Nov 252016
 
Victor Cruz, New York Giants (November 20, 2016)

Victor Cruz – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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Game Preview: New York Giants at Cleveland Browns, November 27, 2016

THE STORYLINE:
This is the last “easy” game on the schedule and the last game of November. Everyone is thinking the same thing: beat the Browns, get to 8-3, and then concentrate all efforts on a December run leading up to the regular-season finale on New Year’s Day. But make no mistake about it, if the Giants take the Cleveland Browns lightly, they will lose. The Browns are not without talent. And the odds that they will go winless in 2016 are not good. They will beat someone. A New York Giants team that has beaten seven teams by a combined 27 points had better be on their game.

THE INJURY REPORT:

  • RB Orleans Darkwa (lower leg) – questionable
  • WR Dwayne Harris (wrist) – probable
  • WR Roger Lewis, Jr. (concussion) – questionable
  • OG Justin Pugh (knee) – out
  • OL Brett Jones (calf) – out
  • OL Marshall Newhouse (knee) – out
  • OL Adam Gettis (calf) – questionable
  • DE Jason Pierre-Paul (knee) – questionable

NEW YORK GIANTS ON OFFENSE:
The 3-4 defense of the Cleveland Browns is 31st in the NFL (31st against the run, 22nd against the pass). They don’t rush the passer very well as they only have 16 team sacks on the year. That said, they do have some players who can present problems. Rookie defensive end/linebacker Emmanuel Ogbah (3 sacks) is beginning to flash as a pass rusher. Nose tackle Danny Shelton is a 335-pound load in the middle of the defense who could present problems for center Weston Richburg. Ex-Patriot outside linebacker Jamie Collins is an athletic play-maker. Two-time Pro Bowler cornerback Joe Haden has three interceptions and is one of the NFL’s best covermen. He will line up against Odell Beckham, Jr.

What hurts the Giants coming into this game is the situation at left guard. The Giants are down to 4th stringer Adam Gettis starting and that’s a bit scary. And Gettis is also playing hurt with a calf injury. Heaven help the Giants if someone else gets injured on the offensive line on Sunday – depth is nil with only Will Beatty and Shane McDermott in reserve.

Given that Cleveland is 31st against the run, there may be a temptation to force the run and really get the ground game going. The Giants have to be careful not to play it too conservatively and allow the Browns to hang around. I would suggest using the passing game to get a two-score lead and then focus more on the ground game. Amazingly, Beckham has not cracked the 100-yard mark since his 222-yard performance against the Ravens on October 16th. The Giants have to do a better job of moving him around to defeat double-team coverage and get him more involved.

NEW YORK GIANTS ON DEFENSE:
The Browns are 29th in the NFL in offense (25th rushing, 27th passing). Much of the failure of the Browns franchise for decades has been the inability to to acquire a true franchise quarterback. Five different quarterbacks have played for the Browns this year alone. Due to injuries to other players, Josh McCown will get his third start of the season on Sunday. The 37-year old McCown has played in four games this year and only completed 53.3 percent of his passes with five touchdowns and six interceptions. McCown is a journeyman who has played for seven teams. But he is an experienced veteran with 59 regular-season starts. The Giants should not take him lightly. In the two games he started (against the Ravens and Jets), the Browns moved the ball and had a good chance to win both games.

Despite their offensive rankings, the Browns actually have some offensive talent. Ex-quarterback wide receiver Terrelle Pryor is a big, athletic target with 56 catches and four touchdowns. While he has struggled somewhat during his rookie year (only 17 catches), wide receiver Corey Coleman is a 1st rounder who is very capable of breaking a game open. Fellow wideout Andrew Hawkins has three touchdowns. That all said, the Giants secondary matches up pretty well with this group. The primary concern will be tight end Gary Barnidge (39 receptions) as the Giants have had issues covering athletic, pass-receiving tight ends. Running backs Duke Johnson (42 catches) and Isaiah Crowell (26 catches) are also both factors in the passing game. The Giants linebackers and safeties will be on the spot given the Browns tendencies.

And while the Browns are 25th in rushing, Crowell (4.3 yards-per-carry) and Johnson (5.0 yards-per-carry) are productive when they get a chance. The Giants must also be wary of the trick play, especially since Pryor is a former quarterback.

I would put the onus on the corners to handle the wideouts and focus my coverage attention more towards Barnidge and the two running backs. McCown’s game is better suited to the short-passing attack rather than taking shots down the field. Obviously, the Giants must keep the ground attack under control. That will help to mute play-action – something the Giants linebackers had issues with against the Bears.

The injury issue on this side of the ball is Jason Pierre-Paul (knee) is “questionable” although he says he will play. The elite player on the offensive line for the Browns is left tackle Joe Thomas.

NEW YORK GIANTS ON SPECIAL TEAMS:
The Browns haven’t been very good in kickoff returns (long of 24 yards) and punt returns (long of 18 yards). Undermanned teams such as the Browns are always capable of rolling the dice and using a fake field goal or punt, or an onside kick.

It’s a bit unnerving to not know what kind of kicker the Giants have yet in Robbie Gould. The weather was a factor in his missed extra points last week, but the Giants obviously need Gould to produce better.

FROM THE COACH’S MOUTH:
Offensive Coordinator Mike Sullivan on Odell Beckham, Jr.: “When it comes to Odell, obviously we all know he is a dynamic play maker. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the more we give him the ball, the higher our chances are of winning. He is seventh in the NFL right now, I mean, he’s got 98 targets, so we’re trying, and that’s always a big part of our plan. I think the thing that is important to realize when it comes to that is really two things; number one, based upon where he’s aligned, in formation, often times that can create some other opportunities in terms of the run game; shifting the front, getting some things that have created some openings that have helped us the past two weeks. Secondly, opportunities for other guys. There is no more revealing clip or picture to have all of you guys take a look at, than the touchdown of Sterling Shepard. We put Odell in a specific spot and if you go back and look at that clip, the safety who was aligned to his side, it was a two high configuration, his eyes are right on Odell. Had he not done that, then it’s one-on-one and he’s got a touchdown in the end zone, and we can all see him enjoy the celebration. But, because of his commitment to him and the corners commitment to him, that opens up the middle of the field and that created a touchdown for Sterling. There are certain by-products, if you will, based upon his alignment. While he may be not getting the ball, it certainly creates those opportunities. We definitely would like to get the ball in his hands as much as possible and want to be good coaches and know that what makes us good coaches is getting the ball and what helps us win.”

THE FINAL WORD:
Playing a winless team this late in the season scares the bejesus out of me because the opponent is due for a win. The Giants had better take the Browns seriously.

Nov 212016
 
Sterling Shepard, New York Giants (November 20, 2016)

Sterling Shepard – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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New York Giants 22 – Chicago Bears 16

Overview

Before we get into the minutiae of the Giants-Bears game, sometimes it is important to take a step back and look at the overall picture. With 10 regular-season games down and six to go, the New York Giants find themselves with the third-best record in the NFC. Before the season started, most Giants fans would have gladly accepted a 7-3 record at the 10-game mark (though no one envisioned the Cowboys being 9-1 with a rookie quarterback, and the Giants clearly played the Packers and Vikings at the wrong time).

With six regular-season games left to play, the Giants already have more wins than they did in 2014 and 2015, and the same amount of wins they had in 2013. The Giants are winning the close games as seven of their victories have been by a total of 27 points. The Giants have gone from 32nd in defense to 16th (11th in in scoring defense) despite being 29th in team sacks with 18. On the other hand, the Giants offense has fallen from 8th in the NFL in 2015 to 20th in 2016 (rushing game from 18th to 31st being the biggest culprit). Perhaps the most remarkable statistic is that the Giants are 7-3 despite being 29th in the NFL in turnover differential (-7).

What this all means is there is still tremendous room for improvement. The defense has rapidly improved despite struggling to sack quarterbacks and forcing turnovers until the last few games. The offense is still capable of dramatically improving if it cuts down on turnovers and sustains drives better with a more consistent running game, the latter which is finally showing some signs of life. The Giants have yet to score more than 28 points in a single game. They can do better than that.

As for the game, the Bears had to be thrilled with the windy conditions. Jay Cutler is not a good quarterback, but he has the type of arm that can cut through the wind. Eli Manning doesn’t and the conditions helped to neutralize the strength of the Giants offense. Greater emphasis was placed on the ground game where the Bears held the advantage coming into the contest. In effect, the playing field was leveled for the Bears. This was the type of game where you are just thrilled to get out with a win and relatively healthy.

Giants on Offense

Some fans will say the Giants offense stunk in the first half because the team only scored nine points. But the Giants only had three first-half offensive possessions, and two of those resulted in scoring drives. That offensive success continued early in the 3rd quarter as the Giants scored two touchdowns. However, after the Giants gained a 6-point lead, the offense went into a shell for the rest of the game as the next five possessions resulted in only two first downs and five punts. Had New York lost this game by 1-point, the fans and the media would be calling for Ben McAdoo’s head. Good defense covers up a multitude of sins.

