Dec 112022
 
Brian Daboll, New York Giants (December 11, 2022)

Brian Daboll – © USA TODAY Sports

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 48 – NEW YORK GIANTS 22…
The New York Giants were annihilated by the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, losing 48-22. With the defeat, the Giants fell to 7-5-1 on the season and 0-3-1 in the NFC East.

Predictably, the Eagles also dominated overall team stats, out-gaining the Giants in first downs (27 to 18), total net yards (437 to 304), net yards rushing (253 to 123), net yards passing (184 to 181), and time of possession (32:30 to 27:30). The Eagles also won the turnover battle 1 to 0.

The game became a blowout almost immediately with the Eagles scoring touchdowns on their first three possessions and the Giants countering meekly with four straight punts. Philadelphia’s first possession travelled 84 yards in 14 plays and took 8:05 off of the clock. Their second possession was a 12-play, 91-yard drive that took another five minutes off of the clock. The touchdown came on a 41-yard pass on 4th-and-7. Their third drive last one play, a 33-yard touchdown pass after a botched 15-yard punt that was ruled an illegal kick. With 8:16 left in the 2nd quarter, the Eagles were up 21-0.

The Giants finally got on the board later in the quarter after linebacker Elerson Smith blocked an Eagles’ punt that set the ball up on the Philadelphia 15-yard line. Three plays later, quarterback Daniel Jones found wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins for a 2-yard score. The Eagles returned the ensuing kickoff 66 yards to the New York 35-yard line. After picking up one first down, , the Eagles were stopped inside the red zone and settled for a 29-yard field goal with under a minute to play.

At the half, the Eagles led 24-7.

The Eagles extended their lead to 27-7 after their first drive of the 3rd quarter, gaining 63 yards in eight plays to set up a 39-yard field goal. The Giants responded with an 11-play, 75-yard effort that ended with a 1-yard touchdown run by Jones on 3rd-and-goal. Eagles 27 – Giants 14.

The Eagles immediately added another touchdown, driving 63 yards in eight plays again, this time resulting in a 10-yard touchdown run by quarterback Jalen Hurts. Eagles 34 – Giants 14. After both teams punted, the Giants drove to the Philadelphia 18-yard line with 10 minutes left in the 4th quarter, but New York turned the ball over on downs at the 23-yard line. The Eagles scored again with a 7-play, 76-yard effort that ended with a 40-yard touchdown run by running back Miles Sanders. Eagles 41 – Giants 14.

With six minutes left in the game, the Giants brought Tyrod Taylor in at quarterback but he immediately fumbled the ball away when sacked. The Eagles recovered at the Giants’ 23-yard line. Four plays later, they added their final touchdown with running back Boston Scott scoring from three yards out.

The Giants added a garbage-time touchdown on their final possession, driving 75 yards in nine plays with Taylor throwing a 19-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Richie James. Taylor also completed the 2-point conversion attempt to Hodgins.

Jones finished the game 18-of-27 for 169 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. He was sacked four times and ran for 26 yards on four carries, including a touchdown. The leading receiver was James, who caught seven passes for 61 yards and a touchdown. Pathetically, the leading rusher was back-up quarterback Tyrod Taylor, who ran for 40 yards on two carries. Running back Saquon Barkley was limited to 28 yards on nine carries. Taylor was also sacked three times as the Giants gave up seven sacks.

Defensively, the Giants allowed 437 yards and six touchdowns. The Eagles averaged 6.6 yards per offensive play and were 6-of-11 (54.5 percent) on 3rd down and 1-of-1 (100 percent) on 4th down. The Giants did accrue four sacks, with two by outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari. The team was credited with only two pass defenses and did not force a turnover.

Special teams was a disaster, allowing a 66-yard kickoff return and botching a punt that led to an easy touchdown.

GAME VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS are available on YouTube.

ROSTER MOVES, PRACTICE SQUAD ACTIVATIONS, INACTIVES, AND INJURY REPORT…
On Saturday, the Giants activated (standard elevation) DL Ryder Anderson and CB Zyon Gilbert from the Practice Squad to the 53-man roster.

Inactive for the game were DL Leonard Williams (neck), CB Adoree’ Jackson (knee), OG Josh Ezeudu (neck), OG Shane Lemieux (toe), WR David Sills, TE Lawrence Cager, and CB Rodarius Williams.

TE Daniel Bellinger (ribs) left the game and did not return. Inside linebackers Micah McFadden (ankle/neck) and Jaylon Smith (unknown) underwent x-rays after the game. WR Richie James was also evaluated for a concussion after his late touchdown catch.

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

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Head Coach Brian Daboll and select players will address the media by conference call on Monday.

Dec 052022
 
Daniel Bellinger, New York Giants (December 4, 2022)

Daniel Bellinger – © USA TODAY Sports

DECEMBER 5, 2022 BRIAN DABOLL PRESS CONFERENCE…
New York Giants Head Coach Brian Daboll addressed the media on Monday to discuss his team’s 20-20 tie against the Washington Commanders (VIDEO):

Q: Now that things have settled down, what is the math telling you about the tie? And what are the analytics people telling you about what this means going forward? I’m sure they’re probably a little more excited about it than the players and the coaches.

A: I’ve talked to those guys, I would say, Saturday and Friday relative to certain strategies as the season ends. So, that’s when I’ll sit down with those guys. We tied the game. We obviously would like to win the game. But we move on, and we get ready for Philly.

Q: I was just curious on how Leo (defensive lineman Leonard Williams) is doing and if you guys had any other injuries from yesterday.

A: I’d say he’s sore. Leo’s sore; that’s really all I got right now. We’ll see how it goes throughout the week after I meet with (general manager) Joe (Schoen) and the training staff. The rest of the guys made it through pretty clean.

Q: With a night to sleep on it, I know you go back on all your decisions and things like that. At the end of the first half and the end of the overtime, (is there) anything that gave you more clarity? Do you still like what you did then? And (are there) any other things that came up that kind of better to explain it now?

A: I’d say status quo from last night. We certainly talk about everything after a game. We talked about yesterday’s game today, and we talked about the decision making processes, the analytics part of it and a bunch of things. Those are conversations we have each week.

Q: How much did the (wide receiver) Richie James not getting the first down and you wanting the spot really affect what happened next there?

A: I’m not going to get too involved into the particulars. It just played out how it played out.

Q: I’m wondering when you went back and looked, what you saw. What was the difference, offensively, between the first half and the second half. The second half, you really kind of struggled to move the ball consistently – and overtime, I guess.

A: They played and coached better than we did.

Q: That’s all you saw? In what ways?

A: Pretty much in every way.

Q: It sounds like you’re blaming yourself for the loss then.

A: I blame myself for every loss. That’s part of the job.

