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Photo: Robert Deutsch / USA TODAY Sports
They did Adrian! The Giants did it! It took 1,470 days, but baby they did it. For the first time since November 6th, 2016, the New York FOOTBALL Giants defeated the Philadelphia Eagles. The system is finally clicking, and Joe Judge is building a winning mindset and an attractive culture. Every week, the Giants are getting better, and things are starting to look bright for the Giants. It was a hard-fought game through and through, but there were a lot of bright spots to talk about after this win. The "analysts" were all against the Giants. It feels good to have them proved wrong.
Photo: Giants, Twitter
Do you know what is even more exciting? The Giants are still in the mix to win the NFC East and make it to the playoffs. With the win against the division rival, the Giants move up to 2nd, making them 3-2 in the East. The road ahead won't be easy, but don't count the Giants out. They may be one of the best 3-7 teams in the history of the NFL.
Pros
Danny Wheels and Danny No Turnovers!
Daniel Jones; the prince from Duke, the heir to Eli, the captain of the offense, and the quarterback of the New York Giants. There has been a lot of slander and criticism towards the young slinger, but today he silenced his haters. Daniel Jones went 21-for-28 with 244 yards. He also had a turnover-free day. In addition, he rushed for 64 yards on 9 attempts, including a 34-yard touchdown in the first quarter. What a day and the momentum keeps moving forward.
Tenacious-Defense
What more can I say about Patrick Graham's defense? They are the rock of this unit and it is awesome watching them play hard nose competitive football. The Giants tallied 52 tackles, 3 sacks, 6 passes deflected, and 13 QB hits. Sexy-Dexy, Dexter Lawrence recorded a sack, as well as Jabrill Peppers and Trent Harris.
James Bradberry is playing at an All-Pro level. Over the last two weeks, the corner has allowed just three receptions for 21 yards. Jabrill Peppers and Logan Ryan played more standout D. The Giants did not surrender a touchdown until the third quarter.
The most impressive stat of the night was that in Philadelphia went 0-for-9 on third-down attempts. The Giants D ranks in the top half of football and is starting to put the league on notice. Not to mention, the second-round draft pick and Alabama star safety, Xavier McKinney, is expected to make his debut after the bye. Buckle up!
Wayne's World and the Run Game
No Saquon and Devonta Freeman? No problem! Wayne Gallman rushed for two touchdowns on 18 carries for 53 yards. The team as a whole had over 150 yards rushing. Even his teammate was pretty hyped for Gallman's performance
Unsung Heroes
Darius Slayton has been our number one guy and is the Giants were lucky to steal him in the fifth round last year. The connection he has with Jones is undeniable, and it showed today where he was averaging 18.6 yards per catch, on 5 receptions for 93 yards. That included a 40-yard bomb with the athletic over the shoulder catch.
The Special Team's unit has been lights out as well. I highlight Gano later on, but another player deserving of a shoutout is the Punter, Riley Dixon. The iron boot has been sending punts deep, including a 71-yarder in the game which left the Eagles no room to return.
The Great Gano and the 3-year Extension
Graham Gano has been one of the best singings the Giants could have made. Good riddance to Aldrick Rosas! In the game, he put the Giants up 27-17 in the 4th, right through the uprights during a windy day. Mr. Automatic is 21/22 in kicks this year, and the Giants acknowledged his success. After the game, the Giants confirmed that they signed Gano to a three-year extension worth $14M in new money. Well deserved!
Cons and Room For Improvement
The Offensive Line
Even with the win and the explosive rushing game, the O-Line was spotty. The run blocking had its moments, but it helped the Giants rush for over a hundred yards (151) for the fifth consecutive game. The pass protection was spotty and at times the defense was blowing through the blockers. The score could have been higher too, but a touchdown was taken away by an Andrew Thomas holding penalty that occurred after Jones was past the Eagles defensive line. Shane Lemieux has brought the Giant's offensive line a new sense of energy and toughness. has brought the Giant's offensive line a new sense of energy and toughness. Somehow Will Hernandez is looking like the weakest link, but should still have a role on this team. Overall, this is a young unit and they are starting to show that they can become formidable in the near future.
Photo: Evan Pinkus/New York Football Giants
What's next?
The Giants have a well-deserved bye after today's win. On November 29th, they'll head to Cincinnati to fave Joe Burrow and the Bengals. It's time to "stack those wins!"