Washington Redskins 29 – New York Giants 27

Odell Beckham – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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WASHINGTON REDSKINS 29 – NEW YORK GIANTS 27…
Sloppy and undisciplined football cost the New York Giants on Sunday afternoon as they fell to the division-rival Washington Redskins 29-27 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. With the loss, the Giants overall record now stands at 2-1 (1-1 in the NFC East).

The Giants out-gained the Redskins in first downs (28 to 20), total net yards (457 to 403), net yards rushing (120 to 90), and net yards passing (337 to 313). But for the third game in a row the Giants lost the turnover battle (3 to 1). They also committed 11 penalties for 128 yards. There were untimely mistakes in all three phases of the game.

The game was going New York’s way for most of the first half as the Giants led 21-9 with 4:12 remaining in the 2nd quarter. But the Redskins out-scored the Giants 20-6 the rest of the game.

The Giants went three-and-out on their first possession but immediately got the ball back when wide receiver/special teams ace Dwayne Harris recovered a muffed punt at the Washington 28-yard line. Three plays later, running back Shane Vereen scored from one yard out and the Giants were quickly up 7-0. The ensuing kickoff went out-of-bounds, giving the Redskins the ball at the 40-yard line. They gained 29 more yards to set up a successful 49-yard field goal. Giants 7 – Redskins 3.

The Giants went up 14-3 on the their third possession as the team drove 75 yards in eight plays. Quarterback Eli Manning found running back Bobby Rainey for a 24-yard gain, and two plays later hit wide receiver Sterling Shepard for a 23-yard score. The Redskins responded with another field goal as they drove 60 yards in 11 plays to set up a 33-yard effort. The Redskins held on the next Giants possession and Washington returned the punt 50 yards to New York’s 36-yard line. The Redskins could only gain nine yards but it was enough for a 45-yard field goal that cut the score to 14-9.

The Giants scored their last touchdown of the day on their fifth possession as New York drove 75 yards in eight plays, culminating with a 2-yard touchdown run by running back Orleans Darkwa. This was the high-point of the afternoon for the Giants as they now led 21-9 with 4:12 to go before intermission. Yet in two plays, the Redskins cut the score to 21-16 as quarterback Kirk Cousins found wide receiver DeSean Jackson for a 31-yard gain and then a 44-yard touchdown.

The Giants quickly drove to the Washington 30-yard line with two minutes to go, but two negative plays pushed the Giants into a 2nd-and-27 where Vereen fumbled the ball away after a 12-yard gain. The Redskins then threatened late in the half, driving to the Giants 4-yard line, but with only seconds to go, defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul sacked Cousins and the clock expired. At the half, the Giants led 21-16.

After the Redskins and Giants exchanged punts to start the 3rd quarter, Washington went up 23-21 when Cousins found wide receiver Jamison Crowder for a 55-yard score on 3rd-and-15. The Giants responded with a drive to the Redskins 10-yard line, but were forced to settle for a 29-yard field goal by place kicker Josh Brown. Giants 24 – Redskins 23.

The Redskins then regained the advantage 26-24 early in the 4th quarter after a lengthy 15-play, 68-yard drive ended with a 25-yard field goal. This drive was aided by a successful 31-yard pass on 4th-and-12 out of a punting formation.

The mistake-prone Giants quickly drove to the Redskins 5-yard line on the ensuing possession, but an 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on center Weston Richburg (which caused him to be thrown out of the game) pushed the Giants back. Manning was then intercepted in the end zone, ending the threat. The Giants then blew a big opportunity after a blocked punt was wiped out due to an unnecessary roughness penalty on safety Andrew Adams. Instead of getting the ball inside the Washington 20-yard line, New York had to start their possession at their own 30. They did drive to the Washington 12-yard line but were forced to settle for a 30-yard field goal that gave the Giants a 27-26 lead with 7:53 to go in the game.

Nevertheless, New York’s defense could not hold the lead as Washington managed another long possession, driving 56 yards in 10 plays and taking over six minutes off of the clock. The 37-yard field goal gave Washington a 29-27 lead with 1:51 to play. After the Giants converted on 3rd-and-14 with an 18-yard pass from Manning to wide receiver Victor Cruz, the game was ended when Manning was picked off over the middle by defensive back Su’a Cravens with just over a minute to play.

Offensively, Eli Manning completed 25-of-38 passes for 350 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions. His leading receivers were wideouts Odell Beckham (7 catches for 121 yards), Sterling Shepard (5 catches for 73 yards), and Victor Cruz (3 catches for 70 yards). The only backs to carry the ball were Shane Vereen (11 carries for 67 yards) and Orleans Darkwa (10 carries for 53 yards).

Defensively, defensive tackle Damon Harrison led the team with 10 tackles and 1 tackle for a loss. Defensive ends Jason Pierre-Paul and Olivier Vernon each had sacks and the two combined for 3 tackles for a loss and 4 quarterback hits as well.

Video highlights/lowlights are available at Giants.com.

INACTIVE LIST AND INJURY REPORT…
Inactive for the game were running back Rashad Jennings (thumb), offensive tackle Marshall Newhouse (calf), free safety Darian Thompson (foot), defensive tackle Robert Thomas (illness), quarterback Josh Johnson, wide receiver Roger Lewis, and defensive tackle Montori Hughes.

Cornerbacks Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (groin) and Eli Apple (hamstring) left the game with injuries and did not return. There is no official word yet on the severity of either injury although Rodgers-Cromartie had a noticeable limp in the locker room after the game.

Running back Shane Vereen said after the game he had to see the doctor, but he did not disclose what his injury was.

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:

• Head Coach Ben McAdoo (Video)
• QB Eli Manning (Video)
• WR Odell Beckham, Jr. (Video)
• WR Victor Cruz (Video)
• OC Weston Richburg (Video)
• RT Bobby Hart (Video)
• LB Jonathan Casillas (Video)

POST-GAME NOTES…
The Giants three games have been decided by a total of six points.

Wide receiver Odell Beckham caught his 200th career reception in his 30th game. That is the fewest number of games a player needed to reach 200 catches in NFL history. Beckham increased his career total to 3,035 receiving yards in, again, 30 games. That is an NFL record.

GIANTS SIGN ANDREW ADAMS TO 53-MAN ROSTER, CUT MICHAEL HUNTER…
The New York Giants signed safety Andrew Adams to the 53-man roster from the Practice Squad on Saturday. To make room for Adams, the Giants waived cornerback Michael Hunter.

ARTICLES…

• Harry Carson: Why this Giants defense can be special by Paul Schwartz of The New York Post
• Better Giants personnel means more productive blitzing schemes by DBs by Tom Rock of Newsday
• Ben McAdoo stands tall with Giants amidst social issues by Bob Glauber of Newsday