Q: And with (safety) Xavier McKinney, any expectation for him to return to practice this week?

A: I’d say too early to tell.

Q: So, there’s a possibility at least, it sounds like.

A: I would say too early to tell. That’s the best I got for you.

Q: Are you considering taking over play calling on offense? Not to put words in your mouth, but just given how the offense struggled.

A: No. I have a lot of confidence in (offensive coordinator) Mike Kafka.

Q: A couple of your defensive players appeared to be lobbying for more playing time on social media last night. How do you handle when guys like (linebacker) Tae Crowder and (cornerback) Rodarius Williams kind of go public in that way?

A: Private conversations.

Q: Do you fine guys for that? Or no?

A: I would just say private conversations.

Q: The timeout that you took with 1:23 left there, I’ve been asked by a few a people why you took that timeout because it looked like the clock was stopped when the ball went out of bounds. Can you explain that?

A: The clock was going to run. The ball got knocked out of the ball carrier’s hands, so they would have started winding the clock.

Q: So, you wanted the timeout there?

A: And then they ran it on third down and bled the clock. If they throw it and it’s incomplete, maybe got some more time on the clock.

Q: Since we haven’t hit on the injury front, specifically (cornerback) Adoree’ (Jackson), do you expect Adoree’ to be back or have a chance to be on the practice field this week?

A: I think he’s getting better. I think it’s too early to tell today, Monday. (He’s) making progress. How much progress? Yet to be determined.

Q: Anything different with (cornerback) Darnay (Holmes) or (wide receiver) Kenny (Golladay) from yesterday? They were the two guys that were kind of surprise inactives. I know you said Darnay was the shoulder. Are either of those guys getting back into the mix this week?

A: Kenny was in today with a mask on; his temperature is down a little bit. But he had a pretty high temperature. Now it’s worked its way down. Hopefully, he’ll be ready to go. Darnay, we’ll see how his shoulder is.

Q: I know you don’t like looking at big pictures, but the final five games, you’ve got Philly twice, Washington, Minnesota. You’ve got the two top seeds in the East. Do you approach this any differently because you got to say to the guys, ‘We really have out backs up against the wall,’ or anything?

A: No. I think you just got to get ready to play the next week and the next team. For us, it’s the best team in the NFL right now; one loss. They lost to Washington. They have a star-studded roster. I think (Philadelphia Eagles general manager) Howie (Roseman) has done a great job of putting together a bunch of talent there on that team. (Philadelphia Eagles quarterback) Jalen (Hurts) is playing phenomenal. Those receivers are, they’re exceptional (as is the) O-line, defensive line, corners. They’ve got a star-studded cast.

Q: Is clubbing it up (Xavier McKinney’s hand) an option for him?

A: Right now, no, I would say.

Q: Kind of a bigger-picture question: The way you guys have called plays and kind of managed the offense leads to a perception that you don’t fully trust (quarterback) Daniel (Jones) or you don’t fully trust the supporting cast. How do you respond to that? Is there any validity to that?

A: I trust the offense, and I trust the supporting cast.

Q: Why do you manage the game the way you do where it seems like specifically two-minute drills, at the end of halves, it seems like it’s very – you’re not really going for broke a lot of times? It seems like it’s very measured how you approach those.

A: I’d say each week is different, and we manage it the way we think we need to manage that game.

Q: I know you’re focused on Philly, but the schedule you were handed, which you knew about way back when, is kind of weird with Washington coming up so close after just playing them. I’m just wondering if you change or split with how you prepare, knowing that you have Washington so close on the heels of having them last time, if you have to change stuff up a whole lot (and) how you balance that with preparing for Philly.

A: I think this week all our focus is on Philly. And then once we get done with this week, there’s not much change in terms of scheduling or how we go about things. It’s just we play an opponent. For them, it’s back-to-back. And for us, there’s a game in between. We’ll be playing Philly and getting ready for Philly here starting today.

Q: So, you don’t really split up the week and say, ‘We’ve got Washington, and they’ve got the advantage having the off week,’ basically three weeks to prepare for you a second time?

A: No. We did all our work leading up to that game, and now it’s onto this game – playing the best team in the league. That’s where all our focus has to be.

Q: Whereas (outside linebacker Azeez) Ojulari seemed to be on a pitch count, it seemed like (tight end Daniel) Bellinger jumped right back into the full fold. Why was he able to do that, and how did you think it went with his visor, catching the ball, doing all his responsibilities with the new equipment that he had to wear?

A: I think the two injuries were a little different. This was more of a contact to the eye, so we had to let that heal and then put the visor on and make sure he was ready to go. He was conditioning throughout when he could. And he played a lot of snaps yesterday. It was good to have him back. Hopefully, we just keep improving with him. But it definitely was good to have him out there.

Q: What happened with Rodarius Williams – why he went from playing what seemed like pretty well against the Cowboys to no snaps yesterday?

A: Each week, we sit down, we talk – the defensive guys and I, and we figure out who we think we want in there for that particular week. The guys that were in there this week were the guys we wanted in there.

Q: This seems to be like the first real test of adversity for this team, right? Things went pretty well earlier in the year. You won seven of nine, but now you’ve won once in five games. You have players that are unhappy, and saying it publicly, with their playing time. And even some of your decisions were criticized yesterday. How do you handle adversity, and how much do you view this as a critical point for your team and sort of what you’re trying to build here?

A: Well, adversity and criticism come with the territory. I’ve been in, not this seat as a head coach, but a coordinator for a long time, and it’s a popular game followed by a lot of people. And I appreciate the support. You also appreciate the negativity or criticism. If you want to be mentally tough and strong, this is the sport to be in, whether you’re a coach, whether you’re a player. And really, you can’t focus too much on that. You appreciate it. I think we’re all thankful for the support you get, but you just get back to work. There’s adversity after every loss, sometimes there’s adversity after a win. We’ve talked about that since probably April. There’s going to be ups and downs, and to stay mentally strong and focused on the task at hand, that’s not an easy thing to do all the time. But you need to do it. It’s a week-to-week league, so have we got the results we wanted? Absolutely not. Have we prepared, worked and done the right things to give ourselves a chance? We have. We just haven’t finished; we haven’t done enough to win those games. I was proud of the team yesterday for the way they competed, losing two in a row and you’re down 10-0 right away. So, the focus for us will always be on us and improving the things we need to improve from each individual, starting with me, all the way down to the team. That’s, to me, the only way you know how to coach and work in this business.

Q: You monitor snap counts of all these guys obviously. I don’t know when they come to you and say (safety) Julian (Love) might need a break and maybe the headset goes off at some point for you or (defensive coordinator) Wink (Martindale) or (special teams coordinator) Thomas McGaughey. All 85 snaps and like 20 on special teams. When is too much too much?