That all said, on a terribly windy day, the Giants played a very clean game. No turnovers. No sacks. One offensive penalty. The Giants were 3-of-3 (100 percent) in the red zone. The Giants only had one offensive play over 21 yards.

Quarterback

Statistically, it was not an awe-inspiring game for Eli Manning as the team was held to 6.3 yards per pass play. But it was an efficient game despite treacherous windy conditions. Manning finished 21-of-36 for 227 yards, 2 touchdowns, and no interceptions for a quarterback rating of 95.5. What impressed me was the way Eli calmly avoided pressure to buy more time to deliver the football. The Giants scored four times on their first five possessions (three touchdowns and a field goal). Manning was 5-of-6 on the first TD drive, including a 15-yard pass on 4th-and-2. And despite six incompletions on the second scoring drive, Manning helped to set up the 46-yard field goal with a 5-yard pass on 4th-and-2. (Manning was lucky that the ensuing 3rd-and-10 pass was not intercepted). On the third scoring drive, Manning had key passes of 12 yards to Sterling Shepard on 3rd-and-8, a 20-yard sideline shot to Odell Beckham, and then a 9-yard touchdown throw to Will Tye. On the final scoring drive, Manning rushed for four yards on 3rd-and-4, made an excellent play by scrambling out of trouble and finding Victor Cruz for a huge 48-yard gain, and then threw a 15-yard scoring strike to Shepard on 3rd-and-4. In the last five possessions, Eli was 2-of-7 for nine yards. Both of his completions came up 1-yard short of the first down marker. His dumb-ass moment of the game was his last throw when he forced a 3rd-and-10 pass to Jennings that came close to being a game-winning pick-6 for the Bears.

Running Backs

The backs were not great, but it was a respectable performance on windy day where the Giants desperately needed their running game to be respectable. Rashad Jennings was the leading runner (7 carries for 34 yards and a touchdown) and receiver (5 catches for 44 yards) for the Giants in the first half. The longest gain on the team’s first scoring drive was his 16-yard screen reception, and he finished this drive off with a 2-yard touchdown run. Jennings was responsible for 49 of the team’s 57 yards on the field goal drive, including a 12-yard reception, a 21-yard run, a 10-yard reception, and a 5-yard, tackle-breaking catch on 4th-and-2. On the second TD drive, Jennings gained four yards on 3rd-and-1. While Jennings did pick up two first downs on the last five possessions (10-yard run on 2nd-and-4 and a 12-yard run on 2nd-and-9), Jennings and the rest of the team failed to move the chains the rest of the game.

Paul Perkins only carried the ball four times for 16 yards. The niftiest run of the game was his 11-yard cutback on 2nd-and-9 on the first TD drive. He did have two catches for 16 yards. Overall, Jennings and Perkins rushed for 101 yards on 25 carries (4.0 yards per carry).

Wide Receivers

A rare game where a receiver other than Odell Beckham was the leading target for Eli Manning. Sterling Shepard was targeted 11 times, catching five passes for 50 yards. His three most noteworthy receptions were his 15-yard, juking run-after-the-catch reception on 4th-and-2 that set up the first touchdown; his 12-yard reception on 3rd-and-8 on the second TD drive; and his 15-yard touchdown on 3rd-and-4 for the team’s final score. Beckham had a quiet game with five catches for 46 yards, the most significant being his 20-yard reception on the second touchdown drive. Victor Cruz only had one catch, but it was a big one – a 48-yard gain on the final TD drive. Roger Lewis (5 snaps) caught a key 8-yard reception on 3rd-and-7 on the field goal drive. Unfortunately, Lewis was injured on this play and did not return. Overall, aside from Cruz’s big gain, the receivers were limited to 9.5 yards per reception.

Tight Ends

Larry Donnell went from being bench to being inactive. The bulk of the snaps went again to Will Tye who caught 2-of-5 passes thrown in his direction for 12 yards a touchdown. He also dropped a pass. Jerell Adams (17 snaps) was targeted once but did not have a catch. Blocking by the tight ends was decent.

Offensive Line

With Justin Pugh (knee) and Brett Jones (calf) out, Marshall Newhouse started at left guard. The Giants received a scare when he suffered a sprained knee and was replaced by Adam Gettis for five plays, but Newhouse returned and finished the game. The offensive line did not allow a sack and Eli Manning was only officially hit four times. Meanwhile, Giants running backs average 4.0 yards per carry for a total of 101 yards. Ereck Flowers was flagged with a holding penalty that wiped out a first down and sabotaged the Giants second possession and had some shaky moments in pass protection. Marshall Newhouse gave up one big hit. But overall, the line played fairly well.

Giants on Defense

It really was a tale of two halves for the Giants defense. The Bears had four possessions in the first half and scored on their first three: a 9-play, 76-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown; a 7-play, 39-yard drive that resulted in a 40-yard field goal; and an 8-play, 79-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown. Bears quarterback Jay Cutler was 11-of-14 for 126 yards and a touchdown in the first half with tight end Zach Miller catching three passes for 61 yards and a 19-yard score. The Giants defense also had trouble stopping running back Jordan Howard as he rushed for 72 yards on 12 carries in the first half (the Bears as a team rushed for 88 yards in the first half).

In the second half, the Bears were shut out. Their seven possessions resulted in a missed field goal, five punts, and an interception. Chicago only gained five yards on the ground and four first downs in the second half. Overall, the defense accrued four sacks, seven tackles for losses, six QB hits, seven pass defenses, and one forced fumble.

The Bears offense did have five plays over 20 yards and two plays over 30 yards. The defense was only flagged with two penalties.

Defensive Line

When evaluating each unit, one must take into account the tremendous early success the Bears offense had combined with defensive shutdown in the second half. The defensive line did not play well for the first 30 minutes, but they woke up after the break. All of the Giants four sacks came in the 4th quarter. Jason Pierre-Paul had a tremendous second half and he was credited with 5 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 1 tackle for a loss, 3 QB hits, 1 pass defense, and 1 fumble. With the Giants only leading by six points, JPP’s 13-yard sack on 1st-and-10 from the Giants 30-yard line at the 2-minute warning may have saved the game. JPP also drew a holding penalty earlier on this drive and could have had another sack in the 4th quarter but whiffed on Cutler. Olivier Vernon was credited with 3 tackles, 1 sack, and 2 tackles for losses (one for a 7-yard loss). But he was also flagged with a ticky-tack roughing-the-pass penalty. Johnathan Hankins had 6 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and 1 tackle for a loss. Damon Harrison had six tackles and deserves special mention for his hustle way down field to tackle the back on a screen pass. Romeo Okwara (15 snaps) had one tackle for a loss and Owamagbe Odighizuwa (12 snaps) was credited with a QB hit.

Linebackers

Like the defensive line, much, much better in the second half. Kelvin Sheppard (32 snaps) led the linebackers with six tackles, followed by Devon Kennard (41 snaps, 4 tackles), Keenan Robinson (41 snaps, 3 tackles, 1 pass defense), and Jonathan Casillas (40 snaps, 3 tackles, 1 tackle for a 2-yard loss, 1 pass defense). Pass coverage was an issue in the first half. Cutler completed 11-of-14 first-half passes for 126 yards. But six of these passes for 91 yards were to tight end Zach Miller and running back Jeremy Langford. Miller beat Kennard on for a 19-yard score early in the 1st quarter. Miller then beat Robinson for a 34-yard gain on 3rd-and-9 on the Bears FG drive. Miller got hurt near the end of the second quarter and it is probably no coincidence that the Bears offense began to really struggle after that point. The Giants also shut out Langford in the receiving department in the second half.

Defensive Backs

Despite the Bears success moving the football in the first half, Bears receivers only caught five passes for 35 yards in the first half (7.0 yards-per-catch) as the defensive backs basically shut down the wideouts for the first 30 minutes. The receivers did more damage in the second half in terms of yards-per-catch with five receptions for 104 yards (20.8 yards-per-catch). For the second game in a row, Eli Apple (62 snaps, 7 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss) replaced Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (34 snaps, 2 tackles) as the corner opposite Janoris Jenkins (64 snaps, 2 tackles, 1 pass defense). Apple nailed WR Cameron Meredith for a 2-yard loss after a quick throw late in the 1st quarter, though he missed a tackle after another short completion in the 2nd quarter. Apple gave up a 17-yard reception on 3rd-and-18, but his sure tackle forced a punt. Apple gave up a 35-yard completion on the first play of the Bears’ last desperate drive to win the game. Landon Collins’ superb year continues as he was credited with 6 tackles, 3 pass defenses, and the game-saving interception. Nat Berhe’s (24 snaps, 3 tackles) playing time increased at the expense of Andrew Adams (37 snaps, 3 tackles).

