

Although the Giants were now up 20-3 and seemingly in control, the Rams scored the final 10 points of the first half, first with a 5-play, 74-yard touchdown drive and then with a 9-play, 58-yard field goal drive. In between these two possessions came the big fight that caused three players to be ejected.

At the half, the Giants led 20-13.

The Rams received the ball to start the second half but punted after gaining two first downs. The Giants then responded with another impressive drive, this one for 87 yards in 13 plays, finishing with a 7-yard touchdown pass from Manning to Randle. On this drive, Williams broke off a 45-yard run. The Giants now led 27-13.

New York’s defense could not hold, however, and the Rams responded with their own impressive drive, going 90 yards in 10 plays to cut the Giants’ lead to a touchdown again at 27-20. On 3rd-and-10 on the ensuing Giants’ possession, Manning found Beckham all alone deep for an 80-yard touchdown strike as the Giants again went up by two scores, 34-20, near the end of the third quarter.

The Rams punted on their next possession and the Giants then drove 56 yards in 10 plays to set up a successful 52-yard field goal by Brown to go up 37-20. Both teams exchanged punts. With 5:14 to play, the New York defense allowed St. Louis to drive 66 yards in just over a minute to cut the score to 37-27 as there was a breakdown in coverage on a 47-yard touchdown pass.

The ensuing Rams’ onside kick went out of bounds and the ball was awarded to the Giants. New York reached the St. Louis 11-yard line but a 29-yard field goal attempt by Brown was blocked. However, on the Rams’ next offensive snap, Wynn recovered a fumble at the 12-yard line to end the game.

Video highlights of the game are available at NFL.com.

WATCH: Coach Tom Coughlin reacts to the #Giants 37-27 win #NYGvsSTL http://t.co/wrCgdOLld0

— New York Giants (@Giants) December 22, 2014

Post-Game Player Media Q&A’s: Video clips of media Q&As with the following players are available at Giants.com:

• QB Eli Manning (Video)
• WR Odell Beckham (Video)
• WR Rueben Randle (Video)
• OT Justin Pugh (Video)
• DE Jason Pierre-Paul (Video)
• DE Kerry Wynn (Video)
• LB Jameel McClain (Video)

Post-Game Notes: Inactive for the Giants were RB Rashad Jennings (ankle), TE Jerome Cunningham, OG Eric Herman, OG Adam Gettis, DT Dominique Hamilton, LB James Davidson, and CB Jayron Hosley.

NY Post Q&A With LB Devon Kennard: Serby’s Sunday Q&A with Devon Kennard by Steve Serby of The New York Post

Article on the New York Giants Offense: Giants’ offense still a work in progress by Tom Rock of Newsday

Article on WR Rueben Randle: Why Rueben Randle has been one of the Giants’ biggest letdowns by Mark Cannizzaro of The New York Post

Article on DE Jason Pierre-Paul and S Antrel Rolle: NY Giants should bring back Antrel Rolle and Jason Pierre-Paul after late surge by Ralph Vacchiano of The New York Daily News