A: Yeah, he’ll have a vet day on Wednesday.

Q: He’s been told that already?

A: Yeah, and a couple other people.

Q: Who else?

A: (Defensive lineman) Dexter (Lawrence) is the plan. (Guard Mark) Glowinski, those three right now.

Q: Do you ever think, ‘You know what? We’ve got to back off Julian with some of the special teams stuff because he’s going to play,’ I mean 85 snaps is a lot for anybody.

A: Yeah, you’re always talking about that. We had made a couple of adjustments with some other of the players that were starters. We’ll always talk about doing that, particularly now in December.

Q: Of course, your coordinators don’t want to hear it either when you start taking their players away from them.

A: Yeah, you want your best players on each unit because you never know which play is the most important play.

Q: I know this is more of a looking ahead question and you’re not really in a looking ahead mode, but they just announced that you guys were getting flexed in Washington to Sunday night. You guys, in terms of that kind of opportunity, obviously the guys are going to want to get back to Washington and kind of finish what you didn’t do yesterday. Does the challenge of facing a team as talented as Philly help you keep the focus where you want the focus to be without looking ahead to what’s coming in a week?

A: Again, this is something that we’ve talked about since the day we got here: You focus on the day, and you make the most out of that day. Then you focus on the week, and you make the most out of that week. You don’t get too far ahead of yourself. I’ve said this before: You get humbled real quick in this league, so you don’t get too high when things are going great. You don’t get too low when things aren’t exactly the way you want them; you keep a consistent approach. So, our focus will be on Philadelphia, again against a team that’s pretty much run through everybody. And I think that’s plenty for us to focus on.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The players are off on Tuesday and return to practice on Wednesday.

Nov 292022
 
Matt Breida, New York Giants (November 20, 2022)

Matt Breida – © USA TODAY Sports

NOVEMBER 29, 2022 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
There was no official injury report issued on Tuesday. However, RB Gary Brightwell (illness), OG Josh Ezeudu (neck), OG Shane Lemieux (toe), and CB Adoree’ Jackson (knee) did not practice. CB Cor’Dale Flott (concussion) remained in the concussion protocol.

PRACTICE SQUAD MOVES…
The Giants have re-signed offensive lineman Devery Hamilton, outside linebacker Quincy Roche, and safety Trenton Thompson to the Practice Squad. The team also terminated the Practice Squad contract of wide receiver Robert Foster.

HEAD COACH BRIAN DABOLL…
The transcript of Brian Daboll’s press conference on Tuesday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available on YouTube.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants practice on Wednesday (12:45-2:45PM). The coordinators and select players will also address the media.

Nov 242022
 
Julian Love, New York Giants (November 24, 2022)

Julian Love – © USA TODAY Sports

DALLAS COWBOYS 28 – NEW YORK GIANTS 20…
An undermanned New York Giants team played a gutty first half against the Dallas Cowboys, but were overwhelmed by three straight second-half touchdowns. The Giants lost 28-20 on Thanksgiving and fell to 7-4 on the season.

Aside from the scoreboard, the Cowboys also held team statistical advantages in first downs (26 to 21), total net yards (430 to 300), net yards rushing (169 to 90), net yards passing (261 to 210), and time of possession (34:09 to 25:51). A big difference was the Cowboys were 7-of-11 on 3rd down (63.6 percent) while the Giants were just 3-of-11 (27.3%) and 0-of-2 on 4th down. New York did win the turnover battle two to zero.

The Giants received the football to start the game, gained 20 yards on the first play, but then were forced to punt. The Cowboys picked up one first down on their first possession and decided to go for it on 4th-and-2 from their own 40-yard line. Running back Ezekiel Elliott was stuffed by linebacker Jaylon Smith, turning the ball over on downs. Quarterback Daniel Jones threw a 23-yard pass to tight end Chris Myarick. After a sack, a 24-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins was nullified due to tackle Tyre Phillips being illegally downfield. Two incomplete passes and an intentional grounding penalty led to the Giants settling for a 57-yard field goal by Graham Gano.

The Cowboys crossed midfield on their second possession, but quarterback Dak Prescott was intercepted by cornerback Rodarius Williams at the New York 30-yard line. The Giants went three-and-out. The ensuing Dallas drive went 93 yards in 11 plays, lasting over six minutes, and resulted in Elliott scoring from six yards out. Cowboys 7 – Giants 3 early in the 2nd quarter.

The Giants responded with their own touchdown as New York drove 75 yards in nine plays. The Giants benefited from a defensive holding penalty on 3rd-and-2. The big play was then a 44-yard strike from Jones to wide receiver Darius Slayton down to the 1-yard line. Two plays later, running back Saquon Barkley scored from one yard out. Giants 10 – Cowboys 7.

After both teams exchanged three-and-outs, Dallas drove into Giants territory. But at the 2-minute warning, a Prescott pass was deflected by cornerback Darnay Holmes and intercepted by Julian Love. He returned the ball 17 yards to the New York 27-yard line. With 1:50 left on the clock, the Giants gained 44 yards in eight plays to set up a 47-yard field goal as time expired.

At the half, the Giants led 13-7.

The Cowboys imposed their will on the Giants with three straight touchdown drives after the break. Dallas drove 75 yards in 14 plays, 44 yards in six plays, and 80 yards in 10 plays as Dallas went up 28-13 with nine minutes left in the game.

Meanwhile, a key turning point for the Giants offensively came on their first possession of the second half after the Cowboys had regained the lead 14-13. Facing a 4th-and-1 from their own 45-yard line, Jones threw an errant short pass to Barkley, who dropped what would have been a first down. Dallas then proceeded to score their second touchdown of the half on the short field. The Giants gained a couple of first downs on their second drive and then punted the ball away early in the 4th quarter. That’s when Dallas drove for their third touchdown of the half.

Trailing by 15 points with less than nine minutes to play, the Giants reached the Cowboys 39-yard line by then turned the football over on downs with 3:12 left to play. The Cowboys drove to the New York 28-yard line but missed a 46-yard field goal. With 1:13 left on the clock, the Giants scored a garbage-time touchdown by driving 64 yards in seven plays with wide receiver Richie James catching a 1-yard touchdown. The Cowboys recovered the onside kick with seven seconds left.

Jones finished the game 21-of-35 for 228 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. His leading receiver was James who caught five passes for 41 yards and a touchdown. Barkley was held to just 39 yards on 11 carries.

The Giants did force two turnovers, but they also gave up over 430 yards of offense. The team generated no sacks although outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux was credited with five quarterback hits. The Giants also had six tackles for losses.

GAME VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS are available on YouTube.