Giants on Special Teams

Really an up-and-down peformance. Robbie Gould said it was the worst conditions he has played in and it showed, as he missed two extra points. Fortunately, those did not come back to haunt the Giants. Gould did surprisingly nail a 46-yard field goal. Only one of his kickoffs resulted in a touchback and the Bears did return one kickoff 40 yards and two others for 27 yards. Brad Wing punted six times, averaging 44.5 yards per punt (42.5 yard net) with two downed inside the 20-yard line. Eddie Royal’s three returns only went for a total of 12 yards.

Dwayne Harris returned three punts for a total of 14 yards. He had an 18-yard return wiped out due to an illegal block by Orleans Darkwa. He muffed one punt that Eli Apple thankfully recovered. Harris’ 46-yard kickoff return to start the second half helped to set up the team’s second touchdown. But one of his returns only reached the 15-yard line.

(Chicago Bears at New York Giants, November 20, 2016)
Nov 202016
 
Landon Collins, New York Giants (November 20, 2016)

Landon Collins – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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NEW YORK GIANTS 22 – CHICAGO BEARS 16…
The New York Giants defeated the Chicago Bears 22-16 on Sunday afternoon at a windy MetLife Stadium. With the win, the Giants improved their overall record to 7-3.

The Giants slightly out-gained the Bears in first downs (19 to 17), total net yards (329 to 315), net yards rushing (102 to 93), and net yards passing (227 to 222). Chicago was 4-of-12 (33 percent) on 3rd down while New York was 5-of-14 (36 percent) on 3rd down and 2-for-2 (100 percent) on 4th down. The Bears turned the ball over once while the Giants did not turn the ball over at all.

The Bears had four possessions in the first half and scored on their first three: a 9-play, 76-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown (extra point missed); a 7-play, 39-yard drive that resulted in a 40-yard field goal; and an 8-play, 79-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown. Bears quarterback Jay Cutler was 11-of-14 for 126 yards and a touchdown in the first half with tight end Zach Miller catching three passes for 61 yards and a 19-yard score. The Giants defense also had trouble stopping running back Jordan Howard as he rushed for 72 yards on 12 carries in the first half.

Meanwhile, the Giants only had three possessions in the first half, scoring on two of them. New York drove 78 yards in 11 plays on their first drive. The Giants went for it on 4th-and-2 from the Chicago 17-yard line as quarterback Eli Manning hit wide receiver Sterling Shepard for 15 yards down to the 2-yard line. On the next snap, running back Rashad Jennings scored. The extra point was missed by ex-Bears kicker Robbie Gould. New York went three-and-out on their second possession. Then on their third and final possession before the break, the Giants drove 57 yards in 14 plays to set up a successful 46-yard field goal by Gould. This drive also included a successful 4th-down conversion as Jennings caught a 5-yard pass on 4th-and-2 at the Bears 33-yard line. Manning was 11-of-18 for 100 yards in the first half with Jennings both the leading rusher (seven carries for 34 yards) and receiver (five catches for 44 yards).

Chicago led 16-9 at halftime.

The Giants defense shut out the Bears in the second half. Five of Chicago’s second-half possessions resulted in three-and-outs. Their third possession after the break gained 47 yards in nine plays but ended with a missed 51-yard field goal early in the 4th quarter.

The Giants offense scored touchdowns on their first two possessions of the second half. First, aided by a 46-yard kickoff return by Dwayne Harris, the Giants drove 56 yards in nine plays to tie the game at 16-16 on Manning’s 9-yard touchdown pass to tight end Will Tye. Then New York drove 79 yards in seven plays to go up 22-16 midway through the 3rd quarter. The big play on this drive was a 48-yard pass from Manning to wide receiver Victor Cruz. Three plays later, on 3rd-and-4, Manning hit Shepard for a 15-yard touchdown. Gould missed what could have been a very costly extra point, his second miss of the game.

Holding a 6-point lead, the Giants offense struggled for the remainder of the game as their next five drives resulted in only two first downs and five punts. Fortunately, the Bears were even more inept. Starting on their own 22-yard line, Chicago got the ball one last time at the 3-minute mark. The Bears gained 35 yards on their first play to the Giants 43-yard line. Then on 2nd-and-20, Chicago gained 23 yards to the Giants 30-yard line. But defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul sacked Cutler and a penalty pushed the Bears back into a 2nd-and-29 from the New York 49-yard line. On the next snap, safety Landon Collins saved the win with an interception at the Giants 21-yard line.

Offensively, Eli Manning finished 21-of-36 for 227 yards, 2 touchdowns, and no interceptions. His leading receivers were Sterling Shepard (5 catches for 50 yards and a touchdown), wide receiver Odell Beckham (5 catches for 46 yards), and Rashad Jennings (5 catches for 44 yards). Jennings finished the game with 85 yards rushing and a touchdown on 21 carries. The Giants did not allow a sack and did not turn the ball over.

Defensively, Jason Pierre-Paul accrued 5 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 1 tackle for a loss, 3 QB hits, 1 pass defense, and 1 forced fumble. Defensive end Olivier Vernon had 3 tackles, 1 sack, and 2 tackles for losses. Landon Collins had 6 tackles, 1 interception, and 3 pass defenses. Defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins had 6 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and 1 tackle for a loss.

Video highlights/lowlights are available at Giants.com.

INACTIVE LIST AND INJURY REPORT…
Inactive for the game were left guard Justin Pugh (knee), offensive lineman Brett Jones (calf), tight end Larry Donnell, wide receiver Tavarres King, quarterback Josh Johnson, defensive tackle Robert Thomas, and cornerback Leon Hall.

Wide receiver Roger Lewis suffered a possible concussion. Wide receiver Dwayne Harris (wrist) and offensive lineman Marshall Newhouse (sprained knee) left the game with injuries but returned.

POST-GAME REACTION…
Transcripts and video clips of post-game media sessions with Head Coach Ben McAdoo and the following players are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

POST-GAME NOTES…
The Giants won their fifth consecutive game, their longest winning streak since they won five in a row in 2010.

The Giants improved to 7-3 and have exceeded their victory total from each of the previous two seasons (when they were 6-10) – with six games remaining.

This is the Giants best 10-game start since they were 9-1 in 2008.

The Giants seven victories have been by a total of 27 points.

The Giants improved to 5-1 in MetLife Stadium, their highest total at home since they were 6-2 in 2012.

With the victory, the Giants concluded a 3-0 homestand. This is the first time the Giants won three games at home in consecutive weeks 1962.

The Giants did not commit a turnover, ending their NFL-long streak of 18 consecutive games with at least one giveaway.

Safety Landon Collins has intercepted at least one pass in four consecutive games, the first Giants player to do that since cornerback Phillippi Sparks also had a four-game streak in 1995.

ROSTER MOVES…
On Saturday, the New York Giants signed center Shane McDermott to the 53-man roster from the Practice Squad. To make room for McDermott, the team waived linebacker Deontae Skinner. The Giants also signed quarterback Logan Thomas to the Practice Squad.

McDermott was signed to the Giants Practice Squad on Thursday. He also spent time on the team’s Practice Squad in September. McDermott originally signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2015 NFL Draft, but the Cowboys cut him in September that year. After a brief stint on the Panthers Practice Squad, the Giants signed McDermott to the Practice Squad in November 2015. McDermott is a blue-collar, overachiever who lacks ideal athleticism and strength.

Skinner was signed to the Practice Squad in September and October 2016 and then to the 53-man roster in October 2016. Skinner was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the New England Patriots after the 2014 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Patriots (2014-2015) and Eagles (2015-2016), the latter waiving him in August.

Thomas has been added to and released from the Practice Squad multiple times in 2016. Thomas was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals. The Dolphins claimed Thomas off of waivers from the Cardinals in September 2015 and the Giants claimed him off of waivers from the Dolphins in June 2016. Thomas has only played in two NFL games, completing one pass in nine attempts for an 81-yard touchdown. Thomas is a huge, athletic quarterback with a quick release and strong arm. He has been an inconsistent performer with decision-making and accuracy issues.

ARTICLES…

Nov 182016
 
Jason Pierre-Paul, New York Giants (October 16, 2016)

Jason Pierre-Paul – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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Game Preview: Chicago Bears at New York Giants, November 20, 2016

THE STORYLINE:
Almost every New York Giants fan is thinking the same thing: the Giants should beat the 2-7 Chicago Bears and 0-10 Cleveland Browns and be 8-3 in two weeks. Clearly that is the most likely scenario if the Giants remain focused and don’t take the Bears and Browns lightly. That said, keep in mind the Giants have won six games by a total of 21 points. Every game has been a struggle.

