NEWS AND NOTES FROM GIANTS WIN OVER DENVER

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Brett Jones started his second consecutive game at center for Weston Richburg, helping Big Blue win its first game of the season. Photo by Andy Lewis / contrastphotography.com

*The Giants improved to 1-3 on the road this season.

*The Giants held their opponents to their lowest point total since a 19-10 defeat of Washington in the 2016 season finale.

*The Giants led at halftime, 17-3, their largest lead after two quarters since Dec. 7, 2014, when they led the Titans in Tennessee, 23-0. They won that game, 36-7.

*This was the first time they did not allow a first-half touchdown since Jan. 1, 2017, when they led Washington, 10-0, on their way to a 19-10 victory. That was the fifth time in 2016 the Giants did not allow their opponents to score a touchdown in the first half.

*The Giants won without scoring a second-half touchdown for the first since Sept. 18, 2016 against New Orleans, when they kicked three field goals in a 16-13 victory against the Saints. They kicked two field goals Sunday night.

*The Giants did not commit a turnover for the second time this season. They also had no turnovers at Tampa Bay on Oct. 1.

*The Giants forced three Denver turnovers (two interceptions and a fumble). It was the first time this season they had a positive turnover differential. They had negative differentials in three games and twice had the same number of turnovers as their opponents.

*The Giants won for the first time in four games this season in which they won the coin toss and deferred taking possession of the ball until the second half. They had lost to Detroit, Philadelphia, and the L.A. Chargers after deferring. The Giants are 4-5 under Ben McAdoo when they defer.

*The Giants improved to 11-7 since 1990 when their opponents are coming off a bye and the Giants are not. Next Sunday they host the Seattle Seahawks, who had a bye this week.

*The Giants rushed for 148 yards, including 83 in the first half, against the NFL’s top-rated run defense, one that had allowed an average of just 50.8 yards through Denver’s first four games.

*The Giants had 118 net passing yards, their lowest total since they threw for 90 yards in a 38-0 loss at Carolina on Sept. 22, 2013.

*Eli Manning played in his 207th regular-season game, tying former tight end Howard Cross for second on the Giants’ career list. Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan is first with 216 games played.

*Manning started his 205th consecutive game. He is three shying of tying his brother Peyton for the second longest starting streak in history by a quarterback. Peyton Manning started 208 consecutive games for the Indianapolis Colts from 1998-2010.

*Manning completed 11 of 19 passes for 128 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. The 19 attempts were his lowest total in a full regular-season game since he threw 15 passes at Buffalo on Dec. 23, 2007. Manning threw 18 passes in an NFC Divisional Playoff Game in Dallas on Jan. 13, 2008. He threw 10 passes vs. Oakland on Oct. 11, 2009, but played only five series in that game, and 19 at Minnesota on Dec. 28, 2008, but did not play in the second half.

*Manning’s 11 completions was his lowest total in a full game since Nov. 4, 2012, when he had 10 (on 24 attempts) vs. Pittsburgh. Manning’s 128 yards in Denver was his lowest total in a game in which he took every snap since he had 125 in that game vs. the Steelers five years ago.

*Rookie tight end Evan Engram led the Giants with five receptions for a season-high 82 yards. He scored the Giants’ only offensive touchdown on a five-yard pass from Manning, and also had the team’s three longest receptions, for 26, 21, and 19 yards.

*Running back Wayne Gallman had two receptions. No other Giants receiver had more than one; Roger Lewis, Jr., Orleans Darkwa, Tavarres King, and Jerell Adams had one apiece.

*Darkwa started at running back and had career-high totals of 21 carries for 117 yards, and a career-long run of 47 yards. Darkwa’s previous career-high was 69 yards, set last week vs. the Los Angeles Chargers. His previous career-high of 12 carries was set on Oct. 3, 2016 at Minnesota.

*Darkwa had the first 100-yard rushing game by a Giants back since Paul Perkins ran for 102 yards at Washington on Jan. 1. His 117 yards was the highest total by a Giants back since Jan. 3, 2016 when Rashad Jennings ran for 170 yards on 27 carries vs. Philadelphia.

*Darkwa’s 47-yard run in the second quarter was more than twice as long as any of his other 116 rushes in his four-year career. His previous long run was the 23-yard touchdown he scored last week vs. the Chargers.

*The 47-yarder was the longest run by a Giants back since Dec. 7, 2014, when Andre Williams scored on a 50-yard run in a victory at Tennessee. The Giants’ longest run in 2016 was a 25-yarder by Rashad Jennings vs. Cincinnati on Nov. 14, and in 2015 it was a 39-yarder by Shane Vereen vs. Dallas on Oct. 25.

*The Giants had a season-high four sacks of Trevor Siemian, including a career high-tying 3.0 by Jason Pierre-Paul, who led the team with eight tackles (seven solo). JPP’s other three-sack game was at Cleveland on Nov. 27, 2016. Pierre-Paul leads the Giants with 4.5 sacks.

*Defensive tackle Damon Harrison had the other sack, his first since Jan. 1 at Washington.