ROSTER MOVES, PRACTICE SQUAD ACTIVATIONS, INACTIVES, AND INJURY REPORT…
On Saturday, the Giants signed OL Devery Hamilton and S Trenton Thompson to the 53-man roster from the Practice Squad. To make room for these two players, the Giants waived ILB Austin Calitro and OLB Quincy Roche.

The Giants activated (standard elevations) OL Korey Cunningham and S Terrell Burgess from the Practice Squad to the 53-man roster on the same day.

Inactive for the game were TE Daniel Bellinger (eye), OC Jon Feliciano (neck), OG Josh Ezeudu (neck), OG Shane Lemieux (toe), RT Evan Neal (knee/illness), CB Adoree’ Jackson (knee), and CB Fabian Moreau (oblique).

CB Cor’Dale Flott left the game with a concussion and did not return.

POST-GAME REACTION…
Video clips of post-game media sessions with Head Coach Brian Daboll and the following players are available at Giants.com:

  • Head Coach Brian Daboll (Video)
  • QB Daniel Jones (Video)
  • RB Saquon Barkley (Video)
  • OLB Jihad Ward (Video)
  • CB Darnay Holmes (Video)
  • S Julian Love (Video)

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Head Coach Brian Daboll and select players will address the media by conference call on Friday.

Nov 202022
 
Daniel Jones, New York Giants (November 20, 2022)

Daniel Jones – © USA TODAY Sports

DETROIT LIONS 31 – NEW YORK GIANTS 18…
The New York Giants were soundly beaten by the Detroit Lions 31-18 on Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. With the loss, the Giants fall to 7-3. Worse than the loss was a plethora of injuries suffered by New York, including starting cornerbacks Adoree’ Jackson (knee) and Fabian Moreau (ribs), offensive linemen Tyre Phillips (neck) and Jon Feliciano (neck), wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson (knee), and safety Jason Pinnock (jaw). An early report indicates that Jackson may miss 3-5 weeks with an MCL sprain. Robinson’s knee injury appeared to be serious.

Some of the overall team statistics were misleading. The Giants out-gained the Lions in first downs (25 to 23), total net yards (413 to 325), and net yards passing (324 to 165). But on a very windy day, the Lions out-rushed the Giants 160 to 89. Most importantly, they won the turnover battle 3 to 0 and were 4-of-5 in red zone efficiency.

The Giants received the ball to start the game, but quickly went three-and-out. On their initial possession, the Lions moved the ball 64 yards in 11 plays, being halted for the only time in the red zone and settling for a 24-yard field goal. The Giants impressively responded with an 11-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a 3-yard touchdown run by quarterback Daniel Jones. The Giants converted on a 4th-and-1 near midfield and a 3rd-and-7 on this possession. However, the extra point was missed. Giants 6 – Lions 3.

Detroit punted twice and New York once in the next three possessions. However near the 6-minute mark in the 2nd quarter, Jones threw his first interception since Week 3. The pick was returned 20 yards to the Giants’ 18-yard line. It took the Lions just three plays to regain the lead for good as running back Jamaal Williams scoring from four yards out. Lions 10 – Giants 6.

The Giants continued to self-destruct as running back Gary Brightwell muffed the ensuing kickoff. He recovered but an illegal block by cornerback Nick McCloud moved the ball back to the 6-yard line. New York picked up two first downs and punted. However, Jamie Gillan’s punt traveled only 25 yards. With just 2:19 left on the clock, the Lions were able to drive 68 yards in seven plays with Williams scoring his second rushing touchdown of the game. The half ended with Jones being sacked on 3rd-and-15 near midfield.

At the break, the Lions led 17-6.

Special teams issues continued for the Giants as the second half began. The Lions returned the kickoff 36 yards to their own 44-yard line. Nine plays later, Williams ran for his third touchdown of the game and the rout was on, Lions 24 – Giants 6.

The Giants picked up one first down on their first drive of the second half, but then Jones was intercepted for a second time on 4th-and-5 from the Lions’ 45-yard line. The interception was returned 38 yards to the New York 41-yard line. The New York defense did force a three-and-out, but the Giants were pinned back at their 7-yard line. The Giants gained three first downs, but punted on 4th-and-10 from the Detroit 49-yard line.

Detroit went three-and-out again. The Giants finally responded with their second scoring drive, moving the ball 67 yards in nine plays with running back Matt Breida scoring from three yards out. Jones ran for 15 yards on 4th-and-1 on this drive. However, Graham Gano missed his second extra point. Lions 24 – Giants 12 early in the 4th quarter.

With the New York defense forcing another punt on the ensuing drive, things could have gotten interesting but the Giants gave the ball right back when wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins fumbling the ball away at the New York 33-yard line after a catch. Four plays later, running back D’Andre Swift rushed for Detroit’s fourth rushing touchdown of the game. Lions 31 – Giants 12 with just over six minutes to play.

The Giants made the scoreboard look a tad more respectable by driving 75 yards in six plays. Jones connected with wide receiver Richie James for a 9-yard score. However, tight end Lawrence Cager dropped the 2-point conversion attempt. Lions 31 – Giants 18.

The Lions recovered the onside kick. With 4:19 left in the game, Detroit picked up two first downs and ran out the clock.

Jones finished the game 27-of-44 for 341 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. He was also the team’s leading rusher with 50 yards on seven carries. Before he left with a knee injury, Robinson led all receivers with nine catches for 100 yards. Running back Saquon Barkley was held to 22 yards on 15 carries (1.5 yards per rush).

The defense allowed 160 yards rushing. They did not sack the quarterback and were credited with only three quarterback hits and three pass defenses. The defense also did not create a turnover.

GAME VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS are available on YouTube.

ROSTER MOVES, PRACTICE SQUAD ACTIVATIONS, INACTIVES, AND INJURY REPORT…
On Saturday, the Giants activated OG Shane Lemieux from Injured Reserve. Lemieux suffered an unspecified foot or toe injury in the first preseason game and was placed on Injured Reserve at the end of August.

The Giants activated (standard elevation) TE Lawrence Cager from the Practice Squad to the 53-man roster on the same day.

Inactive for the game were TE Daniel Bellinger (eye), RT Evan Neal (knee), WR David Sills, OG Jack Anderson, ILB Austin Calitro, and OLB Quincy Roche.

RT Tyre Phillips (neck), CB Adoree’ Jackson (knee), CB Fabian Moreau (ribs), OC Jon Feliciano (neck), WR Wan’Dale Robinson (knee), and S Jason Pinnock (jaw) were injured and did not return. According to TheScore, Jackson suffered a sprained MCL and is expected to miss 3-5 weeks. Robinson was spotted on crutches after the game. Pinnock was taken to the hospital.