THE INJURY REPORT:

  • RB Orleans Darkwa (lower leg) – questionable
  • WR Victor Cruz (ankle) – probable
  • WR Dwayne Harris (toe) – probable
  • OG Justin Pugh (knee) – out
  • OL Brett Jones (calf) – out
  • OL Adam Gettis (calf) – questionable

NEW YORK GIANTS ON OFFENSE:
The Bears are a well-coached 3-4 defense under former Giants defensive coordinator John Fox and former 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Despite not having a lot of top talent, the Bears are 11th in defense (11th against the run, 12th against the pass). The good news for the Giants is the Bears are really beat up on defense. Two starting defensive linemen – NT Eddie Goldman (ankle – questionable) and DE Mitch Unrein (back – doubtful) – have missed practice this week. So has reserve CB Deiondre’ Hall (ankle – doubtful). Four more starting defenders have been limited, including LB Pernell McPhee (knee – questionable), LB Willie Young (ankle – questionable), CB Tracy Porter (knee – questionable), and CB Bryce Callahan (hamstring – questionable). Reserve NT Will Sutton was placed on IR this week.

As is the case with 3-4 defenses, the primary pass-rushing threats come from the outside linebackers. Young leads the Bears with 6.5 sacks, while top reserve and Giants 2016 Draft target LB Leonard Floyd is second on the team with five sacks. Given the depleted nature of the Bears defense, expect Fox and Fangio to play it conservatively. They will focus on preventing the big play in the passing game with extra attention of course being given to Odell Beckham, Jr. This should open up opportunities for the running game as well as other passing targets, namely Sterling Shepard, Victor Cruz, and the backs and tight ends.

What we’re about to discover is if the Giants rushing success against the Bengals was a mirage or not. If the Giants cannot consistently run the ball against the Bears, they will have to continue to live and die with a passing game that has largely been dependent on the big play. The good news for the Giants is that they have really cut down on penalties in recent weeks. But turnovers remain a problem and the blocking up front remains inconsistent. Thus, the offense has largely been feast or famine.

What we’re really all waiting for is a clean game (no turnovers) with consistent running-game performance that results in  30+ points on the scoreboard. The Giants will be very thin up front for this game. Both Justin Pugh and Brett Jones are out and Adam Gettis is questionable.

NEW YORK GIANTS ON DEFENSE:
The Bears are a middle-of-the-pack offense (16th overall, 21st rushing, 18th passing). But like the defense, the Bears are hurting on this side of the ball. Their best offensive weapon – WR Alshon Jeffery – has been suspended. Right guard Kyle Long was placed on Injured Reserve. RT Bobby Massie (concussion) is doubtful.  LG Josh Sitton (ankle – questionable), WR Eddie Royal (toe – questionable), and WR Marquess Wilson (foot – questionable) were all limited in practice.

The Bears offense has long succeeded or failed on the incredibly inconsistent play of QB Jay Cutler. There are occasional moments when Cutler looks like a world-beater, but he has the make-up of a loser who loves to bitch-and-whine when things don’t go his way. Without Jeffery, Cutler’s primary targets will likely be TE Zach Miller (44 catches, 3 touchdowns), Royal (30 catches, 2 touchdowns), and WR Cameron Meredith (29 catches, 2 touchdowns). The Giants secondary should be able to handle this group provided the linebackers and safeties can keep Miller under control.

Despite Chicago’s 21st-ranking in the run game, RB Jordan Howard is a dangerous back. He’s rushed for 605 yards on 114 carries (5.3 yards per carry). Running backs Jeremy Langford and Ka’Deem Carey are averaging 4.0 yards per carry. The focal point must be on stopping the run. If the Giants stymie Chicago’s running game and make it difficult for Miller to get open down the middle of the field, the Bears offense will be in trouble. Look for Cutler to get frustrated and start making mistakes.

NEW YORK GIANTS ON SPECIAL TEAMS:
Tom Quinn’s special teams units are giving up too many big returns. Eddie Royal is a dangerous punt returner who already has returned one punt for a touchdown this season (and has three in his career). Robbie Gould gets a chance to help or hurt his old team. Dwayne Harris (who is probable) is battling a nagging toe injury and it remains to be seen if Bobby Rainey takes over return duties this weekend. If he does, keep in mind that Rainey has had fumbling issues as a returner throughout his career.

FROM THE COACH’S MOUTH:
Offensive Coordinator Mike Sullivan on the Bears outside linebackers: “If you’re talking about the outside linebackers that become different defensive ends, obviously they’re a very talented defensive front. That’s not coach speak. You put the tape on and there aren’t too many quarterbacks that are back there that either are not getting hit or they’re having to reset and move in the pocket or they’re getting sacked. Of course with Floyd, he’s a young guy that’s really coming into his groove. McPhee is a heck of a player, he’s been on a pitch count, if you will, because of his injuries. Hicks, of course, is tremendous and young; that’s a great group. You asked about the outside guys, they become defensive ends when we go to our zebra package and so obviously we have to be aware of opportunities that we have and trying to make sure that if we want to push the ball down the field, we account for those guys, trying to help tackles when necessary and do various things because they definitely do present a challenge.”

THE FINAL WORD:
The Bears are going nowhere and banged up. They also gave the Giants a gift this week by oddly talking trash. “We’re gonna tear their ass up,” said Pernell McPhee. It’s been a long time since the Giants blew anyone out. Could this finally be the week?

Nov 152016
 
Odell Beckham, New York Giants (November 14, 2016)

Odell Beckham – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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New York Giants 21 – Cincinnati Bengals 20

Overview

We’ve become unaccustomed to this. It’s mid-November and the Giants are still alive! Winners of four straight, the Giants are a serious contender for a Wild Card playoff spot, and the division crown is still not quite out of reach. This was a big game for the Giants. The Cowboys, Eagles, and Redskins all won on Sunday. The pressure was on New York to keep pace on Monday night. With seven games to go, and two very winnable games next on deck, Giants are in very good shape at 6-3.

Giants on Offense

The Giants had 13 offensive possessions, but four only really stand out: the first and last drives of the first half that resulted in touchdowns, the touchdown drive at the end of the 3rd/beginning of the 4th quarter, and the last drive where the Giants ran out the clock. These four drives accounted for 16 of the team’s 23 first downs and 238 of the team’s 351 net yards. The other nine possessions ended with two interceptions, one turnover on downs, and six punts.

The Giants remain heavily pass-centric. In 72 offensive plays, the Giants called 46 passes, 24 runs, and two kneel-downs. The Giants did not hit on any big plays. While the Giants had four plays over 20 yards, none was longer than 25 yards. The Giants were only penalized once on offense.

Quarterback

As Eli Manning goes, so goes the Giants offense. Eli was masterful on the team’s opening drive as he completed all six pass attempts and the Giants easily drove 80 yards downfield for an early touchdown. The Giants next four possessions resulted in 72 yards, two punts, one turnover on downs, and one interception as Manning went 9-of-16 with one pick. Manning then went 4-of-5 (with one drop) on the team’s final drive of the first half as the Giants drove 75 yards for their second touchdown.

Outside of the game-winning, 47-yard drive, Manning was pretty much a non-factor in the second half of the game. To be fair, however, Manning had a number of passes dropped. Manning was again 4-of-5 on the scoring possession, including the clutch 3-yard touchdown throw on 4th-and-goal. His second interception after the Bengals turnover was a terrible decision. Manning finished the game 28-of-44 (63.6 percent of his passes) for 240 yards (net 229 yards – 5.1 yards per pass play), 3 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. The Giants longest pass play was their first – the 25-yarder to Will Tye.

Running Backs

A “breakout” game for the Giants running backs as Rashad Jennings (15 carries for 87 yards) and Paul Perkins (9 carries for 31 yards) totaled 118 yards on 24 carries (4.9 yards per carry). Most of the damage came in the second half as Jennings and Perkins were limited to 37 yards on 12 carries (3.1 yards per carry) through the first 30 minutes of the contest.

Jennings had a number of key plays, including a 16-yard reception on the first TD drive, a 24-yard run on the game-winning drive, a 9-yard run on 3rd-and-6 late in the game, and then a 25-yard run to seal the deal. That said, outside of the 16-yard reception, the passes to the backs did not amount to much as Jennings caught 3-of-6 passes thrown in his direction (with two drops) for 22 yards and all three passes intended for Perkins fell incomplete.

Wide Receivers

Odell Beckham remains the centerpiece as he was targeted 11 times, with 10 of those passes being completed for 97 yards and a touchdown despite constant double teams. His sick double-move against Pacman Jones put the Giants up 14-10 at the break. While not putting up big numbers, Sterling Shepard is increasingly becoming a factor. He caught another touchdown this week – the game-winner on 4th-and-goal. He finished with 42 yards on five receptions. Shepard did drop a 3rd-and-4 pass, causing a punt.