*Cornerback Janoris Jenkins scored the Giants’ second touchdown when he intercepted a Siemian pass and returned it 43 yards with 48 seconds remaining in the second quarter. It was the Giants’ first defensive touchdown since the 2016 season finale in Washington, when Trevin Wade scored on an 11-yard fumble return on the game’s final play. The previous Giants’ touchdown on an interception return was Landon Collins’ 44-yarder against the Rams in London on Oct. 23, 2016.

*The interception was Jenkins’ first of the year, his fourth in two seasons with the Giants, and the 14th of his career.

*Jenkins scored his eighth career touchdown, and his sixth on an interception. He has also scored on returns after a fumble recovery and a blocked field goal, the latter against New Orleans on Sept. 18, 2016. His previous touchdown on an interception return was on a 99-yard return for the St. Louis Rams at St. Louis on Nov. 23, 2014.

*Jenkins forced a fumble by Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas on the first play of fourth quarter. It was his fifth of career forced fumble, and first since Dec. 11, 2016 vs. Dallas.

*Eli Apple recovered the fumble, his second recovery of the year, and the fourth in his two NFL seasons.

*Collins intercepted a Siemian pass in the second quarter, his first pick since Nov. 20, 2916 vs. Chicago.

*Aldrick Rosas kicked a season high three field goals, from 25, 51, and 40 yards. The 51-yarder was the longest three-pointer by a Giants kicker since Nov. 15, 2015, when Josh Brown booted a 53-yarder vs. New England. It was the Giants’ longest field goal on the road since Brown’s 52-yarder at St. Louis on Dec. 21, 2014.

*Both Rosas and Denver kicker Brandon McManus had field goal attempts blocked. Rosas’ 49-yard try was blocked by defensive end Adam Gotsis, the first block by a Giants opponent since St. Louis Daren Bates blocked an attempt by Brown on Dec. 1, 2014.

*Earlier in the third quarter, McManus’ 53-yard try caromed off Giants defensive end Kerry Wynn. It was the first blocked field goal attempt by the Giants since Pierre-Paul did it against Philadelphia on Nov. 6, 2016.

*Three Giants players made their NFL debuts: wide receivers Travis Rudolph and Ed Eagan, and cornerback Donte Deayon. Two other players, King and tight end Matt LaCosse, made their season debuts.

*Because tight ends Engram and Rhett Ellison often lined up as wide receivers, Rudolph and Eagan had relatively few opportunities. Rudolph was targeted once. Eagan did not play a down at receiver, but his 20-yard punt return was the longest by a Giants player this season. Deayon saw the most action among the newcomers, frequently lining up as the slot corner and playing on the kickoff and punt teams. He had one solo tackle on defense and two on special teams, including one on the opening kickoff.

*King caught one pass and LaCosse was targeted once.

*Shane Vereen and Darkwa replaced the injured Dwayne Harris as the kickoff returner, but neither player had an opportunity to run back a kick.

*Ross Cockrell started at nickel cornerback in place of the suspended Dominique-Rodgers –Cromartie. He had three solo tackles and a pass breakup.

*The Giants’ inactive players were linebacker Jonathan Casillas (neck), center Weston Richburg (concussion), running back Paul Perkins (ribs), wide receiver Sterling Shepard (ankle), and defensive ends Olivier Vernon (ankle) and Romeo Okwara (who injured his knee in practice Thursday), and quarterback Davis Webb.

*Justin Pugh again moved from left guard to right tackle, where he replaced Bobby Hart. The starting guards were D.J. Fluker on the right side and John Jerry, normally the right guard, on the left. Brett Jones started his second game at center for Richburg. Ereck Flowers was at left tackle. He is the only Giants offensive lineman to start every game at the same position. The Giants have used five different starting offensive line combinations in six games.

*Pugh, matched up against Von Miller most of the game, limited one of the NFL’s premier pass rushers to one tackle, a four-yard sack.

*Keenan Robinson had six tackles (five solo) and started at weakside linebacker for the first time this season in place of Casillas. In 2016, Robinson started six games, plus the NFC Wild Card Game in Green Bay (on the strong side). He started at all three linebacker positions, including the season finale in Washington at middle linebacker. Robinson’s most recent start on the weak side was last Dec. 22 in Philadelphia.

*The Giants’ game captains were Rhett Ellison, Brett Jones, and Devon Kennard.

*Denver’s Demaryius Thomas caught 10 passes for 133 yards, the highest reception total by a Giants opponent since the Rams’ Tavon Austin caught 10 –passes for 57 yards in London last Oct. 23.

*The Giants-Broncos regular-season series is tied, 6-6. The Giants improved to 2-4 in Denver. They also won here in 1989.

*The Giants improved to 22-29-1 on Sunday Night Football, including 11-17-1 on the road (they are 1-1 this season, including an opening-night loss in Dallas. They snapped a five-game road losing streak on Sunday night. Their last such victory was Dec. 1, 2013 at Washington, 24-17. The Broncos fell to 17-7 at home on Sunday nights.

17 Oct 17 - Football, Giants, NFL - admin - No Comments