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

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Head Coach Brian Daboll and select players will address the media by conference call on Monday.

Nov 172022
 
Wan'Dale Robinson, New York Giants (November 13, 2022)

Wan’Dale Robinson – © USA TODAY Sports

NOVEMBER 17, 2022 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
WR Wan’Dale Robinson (hamstring), TE Daniel Bellinger (eye), and OG Josh Ezeudu (neck) did not practice on Thursday.

WR Kenny Golladay (hamstring), RT Evan Neal (knee), DL Dexter Lawrence (back), OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (illness), OLB Jihad Ward (thumb), and S Dane Belton (clavicle) were limited in practice.

THE COACHES SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following coaches are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants practice again on Friday (11:45AM-1:00PM). Head Coach Brian Daboll, the position coaches, and select players will also address the media.

Nov 082022
 
Nick Williams, Azeez Ojulari, and Tae Crowder; New York Giants (October 2, 2022)

Nick Williams, Azeez Ojulari, and Tae Crowder – © USA TODAY Sports

GIANTS PLACE XAVIER McKINNEY AND NICK WILLIAMS ON INJURY LISTS…
The New York Giants have placed safety Xavier McKinney (hand) on Non-Football Injury Reserve and defensive lineman Nick Williams (bicep) on Injured Reserve. McKinney must miss at least the next four games. McKinney injured his hand in an ATV accident on vacation. “I feel bad for him,” said Head Coach Brian Daboll. “I feel bad for us. I know he’s disappointed, but can’t do anything about that now.”

When asked if McKinney would return this season, Daboll replied, “We’ll see.”

Williams suffered his bicep injury during the Week 8 game against the Seattle Seahawks. Daboll said his injury is season-ending.

SHANE LEMIEUX RETURNS TO PRACTICE…
Offensive lineman Shane Lemieux (foot or toe), who is currently on Injured Reserve, has returned to practice. Lemieux will have up to three weeks to practice with the team without counting against the 53-man roster. Once that timeframe ends, he must either be added to the roster or remain on Injured Reserve for the rest of the season. Lemieux suffered an unspecified foot or toe injury in the first preseason game and was placed on Injured Reserve at the end of August.

AARON ROBINSON UNLIKELY TO RETURN THIS SEASON…
Head Coach Brian Daboll said on Tuesday that cornerback Aaron Robinson, who is currently on Injured Reserve, is unlikely to return this season. Robinson injured his knee in Week 4 against the Chicago Bears. Robinson, a 3rd round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, had missed Weeks 2 and 3 after undergoing an appendectomy in mid-September.

GIANTS SIGN DEFENSIVE LINEMAN TO PRACTICE SQUAD…
The Giants have signed defensive lineman Aaron Crawford to the Practice Squad. The 25-year old, 6’1”, 315-pound Crawford was originally signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2020 NFL Draft. He spent most of his rookie season on the team’s Practice Squad and 2021 on Injured Reserve. Crawford suffered a groin injury in the 2022 preseason finale and received settlement when he was released from Injured Reserve in early September.

To make room for Crawford, the team terminated the Practice Squad of cornerback Olaijah Griffin. The 6’0”, 175-pound Griffin was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Bills after the 2021 NFL Draft. He spent his rookie season the Bills’ Practice Squad. The Giants claimed Griffin off of waivers from the Buffalo Bills on in mid-August 2022.

NOVEMBER 8, 2022 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
TE Daniel Bellinger (eye) and RT Evan Neal (knee) did not practice on Tuesday. “(Bellinger is) getting better,” said Head Coach Brian Daboll. “(He) looks a lot better, too.”

WR Kenny Golladay (knee) and WR Richie James (concussion) were limited in practice.

HEAD COACH BRIAN DABOLL…
The transcript of Brian Daboll’s press conference on Tuesday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available on YouTube.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants practice on Wednesday afternoon (12:45-2:45PM). The coordinators and select players will also address the media.

Oct 312022
 
Brian Daboll, New York Giants (October 30, 2022)

Brian Daboll – © USA TODAY Sports

OCTOBER 31, 2022 BRIAN DABOLL PRESS CONFERENCE…
New York Giants Head Coach Brian Daboll addressed the media on Monday to discuss his team’s 27-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks (the VIDEO of the press conference is also available on YouTube):

Q: You’re 6-2 going at the bye week. Do you give yourself a chance to digest where you’re at at this point in time? And how pleased are you (with) where you’re at?

A: Ten hours since we’ve been back. So, we’ll review yesterday’s tape. We have some workdays ahead of us here as a coaching staff to kind of look into some things and then get ready for (the) Houston (Texans). You’re always self-evaluating yourself each week. We have quality control coaches; we have analytics. Then the coaches do it. We try to do it on a week-to-week basis and try to improve on things that maybe we’re not doing as good of a job as we’d like to do and try to build off some of the positive things. So, we’ll always continue to do that. But really, we’re in right now looking at this tape. And the next few days, we’ll have some time to get on to Houston and look at a few other things.

Q: It seems like an ongoing issue, week to week, is the slow start coming out of the gate. I’m just wondering is it because something is conflicting with the scripting – assuming you guys are doing scripting – or what do you think is kind of behind the slow starts that you guys have had?

A: It’s always something a little bit different. Jacksonville, we came out and started fast. I think we threw it eight out of nine times that game. This game we ran some RPOs (run pass options). Production on first down, in this case yesterday, second down, which led to some third-down calls. Converting on those third downs are big because either you continue on in the drive and keep going, or you have to punt. So, converting on those third downs, but really executing on first and second downs, a wide variety of things. As always, it takes 11 guys to execute a play successfully. So, we’ll continue to work on that.

Q: You guys had a lot of success this season, obviously, winning games in the fourth quarter. You’re doing it even without a lot of punch, at times, in your passing game. I’m wondering if, when you look at the big picture, do you think that style is sustainable – kind of living on the edge, waiting for the end of games – or if you think you need to add some pop into the passing game at some point?

A: I’d say most games come down in this league to one-score games – a lot of them, a high percentage of them. So, usually the teams you’re playing are good. It’s a back-and-forth game. A lot of games are won that way. Obviously, you’re always looking to improve; those chunk plays help you in moving the ball and scoring points. We’ll continue to look at that and figure out ways to try to improve that area. But again, most of these, it’s not like you’re used to coaching in some colleges, and it’s over in the first quarter. These games are back and forth, and unfortunately yesterday we left out a few plays that we hadn’t been making those mistakes, we’d given ourselves a chance. Yesterday just got away from us.