Victor Cruz (ankle) did not play and was replaced by Roger Lewis, Jr., who had been a very pleasant surprise coming into the game. However, national TV spotlight seemed to get the best of of Lewis’ nerves as he struggled. Lewis caught 1-of-4 passes thrown in his direction for just two yards. Lewis dropped a perfectly-thrown 3rd-and-7 deep pass from Manning that led to a punt. In the 3rd quarter, Lewis wasn’t on the same page with Manning on an incomplete deep throw on 3rd-and-4, leading to another punt. Tavarres King was activated and played a lot of snaps (45). He caught one pass for six yards and also drew a 10-yard pass interference penalty.

Tight Ends

Larry Donnell continued to ride the pine as the Giants move forward with Will Tye (5 catches for 53 yards) and Jerell Adams (3 catches for 18 yards). Tye started the Giants off with a 25-yard reception on the first TD drive that was culminated by Adams’ first touchdown reception (from 10 yards out). Adams did fumble and was lucky the ball bounced out-of-bounds. Tye dropped a pass.

Offensive Line

The Giants were forced to scramble when left guard Justin Pugh’s replacement – Brett Jones – was injured on the first drive. He was replaced by tackle Marshall Newhouse. The line struggled a bit in the first half before settling down and playing decently against a good defensive line. Giants backs rushed for 118 yards on 24 carries (4.9 yards per carry). Manning was sacked once and officially hit six times. Newhouse deserves credit for being able to adjust on the fly. He was penalized for an illegal block. The low point came when Weston Richburg and Newhouse were beat by DT Geno Atkins for an 11-yard sack on 4th-and-2. Atkins also gave John Jerry issues at times; DE Wallace Gilberry also beat Jerry once for a big hit on Manning. Adam Gettis saw some late playing time and performed well.

Giants on Defense

The defense played exceptionally well. Coming into the game, the Bengals were 4th in the NFL in passing and 7th in rushing. The Giants only gave up 12 first downs, 78 net yards rushing, and 186 net yards passing (and 71 of those yards came on one play). After giving up a 3-play, 80-yard drive to start the game, the longest drive allowed was only 41 yards, which resulted in a field goal. The other 10 points were set up by an 84-yard kickoff return and an interception that was returned to the Giants 7-yard line. Holding the Bengals to a field goal after the interception was decisive. The defense was only penalized once.

Defensive Line

The defensive line appears to be getting stronger as the season wears on. Olivier Vernon had a strong game, leading the team with 10 tackles, 1 sack, and 2 tackles for losses. Jason Pierre-Paul isn’t putting up the numbers, but he was a factor with 5 tackles, 2 QB hits, and 2 pass defenses. Damon Harrison had another strong game with 8 tackles (a very high number for a DT), 0.5 sacks, and 1 tackle for a loss. Johnathan Hankins only had one tackle, but it was for a loss. Reserve Robert Thomas was surprisingly productive with 1 sack and 1 tackle for a loss in limited action. Cincinnati running backs were limited to 63 yards on 22 carries (2.9 yards per carry). QB Andy Dalton was sacked twice and hit five times by linemen. The line also did a nice job of containing the mobile quarterback from doing damage on the ground (only one rush for 15 yards).

The high point for the line came in the 4th quarter. The Giants stuffed the Bengals on 3rd-and-1 to end one drive. On the next series, Pierre-Paul smashed into Dalton to cause one incomplete pass followed by back-to-back 7-yard sacks. Cincinnati never got the ball back.

Linebackers

Jonathan Casillas was questionable coming into the game with a calf injury. He played and finished the game with 5 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and 1 tackle for a loss. The other linebackers were pretty quiet in the play-making department: Kelvin Sheppard (3 tackles), Devon Kennard (2 tackles), and Keenan Robinson (2 tackles). That said, aside from one play where Casillas was beaten for a 71-yard gain by TE Tyler Eifert out of a bizarre formation, the Giants did a great job in coverage on the tight ends and running backs. Eifert only caught two more passes for 25 yards. Running back Giovani Bernard caught only three passes for 19 yards. No other back or tight end had a reception. Sheppard did miss one tackle but later did a nice job sniffing out a screen pass.

Defensive Backs

The secondary did a marvelous job. A.J. Green – one of the very best wide receivers in football – was held to seven catches for 68 yards and a touchdown. The other receivers? Tyler Boyd caught two passes for 12 yards and Brandon LaFell one catch for nine yards. That was it!!! Jenkins made a fantastic play by fighting off a block and tackling Green for no gain on a 3rd-and-goal pass right after Eli’s first interception.

Landon Collins is making a serious push for Pro Bowl honors with his fourth interception in three games. Janoris Jenkins, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (DRC), and Trevin Wade were all credited with pass defenses. Wade’s hit on Boyd at the goal line on 3rd-and-5 dislodged the ball and saved a touchdown. Eli Apple rebounded with a strong game. He played every defensive snap as DRC was limited (14 snaps) with a back issue. Apple’s tight coverage on LaFell on 3rd-and-9 late in the 3rd quarter was a big play. Coty Sensabaugh actually played more than Wade and was the primary slot corner. He was very steady as was free safety Andrew Adams. The biggest negative was that Jenkins was flagged for defensive holding on an incomplete 3rd-and-15 pass.

Giants on Special Teams

The lowlight of night was arguably the 84-yard kickoff return that enabled the Bengals to take a 17-14 lead early in the 3rd quarter. None of Robbie Gould’s four kickoffs resulted in touchbacks. The other returns went for 23, 23, and 15 yards. Romeo Okwara flashed on kickoff coverage with two strong tackles. Brad Wing punted six times, averaging 46 yards per punt (40.2 net) with two downed inside the 20-yard line. The Bengals returned three punts for 35 yards, the longest being a decent-sized 18-yard gain.

The Giants return game was pretty anemic. Dwayne Harris returned two kickoffs for 21 and 16 yards, and Bobby Rainey one kickoff for 16 yards. Harris had one punt return for eight yards. Rainey returned three punts for 32 yards. He did have one decent 15-yard return.

(Cincinnati Bengals at New York Giants, November 14, 2016)
Nov 152016
 
Landon Collins, New York Giants (November 14, 2016)

Landon Collins – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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NEW YORK GIANTS 21 – CINCINNATI BENGALS 20…
The New York Giants defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 21-20 on Monday night at MetLife Stadium. With the victory, the Giants improved their overall record to 6-3.

The Giants out-gained the Bengals in first downs (23 to 12), total offensive plays (72 to 55), total net yards (351 to 264), net yards rushing (122 to 78), and net yards passing (229 to 186). The Bengals were held to 2-of-11 (18 percent) on 3rd down conversion attempts.

Both teams scored touchdowns on their opening drives. The Giants first drove 80 yards in eight plays. Quarterback Eli Manning started this possession off with a 25-yard pass to tight end Will Tye and finished it with a 10-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jerell Adams. But the Bengals quickly tied the game in three plays, with the biggest being a 71-yard pass from quarterback Andy Dalton to tight end Tyler Eifert. Dalton finished the possession off with a 13-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver A.J. Green. The game was tied at 7-7.

The next four Giants possessions ended with two punts, a turnover on downs, and an interception. The Bengals punted three times in a row before Manning’s interception. The turnover set up Cincinnati at the Giants 7-yard line. The defense held and forced a 25-yard field goal. New York’s offense then responded with an 8-play, 75-yard drive that culminated with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Manning to wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. to give the Giants a 14-10 lead at the half.

The Bengals returned the opening kickoff of the 3rd quarter 84 yards to the Giants 13-yard line. Two plays later, running back Jeremy Hill scored from nine yards out as the Bengals regained the lead 17-14. After a three-and-out by the Giants offense, Cincinnati added to their advantage by putting together a 7-play, 41-yard drive that set up a successful 38-yard field goal. The Bengals now led 20-14.

Both teams exchanged punts on their next two possessions. Late in the 3rd quarter and early in the 4th quarter, the Giants put together their game-winning drive after forcing the Bengals to punt from deep in their own territory. Starting on the Cincinnati 47-yard line, the Giants drove to the Bengals 3-yard line where they faced 4th-and-goal. Head Coach Ben McAdoo decided to go for it and was rewarded when Manning found wide receiver Sterling Shepard for the score. Giants 21 – Bengals 20.

Both teams then exchanged interceptions. First, safety Landon Collins picked off Dalton. Then Manning gave the ball right back to the Bengals on the very next play. But New York’s defense forced a three-and-out. Both teams exchanged punts before the Giants ran out the final three minutes of the game.

Offensively, Manning finished the game 28-of-44 for 240 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. His leading receivers were Beckham (10 catches for 97 yards and a touchdown), Tye (5 catches for 53 yards), and Shepard (5 catches for 42 yards and a touchdown). Running back Rashad Jennings rushed for 87 yards on 15 carries and running back Paul Perkins chipped in with 31 yards on nine carries.

Defensively, defensive end Olivier Vernon led the team with 10 tackles, 1 sack, and 2 tackles for losses. Defensive tackle Robert Thomas had one sack and defensive tackle Damon Harrison and linebacker Jonathan Casillas had half-sacks. Collins had the Giants lone turnover with his interception.

Video highlights/lowlights are available at Giants.com.

INACTIVE LIST AND INJURY REPORT…
Inactive for the game were wide receiver Victor Cruz (ankle), left guard Justin Pugh (knee), defensive end Kerry Wynn (concussion), cornerback Leon Hall, offensive tackle Will Beatty, linebacker Deontae Skinner, and quarterback Josh Johnson.

Left guard Brett Jones strained his calf in the 1st quarter and did not return. He was replaced by Marshall Newhouse. Wide receiver/returner Dwayne Harris left the game with a toe injury and did not play in the second half.

POST-GAME REACTION…
Transcripts and video clips of post-game media sessions with Head Coach Ben McAdoo and the following players are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

POST-GAME NOTES…
QB Eli Manning was credited with his 33rd fourth-quarter, game-winning drive (leading the Giants to victories in games in which they trailed or were tied in the fourth quarter).

WR Odell Beckham set the NFL record for the fewest number of games (36) to reach 3,500 receiving yards.

S Landon Collins has four interceptions in his last three games.

TOM COUGHLIN, ERNIE ACCORSI, JUSTIN TUCK INDUCTED INTO RING OF HONOR…
Former New York Giants Head Coach Tom Coughlin (2004-2015), General Manager Ernie Accorsi (1998-2007), and defensive end Justin Tuck (2005-2013) were officially inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor at halftime during Monday night’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals. A video of the ceremony is available at Giants.com.

ARTICLES…

Nov 122016
 
Eli Manning, New York Giants (August 14, 2015)

Eli Manning – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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Game Preview: Cincinnati Bengals at New York Giants, November 14, 2016

THE STORYLINE:
The 5-3 New York Giants are currently in second place in the once-again competitive NFC East behind the 7-1 Dallas Cowboys. Most figure the Cowboys are shoo-ins for the division title, but keep in mind the Giants have already beaten the Cowboys once. If the Giants can get within one game of Dallas, the December 11th game against the Cowboys at MetLife Stadium looms large.

First the Giants must defeat the always-schizophrenic Cincinnati Bengals, a 3-4-1 team that at times looks like world beaters and at other times an also-ran.

THE INJURY REPORT:

  • QB Ryan Nassib (elbow) – probable
  • WR Victor Cruz (ankle) – questionable
  • OG Justin Pugh (knee) – out
  • DE Kerry Wynn (concussion) – questionable
  • LB Jonathan Casillas (calf) – questionable
  • S Andrew Adams (shoulder) – questionable

NEW YORK GIANTS ON OFFENSE:
The Bengals run a 4-3 defense that is currently ranked 25th in the NFL (23rd against the run, 21st against the pass). The strength of the defense is the defensive line, led by DT Geno Atkins (3.5 sacks) and LDE Carlos Dunlap (5 sacks). The line may not get a lot of sacks, but they get pressure (hits on the QB) and knock down a lot of passes. The linebacking corps will be missing middle linebacker Rey Maualuga. It is a physical but not overly athletic group. The safeties are big and there is some talent at corner.

The Giants are coming off a 28-point “explosion” against the Philadelphia Eagles and are looking to build upon that success. Look for Ben McAdoo to rely more and more on young players like WR Roger Lewis, RB Paul Perkins, and TE Jerell Adams moving forward. Lewis adds more explosiveness to the wide receiver position than Victor Cruz, as does Perkins to the running back spot.

The chief challenges are up front. The two weakest links on the Giants offensive line will be facing the Bengals best players. The undersized Brett Jones fills in for the injured Justin Pugh at left guard. His first start will be against Atkins, who is one of the NFL’s best defensive tackles. Right tackle Bobby Hart will have his hands full with Dunlap.

That all said, this is an opponent who the Giants can move the ball against. The Giants have done a good job of cutting down their offensive penalties (although there were a few frustrating false starts last week). It’s now time to cut down on the turnovers. Play a clean game. Spread the less athletic Bengals out and get the ball to Odell Beckham, Sterling Shepard, Roger Lewis, and Paul Perkins in the open field.

NEW YORK GIANTS ON DEFENSE:
The strength of this current Bengals team is their offense, which is currently ranked 6th in the NFL (7th in rushing, 4th in passing). The Bengals have an experienced offensive line and are loaded at the skill positions. Why the team can be so schizophrenic at times is the play of their quarterback – Andy Dalton. That said, Dalton is completing 67 percent of his passes, has only thrown three interceptions, and fields a 98.0 quarterback rating.

The headliners are the passing targets, but the Bengals have a very underrated running game. Running back Jeremy Hill averages 5.0 yards per carry and has scored five touchdowns. Giovani Bernard has chipped in with two more. The Giants defensive must prevent the Bengals from being multi-dimensional on offense and keep the team’s ground game under control.

When the Bengals throw the ball, they have two very dangerous targets: All-World wide receiver A.J. Green and tight end Tyler Eifert, who missed a lot of time due to an injury but who is healthy now. Dalton also throws a lot to Giovani Bernard out of the backfield (31 receptions). Ex-Patriots wideout Brandon LaFell (4 touchdowns) has benefited from the attention that Green receives.

To date, the Giants two top corners – Janoris Jenkins and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie – have done a very good job of shutting down their individual opponents on a game-by-game basis. But Dalton won’t be afraid to throw to Green against these two. This is a game where Jenkins and DRC really could impress if they keep Green’s damage to a minimum. What has to worry Steve Spagnuolo however is the 152 yards accrued by Eagles tight ends last week and now having to face Eifert, who is one of the best pass-receiving tight ends in the game. It will be very difficult to double Green and Eifert and stop the running game. This is why the Bengals can be so dangerous. If the Giants play back, the Bengals will run the ball. I hate to say it, but much depends on what version of Dalton shows up on Monday night.

NEW YORK GIANTS ON SPECIAL TEAMS:
The Giants are rapidly turning into a special teams unit that can block field goals and punts. On the other hand, Dwayne Harris really appears to be in a funk. Not only has he yet to break a big one, he is making questionable choices in the return game. We have yet to see Robbie Gould in a pressure-packed FG situation. Brad Wing and the punt coverage team is coming off of a weak game against the Eagles.

FROM THE COACH’S MOUTH:
Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo on Bengals WR A.J. Green: “He is an elite wide receiver. I have talked to Leon Hall a lot this week about A.J. This is what I was talking to Leon about – he has a unique ability, A.J. Green waits the last minute, stick his hands out and catches the ball… A.J. has great hands, he is a bigger wide out, with really good quickness. We have to find a way to slow him down. We can’t let him wreck the football game. That is a good football player, but we will have different people on him and do different things and (Janoris Jenkins) will be one of them. ”

THE FINAL WORD:
Don’t let the Bengals losing record fool you. They are a dangerous team with a fine defensive line and a well-rounded and potentially explosive offense. We are about to discover if the Giants are going to be serious contenders for the division title or if they will have to focus on a Wild Card spot.

Nov 072016
 
Odell Beckham, New York Giants (November 6, 2016)

Odell Beckham – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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New York Giants 28 – Philadelphia Eagles 23

Overview

This was an incredibly important victory for the New York Giants franchise. Not only did it improve the team’s overall record to a respectable 5-3 with eight games to go, but it improved the division record to 2-1. Perhaps just as significantly, it began removing a huge mental barrier that this team cannot beat the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Eagles out-gained the Giants in most offensive categories. And the turnover battle was equal. The difference in this game was Philadelphia leaving 12 points off of the score board with one blocked field goal and three failed 4th-down conversion attempts in field-goal range.

It wasn’t a pretty win and it should not have been as tight as it was late in the game, but a win over the Eagles is always a beautiful thing. Enjoy it.

Giants on Offense

It was really hit or miss for the Giants offensively on Sunday. The good news is the Giants reached their highest single-game point total of the season (28) with four touchdown passes. They converted both of the Eagles early turnovers into touchdowns off of the short field. The Giants had six plays of 25 yards or more.

The problems were the Giants had only two drives of more than 31 yards. New York was limited to 16 first downs, 302 total net yards, and 54 net yards rushing. The Giants were 4-of-13 (31 percent) on third down and 0-of-1 on 4th down. While the team was perfect in the red zone, it only reached the red zone once.

What I was most impressed with was that the two times the Eagles scored momentum-shifting touchdowns that cut the Giants lead to four points, the Giants responded with long touchdown drives. That was huge.