Q: When I look at the stats – yards from scrimmage – (running back) Saquon (Barkley) has 900-something (yards), which is towards the top of the league. And then (wide receiver) Darius Slayton has 232 (yards). So, I guess a two-part question is what is Slayton giving you? How far has he come? Especially, that doesn’t include his knack for drawing pass interference penalties, which have given you some chunk plays. How much has Slayton come along? And how much do you need somebody else to step up so there isn’t that huge gap between Saquon and everybody else?

A: I’ve been part of teams where it’s been balanced. I’ve been part of teams where it’s high on one end (or) high on the other. I think everybody needs to continue to improve on their craft. As far as Darius goes, I’ve said this before – a few weeks ago – it started off with (the) Green Bay (Packers), he’s worked hard. He’s kept his head down. He’s been a good teammate. You’re starting to see some of the results. He’s earned the playing time he’s gotten here these last few weeks. And we’ll continue to need him to keep improving and make those plays for us.

Q: You’ve said you’ve been part of teams like this. I don’t know if any come to mind, but I don’t mean to oversimplify it. But I would think you’re going to see a lot of what if looked like you saw yesterday where teams basically say, ‘Okay, we’re going to divert nine, eight, nine, 10 guys to Saquon. And they can beat us any other way.’ Are you expecting to see a lot of that? And is the bye week to come up with an answer for that?

A: We have seen a lot of that from the start of the season. That’s really nothing new than what we’ve been seeing. Obviously, everyone knows we put the ball into Saquon’s hands, and we’ll continue to do that. You’re always trying to evolve and get better in other areas of your game. Like I said yesterday, give (the) Seattle (Seahawks) credit. They did a heck of a job. They did a heck of a job all the way through-and-through, whether it was the pass game, the run game. They did a better job than we did.

Q: One procedural thing – the players are gone today, right, after their meetings today?

A: After today, yep.

Q: And what about you and the coaches?

A: We’ll stay. We’ll stay today. We’ll work through part of the week, and then give those guys off a few days here to recuperate and get back ready to go.

Q: A long weekend or just a weekend?

A: A long weekend.

Q: You’ve been part of the NFL a long time, where the byes come. How do you feel – this is your first time as a head coach – mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually going into this long stretch? Do you feel different than when you were a position coach?

A: No. At this point in time during the season, I think everyone’s tired, coaching-wise. Everybody’s sore, playing-wise. It’s just the nature of this league, and you just keep on pushing through. I think you need to try to take advantage of a little bit of downtime to recuperate, to get some rest and to come back fresh and ready to go for us this last half of the season where we have our bye.

Q: You said you’re going to self-scout everything in this little period that you have here. What about yourself? I’m sure you do that pretty much every week, but do you especially want to kind of maybe delve into how you’ve done and maybe say, ‘This was good. This was good. This, I need to do more. This I need to do less,’ that kind of thing?

A: Yeah. I’d say what we do is we do do that every week. That’s why, this time right there, you kind of look everything holistically. But each week, you’re doing that. And that’s what Mondays are for and part of Tuesdays. I do that every week, whether it’s decisions throughout the game, revisit the game, go onto the next week, look at a ton of different stuff. I think you need to stay on top of that, it’s kind of like a game. You can’t wait ‘til halftime to make some adjustments. You’ve got to keep on doing that throughout the game, and we’ve done a lot of that. I’ve done a lot of that since I started.

Q: Coming out of the bye, do you expect to have any of the guys that have been missing some time back for you? (Wide receiver) Kenny Golladay specifically. I don’t know how close he is or if there is a chance to play out of the bye.

A: I think we’ll see. It’s probably too early right now to give you an answer on that. (I’m) hopeful, but too early.

Q: Over the next few hours, 12 hour or so, what is your involvement going to be with the NFL trade deadline and as a first-year head coach, what has dealing with this been like? Is this something where (general manager) Joe (Schoen) brings you potential options? Is this something where you and Joe are in constant contact, or are you only really privy to it in terms of the specifics of it when there is a potential deal on the line? What has the process been like for you as a first-time coach?

A: I’d say like I’ve said throughout relative to a variety of things here, Joe and I are in constant communication. Lock-step on a lot of things. We talk about pretty much everything there is to talk about in an organization. That’s just how we approach it. That’s really no different to game management or free agency or draft. There’s always communication.

Q: What about (defensive coordinator) Wink (Martindale) gets players to relate to him and play for him in your opinion? How has that helped you as a first-time head coach?

A: Wink’s been a great teammate, whether it’s as a coach or I’d say, for a player. He’s authentic. He has experience. He’s done a really good job for us.

Q: I wanted to ask about (inside linebacker) Micah (McFadden). He got a lot more defensive snaps yesterday than he has since Week 5. What have you seen from him to warrant that?

A: Continual improvement. He’s done the right thing, on and off the field. We use a lot of packages on defense and shuffle a lot of guys in and out, and that was something that we were going to do this week and give him some chances. He made the most of them.

Q: Do you expect here, as the season moves along, to maybe use some of, I shouldn’t say use young in general because I know you’re playing a lot of young guys but, some of the rookies that maybe haven’t played that you’re able to get them in more as you move forward here?

A: I think we’ll play the guys that we think earned it and then for that particular week gives us a chance that we think is best for our team. That’s what we’ve always done, and that’s what we’ll always do.

Q: How active do you expect to be in the next 24-27 hours? Do you guys expect to be active at all in regards to the trade deadline?

A: I’m pretty tired right now, so I’m not going to be too active. I’m not going to be running or jogging or anything like that. You said for the trade deadline?

Q: Yeah. I wasn’t asking about your workout routine.

A: Oh, I thought you said active. Long flight. I don’t know, we’ll see. We’ll see. Those are conversations that I’ll have with Joe and take each of them as they come.

Q: Do you feel like this team needs – you’ve had a lot of injuries at certain positions, you’ve been left shorthanded – do you feel that in order to keep this up or take it to the next level you need to add reinforcements?

A: I think what I always say, we’ll try to do whatever we think is best for the team. Each circumstance that comes up – whether it comes up, whether it doesn’t – we’ll just take it head on.

Q: When you look at the first eight games, do you sit there and say, ‘If you had told me going into the season we’d be 6-2 at the break, I would have jumped and said great?’ Or how do you react to where you are?

A: I just take it day by day. Those are in the past; put money in the bank, so to speak. We’re sitting at 6-2. We have nine games left that are on the schedule, and we got to take them one week at a time. Get a little bit of rest right now. We’ve got a long stretch here. Come back rejuvenated, ready to go and get ready to play Houston. Just take it one week at a time.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media on Tuesday.

Oct 232022
 
Julian Love and Fabian Moreau, New York Giants (October 23, 2022)

Julian Love and Fabian Moreau – © USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK GIANTS 23 – JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 17…
Another weekend, another 4th-quarter comeback for the New York Giants as they defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 23-17 on Sunday afternoon at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. The Giants have now won four games in a row and have improved their overall record to 6-1. However, the team may have suffered significant injuries to offensive linemen Evan Neal (knee) and Ben Bredeson (knee) as well as tight end Daniel Bellinger (eye).