Quarterback

When your starting quarterback throws four touchdown passes, it’s a good day. And both of Eli’s interceptions were fluky. What I liked most about Elis performance was he seemed far less distracted about the rush. He subtly moved around in the pocket to buy an extra half second or so. This gave him and his receivers a chance to make plays down the field. Manning finished the game 22-of-36 for 257 yards and QB passer rating of 96.6. His worst play was missing a wide-open Odell Beckham deep on 4th-and-3 late in the 2nd quarter.

Running Backs

These guys simply can’t get untracked. Of the team’s 61 offensive snaps, the backs carried the ball 22 times for 58 yards (2.6 yards per carry). While Rashad Jennings (11 carries for 26 yards) continues to get his touches, what is far more interesting is the continued increase in the use of Paul Perkins (11 carries for 32 yards). Bobby Rainey and Orleans Darkwa didn’t have a single touch as a runner or receiver. Both Jennings (3 catches for 13 yards) and Perkins (3 catches for 15 yards) were involved in the passing game.

Wide Receivers

The numbers were not big, with one significant exception: touchdown catches (4). No receiver had more than four catches and no receiver had more than 46 yards. But Odell Beckham (2 touchdowns), Roger Lewis (1), and Sterling Shepard (1) all put points on the board. Beckham was targeted 10 times, but only had four receptions. Yet the two touchdown catches were both excellent plays. He also drew a pass interference penalty. Manning’s first “interception” was a perfectly-thrown ball to Beckham that was torn away from while falling to the ground. Beckham also had two drops and a false start. Lewis and and Shepard so badly beat their defenders with sweet moves that they were wide open in the end zone. Cruz was seeing reduced snaps in the game before he sprained his ankle. Lewis dropped back-to-back passes in the 2nd quarter, including one that might have gone for a 79-yard score.

Tight Ends

Will Tye started for Larry Donnell, who was benched. Jerell Adams also continued to see his snaps increased. Tye was targeted seven times (second most after Beckham) and had four catches for 33 yards. He had a nice, physical 13-yard catch-and-run. Adams surprisingly caught 3 passes for 24 yards. He was flagged with a false start and dropped a ball after being hit. Donnell never saw an offensive snap.

Offensive Line

Against one of the NFL’s best pass rushing teams, the Giants offensive line only allowed one sack and two QB hits. But run blocking remained a headache as the Giants backs only ran the ball for 58 yards and 2.6 yards per carry. Justin Pugh left the game with a knee injury and was replaced by Brett Jones, who did an admirable job given the circumstances. Ereck Flowers was flagged twice (holding, false start) and John Jerry once (holding). The sack was given up by the right side of the line – Bobby Hart and Jerry.

Giants on Defense

It was an up-and-down day for the defense as well. The good news is the defense set the tone early in the first quarter with two huge interceptions that set up touchdowns and a quick 14-0 advantage. The Eagles were held to 3-of-15 (20 percent) on 3rd down and 1-of-4 (25 percent) on 4th down. And the three 4th-down stops occurred in or near the red zone.

The bad news is the Giants gave up way too many big plays against an offense that had been struggling to make the big play. The Eagles had six plays over 20 yards, including four plays of 30 yards or more. Philadelphia generated 443 yards of offense (347 passing, 96 rushing) with five drives over 50 yards.

Defensive Line

The defensive line did OK. Eagles backs gained 100 yards (the quarterback had -4 rushing yards) and Carson Wentz was only sacked once and hit three times by the defensive line. What the line did do well is play disciplined football against the read-option. Olivier Vernon had 5 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 tackle for a loss. Jason Pierre-Paul was credited with 5 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss, 2 QB hits, and 1 pass defense. For years, JPP had issues with the read-option, but on Sunday he was a stud against it, including a 4th-down stop. While the Giants didn’t touch Wentz much, they did get some decent pressure on him at times up the middle.

Linebackers

Keenan Robinson (10 tackles, 1 pass defense) continues to stand out. Jonathan Casillas only had 3 tackles, but he did hit Wentz on a blitz and defensed a pass. Devon Kennard had 3 tackles and hit Wentz as well. Kelvin Sheppard played 20 snaps but only got in on one tackle. The good news was the Giants did a great job of defending RB Darren Sproles as receiver (3-of-9 targets for only 14 yards). But the coverage on the tight ends was not good. Zach Ertz caught all eight targets thrown his way for 97 yards. Trey Burton chipped in with three more catches for 55 yards. That’s 152 yards receiving for the tight ends! B.J. Goodson looked very stiff in the open field in coverage against the tight end.

Defensive Backs

WR Nelson Agholor was held to 4 catches for 41 yards. Jake Matthews (6 catches for 88 yards) had the more productive day. Eli Apple struggled and was benched. He gave up a 32-yard completion to TE Trey Burton on Philadelphia’s first scoring drive. Apple also lost contain on the Eagles 8-yard touchdown run that cut the score to 14-10. In the 3rd quarter, he was flagged for being offsides and then missed a tackle on a short completion that turned into a 23-yard gain down to the 3-yard line. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie gave up a 33-yard completion to Matthews late in the 2nd quarter, but otherwise played well. Janoris Jenkins pretty much shut out his opponent, but he had a sure interception slip through his hands and was flagged with defensive holding.

Leon Hall was surprisingly declared inactive before the game.

Landon Collins is in the process of making quite a name for himself. He had another big game with 12 tackles, 1 sack, 1 tackle for a loss, 1 interception, and 1 pass defense. Andrew Adams also had his best game as rookie with 9 tackles, 1 interception, and 2 pass defenses. His finger-tip deflection near the end of the 1st quarter saved a touchdown. These two set the tone early with their two picks. Nat Berhe returned from concussion, only played a few defensive snaps, and gave up a 58-yard deep pass to WR Bryce Treggs. He did make a sure tackle to prevent a 1st down on 3rd-and-8.

The play that bothered me was the incredibly soft coverage on 4th-and-9 where Matthews was left wide open for an easy 25-yard pitch-and-catch. I have no idea what the Giants were doing there.

Giants on Special Teams

The Giants special teams almost cost the Giants this game. Darren Sproles had a 66-yard punt return that was inches away from being an 81-yard touchdown. Keenan Robinson’s shoe-string tackle, and a 4th-down stand, saved seven points. Sproles’ other return went for 10 yards as Brad Wing averaged 46 yards (35 net) on seven punts. Kickoff coverage was decent with 3-of-5 kickoffs resulting in touchbacks.

The good news is the Giants blocked another field goal, with Jason Pierre-Paul firing through the middle. Janoris Jenkins recovered but almost gave the ball right back to the Eagles (Mark Herzlich recovered the loose ball). Paul Perkins almost blocked a punt too.

Dwayne Harris returned one punt for 10 yards and two kickoffs for a total of 30 yards. He made a very poor decision to return the last kickoff out of the endzone. This pinned the Giants back at the 12-yard line.

(Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants, November 6, 2016)
Nov 062016
 
Eli Manning, New York Giants (November 6, 2016)

Eli Manning – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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NEW YORK GIANTS 28 – PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 23…
The New York Giants defeated division rival Philadelphia Eagles 28-23 at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. With the victory, the Giants improved their overall record to 5-3 and their division record to 2-1.

The Eagles out-gained the Giants in first downs (21 to 16), total net yards (443 to 302), net yards rushing (96 to 54), and net yards passing (364 to 257). Both teams turned the football over twice. But the Giants blocked a field goal and also stopped the Eagles three times on 4th down, twice within the red zone.

The Giants took a quick 14-0 lead in the first quarter after two Eagles turnovers. After the Giants started the game with a three-and-out, Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz’s second pass was intercepted by safety Landon Collins, setting up the Giants at the Eagles 31-yard line. On 2nd-and-5, quarterback Eli Manning hit wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. over the middle for a 26-yard catch-and-run touchdown. The Giants got the ball right back again when safety Andrew Adams intercepted an overthrown Wentz pass and returned it to the Eagles 30-yard line. On 3rd-and-10, Manning hit wide receiver Roger Lewis, Jr. for a 30-yard touchdown.

The Eagles mounted their first scoring drive on the ensuing possession by driving 59 yards in 10 plays to set up a 34-yard field goal. After two Giants punts and one Eagles drive being stopped on 4th-and-2, the Eagles were able to strike quickly with a 3-play, 70-yard touchdown drive, aided by a 58-yard pass. The Giants now only led 14-10.

The Giants responded with a quick strike of their own. A 46-yard pass by Manning to wide receiver Victor Cruz set up the Giants at the Eagles 9-yard line. Two plays later, Manning hit Beckham for a second touchdown and the Giants extended their advantage to 21-10.

The Giants and Eagles exchanged punts with the Eagles gaining the advantage after a 66-yard punt return by running back Darren Sproles set the Eagles up at the Giants 15-yard line. But Sproles was stuffed on 4th-and-1 at the Giants 6-yard line. After another New York punt, another Eagles scoring threat was stymied when defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul blocked a 40-yard field goal with just over a minute to play before halftime. At the intermission, the Giants led 21-10.

Philadelphia tightened the game against on their first possession of the second half by driving 70 yards in six plays for a touchdown that cut the score to 21-17. New York responded with a 10-play, 75-yard effort that culminated with a 32-yard touchdown from Manning to wide receiver Sterling Shepard. The Giants now led 28-17.

The Eagles and Giants exchanged punts before the Eagles mounted a 14-play, 80-yard march that resulted in a 26-yard field goal early in the 4th quarter. Giants 28 – Eagles 20. The Eagles got the ball back after Manning’s pass intended for Beckham was intercepted at the Philadelphia 40-yard line. Both teams then exchanged punts again before the Eagles cut the Giants advantage to 28-23 after an 8-play, 26-yard drive set up a 38-yard field goal with less than four minutes to play.

The Giants offense was able to pick up one first down before Manning was intercepted on 3rd-and-4, setting up the Eagles on the Giants 34-yard line with 1:48 to play. A 17-yard pass moved the ball to the Giants 17, but the game ended with four straight Wentz incompletions.

Offensively, Manning finished 22-of-36 for 257 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions. No receiver had more than 50 yards but Beckham (2), Lewis, and Shepard all had touchdown receptions. The running game struggled with Paul Perkins gaining 32 yards on 11 carries and Rashad Jennings 26 yards on 11 carries.

Defensively, Landon Collins led the defense with 12 tackles, 1 sack, 1 tackle for a loss, and 1 interception. Defensive end Olivier Vernon was credited with the team’s other sack. Andrew Adams had the other interception.

Video highlights/lowlights are available at Giants.com.

INACTIVE LIST AND INJURY REPORT…
Inactive for the game were quarterback Ryan Nassib (elbow), safety Darian Thompson (foot), cornerback Leon Hall, defensive end Kerry Wynn (concussion), offensive tackle Will Beatty, wide receiver Tavarres King, and linebacker Deontae Skinner.

Left guard Justin Pugh (knee) and wide receiver Victor Cruz (ankle) left the game in the second quarter with injuries. There is no word yet on the severity yet.

POST-GAME REACTION…
Transcripts and video clips of post-game media sessions with Head Coach Ben McAdoo and the following players are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

POST-GAME NOTES…
The Giants five victories have been by a combined 20 points.

The Giants broke a 4-game losing streak to the Eagles, and improved to 2-5 in MetLife Stadium vs. Philadelphia.

The Giants are 3-1 at home, where they finished 3-5 in each of the previous two seasons.

QB Eli Manning’s 257 yards increased his career total to 46,428. That moved him past Vinny Testaverde (46,233) and into ninth place on the NFL’s career list.

ARTICLES…

Nov 042016
 
Odell Beckham, New York Giants (January 3, 2016)

Odell Beckham – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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Game Preview: Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants, November 6, 2016

THE STORYLINE:
This is one of the most important games of the season for the Giants and Eagles. Both teams are 4-3. The Giants are 1-1 in the NFC East while the Eagles are 0-2 in the division. I’ve discussed it ad nauseam – the Giants have failed to make the playoffs in recent years, and Tom Coughlin was fired, because the Giants could not beat the teams in their division, especially the Eagles and Cowboys. The Eagles have beaten the Giants an absurd 13-of-16 times and four in a row. While one could argue that the Eagles were a better team in the last eight years, they were not that much better. The Eagles are in the Giants heads. And everyone knows it. Until the Giants grow a set and punch the Eagles in the mouth, this trend will continue.

THE INJURY REPORT:

  • QB Ryan Nassib (elbow) – questionable
  • RB Bobby Rainey (calf) – questionable
  • WR Odell Beckham, Jr. (hip) – probable
  • RT Marshall Newhouse (calf) – questionable
  • DE Kerry Wynn (concussion) – out
  • S Darian Thompson (foot) – out
  • S Nat Berhe (concussion) – questionable
  • LS Zak DeOssie (ankle) – probable

NEW YORK GIANTS ON OFFENSE:
The Giants have faced a series of good defenses – Vikings, Ravens, Packers, Rams – and will face another on Sunday. Under new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, the Eagles have impressively roared to 8th in the NFL in overall defense (20th against the run, 5th against the pass).

“Their defense is a hard charging unit, their front four leads them,” said Ben McAdoo. “They’re deep and talented along the defensive line. Brandon Graham, Fletcher Cox and company are playing very well upfront for them. Athletically, their linebackers can run and they can hit. Their secondary had a lot of position flexibility. They have some guys that can play some different spots, with Malcolm Jenkins, Rodney McLeod and Jaylen Watkins.”

As McAdoo, points out, this is a very good defensive line with ends Connor Barwin (who has given the Giants fits) and Graham, plus a very strong interior duo of Cox and Bennie Logan. And the Eagles are deep on the defensive line and will rotate in fresh reinforcements frequently. The Eagles are second in the league in sacks (22). On paper, this looks like a bad match-up for the Giants given how New York’s offensive front has been playing. If the Giants offensive line can rise to the occasion, the Giants can do damage running the ball and attacking a secondary – that while ranked 5th – has given up some big plays.

To me, other than the offensive line, the big key to success for the Giants in this game is the Eli Manning to Odell Beckham connection. When the Giants last had the Eagles number, Plaxico Burress was the Eagle-killer. Odell Beckham has to become the new Eagle-killer. Eli and Odell have to click and connect for the Giants to win this game. Eli is going to have to play with more toughness and courage in the pocket and elevate his overall game. This is why he is being paid the big bucks. He has to out-play his rookie counterpart.

NEW YORK GIANTS ON DEFENSE:
The Eagles are 28th in overall offense (16th rushing, 29th passing) but 10th in scoring. Given the fact that the Giants are likely going to have issues on offense against Philadelphia’s defense, the Giants likewise need their defense to bring it on Sunday. Carson Wentz (66 percent completion rate) is having a remarkable first season, but he is still a rookie playing in his eighth NFL game. The Eagles offensive line isn’t what it once was and comes into this game banged up. The Eagles receiving corps – while respectable – doesn’t scare people.

“Offensively, they’re a West Coast ball control outfit,” said McAdoo. “That’s their foundation. They use personnel groups and creativity to try and create confusion for the defense. Carson Wentz is a big, strong, athletic quarterback who has acclimated well to the pro game. They’re deep in experience along the offensive line. Ryan Mathews is their feature ball carrier and he can carry the mail. They have a trio of play makers in the pass game, how they like to deal the ball, with Darren Sproles, Zach Ertz and Jordan Mathews; they feature those three guys inside.”

The good news for the Giants is that they finally have the added athleticism at linebacker to deal with a back like Sproles and a tight end like Ertz. The bad news is Darian Thompson is out (possibly for the season) and the Giants will have to play with the injury-prone Nat Berhe or Andrew Adams at free safety. But overall, I like the match-ups for the Giants in this game. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Janoris Jenkins, and Eli Apple should be able to shut down the wide receivers, allowing the linebackers and Landon Collins to focus on the backs/tight ends. Wentz has not been taking many deep shots down the field, and I expect the Giants pass rush to also force him to dump the ball off short for much of this contest.

The Eagles try not to tax Wentz. Giants should be able to stop the run. Matthews is the starter, but Sproles is the bigger threat as a runner and receiver. Wentz’s go-to guys are Matthews (36 catches), Sproles (22 catches), and Nelson Agholor (21 catches). If the Giants can keep Sproles and Ertz in check, the Eagles should struggle to move the football and Wentz will be in trouble. Keenan Robinson and Jonathan Casillas will be under the spotlight in coverage.

NEW YORK GIANTS ON SPECIAL TEAMS:
Over the past few seasons, the Eagles have fielded one of the NFL’s best special teams units. And unfortunately, their special teams prowess has been a major factor in a number of Giants defeats. Wendell Smallwood (kickoffs) and Darren Sproles (punts) are very dangerous returners. The Eagles are very good in covering returns.

FROM THE COACH’S MOUTH:
Offensive Coordinator Mike Sullivan on the Eagles defense: “They’re able to apply quite a bit of pressure just with their front four and that makes it a challenge.”

Head Coach Ben McAdoo on the Giants offense: “Some say that the points are in the passing game. I believe the points are in balanced football. I believe in running the football and having things come off of the run game. That makes for a good red zone, green zone offense. We need to keep running the ball and to be balanced. We need to be aggressive with what we’re doing in the passing game. The most important thing about it is we need to get down there (the red zone) more. We’re not down there enough.”

THE FINAL WORD:
This should be a defensive struggle with the outcome possibly being decided by turnovers and special teams plays. The latter favors the Eagles. But if the Giants offensive line can give Eli some time, I like Odell Beckham to have a big game in this spot.