Overall team statistics were close. Both teams had 27 first downs. The Jaguars slightly out-gained the Giants 452 to 436 in total net yards, with the Giants out-rushing the Jaguars 236 to 142 and the Jaguars out-passing the Giants 310 to 200. The Giants did hold a big advantage in time of possession (34:10 to 25:50) and won the turnover battle (1-0).

Both offenses started off hot. The Giants received the ball to start the game and promptly drove 75 yards in nine plays, with quarterback Daniel Jones completing 6-of-7 passes for 65 yards. Jones also ran for 14 yards and finished the drive with a 32-yard touchdown throw to wide receiver Darius Slayton.

Not to be outdone, the Jaguars immediately responded with a 6-play, 70-yard effort that resulted in a 7-yard touchdown run by running back Travis Etienne. The Giants were flagged with an illegal formation penalty on the extra point. The Jaguars then went for two instead, and Etienne also scored on the 2-point conversion. Jaguars 8 – Giants 7.

The Giants gained a couple of first downs on their second possession but punted. Bredeson also left the game with a knee injury on this drive. New York’s defense continued to struggle early as the Jaguars drove 70 yards in 12 plays to set up a 27-yard field goal. The Jaguars converted on 4th-and-1 on this possession. Jacksonville now led 11-7 early in the 2nd quarter.

The Giants’ offense responded with a field-goal drive of their own on their third possession. New York gained 60 yards in 10 plays to set up place kicker Graham Gano from 33 yards out. Unfortunately, Neal injured his knee on the first play of this drive and did not return. Jaguars 11 – Giants 10.

Meanwhile, the Giants’ defense continued to struggle. Having already scored 11 points on their first two possessions, Jacksonville easily drove 64 yards in seven plays to reach the New York 17-yard line. Then Etienne broke through the line on what looked to be a 17-yard touchdown run, but safety Xavier McKinney punched the ball out at the 5-yard line. Fellow safety Julian Love recovered in the end zone for a touchback.

The Giants lost their third offensive starter on the ensuing drive as Bellinger received what looked to be a serious eye injury after a 13-yard catch. New York did gain 65 total yards on this possession to set a 33-yard field goal by Gano with 28 seconds left in the 2nd quarter. At the half, the Giants led 13-11.

Jacksonville received the football to start the second half, and Defensive Coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale’s defense simply could not stop the Jaguars again. Etienne broke off a 49-yard run on the first play of the drive. Six plays later, quarterback Travis Lawrence scored from one yard out. The extra point was blocked by cornerback Nick McCloud. The Jaguars regained the lead 17-13.

New York’s first drive of the second half did not end so well. The Giants drove 72 yards in eight plays, reaching the Jacksonville 3-yard line. This possession was aided by a roughing-the-passer penalty that wiped out an interception by the Jaguars. However, despite one run and two passes from the 3-yard line, the Giants could not reach the end zone, turning the football over on downs.

After both teams exchanged punts, the Jaguars appeared to be on the verge of putting the game away as they gained 60 yards in 10 plays to reach the New York 20-yard line. However, on 3rd-and-1, Etienne was stuffed by linebackers Tae Crowder and Quincy Roche. Then on 4th-and-1, Lawrence was tackled short of the first down by linebacker Jaylon Smith and Love. These two plays proved to be the turning point of the game.

Jones and the Giants proceeded to complete their fifth game-winning drive in the 4th quarter this year. Jones gained 24 yards on one run that he almost broke for a 64-yard touchdown. After running back Saquon Barkley gained three yards on 3rd-and-2, he followed that up with an 18-yard run down to the Jacksonville 11-yard line. Slayton was interfered with in the end zone and Jones scored on 1-yard sneak as New York went ahead 20-17 with 5:31 left in the game.

The Giants’ defense rose up and forced a quick three-and-out. The offense now had the ball back with 4:29 left to play. Barkley began to take over with runs of 13, 7, and 20 yards on the first three plays. Two plays later, Jones ran for 15 yards to the Jacksonville 20-yard line at the 2-minute warning. However, the Giants could get no closer and the officials ruled that Barkley had run out of bounds at the 16-yard line, stopping the clock at 1:07. Gano’s third field goal of the game extended the score to 23-17.

The Jaguars and very questionable officiating made the final 64 seconds a nail-biter. The officials did not call an obvious holding penalty against linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux. Jacksonville converted on 3rd-and-10. Then came two defensive penalties, including defensive holding that wiped out a sack and illegal hands to the face that wiped out an interception by cornerback Fabian Moreau. Lawrence then completed a 28-yard pass on 4th-and-15 and an additional 15-yard roughing-the-passer penalty gave the Jaguars a first down at the New York 17-yard line with 16 seconds left. After two incomplete passes, Lawrence threw one more pass with seven seconds left. Wide receiver Christian Kirk caught the ball for 16 yards down to the 1-yard line, where he as tackled as time expired.

Jones finished the game 19-of-30 for 202 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. He also rushed 11 times for 107 yards and a touchdown. His leading target was wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson who caught six passes for 50 yards. Barkley ran 24 times for 110 yards after being held to 18 yards on nine carries in the first half.

The defense allowed 452 yards and 27 first downs. The Giants did not have a sack and were credited with only two quarterback hits. The also had no tackles for losses. The starting safeties did combine for the one turnover, however, and there were six pass defenses.

GAME VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS are available on YouTube.

ROSTER MOVES, PRACTICE SQUAD ACTIVATIONS, INACTIVES, AND INJURY REPORT…
On Saturday, the Giants placed OLB Azeez Ojulari (calf) on Injured Reserve. He will have to miss at least four games. The team also signed OLB Quincy Roche to the 53-man roster from the Practice Squad.

The Giants activated (standard elevation) LB/S Landon Collins and DL Ryder Anderson from the Practice Squad to the 53-man roster on the same day.

Inactive for the game were WR Kenny Golladay (knee), WR Kadarius Toney (hamstring), OLB Oshane Ximines (quad), CB Cor’Dale Flott (calf), S Jason Pinnock (ankle), and ILB Austin Calitro.

LG Ben Bredeson (knee), RT Evan Neal (knee), and TE Daniel Bellinger (eye) left the game in the first half and did not return. The NFL Network reported that the belief is that Neal suffered a sprained MCL. ESPN reported that both Bredeson and Neal avoided serious knee injuries. Bellinger was taken to the hospital for further evaluation and later released. CB Adoree’ Jackson (evaluated for concussion) left the game in the second half, but later returned.

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

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Head Coach Brian Daboll and select players will address the media by conference call on Monday.

Oct 162022
 
Saquon Barkley, New York Giants (October 16, 2022)

Saquon Barkley – © USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK GIANTS 24 – BALTIMORE RAVENS 20…
The surprising New York Giants improved their record to 5-1 with another dramatic, come-from-behind victory on Sunday afternoon, beating the heavily-favored Baltimore Ravens 24-20. Trailing 20-10 in the 4th quarter, the Giants scored the game’s final 14 points to secure the win.

In terms of overall team statistics, Baltimore held clear advantages in first downs (23 to 18), total net yards (406 to 238), net yards rushing (211 to 83), and net yards passing (195 to 155). However, the Ravens made more mistake, losing the turnover battle 2-to-1 as well as being flagged 10 times for 74 yards. The Giants were penalized only three times for 25 yards.

The entire first quarter was taken up by three possessions, two 5+ minute drives by the Ravens and one 4-minute drive by the Giants. None resulted in points as Baltimore punted once and missed a 56-yard field goal. The Giants also punted.

After a three-and-out by New York on their second possession of the game, the Ravens drove 89 yards in eight plays to take a 7-0 lead in the second quarter. Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson ran for 14 yards on the first play and completed 3-of-4 passes for 39 yards. The big play was the 30-yard touchdown run by halfback Kenyan Drake, who had a monster day, rushing 10 times for 119 yards (11.9 yards per carry).

Running back Gary Brightwell returned the ensuing kickoff 47 yards to near midfield. Facing a 3rd-and-14, quarterback Daniel Jones found wide receiver Darius Slayton for an 18-yard catch and a first down. Jones then connected with running back Matt Breida on a 15-yard completion despite a big hit on Breida. Three plays later, on 3rd-and-12, Jones threw a 15-yard pass to wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson down to the 11-yard line. Three plays after that, on 3rd-and-4, Jones hooked up with Robinson again for the 5-yard touchdown. The game was tied at 7-7.

With just 3:31 left before halftime, the Ravens were able to drive 59 yards in eight plays to set up a 34-yard field goal to make the game 10-7. Drake broke off another 30 yard run on this possession. Tight end Mark Andrews, who also had a huge day with seven catches for 106 yards, also had two catches for 34 yards to help set up the field goal.

Both teams exchanged punts in the last 1:45 of the half. Then Jones fumbled the ball away on a sack on mid-field Hail Mary attempt on the last play.

At the break, the Ravens led 10-7.

The Giants received the ball to start the second half, gained one first down, but then punted. The Ravens continued to gain big chunks of real estate. Drake gained 21 yards on the first carry, Andrews caught two more passes for 32 yards, and Jackson rushed for 11 yards down to the Giants’ 5-yard line. There the defense stiffened. After three straight incomplete passes, the Ravens settled for a short field goal and a 13-7 advantage.

Most of the rest of the 3rd quarter was eaten up by New York’s ensuing 14-play, 59-yard drive that took 7:41 off of the clock. The Giants converted on two 3rd downs on this possession, including a 7-yard pass to tight end Daniel Bellinger on 3rd-and-4 and a 4-yard pass to running back Saquon Barkley on 3rd-and-5. On the latter play, the Ravens were also flagged with an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty that gave the Giants the first down. However, after reaching the Baltimore 5-yard line, Jones was sacked for an 11-yard loss on 3rd-and-goal and the team had to settle for a 34-yard field goal. Ravens 13 – Giants 10.

The Ravens appeared to take control of the game on their ensuing possession. Jackson ran for 25 yards, Drake carried the ball four more times for 27 yards, and Jackson completed two passes for 23 yards, including a well-thrown 12-yard touchdown pass to Andrews. With just under 13 minutes left in the game, the Ravens held a two-score advantage, 20-10.

The Giants responded with a clutch, 12-play, 75-yard touchdown drive of their own. On 3rd-and-4, Jones and wide receiver Marcus Johnson teamed up for an 18-yard reception. On 2nd-and-12, Jones found Robinson over the middle for 17 yards. Five plays later, on 3rd-and-1, Jones gained three yards for the first down. Jones finished the possession with an 8-yard touchdown throw to Bellinger. With six minutes to go, the Ravens lead was cut to 20-17.

Baltimore gained one first down. On 3rd-and-5 from their own 40-yard line, Jackson could not handle the shotgun snap. The ball scooted past him but he managed to recover. Nevertheless, under pressure, he threw an ill-advised pass that was picked off by safety Julian Love at the line of scrimmage and then returned 27 yards down to the Ravens’ 13-yard line.

With 2:50 left on the clock, the Giants were in position to take the lead for the first time in the game. On 3rd-and-3, it first appeared that disaster struck for the Giants. Jones’ end zone pass was intercepted by cornerback Marcus Peters in the end zone. But Peters clearly interfered with Slayton on the play. The penalty gave the Giants a first down at the 1-yard line. On the very next play, Barkley easily scored from one yard out. The Giants now led 24-20 with 1:43 left in the game.

On Baltimore’s last desperate drive, Jackson’s first pass fell incomplete. On 2nd-and-10, outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux sacked Jackson and stripped the ball from him. Defensive lineman Leonard Williams recovered the loose ball at the Baltimore 13-yard line with 1:30 left in the contest. Barkley picked then picked up five yards on his first carry. He could have scored on his second carry but intentionally fell to the ground at the 2-yard line so the Giants could simply run out the clock. Game over.

Jones finished the game 19-of-27 for 173 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions for a quarterback rating of 112.1. His leading target was Bellinger, who caught five passes for 38 yards. No other Giant had more than three catches, but Jones completed passes to eight different targets. Barkley led the team with 22 carries for 83 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, the Giants were credited with two sacks, one by nose tackle Dexter Lawrence and the other by Thibodeaux, who forced a fumble that sealed the game. Love broke up two passes and intercepted Jackson that set up the game-winning touchdown.

GAME VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS are available on YouTube.

ROSTER MOVES, PRACTICE SQUAD ACTIVATIONS, INACTIVES, AND INJURY REPORT…
On Saturday, the Giants placed S Tony Jefferson (foot) on Injured Reserve. He will have to miss at least four games.

The Giants activated (standard elevation) WR Marcus Johnson and DL Ryder Anderson from the Practice Squad to the 53-man roster on the same day.

Inactive for the game were WR Kenny Golladay (knee), WR Kadarius Toney (hamstring), OLB Azeez Ojulari (calf), CB Cor’Dale Flott (calf), and S Jason Pinnock (ankle).

OC Jon Feliciano (groin) left the game briefly but returned.

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

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Head Coach Brian Daboll and select players will address the media by conference call on Monday.